This place is way bigger than expected and awesome! Parking kind of stinks but you'll figure it out, as we did. We didn't have a reservation, but the wait was super quick, maybe ten minutes. The food was very good, we both got the chicken and shrimp and it was delicious. The atmosphere here is great, loud and exciting (on the hibachi side). Definitely a fun place to come, plus they squirt free sake in your mouth so how can you complain. SAKE! SAKE! SAKE!
(5)
Mika S.
Get the Hibachi because the chefs at Osaka seriously know how to put on a show! As soon as we ordered, we were treated to a spectacular display of juggling, with knives, kitchen utensils, eggs and literally anything that the chef could get his hands on. As our food was cooked, we had cooked zucchini tossed into our mouths from across the table, in addition to a Saki fountain. The food was cooked to perfection and made with high quality ingredients. This place is so fun, I can't recommend it highly enough!
(4)
Tamas S.
First time visiting here and i will definitely be back. The atmosphere is superb for my taste. Clean and cozy, i totally forgot i was in Coolidge Corner! I checked in on yelp and was rewarded with a free delicious miso soup (show to server free miso voucher on iPhone yelp app). I went around 3:00p on a Saturday and there weren't many people there since it's an awkward eating hour i suppose. Ordered 3 specialty rolls. The jalapeno roll, beauty on the beach roll and the spicy tuna tortilla. All were pretty good. The sushi rice leaves a little bit to be desired, hence forth the four stars instead of five. Sushi rice at a sushi restaurant is the backbone, without awesome sushi rice, the sushi is just raw fish, seaweed and rice. The beauty on the beach roll was an experiment for me since i don't usually mix fruit with fish but i gave it a whirl and it was actually pretty tasty. The sauce that covers the plate tastes like a fresh strawberry shortcake. The jalapeno roll was delicious and reminded me of spring (it's "green" tasting due to raw jalapeno). The spicy tuna tortilla was really good but it's on a circular disc that more resembles a cracker, not a tortilla. Still delicious nonetheless. Service was pretty good. All in all a great visit.
(4)
Susan S.
I went here to try the non-teppenyaki/hibatchi food, Friday night after Thanksgiving. The roars, countdowns, cheers, and general noise coming from the hibachi room was really loud and annoying, and almost constant. (Were they doing calisthenics?) But people are having fun, so, ok. We had pork donburi, that was pretty good; pork goyza was pretty good, not doughy like some. Chicken tempura was so-so - small portion, only two strips of chicken, few pieces of vegetables, not much taste. The sushi was awful. I had spicy tuna roll, and it was like tuna mush, and not that spicy - but the texture was bad. Hamachi-maki was the same - mushy - couldn't even see that it was a piece of fish. We had an Alaska roll, and we could see that there was a piece of salmon in there, but it was tasteless and had poor texture. And scallop sushi was just salty and did not taste fresh. The wait staff was filling our water every 2 seconds, really too much. And the bill, including a large sake for $9, was $63. I am going back to Mr. Sushi. Maybe they only make their $15 special rolls with fresh fish, and the standard rolls get ignored.
(2)
Adriana C.
I love eating here and have been several times. The sushi is tasty, fresh and made up of unique combinations. The hibachi is fun, especially with a group of friends. The bar downstairs is a great place to meet up with friends....and the drinks are delicious. The waitstaff is very friendly and always attentive.
(5)
Lauren M.
Great service. I think they have the best miso soup I've ever had. The sushi was good and fresh but not exciting. It may be that we didn't do a great job with our selections. The sushi combo was a little boring, but the tuna rolls were huge- very generous. We also ordered a special (very modern) roll with mango in it. Too sweet for me. I would definitely give this place another shot, and I would like to try the habachi.
(4)
max r.
This is not a place you go for quality sushi. They have a lot of fancy rolls where lack of quality fish is masked by presentation and sauces. Try to order one of their rolls along with regular sushi and sashimi, you will see what I am talking about. Nice decor and good service though. So if you want to nourish you esthetic senses that is a place for you.Japanese food aficionados - look elsewhere
(3)
Val I.
Let me start by saying despite countless bad reviews on here I persisted - I had gone to the other Osaka location near my Alma Matar in western mass and always loved it: the show, the food, the sake. Fast forward many years later and it's my birthday along with 21 of my closest friends who came with me. We booked a reservation two weeks earlier and got to Osaka on time with our whole party. We waited over 90 minutes to be seated as did the numerous large parties who came before us, an 8 o'clock table of 16 was seated at 930, our 830 table was seated at 10pm. The staff lie and keep telling you 15 minutes and suddenly you realize multiple other groups of 10 to 28 are ahead of you and still hadn't been seated. Oh, other large parties are also yelling at the staff since this is the dirty trick they pull on big parties. Big parties who came at 9 and 930 were seated hours later as we witnessed, as well. After we got seated our chefs were lazy, no tricks that are mentioned on yelp nor the ones I saw in Northampton - the chefs (two of them for our 20+ person table) yelled "oh yeah" for 10 seconds, threw some broccoli at us, cooked and left. Folks go to hibachi for the show and food and half of that equation was missing. The food was pretty good but the service and management are terrible and the hibachi chefs sucked, no show PLUS he kept splattering food all over my girlfriends plate and missing it (half her food was dropped into the soy sauce dish) and I had a lot of sauce on my arm from his misfires. I ignored all of the bad reviews, I pushed back and said "no, Osaka will be great," but it was not - it ruined my birthday evening a bit and we will never return. You've been warned.
(2)
Jennifer D.
Absolutely love this place. Great food. Wonderful service. Slightly bias since I've been going to the one in Northampton forever. Very happy to have fantastic hibachi close by.
(5)
P'raka ..
I went here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Hot tea was brought out immediately which greatly appreciated on a chilly day. Lunch box special for $10 included a generously portioned soup, salad, 3 shumai, side of rice, protein of my choice and six piece sushi roll. They let me swap out the california roll for plan tuna for no fee. The shumai and oysters were so-so but the tuna roll was fantastic. I would go back to try more of their sushi.
(3)
Eddie G.
My brother and I have been on a sushi kick for the past month and decided to try Osaka because from the reviews it seemed like it could a fun dinner. We went on a Thursday night, it was a slower night and we were greeted and seated right away. Nice decor, clean and friendly enough staff. Decent sushi, we tried the Yellow Submarine which has lobster tempura topped with mango slices--DELICIOUS. We also tried the American Tango which has tuna sitting in strawberry (yes, the sweetness works) sauce. Again, very good. We topped it off with some lychee sake that was served nice and cold. I def enjoyed the dinner although it was probably a little on the pricier side. I may venture back on a Friday or Saturday night when it's louder and more amped. Give it a try.
(4)
Ice cube X.
it is OK, and that is it.
(3)
Alex W.
On New Year's Eve I had my first and last Osaka experience. My group of 11 arrived at our 7:30 reservation time to find a packed restaurant. We, along with several other groups, were ushered to the downstairs bar area and told we would have a short wait. As the wait dragged on and the bar filled up it became increasingly evident that Osaka's strategy was to say yes to anyone who called to make a reservation or walked in the door and to throw everyone into the bar area. While I am sure Osaka made a killing off of all of us in the bar, I didn't come to Osaka for its bar scene. We were finally seating over an hour after our reservation time at 8:45. From then until our hibachi chef arrived almost 45 minutes later we received minimal service. I attempted to ask if the restaurant had a sake flight available but I had to settle for a Harpoon IPA (which came out as a Sapporo) when my attempt got lost in translation. My group of three ordered two hibachi meals and two sushi rolls. The hibachi was nothing special (just tons of soy sauce) though the chef was entertaining enough. Our sushi never arrived (and I had to ask to get it removed from our bill). I was atually glad that it didn't because others in our party who ordered sushi received it at the same time that we all got our checks which was about 30 minutes after we had all finished the hibachi. Those that got the sushi decided to get it to go so we could move ahead with the night. By the time we paid and ran for the door it was 11pm. That's right. Our 7:30 reservation go us out of the restaurant at 11pm. We made a few calls, established that it was now too late to get into the downtown bar that we were planning on going to and instead ended up at my friend's Coolidge Corner apartment. Osaka's poor management and inability to say no to potential customers cost me my new years eve. There are far too many great sushi places and other restaurants in the brookline/boston area to waste your time at Osaka.
(1)
David K.
WORTH IT! BEST HIBACHI CHEFS I HAVE SEEN!! $50-65 per couple, so not s cheap date, but it's so much fun! Food is as good as the show! And how can you beat free Saka from a squeeze bottle.
(5)
Alexandra S.
This place was really good. Very fresh food and amazingly talented chefs! Not only was our chef talented but was able to change the vibe of the group to a lively, fun atmosphere. The smell of the food cooking during the show was also a plus. I will suggest this lovely place and come back with friends! Thank you for the awesome dinner!
(4)
R A.
Just what Brookline needs, another Sushi restaurant! Seriously though, this place is pretty cool. On the inside the place is huge, and they have a bar/lounge downstairs. The sushi and service were both great.
(4)
Brian G.
Very good hibachi- steak was quality, fried rice good, though could use more flavoring. Love the decor! We will be back
(4)
Alan W.
3 thumbs up...great food, great service and great value for the price!
(5)
Kirsten S.
GO HERE. I should not have to say anything more than that. But I will so you can feel that following that directive is legitimate. 1. They ask if you want Hibachi or Restaurant when you walk in. Fun! 2. If you choose Restaurant, you will notice that Hibachi looks tastefully fun and NOT like you might end up with chef's lint in your food after the flip-shrimp-into-pocket trick. I, however, did not choose Hibachi. I do recognize that based on appearance, it would be a good choice. But I was there for Restaurant. 3. Edamame soup. Puree with coconut milk and crab. Yes. 4. A generous portion of seaweed salad NOT in a martini glass or other vessel that can be stuffed with lettuce at the botom. It came on a plate. It was seaweed all the way through. It was delicious. 5. I got one specialty roll that was the size of a small birthday cake and involved tuna, seared tuna, asparagus, salmon, eel, and some other things. It was topped with three types of tobiko in the center, which rested on a pile of tempura crunch. It had a specially crafted sauce to go with it. It was devine--and that one roll verged on too much food. 6. Sea bass. Now, I would NEVER dine at a Japanese restaurant and get an entree. Or anything cooked for that matter. However, my husband is not so fond of food that doesn't have an identifiable frozen meal equivalent, so he got the sea bass. [SCREECHING HALT.] I would go back just for the sea bass and its seductively succulent and buttery qualities. Also devine. I stole many bites. This place is on a side street across from the Coolidge Corner Theater, so it doesn't get the benefit of Harvard Ave. foot traffic. But anyone who seeks it out or stumbles upon it will certainly make a habit of it. Taking the detour off the main Sushi drag in this area is well worth it--if for no other reason than to experience Restaurant and Hibachi. Nicely done, OSAKA. I'll be back for something wonderful. *Oh yeah, best surprise? After you revel in the deliciousness you won't be hit with a bill that makes you want to retract a review star, or lose your lunch. In my opinion, this place is a steal.
(5)
Caroline C.
We went here recently to celebrate my birthday! It was easy to make a reservation and they made sure to get our larger group all sat comfortably at one hibachi grill. It was a little slow at first...they were finishing up a bunch of large groups so we had to wait a bit for drinks and to order. Our chef was awesome!! So fun, so interactive and great at what he does. The servings were very generous...I couldn't even finish my plate! The options were great too...I got chicken and scallops and my boyfriend got a filet and lobster tail...amazing! Would definitely go back...such a fun outing for a large group!
(4)
Rick C.
This is my first review of a restaurant without actually eating the food! They would not seat us. I made a reservation early in the week for 4 people, when we arrived I could barely get into the doorway. There must have been 30 people waiting, every table was full, the hostess would barely acknowledge me and after getting in her face she clearly had no clue when we would get seated or what was going on. I thik they ignored reservations and let people in off the street. I heard others complaining og longstanding reservations,( made 2 weeks earlier), large groups,( a party of 10), all about to get stiffed by Osaka. Fortunately being in Coolidge Corner there are many good options to walk to, as far as the food- I won't be back so I'll never know.
(1)
Erica T.
I have been here a few times and I always have had a good meal. I normally get the steak and shrimp hibachi dinner and have never been disappointed. Soup is not included as part of the dinner meal which you normally get at most hibachi restaurants so make sure to order it separately. We always make reservations through open table and have never had to wait which makes it a great option if you have a big group. The drinks are strong but the prices reflect that ($9 for Mai tai, $18 scorpion bowl). Getting drinks does take some time so we usually order another round before we finish the first. The inside of the restaurant is dark, modern, and very clean. The downstairs has an additional bar and lounge area. The hibachi cooks are usually pretty entertaining and they normally give you plenty of free saki. Its convenient to get to (right off the Coolidge corner T stop) and they have valet parking.
(4)
Wonder W.
Had hibachi and thought it was great! It's not meant be haute cuisine people - its fun and fiery and yummy. Big servings. Scallops were delicious. Hibachi chef entertained our little one who thought it was wonderful. Will be back.
(4)
Kris S.
I have tried sushi all over Boston, NYC, you name it -- this is it. This is the best sushi I've had. The jalapeno roll, foxy lady, hidden dragon, hot lover roll, I could go on and on. I am even obsessed with the tuna tartar tortilla, even though my hubby thinks it looks a bit unappetizing. I've experienced the hibachi here, too. It was quite good, but the sushi is just superb. The service is consistently strong, as well. And don't be turned off by the prices -- the rolls are a great size and dare I say a value. I am almost hesitant to give such a positive review, b/c the lines are getting long and I don't want to have to wait next time...which will be this week. Welcome to the neighborhood, Osaka!
(5)
Jay J.
The food was good and the performance chef at our 'Beni Hana' style table was good as well. When the meal was eaten, we were ready to leave. The group dining didn't offer much date ambiance I guess. No complaints about food or service, just not as much fun as we expected. If you had a group of twelve or so, and had one of those tables all to yourself, it could be a 4-star blast.. especially if they turned the lights down one notch..
(3)
Rachel P.
OSAKA is amazing. From the appetizer we got to the sushi to the hibachi, this place is delicious. On top of yummy food, their staff is incredible! Our hibachi chef was so funny, he made the whole table laugh. Our waiter recognized that it was my birthday and was nothing but helpful and gracious. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone!
(5)
Lisa H.
We brought a big party (16 people) and had a great time. The chefs were entertaining and the waitstaff took good care of us.
(5)
D C.
I was excited to see a trendy new Japanese place open up in Coolidge Corner. The decor in Osaka is really modern, streamlined and beautiful. I loved the vibe. The menu was very extensive, lots of great options, particularly for those of us with shellfish allergies. The reason I gave them three stars instead of more? Our waitress. I'm not sure what her deal was. We ate early on a Wednesday night, and the restaurant was relatively empty at the time, so it couldn't have been that she was particularly stressed at the time. Ten seconds after I sat down and ordered a drink, she took the table's wine/liquor menus away. Despite the fact we were still waiting for one more person to arrive, and she hadn't asked us if we wanted to order anything from it. She came over FOUR TIMES to ask if we were ready to order, in the span of 10 minutes. The third member of our party had only just sat down when the waitress asked the second time. And despite the fact we had our menus wide-open, and were staring at them when she asked the fourth time, she still couldn't figure out that we were still looking. I just gave up at that point and ordered. My friend ordered the avocado salad, which arrived with fish roe mixed in, though that wasn't described on the menu. She's not a fish fan and so asked for another salad, sans-fish products, to which the waitress replied "it's not fish." My friend insisted on another salad, & the waitress told her re: "I think it's fake." WTF? Eventually she relented and got my friend another salad. I had the New Osaka Maki (tuna, avocado, etc) and the Mexican Roll (spicy salmon, avocado). The Mexican Roll was tasty, if a little sloppily-prepared, and I didn't get the New Osaka Roll till some time later (they should have been served simultaneously, as my entree). The New Osaka came with a mysterious-looking sauce, that appeared to have bits of crab in it. I was concerned and inquired if it did from the waitress. She gave me a blank stare. My companion volunteered that I have a shellfish allergy, and the waitress rudely said, "well, you should have told me that beforehand." I understand that it could be relevant, but I also know how to read a menu, and would never order a dish with shellfish in it. In the end, she didn't know the answer to my question, and went to ask the chef (it didn't have any shellfish in it). I found the sauce overly-sweet and kind of bizarre, but loved the softness of the tempura-ed tuna. My friend's bento box came with a full 6-piece California roll, which was a pleasant surprise, huge shrimp and a generous portion of chicken, and she took her leftovers home so she seemed to enjoy it. Osaka had the standard fried banana/mochi/ice cream dessert menu so we did not partake. We discovered a lovely bar/lounge downstairs which, though completely empty at 8 PM on a Wednesday, seems like it could be fun when it gets going. I definitely want to return to try Hibachi, which sounded like a blast from the shouts emanating from the other room. I'll just make sure to avoid that waitress! (Great iced-tea, but they charge per-glass for fountain drinks and iced tea).
(3)
S Z.
Good food by SO SALTY. There are other ways to flavor food, Osaka.
(3)
Rob B.
Finally a good hibachi restaurant in the area. This place is gorgeous. The food was fantastic. I thought the chefs tricks were great and I was caught off guard by the free sake. I thought he was lying and that it would be water. Nope. The service was a little frazzled but the place just opened. I'm sure they will find their groove.
(4)
C. R. M.
The food is pretty good, and the folks are polite enough, but you don't have to look too deeply to realize that this is a big, well-oiled machine--less interested in customers than in profit. For example: five of us arrived to celebrate a birthday-- we sat, we ordered, and it didn't matter that the food arrived willy-nilly-- the appetizers showing up after we were half way through our main courses-- that's fine. But one main course, one of their Hibatchi specials, didn't show up at all. Eventually, we were told that the dish had been given to the wrong table. Okay, mistakes happen-- but the special was finally delivered to our table after everyone had finished (appetizers and main courses)! We dutifully picked at it, as we speculated on how the restaurant would handle this faux pas: the manager coming to apologize? comping the dish, or perhaps even just the beer I'd ordered? But nothing happened, the bill arrived, nothing comped, we paid it off and left-- annoyed and doubtful that we'd ever return. Had the food been great, maybe. But come on, folks-- you can't make big mistakes and treat customers as if we shouldn't really care. You messed up our experience; you should have done something to make us feel treated better. That's how good restaurants operate.
(2)
Cassie H.
We live pretty close to Osaka and had been anticipating it's opening to try their cuisine and take in their gorgeous decor/ambience. So we went last night for the grand opening. We opted for the hibachi experience since we wanted to see how Osaka would measure up. We were seated right away, and the staff leading us to the table was plentiful (we were "passed of" from the hostess to another gentleman to another girl en route to seating). Unfortunately, as you'll know, the art of owning a hibachi restaurant is trying to fill up the hibachi table so that you can feed the most customers but not make them wait too long. We waited for probably twenty minutes before two other couples were seated at our hibachi table. By then, we were ready to place our orders, and it would have been nice for the waitress to offer to take our drink orders and orders for appetizers. We had the Hidden Dragon roll for an appetizer. The sushi came out beautifully and was pretty tasty, although we will remain true fans to Fin's sushi for our sushi fix. Their house salads were pretty tasty, although beware that the gigantic dinner fork is probably too large for the salad bowl. For dinner, my husband ordered the filet mignon & lobster tail. I ordered the filet mignon & scallops. The filet on both our meals was cooked perfectly. Served hot and amazingly tender. My scallops were to die for (I wondered aloud about ordering just scallops next time), but my husband's lobster tail was tough and overcooked. The hibachi chef gave everyone at the table two pieces of shrimp as a "hibachi appetizer" and to our surprise (compared to other hibachi experiences), the shrimp was perfectly cooked and amazing with their seafood dipping sauce. The hibachi was definitely entertaining, especially if you've never had the experience before. As experienced hibachi diners, my husband and I weren't overwhelmed by Osaka's take on it. The chef was friendly and his tricks and the show he put on was definitely on par with other hibachi chefs we've dined with in the past. He made the fried rice first, followed by protein and then vegetables. It's always an odd eating experience because you never know whether to wait for the next item or dig in while it's hot! The hibachi chefs we observed last night (ours included) seemed to perform two common tricks requiring audience participation. One involved small pieces of melon that the chef would flick at each diner to see if he/she could catch it in his/her mouth. Unfortunately, sometimes they stacked the dice (or melon in this case), so you had three or four pieces of melon coming at you. The other trick involves doing a "shot" of sake. They put some sake in their fried rice and the hibachi chef will ask if you want some... he then proceeds to pour sake from his squeeze bottle toward your mouth until you signal for him to stop. Both of these tricks were a huge hit with younger diners around the restaurant. I didn't mind the melon flick, but I do have to warn you that if you're dressed to the nines, you might want to rethink participating if your clothes are dry clean only. My husband and I didn't partake in the sake offerings, and I think our hibachi chef probably thought we were crazy for declining free sake (He kept saying, "Free sake is always good!"). The wait staff is plentiful. There were a million of them in Osaka shirts running around clearing plates, filling water glasses, and picking up any stray food items that didn't make it into diners' mouths. Having said that, however, I was disappointed in the service experience. As I've mentioned, they could have taken drink/appetizer orders for diners waiting for the hibachi table to fill up. Secondly, no one seems to know who's table is whose. When one of our tablemates asked the closest waitress for another drink from the bar, the waitress looked very frazzled to find our assigned waitress to come back to take the order. Also, our waitress seemed unfamiliar with the menu; she had to look at each item we ordered (drinks and appetizers). When the table asked for the check, it took a good ten to fifteen minutes for them to come back with our credit card receipts. Lastly, the ambience. If you're going for an intimate setting where you can hear each other, you might want to try the table side of the restaurant. The hibachi side is so loud between the hibachi chefs' shows and the crowd that you have to shout to hear your dinner partner. Will we be back? If we're craving hibachi, probably... but for sushi or for a more intimate dinner date, probably not.
(3)
Jeff K.
Went there with my wife, 2 kids (2 and 6) and my dad who was visiting. Awesome experience. Food was spectacular, it was fun, the staff were very friendly and attentive, and my son wants to go back tomorrow! I would definitely go back - and looking forward to it.
(5)
Courtney M.
It's nice to have a modern sushi place in Coolidge Corner. They are probably working out some of their kinks, but everyone seemed to be having a great time on the hibachi side of the restaurant (lots of birthday parties and large groups). The other side is much quieter, so it might be better for dates. Friendly and attentive service (perhaps a bit over-staffed in fact). Hibachi is fun, but not great tasting; sushi also good but not great. I also thought it was a bit over priced. The hibachi was about $21-25, and their specialty rolls, bento boxes, and other entrees in the mid-20s price range. Will we return? Perhaps but not for a while.
(3)
Lori L.
I'm a sushi snob and this is by far the best sushi I have ever had. I keep telling the owner that, and I take everyone there and they all agree. We go there for every family birthday to the hibachi area which is sooooo much fun. I love this place, great atmosphere it's gorgeous and I have never had a bad meal and I go there a lot!!!
(5)
AJ B.
Food was fresh, and good. Service spot on. Chef was friendly. What else can you ask for in a Hibachi restaurant. Enjoyed it.
(4)
Jay P.
My review is related only to the Sushi. The Hibachi rooms sounded fantastic and full of energy. Regarding the sushi, I have to say it was very run-of-the-mill. Certainly not terrible by any stretch, but nothing remotely noteworthy. In terms of poor dishes, the Truffle Salmon appetizer was absolutely pathetic, as bad a dish as we have eaten in the Boston area in recent memory. Four limp strips of ceviche style salmon overwhelmed by lemon-citrus with no other flavors coming through. It was that bad. And way overpriced at that. Don't be fooled by the "Truffle" commentary -- the world's top taster couldn't taste a hint of truffle in this dish. As for the sashimi it was fine quality, nothing transcendant but no complaints. The rolls were not memorable. Our waitress was not really that cool either, going through the motions.
(2)
Bob J.
I went he with six adult and five kids and have hibachi. I have reservation at 6:30 pm on a sat night. I got there at 6:35 and see that my friend is seated already with a drink. The waiter come over got us drinks when we seat down. We order sushi and hibachi. I got the Osaka roll which is very good. I hibachi started with the chef making the kids balloon hat and sword, nice touch. The hibachi is good, buggy recommend the shrimp and scallop. Overall great service, good foods can't ask for more. Only one thing price is a little high but it's in Coolidge corner. And the hibachi meal doesn't come with a soup like other place.
(5)
Key L.
Went here for the first time on a saturday night to celebrate a friends bday. It was very busy and very crowded. Since only 3 from our party of 15 were on time we were escorted to the bar downstairs. The bar/lounge area was dark but had plenty seating. While waiting for others to arrive we were checked on once. After waiting an hour we inquired about getting seated and was told it would be another 20 min-we didnt mind since we were still waiting on people to arrive. Once seated our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly-tho our waitress had a little trouble with "ciroc". Our food orders were taken and our waitress disappeared. Our chef was awesome! He made jokes, squirted sake and threw broccoli in our mouths-we had a great time! The food was pretty good-my leftovers actually tasted better the next day. Since our waitress was no where to be found we had to ask staff that happened to be walking by for water, etc. after we finished eating we sat waiting for the check. All the grills were cleaned and still we sat. About 40 min later we again had to stop someone and ask for the checks! Several people in my party had trouble getting change and their cc's back and one person felt "attacked" by the waitress when the waitress confronted her about others leaving her only 1-2$ tips. That put a damper on an otherwise amazing evening. I probably will not go back-the crappy service left a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)
Samuel H.
Kind of middle of the road for a sushi restaurant. Great presentation on some of the premium rolls, but the ingredient pairings created some unpleasant tastes; I now know that salmon and eel don't work well together. Modern decor didn't really work for me either--a bit too Tokyo for my taste. I didn't try the throwing-fire-yelling steak thing, but the shenanigans involved with it are nicely separated from the main restaurant. Overall okay, but there are better sushi places in the vicinity--like Shiki.
(3)
Evan D.
Soup, salad and three rolls for $13.38 (including tax) is a fantastic, filling deal on the lunch menu. The salad in that special is about as rudimentary as can be, some greener lettuce couldn't hurt, but that's a minor qualm. It's true that other Japanese restaurants have similar lunch specials... Genki-ya has a three-roll online, cash-only special (I don't believe it's restricted to lunch) that's almost identical in price and the sushi there is very good too. But, Osaka remains my go-to because of proximity, and besides once forgetting the salad dressing in a to-go order, I haven't been let down yet. Prep time is very quick on midday pick-ups, and if you place an order before the lunch special cut-off time (3:30 p.m.) but pick it up afterward, they're not charging you dinner menu prices. The bar downstairs is a plus at night if you're waiting for a table or have a scorpion-bowl craving, but seating is rather minimal there. The staff is very friendly -- one of my waiters was a bit of an oddball, but in a fun way. The atmosphere is definitely vibrant all-around, although quieter in the non-hibachi dining room.
(4)
Henry S.
Great place in Brookline. Large, lots of staff, good service and the the food was excellent. I have been to many different hibachi restaurants in different states. I must say I expected the prices to be much more expenses given, the Boston / Brookline normal mark-up compared to other places. The prices were equal to other Hibachi Steak restaurants I have been to, which does not mean inexpensive but I would say reasonable.
(4)
Aaron G.
Great time at the new bar! Friendly bartenders and of course great sushi!
(4)
Itch S.
It is Teppanyaki not Hibachi as noted in another post. So much for authenticity these days. But hey it tastes good and nobody is the wiser...
(2)
Matthew G.
I made a reservation through OpenTable and in the special requests section I detailed that it was my girlfriends birthday. These "special requests" usually go unnoticed or unfulfilled, as it says right on the app, nothing is guaranteed. We went, had an awesome evening with delicious food and plenty of drinks. The hibachi show was terrific as expected, and the "all you can drink" sake shots from the hibachi chef were much appreciated. Decor and atmosphere was very nice as well. Sushi appetizer was delish, the fried rice was some of the best I've had, and the filet mignon was terrific. At the end of the meal, much to my surprise, we were greeted with a birthday singing and desert of fried ice cream. It was delicious. When I got the bill, the desert had been comped. Free and MUCH appreciated. The service was good, and the gesture of the free desert was very very nice. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great hibachi meal.
(5)
Chann C.
My friend and I went here for dinner around 8PM on a weekday. We were looking for a hibachi restaurant around Boston and after reading reviews on Yelp about this place, we decided to give it a try. The interior design of it was pretty neat and upscale. Our waiter soon led us to our seats at the hibachi area. I couldn't help but notice how LOUD this place was. I have been to a lot of hibachi places but it seemed like a lot of chefs here were just screaming their heads off. I got the hibachi chicken and shrimp and my friend got the NY strip steak. I agree with a lot of the reviewers here about how everything tastes like it's been swimming in soy sauce. My friend's strip steak was pretty good though. Throughout our meal, the chef was entertaining us by throwing things in the air (and at our face). I noticed one customer really did not enjoy the chef throwing things at his face at all. Overall, it was an okay experience. Loud atmosphere. Pricey. O-K food. Nice decor. Nothing too special.
(3)
Nicholas A.
Ignoring the idiotic and obnoxious hibachi chef (actually this is the wrong word, but I won't correct this) antics which make conversation almost impossible, this restaurant suffers from a serious inability to make anything taste different. They seem to use excellent quality ingredients (shrimp, scallops, beef, etc), but everything, absolutely everything is flavored with nothing more than crappy sauces (soy and the other most common one which I can't write here because the spell checker refuses entry) and sugar. This food was easily the very worst of its kind that I have ever had anywhere in the world (New York, Los Angeles, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, etc). ANY native Japanese dinner would walk out in extreme disgust with this Chinese-owned horror show. The prices for this type of food, if tasty, would be reasonable, but given just how poor the taste is, this restaurant is a complete zero. I would not go back, even for free. Also, these "chefs" are actually damaging the cooking surface making cleanup more difficult and bacteria growth more likely. Oh... lastly, seeing people having sake squirted into their mouths from a few feet away, only to drool, splash and spit sake and saliva onto their neighbors, clothing and plates, is about as repulsive as one can imagine. I was really expecting strippers to jump on the table.
(1)
Miriam F.
I really did not enjoy my meal at Osaka. The quality of their food is NOT worth the steep price. Plus the service is not impressive. There are plenty of other sushi places to try in Brookline, the best of which is Genki-Ya. Not worth a trip...
(2)
Kerry S.
Excellent! We have been twice in the past month. The food is delicious and the portions are enormous. Waitstaff is good and the chefs at the hibachi are very entertaining. Definitely sit at the hibachi. This restaurant is also very accommodating for people with dietary restrictions. If you ask they will cook meals for separately (in the back instead of at the hibachi table) for people who do not eat meat or shellfish.The sushi is excellent. A great place for a birthday, anniversary or special occasion.
(5)
Liz R.
This sushi truely raises the bar in Brookline, I eat sushi (rolls usually) about twice a week, and I feel like most places (Fugakyu, Super Fusion, Gari) do a really great job, but if you're looking for a more exotic, exciting experiece, definatly try this place out. As the other reviewers said, the menu looks a little expensive but the rolls are huge, no fillers, and they are crazy fresh and creative, I'm addicted!
(5)
Matthew C.
The food was okay. It's a pretty lousy location being off from Harvard st.
(4)
Marley L.
This place is AMAZING! I went last night with my boyfriend and his parents for our new years dinner. 3 of of us got the hibachi dinner which was delicious. everything was very fresh, the staff was very friendly and we even got to meet the owner!
(5)
Jen D.
Food was great with reasonable prices! Did hibachi with a group of girlfriends. Chef was funny and def was generous with the Saki even though not my fav. Food was great pretty big portions got the seafood combo (shrimp,lobster tail,scallops) came with rice and mixed vegetables w/ a side of salad.Place is nice and clean but the reason I gave it 3 stars is the wait staff they were really rude and quick to hurry us along. We waited a good 20mins before anyone asked us if we wanted anything to drink. Ordered wine and wasn't placed in a bucket or anything just placed it by the grill to get warm. Barely done with my salad and he was already reaching over me to collect my bowl just really annoying when your trying to enjoy yourself and get a feel for a new place your trying out. When dinner came to an end we were being rushed and they continued to march over and say thank you have a good night and we were not ready to go still had some drinks to finish. I understand that there are other people waiting but we just needed 5more mins to finish up and there was other tables wide open. Overall food was great but would rather go elsewhere and be treated like your welcome and not being rushed out the door. I will not be returning here in the future. incompetent staff needs to be retrained with there manners and not be so quick to grab peoples plates when there not even done.
(3)
Bill R.
Food: Best tasting sushi period. I cannot stress enough at how good the sushi is here; I wish i could give it more stars. I got the sushi deluxe plate with a Rainbow roll and both were exquisite. Usually when I get a sushi dinner elsewhere, there's always 1 or 2 pieces that I don't really like because of their 'fishy' taste but that was not the case with Osaka; I thoroughly enjoyed every piece of sushi on the plate. Price: I've had comparable sushi in the past but it was twice as expensive. Osaka is on the pricey'ish side but you definitely get the best bang for your buck here. Atmosphere: As far as the atmosphere goes, it's nice but has it's short comings. It almost seems a bit too nice given the surrounding area. They have a strange area in the basement with bar that just seems out of place. Their location in North Hampton, MA has a more homey feel which I preferred to the more trendy feel of the Brookline location. If I were to recommend a sushi restaurant to a friend, Osaka would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.
(5)
Qing C.
I have to say I am a very picky customer but I really enjoyed my dining experience at Osaka. I heard of this sushi place from my friend and I decided to go with my family. we sat at the sushi side not the Hibachi side. I love sushi a lot and i tried many Japanese restaurants, Osaka has the best sushi i ever had.I have tried the Tomo Roll which a lot of people recommended and I definitely have to recommend it again. We ordered few other rolls(Nobu, Hidden Drogen, Foxy Lady and Godzila) and we all love it. The environment is great with the soft music and lights. The place is clean and the service is excellent. The food coming up very fast, we didnt have to wait for long. The waitress who served us is very nice and attentive. Everthing I experienced in Osaka is outstanding, I had a great time and I will be back and try Hibachi next time. Osaka definitely worse 5 stars.
(5)
Angela L.
I really wanted to like this place, and so gave it a second try after the first horrible experience a few months ago. This time was no different. 1. The waitress did not know the menu. I wanted the donburi that is listed on their online menu, but didn't see it on the in-restaurant menu. I asked the waitress if they have donburi- she gave me a blank stare and said she doesn't think they have it. Either you know your menu or you do not. 2. Order of edamame came to our table by mistake. 3. My friend and I split the check, but her credit card got charged twice, while mine did not get charged at all. They have overall way too much staff milling around the front reception area. Nobody seems to know what they are doing and running into each other. No thanks. Never again. Hope you got my message with the awful tip we left you.
(1)
Tiffany T.
I brought my friend here for her birthday and we were so pleased! First off, every employee recognized her birthday,offered sake shots, etc. Our hibachi chef was very fun and kept us so involved in the whole process. The food was fresh and tasty. When the bill came they had comped her dinner for her birthday, Would definitely return!
(5)
Ryan M.
My wife and I are always on a search to find that almost perfect "Benihana" emulation. By that, I mean that we look for a fried rice that is masterfully cooked, food that is seasoned to perfection and worth every penny paid for the dish. Osaka is a gem. It hits the nail on the nail on the head for everything that my wife and I are looking for in a great teppanyaki spot. The staff is courteous and accommodating, the food was cooked perfectly, my shellfish allergy was easily worked around, and it was an overall fantastic experience. Fyi, the filet tenderloin dinner is succulent and melts in your mouth and the lotus bowl is dangerously delicious to share with your significant other. If you're a teppanyaki fan for the show, you won't be disappointed. The chefs are entertaining and engaging. My evening was spent with lots of laughter. I'll be making the drive from the south south shore again to eat here, it was easily worth the drive.
(5)
sean m.
I've eaten the Hibachi here a few times and it was pretty good. I much prefer the hibachi place where I am currently living (Two free shrimp with each meal and it includes rice, noodles, soup, and salad) Osaka on the other hand gives you a much smaller portion. The actual restaurant is very nice inside and them being a Grubhub was a plus.
(3)
Jenny N.
I have never tried hibachi until I went to this place for Dine out Boston with my friends. The "show" from our chef was okay. Neither bad nor good, but acceptable. The hibachi food was pretty tasty. I ordered their hibachi steak and lobster plus shared a scorpion bowl drink with my friend. The drink was really strong in my opinion and we didn't end up finishing the drink. The fried rice and vegetable was good. I liked it. The lobster was a little too salty, but the steak was well cooked. This was a nice place for hibachi. Not sure why some of the other people gave this place low reviews. The restaurant week price of the hibachi came out to be $40 per person (including tax and tips).
(4)
Anneliese P.
I am obsessed with sushi and this is my favorite place in boston. It's simple. but the Buddha roll (roasted peanuts and avocado) is life changing and I can't live without it. Everything is fantastic here, from the taste to the presentation. Highly recommend!
(5)
Heather V.
Osaka is a great place. if you go, you need to do hibachi. The sushi is good, but for the price you pay you need a show to go with it. But even then the hibachi food is very standard. I've been to many different restaurants that serve sushi and hibachi and it was nothing different or special. If you watch the hibachi at the table next to you, it's the same show your going to get except my table wasn't even offered the opportunity to catch food or saki, We definitely got short changed and it wasn't worth it for us.
(2)
Michael G.
If there's one thing I like, it's sake. I've found a place that is friendly, not pretentious, and serves sake in a relaxed environment. I went with a buddy of mine who is a regular. He steered me right past the hibachi tables, the sushi bar (both of which I was gravitating toward, especially the delicious aromas emanating from the grills) and down a flight of stairs to a second bar. The area downstairs was quieter, well staffed and perfect for catching up with an old friend. The pair of bartenders were attentive but not hovering. They know their sake and I learned a thing or two. The vessels they use for the different kinds of sake are all purpose built for chilling without watering down, or heating without scalding. I really enjoyed the few pieces of maki that I had, my buddy went in for the full dinner and swears by it. I was already full going in, but appreciated the few bites, and will be back to enjoy the rest of the menu. Anyways back to the sake. The prices are very reasonable and the varieties are many and clearly defined and organized on the menu. Most varieties are available in three sizes: small, large, and bottle. A few of the higher end ones are only available in small and bottle. I can't wait to head back and further refine my palate.
(4)
Laura A.
Osaka - why don't you come and sashimi sometime? We finally made into Osaka for the first time since moving to Brookline more than a year ago and my only regret is that we waited so long. The lunch specials are amazing. At first glance, $15 seemed like a lot for lunch, but it was so worth it. My SIL, who lives in Hong Kong, and I each ordered the tempura shrimp and Hidden Dragon roll - which we both agreed was not only amazing to eat, but way more food than either of us could handle. My husband ordered one of the lunch boxes and thought it was excellent as well. Our server was friendly and very attentive. We need to get ourselves back to Osaka prawn-to!
(4)
Becca L.
Went here for my neighbor's birthday party. The Hibachi was delicious! The scallops were delectable. Cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. The chef was very entertaining. We had a great time watching him perform. The only negative thing I have to say is the server would walk away really fast before we were able to ask him for anything. It would be a quick... 'Do you need anything/Everything all set?' and then turn away before we could actually order another drink or ask him for something. This a little pet peeve of mine. We were also in the basement so he would go back upstairs and wouldn't come back down for a while. The ambiance of the basement isn't as pleasant as upstairs, however it is more of a 'private room' and I could chat with my party without feeling the need to scream across the table which was nice. The birthday girl broke her martini glass, and the staff took every precaution to ensure that they cleaned up the broken glass safely.
(4)
Russell M.
This is actually a decent hibachi place. I usually try to stay away from these type of places because I think the majority of them are offensive to Japanese cuisine. This place was no exception. I had the filet mignon and lobster, which came with vegetables and fried rice. Everything was cooked well but nothing stopped me in my tracks, although I wasn't expecting it too. If I HAD to go to hibachi, this would be the place.
(3)
Jon L.
Tomo Roll. Hibachi. The only things you need to know about Osaka. If you like salmon with a bit of spice and full of flavor, the tomo roll is the way to go. I was going to throw in a picture but I didnt want to be the guy to steal that first experience from you. Hibachi... This is obviously pretty dependent on your chef, but from what I saw, everyone seemed happy and enjoying their food. If you want to nitpick, you can say the food is a bit salty or the service was a bit slow... With that said, if you're a normal person and like a fun atmosphere with some good food, you'll love their hibachi. Sure, they get a bit understaffed during peek hours, but stop focusing on how you didnt get an instant refill on water and drink some free sake from the chef! (Once you go, you'll get what I'm taking about). Lastly, from top down, the staff is so sweet and kind. From the hostesses to the manager, everyone tries to maximize your experience. TL;DR: great hibachi and tomo roll for a reasonable price
(4)
Latoya B.
We went out for a family birthday dinner and we sat at the hibachi grill, which is always entertaining...(and hot lol). I called and made a reservation which wasn't prepared when we got there, and we arrived 10mins early and were seated 20 mins late, but it's seems like a really popular place and it IS a sat night so I guess the timing isn't too bad. The food was great, and they have pretty good sushi too. Sweet potato roll....my fav! Raw sushi isn't really my thing and they have a lot of veggie rolls which is a plus. It has a very relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff......there has to be at least 30 of them working there at that time or more lol. Other than the hibachi side, there is also a regular restaurant side, and a sushi bar, and downstairs is a regular bar with cool lighting and pretty decent music. It's seems pretty stocked and it would be a nice place to chill and have drinks, other than all the people that are sent down there to wait until their table is ready.....there were a few kids running around and dancing to the music. But the age group is probably more 21+ after 10pm. There are a few TVs down there but you can't hear anything because the music is loud....kind of lounge-y. Idk if they serve food down there but the way the tables are set up it seems so.
(4)
Shivangi S.
Made a reservation for this place through open table. We were a party of 7 people. When we reached the restaurant, the guy at the reception didn't even smile at us. His behaviour was extremely cold. Our server was an efficient guy and carefully took all our orders. The highlight of this restaurant is its chef. He is the sweetest and the most entertaining person. Our drink was horrible though! Their peanut sushi and crispy tofu sushi are amazing!
(3)
Evelyn C.
This place has great tasting food and is also very entertaining if you're getting hibachi. Warning: The chef has sake in a bottle that he squirts into people's mouths as he is cooking, and he throws a bunch of veggies in the air for customers to catch in their mouth. This can kind of catch you off guard if you aren't paying attention, so I totally understand why people would not appreciate this, but I thought it was pretty funny & entertaining. I got the salmon hibachi; it comes with a salad, fried rice and some veggies. The fried rice is bombbb, and the salmon was great too. My dish was about $23, pretty standard price for hibachi. If you're not feeling like hibachi I highly recommend the Osaka spicy noodles. Doesn't sound like much, but it's really good and has lots of flavor. Spicy, but it's more on a mild level. They have a bar downstairs which is pretty quiet for the most part. They make their drinks very strong.
(4)
Cameron D.
They make good food but they will get your order wrong or take twice as long making it as they told you when you order takeout. It's happened to me the past 4 times ive ordered from here. If you order something with a sauce such as chicken katsu, they give you a tiny cup of sauce. Underwhelmed.
(2)
Kelly O.
3.5 stars. Osaka is just what you'd expect for a hibachi place; our table's chef was entertaining and enthusiastic, the food was simple but prepared well and quite tasty, my raspberry-infused sake was excellent, and it was a fun time had by our whole group. Their menu is extensive so even if you're not into hibachi food, there's plenty of noodles and sushi to choose from as well, so it's good for groups (and great for birthdays; as the birthday girl, I got a free entree, sweet!) Downsides: it's a bit more expensive than other hibachi places, waitstaff service isn't the most attentive/available (maybe order multiple drinks at a time?), and our check had to be corrected twice because of a few mistakes. But overall, Osaka was pretty solid for our hibachi experience.
(3)
Lynn J.
Osaka gets high marks on the big 3: service presentation and taste. they're expensive menu includes more sushi then I've yet been able to try... so, I guess I just have to keep going back...smile. the deal: the hibachi is fun family entertainment for large groups!
(4)
Chau T.
Terrible!! Girlfriend and I live 40 seconds away from this place and it always seems crowded, so we assumed it was good. Never again will we go back. It was late weeknight, and we just want to grab a quick bite. There was 2 waiters who never care to pay attention to any of the customers. We all sat there for water/tea and it took 10 minutes until we got service. She got the Philadelphia Maki Roll and I with the usual Spicy Tuna/Salmon. We also shared one of the Osaka Special Roll, which I forgot the name. It was super sweet, more like dessert, and disgusting! Waited 20 minutes for our order and none of the waiters came to us to refill the water. When the food arrived, it was pretty bad for a Japanese restaurant. I rather had the supermarket Sushi than these. For Philadelphia sushi, there should be cream cheese in it. It says it on the menu. The waiter couldn't speak English, which I was surprised, and uses that as his excuse to wander away. Like I said, it was late and we just want to go home after the horrible food.
(1)
Meghan S.
Fantastic habachi! Had a bit of a wait even though a reservation was made, but still well worth it. Excited to go back and try their sushi.
(4)
Nicky E.
Really surprised how much people dislike this place. I've been here thrice and enjoyed it every time. The spicy tuna tortilla? The nosh is on. The rolls aren't what you would typically expect from a sushi place - it's definitely a fusion of different flavors (but it's good! Be adventurous - try new things!). I found the staff to be attentive and friendly. Oh, and did I mention the spicy tuna tortilla? Yeah, it's worth mentioning twice.
(4)
Jon R.
Went here last night to celebrate my friends engagement. The service was horrible. They only came around to push us to order and leave but when we needed silverware or more drinks or take empty drinks they never came with was frustrating and cluttered our space. The food was good but our cook was not very entertaining and was in and out within just a few minutes...only got one round with the saki and couldn't aim the bottle so it was all over everyone. Also didn't get one vegetable toss into anyone's mouth... As we were eating and it got later the staff kept asking to take our plates and actually took one of our places while someone was still eating. Never been pushed to leave a restaurant like this before and because of that I will be looking for a new hibachi restaurant. I also used a groupon this time so they probably just didn't care.
(1)
Shirley L.
I went for a friends birthday. Never heard of the place before but I wasn't very happy with it. We were all there for hibachi and I've done hibachi at other places before so this isn't a new experience. The chef was rude. He snapped his fingers at my friends face to get her attention so he could ask her how she wanted her steak cooked. Then he waved his spatula in front of my other friends face, so close it almost hit her. And I understand it's supposed to be fun to squirt sake at the group but this guy didn't even try to aim for our damn mouths. If I wanted to shower in sake I would've done that at home. He didn't even try with any of is and squirted sake all over our clothes. He started flying vegetables at us even if we didn't want to catch it with our mouths. He started mimicking and making fun of another friends laugh. And to top it all off, he didn't thoroughly cook the food!!!! Two of my friends and I didn't feel well after eating there. It was like he rushed and wanted to get out of there. Food was horrible and nothing to be amazed about. Service was just as bad. I will not be returning!
(1)
Lily S.
Presentation 3 Quality/taste 3 Ambiance 3 Service 4 Location 3 Generally my parents and I are pretty content at Fugakyu when we want to have a massive sushi binge, but today i decided we try something new and give Osaka a shot. I had been here before while intoxicated for some noshing and enjoyed myself so I figured why not. The restaurant was pretty empty at 1 pm on a Sunday, yet of course they seat us back to back to a couple w two very rowdy (albeit not screaming) children. (My parents who were sat before I joined them remained blissfully unaware of this fact because the mother was in the restroom w the kids, and they only emerged when we had already been brought drinks and water so it seemed obnoxious to have them move us then... And the other couple was also Russian speaking so we didn't want to be blatantly rude). Anyway. We ordered a selection of rolls as well as some sea weed salad and salmon sashimi. The 3 pieces of sashimi tasted fine but looked pitiful in contrast to the large and beautifully decorated dish they were served on. For rolls, we had basically the first page of the roll menu (nom) : american tango: the highlight of the meal. the balsamic vinegar sauce paired perfectly with GOAT CHEESE. my most favorite thing on earth. 5 stars. i think there was tuna or something in it too ;) yellow submarine: decent. i have to say that as soon as they put the plate in front of me, i got a whiff of fishy smell. never good at a sushi restaurant. foxy lady: pleasant. the pear is a very interesting touch. didn't realize it was an onion sauce until i looked back at the menu--wouldn't have guessed it. hidden dragon-truly a beautiful creation. very visually appealing. i'm a lover of pink. i'm also a lover of shrimp tempura. but when you're frying stuff, you can't be expecting to collect extra stars, thats too easy. angel roll- this was a great one. please take the middle man out, i don't need the rice and the nori, just wrap fish in more fish. #winning. samurai roll-- wasn't a huge fan, but it was more of a misunderstanding on my part. i misread the menu, and am not a huge fan of ikura or uni. price tag: this kind of surprised me. with my two glasses of wine, the total came out to be just under $130. At Fugakyu, we generally end up having at least several 5 piece orders of sashimi on top of a bunch of rolls AND a $30 bottle of wine for around the same price. Factoring in the lack of ample parking and the overall "meh" feel of the food i was eating, and I will probably pick Fugakyu 9 out of 10 times.
(3)
H. S.
When I'm working late, I always order from OSAKA through dining in, as they serve the downtown area. Good quality fish and really nice selection of standard sushi and exotic combo rolls. The shrimp shumai and salmon terriaki is also tasty. I can't comment on the in-restaurant service, but my orders are always correct and promptly delivered.
(5)
Idan H.
The sushi is very good! The service is not that good though. Sushi lovers should definitely check this place out.
(4)
Frank B.
Quick, easy and overall not bad. Sushi was fresh and ready within 15 min for pickup. If you are looking for a quick place to grab basic sushi go for it.
(3)
Steve E.
My eldest niece graduated from Syracuse University and recently took a job in Boston. Since I was in the area on business I wanted to spend the weekend with her and have the chance to do some sightseeing and catch up on all of the family news. She, my sister, my Dad and I all converged in Boston, and we went to Osaka restaurant which is near where she lives in Brighton. Osaka is located in Brookline, on Green Street, near the intersection of Harvard and Beacon Streets in an area known as Coolidge Corner. The restaurant is a classic Japanese Steak House (some would call it a Hibachi-style restaurant) along with a very nice sushi bar. They have several Hibachi dining areas, private function rooms, the sushi bar, and some common dining space. We opted to sit in one of the Hibachi dining areas but also ordered some sushi as appetizers, so we got to try the best of both worlds. My niece and I split the Tomo roll which was spicy crunchy salmon and mango, all topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado, and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. Very beautiful presentation (see the photo), and quite tasty. For the main course, we were all entertained as the chef twirled his spatula and dazzled us with his knife skills, all over the hot grill. He whisked through a mountain of veggies, and teased us by flipping diced pieces of veggies into our open mouths. (I'm sure that we looked like trained seals at the Aquarium, but it was great fun!). The chef made the traditional flaming volcano out of onion ring slices (see attached photo), and displayed a great degree of showmanship along with his cooking expertise. I had a plate of seared diver scallops with Fillet Mignon, and that came with a generous amount of fried rice and grilled veggies. The prices were certainly fair for the quality of the entertainment and the quality of the food. We had a lot of fun, and would highly recommend the restaurant to others.
(4)
Melissa M.
Not that great. We ordered the gyozas at the hibachi table, never got them, yet we were charged for them. We asked for our leftovers to-go and then never got them back. We had to go back to the restaurant and ask for them. The rice was also pretty undercooked. They're either running a scam or need to hire better wait staff. I wouldn't go back, but I would recommend the hibachi place in Cambridge-it's significantly less expensive and a better experience.
(2)
Melissa B.
Loved this place! I took my boyfriend here yesterday right after work for a Birthday dinner. He had never had hibachi before. It was great, for many reasons: 1.) It was pretty slow at the time we were there so we ended up having our own personal hibachi table and cook. 2.) The drinks were strong. 3.) They squirt sake directly into your mouth at dinner. 4.) We had a sushi appetizer (Yoshi Roll) which was amazing. It was extra crunchy. 5.) The waitstaff was so nice, I did not announce that we were there for a birthday, the staff figured it out after checking IDs for drinks, as a result they comped a meal as a "birthday meal" and brought out ice cream with a candle. 6.) The hibachi show was a lot of fun, the cooks are very talented and the food was delicious. Honestly, I cannot rave enough about this place. I will surly be back.
(5)
MacKenzie M.
If I could give Osaka zero stars, sadly I would. As a local to the area, I was eager to try Osaka. Unfortunately, I must admit that I will NEVER return to this establishment. Upon arriving, my party of five was seated in the dining area almost immediately (this was the only positive part of my experience). I then waited 15 minutes for a waiter to approach the table. Not to mention, this was a Wednesday night and the employee/guest ratio was easily 3:1. Once we were finally greeted with a "Can you order now?", we were rushed into shouting out our orders to a very impatient server. Two of the people in my party ordered salad, which only took moments to reach the table. Sadly, this was ruined with a huge piece of salad dressing-covered plastic in one of the dishes. 20 minutes later, 4 out of our 5 meals arrived. Another 20 minutes later, after 4 out of the 5 of us finished our meals, and the 5th meal arrived. The 5th meal was terrible. Upon exiting the restaurant, we mentioned our disappointment to the manager on duty. He claimed that the only reason for this issue was the "open table" app. Note: we did not use open table, nor did we make a reservation. As an individual with years of experience in the service industry, I am the first to defend a server during a busy night, or even with a difficult table. However, there is no justification for the way that servers as well as management interacted with us during this visit. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend Osaka to anyone, and can assure you that we will be taking our business elsewhere in the future.
(1)
Adam E.
Here's the deal with this place, DO NOT MAKE RESERVATIONS, THEY DO NOT HONOR THEM!!!! Consider yourself warned, heres what they do, they overbook reservations, then shovel people down to the bar and tell them they will be seated soon, and dont seat you for at least an hour!!! I went in with reservations at 8 pm and had to wait in line at the door for 30 min before i could even get to the front desk, i would have pushed my way through the crowd to let them know we were there for our reservation, but the 30 people in front of us all had the same time reservation time, some even had 730 reservations, When i finally got to the front desk, we heard the hostest tell the couple of two with a 730 reservation that it would be close to 2 hours to be seated! (They laughed and walked out) So, you have been warned, i gave 3 stars because their food is really good! But their service is HORRIBLE. I recommend eating there on an off night to avoid the headache.
(3)
Ana R.
I am willing to concede that hibachi is not the best option for lunch. Some of the fun is kinda seeped out of it at noon, you know? That being said, we had a pretty ho-hum experience at Osaka this past weekend. The reason we wanted lunch at Osaka was because my friend had been craving it for days and we were working around her twin newborn's feeding/sleeping schedules. The waitresses were very pleasant, but our maitre d didn't even help us move chairs to accomodate the stroller. We pushed chairs into corners we hoped were out of the way. Our chef phoned in his performance, and though we were happier chatting, there was a noted lack of showmanship. The food, however, was delicious, and just what we'd been craving. The big downfall of this restaurant is the customer service. Neither the men's or women's bathrooms had changing tables, and when asked about it, the staff acted like they'd never dealt with the problem before. We had to change both babies on two chairs pulled together. This is a giant restaurant, probably at least 100 seats. Why they don't have changing tables, or an alternative to them, is beyond me. Hibachi lunch was $20 each including tip.
(2)
Vitz H.
If you are looking for a real Japanese restaurant, don't get misled by the good reviews or the name of the place, it is simply not. It's one of those Chinese places trying to counterfeit Japanese cuisine. While Japanese-Chinese fusion cuisine could be very amazing, this one is just horrible. It's basically an entertainment show with flames and shouting that could, to a certain extent, be amusing. But you need to be ready for the apotheosis of the show when the cook spurts his "magic sauce" directly in the open mouth of the customers. Entertaining? Wait till you realize that it has actually some kind of discomfort feeling afterwards... Besides the entertainment aspect, the quality of the food was average, but nothing to get really excited about. But when it comes to the service, forget about it. Our waitress asked us 2 mn after dropping the plate on the table if we were done with it. I really have an issue with waitress who touch my plate while asking if I am done with it. All in all, it is not recommended.
(1)
Rachel S.
After many subsequent visits back to Osaka I have to give them more credit than I did previously. The food is consistently good. The staff is generally friendly but can be a bit disoriented at times, which I can't really blame them for considering how loud it gets in the hibachi room (holy drunk college kids, batman). Everything is always delicious and flavorful, and I can't get enough of their white sauce. Can't wait to go back soon.
(4)
Laura S.
I'm shocked I felt the need to give this place 2 stars, but the food was delicious and our hibachi chef was really great. I waited a while to post this review, because I was so angry when I left, that I felt it wouldn't be fair to post right to yelp....about a month ago, my friend decided to celebrate her birthday here. Her boyfriend made a reservation for a large group (about 16) for 8pm. This was perfect for me because I was working that weekend, and I'm a nurse, so I expected to get there just in time, and be home at a reasonable hour. When I got there at 810pm, everyone was gathered downstairs at the bar (prison) where we were waiting while they got our table ready. Soon we were told that they couldn't seat us because 2 people were running late and we had to have the entire party together to be seated. Ok, sure. I'll accept that. When they arrived a few min later, we were told 5 minutes until our table was ready. ONE HOUR LATER. we were finally seated. this all involved a lot of lying to us on the part of the waitress. there was a party of college kids who were sitting and talking having already paid their bill. not even drinking. I feel that in a restaurant like this, when you depend on your reservations and big parties, it's acceptable to say "we have a nice bar downstairs with ample seating area, do you all mind moving your party downstairs" It turned out though that the hostess was probably dating the manager (we saw them getting cozy which also seemed inappropriate) and that's why she refused to allow us to speak with a manager. The whole experience was so miserable. The two stars go directly to our hibachi chef. He was lovely. the food was good. however the drinks were VERY SLOW, and the waitress forgot and mixed up drink orders. So I got home from dinner at 11pm and I didn't get food until 930. Needless to say, I ventured to Watertown the next time I wanted hibachi, Edamame was a much better experience.
(2)
Claire G.
I'd love to actually write a review of this restaurant, but I can't, as I am still waiting to be seated. It has been over an hour now and we are told there is another large party ahead of ours. This reservation was made 2 weeks in advance. By insanely large crowd also waiting to be seated and by the slew of reviews that say almost the exact same thing, it is clear this is a problem they run into regularly. Get your shit together, Osaka. Don't waste your time.
(1)
Randy D.
I had reservations here for Valentine's day and unfortunately so did everyone else in the 100+ person mob that stretched out the door, it was a disaster -- and according to a ton of other reviews, this looks like a common occurrence, not just a one off OpenTable glitch for Valentine's. We left after waiting another 40 minutes with no resolution in site. P.S. Get rid of the stupid neon Budweiser sign on the outside, as it pretty much single handedly destroys the cachet of an otherwise nice looking restaurant.
(1)
Grace C.
I dont understand how this place got three and a half stars. the service was good although they got our order wrong. However sushi wise definitely not the place to go. I've been to lots of sushi places in Boston area and if you want good sushi, do not go here.
(2)
Frederic M.
I find it difficult to write a review on this place, as I feel it would take a couple of visits to have an overall experience of what Osaka has to offer. Part of the restaurant is allocated to what some would call "Japanese Show-cooking", there is a huge underground bar for non-food related entertainment and then there is a space dedicated to the more classic restaurant experience. I only attended the latter and will thus limit my review to my experience there. With Bento boxes priced at about 20-25$ each, Osaka is not a cheap place to go. But you get plenty of food for that. I ordered Bento Box number 3. I first got a Miso soup, followed by amazing spicy tuna maki. The rest of my Bento box included teriyaki beef, rice, dumplings and tempura (fried vegetables). The food was good. Overall very nice experience in a nice setting, though I believe that prices are a bit steep. If you are just interested in having a Japanese meal in a traditional restaurant setting, there are other places in town that offer similar food at better prices. Osaka is probably a place to be considered more by the show show-cooking fans!
(4)
Julie O.
love this place for special rolls and lunch boxes! My favorite lunch boxes are Salmon Teriyaki and Beef Negimaki. I love their Nobu and Dancing rolls very much! Prices are reasonable and servers are very friendly!!!:) Strongly recommended!
(5)
Liya A.
Great food but we got bad service. We entered the restaurant and were seated in the regular area ( not the hibachi). We were not aware that we should ask for the hibachi room and nobody asked us about it. We were with kids and the overall feeling was that they are not kid friendly and wish we will leave.
(3)
Lusi J.
First off the restaurant is beautiful. But the food and service had a lot of room for improvement. The waitress seemed to hate her job and the sushi wasn't very fresh at all. .Very disappointing. Do not recommend, will not come again.
(1)
Michael D.
I just went for a standard American Japanese restaurant lunch, so I can't write about the hibachi or their bar. It's certainly not a bad place. The decor is fine bordering on nice, the staff is fine, and we did not have to wait long for our food. And it's quiet!... because it was fairly empty. I ordered sushi lunch box number 3 and a Godzilla roll. The lunch box and half the Godzilla roll was enough to fill me up (so about $20 base value). You get some white rice in the lunch box, and it was about as bad (a little too soft and sweet) as expected, but not that worse than most other sushi places in Boston. During the meal, I also heard Mandarin from the staff, which was almost reassuring. Whew, it would've been embarrassing for the restaurant if it was actually run by Japanese people. Last bit of good news? It's near a JP Lick's.
(2)
Chong C.
Pretty good Japanese roll and meat. We had "Amazing" roll (it's the name of it) and meat skewer, and both tasted fine. Though, service was extremely slow and it seemed like they don't even care how their customers are doing. We had to wait like 15 mins to get our check after finishing our meal. Food was definitely appreciatable although was bit pricy, but their service is one of the worst I've ever had from mid-high end restaurants.
(3)
Lisa A.
I created a yelp account just to review Osaka. Ordered the yaki soba and yaki udon and was sorely disappointed. Basically, it tasted like overpriced Chinese takeout. Too sweet and no traditional Japanese flavours. Other things might be good here but I didn't try them. Service was mediocre.
(2)
Jonathan M.
They made up for their failure from last time with a gift certificate, but I never got around to updating. I received a $50 voucher in the mail so I applaud their commitment to make things right. We went back and sat on the side without the hibachi. It was solid overall and the service was excellent. The atmosphere is nice, and I enjoyed food's appealing presentation. The flavors didn't blow me away for the price, but everything was tasty all the same. I'll probably come back again because I live in the area, but I will avoid the hibachi side.
(3)
Mai H.
I came for a late lunch and must be honest.. I walked in here because Shiki is closed on Mondays. I ordered the Eel Dragon roll and 6 piece sashimi appetizer. For most part the sashimi was good. There was only one fish were I felt the texture was off and maybe had been previously frozen. I ordered the 6 piece but they gave me 8 pieces..can't complain about that! I had the salmon, stripped bass, white tuna and regular tuna. Two pieces of each tasted fresh and the roll was just a typical roll. The eel was great! I saw some bento boxes around and will try one of those next time. Complimentary green tea for the win!
(3)
David C.
The menu at Osaka could probably rival The Cheesecake Factory's in terms of sheer enormity, but I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. There's really too much to choose from. My recommendation is to ask your server what he or she recommends. That allowed Andrea B. and me to try a few of the most popular items, and some of our waitress' personal favorites. If you're a sushi purist who only likes raw fish, rice, and raw fish on rice, then you might like it here because they have all that, but you might also scoff at the number of ingredients that go into making a single roll here. For me, the more things you shove into maki, the better. The highlight of my night was the American Tango roll, an outrageous creation featuring hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, shitake mushroom tempura, and a strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. There are approximately forty more rolls on the menu just like that one, and I might have to make it my mission to try them all. Can't comment on the hibachi here, which is really what makes Osaka unique for the area (there are far more sushi places in the neighborhood than would ever be necessary), but I've never been a fan of it in the first place, so I'll leave that up to you to decide.
(4)
Nicole A.
Everything was great but the flavors of the hibachi weren't as flavorful as I'm used to with benihana in forty Lauderdale. The cook was fun and the atmosphere was nice but I'd like more flavor and richness to the food. My fiance loved it though. To each their own?
(3)
Petros G.
A couple friends suggested hibachi for dinner, so after a bit of online searching we decided to visit this restaurant. It was Friday night and we did not have a reservation--still, we were seated after a 15 minute wait. We place our orders and the salads get to the table relatively quickly. However, this is where the good service ends. About 50 minutes after my 2 friends and I finish our salads, our section of the hibachi room *finally* gets the chef, who begins to cook our food. At one point during the nearly hour-long wait for the main course, my friend went to the front of the place to talk with the manager, with the goal of moving things along and getting our food to us. The manager says he will 'check' on the food but in actuality, doesn't move an inch (it was a busy night, I'll give them that). It didn't help that during most of our time in the restaurant, there was a group of college students on the other side of the room hollering at the top of their lungs whenever the hibachi chef did a fun trick, or basically whenever they felt like it. I'm not against having fun, but it would have been nice if my friends and I could have actually heard each others' voices at times. Though, I wouldn't fault the restaurant for this. Anyways, the food is finally coming onto our plates, courtesy of the very entertaining chef. I ordered the steak & scallops (comes with fried rice and vegetables). The food in general was OK. The meat and the scallops were made well but the entire plate was bathed in the same salty teriyaki/soy sauce. There wasn't much of a difference between this meal and a standard meal from a low-key takeout place. It was average. In short: you can do better, especially for $25, which was not worth it at all. I will not be returning.
(1)
Alex S.
I've only ever been here during off times so I can only write about my experience when this place isn't packed. Me and my girl came for lunch because of a Groupon (it's so much cheaper during lunch) and didn't have an issue with our reservation or getting seated. It was only us and another couple that seemed very disinterested in the whole experience. Your experience definitely depends on how out-going your chef is. Our was okay but the chef at the table next to ours seemed a bit more sprightly. Minus 1 star. The kids at the other table even got balloon animals. I didn't get any balloon animals. Minus another star. All in all it was a decent experience. The food was pretty good and the show was decent. They also have decent bento boxes if hibachi isn't your thing. Check out my blog (complete with pictures and childish humor) for the full review! thesuchef.org/2013/10/08…
(3)
Julie B.
I had been craving sushi for a while and Osaka came to the rescue in a big way. I went with a group of friends on Tuesday night and immediately started to oggle at the food porn....ahem, the menu. I started off with the miso soup and split the crab rangoons, aka MONEY BAGS. I would order those babies just for the name. And guess what? They come out looking just like bags of cash, complete with a seaweed tie. Adorable! While I'm no expert because most of my crab rangoons come from take-out menus at 3 am, these were phenomenal. They had a very flaky crust and the crab to cheese ratio was like 40:60. Soooo good. Lured in by the idea of 4 different types of tobiko, I ordered the tobiko rainbow roll next. The presentation was beautiful, as it was on all of the plates. Personally I loved my roll, but some of the others I tried were a little bland. The decor in the restaurant is great and I love that they have mini hibachi tables available, but this place was LOUD. There was barely anyone there and we were on the opposite side of the hibachi tables but we could barely hear each other. Not sure how to fix this. Either way, sushi was great and presentation was impeccable.
(4)
Lisa B.
After being contacted by the manager, I decided to give Osaka a second chance. It was one of the few restaurants open during the Blizzard of 2013, so my fiance and I stopped by for sushi lunch. Everything was fresh and arrived quickly. I opted for the three roll special which included soup and salad. My fiance ordered one of the bento boxes, and we were both happy. In summary... Osaka has its good moments, and it has its not so good moments. It seems to depend on which server you have. I highly recommend Osaka for lunch, though.
(4)
Julia J.
loved the hibachi here
(4)
Hung L.
Came here for a buddy's 30th birthday dinner, Henry, you mother says, "Hi!" We had 17 people in the group and had reservations for 7:30 PM on a Saturday. Some people in the group showed up late so it was understandable that we would have to wait to a little longer to get our seats for the Hibachi grill. The last couple showed up around 8pm but we didn't expect to have to wait an hour and a half to get seated. Some people got hungry and went door to Otto's for a quick bite of pizza. Personally not a big fan of Hibachi but if you want to experience it at least once in your lifetime then it's worth it. The wife and I got sushi here and to be honest the sushi deserves 1 star. The extra star is more for the show and the sake we get squirted in our mouths (like mother, like son Henry ;-D ) The couple next to us also got sushi, one of our rolls was the Spider roll, the couple next to us also got the Spider roll for one of their selections yet when both our dishes came out, they looked nothing alike. Never seen sushi filled with lettuce before. On top of that, it had no flavor to it at all. It was probably the most bland sushi roll I have ever eaten, not counting California roll. Normally I can eat 3 rolls of sushi with lots of water and feel full but not at this place. I left feeling hungry. Their sushi prices are somewhat high too for the amount you get. If you want the Hibachi experience come here, if you want sushi, walk 2-3 blocks down Harvard Street to Genki Ya, 100 times better there.
(2)
Sara C.
As a sushi fanatic living in Boston, finding restaurants that serve high quality and creative dishes without clearing out my wallet is pertinent. My experience at Osaka was just that, alongside good service. Our waiter was friendly, food and drinks served in a timely fashion. Their menu is extensive, following our servers recommendation I ordered the eel dragon roll and tomo roll, which were both excellent, and huge. We also ordered the king crab ceviche, filet mignon habachi, which was cold but tastey otherwise, and Sui mono soup. We were sitting on the steakhouse side, may next time sit on the habachi side to ensure a hot plate. To drink, hot house sake and Sapporo. All left Osaka with happy full tummys and the prime location allowed us to conveniently continue our night out in Coolidge Corner.
(4)
Tony N.
This place has become a staple for my wife and I. It is always easy together a reservation, even on the weekend, despite the place being constantly packed. The decor is modern and the place has a very energetic vibe. The noise level is perfect in that you can hear the excitement of the hibachi from the dining room yet you can have a conversation with your table and not have to raise your voice. The service is more than attentive and very friendly. The times I have asked for recommendations from my server I have not been dissapointed. The drink menu is good and they have this shocu, distiller from sweet potatoes, that I have fallen in love with. Prices are decent. The food is spectacular. The special rolls are inventive and not only taste gay but look ga. Sashimi is fresh and cuts are a good size.
(5)
Ella F.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this place. The ambiance/decor is nice, but they seemed incredibly disorganized from the moment I walked in. There are two rooms, a hibachi room, and a regular dining room. The hibachi room was practically a zoo. It was incredibly loud/rowdy, and definitely not the type of atmosphere I want for dinner after a long work day. It would be about equal to going to a college bar on a Friday/Saturday night. We sat in the regular dining room where it was more peaceful (and we weren't planning on getting hibachi either). The sushi was okay- nothing too special. The service was sporadic, although there were a lot of waitstaff congregating and chatting at the main entrance. The price was waaaaaay up there for the quality of the food. They clearly have you paying for the "cool" atmosphere/decor, because nothing else could justify the price. If the price had been more reasonable or correlated to the food and service, I would give 3 stars.
(2)
Mikhail H.
I was in town on vacation and craving sushi something fierce. Several friends recommended a place around the corner but when we researched them the prices were crazy high. My husband found this place and we decided to give it a go. This seems to be a hidden gem because there were not many people in the gorgeous restaurant. And it really is pretty inside - I nearly fainted at how low the prices were. We went for lunch so you will save a lot just on that alone! It was seriously $40 with tip and we got a sashimi plate (some of the best I have ever had honestly), yakisoba with chicken and some tempura, a beer and soda which is really great. The service was also very impressive and our food was fast!
(5)
Alexander K.
Japanese Restaurant with available Chinese option .., hm ? That is a NO-NO for traditionalists !! Especially for those who are into Japanese cuisine. There are few good Chinese restaurants to begin with, rest is junk. There is also explosion within Boston area with Japanese restaurants, and less quality is inevitable. This place is perfect example. From appearance which can be taken as Japanese/Chinese/European dark style, confusion .. !! To service .., two different servers taking order, two others give water, two more taking/bringing food/plates. And what's with the huge white plates to serve just about every thing ???!! 3/4 orders and the table is small, not the cleanest establishment either. Food was tasty yes, presentation was good yes, can be better !! Service no where near of traditional Japanese culture, super weak !!
(3)
Heather N.
I have been to Osaka before and had a great time. Unfortunately, I had a reservation for Valentine's day yesterday (which was made a month prior), and when I got there, there was a mob of people waiting to sit down for their reservations. We had an 8 o'clock reservation, and when we showed up, people who had a 7 o'clock reservation were not even seated. I have never seen a restaurant so unorganized and the manager would not even come out to apologize. Not to mention my name was on a post-it note. Thank you so much for ruining what was supposed to be a fun-filled, stress-free valentine's day!
(1)
Keo H.
I've been to several hibachi restaurants before but this one has just become my go to suggestion in the boston area. The service, ambiance, entertainment and price are just right. Servers were prompt and really good at replacing our used plates and refilling our drinks with a smile. The entertainment included a very high energy chef who had many tricks up his hat. He incorporated saki shots, volcano, tossing food into our mouths & figurines that squirted water from thier bodies. Hahaa.. that was a first sighting for me. The food was good for the price we paid - if not on the very worthy side. Lobster, steak, shrimp & scallop all cooked to our order; pretty fresh and tender. Sashimi was excellent. My only gripe is my mix drink but its probably not worth complaining about since it was soo cheap ($6). I had the lychee martini. Lets just say it wasn't good. It was probably the cheapest vodka out there that was used. If you're thirsty you can't go wrong with ordering a beer. :0)
(4)
Taylor N.
I came in on a Saturday around 3:30. They were open for lunch but no one was really there. I wanted to sit at the sushi bar but was diverted to the large booth. I was by myself. I had observed that my water glass was dirty before the waitress arrived. she was about to pour me some water when I told her what was wrong and she seemed highly shocked. She was very sweet though. The only thing I really didn't care for was that she didn't bother to let me know that she was no longer my server and that the shift had changed. This guy came out and asked for the check. He was standing less then 5 feet away from me waiting to see when I was going to be done with it. I still had. Not finished the martini that I ordered. (I originally ordered a lemon drop but they seem to be missing some ingredients so I had to switch my order) I ordered the hibachi shrimp. Several shrimp still had the excrement attached. BTW, It was rather crispy to taste...eww.
(3)
Marty L.
So sad when a restaurant has pretty great food but TERRIBLE service.. Waitress completely forgot about us multiple times, forgot to put in multiple orders, and every time we asked what the hell was going on, she barked back in a condescending tone. Unfortunately, the food experience was completely spoiled. ABSOLUTELY would not recommend.
(2)
Esther C.
I would have to give this experience a 5 star experience. There were many things that made this a 5 star experience. First our server Jack was so nice. We went there pretty late and were obviously the only ones there and yet he still didn't rush us. He kept saying we were fine and to take our precious time. Second the chef. I believe his name was Costco? I couldn't really heat him over the grill and stuff but he was amazing. He did all the tricks! The volcano the sake squirt the tossing food to mouth, it was all really fun and amazing Third the food. We went there for restaurant week, but they still gave us so much food that I had to bring it home. The food was a little salty, but still amazing. My boyfriend just gorged his food down because it was so good. I got the filet with shrimp and scallop and he got the fillet with lobster. Everything was cooked to perfection. Their tuna dumpling appetizer is amazing and unique. I would suggest you try them! Overall everything was fantastic. I am so glad I chose Osaka to experience for restaurant week! I will definitely go again even without restaurant week!
(5)
Helen L.
My friends recommended the Tomo Roll ($16.95, 8 pieces). Love, love, love it. It exceeded my expectations with its spicy crunchy salmon and mango topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. I think it took me almost 40 min to eat 8 pcs because I was savoring every. single. bite. Finger lickin' Deliciousness. The hibachi is pretty good although I haven't been to many places to compare. I would recommend not wearing anything nice. It's kind of like Korean BBQ. You end up leaving smelling like the food you just ate. I usually get the Hibachi Salmon ($22.95?). It's served with house salad in a bowl, vegetables, fried rice, and of course the salmon. The fried rice is pretty yummy but also tastes like it is doused in butter. For proportions, the rice took up half of the plate and the veggies and salmon each take about a quarter of the plate. Service is excellent!
(4)
Zoë Z.
We went here last night for restaurant week and while the food was pretty good, the overall experience wasn't really what we were expecting. The chef that we had seemed like he was having an off day or something because you could tell he was rushing and in a bad mood. He didn't even offer sake shots which was disappointing. The other tables around us had very lively and friendly chefs and we enjoyed watching them as they caught steak mid-air and enjoyed sake shot after sake shot. On top of that, the staff seemed a little drained and unorganized (probably from the busy week) and this made things come out at weird times. They never even cleared our appetizer plates. Also, the scorpion bowl was really, really bad. I took a few sips and decided to leave it alone. It was watered down and wayyy too sweet. As for the food, we were really happy with it. The sashimi appetizer was very good. You could tell the fish was very fresh. I got the steak and lobster hibachi for dinner and while I thought the steak was cooked perfectly, the lobster was a little dry. But living in New England for so long I probably have unreasonable expectations for lobster. Overall, I don't think we will come back to Osaka but I don't regret going either.
(2)
Becca P.
O Bar (a hidden gem) downstairs of Osaka is the best!!! FREE KARAOKE on Fridays and Saturday nights. They have different beers on draft, wines, sakes and special cocktails. Bud Light - $3.75 Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban, Steel Rail, Pale Ale, Sam Summer, BBC - $5.35 Definitely should check it out if you are in the area!
(5)
Brian S.
I love hibachi and this place definitely hits the spot. The service is a bit disorganized when it gets busy but the food is so good. I ordered the sashimi, hibachi with filet mignon, shrimp and scallop and a mochi ice cream for their restaurant week menu. Their sashimi is not the best, but it is fresh. The hibachi is pretty standard, as in amazing and I'd probably pass on the mochi ice cream if it didn't come with the meal. Definitely coming again!
(4)
Sarah G.
Great place for a group outing! I went here with 7 of my colleagues for a work dinner and drinks! We all had hibachi and our chef was fun and made the night a good time! The one complaint was the dining room felt a little empty , which made everyone feel a little awkward. It was also very bright in there! Maybe turn down the lights and get a more cozy atmosphere and we would of stayed for another round of drinks! We all had a mix of chicken , steak and shrimp! The chicken was kind of plain and next time id stick to just steak! The fried rice and veggies were really good though! After the hibachi show you are left alone and kind of feel like you should leave!
(4)
Bob B.
Look for a place for celebrating? This must be a nice choice. I was celebrating my friend's birthday here, and it was a really special experience. The chief in Hibachi was amazing. He really knew how to entertain the customers. EX: fire show, juggling with the eggs, zucchini tossing and sake shooting. Everything were really funny and we really had great time. Although the food was just so so, I would definitely come back again.
(4)
Cate T.
I would categorize this in the low end of the 4's. I eat at Osaka pretty often. It's a great little sushi spot in the area. I would have to say it's probably my favorite in the Brighton/Brookline area. Their sushi is always fresh. The service is inconsistent though. Sometimes the employees are overly attentive. Then sometimes you have to wave people down. Last night they accidentally gave my order to someone else, so I had to wait an extra 20+ minutes for them to create another dish, while my BF had both his rolls-and didn't want to eat without me. The reason for the 4 stars is the quality of the fish and ingredients. All of the times I have eaten here, the fish is always very fresh and awesome. It's a pretty quiet place too and good ambiance. I would 100% suggest the Nobu roll! Best roll on the menu!
(4)
Laurens W.
Went here with some friends and the food is good, especially when considering the price. Why then only three stars? One word: Service (or the lack thereoff).
(3)
Gareth L.
My wife and I came here for the restaurant week and we wish we picked somewhere else. We tried to make a reservation for lunch but was unsuccessful on every single day. So we made one for the dinner. Before we mentioned about the restaurant week, the staff didn't even bother to let us know there's a separate menu for the event. The waitress is very pushy. Without any explanation of the menu, she asked us about four times even I told her we need a few more moments to go through it. The food was disappointing, too. My wife ordered a bento box while I tried the restaurant week menu. Her salmon was cooked to a completely black color and of course it tastes bitter. So we called the manager over, and his response was, quote, "What do you want me to do?" I don't know, man. Isn't this your restaurant?
(1)
Michelle W.
My friend and I came here for restaurant week and it was an OK experience. If I'm looking for entertainment/experience over taste this would be the place. Appetizers Tuna Dumpling (Pass): This had good intentions, but final product was a bust. They recreated a dumpling by thinly slicing tuna to use as the skin and stuffed it with avocado and shrimp. Only two moderately sized dumplings came out. When you took a bite it felt like you were biting into baby food - basically mush. It sounds very innovative, but ultimately was a huge disappointment. Rock Shrimp (Recommend): This was a good portion - enough to share between 2-3 people. Very basic so hard to mess up - just shrimp fried in batter served with a spice sauce. The shrimp is served in a rice cracker bowl - don't recommend eating the rice cracker bowl though since it's bland and has a slight stale taste to it. Entrees Sushi and Sashimi Set (Recommend): This consists of 10 pieces of sashimi, 6cs of sushi and a spice tuna roll. This was pretty well portioned for a meal and gave you a taste of everything. Not the best sushi I had - but that's not why one should come to Osaka in the first place anyways Special Roll Set (Recommend): This dish featured two large rolls. The Hot Lover was a spicy tuna roll with shrimp tempura, which was very good and filling. The second roll was more on the sweet side - it was a spicy crunch salmon roll with mango, tuna and avocado. There was also a honey wasabi and coconut sauce, which is very sweet! I'm not a fan of sweet flavors in my sushi and I avoided it after my first bite. Dessert Mochi (PASS!!!!!): This is horrible. At least just buy a box from Trader Joe's! The mochi ice cream was hard as a rock and I think they tried to circumvent this issue by cutting it in half for us and sitting it on a bed of chocolate sauce. This did not fix the problem and in the process of cutting the pieces it looked really unappetizing because the mochi was now disfigured. Overall - service was quick and friendly, food was just OK and never get mochi ice cream here - not worth the money. If you are looking for $28 dinner deals for Dine Out this is not a bad option, just be aware of what you signed up for.
(2)
Kevin L.
First time I've been here and boy was it PACKED, both the hibachi and restaurant side. Do yourself a favor a make a reservation. My group decided to go with the hibachi this evening. I suggest not wearing nice clothing because you will stink and have sake squirted on you. Ventilation in the hibachi room was pretty bad, real smokey. Only come if you want to have fun! I can see the hibachi chef be quite annoying if you're not in the mood I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp and the portions were huge! Definitely get your money's worth. However, the food was a little too salty for me. However the Tomo Roll is to die for. Highly recommend it!
(3)
Ruqian M.
Not as good as I expected. The waitress grabbed the bill so fast that I felt she didn't want us to sit there after dinner.
(3)
Janet C.
They have changed there menu, cut out a few dinner entrees, mostly sushi. Also have added/changed the dining area. I've order the chicken Hibachi which I thought the sauce was on salty side. This was my 4th time going here.
(3)
Mallory C.
2 years later, I have developed a love hate relationship with this place. The last couple of times we have gone, the service has just been completely lacking, and even though the hibachi is fun once in awhile, and the food is good, nothing really wows me anymore. but for some reason I like going back because it "feels" fancy and like a good date night. This last time we came however, made me realize I just don't want to go for awhile. Our food came quickly, and was good, but every time I asked for something I felt like I was bothering the staff (they weren't very busy, we got there early enough to beat the restaurant week crowd). They only give you chopsticks, I have to ask for a fork, every. single. time we go. It would be nice just to have the option since they have so many menu items that would be easier to eat with silverware. There is NEVER enough ice in their drinks. There is none in the water, and if you order a cocktail, they put like 1 or 2 cubes that basically melt by the time it gets to you so you get a watered down, warmish drink, every time. Last time we went I actually asked for extra ice, because we wanted to stay and just enjoy our cocktails after we ate. The final straw was last night though, when the waiter was cleaning our plates from the table and knocked over a full cup of sake. We had purchased a bottle for the two of us and only had a couple sips left. Instead of remedying the situation, or offering even just another shot to replace what he had wiped out, he got super flustered and muttered "oh sorry," and grabbed one extra napkin and threw it on the table. Then we got our bill. Very unimpressed. We are frequent fliers here, but next time we have people we want to entertain we'll be trying somewhere else for sushi. Fugakyu anyone?
(3)
Kevin T.
Very American in taste. A lot of rolls with avocado. Seems like everything is avocado... LOL
(3)
Erin B.
The sushi was good here, although I'm not really a sushi aficionado. I tend to go out for sushi when other people have a hankering, and I always get the Philadelphia roll, which is pretty much cheating because it's an inside out roll with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Well, anyway, this Philadelphia roll was good. I also had steamed vegetable gyoza because I just love those little dumplings. Prices were reasonable. Where Osaka tends to veer off track is their service and atmosphere. The service seemed friendly enough, albeit, overattentive. Eventually, however, the multiple staff people that were coming over to our table to clear, take additional drink orders or ask how everything was seemed confused and/or annoyed that we weren't "moving along" as they say. Neither I nor my friend had finished our second glasses of wine and they kept asking us if we were finished. At some point, they just brought the check, which was a clear indication they wanted us out. The downstairs lounge brings in a slew of 20 something women scantily clad for scorpion bowls. It's quite disparate compared to the upstairs restaurant. Walk downstairs to the bathroom, and you feel like you're in a completely different establishment. I wouldn't rush back, but it's a decent option. There was no wait for a table at 6:30pm on a Friday.
(3)
K. Grace K.
I think this might be my favorite sushi restaurant ever. And given that my husband's pet name for me is sushi monster, that means means a lot (or not much at all depending on your interpretation). Some people ordered hibachi. They were happy with their meal, but I think we concluded that the standout food was the sushi. The fusion rolls are excellent. I think the people who said the rolls were sweet might have been referring to these because they have fruit in them. I liked the mix of sweet and savory. These rolls embody the creativity of Euro-Japanese fusion that I encountered in one of the nicer sushi restaurants I went to in Hawaii. The presentation of these is also remarkable making the meal an enjoyable visual experience. (Check the pics I uploaded!) For starters, we had the yellow submarine, which had mango and lobster tempura on a plate dressed with a mango and Thai chili sauce. We also had a hidden dragon roll and a garden roll. The latter is vegetarian and has kiwi draped over it with a strawberry-mango-kiwi sauce. The fusion rolls were surprising and balanced sweet with savory and Asian with European ingredients. These rolls were excellent. They aren't huge, and I think the higher prices are because they are more labor intensive and the ingredients are more expensive. (Many of them have 2-3 expensive fishes.) We also ordered from the sushi in the back of the menu. These are smaller, less expensive, more standard rolls. However, these rolls are high quality and represent excellent crafting. They have a very thin layer of rice on the outside with a substantial amount of fish in each roll. In many places the layer of rice is as thick as a single grain. I say this with admiration, as cheep-o sushi usually has a lot of rice. You can see this sign of quality in my pictures. Our favorites are the salmon roll (check out that hunk of fish!) and the pearl roll, which has asparagus. The seaweed salad was good, as it always seems to be. At Osaka, it comes out in a large bowl with iceberg lettuce underneath. The crisp lettuce contrasts nicely with the limp seaweed. I liked that pairing although when I saw the big bowl, I gave my brother a much larger taste than I would have had I known half the "large bowl" was iceberg lettuce. :) I guess he just got lucky. Another reviewer gave me a good idea. He said that the fusion rolls that I love so much are so sweet he thinks it is a desert. Well. I know just what to do with that suggestion. I think the seaweed salad is a good appetizer. Then follow that with one fusion and one smaller roll (Alaskan or pearl) for the main and finish the night with another fusion roll for desert. Healthy choice tip: In all seriousness, the seaweed salad is a great starter to the meal. Avoid tempura (fried) rolls or rolls with mayonnaise or cream cheese. The fusion rolls probably have a higher sugar content, so I limit myself to one fusion in the meal and get the rest from the back of the menu. YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE BROWN RICE! I am very excited about this. That is how the sushi monster rolls.
(5)
Nik A.
This is a fantastic restaurant in Brookline. One of the few Hibachi places in Boston. It had really great sushi and awesome ambiance and service. The hibachi chef did an entertain job but I thought that the hibachi special was a little over priced and the food does cool down bit.
(4)
Stephanie V.
I have not had worst service than I've had here. We had a group of 10 with a reservation for 8pm. Half our party came at 8pm and the other half came 5 minutes later... 5 minutes late. The host was curt and sent us to the basement while we waited for a party to clear out. The basement had a vibe of its own. It was dark and didnt seem that clean. A few of us ordered drinks and the bartender was unattentive and slow. I dont know if it was his first time but I dont think it should take 10 minutes to pay for a drink. By now it was probably 8:20 and my friend went back to the hostess to see what is the hold up. She was uninformative and unfriendly. We ended up being seating at 8:40.. 40 minutes after a RESERVATION. We were with a friend out of town and time is precious so this was unacceptable. This place was so overpriced! I realize that you're also paying for the show/experience but still. The show was amazing. The chef was really fun. The food was good. Our table got chicken and steak hibachi. They squirt sake from a bottle which was awesome. Then the check came. And the servers kept messing up our checks. It took another 20 minutes just to pay. I think going to a restaurant, its the combination of service, food and atmosphere. But the service here was SO POOR that I will definitely not be going back.
(1)
Cassie W.
I can't think of this place without drooling. Let me start of this review by saying, I love sushi!!! This review will be 100% sushi based, which I wish most of my day's food consumption could be. For those who don't know, the restaurant is split into 3 sections, the first floor has both sushi and hiibachi section and the basement has a lounge/bar area. The sushi here is always fresh and for a great price. I have been to a lot of sushi places in boston and none of them compare to osaka, even the more expensive places. They have a great deal where you can get spicy tuna, spicy salmon and a spicy yellowtail maki for 18 bucks!!! Besides that most of their house maki rolls are around 6-7 bucks. Everytime I have a friend visit brookline we always make a run to Osaka. My friends are huge fans of the speciality rolls they have all found one that they are in love with and curse me for introducing them to as it is all they can think about for weeks. If you want fresh well priced sushi, give osaka a try! You won't regret it. Note: This is one of the few places that offers brown rice for maki rolls!!!
(5)
Anna M.
The food is typical Americanized hibachi, but done well for what it is. There is also a sushi bar, and the sashimi I ordered as an appetizer was fine. The food is pricey, but portions are huge and if you don't want leftovers you can split a hibachi entree easily, plus they don't charge for sharing!!!!! We had the best chef ever, "Tony" who is an excellent shot with the sake squirter! I have never had so much fun at a restaurant in my life! Also, there is a cocktail lounge and bar downstairs. I think this is an excellent place for a group--start with cocktails downstairs while you wait for your table. The (few) cons are that the wait staff essentially ignores you. It was hard to get refills on water, and to order more cocktails. We gave the bulk of the tip money to Tony because he was so much fun, and made up for the lack of drinks with the sake squirter (next time i will wear a shower cap though ;). Unfortunately, they do not have grapefruit juice, and their lychee martini would seriously benefit from a splash of this. I do not consider this a con, but crotchety people will: the place is loud and very lively! The entertainment is definitely the reason to come here, so be warned if you were looking for a quiet evening!
(4)
An N.
- The chef was extremely friendly...Best hibachi ever...best service as well...i love this place and i'm gonna recommend my friends to go here ! Thank you guys for giving me a best hibachi, love it so much. Of course i will go back and put it in my favori
(5)
Silly S.
Great food and atmosphere. Steak and scallop are strongly recommended. Chefs are humorous and play "games" with diners.
(4)
Jenn S.
I am giving this 2 stars because of the food and cleanliness. But I would give it a 3-4 star for the entertainment value. We had the whole downstairs hibachi room for a party and while waiting for everyone to get there we all noticed how dirty everything was. There was leftover food on the grill top and lots of food residue on the wood....super gross! Our chef was funny and very entertaining with the typical flaming onion tower and sake shots to the face. We all laughed and had fun. The food however was SUPER salty and just ok. I wasn't a fan of the dipping sauces. They were also very salty and just didn't taste good to me. It was expensive for some shrimp and rice but again I know we are paying for the person to make us laugh. I would go there maybe once a year to take people who haven't been but I am not dying to go back.
(2)
Ruby C.
Strong drinks at the bar downstairs. Food quality was ok; guess Hibachi places are mainly frequented for the cooking entertainment.
(2)
Nina K.
Lotus bowl: 4/5 This drink tasted very much like fruit punch or the "Hurricane" from Vegas. Shrimp Shumai: 5/5 Succulent dumplings. No complaints. Perfecto. Vegetable Rainbow Roll: 3/5 The different ingredients didn't complement one another AT ALL. It was an OKAY sushi roll ... Nothing special. Beef Kushi Yaki Dinner: 3/5 The beef was okay. Spicing was good but not an explosion of flavor. See below for more explanation of the beef dinner. Ok so sat down at 6:08 pm and we were out at 6:52 (please see the receipt photo ... Not kidding). This isn't because we wanted a quick meal. No !!!! This was DATENIGHT. but they rushed us like crazy. They kept coming to ask us if we had decided on our order. HELLO?!!!! WE JUST SAT DOWN. RELAX LADY !!!!! Brought the miso soup, dumplings and sushi all at the same time (5 minutes after ordering). Brought out the main course about 4 minutes into out appetizers. Which meant that by the time we were ready to eat our main course ... It was cold. Didn't know I was going to McDonalds.
(2)
Kevin D.
Food was excellent. Thank god we made reservations because there was a wait. If you don't want booze squirted all over you or food tossed at you like a seal, might not want to go here. However it is all part of the experience and a great time.
(4)
Cher M.
I came here for restaurant week and I must say I was a little bit disappointed. More disappointed with the service than the food. My server from the time she came up to the table was extremely pushy and very rush full throughout my entire dining process. I first order a cup of tea which I then requested for some sugar that took about 10 to 15 minutes for me to get and by that time I was already done with my tea. I then an order the Scorpion bowl which was watered down completely. I asked for my steak to be medium well and it seems like there was not cook at all. Just to wrap this up I received the bill and I saw that the Scorpion bowl. Now keep in mind I did not drink anything from the Scorpion bowl because it was gross. Never again will I ever come back here
(2)
Benjamin E.
A good place to end your day if you are looking for a few drinks and unwind. This place has 2 floors, the ground floor and the lower level. The lower level is a bar that has very nice comfortable low lighting and a club like feel with the a good selection of up beat music and comfortable couches along the side of the wall. Although you are in the lower level bar area, the bar has a full menu you can order off of. Up stairs on the ground level there is a sushi bar and hibachi table and comfortable booth with a much more quite atmosphere oppose to downstairs. The food is okay. Nothing out of the ordinary form your typical Asian/Sushi restaurant. The sushi is good though, they have nice fresh cuts of fish, but their Caterpillar Rolls (i.e Dragon, Volcano, Scorpion, etc.) are a little off. Just a mountain of fried tempura flakes on a sushi roll. The drinks are good. VERY STRONG but still have a lot of flavor besides tasting alcohol. A good place for hanging out with friends and having a few drinks and small bites to eat.
(3)
Lannie L.
After passing this restaurant many times, I finally had a chance to dine here for dinner on Restaurant Week (or "Dine Out Boston"). The decor and atmosphere are nice. Wait staff attentive and waters topped off frequently. The drink list was super cheap for RW and stuck with wine though the mixed drinks sounded good. I started with the tuna dumplings, which was the highlight of my meal. Presentation was impressive and the dish was tasty. A thin cut of tuna served as the "dumpling" wrapper while crab meat and avocado was stuffed inside. Friend got the "money bag" appetizer which was a miss in my mind. For the main entree, we both ordered the hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail. The portion size was huge with fried rice, vegetables, steak cubes, and lobster chunks hidden under a lobster tail for presentation. The "surf and turf" was disappointing - the steak was so overridden with garlic that everything became unpalatable. The lobster was tough and also garlic-y. Fried rice and veggies were standard - like typical Chinese food fare. To finish off, we both got the mochi ice cream (which was red bean flavored but not described as such on the menu. I personally don't care for red bean). I'd say average but a good portion and nice presentation. To pay $35 for this meal, I really expected to enjoy the entree more. Not sure if there will be a next time, but...maybe next time.
(2)
Jodi G.
I first went to Osaka in North Hampton and thought it was great! Then after moving to Brookline recently I decided to check this place out! Not only is it loud and young and a fun aambiance on a Saturday night out with friends, but the sushi is one of a kind! I love the amount of tuna specialty rolls they have! Watch out for spicy though- it's on almost every roll in some form! As for service- they could improve! They are either invisible or in your face asking you what you want every 5 seconds! They need to find a happy medium on that one! I havent tried hibachi here but I definitely plan to! It looked and smelled delicious when I was there!!
(4)
Thanh L.
If I could eat only one meal for lunch for the rest of my life, it would be sushi, but it definitely wouldn't be sushi from here. The handful of times I've come here I've always been underwhelmed. During one visit, I got the Foxy Lady (their description: Spicy tuna, avocado topped with seared tuna and red wine pear. Served with onion sauce). The onion sauce turned me off and the combination of ingredients was altogether unpleasant. I tried my friend's sushi, which was the Dancing Roll. This one tasted great, perhaps because my own dish was unpalatable. The visit after, I ordered the Dancing Roll to play it safe. Unfortunately, it was doused in overly salted peanut sauce, completely masking the other flavors of the sushi. I will say that the standard spicy tuna is fine. Service could also be better. I asked for salad options, since my menu listed none, and the waitress proceeded to mumble a few options. Since I had a difficult time understanding her, she brought the full menu to show me (why weren't we given this one in the first place?). Service needs to kick it up a notch - inattentive service for a non busy dining time. If you're looking for good sushi in the area, make the trek to Genki Ya 5 blocks down, or Fugakyu around the corner.
(2)
Kenny C.
Came here for restaurant week. Food is meh. Sashimi appetizer - actually not too bad. 3 pieces of salmon,3 pieces of tuna, and 2 pieces of I don't know. It's white. I've had better but this is alright. Lobster and Steak - overcooked and bland. They tried to salvage it by slathering the entire plate with sauce, but it didn't cover how how dry the lobster and steak were. Served with a bowl of fried rice - drenched in soy sauce. Generous portions. Sea Bass - A bit overcooked, otherwise the taste is fine. The sauce accompanied it was syrupy/gingery and went well with the bass. Bowl of rice on the side was way too dry. Mochi ice cream - I thought we'd get a choice of ice cream flavor. But we didn't. Out comes plain vanilla mochi ice cream. I wouldn't bother coming here again. I'd give these guys 3 stars but yelp's definition of "meh" is 2 stars.
(2)
Nevin Z.
Amazing meal and show. Hibachi is truly an art form. I was impressed at the skill of all the hibachi chefs I saw. The food was great. Couldn't ask for more. The sauces they provide add a great combination of tastes. While some of the meals are somewhat pricey, maybe 19-20 dollars, I would say it was more than worth it and I left feeling very full. They have definitely gained a returning customer from me.
(5)
Jo T.
Ugh. We went for the hibachi and: - the food wasn't very good. i've had this type of food a few times at other places, and this was the bottom of the barrel. - the hibachi chefs all follow a pretty crass script; e.g., there's a plastic doll filled with sake and they pull down its shorts and spray liquid on the food from the anatomically correct male doll Won't be back.
(1)
urbanaite K.
We were there on a busy Friday night, Halloween actually, and the service was very good. Our food arrived promptly and it was delicious! It is not cheap, but I'd say it is appropriately priced for the location, ambiance and food quality.
(5)
Matt F.
First time at Osaka, and it did not disappoint. The food was great. Our chef was entertaining. I went on a Monday so the crowd small. But I will be returning and bringing friends as well.
(4)
Josephine L.
My friends and I came here after watching the lovely documentary, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" (brilliant idea to show it at Coolidge Corner theater, where there are numerous sushi restaurants). Osaka isn't bad, but nothing about it sets it apart from the millions of other sleek, trendy, chic sushi restaurants that play pulsing lounge music all night long. I had the Nobu Roll and the Rainbow Roll. The Nobu Roll, a combination of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with three kinds of tobiko topped with chef special sauce, was rich and initially satisfying. After a while though, the sauce got to be too much and I couldn't finish the roll. I guess I'm too much of a minimalist when it comes to sushi. I not only like but prefer my sushi to consist of only 3 things: fish, rice and seaweed (avocado allowed). The Nobu Roll was not very well made, either. The pieces kept falling apart when I picked them up. I also had the Rainbow Roll. The fish tasted very fresh and the cuts were pretty generous. No complaints there. Service was good, but almost too attentive. We were constantly interrupted by well-meaning servers asking us how we were doing. Maybe scale back a bit on that?
(3)
Cheryl H.
Going to a hibachi-style place, I expect a certain amount of theatrics, but this was ridiculous. Catching shrimp/veg in your mouth? Okay. Squirting sake from a condiment bottle and having the person chug until they choke and spit everywhere? No thanks. The sake squirt chugging also led to a lot of people drooling all over and generally being covered with sake, so dress accordingly. Then the chef started having the women catch the whole raw eggs in their cleavage - are you going to cook those? I hope not. The ambiance is certainly better for groups. Don't count on being able to converse at anything below a shouting volume though because it's extremely loud on the hibachi side. The sake chugging led to a certain level of chaos and gave things a sporting event type of feel including lots of countdowns and screaming. Yes, screaming although at a drunken wrestling brawl, I guess you would be missing the sound of the metal cooking utensils being constantly and rhythmically slammed on a hotplate, so there you go. The hibachi steak ended up being okay although it was overcooked. The sushi was awful and I'm not even a sushi snob. If you're craving sushi, there are many other good alternatives nearby. As we were leaving, the woman in front of us was apologizing to her friend saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would be like a freshman dorm." Yes, I'm sorry too.
(1)
Angie D.
Fun to sit at the hibachi table! Our cook was very friendly and entertaining. The food was good, but I was disappointed not to see noodles as well as rice. Good to know for next time! Will definitely be back!
(4)
Katie W.
Great place to go with big groups! The atmosphere is lively and fun, and the hibachi chefs really show you a good time. The food was average. You don't really go for the food, more for the overall experience. Hibachi entrees start at $20.
(3)
Najica H.
I eat japanese food regularly, so I guess I know when one place makes something good and another place fails...I went here with my roommate for the price fixed restaurant week dinner. It was a nice looking place, super easy to get to, our server was great and I wanted to like this place but unfortunately...the food wasn't good, and that's what's actually important. My roommate got the hibachi and the portions were good but overall it tasted just alright, I've had better hibachi at dives. I got the sushi/sashimi combo w/ dancing roll. The roll was good, but the sashimi wasn't cut right and the pieces were a bit butchered, which would've been fine except when I ate it the pieces they tasted a little chewy and had like a day old fishy taste which....fresh sashimi shouldn't taste that way :/ After a few pieces the bad taste just piled up and I couldn't finish it, and I used to eat sushi every week. I got the tiramisu for dessert and the first bite was good...except the rest of it was literally frozen solid in the middle, no joke! It just made me sad that I was eating at this expensive restaurant and the dessert wasn't even thawed or fresh. Like old tasting sushi and frozen dessert? I really wanted this place to be good but I actually had a violent stomach ache afterwards...
(1)
Rachel D.
Amazing! If you have the money. We got Hibachi because I would have kicked myself if we hadn't, and it was amazing and extremely entertaining!! The chefs do neat tricks with the eggs on the grill, and also tricks with the utensils and sake squirters. Honestly their fried rice was pretty amazing, and I think it's because they put sake in it - the taste was phenomenal. I also had just a regular sushi roll on the side which was good, nothing to write home about, but it wasn't a special, hard to make roll - just tuna and avocado. The tuna was very fresh and soft though. The chefs also have sake squirters with just water in them for kids to play along. Sometimes they even throw food into your mouth, but they always ask first and never try to make you do anything crazy that you're obviously not willing to do. -GREAT for groups -Great for kids, especially since I always see a million Brookline families there -great for a first date! since it takes the pressure off.
(5)
Courtney H.
I was so excited that there was finally a hibachi steakhouse within walking distance of a train in the city! So my husband made some reservations one night and we went for dinner. The place was pretty full but not sold out and we were seated with two other couples. One definitely was just there to get in and out and the other was there for a date night too. I didn't do so well with catching the vegetable thrown at my face (mostly because he through the first one at my forehead!) but I handled the sake well! I thought the food was similar to any other hibachi place so no complaints! And I love the yum yum sauce! Can't wait to go back!
(4)
John M.
I don't profess to be an expert when it comes to Hibachi - I only started going to places in the last year. That said, I have been a few times, and this place was by far the best. The atmosphere was fun, and the chefs each knew how to make at least a couple of balloon animals which was a nice touch (and added to the general vibe). The sushi was very good (not as excellent as a high-end sushi place - I used to work at Osushi - but damn good for an inexpensive one). The place was clean and the service was excellent. We really liked our grillmaster, Sam, and he seemed to reciprocate and had some good fun with our table. The kicker was that the food prepared was the best I've had from hibachi to date. Everything was cooked perfectly, and was absolutely delicious. I ordered the chicken and salmon, gf ordered the chicken, two of the folks from the other group ordered the fillet. I can attest to the excellence of my choice - salmon had a nice crispy layer on the outside and was perfectly juicy and soft on the inside. Chicken was moist and quite flavorful. And the fillet looked perfectly cooked, a solid medium-rare like the other patrons ordered. Overall, a great time, and can't wait to go with a bigger group in the future.
(5)
Matt S.
It's difficult for me to write a review for Osaka because honestly it's pretty much like every Hibachi/Sushi steakhouse I've ever been to. It has it's own unique decor of course, which is nice and cool in it's own way. Wait staff are attentive and the food is good. Sushi there is pretty decent too, so I'll switch between that and hibachi when I go. The hibachi show is pretty typical, nothing spectacular or unexpected. I'm giving it four stars because while they don't do anything amazing or extravagant they don't do anything wrong either (in terms of food, service, etc...), which makes them pretty reliable and one of my go-to's.
(4)
Rebecca F.
I came here with a LivingSocial coupon and had a decent experience: nothing to rave about, though. The restaurant is located on a side street in Coolidge Corner, very accessible by public transit. It's dimly lit and quite large, and there's a separate room for the hibachi and a downstairs which had dance music playing? I could hear the excitement from the hibachi room at my table in the other portion, which wasn't a bad thing but I was here on an early weekday evening, so I imagine when it's busier it is probably noisier. I just ordered the sashimi sampler ($24) which came with 5-6 types of fish. The sampler comes with soup or salad and a bowl of rice. The fish tasted pretty fresh and was arranged nicely in a bowl of ice. The service was attentive and helpful when I asked for an explanation of the fish. Overall, this place has pretty good Japanese food and the hibachi is always a fun outing.
(3)
Dana S.
We had a great time here for a friend's birthday party. Before sitting down for hibachi, we grabbed a drink at the bar downstairs. Both of the bartenders were so friendly and courteous. My martini was big, and STRONG, and delicious. We started with two sushi rolls for an appetizer. One of them (the name escapes me) was extremely spicy! But the rolls were a great size and very fresh. Our hibachi chef was hysterical and made for great entertainment during the cooking presentation. Who doesn't love sake shots before dinner? I shared the "osaka" special with a friend- a great combo of chicken, lobster, scallop, shrimp, and beef. Everything was tasty and I would definitely go back again!
(4)
Mon R.
THIS PLACE IS AWESSSSSSOME! Its totally off the beaten path (Harvard Ave), and apparently just opened in October! They had a deal for Valentines Day- free glass of champagne. We got here and were promptly seated for the hibachi. Our waiter was really attentive, and it didn't take too long for the hibachi chef to come out. I got steak and chicken, my husband got shrimp. The chef did all his usual tricks, except with a few new ones we haven't seen before. The rice was awesome, and there was enough food left over for lunch the next day. The family next to us had a kid and he was totally into the chef. He exclaimed, "its dinner and a show!" - The irony, here, being that my husband totally feels this way about hibachi... as a result of a number of birthday parties at the place when he was little. Kid at heart. Anyway, we loved it, and are glad to have found a nice hibachi spot in Boston. A bit pricey, but that comes with the hibachi territory.
(5)
Sara M.
We came in on a Wednesday night and were seated on the restaurant side immediately. Next time I would ask to sit towards the back as the hibachi room is very loud. Our drink order was taken by one person and our dinner by another. The way our waitress reacted, we still cannot figure out if she was surprised or impressed that we ordered the Osaka sushi for two (it comes on a boat) - about 18 pieces of sushi, one tuna and one dragon roll and miso for two; a good amount of food for teh two of us, but not gut-busting The soup was good, and the fish was impressive, it was very fresh and the addition of jalapeno and lemon zest on some of the fish was very nice. The dragon roll was great, and the eel sauce was really nice. With a couple of beers, dinner was $50 before tax and tip and we were very satisfied.
(4)
John L.
~New Coolidge Corner Hotspot where the Hibachi over the Sushi. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asupr.us/ap-osaka A friend of mine had a birthday here. Initially I just punched it in to Google Maps, as I was fairly familiar with the Coolidge Corner area, but had never been to/heard of Osaka. I turned on the main street to this side street and I see this relatively sexy new place. For the area, Osaka is quite large. I was there on a Saturday night and it was packed. It was so packed, despite a reservation, we had to hang out at the bar lounge area for around 30 minutes until we could get to our table. I mean, it's fun to go somewhere on a Fri or Sat night where it's packed. Lots of energy and fun with the hibachi stations. No real surprise, if you're either doing hibachi, or anywhere near there, you will hear a plethora of screams, yells, Ay-Ay-Ay's, and a bunch of laughter. So if you're not ready for any and all of that, it's pretty difficult to sit anywhere at Osaka and not hear any of that. The hibachi portions are plentiful and quite delicious. It'd be hard for me to go here for some sushi over the hibachi. We had a variety of rolls including the American Tango, Foxy Lady, Jalapeno, and a few more. All of these fusion rolls were good, not great. I mean, the sushi rolls might actually be as good or better than some other dedicated sushi restaurants, but because of the presence of the hibachi, it's tough for any of the sushi to shine. I might have to go there again and resist the hibachi and try to focus on the sushi and update my review perhaps.
(4)
Lala I.
the food def wasnt bad to be honest. im jus not into anything fusion esp def not my sushi. if you are into japanese fusion and some hibachi action you ll probably like this restaurant. bright, large space, very good for groups. the lounge in the basement is def a plus.
(3)
Jessie C.
we went here a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. Very good! The prices were high but not too terrible for Brookline and the quality of food. We've eaten a lot of hibachi in the past and this was by far the most food you get at a very high quality for the cost. Great choice. I had the chicken and salmon hibachi and the "Summer at osaka" cocktail. If we went again, i'd get just the salmon - it was fantastic!
(4)
Jenn S.
Before my friend invited us to Osaka for her birthday dinner, I had never heard of this place. Both my husband & I thought it was a different place. As we were walking to the restaurant, we saw an employee standing on the sidewalk on Harvard Ave., with a sign advertising Osaka and their parking. Guess they are really making a push for advertising! We arrived a few minutes early, but couldn't be sat until more of our party arrived. Once they did, we were seated at one of the Hibachi tables and waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The main issue with this place? TOO.LOUD. We could not hear what those not sitting right next to us were saying - and the waiter couldn't even hear us when we ordered our drinks! I ordered a glass of Raspberry-flavored sake, which came in a wine glass (not a sake bottle with those adorable sake glasses). It was delish. Other friends got a Mai Tai and hot & cold sake. All delicious. The chef was definitely fun. He used the squeeze bottle to shoot sake into our mouths - and definitely had fun with it. He even tossed a piece of onion into my friend's mouth, but when it missed and landed in her shirt, he hilariously yelled "GOOOAL!" Very fun. The rice was AMAZING. I could have eaten just that! The chicken and veggies were great too - and didn't even need the sauces that are provided. The salad was a typical Japanese ginger salad, which is, frankly, one of my favorite parts of Japanese meals. I love that ginger dressing. Overall, the food was good, the prices are reasonable ($19ish for a salad, hibachi chicken, tons of rice & veg) and the atmosphere is fun. Do not sit at the Hibachi tables if you want to have a conversation though!
(4)
Mirope F.
Love the sushi in this place... and they have a crazy and funny karaoke downstairs... really nice place to go with friends have some good sushi and a lot of fun with the chefs
(4)
Andrea B.
I love sushi, and Osaka's is definitely up there among my favorites. Each of the rolls I tried was delicious, not to mention the presentation, which was gorgeous as well. You probably really can't go wrong regardless of what you try, but I'd highly recommend the Amazing and the American Tango rolls. The former boasts tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, scallops and kamakazi wasabi. And the latter contains hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. It sounds like it could be a rather peculiar combination, but trust me, it's not. Service was both hit and miss. Our waitress was kind of blah, but I have to give them props for doing a great job at keeping our water glasses filled the entire time.
(4)
AM S.
Hands down my favorite hibachi in Boston's frightening dearth of good restaurants! Closest or even as good as Benihana. Great great great quality of food, awesome chefs and even the salad is good. The leftovers taste just as tasty the next day. Highly recommend this, it's a gem in the mire.
(5)
Melissa P.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant functions in two fantastically different ways: entertaining Hibachi grill show and quiet sushi room. The restaurant is literally split in two. The dual personalities of Osaka has a fun way of catering to its diners. For your first visit, start with the hibachi grill. Hibachi is a traditional Japanese grill that is equipped with an iron hot plate called (teppan) used in teppanyaki restaurants, though what you find within its ornate walls might not be considered traditional. The chefs at Osaka go all-out to put on a show with funny banter and a bottle of sake (which they will squirt in the mouth of dinner patrons). As for the food, get ready to watch it diced, grilled, and served right in front of you. On the tamer side of the restaurant, the sushi rolls are made fresh, with creative combinations like TOMO or Hot Lover Roll.
(4)
Kevin G.
We ate at Osaka during Boston's Restaurant Week, Winter 2014. We made a reservation for 8:00 PM (on a Wednesday night) and, unlike most of the other reviewers, we were immediately seated upon arrival at the hibachi table. Then again, it wasn't busy and we probably would have been seated immediately without the reservation. After seating us, they gave us iced water, but it was quite a while before a waiter took our order. My date ordered an iced tea that never arrived. For our appetizers, we ordered the tuna tartare and the tuna dumplings. It should be noted that we waited an extremely long time for them to serve us our appetizers. We were contemplating leaving the restaurant at one point. Both dishes were beautiful in presentation but tasted almost identical to one another. Unfortunately, neither appetizer was particularly good. Though they both contained a decent amount of fresh tuna, the tuna itself was not cold and it was mediocre in quality. Overall, they were very bland. For dinner, we both ordered the steak and lobster hibachi. Though the menu states that the hibachi dinner comes with a salad, neither of us received a salad. This could have been because we were ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu. The hibachi chef was nice and entertaining enough and the food was decent. The rice and vegetables were fine, the steak was cooked to order, but the lobster was a bit overdone and rubbery. Though I must say that we were each given quite a bit of lobster and steak. If you're expecting a range of tastes, flavors, and spices, do not order the hibachi dinner. Like all hibachi, everything pretty much tastes the same. Good salty, buttery, garlicky flavor, but all one-note. For dessert, we ordered the mochi ice cream and fried banana. They were out of the fried ice cream. The mochi ice cream was a generous portion and delicious. The fried banana was one banana on a plate with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Though it was fine, it would have been better had the banana been sliced and then fried or if it had the accompaniment of some ice cream or a fresh garnish. It was an oversimplified dessert that could have been executed better. Overall, Osaka deserves only two stars. The ambiance was fine, the hibachi chefs seemed great, the service was terrible, and the food ranged from decent to mediocre to worthy of sending back. Nothing, except for maybe the mochi ice cream, was delicious or worth re-ordering. There is better hibachi out there and there is certainly more-delicious and fresher sushi-quality fish all over Boston. I'd only go here if you are out with a bunch of friends who can't travel and want sake sprayed into your mouth.
(2)
Thomas L.
Crazy busy here on a Saturday night. Highly recommend reservations. Food was terrific. Service was great. Overall atmosphere was energetic. Sat at the hibachi grill with the wife and another couple. Variety of your standard selections, one drink each, and tip.....$150.00 total. Not too bad, as it was a great experience and we were sitting/eating/drinking for a good amount of time. Again, the food was delicious. The salad, the freshly prepared/cooked fried rice, the shrimp, the vegetables, the steak and chicken, and the accompanying sauces. All terrific. The downstairs (where the restrooms are) looks very trendy and cozy and could be fun for a drink or two. The bar/sushi area on the main floor also looks fun, and although I am not a sushi person, it did look very appetizing. If you are looking for an upbeat dinner and lots of energy, make your reservations today!
(4)
Arden B.
I interviewed the co-owner of Osaka for a video package I was doing on Boston Winter Restaurant Week, and she was so sweet and made everything sound so great that I couldn't wait to come back and actually eat there! We had a party of 4 and were seated right away at a hibachi table. I'm a big Benihana fan (don't judge me!), so I had high expectations! This place was so fun! The chef was extremely engaging and we all had a blast. We pretty much laughed through the entire meal. The shooting sake was definitely a highlight as well. And although I failed to catch a piece of zucchini in my mouth, I still enjoyed watching as my more coordinated friends succeeded. The rice was pretty good. I don't think it was quite up to Benihana standard, and for some reason I really don't like corn in my fried rice, but other than that, I thought it was good! The vegetables were okay. I liked the onion, but the zucchini, carrots and broccoli were not as cooked as I had hoped. My least favorite part of the meal, though, was the salad dressing. It was waaayy too heavy and there as so much of it that I actually felt a little sick just looking at the salad. I had the shrimp and scallops. The scallops were phenomenal! I only wish the chef had cut up the shrimp into smaller pieces because I did not have a knife, and it made it difficult to eat those shrimp with chop sticks. After we finished eating, we went downstairs to the O Bar. I think we actually accidentally crashed some kind of Persian party? Still had a blast doing sake bombs in the corner and listening to the music we couldn't understand. The bartender was pretty rude, though. On nights when there isn't a party, they have karaoke! Lots of fun! We would definitely go back again!
(4)
Jill S.
Very good Hibachi Japanese place!! Came here with a group of friends on a trip to Boston and the food was very good!!! We had a reservation which was good as the place was pretty crowded. The cook was a lot of fun and very entertaining!! I would definitely go back!!
(4)
Ivan L.
First time visiting was during Boston's Restaurant week. Service was extremely quick and courteous; served the first course within 15-20 minutes of walking in! Appetizers included rock shrimp and sashimi (smorgasbord of raw fish), which were both superb. The entrees followed with hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail as well as the Tomo sushi platter, and finally the dessert was Mochi ice cream with a chocolate drizzle. Everything was outstanding, flavors were full individually but melded nicely with one another. You could certainly distinguish the freshness of all the fish and the meat was cooked to perfection. Portions were plentiful and beautifully plated. Would also recommend sharing a scorpion bowl (strong mix but very tasty) as well as pairing hot sake with the ice cream dessert to top it all off. I would absolutely recommend this place to anybody wanting something new or familiar. Most definitely a great experience, will surely return!
(4)
jazzy l.
Grand opening Sushi/Hibachi Grill on Green Street (near Peets) Everything is brand spanking new. Good presentation of sushi rolls although a bit pricey. $66/3 people.
(4)
Hayley M.
How did I possibly miss Osaka? I've lived right by for over a year and a half and didn't know of its existence until restaurant week! I am so glad I found it. Came for restaurant week, and the menu was divided into four options for everything. Two were hibachi, two were sushi. The boy and I decided to split the sushi options. Here is what we ordered: Appetizers: Tuna Dumpling - King crab, avocado wrapped in thin sliced tuna. Garlic White Tuna - Hot pepper white tuna with crispy garlic and spicy yuzu sauce. Entrees: Special Roll Set - Tomo Roll and Hot Lover Roll Sushi and Sashimi Set - Chef choice 6 pcs sushi, 10 pcs sashimi and one foxy lady roll. Desserts: Chocolate Marquise - Chocolate genoise-chocolate ganache and a velvety chocolate mousse and dusted with gold dust. Turtle Cheesecake - Classic fudge filled cheesecake with caramel and pecans The tuna dumpling was amazing. It was out of this world! It blew the white tuna away. The entrees were both fabulous, not only in freshness and taste, but also in appearance. The display of my sashimi was gorgeous, and I happened to notice that other tables had equally pretty but totally different displays. It was (almost) too much food. Just piece after piece of wonderful raw fish. My sashimi had red snapper, white tuna, salmon, maguro, and some other things. The one thing that left a (not literal) bad taste in my mouth was that they brought the check with dessert. Obviously we focused on enjoying our cheesecake and chocolate marquise so we didn't even look at it until we were finished. However, they came back TWICE to ask if the check was "all set," while we were eating! Otherwise, it was a perfect experience.
(4)
Samuel S.
We didn't try the hibachi, and instead went for a grilless table. The service was pretty good, but the food overall was quite bland and uninspired. The fish didn't taste fresh (granted it was Christmas Eve), and the dishes that didn't feature raw fish were marred by an overabundance of sauce. The food presentation impressed me at first, but in the end seemed crass, and like the taste of the food, without subtlety. A generous three stars. Might go again in a pinch, but definitely not at the top of the list.
(3)
lizzie b.
Not bad for a hibachi place. A little crazy, though. We felt like we were on spring break! The chef was raunchy - with his Jersey Shore references et al. "Sakeeee, sakeeee" he shouted as he squirted sake out of a ketchup bottle down the throats of our dinner patrons as they signaled to him to please stop. Uncomfortable. He started throwing zucchini pieces at our faces to catch them in our mouths - gross. The worst moment was when he threw an egg down the waiting bosom of a girl at our table. Was this hibachi gone wild? Overall, in traditional hibachi restaurant style, they rushed us out after the check. When asked how to say "bye" in Japanese by one of our drunk table guests, the chef says "I'm not japanese." Haha - no illusions there. The food was better than Bisuteki across town. The fried rice didn't have many vegetables. It wasn't bad, just wasn't quite my style!
(3)
Brett W.
Made a reservation through OpenTable for 8:30pm. Got to the place at 815pm and there was a huge line waiting in the door to get to the host. Asked people if they made reservations through Open Table as well, and they did. The couple in front of me said they had been waiting about 15 minutes before I arrived. Needless to say, this place will not honor reservations in any capacity. I might only come back during mid-week if it looks empty.
(1)
Allison L.
The fish was fresh and the sushi combos are pricey but worth it. The service leaves a lot to be desired. I was there at 7pm on a Friday night and we were rushed through our meal. Also I asked for spicy mayo when I ordered and about 3 times afterwards before it was brought to the table.
(3)
Lauren E.
We went here in a Saturday night after I had received a gift certificate. We sat at the hibachi table, but nothing too memorable unless you go with a large group of people. The food was good. I might give this place another chance.
(3)
Mikayla F.
I love hibachi and have been to many different Japanese steak houses but this place was the best. Our chef was very entertaining and loved putting on a show. My only criticism was that most hibachi places I have been to are a bit less expensive and this place you're paying more and not getting soup with your meal. Overall though, I loved it and will definitely go back again!
(5)
Sam A.
We had a reservation for 8:30. It's now 9:30 and we're still waiting to be seated. We've been told we might be seated at 10:00. What's the point of making reservation if they can't honor it. We checked on open table and they showed tables open. It would be hard to recommend this place.
(1)
Alex C.
Based on the 4 stars it gets on Yelp, I decided to take my wife here to give it a try. However, after the dining experience here, I really DO NOT understand how can such terrible restaurant gets 4 start rating. 1. Rude: The chef has no respect to the customers. Perhaps it entertains certain customers, but I believe a truly educated and well mannered person won't appreciate the conducts the chef has in a up-scale setting restaurant. What do I really mean? The chef were playing throw and catch by shoot the food to some of the customers. However, some customers, including myself, do not wish to be played like that. I literally told the chef not to throw me the food, but he shoot it to me anyway and landed in my eyes. Yes, in my eyes. Another note is that, the way the chef serve the food. I guess he was trying to demonstrate how quick he is with his tools, so he literally buried my wife's fork and knife with the fried rice. It was just simply rude. I have been to various type of Japanese restaurnat: uper scale, budget type, buffet, traditional... etc. I have never ever encountered such rude chef. 2. Food: Its hibachi is just simply terrible. Eeverything tasted like soy source. We paid $60 something for the 2 people supreme combo which has lobster, steak, scallop, and chicken... yet everything tasted like soy source chicken. It was just a big waste of the good ingrediants. In short, they don't know how to cook. Oh, BTW, its sushi is just equally bad. Base on these 2 points above.... it is enough for me to rate it 1 star and never go back again.
(1)
Isabella C.
Love this place! It's the only Hibachi place in Boston and is amazing! The service is good. It's a bit pricey (~$25-$30pp) but its pretty average for hibachi and is totally worth it. Food is great!! I tried the scallops once an didn't think they were worth getting again. But I love the filet mignon, chicken and shrimps. Gyozo appetizers are also delicious.
(5)
Jamie H.
we went to osaka for restaurant week. everything was very good, and the portions were generous. i started with the garlic white tuna, which ended up being my favorite appetizer. it was seared well, spicy, and topped with tobiko. the money bags (crab rangoon) and rock shrimp were both light, crispy, and great starters as well. my fiance ordered the tuna dumpling, which was a little odd, but kind of good: it was a tuna "pouch" filled with avocado and crab - it may have benefited from a crispy texture to offset the mushiness. my entree was the chilean sea bass, which was absolutely delicious. each bite flaked perfectly, and the skin was crispy and flavorful. we also had the hibachi plate, which was huge! it was stocked with scallop, shrimp, lobster, filet, and grilled vegetables, and the rice was great too. my friend also ordered the sushi, which was very good. osaka is a great spot for a group. the hibachi tables are always fun, and the other options were excellent too. looking forward to going again!
(4)
J. L.
I went to OSAKA for the first time last night and it was fabulous! Fantastic menu, great for kids, and a lot of fun! We went for hibachi. It was a Wednesday night and pretty busy! I can only imagine what the place looks like on the weekends. I would asume you need a reservation to get in at a reasonable time. The hibachi menu here is great. It's $21 (give or take) per person. This includes a house salad, rice, veggies, whatever you choose for your main meal (I chose shrimp...yum!), and of course the fun experience of them cooking all your food in front of you! This is definitely my new favorite hibachi place! And I love the location...right in Coolidge Corner!
(4)
K K.
Tough to review this place. We had reservations at 7:30 PM and when we arrived the line was out of the door full of people with "reservations." By 8:00 PM they hadn't seated the 6:15 reservation crowd. After waiting for almost an hour we left and won't be coming back. Poor customer service! I can't say anything about the food because we never actually got to eat!
(1)
Kristen D.
A solid 3.5. Went for the 1st time back in February and enjoyed it, so went back this past weekend, it was my bf's birthday and he wanted hibachi. The restaurant is very nice inside and pretty spacious. I got chicken and he got the filet. Hibachi dinners come with a small house salad w their delicious ginger dressing, fried rice and hibachi veggies. I love the "yummy yummy" sauce (mayo based deliciousness). BF enjoyed the filet, said it was tender and cooked well. My chicken was very good too, especially dipped in some yummy yummy sauce. The fried rice was OK, I think it could have been cooked a little bit longer. I told the hibachi chef that I did NOT like sake, but he proceeded to squirt it in my mouth anyway. wasn't happy about that, the taste of sake makes me want to puke. He did not put on a very good "show," probably because it was earlier and we were the only 2 at the table. We witnessed other tables getting a much more lively show. II had a lychee martini which was very good, crisp and sweet. I also had the mai tai, which was 1 of the best I've ever had, it wasn't overly sweet ,as most are. The cocktails were $9. We lucked out and got street parking, but it's a short walk from the T and I believe they also offer valet after 9. Overall, we went back and will probably go back again because it is the only hibachi restaurant in Boston.
(3)
Mary Ann L.
Great food.....great service....great evening......great price....great value......
(5)
J G.
Nice variety of rolls including unique and standard. The atmosphere was quite and comfortable. The prices were pretty standard and service was good. I ate here twice on a business trip which is unusual and about as high a complement I can give.
(4)
Molly K.
I should preface this by saying I'm a pretty darn easy going customer. Almost all grievances can be mended by putting something yummy in front of my face. But my experience at Osaka was just too negative to go un-written-about. My boyfriend and I were hoping to try out the new pizza place down the street on a Sunday evening (about 7pm). But since it just opened in the past couple of weeks, the waits are still long. We decided to go a couple doors down to Osaka. We sat on the sushi side (the restaurant is split - hibachi on the left, regular tables on the right) and chose 5 rolls - spicy tuna, spicy salmon, green river, kamikaze, and flying fish row. The wait for our food was longer than usual. As all but the flying fish row arrived, the waiter said it was a "busy night". The sushi side was only about half full, if that. I can't imagine the wait on a Friday or Saturday night. We had finished the first four rolls and were waiting for quite some time before one of the waiters finally realized we were still waiting on the roe. More time passed. And then some more. Another waiter checked on us. No roe. We did finally receive our itty bitty fish eggs. Aside from the waiting, there were some other downsides. The sushi was nothing special. They weren't made all that well - they seemed loose and kind of mushy with uneven ingredients (way too much avocado, etc). And then there was the screaming. I get that hibachi is a fun time. Who doesn't love watching someone older than 3 throw food around? But sitting on the sushi side unable to hear anything but the patrons and chefs from the other side shouting and screaming is akin to chaperoning a chuck-e-cheese birthday party. There isn't enough sake in the world.
(2)
Marisol V.
it was the bomb..pricey but the bomb
(5)
Alison N.
overall great restaurant. chefs are entertaining and food is delightful!
(5)
Tracy T.
This place is best suited for groups of friends getting sloshed on sake and scrumptious fried rice. I came here with a group for a birthday and it was full of hijinks including each getting our own embarrassing nicknames, lots of yelling and bantering, our waiter hitting on my boyfriend repeatedly and getting sake squirted into your mouth with a condiment bottle. If that didn't make me feel like a farm animal, I don't know what will! Everything was timed perfectly, the food came out amazing and so delicious. I would totally go back just for the sake experience. On my own. On a Tuesday. Morning.
(4)
Matt C.
Hibachi is by its nature a fun and social experience and OSAKA does a great job fulfilling that objective. Went with a group of 8 on a Saturday night and the service was top notch. Between the free squirts of sake and the knife show on display everyone had a great time. The food is a little pricy, but the entertainment is worth the extra $$$.
(4)
Moe B.
This is the sister restaurant of my FAVORITE sushi restaurant. I recently moved out to the Boston area from Western Mass (Springfield area) where the other location is. My boyfriend heard good things about this place so we went, seeing as sushi is my favorite food. I thought it funny that this place had the same name as my favorite restaurant back home, but didn't really think twice about it. Even when I recognized the manager, it didn't really register with me. Then I saw the other location on the menu. Rather funny! In any case, this location holds the exact same quality and tastiness as the Osaka back home. We had quite a few rolls and some toro. It was all amazing and delicious. Just like in the other location, the service was prompt, polite, friendly, and wonderful. I'm very excited to have my favorite restaurant so close by!
(5)
Kelsey F.
After hearing that Osaka had just opened I decded to check it out and stay local for my birthday. There were about 10 of us so had a whole hibachi grill to ourselves. The restaurant is really nice with a clean, modern, and intimate feel. We all started with drinks - which are definitely not cheap but worth it. I tried the lychee martini - it was so delicious that I may just come back for this! The wait staff was a bit slow getting us our drinks but I guess there were 10 of us! All of the food was really good. Most of us got the beef and chicken hibachi dinners. The chef was okay...he did some tricks but I saw others being alot more interactive. I think I had higher expectations but I would definitley give it another shot....maybe with a smaller group!
(3)
Natalie K.
We went there for a hibachi dinner. The show is entertaining, the food is too salty because of soy sauce on everything. The specialty rolls are awesome though. We got the toma roll, which was so fresh and delicious that there is no need to dunk it in soy and wasabi. We also ordered a straight up martini, the waitress asked me to write it down on her pad cause she didn't know what that means.
(2)
Natalia T.
I was really surprised to see so many negative reviews about this place! We went there on a Wednesday night at around 6pm. We got a table right away. All the wait staff was super nice. We had a groupon from Guilt City for $65 dinner. We had: Tuna dumplings - VERY good, fresh tuna and avocado, it was our favorite. Sex on a beach roll - it was good, interesting .. definitely haven't tried anything like this before. Foxy lady - delicious roll! Lamb chops - yummy, fresh and very well done. We enjoyed our dinner, and service. Originally we wanted to try hibachi, but given all the negative reviews about it, not sure anymore ;(( there's a nice "clubby" room downstairs, I bet this place is hopping on the weekends!
(5)
Megan B.
I went here last Saturday with a big group for 2 friends birthdays and was not that impressed. We had a great time, but it had nothing to do with the entertainment from our chef. I've been to hibachi grills before and had an amazing time with strangers sitting at my table, so the fact that our Chef was not very entertaining even with a big group was disappointing. Food was delicious, but a bit over priced. If there were more hibachi restaurants in Boston, I probably wouldn't come back.
(3)
Jessica S.
Went here last night for a friend's birthday with a total of 9 people in our group. Great meal! I got the vegetable Hibachi dinner but sampled some salmon and chicken hibachi as well. The only thing I would ask to change is clarifying that ordering the "vegetable hibachi" just means receiving more vegetables than those who order chicken, salmon, steak, etc. I assumed I would be receiving different veggies in addition to the ones that came with the meal. Great restaurant for a birthday celebration! Top things about Osaka: #1. Fried rice: When ordering a Hibachi dinner, fried rice is included and cooked right in front of the group. So delicious! #2. Hibachi salmon dinner: cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing! #3. Waiters/Chefs/Staff: Very friendly, willing to accommodate, and great at interacting with guests!
(4)
Justin P.
Osaka fills a niche by straddling the line between expensive and reasonable that few restaurants manage in Coolidge Corner. For a group over 4, the Hibachi Grill is an absolute must. You can go with fewer but each grill seats 8-9 people so you could be paired with strangers. When the sake shooters start flowing...you may want to know who you are sitting with. For about 22.95 a person, the entrees are plentiful and include friend rice (made on the grill while you watch) and vegetables. The chefs all have huge personalities and are a mixture of nearly every stereotype you can imagine. Its more endearing than offensive as they get everyone at the table laughing. I'd recommend making a reservation solely because I cannot imagine not having one for a group that large. My group of 9 waiting nearly 40minutes WITH a reservation on a Saturday night and the man running the front of the house seemed confused and overwhelmed. I hate to admit it was worth the wait but it was. Bring your patience.
(4)
Carrie P.
I decided to branch out from Genki Ya and try another sushi place in Coolidge Corner. While looking, my roommate and I stumbled into this place. What I enjoyed the most about this place was the departure from the normal sushi options. My roommate and I split 3 rolls, and it was a little much for the two of us, as they gave us complimentary miso soup right after we ordered. The food came out very promptly considering it was 6pm on a Thursday. The service was good, nothing to complain about, and the price was incredibly reasonable. I would come here again for the variety, but nothing else blew me away. A solid and average meal.
(3)
Brynne L.
Osaka's food is excellent! It's a manageable portion with a wide selection from which to choose. The hibachi is SO MUCH FUN especially with a large group. The chefs have eclectic personalities and our entire table was roaring with laughter about two minutes into the meal. Excellent experience once we had been seated!!!!!!! If this review was based solely on food, it would have 5 stars. It loses two stars for me because it is so horribly run and managed, it becomes nearly not worth it. Our party of 9 (yes, large, but Hibachi caters to and attracts big groups) waited 45 minutes and we HAD A RESERVATION. Our reservation was for 7:30 and we weren't even seated until 8:15. The man who appeared to be running the front desk and reservations and arrivals could not have been more clueless and incompetent in dealing with his overwhelming crowd. There were about 3 other parties of 8+ people crammed in the entry way asking why they weren't seated when they had reservations for nearly 30 minutes ago. It was literally a disaster and I was shoved into a plant while the crowd continued to grow and servers attempted to get by. Osaka MUST rework how they approach their management and reservations. They clearly overbooked their hibachi but having seemingly no limit to the number of reservations available. Dear Manager, reservations are to reserve tables, not simply there for the heck of it. It's not to put your name in when you arrive, as we so experienced. Overall, three stars. The food makes it worth it but your patience will be tested. Best of luck.
(3)
Zak B.
This is probably my most frequented restaurant. I would say I average going there about 3 or 4 times a month. The sushi is amazing. I could eat it every day. The atmosphere is nice and I like to go downstairs and eat at the bar occasionally. I have never tried the hibachi, live chef thing. That's not my style.
(5)
Alyssa F.
This place is delicious!! Their hibachi filet and scallops are out of this world, as are the fried rice, salad, scorpion bowls, and everything else. The chefs are so much fun. Their karaoke bar downstairs could use a bit more selection, but the chocolate martini is absolutely incredible. Definitely a fun night out!
(5)
Sarah L.
Hands down the best teppanyaki/hibanchi what ever you want to call it I've been to. Had spicy tuna maki to start- have had better but still wasn't bad. Our dinners were great. I had perfectly cooked scallops and I get cranky when they're not. The sake bit was fun, and I was happy to partake in catching zucchini in my mouth. It was just plain ole fun and a great meal. We went in on a Friday night around 6:30 or so and were seated immediately. Really, give it a shot.
(5)
Megan N.
The only good thig here was the hibachi. Te fried ice was good but the sushi was very very bad. Do not order the sushi. I got the tuna on the taco and it was very gross fish that was not fresh and stringy.
(3)
Mabel L.
Went with a friend on New Year's. I've had teppanyaki before (Hibachi here is NOT really hibachi. Wiki it up!) in other places, but at this time of writing, no other places close to Boston have this. So when I saw this, I really had to give this a try. While waiting for the hibachi chef to arrive, we had sushi and sake. The sushi that was served was fresh and firm, and I find sushi of this quality rare in Boston, or at least in places where you'd pay an arm and a leg for them. That would have given this place a 5-star rating from me. The mood-killer for me was the hibachi/teppanyaki. The food was very salty, and I think it was because the chef laid on the soy sauce with wild abandon. Many glasses of water are necessary, if you want to pursue this meal. The meats came out well. Juicy chicken breast is not easy to achieve and he did a great job with my salmon. The vegetables were okay, the fried rice was very wet, salty and disappointing. The chef was, as hibachi chefs should be, very entertaining and had crowd tricks to show off. I wasn't entirely amused, as I found him a little pushy with tricks that involved us. Catching cucumbers with your mouth is normal. Squirting sake into an open mouth till you choke is something else. I'm sure that this will be a hit with college students though.
(3)
Jennifer T.
Came here on a weeknight, so plenty of seating. You get a choice of either sitting on the hibachi side if you want the chef to cook in front of you, or the right side for regular dining. The place has a nice atmosphere, seems like a place to go on a date. The sushi was expensive, but they definitely didnt skimp on the meat, and the presentation was nice. After giving us our food, the waitstaff never came to check up on us. I waiver between giving this a 3 or 4 stars...food was good, but pricey, nice atmosphere, but for how quiet it was, you'd think there'd be better service.
(3)
Jill G.
Love this place for good Japanese food around Boston- really good service. The food is moderately priced and the huge portions are great. Cool atmosphere. The shrimps and scallops are huge and fresh!
(4)
Stephanie T.
After my travels to New York and Chicago, I am back in Brookline and Osaka was the first place I came to. I have been wanting to come by for the longest time and surprise! Gilt City were selling vouchers to this very place! SUCCESS!!! I made my reservation and came in for a hibachi dinner. I have never done hibachi before so I have nothing to compare to, but for my first experience, I had a great time. Even though it wasn't that crowded they knew how to put on a show. They threw broccoli at me and I caught it with my mouth...they definitely aim though because I know I wouldn't have been able to do that on any random night. Regardless, I appreciated the ego boost! The food was delicious! I ended up taking some home because there was a lot. the lobster was great, the steak was great, it was all great. Definitely coming back to try the sushi, this time in the dining room.
(4)
Z Y.
This place makes me so happy! I went to college in Western Mass and after that I moved back to the Boston area. One of the things I really missed was getting a delicious sushi dinner there in NoHo with friends during the weekends, or going there for hibachi sake debauchery with a huge group for birthdays (my friends still remember the chef exclaiming "MORE SAKE MORE HAPPY"). It was definitely my favorite restaurant in that small eccentric town. I eat a LOT of sushi, so when I first discovered it, I was ecstatic. Fresh artfully made sushi in Western Mass? Sweet. Their decor in Northampton reminded me a little of Fugakyu. Really pretty. Then, as if my wishes were answered, I found out that there was an Osaka that had just opened in Brookline. Yes!!!!!! I went there for lunch and it tasted just as good as I remembered it to be. Delicious, creative combinations of sushi with a beautiful presentation. The only thing that was way different was their decor. They went with a sleek modern design with this place, and there's a completely different color scheme. I was a bit surprised to see the negative reviews. I guess this place has a different audience in Boston/Brookline. I'd say that it's definitely a great place for large groups or parties, and if you're feeling like having unique, pleasantly surprising, fusion combinations of sushi. I really like the ocean mix and tuna tartars, hot lover roll, and samurai roll. Since I haven't been as much to this new location, I'll update again the next time I visit.
(5)
Alex J.
Just mediocre. Leave this one alone.
(1)
Ling C.
I absolutely loved this place. Their sushi is the best. You can always find the freshest ingrediants in osaka. Tomo, hidden dragon and foxy lady are tasted amazing. They always can suprised you with their special rolls. The price is worse for the food that you get. I will definity recommend this place.
(5)
Reza H.
The steak was pretty amazing, the meat just melts in your mouth. Would recommend sitting on the stake house side to get the full experience.
(3)
Helmut S.
I have been to this place once for dinner and twice for lunch. The experience was good, but not great. The most memorable observation is from the dinner experience. I was having excellent sushi with my daughters, while people were still lining up for the tepanyaki tables. We listened to a conversation in the line: somebody observed that the place was actually run by Chinese, not Japanese. One girl then commented: well, Japan is just like a part of China, an outlying island. Japan and China are like Sicily and Italy. Same people. Nearly same language. Brilliant insight.
(4)
Kaitlin D.
Sooooo good! And so fresh! The bento boxes are huge and made fresh to order. Would've liked more eel in the lunch bento box, but what can you do.
(4)
Theodore Y.
The coworkers and I came here on a Wednesday Night for some sake bombing and some fun. Lee was our Hibachi grill master and he was the man. Ooh-ed and aah-ed our table with his comedic antics while cooking our food. He squeezed sake down my "big boobied" coworkers shirt and he conned the nick name "sake boy" for me because I managed a 26 second sake count (they squirt sake into your mouth via ketchup bottles). The experience was an overall hit. Service was attentive but it often took what seemed like 5 minutes to come back with our ordered beer. All 9 of us got the Hibachi food items which tasted amazing, but what doesn't when lathered and cooked in butter, and generous amounts of oil and soy sauce.
(4)
Ashley L.
Went here on a Saturday night for hibachi. I had more fun watching the other tables as our chef wasn't into it as much as the others, but it was still a fun experience. The food was not that great, but the drinks were strong and delicious. If you're looking for a different dinner experience, definitely make reservations. I will be going back to try the full restaurant side as some of the sushi and appetizers going to other people at our table looked great.
(3)
Libby L.
This is our 2nd time here for a birthday dinner on New Year's Day - came back exactly 1-year ago. The host was very friendly and seated us quickly however we had to wait at least 20-30 mins for the waitress/ chef even though we had the entire table. The waitress did not fluently speak english and kept making mistakes w/ our order. Osaka Supreme for 2 (includes all the meats & seafood) - very flavorful and cooked to our liking except for the filet. We asked for rare - he cooked it medium but it was tender enough that we didn't mind. Kobe Beef - too much sauce - the beef was soaked in it so it didn't have much flavor. Eel Sashimi - was a bit on the bitter side. Gyoza - very good. ** Probably will not be coming back next year. Food was good but not great. But depends as the sushi pics looked good.
(3)
Ruchi B.
Great food, ambience & awesome hibachi cooking! They drizzle saki right into your mouths!!:) cool experience!! Good for vegetarians too. Parking is a bit hard to find but do make reservations on weekends!
(4)
Marie-frances R.
My boyfriend and I went last night for a nice new years eve dinner and we weren't disappointed, the five rolls we got we're all so gorgeous looking. My favorite was Lover's roll - I've never had anything like this! It was wrapped with a pink soybean wrapper and filled with avocado and spicy tuna, it was slightly sweet and super yummy. All the rolls we had were fresh and i you are a carpaccio fan, my boyfriend got a couple of wagyu beef rolls which he enjoyed. The restaurant has been open for only a couple of months at this point, so everything is super clean and the decor is fresh. I almost gave Osaka a four, but really when you add up the tasty food, speedy and pleasant service and the decor - its definitely a five!
(5)
Dave F.
Through some brilliant hibachi cooking of extremely fresh food, our chef pulled off a comeback we did not think was possible after eating our salad course. If you're patient enough to get through front-of-house chaos, mixed-up service, and boring salad, you won't be disappointed by the fresh flavor and fun that awaits once your chef takes over. Our night at Osaka did not start off well. We weren't seated until thirty minutes after our reservation time. The scene in front was absolute chaos. When we were finally seated at a hibachi table, one of our fellow diners was in a fighting mood, yelling at my fiancee to scoot down using words I can't repeat here, despite there being no room to do so. After this near brawl and a lackluster salad, our spirits were not high, and our patience was wearing thin. We were thinking of going someplace else. Thank God we didn't. Things started turning around after I started drinking some delicious cold sake. Our hot-headed friend cooled off and kept quiet. Then the chef arrived. The food was outstanding. Scallops, shrimp, chicken, beef -- all noticeably fresh, perfectly seasoned, and entertainingly prepared. I've eaten at hibachi restaurants before, but I've never had it cooked so perfectly. My fiancee had never had scallops before. This meal turned her into a believer. In between preparing dishes, our chef spiced things up and squirted sake into everyone's mouth. Normally, I'd write this off as a cheap stunt, but it was fun, it lightened the mood at the table, and tasted really good. Hopefully, once Osaka gets more settled in, its front-of-house staff can keep things running smoothly. Maybe Osaka will even make its salad a little more interesting. But even if they don't, we'll definitely be back -- a little nonsense at the beginning is a small price to pay for such a delicious meal.
(4)
Craig M.
The Wife and I went here for our last real night out as a single couple (before the birth of our son). Yelp helped us select this gem and we were so appreciative of it! The location was just off the main "drag" in Brookline. We snagged a parking spot just across the street from the restaurant (otherwise it would have been a pain. We arrived around 6pm and what looked to be just before the main push for dinner on a Wednesday night. We elected to do Hibachi over the standard dinner option. The Hibachi chef was very exuberant and lively - almost to his detriment. (Would have been good for a crowd of 8-10 but it was early and just us at the grill/table so he probably could have toned it down just a bit.) The food was cooked well but lacked the seasoning we had previously seen and been used to at a Hibachi steak place. He used no butter and we saw no salt/pepper added to the food - just alot of rice vinegar. The meat and vegetables were cooked wonderfully though, so that sort of helped make up the seasoning. (the only reason I didn't give a 5 star though) One thing that did irritate my wife was the chef giving a portion of her steak and shrimp entree to me (and not giving her any of my chicken). I understood her position, but hey - I benefited so I can't really be upset. I will say - the sushi I had for an appetizer was FANTASTIC! I tried a Japanese Fusion roll called the American Tango - Hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. Like Heaven in my mouth!! You will enjoy the food and the experience if you give this place a try - we will be going back!
(4)
Emily W.
The first time I went to Osaka, I was with a group of 5 people. We made reservations, used the valet parking, and were seated on time at a hibachi table upstairs. It was a lot of fun and the food was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon, which comes with vegetable fried rice and three shrimp...and don't forget all the sake that your chef gives you/shoots all over your shirt. The second time I went to Osaka, I booked a surprise party for my boyfriend for 15 people initially. I ended up calling back about three times to add more and more people, and the staff was accommodating every time. We had a very close call- the guests who were seated at our reserved table stayed almost 45 minutes longer than anticipated. Yikes! I understand that's not the restaurant's fault, though. The staff helped keep the surprise through that and made sure my boyfriend didn't know that it wasn't just a party of 2, but a party of 20. I'm not sure why there was no valet- I didn't understand if it was just that night or if the restaurant got rid of the service entirely. I wish they had it that night for sure. We were all seated at one large hibachi table (2 chef stations) downstairs in a private room and it was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon again, as did my boyfriend, and they gave us our entrees and a birthday dessert free of charge. The food was very tasty yet again. Considering how...excited...our friends can get, Osaka did an excellent job serving, cooking, and entertaining us, as well as helping me out with the surprise and reservations! I'll be back!
(4)
Angel M.
Kind of glamorous for green street. Open for about a week. Creepy downstairs dungeon bar where you are not allowed to sit AT the bar, only close to it, apparently they are working on licencsure. Cool wood panelling. Friendly staff. Giganto menu. All the above was written on my phone whilst waiting for my friend. Okay, so, we ordered from the hibachi menu, though I dont know what makes a hibachi place a hibachi place technically. I think that was my first time at the hibachi table. Our chef Eddie was very funny and very personable, though, I feel like half of the tricks involved slamming the spatula down really fast. That was kind of annoying. He did the usual fare, balancing raw eggs, throwing food in your mouth (wasnt very good at it, but I was), volcano fire using an onion, ermmm....the rice was good, the vegetables were actually cut awkwardly so some were cooked more than others, and my squid was squiditch like. I would say it wasnt too expensive. I just stumbled upon it, literally, I was walking in the rain with Gene Kelley and I almost ran into a guy holding a sign for the brand new Osaka, so then I felt all awkward and he all pointed at it and whateva, I started with a BBC beer. I do have to say though, the decor was pretty awesome.
(3)
Kelley D.
This was my first time at a hibachi restaurant, and I was pleasantly surprised. They have a pretty large menu, so you can find something to fit everyone's tastes. I got the chicken & salmon hibachi... the chicken was great, the salmon was ok, just really really bland. I thought everything else tasted great. It was a fun experience, the service definitely made everything that much better. The more people you go with, the better. The location can't be beat, right in the heart of Coolidge Corner with the T steps away. I will be back soon!
(4)
Sarah A.
I'm not going to lie, when this place first opened I was a little skeptical. Keep in mind this place is not "authentic" by any means! It is owned and run by people who are not Japanese which I'm pretty sure is typical for "Hibachi" restaurants. A little trivia for those that love hibachi, the grill that they cook your food on is actually called a "Teppanyaki". Hibachi is a charcoal grill but I think they gave Teppanyaki that name because it's easier to pronounce. AAAANYWAY. I went in for dinner with a few of my friends and it was suuuper loud like all the other reviews have said. However, their sushi is really yummy and their food is great! I don't plan on going there for dinner anymore ever since discovering their AWESOME lunch menu (and they deliver woohooooo!) you can get a Filet Mignon hibachi lunch (comes with the vegetables and delicious fried rice and their *special sauce) for only $12.95! It is soooooo good. You can also get sushi lunch specials where you can choose 2 of their fancy rolls (most places that do sushi lunch specials you can only choose from the basic roll menu) and I think that's also like 12.95? Anyway, very awesome lunch deals and really great food. If they can improve their "hibachi performance" I'd give them a 5!
(4)
Janie S.
I love this place. I do. My friends know I have a thing for sushi. We are kind of an "item", but I'm very hard on my sushi squeezes. OSAKA is good, very good. Its not my true love but its convenient to me and makes for an ideal quickie during the week.
(4)
Ashleigh P.
People that have given Osaka bad reviews are crazy. I'll be the first to admit that I looked at the menu online and saw that the prices were a little high, but after dining here on Saturday night, I more than got what I paid for. First of all, the portions are huge. I split a sushi roll and a vegetable hibachi with my friend, and he can eat A LOT. Another friend took half of her filet hibachi home. The other girl gave one of her two salmon fillets to her boyfriend...and he already had two chicken breasts. So far, you can read into this: huge portions. Next, the food was delicious. I mean, really, really good. The presentations were also very nice. Finally, our hibachi chef, Peter, was hilarious. He did many more tricks than we expected. That was great, but he also had a fantastic personality. Some hibachi chefs are like robots, but none of the people we saw here were like that. Our dinner had us roaring with laughter, the food was good, and I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back. We split it 5 ways, $32 per person, including tax and tip. We had 4 hibachi dishes, a sushi roll, 3 orders of soup, a salad to go, and 2 desserts. That's not bad, if you ask me.
(4)
Becca M.
I am a Tuna Lover!!!!! Perfect! :)
(4)
Rachel L.
Came here for lunch before work once. Started off with the firecracker shrimp or something. It was good, generous portion. Pretty good menu for lunch only, got the beef yaki noodles. They didn't have chili oil either, and only had siracha. My date got some bento lunch box with beef wrapped around onions. It was okay, nothing to complain about nor anything to hype about either. Maybe we'll give it another go some time in the future considering how close to work it is.
(3)
Kelly D.
Went here for hibachi with a group of friends from out of state who really wanted a hibachi experience. Our chef was great -- while he may have missed our mouths a few times with the sake -- he was entertaining! BEST HIBACHI STEAK I HAVE EVER HAD. I like my steak a little less pink than most, and the chef made sure to let me try it to make sure it was cooked how I wanted before he took it off the grill. Great drinks, strong! Rice was also great. Only downside is that the noodles were not as great as I had liked. I would definitely come back, if not for the sake bombs, that steak!
(4)
Richard Y.
PRICE: Competitive for Sushi $5 - $15 LOCATION: 5/5 Coolidge Corner 1/2 block from C line SERVICE: 4.5/5 Really nice service (If they held the entire order for full presentation Ozaka would have received 5/5!) After a long and grueling 48 hours, I decided to give in to my Sushi cravings and give Osaka a chance. The restaurant is on a quiet street in Brookline, not the typical location for a gem like this; it's a one way street and parking is available but you have to be a parking shark to find anything on the block and it was after 9pm on a Saturday night and I still managed to park my party bus (Ford Expedition) on Green Street. Upon entering Osaka, we were greeted and immediately shown to our seats. Water was poured within 90 seconds and the menu's followed thereafter, this was orchestrated very well. The server arrived at the table to ask if we wanted to order drinks and upon receiving our response of "no drinks tonight" she smiled, took the drink menu and told us she would return shortly to take our orders. As I looked through the menu I noticed that Osaka was pretty busy that night, the Hibachi area was nearly full and others waiting to be seated. At least 2/3 of the both seating were full with party sizes ranging from 2 - 8 people per seating area enjoying the well light ambiance. The waitress returned about 5 minutes later where we asked for more time which was my fault; I was observing the crowd, wait staff and the foot traffic and interaction of the staff. Within a few minutes our order was placed, 5 traditional rolls and 2 specialty rolls and 2 miso soup. Within 90 seconds the soups arrived; still steaming, there was plenty of tofu and great ribbons of seaweed. The server with the water was extremely attentive and was on point with all the water, something that is often missed and taking for granted but not at Ozaka. The 5 traditional rolls arrived on a long white platter. The sushi arraigned in a two rows in an "S" shape with the 5th roll plated in the center in a pyramid pattern given the plate height. Excellent presentation and I am now kicking myself for not taking pictures to share. The specialty rolls, finally arrived 5-7 minutes later, which I think is a bit too long but was the rolls worth the wait - Hell ya! In fairness, I should say that as we finished placing our order, so did the table behind us of 3 and the table to our right with 6 people. Overall, great experience and very yummy Sushi, I shall return again for sure!
(5)
Cait A.
First off, let me just say that I almost only use Yelp to help promote businesses I love and want to see succeed. I've always loved hibachi and haven't had it in years, so for my birthday, we got a bunch of people together and my boyfriend made an 8pm reservation for 16 for a hibachi table about a week ago. All the hibachi places around Boston had spotty Yelp reviews, but I didn't think anyone would want to drive to Acton, to a tried and true place, so I picked Osaka, which seemed the most promising and closest. My bf called 2 days later, to confirm the number of diners, and once more day of to make sure everything was set. They told him the table would seat 18, so that was fine. We arrived on time and there were about five girls standing at the front desk shifting around and avoiding eye contact with us. We found the hostess, who asked whether we had a regular table and I said no, we had a reservation for 8pm for a hibachi table, it was very specific. She pointed to my roommate, who had gotten there early to wait for everyone, and said "she said it was a regular table". I said "We have had a reservation under Brian for 16 for a hibachi table"- my roommate was not involved in preps, so she had nothing to do with it?? The hostess told us it would be 10-15 minutes and would we like to wait in the bar area, so we said okay and went downstairs. After a few minutes, the rest of our group showed up, sans two who had to get plowed out of their driveway because of the snow earlier. We sat in the bar drinking for a good half hour, frequently checking in with the hostess, who said she'd come find us when the table was ready. Around 8:45, we checked in again and the hostess said we weren't being seated because our last two had not shown up. When they did, the reason was that the previous diners were still sipping their drinks at our table. Finally, just before 9, we went upstairs to gather around the hostess desk and put the pressure on. First she said 10-15 minutes, then she was blaming it on our two friends not being there, THEN it became the previous diners. Okay, so you gave our table away like right before 8pm, stop lying to us/blaming our two friends. It was an hour after our res and people were starving. I was pissed and stressed as if I'd been in rush hour traffic on 93 for two hours. When we FINALLY sat down (with only 12 people- 4 cancelled d/t weather last minute), we were asked to squeeze in two more chairs on the corners because they were stuffing in another group on the other side of the table. When the waiter took our drink orders, it was a good 15+ min before drinks came out. All food and drinks that were brought out were served to the wrong people, and the waiter who took the order didn't even bother to look at his own notes, just asked us where the plate went. All plates were handed to us, even if there was already a plate in front of the diner and nowhere to put it. No one was assisted in any way- they didn't remove the original plate or make room, it was just fend for yourself. Some people just put their large appetizer plate on top of their large hibachi plate because there was nowhere to move anything. The group next to us looked as if they'd been waiting just as long (I saw them at a bar upstairs when we first walked in) and had a 10 year old boy who was literally banging his head on the table with exasperation, which was pretty representative how we all felt. What kind of a Mickey Mouse operation is this? Get your act together Osaka. It was laughably ridiculous. Thank goodness for the entertaining chef and the free sake that they squirt in your mouths, but when you set up something fun and are responsible about coordinating preparations with the restaurant, you should not be starving and having heart palpitations at the table over an hour after your res. I associate this place with so much grief that I wouldn't go back unless they sent me a gift cert. Food wasn't bad, but besides the awesome chef, experience was god awful. PS, we asked for the manager several times and were ignored, but then saw him frequently hanging around the area while seated, so its not like he was not nearby and couldn't speak to us.
Osaka will impress you. Tonight's their grand opening, so my husband and I anticipated glitches that are inherent with opening day. We met the owners, Mark and Paul, right away since they were smack dab at the front door. Really nice guys who definitely have their acts together. We had a seat at a table instead of at the hibachi, and you're immediately struck by the cool, contemporary and beautiful restaurant design. No loud music, so you can hear your own conversations, is a big plus. Waitstaff was plentiful and attentive, and menus and drinks came quickly. We ordered shrimp/veggie tempura and seaweed salad as appetizers. Tempura arrived HOT and crisp, and batter was different from others I've tried - very, very light and super fresh. They also had different veggie types in the tempura that I haven't seen in anywhere else - eggplant and taro root are two of them to definitely try! Seaweed salad was crisp and clean, with great flavor infused with sesame oil - one of my faves! My husband raves about their Bento Box #1. What? They have Bento boxes for dinner?!? Damn right, they do, and it's quite a deliciously substantial meal. Box #1 has ALL of hubby's favorites that he would have had to order separately anywhere else - chicken teriyaki, more shrimp/veggie tempura, California maki. I had the Sushi Special and the fish was super, super fresh and very ample portions. Presentation of the dishes was really beautiful, too, but more delicious. There were six sushi chefs, and their sushi bar provided a dividing wall that separated the teppanyaki (yup, that's the correct term for hibachi dining) seating from the rest of the dining tables. The hibachi side was PACKED with diners who were definitely yukking it up, probably over their dinner preps. I'll definitely be back to try it. Hubby's a Mr. Sushi fan, and I'm a Genki-Ya fan. Osaka, you seriously beat both, and where else can you get teppanyaki in Brookline?!?! The Brookline location's menu is different from their Northampton restaurant, so I'm looking forward to osakabrookline.com to be up and running so I can decide in advance what I want. I would definitely return, my hubby's got a new favorite Coolidge Corner restaurant, and you should check it out too.
(5)
Brian P.
definitely has an 'osaka' vibe to it in terms of decor/ambiance. good job. it's like i got sent back to the edo period.. Went for Lunch special. got beef teriyaki lunch box, friend got salmon teriyaki. server didn't know what donburi is. what? maybe that's why ethnic restaurants should hire people that know the language.. or even foods now i recommend the teriyaki if you like to NOT get a savory teriyaki taste with it. my beef teriyaki SAUCE was reminescent of store bought (kikkoman) teriyaki sauce.. but diluted.. and a hint of blood. maybe the blood was from the beef? it was steak-y .. and medium to well-done. miso soup is good. the salad was ok. i like the dressing more robust, but it was not. water is delicious. the sushi rolls were good. wasabi and soysauce = good. shumai was ok. kind of sweet. a good helping of cooked onions with the beef. this place is MEH to A-OK. for lunch box. can't speak for anything else on the menu!
(3)
Leigh L.
AMAZING!! My boyfriend and I went on a Wednesday night. Not many people there and we got there at 7. We ordered the Lotus Bowl (like a scorpion bowl but better!) and chicken tempura. The tempura and drink came fast and they were delicious! We had Eddy and he was the funniest, loudest, most interesting guy I've ever had at a hibachi grill! So interactive and you could tell he loved his job! Loved the "free" sake being poured into your mouth (have to experience to understand). Had the steak and scallops and they were beyond delicious. I would absolutely recommend going as often as you can! Not too expensive but amazing service and entertainment! Can't say enough good things about this place!
(5)
Anna I.
My friend kindly invited me out to a meal using her coupon for a pre fix meal for two with Sake, appetizer, shared main course and dessert. This was my second time there after having lunch. The atmosphere is nice and the decorations are good. We did not like the glare from the window that bothered my friend as the sun was setting. The sake they served was delicious. As we were perusing the menu of the set meal, we had problems figuring out the different entree choices. The indentation and lack of clarity made for interesting and a bit time consuming process trying to order. I had to bust out in Mandarin (I heard him speak Mandarin to other server) to tell him maybe fix the menu to cause less confusion. I felt bad that when he explained to us, it still was not clear. In the end we got the white tuna appetizer and the hibachi main entree. The White Tuna appetizer was seared white tuna in a yummy yuzu sauce topped by black caviar. One of my faves of the night. (It doesn't hurt I am a big fan of white tuna too.) Since my friend is not an adventurous eater and usually eats not alot of meat it was an interesting choice getting the hibachi as there was chicken, shrimp, beef, scallop and lobster (she dislikes lobster). I liked the fried rice and the sauce was nothing to write home about with the meat and seafood. As with hibachi, not everything is cooked evenly and though the beef was perfect the chicken, scallop and lobster were a bit overcooked. For the finale, we opted for the mochi ice cream. The presentation was pretty with 3 mochis of different flavors halved (vanilla, green tea and red bean?) were placed with a chocolate drizzled design and whipped cream. My dinner companion disliked the chocolate as it changed the taste. There were some hits---the White Tuna and Sake. The server was nice and attentive just his ability to explain the choice offerings and the lack of clarity in the menu did not help. We did like the decor of the place. Very big and we were seated in the front area by the hostess stand. There is an area downstairs and bar in the back as well as Hibachi area. The food for the main entree a bit over cooked save for the beef and I did like the egg in my rice. My friend was not keen on the chocolate with the mochi. Since there are a ton of Japanese restaurants in the Brookline area there is fierce competition. I have yet to try their makis so I cannot write about it.
(2)
Stan D.
Went here on valentines day, it was busy and we didn't get our seat until about 10 minutes after our reservation, at around 7:10. Food was great and servers were all very polite/friendly/ awesome.
(5)
Sarah A.
A very welcome addition to the Coolidge Corner neighborhood. My friend and I visited Osaka last Friday night for a hibachi dinner. I routinely pass by Osaka on my way home from work around 6 pm and it never seems all that crowded, so I figured we didn't need a reservation. However, when we arrived at 7:30, the place was packed. Thankfully, however, we were quickly seated with another group who was just starting their meal at one of the hibachi tables. I love that so much is included with the hibachi dinners. First you start with a rather generous portion of "salad", which really, is more like a lot of romaine lettuce in a bowl with a sort of Japanese take on Russian dressing. The romaine was fresh, but, it would have been nice if they included some more veggies to make it more like a salad. Perhaps some cucumbers and tomatoes? But, I wasn't even expecting it, so it was okay. The hibachi chef did a lot of the typical hibachi tricks like the onion volcano, juggling of eggs and shooting sake in the mouthes of those who wanted to partake. I especially enjoyed the moment when he burst into a rendition of the Reel 2 Real hit "I Like to Move It". I think that was when he was scrambling the eggs for the fried rice.The portion of fried rice and shrimp was very generous. There were probably about 15 nice sized shrimps with the tails removed. All this for about $22. The staff was great refilling our water glasses and clearing our plates quickly. I also appreciated that they allowed us to linger a little bit after the hibachi chef had left and we had finished eating. However, they were prompt about taking our credit cards when we were ready to leave. I will definitely back for hibachi and I look forward to trying the sushi.
(4)
Thomas W.
I waited eagerly for this place to open last fall and went opening weekend with a group of friends. We had the chef Eddy, who has been our chef for over a year now, we always ask for him and will wait as long as it takes to make sure he is our chef he is amazing, crazy, and lots of fun. Some of the reviews on here are god awful lame people who don't know what fun is. You are going to a place where the f'ing cook in front of you, it's a show, it's entertaining, and going to be loud, GET OVER IT OR DON'T GO! They will toss food at you, and squirt you w saki, this is what they do... again if you're a little baby, then go over to the sushi side of it instead and stop whining. If you want to have fun while eating dinner w a group of friends, this place is for you! The bar downstairs is amazing too and I heard they are expanding it into a bigger area to do karaoke and music/DJing... The food is delish I've done hibatchi and sushi side, and I love it all as do all my friends I've brought here... again DO NOT go here if you are boring and have no sense of fun...
(5)
Cwot W.
I like watching Top Chef, Iron Chef and Hell's Kitchen. So when I dine, I appreciate two things: lots of flames and chefs screaming at employees and customers. Osaka didn't have a screaming chef (although I have hopes for future visits). But they did have flames shooting up in the air and a persistent smell of smoke. As a professional knife thrower and a pseudo pyro, I appreciate the use of good cutlery and high flames. Osaka was a great fit for me as I almost got a flash burn when they lit the onion tower on fire. Oh and the food was good too, good taste and good volume of food.
(5)
Tara D.
Let me start by saying that I made a reservation for 8:00pm for 3 people. We didn't get seated until after 9:30pm. So for them to earn 4 stars means they REALLY redeemed themselves. 1. The manager was so apologetic for not being able to seat us on time, and compensated with two free rounds of drinks and free desserts. 2. The bartender downstairs was really friendly and gave my friends and I one of his "personally created" shots to try - on the house! 3. Dinner was a BLAST (Hibachi style). The food was delicious, and the hilarious chef was so much fun -- he had great aim shooting Sake into everyone's mouth (out of an empty diner-style ketchup bottle). This place gets really busy on weekend nights, so go early if you don't want to wait! Great food, great drinks, great night.
(4)
Macklin L.
Went here with my girlfriend for a valentines day dinner and it was awesome. I saw another hibachi place on google offers on sale and looked at yelp and it got bad reviews. But it gave me the idea of doing hibachi for valentines day. My girlfriend has never been before and from looking at the reviews of Osaka I knew it was going to be good. Out of any hibachi place, this was easily the most entertaining. They understand hibachi and understand how to put on a show. We ordered the meal for 2 which came with beef, chicken, scallops, shrimp, and lobster.. aka everything. It was pretty expensive but definitely worth it for valentines day and we got to try a little of everything and it made the "show" longer. He not only did the typical onion volcano but had a lot of other tricks and knife skills to show off. Food was great but a little salty. but its hibachi so its what you would expect. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends if you want to have some fun and I am definitely going to try the sushi next time.
(5)
Chelsea G.
Great atmosphere and the food is above average for a hibachi place!
(4)
Ian S.
It's the only hibachi in the Boston/Brookline around but I highly recommend it. Good food, great scorpion bowls. The cooks are a little loud and sometimes over do their routine.
(5)
S K.
Having been to hibachi-style restaurants before, Osaka did not sit high on my list. I went last week for hibachi-style dinner with 4 of my friends, so this review is only on the hibachi-room. First off, if you are planning to have a very rushed dinner, this is definitely the place to be. Our waiter greeted us to take our drink order about 30 seconds after being seated, which is not so bad. However, literally, 1 minute after we ordered drinks, the waiter wanted us to choose our entrees. Asking him to return 2 mins later, after we could get a chance to look at our menus, he rolled his eyes and sent another one of his staff to take our orders. The hibachi meal was rehearsed, and as some other reviewers stated, the chef didn't seem like he wanted to be there. As we were eating our meals, the staff kept coming to take our plates away (even though we clearly were still eating). So, if you decide to take a rest from your plate for more than 30 seconds, be weary, as the staff may take your plate away. All in all, I wasn't too impressed and won't be rushing to return for Hibachi dinner anytime soon.
(2)
Dani S.
Overall pretty good. It's a pretty big menu, which can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending how patient and how decisive you are. The atmosphere is ok, it's clean, which is always a plus, and the waitstaff are fairly attentive. Some of the dishes are a little small for the amount they charge you in my opinion, but otherwise worth a try.
(4)
David P.
Above average sushi in a nice, modern looking restaurant. Rolls were not rolled well and fell apart fairly easily. They tasted pretty good. Sashimi was good.
(3)
Dave G.
Over-priced for what it is. The only hibachi restaurant in Brookline, but how often do you really go for hibachi? Fun place for a birthday group celebration though.
(2)
Sa T.
The best sushi I've ever had! Good price, good service and good drinks too. Highly recommend.
(5)
Jamie G.
We arrived 25 minutes early for our reservation, because last time they gave our table away after being 2 minutes late. So we were ushered down to the basement bar and forced to wait 30 minutes past our set reservation time. During which our party of 12 was sat then ask to get up because they made a mistake so back downstairs we went. When we were finally sat we were sat in the downstairs hibachi where the music was so loud we could not hear each other talk while we ate. I will never eat here again. The customer service was awful as well I had to reminder the host who I was and my party size multiple times. To finish off our experience it took our waitress 20 minutes to get us our checks. I will never eat here again! Too bad food was good thought this time it we would have a better experience, apparently not! Do not come here if your looking for good customer service!
(1)
Emily S.
I've been here for Hibachi twice and it was a lot of fun! The chefs are very entertaining and the service is good. The food is maybe a little better than your typical Hibachi. The fried rice is pretty incredible. As for drinks, my Mai Tai was good and they seem to have an extensive Sake list. There's a neat little bar/lounge area downstairs if you are waiting for a table or want to stick around for a drink after dinner.
(4)
D'Shai H.
Best food I've ever had in my life!! Changed my view of hibachi entirely. They also have an amazing birthday special ;)
(5)
Roseann B.
We love Hibachi and love trying Hibachi wherever we go, so after our arrival at Boston and a day at the Brewery we looked for a nearby place to eat. This was one of the only ones around, but 20 minutes or so away from our hotel. The little drive was definitely worth it. The decor was definitely a great part of the experience--my boyfriend loves anything Japanese. We noticed the surrounding tables were having a good time and we got really excited. We ordered the money bags as an appetizer, amazing choice. The guys at the hibachis are entertaining and funny, I think ours might have been new at this because he was a little quieter than the rest. Overall, this was a great dining experience and if we are in Boston again, we will definitely come back.
(5)
Whiterock R.
We went to the non-hibachi area. The dishes we ordered broiled eel and chilean sea bass tasted like they were cooked in syrup. Too sweet to be an entree. Too bad the description in the menu or the waitress did not tell us it was going to be that sugary. and it cost 22 dollars each. Sake was not great either. Overall wasted the evening.
(1)
Sarah H.
FUNfun experience round twoo.meet at the bar:DD
(5)
Anchalee M.
Food is average and overcooked. The show by the hibachi chefs seem forced. Not panning on going again.
(2)
Bernadette G.
We were looking for a place to go to after the Holiday Pops that would keep a nice night going on Christmas Eve. As you can imagine there are not a lot of places open and since it was a night for our parents we didn't just want to end up at some dive. When my sister mentioned Japanese Hibachi I found this place online. We were able to make reservations for 7 just hours before the show. Phew... Anyway, what seemed too good to be true was really fantastic. The chefs made balloon hats for the little kids at the next table and they loved it. The rolls were delicious and not a bite was left on the plate. The food cooked in front of us was divine! Not only was the service and food wonderful, they accommodated our Dad who has a heart condition by making his hibatchi order in the kitchen without the salt and soy sauce. He said it was delicious and even ate the vegetables, which is a rare feat in itself. We were extremely amused by the chef and loved when he tried to toss pieces of zuccinni in our mouths. He had great energy and skills, a definite must go and see if you are with a big group, a family with children of just the two of you. I doubt that you will be disappointed.
(5)
Nicole B.
sort of expensive but so much fun in a group!!
(4)
Alyssa B.
I loved this place the first time i came! excellent food! also yummy sauces as well! wasn't too crowded, went right in! BUT, made a reservation for valentine's day this year, for 8pm. I called on the same day and found it strange it was so easy to reserve for hibachi on valentines day. Parked, walked in there was a crowd of about 50-60people just at the front door!!!! I couldn't even get to the front to check in to the desk! Finally, as I managed to get to the front desk, I would told " Ill put your name down" and still was told to wait over an hour even having a reservation!!!! Once we realized it was after 8:30 and people were still waiting from the 7pm reservations..... I LEFT! really they should have managed this a lot better, rather than have someone answer the phone and say yes to the hundreds of people to call! unfortunately although I liked this place the first time, I won't be back after this experience!
(1)
B Y.
My friend and I were excited to try out this new restaurant in our neighborhood, but I'm not sure I would come back. Having been to a few teppanyaki (it's not "hibachi" as many people call it) places, I was disturbed by how noisy the chef's performed and how they sprayed sake into diners' mouths via a condiment bottle. It was all a bit too much. Food was decent, but a bit pricey for the portions served. A little less banging of the cooking utensils on the hotplate would have made the experience better. The restaurant itself had nice decor and bathrooms were clean. There are some private rooms for small parties and there is a separate dining room for non-teppanyaki diners. I'd opt for the non-teppanyaki side if you want to catch up with a friend.
(2)
Bill C.
Really delicious sushi. Great combinations and the fish is really fresh and beautifully presented. There is a great variety of tuna dishes and not a heavy reliance on fried makis. The "spicy" has been toned downed for the typical suburban diners of this area, but adding your own wasabi brings out great flavors. The biggest (and only) complaint is the excessive noise coming from the 1990's sit-com like hibachi room. A door to the back entry to Hibachiville would really help the rest of the restaurant's diners.
(4)
Kat T.
Not the best Hibachi (definitely not worth coming here for Hibachi) but very interesting take on sushi. If you would like to experience different and unusual approach to sushi rolls, this is definitely a great place for that! We had a few different rolls that sounded quite unique (like hot lover roll), and it was really amazing! Hibachi is not good at all though! The tuna was cooked nicely but the piece was too tiny, rice was absolutely bad, and vegetables were just overcooked and not tasty. Spring rolls were tiny and blend. Recommend this place for sushi rolls only. Nice ambiance, not fancy but not too simple either.
(3)
Amin A.
Best hibachi! Sushi rolls are delicious... I have tried different rolls, all were fresh & high quality. Pineapple fried rice is awesome don't miss it! Fun and very attentive wait staff. Tomo roll is by far the best sushi roll ever Filet mignon is delicious and premium quality!
(5)
Ricky R.
OSAKA in Brookline has bomb ass sushi. I'm a sushi snob and eat it at least once a week. The atmosphere is great as well. Parking is a bitch and the rolls are about 12-15 bucks... Got 6 rolls and 3 drinks with my lady and spent $125.. I'd def come back here for sushi. Don't listen to anyone saying this place sucks. They suck and don't know sushi...
(4)
Kevin C.
Ok i have been here pleanty of times and was great, this time we sat outside of hibachi. i was really hankering for a steak yea i know japanese and steak but they call them self's a "steak house" and there be no steak on the menu and then the manager i could only assume when we asked about the menu we get waved off and told oh well leave. what great service ill never go back there again
(1)
Keo H.
I've been to several hibachi restaurants before but this one has just become my go to suggestion in the boston area. The service, ambiance, entertainment and price are just right. Servers were prompt and really good at replacing our used plates and refilling our drinks with a smile. The entertainment included a very high energy chef who had many tricks up his hat. He incorporated saki shots, volcano, tossing food into our mouths & figurines that squirted water from thier bodies. Hahaa.. that was a first sighting for me. The food was good for the price we paid - if not on the very worthy side. Lobster, steak, shrimp & scallop all cooked to our order; pretty fresh and tender. Sashimi was excellent. My only gripe is my mix drink but its probably not worth complaining about since it was soo cheap ($6). I had the lychee martini. Lets just say it wasn't good. It was probably the cheapest vodka out there that was used. If you're thirsty you can't go wrong with ordering a beer. :0)
(4)
Taylor N.
I came in on a Saturday around 3:30. They were open for lunch but no one was really there. I wanted to sit at the sushi bar but was diverted to the large booth. I was by myself. I had observed that my water glass was dirty before the waitress arrived. she was about to pour me some water when I told her what was wrong and she seemed highly shocked. She was very sweet though. The only thing I really didn't care for was that she didn't bother to let me know that she was no longer my server and that the shift had changed. This guy came out and asked for the check. He was standing less then 5 feet away from me waiting to see when I was going to be done with it. I still had. Not finished the martini that I ordered. (I originally ordered a lemon drop but they seem to be missing some ingredients so I had to switch my order) I ordered the hibachi shrimp. Several shrimp still had the excrement attached. BTW, It was rather crispy to taste...eww.
(3)
Marty L.
So sad when a restaurant has pretty great food but TERRIBLE service.. Waitress completely forgot about us multiple times, forgot to put in multiple orders, and every time we asked what the hell was going on, she barked back in a condescending tone. Unfortunately, the food experience was completely spoiled. ABSOLUTELY would not recommend.
(2)
Esther C.
I would have to give this experience a 5 star experience. There were many things that made this a 5 star experience. First our server Jack was so nice. We went there pretty late and were obviously the only ones there and yet he still didn't rush us. He kept saying we were fine and to take our precious time. Second the chef. I believe his name was Costco? I couldn't really heat him over the grill and stuff but he was amazing. He did all the tricks! The volcano the sake squirt the tossing food to mouth, it was all really fun and amazing Third the food. We went there for restaurant week, but they still gave us so much food that I had to bring it home. The food was a little salty, but still amazing. My boyfriend just gorged his food down because it was so good. I got the filet with shrimp and scallop and he got the fillet with lobster. Everything was cooked to perfection. Their tuna dumpling appetizer is amazing and unique. I would suggest you try them! Overall everything was fantastic. I am so glad I chose Osaka to experience for restaurant week! I will definitely go again even without restaurant week!
(5)
Helen L.
My friends recommended the Tomo Roll ($16.95, 8 pieces). Love, love, love it. It exceeded my expectations with its spicy crunchy salmon and mango topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. I think it took me almost 40 min to eat 8 pcs because I was savoring every. single. bite. Finger lickin' Deliciousness. The hibachi is pretty good although I haven't been to many places to compare. I would recommend not wearing anything nice. It's kind of like Korean BBQ. You end up leaving smelling like the food you just ate. I usually get the Hibachi Salmon ($22.95?). It's served with house salad in a bowl, vegetables, fried rice, and of course the salmon. The fried rice is pretty yummy but also tastes like it is doused in butter. For proportions, the rice took up half of the plate and the veggies and salmon each take about a quarter of the plate. Service is excellent!
(4)
Zoë Z.
We went here last night for restaurant week and while the food was pretty good, the overall experience wasn't really what we were expecting. The chef that we had seemed like he was having an off day or something because you could tell he was rushing and in a bad mood. He didn't even offer sake shots which was disappointing. The other tables around us had very lively and friendly chefs and we enjoyed watching them as they caught steak mid-air and enjoyed sake shot after sake shot. On top of that, the staff seemed a little drained and unorganized (probably from the busy week) and this made things come out at weird times. They never even cleared our appetizer plates. Also, the scorpion bowl was really, really bad. I took a few sips and decided to leave it alone. It was watered down and wayyy too sweet. As for the food, we were really happy with it. The sashimi appetizer was very good. You could tell the fish was very fresh. I got the steak and lobster hibachi for dinner and while I thought the steak was cooked perfectly, the lobster was a little dry. But living in New England for so long I probably have unreasonable expectations for lobster. Overall, I don't think we will come back to Osaka but I don't regret going either.
(2)
Becca P.
O Bar (a hidden gem) downstairs of Osaka is the best!!! FREE KARAOKE on Fridays and Saturday nights. They have different beers on draft, wines, sakes and special cocktails. Bud Light - $3.75 Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban, Steel Rail, Pale Ale, Sam Summer, BBC - $5.35 Definitely should check it out if you are in the area!
(5)
Brian S.
I love hibachi and this place definitely hits the spot. The service is a bit disorganized when it gets busy but the food is so good. I ordered the sashimi, hibachi with filet mignon, shrimp and scallop and a mochi ice cream for their restaurant week menu. Their sashimi is not the best, but it is fresh. The hibachi is pretty standard, as in amazing and I'd probably pass on the mochi ice cream if it didn't come with the meal. Definitely coming again!
(4)
Cate T.
I would categorize this in the low end of the 4's. I eat at Osaka pretty often. It's a great little sushi spot in the area. I would have to say it's probably my favorite in the Brighton/Brookline area. Their sushi is always fresh. The service is inconsistent though. Sometimes the employees are overly attentive. Then sometimes you have to wave people down. Last night they accidentally gave my order to someone else, so I had to wait an extra 20+ minutes for them to create another dish, while my BF had both his rolls-and didn't want to eat without me. The reason for the 4 stars is the quality of the fish and ingredients. All of the times I have eaten here, the fish is always very fresh and awesome. It's a pretty quiet place too and good ambiance. I would 100% suggest the Nobu roll! Best roll on the menu!
(4)
Laurens W.
Went here with some friends and the food is good, especially when considering the price. Why then only three stars? One word: Service (or the lack thereoff).
(3)
Gareth L.
My wife and I came here for the restaurant week and we wish we picked somewhere else. We tried to make a reservation for lunch but was unsuccessful on every single day. So we made one for the dinner. Before we mentioned about the restaurant week, the staff didn't even bother to let us know there's a separate menu for the event. The waitress is very pushy. Without any explanation of the menu, she asked us about four times even I told her we need a few more moments to go through it. The food was disappointing, too. My wife ordered a bento box while I tried the restaurant week menu. Her salmon was cooked to a completely black color and of course it tastes bitter. So we called the manager over, and his response was, quote, "What do you want me to do?" I don't know, man. Isn't this your restaurant?
(1)
Mika S.
Get the Hibachi because the chefs at Osaka seriously know how to put on a show! As soon as we ordered, we were treated to a spectacular display of juggling, with knives, kitchen utensils, eggs and literally anything that the chef could get his hands on. As our food was cooked, we had cooked zucchini tossed into our mouths from across the table, in addition to a Saki fountain. The food was cooked to perfection and made with high quality ingredients. This place is so fun, I can't recommend it highly enough!
(4)
Nicky E.
Really surprised how much people dislike this place. I've been here thrice and enjoyed it every time. The spicy tuna tortilla? The nosh is on. The rolls aren't what you would typically expect from a sushi place - it's definitely a fusion of different flavors (but it's good! Be adventurous - try new things!). I found the staff to be attentive and friendly. Oh, and did I mention the spicy tuna tortilla? Yeah, it's worth mentioning twice.
(4)
Michelle W.
My friend and I came here for restaurant week and it was an OK experience. If I'm looking for entertainment/experience over taste this would be the place. Appetizers Tuna Dumpling (Pass): This had good intentions, but final product was a bust. They recreated a dumpling by thinly slicing tuna to use as the skin and stuffed it with avocado and shrimp. Only two moderately sized dumplings came out. When you took a bite it felt like you were biting into baby food - basically mush. It sounds very innovative, but ultimately was a huge disappointment. Rock Shrimp (Recommend): This was a good portion - enough to share between 2-3 people. Very basic so hard to mess up - just shrimp fried in batter served with a spice sauce. The shrimp is served in a rice cracker bowl - don't recommend eating the rice cracker bowl though since it's bland and has a slight stale taste to it. Entrees Sushi and Sashimi Set (Recommend): This consists of 10 pieces of sashimi, 6cs of sushi and a spice tuna roll. This was pretty well portioned for a meal and gave you a taste of everything. Not the best sushi I had - but that's not why one should come to Osaka in the first place anyways Special Roll Set (Recommend): This dish featured two large rolls. The Hot Lover was a spicy tuna roll with shrimp tempura, which was very good and filling. The second roll was more on the sweet side - it was a spicy crunch salmon roll with mango, tuna and avocado. There was also a honey wasabi and coconut sauce, which is very sweet! I'm not a fan of sweet flavors in my sushi and I avoided it after my first bite. Dessert Mochi (PASS!!!!!): This is horrible. At least just buy a box from Trader Joe's! The mochi ice cream was hard as a rock and I think they tried to circumvent this issue by cutting it in half for us and sitting it on a bed of chocolate sauce. This did not fix the problem and in the process of cutting the pieces it looked really unappetizing because the mochi was now disfigured. Overall - service was quick and friendly, food was just OK and never get mochi ice cream here - not worth the money. If you are looking for $28 dinner deals for Dine Out this is not a bad option, just be aware of what you signed up for.
(2)
Kevin L.
First time I've been here and boy was it PACKED, both the hibachi and restaurant side. Do yourself a favor a make a reservation. My group decided to go with the hibachi this evening. I suggest not wearing nice clothing because you will stink and have sake squirted on you. Ventilation in the hibachi room was pretty bad, real smokey. Only come if you want to have fun! I can see the hibachi chef be quite annoying if you're not in the mood I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp and the portions were huge! Definitely get your money's worth. However, the food was a little too salty for me. However the Tomo Roll is to die for. Highly recommend it!
(3)
Ruqian M.
Not as good as I expected. The waitress grabbed the bill so fast that I felt she didn't want us to sit there after dinner.
(3)
Janet C.
They have changed there menu, cut out a few dinner entrees, mostly sushi. Also have added/changed the dining area. I've order the chicken Hibachi which I thought the sauce was on salty side. This was my 4th time going here.
(3)
Mallory C.
2 years later, I have developed a love hate relationship with this place. The last couple of times we have gone, the service has just been completely lacking, and even though the hibachi is fun once in awhile, and the food is good, nothing really wows me anymore. but for some reason I like going back because it "feels" fancy and like a good date night. This last time we came however, made me realize I just don't want to go for awhile. Our food came quickly, and was good, but every time I asked for something I felt like I was bothering the staff (they weren't very busy, we got there early enough to beat the restaurant week crowd). They only give you chopsticks, I have to ask for a fork, every. single. time we go. It would be nice just to have the option since they have so many menu items that would be easier to eat with silverware. There is NEVER enough ice in their drinks. There is none in the water, and if you order a cocktail, they put like 1 or 2 cubes that basically melt by the time it gets to you so you get a watered down, warmish drink, every time. Last time we went I actually asked for extra ice, because we wanted to stay and just enjoy our cocktails after we ate. The final straw was last night though, when the waiter was cleaning our plates from the table and knocked over a full cup of sake. We had purchased a bottle for the two of us and only had a couple sips left. Instead of remedying the situation, or offering even just another shot to replace what he had wiped out, he got super flustered and muttered "oh sorry," and grabbed one extra napkin and threw it on the table. Then we got our bill. Very unimpressed. We are frequent fliers here, but next time we have people we want to entertain we'll be trying somewhere else for sushi. Fugakyu anyone?
(3)
Kevin T.
Very American in taste. A lot of rolls with avocado. Seems like everything is avocado... LOL
(3)
Erin B.
The sushi was good here, although I'm not really a sushi aficionado. I tend to go out for sushi when other people have a hankering, and I always get the Philadelphia roll, which is pretty much cheating because it's an inside out roll with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Well, anyway, this Philadelphia roll was good. I also had steamed vegetable gyoza because I just love those little dumplings. Prices were reasonable. Where Osaka tends to veer off track is their service and atmosphere. The service seemed friendly enough, albeit, overattentive. Eventually, however, the multiple staff people that were coming over to our table to clear, take additional drink orders or ask how everything was seemed confused and/or annoyed that we weren't "moving along" as they say. Neither I nor my friend had finished our second glasses of wine and they kept asking us if we were finished. At some point, they just brought the check, which was a clear indication they wanted us out. The downstairs lounge brings in a slew of 20 something women scantily clad for scorpion bowls. It's quite disparate compared to the upstairs restaurant. Walk downstairs to the bathroom, and you feel like you're in a completely different establishment. I wouldn't rush back, but it's a decent option. There was no wait for a table at 6:30pm on a Friday.
(3)
K. Grace K.
I think this might be my favorite sushi restaurant ever. And given that my husband's pet name for me is sushi monster, that means means a lot (or not much at all depending on your interpretation). Some people ordered hibachi. They were happy with their meal, but I think we concluded that the standout food was the sushi. The fusion rolls are excellent. I think the people who said the rolls were sweet might have been referring to these because they have fruit in them. I liked the mix of sweet and savory. These rolls embody the creativity of Euro-Japanese fusion that I encountered in one of the nicer sushi restaurants I went to in Hawaii. The presentation of these is also remarkable making the meal an enjoyable visual experience. (Check the pics I uploaded!) For starters, we had the yellow submarine, which had mango and lobster tempura on a plate dressed with a mango and Thai chili sauce. We also had a hidden dragon roll and a garden roll. The latter is vegetarian and has kiwi draped over it with a strawberry-mango-kiwi sauce. The fusion rolls were surprising and balanced sweet with savory and Asian with European ingredients. These rolls were excellent. They aren't huge, and I think the higher prices are because they are more labor intensive and the ingredients are more expensive. (Many of them have 2-3 expensive fishes.) We also ordered from the sushi in the back of the menu. These are smaller, less expensive, more standard rolls. However, these rolls are high quality and represent excellent crafting. They have a very thin layer of rice on the outside with a substantial amount of fish in each roll. In many places the layer of rice is as thick as a single grain. I say this with admiration, as cheep-o sushi usually has a lot of rice. You can see this sign of quality in my pictures. Our favorites are the salmon roll (check out that hunk of fish!) and the pearl roll, which has asparagus. The seaweed salad was good, as it always seems to be. At Osaka, it comes out in a large bowl with iceberg lettuce underneath. The crisp lettuce contrasts nicely with the limp seaweed. I liked that pairing although when I saw the big bowl, I gave my brother a much larger taste than I would have had I known half the "large bowl" was iceberg lettuce. :) I guess he just got lucky. Another reviewer gave me a good idea. He said that the fusion rolls that I love so much are so sweet he thinks it is a desert. Well. I know just what to do with that suggestion. I think the seaweed salad is a good appetizer. Then follow that with one fusion and one smaller roll (Alaskan or pearl) for the main and finish the night with another fusion roll for desert. Healthy choice tip: In all seriousness, the seaweed salad is a great starter to the meal. Avoid tempura (fried) rolls or rolls with mayonnaise or cream cheese. The fusion rolls probably have a higher sugar content, so I limit myself to one fusion in the meal and get the rest from the back of the menu. YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE BROWN RICE! I am very excited about this. That is how the sushi monster rolls.
(5)
Nik A.
This is a fantastic restaurant in Brookline. One of the few Hibachi places in Boston. It had really great sushi and awesome ambiance and service. The hibachi chef did an entertain job but I thought that the hibachi special was a little over priced and the food does cool down bit.
(4)
Stephanie V.
I have not had worst service than I've had here. We had a group of 10 with a reservation for 8pm. Half our party came at 8pm and the other half came 5 minutes later... 5 minutes late. The host was curt and sent us to the basement while we waited for a party to clear out. The basement had a vibe of its own. It was dark and didnt seem that clean. A few of us ordered drinks and the bartender was unattentive and slow. I dont know if it was his first time but I dont think it should take 10 minutes to pay for a drink. By now it was probably 8:20 and my friend went back to the hostess to see what is the hold up. She was uninformative and unfriendly. We ended up being seating at 8:40.. 40 minutes after a RESERVATION. We were with a friend out of town and time is precious so this was unacceptable. This place was so overpriced! I realize that you're also paying for the show/experience but still. The show was amazing. The chef was really fun. The food was good. Our table got chicken and steak hibachi. They squirt sake from a bottle which was awesome. Then the check came. And the servers kept messing up our checks. It took another 20 minutes just to pay. I think going to a restaurant, its the combination of service, food and atmosphere. But the service here was SO POOR that I will definitely not be going back.
(1)
Cassie W.
I can't think of this place without drooling. Let me start of this review by saying, I love sushi!!! This review will be 100% sushi based, which I wish most of my day's food consumption could be. For those who don't know, the restaurant is split into 3 sections, the first floor has both sushi and hiibachi section and the basement has a lounge/bar area. The sushi here is always fresh and for a great price. I have been to a lot of sushi places in boston and none of them compare to osaka, even the more expensive places. They have a great deal where you can get spicy tuna, spicy salmon and a spicy yellowtail maki for 18 bucks!!! Besides that most of their house maki rolls are around 6-7 bucks. Everytime I have a friend visit brookline we always make a run to Osaka. My friends are huge fans of the speciality rolls they have all found one that they are in love with and curse me for introducing them to as it is all they can think about for weeks. If you want fresh well priced sushi, give osaka a try! You won't regret it. Note: This is one of the few places that offers brown rice for maki rolls!!!
(5)
Bill C.
Really delicious sushi. Great combinations and the fish is really fresh and beautifully presented. There is a great variety of tuna dishes and not a heavy reliance on fried makis. The "spicy" has been toned downed for the typical suburban diners of this area, but adding your own wasabi brings out great flavors. The biggest (and only) complaint is the excessive noise coming from the 1990's sit-com like hibachi room. A door to the back entry to Hibachiville would really help the rest of the restaurant's diners.
(4)
Ruby C.
Strong drinks at the bar downstairs. Food quality was ok; guess Hibachi places are mainly frequented for the cooking entertainment.
(2)
Anna M.
The food is typical Americanized hibachi, but done well for what it is. There is also a sushi bar, and the sashimi I ordered as an appetizer was fine. The food is pricey, but portions are huge and if you don't want leftovers you can split a hibachi entree easily, plus they don't charge for sharing!!!!! We had the best chef ever, "Tony" who is an excellent shot with the sake squirter! I have never had so much fun at a restaurant in my life! Also, there is a cocktail lounge and bar downstairs. I think this is an excellent place for a group--start with cocktails downstairs while you wait for your table. The (few) cons are that the wait staff essentially ignores you. It was hard to get refills on water, and to order more cocktails. We gave the bulk of the tip money to Tony because he was so much fun, and made up for the lack of drinks with the sake squirter (next time i will wear a shower cap though ;). Unfortunately, they do not have grapefruit juice, and their lychee martini would seriously benefit from a splash of this. I do not consider this a con, but crotchety people will: the place is loud and very lively! The entertainment is definitely the reason to come here, so be warned if you were looking for a quiet evening!
(4)
An N.
- The chef was extremely friendly...Best hibachi ever...best service as well...i love this place and i'm gonna recommend my friends to go here ! Thank you guys for giving me a best hibachi, love it so much. Of course i will go back and put it in my favori
(5)
Silly S.
Great food and atmosphere. Steak and scallop are strongly recommended. Chefs are humorous and play "games" with diners.
(4)
Jenn S.
I am giving this 2 stars because of the food and cleanliness. But I would give it a 3-4 star for the entertainment value. We had the whole downstairs hibachi room for a party and while waiting for everyone to get there we all noticed how dirty everything was. There was leftover food on the grill top and lots of food residue on the wood....super gross! Our chef was funny and very entertaining with the typical flaming onion tower and sake shots to the face. We all laughed and had fun. The food however was SUPER salty and just ok. I wasn't a fan of the dipping sauces. They were also very salty and just didn't taste good to me. It was expensive for some shrimp and rice but again I know we are paying for the person to make us laugh. I would go there maybe once a year to take people who haven't been but I am not dying to go back.
(2)
Nina K.
Lotus bowl: 4/5 This drink tasted very much like fruit punch or the "Hurricane" from Vegas. Shrimp Shumai: 5/5 Succulent dumplings. No complaints. Perfecto. Vegetable Rainbow Roll: 3/5 The different ingredients didn't complement one another AT ALL. It was an OKAY sushi roll ... Nothing special. Beef Kushi Yaki Dinner: 3/5 The beef was okay. Spicing was good but not an explosion of flavor. See below for more explanation of the beef dinner. Ok so sat down at 6:08 pm and we were out at 6:52 (please see the receipt photo ... Not kidding). This isn't because we wanted a quick meal. No !!!! This was DATENIGHT. but they rushed us like crazy. They kept coming to ask us if we had decided on our order. HELLO?!!!! WE JUST SAT DOWN. RELAX LADY !!!!! Brought the miso soup, dumplings and sushi all at the same time (5 minutes after ordering). Brought out the main course about 4 minutes into out appetizers. Which meant that by the time we were ready to eat our main course ... It was cold. Didn't know I was going to McDonalds.
(2)
Kevin D.
Food was excellent. Thank god we made reservations because there was a wait. If you don't want booze squirted all over you or food tossed at you like a seal, might not want to go here. However it is all part of the experience and a great time.
(4)
Cher M.
I came here for restaurant week and I must say I was a little bit disappointed. More disappointed with the service than the food. My server from the time she came up to the table was extremely pushy and very rush full throughout my entire dining process. I first order a cup of tea which I then requested for some sugar that took about 10 to 15 minutes for me to get and by that time I was already done with my tea. I then an order the Scorpion bowl which was watered down completely. I asked for my steak to be medium well and it seems like there was not cook at all. Just to wrap this up I received the bill and I saw that the Scorpion bowl. Now keep in mind I did not drink anything from the Scorpion bowl because it was gross. Never again will I ever come back here
(2)
Benjamin E.
A good place to end your day if you are looking for a few drinks and unwind. This place has 2 floors, the ground floor and the lower level. The lower level is a bar that has very nice comfortable low lighting and a club like feel with the a good selection of up beat music and comfortable couches along the side of the wall. Although you are in the lower level bar area, the bar has a full menu you can order off of. Up stairs on the ground level there is a sushi bar and hibachi table and comfortable booth with a much more quite atmosphere oppose to downstairs. The food is okay. Nothing out of the ordinary form your typical Asian/Sushi restaurant. The sushi is good though, they have nice fresh cuts of fish, but their Caterpillar Rolls (i.e Dragon, Volcano, Scorpion, etc.) are a little off. Just a mountain of fried tempura flakes on a sushi roll. The drinks are good. VERY STRONG but still have a lot of flavor besides tasting alcohol. A good place for hanging out with friends and having a few drinks and small bites to eat.
(3)
Lannie L.
After passing this restaurant many times, I finally had a chance to dine here for dinner on Restaurant Week (or "Dine Out Boston"). The decor and atmosphere are nice. Wait staff attentive and waters topped off frequently. The drink list was super cheap for RW and stuck with wine though the mixed drinks sounded good. I started with the tuna dumplings, which was the highlight of my meal. Presentation was impressive and the dish was tasty. A thin cut of tuna served as the "dumpling" wrapper while crab meat and avocado was stuffed inside. Friend got the "money bag" appetizer which was a miss in my mind. For the main entree, we both ordered the hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail. The portion size was huge with fried rice, vegetables, steak cubes, and lobster chunks hidden under a lobster tail for presentation. The "surf and turf" was disappointing - the steak was so overridden with garlic that everything became unpalatable. The lobster was tough and also garlic-y. Fried rice and veggies were standard - like typical Chinese food fare. To finish off, we both got the mochi ice cream (which was red bean flavored but not described as such on the menu. I personally don't care for red bean). I'd say average but a good portion and nice presentation. To pay $35 for this meal, I really expected to enjoy the entree more. Not sure if there will be a next time, but...maybe next time.
(2)
Jodi G.
I first went to Osaka in North Hampton and thought it was great! Then after moving to Brookline recently I decided to check this place out! Not only is it loud and young and a fun aambiance on a Saturday night out with friends, but the sushi is one of a kind! I love the amount of tuna specialty rolls they have! Watch out for spicy though- it's on almost every roll in some form! As for service- they could improve! They are either invisible or in your face asking you what you want every 5 seconds! They need to find a happy medium on that one! I havent tried hibachi here but I definitely plan to! It looked and smelled delicious when I was there!!
(4)
Thanh L.
If I could eat only one meal for lunch for the rest of my life, it would be sushi, but it definitely wouldn't be sushi from here. The handful of times I've come here I've always been underwhelmed. During one visit, I got the Foxy Lady (their description: Spicy tuna, avocado topped with seared tuna and red wine pear. Served with onion sauce). The onion sauce turned me off and the combination of ingredients was altogether unpleasant. I tried my friend's sushi, which was the Dancing Roll. This one tasted great, perhaps because my own dish was unpalatable. The visit after, I ordered the Dancing Roll to play it safe. Unfortunately, it was doused in overly salted peanut sauce, completely masking the other flavors of the sushi. I will say that the standard spicy tuna is fine. Service could also be better. I asked for salad options, since my menu listed none, and the waitress proceeded to mumble a few options. Since I had a difficult time understanding her, she brought the full menu to show me (why weren't we given this one in the first place?). Service needs to kick it up a notch - inattentive service for a non busy dining time. If you're looking for good sushi in the area, make the trek to Genki Ya 5 blocks down, or Fugakyu around the corner.
(2)
Kenny C.
Came here for restaurant week. Food is meh. Sashimi appetizer - actually not too bad. 3 pieces of salmon,3 pieces of tuna, and 2 pieces of I don't know. It's white. I've had better but this is alright. Lobster and Steak - overcooked and bland. They tried to salvage it by slathering the entire plate with sauce, but it didn't cover how how dry the lobster and steak were. Served with a bowl of fried rice - drenched in soy sauce. Generous portions. Sea Bass - A bit overcooked, otherwise the taste is fine. The sauce accompanied it was syrupy/gingery and went well with the bass. Bowl of rice on the side was way too dry. Mochi ice cream - I thought we'd get a choice of ice cream flavor. But we didn't. Out comes plain vanilla mochi ice cream. I wouldn't bother coming here again. I'd give these guys 3 stars but yelp's definition of "meh" is 2 stars.
(2)
Rachel L.
Came here for lunch before work once. Started off with the firecracker shrimp or something. It was good, generous portion. Pretty good menu for lunch only, got the beef yaki noodles. They didn't have chili oil either, and only had siracha. My date got some bento lunch box with beef wrapped around onions. It was okay, nothing to complain about nor anything to hype about either. Maybe we'll give it another go some time in the future considering how close to work it is.
(3)
Anneliese P.
I am obsessed with sushi and this is my favorite place in boston. It's simple. but the Buddha roll (roasted peanuts and avocado) is life changing and I can't live without it. Everything is fantastic here, from the taste to the presentation. Highly recommend!
(5)
Heather V.
Osaka is a great place. if you go, you need to do hibachi. The sushi is good, but for the price you pay you need a show to go with it. But even then the hibachi food is very standard. I've been to many different restaurants that serve sushi and hibachi and it was nothing different or special. If you watch the hibachi at the table next to you, it's the same show your going to get except my table wasn't even offered the opportunity to catch food or saki, We definitely got short changed and it wasn't worth it for us.
(2)
Kelly D.
Went here for hibachi with a group of friends from out of state who really wanted a hibachi experience. Our chef was great -- while he may have missed our mouths a few times with the sake -- he was entertaining! BEST HIBACHI STEAK I HAVE EVER HAD. I like my steak a little less pink than most, and the chef made sure to let me try it to make sure it was cooked how I wanted before he took it off the grill. Great drinks, strong! Rice was also great. Only downside is that the noodles were not as great as I had liked. I would definitely come back, if not for the sake bombs, that steak!
(4)
Jenny N.
I have never tried hibachi until I went to this place for Dine out Boston with my friends. The "show" from our chef was okay. Neither bad nor good, but acceptable. The hibachi food was pretty tasty. I ordered their hibachi steak and lobster plus shared a scorpion bowl drink with my friend. The drink was really strong in my opinion and we didn't end up finishing the drink. The fried rice and vegetable was good. I liked it. The lobster was a little too salty, but the steak was well cooked. This was a nice place for hibachi. Not sure why some of the other people gave this place low reviews. The restaurant week price of the hibachi came out to be $40 per person (including tax and tips).
(4)
Ryan M.
My wife and I are always on a search to find that almost perfect "Benihana" emulation. By that, I mean that we look for a fried rice that is masterfully cooked, food that is seasoned to perfection and worth every penny paid for the dish. Osaka is a gem. It hits the nail on the nail on the head for everything that my wife and I are looking for in a great teppanyaki spot. The staff is courteous and accommodating, the food was cooked perfectly, my shellfish allergy was easily worked around, and it was an overall fantastic experience. Fyi, the filet tenderloin dinner is succulent and melts in your mouth and the lotus bowl is dangerously delicious to share with your significant other. If you're a teppanyaki fan for the show, you won't be disappointed. The chefs are entertaining and engaging. My evening was spent with lots of laughter. I'll be making the drive from the south south shore again to eat here, it was easily worth the drive.
(5)
sean m.
I've eaten the Hibachi here a few times and it was pretty good. I much prefer the hibachi place where I am currently living (Two free shrimp with each meal and it includes rice, noodles, soup, and salad) Osaka on the other hand gives you a much smaller portion. The actual restaurant is very nice inside and them being a Grubhub was a plus.
(3)
Michael G.
If there's one thing I like, it's sake. I've found a place that is friendly, not pretentious, and serves sake in a relaxed environment. I went with a buddy of mine who is a regular. He steered me right past the hibachi tables, the sushi bar (both of which I was gravitating toward, especially the delicious aromas emanating from the grills) and down a flight of stairs to a second bar. The area downstairs was quieter, well staffed and perfect for catching up with an old friend. The pair of bartenders were attentive but not hovering. They know their sake and I learned a thing or two. The vessels they use for the different kinds of sake are all purpose built for chilling without watering down, or heating without scalding. I really enjoyed the few pieces of maki that I had, my buddy went in for the full dinner and swears by it. I was already full going in, but appreciated the few bites, and will be back to enjoy the rest of the menu. Anyways back to the sake. The prices are very reasonable and the varieties are many and clearly defined and organized on the menu. Most varieties are available in three sizes: small, large, and bottle. A few of the higher end ones are only available in small and bottle. I can't wait to head back and further refine my palate.
(4)
Laura A.
Osaka - why don't you come and sashimi sometime? We finally made into Osaka for the first time since moving to Brookline more than a year ago and my only regret is that we waited so long. The lunch specials are amazing. At first glance, $15 seemed like a lot for lunch, but it was so worth it. My SIL, who lives in Hong Kong, and I each ordered the tempura shrimp and Hidden Dragon roll - which we both agreed was not only amazing to eat, but way more food than either of us could handle. My husband ordered one of the lunch boxes and thought it was excellent as well. Our server was friendly and very attentive. We need to get ourselves back to Osaka prawn-to!
(4)
Becca L.
Went here for my neighbor's birthday party. The Hibachi was delicious! The scallops were delectable. Cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. The chef was very entertaining. We had a great time watching him perform. The only negative thing I have to say is the server would walk away really fast before we were able to ask him for anything. It would be a quick... 'Do you need anything/Everything all set?' and then turn away before we could actually order another drink or ask him for something. This a little pet peeve of mine. We were also in the basement so he would go back upstairs and wouldn't come back down for a while. The ambiance of the basement isn't as pleasant as upstairs, however it is more of a 'private room' and I could chat with my party without feeling the need to scream across the table which was nice. The birthday girl broke her martini glass, and the staff took every precaution to ensure that they cleaned up the broken glass safely.
(4)
Russell M.
This is actually a decent hibachi place. I usually try to stay away from these type of places because I think the majority of them are offensive to Japanese cuisine. This place was no exception. I had the filet mignon and lobster, which came with vegetables and fried rice. Everything was cooked well but nothing stopped me in my tracks, although I wasn't expecting it too. If I HAD to go to hibachi, this would be the place.
(3)
Jon L.
Tomo Roll. Hibachi. The only things you need to know about Osaka. If you like salmon with a bit of spice and full of flavor, the tomo roll is the way to go. I was going to throw in a picture but I didnt want to be the guy to steal that first experience from you. Hibachi... This is obviously pretty dependent on your chef, but from what I saw, everyone seemed happy and enjoying their food. If you want to nitpick, you can say the food is a bit salty or the service was a bit slow... With that said, if you're a normal person and like a fun atmosphere with some good food, you'll love their hibachi. Sure, they get a bit understaffed during peek hours, but stop focusing on how you didnt get an instant refill on water and drink some free sake from the chef! (Once you go, you'll get what I'm taking about). Lastly, from top down, the staff is so sweet and kind. From the hostesses to the manager, everyone tries to maximize your experience. TL;DR: great hibachi and tomo roll for a reasonable price
(4)
Latoya B.
We went out for a family birthday dinner and we sat at the hibachi grill, which is always entertaining...(and hot lol). I called and made a reservation which wasn't prepared when we got there, and we arrived 10mins early and were seated 20 mins late, but it's seems like a really popular place and it IS a sat night so I guess the timing isn't too bad. The food was great, and they have pretty good sushi too. Sweet potato roll....my fav! Raw sushi isn't really my thing and they have a lot of veggie rolls which is a plus. It has a very relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff......there has to be at least 30 of them working there at that time or more lol. Other than the hibachi side, there is also a regular restaurant side, and a sushi bar, and downstairs is a regular bar with cool lighting and pretty decent music. It's seems pretty stocked and it would be a nice place to chill and have drinks, other than all the people that are sent down there to wait until their table is ready.....there were a few kids running around and dancing to the music. But the age group is probably more 21+ after 10pm. There are a few TVs down there but you can't hear anything because the music is loud....kind of lounge-y. Idk if they serve food down there but the way the tables are set up it seems so.
(4)
Shivangi S.
Made a reservation for this place through open table. We were a party of 7 people. When we reached the restaurant, the guy at the reception didn't even smile at us. His behaviour was extremely cold. Our server was an efficient guy and carefully took all our orders. The highlight of this restaurant is its chef. He is the sweetest and the most entertaining person. Our drink was horrible though! Their peanut sushi and crispy tofu sushi are amazing!
(3)
Evelyn C.
This place has great tasting food and is also very entertaining if you're getting hibachi. Warning: The chef has sake in a bottle that he squirts into people's mouths as he is cooking, and he throws a bunch of veggies in the air for customers to catch in their mouth. This can kind of catch you off guard if you aren't paying attention, so I totally understand why people would not appreciate this, but I thought it was pretty funny & entertaining. I got the salmon hibachi; it comes with a salad, fried rice and some veggies. The fried rice is bombbb, and the salmon was great too. My dish was about $23, pretty standard price for hibachi. If you're not feeling like hibachi I highly recommend the Osaka spicy noodles. Doesn't sound like much, but it's really good and has lots of flavor. Spicy, but it's more on a mild level. They have a bar downstairs which is pretty quiet for the most part. They make their drinks very strong.
(4)
Kelly O.
3.5 stars. Osaka is just what you'd expect for a hibachi place; our table's chef was entertaining and enthusiastic, the food was simple but prepared well and quite tasty, my raspberry-infused sake was excellent, and it was a fun time had by our whole group. Their menu is extensive so even if you're not into hibachi food, there's plenty of noodles and sushi to choose from as well, so it's good for groups (and great for birthdays; as the birthday girl, I got a free entree, sweet!) Downsides: it's a bit more expensive than other hibachi places, waitstaff service isn't the most attentive/available (maybe order multiple drinks at a time?), and our check had to be corrected twice because of a few mistakes. But overall, Osaka was pretty solid for our hibachi experience.
(3)
Lynn J.
Osaka gets high marks on the big 3: service presentation and taste. they're expensive menu includes more sushi then I've yet been able to try... so, I guess I just have to keep going back...smile. the deal: the hibachi is fun family entertainment for large groups!
(4)
Chau T.
Terrible!! Girlfriend and I live 40 seconds away from this place and it always seems crowded, so we assumed it was good. Never again will we go back. It was late weeknight, and we just want to grab a quick bite. There was 2 waiters who never care to pay attention to any of the customers. We all sat there for water/tea and it took 10 minutes until we got service. She got the Philadelphia Maki Roll and I with the usual Spicy Tuna/Salmon. We also shared one of the Osaka Special Roll, which I forgot the name. It was super sweet, more like dessert, and disgusting! Waited 20 minutes for our order and none of the waiters came to us to refill the water. When the food arrived, it was pretty bad for a Japanese restaurant. I rather had the supermarket Sushi than these. For Philadelphia sushi, there should be cream cheese in it. It says it on the menu. The waiter couldn't speak English, which I was surprised, and uses that as his excuse to wander away. Like I said, it was late and we just want to go home after the horrible food.
(1)
Meghan S.
Fantastic habachi! Had a bit of a wait even though a reservation was made, but still well worth it. Excited to go back and try their sushi.
(4)
Jon R.
Went here last night to celebrate my friends engagement. The service was horrible. They only came around to push us to order and leave but when we needed silverware or more drinks or take empty drinks they never came with was frustrating and cluttered our space. The food was good but our cook was not very entertaining and was in and out within just a few minutes...only got one round with the saki and couldn't aim the bottle so it was all over everyone. Also didn't get one vegetable toss into anyone's mouth... As we were eating and it got later the staff kept asking to take our plates and actually took one of our places while someone was still eating. Never been pushed to leave a restaurant like this before and because of that I will be looking for a new hibachi restaurant. I also used a groupon this time so they probably just didn't care.
(1)
Shirley L.
I went for a friends birthday. Never heard of the place before but I wasn't very happy with it. We were all there for hibachi and I've done hibachi at other places before so this isn't a new experience. The chef was rude. He snapped his fingers at my friends face to get her attention so he could ask her how she wanted her steak cooked. Then he waved his spatula in front of my other friends face, so close it almost hit her. And I understand it's supposed to be fun to squirt sake at the group but this guy didn't even try to aim for our damn mouths. If I wanted to shower in sake I would've done that at home. He didn't even try with any of is and squirted sake all over our clothes. He started flying vegetables at us even if we didn't want to catch it with our mouths. He started mimicking and making fun of another friends laugh. And to top it all off, he didn't thoroughly cook the food!!!! Two of my friends and I didn't feel well after eating there. It was like he rushed and wanted to get out of there. Food was horrible and nothing to be amazed about. Service was just as bad. I will not be returning!
(1)
Cameron D.
They make good food but they will get your order wrong or take twice as long making it as they told you when you order takeout. It's happened to me the past 4 times ive ordered from here. If you order something with a sauce such as chicken katsu, they give you a tiny cup of sauce. Underwhelmed.
(2)
Lily S.
Presentation 3 Quality/taste 3 Ambiance 3 Service 4 Location 3 Generally my parents and I are pretty content at Fugakyu when we want to have a massive sushi binge, but today i decided we try something new and give Osaka a shot. I had been here before while intoxicated for some noshing and enjoyed myself so I figured why not. The restaurant was pretty empty at 1 pm on a Sunday, yet of course they seat us back to back to a couple w two very rowdy (albeit not screaming) children. (My parents who were sat before I joined them remained blissfully unaware of this fact because the mother was in the restroom w the kids, and they only emerged when we had already been brought drinks and water so it seemed obnoxious to have them move us then... And the other couple was also Russian speaking so we didn't want to be blatantly rude). Anyway. We ordered a selection of rolls as well as some sea weed salad and salmon sashimi. The 3 pieces of sashimi tasted fine but looked pitiful in contrast to the large and beautifully decorated dish they were served on. For rolls, we had basically the first page of the roll menu (nom) : american tango: the highlight of the meal. the balsamic vinegar sauce paired perfectly with GOAT CHEESE. my most favorite thing on earth. 5 stars. i think there was tuna or something in it too ;) yellow submarine: decent. i have to say that as soon as they put the plate in front of me, i got a whiff of fishy smell. never good at a sushi restaurant. foxy lady: pleasant. the pear is a very interesting touch. didn't realize it was an onion sauce until i looked back at the menu--wouldn't have guessed it. hidden dragon-truly a beautiful creation. very visually appealing. i'm a lover of pink. i'm also a lover of shrimp tempura. but when you're frying stuff, you can't be expecting to collect extra stars, thats too easy. angel roll- this was a great one. please take the middle man out, i don't need the rice and the nori, just wrap fish in more fish. #winning. samurai roll-- wasn't a huge fan, but it was more of a misunderstanding on my part. i misread the menu, and am not a huge fan of ikura or uni. price tag: this kind of surprised me. with my two glasses of wine, the total came out to be just under $130. At Fugakyu, we generally end up having at least several 5 piece orders of sashimi on top of a bunch of rolls AND a $30 bottle of wine for around the same price. Factoring in the lack of ample parking and the overall "meh" feel of the food i was eating, and I will probably pick Fugakyu 9 out of 10 times.
(3)
H. S.
When I'm working late, I always order from OSAKA through dining in, as they serve the downtown area. Good quality fish and really nice selection of standard sushi and exotic combo rolls. The shrimp shumai and salmon terriaki is also tasty. I can't comment on the in-restaurant service, but my orders are always correct and promptly delivered.
(5)
Idan H.
The sushi is very good! The service is not that good though. Sushi lovers should definitely check this place out.
(4)
Frank B.
Quick, easy and overall not bad. Sushi was fresh and ready within 15 min for pickup. If you are looking for a quick place to grab basic sushi go for it.
(3)
Steve E.
My eldest niece graduated from Syracuse University and recently took a job in Boston. Since I was in the area on business I wanted to spend the weekend with her and have the chance to do some sightseeing and catch up on all of the family news. She, my sister, my Dad and I all converged in Boston, and we went to Osaka restaurant which is near where she lives in Brighton. Osaka is located in Brookline, on Green Street, near the intersection of Harvard and Beacon Streets in an area known as Coolidge Corner. The restaurant is a classic Japanese Steak House (some would call it a Hibachi-style restaurant) along with a very nice sushi bar. They have several Hibachi dining areas, private function rooms, the sushi bar, and some common dining space. We opted to sit in one of the Hibachi dining areas but also ordered some sushi as appetizers, so we got to try the best of both worlds. My niece and I split the Tomo roll which was spicy crunchy salmon and mango, all topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado, and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. Very beautiful presentation (see the photo), and quite tasty. For the main course, we were all entertained as the chef twirled his spatula and dazzled us with his knife skills, all over the hot grill. He whisked through a mountain of veggies, and teased us by flipping diced pieces of veggies into our open mouths. (I'm sure that we looked like trained seals at the Aquarium, but it was great fun!). The chef made the traditional flaming volcano out of onion ring slices (see attached photo), and displayed a great degree of showmanship along with his cooking expertise. I had a plate of seared diver scallops with Fillet Mignon, and that came with a generous amount of fried rice and grilled veggies. The prices were certainly fair for the quality of the entertainment and the quality of the food. We had a lot of fun, and would highly recommend the restaurant to others.
(4)
Melissa M.
Not that great. We ordered the gyozas at the hibachi table, never got them, yet we were charged for them. We asked for our leftovers to-go and then never got them back. We had to go back to the restaurant and ask for them. The rice was also pretty undercooked. They're either running a scam or need to hire better wait staff. I wouldn't go back, but I would recommend the hibachi place in Cambridge-it's significantly less expensive and a better experience.
(2)
Melissa B.
Loved this place! I took my boyfriend here yesterday right after work for a Birthday dinner. He had never had hibachi before. It was great, for many reasons: 1.) It was pretty slow at the time we were there so we ended up having our own personal hibachi table and cook. 2.) The drinks were strong. 3.) They squirt sake directly into your mouth at dinner. 4.) We had a sushi appetizer (Yoshi Roll) which was amazing. It was extra crunchy. 5.) The waitstaff was so nice, I did not announce that we were there for a birthday, the staff figured it out after checking IDs for drinks, as a result they comped a meal as a "birthday meal" and brought out ice cream with a candle. 6.) The hibachi show was a lot of fun, the cooks are very talented and the food was delicious. Honestly, I cannot rave enough about this place. I will surly be back.
(5)
MacKenzie M.
If I could give Osaka zero stars, sadly I would. As a local to the area, I was eager to try Osaka. Unfortunately, I must admit that I will NEVER return to this establishment. Upon arriving, my party of five was seated in the dining area almost immediately (this was the only positive part of my experience). I then waited 15 minutes for a waiter to approach the table. Not to mention, this was a Wednesday night and the employee/guest ratio was easily 3:1. Once we were finally greeted with a "Can you order now?", we were rushed into shouting out our orders to a very impatient server. Two of the people in my party ordered salad, which only took moments to reach the table. Sadly, this was ruined with a huge piece of salad dressing-covered plastic in one of the dishes. 20 minutes later, 4 out of our 5 meals arrived. Another 20 minutes later, after 4 out of the 5 of us finished our meals, and the 5th meal arrived. The 5th meal was terrible. Upon exiting the restaurant, we mentioned our disappointment to the manager on duty. He claimed that the only reason for this issue was the "open table" app. Note: we did not use open table, nor did we make a reservation. As an individual with years of experience in the service industry, I am the first to defend a server during a busy night, or even with a difficult table. However, there is no justification for the way that servers as well as management interacted with us during this visit. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend Osaka to anyone, and can assure you that we will be taking our business elsewhere in the future.
(1)
Adam E.
Here's the deal with this place, DO NOT MAKE RESERVATIONS, THEY DO NOT HONOR THEM!!!! Consider yourself warned, heres what they do, they overbook reservations, then shovel people down to the bar and tell them they will be seated soon, and dont seat you for at least an hour!!! I went in with reservations at 8 pm and had to wait in line at the door for 30 min before i could even get to the front desk, i would have pushed my way through the crowd to let them know we were there for our reservation, but the 30 people in front of us all had the same time reservation time, some even had 730 reservations, When i finally got to the front desk, we heard the hostest tell the couple of two with a 730 reservation that it would be close to 2 hours to be seated! (They laughed and walked out) So, you have been warned, i gave 3 stars because their food is really good! But their service is HORRIBLE. I recommend eating there on an off night to avoid the headache.
(3)
Ana R.
I am willing to concede that hibachi is not the best option for lunch. Some of the fun is kinda seeped out of it at noon, you know? That being said, we had a pretty ho-hum experience at Osaka this past weekend. The reason we wanted lunch at Osaka was because my friend had been craving it for days and we were working around her twin newborn's feeding/sleeping schedules. The waitresses were very pleasant, but our maitre d didn't even help us move chairs to accomodate the stroller. We pushed chairs into corners we hoped were out of the way. Our chef phoned in his performance, and though we were happier chatting, there was a noted lack of showmanship. The food, however, was delicious, and just what we'd been craving. The big downfall of this restaurant is the customer service. Neither the men's or women's bathrooms had changing tables, and when asked about it, the staff acted like they'd never dealt with the problem before. We had to change both babies on two chairs pulled together. This is a giant restaurant, probably at least 100 seats. Why they don't have changing tables, or an alternative to them, is beyond me. Hibachi lunch was $20 each including tip.
(2)
Vitz H.
If you are looking for a real Japanese restaurant, don't get misled by the good reviews or the name of the place, it is simply not. It's one of those Chinese places trying to counterfeit Japanese cuisine. While Japanese-Chinese fusion cuisine could be very amazing, this one is just horrible. It's basically an entertainment show with flames and shouting that could, to a certain extent, be amusing. But you need to be ready for the apotheosis of the show when the cook spurts his "magic sauce" directly in the open mouth of the customers. Entertaining? Wait till you realize that it has actually some kind of discomfort feeling afterwards... Besides the entertainment aspect, the quality of the food was average, but nothing to get really excited about. But when it comes to the service, forget about it. Our waitress asked us 2 mn after dropping the plate on the table if we were done with it. I really have an issue with waitress who touch my plate while asking if I am done with it. All in all, it is not recommended.
(1)
Laura S.
I'm shocked I felt the need to give this place 2 stars, but the food was delicious and our hibachi chef was really great. I waited a while to post this review, because I was so angry when I left, that I felt it wouldn't be fair to post right to yelp....about a month ago, my friend decided to celebrate her birthday here. Her boyfriend made a reservation for a large group (about 16) for 8pm. This was perfect for me because I was working that weekend, and I'm a nurse, so I expected to get there just in time, and be home at a reasonable hour. When I got there at 810pm, everyone was gathered downstairs at the bar (prison) where we were waiting while they got our table ready. Soon we were told that they couldn't seat us because 2 people were running late and we had to have the entire party together to be seated. Ok, sure. I'll accept that. When they arrived a few min later, we were told 5 minutes until our table was ready. ONE HOUR LATER. we were finally seated. this all involved a lot of lying to us on the part of the waitress. there was a party of college kids who were sitting and talking having already paid their bill. not even drinking. I feel that in a restaurant like this, when you depend on your reservations and big parties, it's acceptable to say "we have a nice bar downstairs with ample seating area, do you all mind moving your party downstairs" It turned out though that the hostess was probably dating the manager (we saw them getting cozy which also seemed inappropriate) and that's why she refused to allow us to speak with a manager. The whole experience was so miserable. The two stars go directly to our hibachi chef. He was lovely. the food was good. however the drinks were VERY SLOW, and the waitress forgot and mixed up drink orders. So I got home from dinner at 11pm and I didn't get food until 930. Needless to say, I ventured to Watertown the next time I wanted hibachi, Edamame was a much better experience.
(2)
Claire G.
I'd love to actually write a review of this restaurant, but I can't, as I am still waiting to be seated. It has been over an hour now and we are told there is another large party ahead of ours. This reservation was made 2 weeks in advance. By insanely large crowd also waiting to be seated and by the slew of reviews that say almost the exact same thing, it is clear this is a problem they run into regularly. Get your shit together, Osaka. Don't waste your time.
(1)
Randy D.
I had reservations here for Valentine's day and unfortunately so did everyone else in the 100+ person mob that stretched out the door, it was a disaster -- and according to a ton of other reviews, this looks like a common occurrence, not just a one off OpenTable glitch for Valentine's. We left after waiting another 40 minutes with no resolution in site. P.S. Get rid of the stupid neon Budweiser sign on the outside, as it pretty much single handedly destroys the cachet of an otherwise nice looking restaurant.
(1)
Grace C.
I dont understand how this place got three and a half stars. the service was good although they got our order wrong. However sushi wise definitely not the place to go. I've been to lots of sushi places in Boston area and if you want good sushi, do not go here.
(2)
Frederic M.
I find it difficult to write a review on this place, as I feel it would take a couple of visits to have an overall experience of what Osaka has to offer. Part of the restaurant is allocated to what some would call "Japanese Show-cooking", there is a huge underground bar for non-food related entertainment and then there is a space dedicated to the more classic restaurant experience. I only attended the latter and will thus limit my review to my experience there. With Bento boxes priced at about 20-25$ each, Osaka is not a cheap place to go. But you get plenty of food for that. I ordered Bento Box number 3. I first got a Miso soup, followed by amazing spicy tuna maki. The rest of my Bento box included teriyaki beef, rice, dumplings and tempura (fried vegetables). The food was good. Overall very nice experience in a nice setting, though I believe that prices are a bit steep. If you are just interested in having a Japanese meal in a traditional restaurant setting, there are other places in town that offer similar food at better prices. Osaka is probably a place to be considered more by the show show-cooking fans!
(4)
Julie O.
love this place for special rolls and lunch boxes! My favorite lunch boxes are Salmon Teriyaki and Beef Negimaki. I love their Nobu and Dancing rolls very much! Prices are reasonable and servers are very friendly!!!:) Strongly recommended!
(5)
Liya A.
Great food but we got bad service. We entered the restaurant and were seated in the regular area ( not the hibachi). We were not aware that we should ask for the hibachi room and nobody asked us about it. We were with kids and the overall feeling was that they are not kid friendly and wish we will leave.
(3)
Lusi J.
First off the restaurant is beautiful. But the food and service had a lot of room for improvement. The waitress seemed to hate her job and the sushi wasn't very fresh at all. .Very disappointing. Do not recommend, will not come again.
(1)
Michael D.
I just went for a standard American Japanese restaurant lunch, so I can't write about the hibachi or their bar. It's certainly not a bad place. The decor is fine bordering on nice, the staff is fine, and we did not have to wait long for our food. And it's quiet!... because it was fairly empty. I ordered sushi lunch box number 3 and a Godzilla roll. The lunch box and half the Godzilla roll was enough to fill me up (so about $20 base value). You get some white rice in the lunch box, and it was about as bad (a little too soft and sweet) as expected, but not that worse than most other sushi places in Boston. During the meal, I also heard Mandarin from the staff, which was almost reassuring. Whew, it would've been embarrassing for the restaurant if it was actually run by Japanese people. Last bit of good news? It's near a JP Lick's.
(2)
Chong C.
Pretty good Japanese roll and meat. We had "Amazing" roll (it's the name of it) and meat skewer, and both tasted fine. Though, service was extremely slow and it seemed like they don't even care how their customers are doing. We had to wait like 15 mins to get our check after finishing our meal. Food was definitely appreciatable although was bit pricy, but their service is one of the worst I've ever had from mid-high end restaurants.
(3)
Lisa A.
I created a yelp account just to review Osaka. Ordered the yaki soba and yaki udon and was sorely disappointed. Basically, it tasted like overpriced Chinese takeout. Too sweet and no traditional Japanese flavours. Other things might be good here but I didn't try them. Service was mediocre.
(2)
Jonathan M.
They made up for their failure from last time with a gift certificate, but I never got around to updating. I received a $50 voucher in the mail so I applaud their commitment to make things right. We went back and sat on the side without the hibachi. It was solid overall and the service was excellent. The atmosphere is nice, and I enjoyed food's appealing presentation. The flavors didn't blow me away for the price, but everything was tasty all the same. I'll probably come back again because I live in the area, but I will avoid the hibachi side.
(3)
Mai H.
I came for a late lunch and must be honest.. I walked in here because Shiki is closed on Mondays. I ordered the Eel Dragon roll and 6 piece sashimi appetizer. For most part the sashimi was good. There was only one fish were I felt the texture was off and maybe had been previously frozen. I ordered the 6 piece but they gave me 8 pieces..can't complain about that! I had the salmon, stripped bass, white tuna and regular tuna. Two pieces of each tasted fresh and the roll was just a typical roll. The eel was great! I saw some bento boxes around and will try one of those next time. Complimentary green tea for the win!
(3)
David C.
The menu at Osaka could probably rival The Cheesecake Factory's in terms of sheer enormity, but I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. There's really too much to choose from. My recommendation is to ask your server what he or she recommends. That allowed Andrea B. and me to try a few of the most popular items, and some of our waitress' personal favorites. If you're a sushi purist who only likes raw fish, rice, and raw fish on rice, then you might like it here because they have all that, but you might also scoff at the number of ingredients that go into making a single roll here. For me, the more things you shove into maki, the better. The highlight of my night was the American Tango roll, an outrageous creation featuring hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, shitake mushroom tempura, and a strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. There are approximately forty more rolls on the menu just like that one, and I might have to make it my mission to try them all. Can't comment on the hibachi here, which is really what makes Osaka unique for the area (there are far more sushi places in the neighborhood than would ever be necessary), but I've never been a fan of it in the first place, so I'll leave that up to you to decide.
(4)
Nicole A.
Everything was great but the flavors of the hibachi weren't as flavorful as I'm used to with benihana in forty Lauderdale. The cook was fun and the atmosphere was nice but I'd like more flavor and richness to the food. My fiance loved it though. To each their own?
(3)
Petros G.
A couple friends suggested hibachi for dinner, so after a bit of online searching we decided to visit this restaurant. It was Friday night and we did not have a reservation--still, we were seated after a 15 minute wait. We place our orders and the salads get to the table relatively quickly. However, this is where the good service ends. About 50 minutes after my 2 friends and I finish our salads, our section of the hibachi room *finally* gets the chef, who begins to cook our food. At one point during the nearly hour-long wait for the main course, my friend went to the front of the place to talk with the manager, with the goal of moving things along and getting our food to us. The manager says he will 'check' on the food but in actuality, doesn't move an inch (it was a busy night, I'll give them that). It didn't help that during most of our time in the restaurant, there was a group of college students on the other side of the room hollering at the top of their lungs whenever the hibachi chef did a fun trick, or basically whenever they felt like it. I'm not against having fun, but it would have been nice if my friends and I could have actually heard each others' voices at times. Though, I wouldn't fault the restaurant for this. Anyways, the food is finally coming onto our plates, courtesy of the very entertaining chef. I ordered the steak & scallops (comes with fried rice and vegetables). The food in general was OK. The meat and the scallops were made well but the entire plate was bathed in the same salty teriyaki/soy sauce. There wasn't much of a difference between this meal and a standard meal from a low-key takeout place. It was average. In short: you can do better, especially for $25, which was not worth it at all. I will not be returning.
(1)
Alex S.
I've only ever been here during off times so I can only write about my experience when this place isn't packed. Me and my girl came for lunch because of a Groupon (it's so much cheaper during lunch) and didn't have an issue with our reservation or getting seated. It was only us and another couple that seemed very disinterested in the whole experience. Your experience definitely depends on how out-going your chef is. Our was okay but the chef at the table next to ours seemed a bit more sprightly. Minus 1 star. The kids at the other table even got balloon animals. I didn't get any balloon animals. Minus another star. All in all it was a decent experience. The food was pretty good and the show was decent. They also have decent bento boxes if hibachi isn't your thing. Check out my blog (complete with pictures and childish humor) for the full review! thesuchef.org/2013/10/08…
(3)
Julie B.
I had been craving sushi for a while and Osaka came to the rescue in a big way. I went with a group of friends on Tuesday night and immediately started to oggle at the food porn....ahem, the menu. I started off with the miso soup and split the crab rangoons, aka MONEY BAGS. I would order those babies just for the name. And guess what? They come out looking just like bags of cash, complete with a seaweed tie. Adorable! While I'm no expert because most of my crab rangoons come from take-out menus at 3 am, these were phenomenal. They had a very flaky crust and the crab to cheese ratio was like 40:60. Soooo good. Lured in by the idea of 4 different types of tobiko, I ordered the tobiko rainbow roll next. The presentation was beautiful, as it was on all of the plates. Personally I loved my roll, but some of the others I tried were a little bland. The decor in the restaurant is great and I love that they have mini hibachi tables available, but this place was LOUD. There was barely anyone there and we were on the opposite side of the hibachi tables but we could barely hear each other. Not sure how to fix this. Either way, sushi was great and presentation was impeccable.
(4)
Lisa B.
After being contacted by the manager, I decided to give Osaka a second chance. It was one of the few restaurants open during the Blizzard of 2013, so my fiance and I stopped by for sushi lunch. Everything was fresh and arrived quickly. I opted for the three roll special which included soup and salad. My fiance ordered one of the bento boxes, and we were both happy. In summary... Osaka has its good moments, and it has its not so good moments. It seems to depend on which server you have. I highly recommend Osaka for lunch, though.
(4)
Julia J.
loved the hibachi here
(4)
Ali G.
This place is way bigger than expected and awesome! Parking kind of stinks but you'll figure it out, as we did. We didn't have a reservation, but the wait was super quick, maybe ten minutes. The food was very good, we both got the chicken and shrimp and it was delicious. The atmosphere here is great, loud and exciting (on the hibachi side). Definitely a fun place to come, plus they squirt free sake in your mouth so how can you complain. SAKE! SAKE! SAKE!
(5)
Bob B.
Look for a place for celebrating? This must be a nice choice. I was celebrating my friend's birthday here, and it was a really special experience. The chief in Hibachi was amazing. He really knew how to entertain the customers. EX: fire show, juggling with the eggs, zucchini tossing and sake shooting. Everything were really funny and we really had great time. Although the food was just so so, I would definitely come back again.
(4)
Kat T.
Not the best Hibachi (definitely not worth coming here for Hibachi) but very interesting take on sushi. If you would like to experience different and unusual approach to sushi rolls, this is definitely a great place for that! We had a few different rolls that sounded quite unique (like hot lover roll), and it was really amazing! Hibachi is not good at all though! The tuna was cooked nicely but the piece was too tiny, rice was absolutely bad, and vegetables were just overcooked and not tasty. Spring rolls were tiny and blend. Recommend this place for sushi rolls only. Nice ambiance, not fancy but not too simple either.
(3)
Sarah G.
Great place for a group outing! I went here with 7 of my colleagues for a work dinner and drinks! We all had hibachi and our chef was fun and made the night a good time! The one complaint was the dining room felt a little empty , which made everyone feel a little awkward. It was also very bright in there! Maybe turn down the lights and get a more cozy atmosphere and we would of stayed for another round of drinks! We all had a mix of chicken , steak and shrimp! The chicken was kind of plain and next time id stick to just steak! The fried rice and veggies were really good though! After the hibachi show you are left alone and kind of feel like you should leave!
(4)
Amin A.
Best hibachi! Sushi rolls are delicious... I have tried different rolls, all were fresh & high quality. Pineapple fried rice is awesome don't miss it! Fun and very attentive wait staff. Tomo roll is by far the best sushi roll ever Filet mignon is delicious and premium quality!
(5)
Hung L.
Came here for a buddy's 30th birthday dinner, Henry, you mother says, "Hi!" We had 17 people in the group and had reservations for 7:30 PM on a Saturday. Some people in the group showed up late so it was understandable that we would have to wait to a little longer to get our seats for the Hibachi grill. The last couple showed up around 8pm but we didn't expect to have to wait an hour and a half to get seated. Some people got hungry and went door to Otto's for a quick bite of pizza. Personally not a big fan of Hibachi but if you want to experience it at least once in your lifetime then it's worth it. The wife and I got sushi here and to be honest the sushi deserves 1 star. The extra star is more for the show and the sake we get squirted in our mouths (like mother, like son Henry ;-D ) The couple next to us also got sushi, one of our rolls was the Spider roll, the couple next to us also got the Spider roll for one of their selections yet when both our dishes came out, they looked nothing alike. Never seen sushi filled with lettuce before. On top of that, it had no flavor to it at all. It was probably the most bland sushi roll I have ever eaten, not counting California roll. Normally I can eat 3 rolls of sushi with lots of water and feel full but not at this place. I left feeling hungry. Their sushi prices are somewhat high too for the amount you get. If you want the Hibachi experience come here, if you want sushi, walk 2-3 blocks down Harvard Street to Genki Ya, 100 times better there.
(2)
Sara C.
As a sushi fanatic living in Boston, finding restaurants that serve high quality and creative dishes without clearing out my wallet is pertinent. My experience at Osaka was just that, alongside good service. Our waiter was friendly, food and drinks served in a timely fashion. Their menu is extensive, following our servers recommendation I ordered the eel dragon roll and tomo roll, which were both excellent, and huge. We also ordered the king crab ceviche, filet mignon habachi, which was cold but tastey otherwise, and Sui mono soup. We were sitting on the steakhouse side, may next time sit on the habachi side to ensure a hot plate. To drink, hot house sake and Sapporo. All left Osaka with happy full tummys and the prime location allowed us to conveniently continue our night out in Coolidge Corner.
(4)
Tony N.
This place has become a staple for my wife and I. It is always easy together a reservation, even on the weekend, despite the place being constantly packed. The decor is modern and the place has a very energetic vibe. The noise level is perfect in that you can hear the excitement of the hibachi from the dining room yet you can have a conversation with your table and not have to raise your voice. The service is more than attentive and very friendly. The times I have asked for recommendations from my server I have not been dissapointed. The drink menu is good and they have this shocu, distiller from sweet potatoes, that I have fallen in love with. Prices are decent. The food is spectacular. The special rolls are inventive and not only taste gay but look ga. Sashimi is fresh and cuts are a good size.
(5)
Rachel S.
After many subsequent visits back to Osaka I have to give them more credit than I did previously. The food is consistently good. The staff is generally friendly but can be a bit disoriented at times, which I can't really blame them for considering how loud it gets in the hibachi room (holy drunk college kids, batman). Everything is always delicious and flavorful, and I can't get enough of their white sauce. Can't wait to go back soon.
(4)
Nevin Z.
Amazing meal and show. Hibachi is truly an art form. I was impressed at the skill of all the hibachi chefs I saw. The food was great. Couldn't ask for more. The sauces they provide add a great combination of tastes. While some of the meals are somewhat pricey, maybe 19-20 dollars, I would say it was more than worth it and I left feeling very full. They have definitely gained a returning customer from me.
(5)
Ella F.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this place. The ambiance/decor is nice, but they seemed incredibly disorganized from the moment I walked in. There are two rooms, a hibachi room, and a regular dining room. The hibachi room was practically a zoo. It was incredibly loud/rowdy, and definitely not the type of atmosphere I want for dinner after a long work day. It would be about equal to going to a college bar on a Friday/Saturday night. We sat in the regular dining room where it was more peaceful (and we weren't planning on getting hibachi either). The sushi was okay- nothing too special. The service was sporadic, although there were a lot of waitstaff congregating and chatting at the main entrance. The price was waaaaaay up there for the quality of the food. They clearly have you paying for the "cool" atmosphere/decor, because nothing else could justify the price. If the price had been more reasonable or correlated to the food and service, I would give 3 stars.
(2)
Mikhail H.
I was in town on vacation and craving sushi something fierce. Several friends recommended a place around the corner but when we researched them the prices were crazy high. My husband found this place and we decided to give it a go. This seems to be a hidden gem because there were not many people in the gorgeous restaurant. And it really is pretty inside - I nearly fainted at how low the prices were. We went for lunch so you will save a lot just on that alone! It was seriously $40 with tip and we got a sashimi plate (some of the best I have ever had honestly), yakisoba with chicken and some tempura, a beer and soda which is really great. The service was also very impressive and our food was fast!
(5)
Kelley D.
This was my first time at a hibachi restaurant, and I was pleasantly surprised. They have a pretty large menu, so you can find something to fit everyone's tastes. I got the chicken & salmon hibachi... the chicken was great, the salmon was ok, just really really bland. I thought everything else tasted great. It was a fun experience, the service definitely made everything that much better. The more people you go with, the better. The location can't be beat, right in the heart of Coolidge Corner with the T steps away. I will be back soon!
(4)
Alexander K.
Japanese Restaurant with available Chinese option .., hm ? That is a NO-NO for traditionalists !! Especially for those who are into Japanese cuisine. There are few good Chinese restaurants to begin with, rest is junk. There is also explosion within Boston area with Japanese restaurants, and less quality is inevitable. This place is perfect example. From appearance which can be taken as Japanese/Chinese/European dark style, confusion .. !! To service .., two different servers taking order, two others give water, two more taking/bringing food/plates. And what's with the huge white plates to serve just about every thing ???!! 3/4 orders and the table is small, not the cleanest establishment either. Food was tasty yes, presentation was good yes, can be better !! Service no where near of traditional Japanese culture, super weak !!
(3)
Heather N.
I have been to Osaka before and had a great time. Unfortunately, I had a reservation for Valentine's day yesterday (which was made a month prior), and when I got there, there was a mob of people waiting to sit down for their reservations. We had an 8 o'clock reservation, and when we showed up, people who had a 7 o'clock reservation were not even seated. I have never seen a restaurant so unorganized and the manager would not even come out to apologize. Not to mention my name was on a post-it note. Thank you so much for ruining what was supposed to be a fun-filled, stress-free valentine's day!
(1)
Jo T.
Ugh. We went for the hibachi and: - the food wasn't very good. i've had this type of food a few times at other places, and this was the bottom of the barrel. - the hibachi chefs all follow a pretty crass script; e.g., there's a plastic doll filled with sake and they pull down its shorts and spray liquid on the food from the anatomically correct male doll Won't be back.
(1)
urbanaite K.
We were there on a busy Friday night, Halloween actually, and the service was very good. Our food arrived promptly and it was delicious! It is not cheap, but I'd say it is appropriately priced for the location, ambiance and food quality.
(5)
Matt F.
First time at Osaka, and it did not disappoint. The food was great. Our chef was entertaining. I went on a Monday so the crowd small. But I will be returning and bringing friends as well.
(4)
Angie D.
Fun to sit at the hibachi table! Our cook was very friendly and entertaining. The food was good, but I was disappointed not to see noodles as well as rice. Good to know for next time! Will definitely be back!
(4)
Katie W.
Great place to go with big groups! The atmosphere is lively and fun, and the hibachi chefs really show you a good time. The food was average. You don't really go for the food, more for the overall experience. Hibachi entrees start at $20.
(3)
Richard Y.
PRICE: Competitive for Sushi $5 - $15 LOCATION: 5/5 Coolidge Corner 1/2 block from C line SERVICE: 4.5/5 Really nice service (If they held the entire order for full presentation Ozaka would have received 5/5!) After a long and grueling 48 hours, I decided to give in to my Sushi cravings and give Osaka a chance. The restaurant is on a quiet street in Brookline, not the typical location for a gem like this; it's a one way street and parking is available but you have to be a parking shark to find anything on the block and it was after 9pm on a Saturday night and I still managed to park my party bus (Ford Expedition) on Green Street. Upon entering Osaka, we were greeted and immediately shown to our seats. Water was poured within 90 seconds and the menu's followed thereafter, this was orchestrated very well. The server arrived at the table to ask if we wanted to order drinks and upon receiving our response of "no drinks tonight" she smiled, took the drink menu and told us she would return shortly to take our orders. As I looked through the menu I noticed that Osaka was pretty busy that night, the Hibachi area was nearly full and others waiting to be seated. At least 2/3 of the both seating were full with party sizes ranging from 2 - 8 people per seating area enjoying the well light ambiance. The waitress returned about 5 minutes later where we asked for more time which was my fault; I was observing the crowd, wait staff and the foot traffic and interaction of the staff. Within a few minutes our order was placed, 5 traditional rolls and 2 specialty rolls and 2 miso soup. Within 90 seconds the soups arrived; still steaming, there was plenty of tofu and great ribbons of seaweed. The server with the water was extremely attentive and was on point with all the water, something that is often missed and taking for granted but not at Ozaka. The 5 traditional rolls arrived on a long white platter. The sushi arraigned in a two rows in an "S" shape with the 5th roll plated in the center in a pyramid pattern given the plate height. Excellent presentation and I am now kicking myself for not taking pictures to share. The specialty rolls, finally arrived 5-7 minutes later, which I think is a bit too long but was the rolls worth the wait - Hell ya! In fairness, I should say that as we finished placing our order, so did the table behind us of 3 and the table to our right with 6 people. Overall, great experience and very yummy Sushi, I shall return again for sure!
(5)
Cait A.
First off, let me just say that I almost only use Yelp to help promote businesses I love and want to see succeed. I've always loved hibachi and haven't had it in years, so for my birthday, we got a bunch of people together and my boyfriend made an 8pm reservation for 16 for a hibachi table about a week ago. All the hibachi places around Boston had spotty Yelp reviews, but I didn't think anyone would want to drive to Acton, to a tried and true place, so I picked Osaka, which seemed the most promising and closest. My bf called 2 days later, to confirm the number of diners, and once more day of to make sure everything was set. They told him the table would seat 18, so that was fine. We arrived on time and there were about five girls standing at the front desk shifting around and avoiding eye contact with us. We found the hostess, who asked whether we had a regular table and I said no, we had a reservation for 8pm for a hibachi table, it was very specific. She pointed to my roommate, who had gotten there early to wait for everyone, and said "she said it was a regular table". I said "We have had a reservation under Brian for 16 for a hibachi table"- my roommate was not involved in preps, so she had nothing to do with it?? The hostess told us it would be 10-15 minutes and would we like to wait in the bar area, so we said okay and went downstairs. After a few minutes, the rest of our group showed up, sans two who had to get plowed out of their driveway because of the snow earlier. We sat in the bar drinking for a good half hour, frequently checking in with the hostess, who said she'd come find us when the table was ready. Around 8:45, we checked in again and the hostess said we weren't being seated because our last two had not shown up. When they did, the reason was that the previous diners were still sipping their drinks at our table. Finally, just before 9, we went upstairs to gather around the hostess desk and put the pressure on. First she said 10-15 minutes, then she was blaming it on our two friends not being there, THEN it became the previous diners. Okay, so you gave our table away like right before 8pm, stop lying to us/blaming our two friends. It was an hour after our res and people were starving. I was pissed and stressed as if I'd been in rush hour traffic on 93 for two hours. When we FINALLY sat down (with only 12 people- 4 cancelled d/t weather last minute), we were asked to squeeze in two more chairs on the corners because they were stuffing in another group on the other side of the table. When the waiter took our drink orders, it was a good 15+ min before drinks came out. All food and drinks that were brought out were served to the wrong people, and the waiter who took the order didn't even bother to look at his own notes, just asked us where the plate went. All plates were handed to us, even if there was already a plate in front of the diner and nowhere to put it. No one was assisted in any way- they didn't remove the original plate or make room, it was just fend for yourself. Some people just put their large appetizer plate on top of their large hibachi plate because there was nowhere to move anything. The group next to us looked as if they'd been waiting just as long (I saw them at a bar upstairs when we first walked in) and had a 10 year old boy who was literally banging his head on the table with exasperation, which was pretty representative how we all felt. What kind of a Mickey Mouse operation is this? Get your act together Osaka. It was laughably ridiculous. Thank goodness for the entertaining chef and the free sake that they squirt in your mouths, but when you set up something fun and are responsible about coordinating preparations with the restaurant, you should not be starving and having heart palpitations at the table over an hour after your res. I associate this place with so much grief that I wouldn't go back unless they sent me a gift cert. Food wasn't bad, but besides the awesome chef, experience was god awful. PS, we asked for the manager several times and were ignored, but then saw him frequently hanging around the area while seated, so its not like he was not nearby and couldn't speak to us.
My friends and I came here after watching the lovely documentary, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" (brilliant idea to show it at Coolidge Corner theater, where there are numerous sushi restaurants). Osaka isn't bad, but nothing about it sets it apart from the millions of other sleek, trendy, chic sushi restaurants that play pulsing lounge music all night long. I had the Nobu Roll and the Rainbow Roll. The Nobu Roll, a combination of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with three kinds of tobiko topped with chef special sauce, was rich and initially satisfying. After a while though, the sauce got to be too much and I couldn't finish the roll. I guess I'm too much of a minimalist when it comes to sushi. I not only like but prefer my sushi to consist of only 3 things: fish, rice and seaweed (avocado allowed). The Nobu Roll was not very well made, either. The pieces kept falling apart when I picked them up. I also had the Rainbow Roll. The fish tasted very fresh and the cuts were pretty generous. No complaints there. Service was good, but almost too attentive. We were constantly interrupted by well-meaning servers asking us how we were doing. Maybe scale back a bit on that?
(3)
Cheryl H.
Going to a hibachi-style place, I expect a certain amount of theatrics, but this was ridiculous. Catching shrimp/veg in your mouth? Okay. Squirting sake from a condiment bottle and having the person chug until they choke and spit everywhere? No thanks. The sake squirt chugging also led to a lot of people drooling all over and generally being covered with sake, so dress accordingly. Then the chef started having the women catch the whole raw eggs in their cleavage - are you going to cook those? I hope not. The ambiance is certainly better for groups. Don't count on being able to converse at anything below a shouting volume though because it's extremely loud on the hibachi side. The sake chugging led to a certain level of chaos and gave things a sporting event type of feel including lots of countdowns and screaming. Yes, screaming although at a drunken wrestling brawl, I guess you would be missing the sound of the metal cooking utensils being constantly and rhythmically slammed on a hotplate, so there you go. The hibachi steak ended up being okay although it was overcooked. The sushi was awful and I'm not even a sushi snob. If you're craving sushi, there are many other good alternatives nearby. As we were leaving, the woman in front of us was apologizing to her friend saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would be like a freshman dorm." Yes, I'm sorry too.
(1)
Cwot W.
I like watching Top Chef, Iron Chef and Hell's Kitchen. So when I dine, I appreciate two things: lots of flames and chefs screaming at employees and customers. Osaka didn't have a screaming chef (although I have hopes for future visits). But they did have flames shooting up in the air and a persistent smell of smoke. As a professional knife thrower and a pseudo pyro, I appreciate the use of good cutlery and high flames. Osaka was a great fit for me as I almost got a flash burn when they lit the onion tower on fire. Oh and the food was good too, good taste and good volume of food.
(5)
Najica H.
I eat japanese food regularly, so I guess I know when one place makes something good and another place fails...I went here with my roommate for the price fixed restaurant week dinner. It was a nice looking place, super easy to get to, our server was great and I wanted to like this place but unfortunately...the food wasn't good, and that's what's actually important. My roommate got the hibachi and the portions were good but overall it tasted just alright, I've had better hibachi at dives. I got the sushi/sashimi combo w/ dancing roll. The roll was good, but the sashimi wasn't cut right and the pieces were a bit butchered, which would've been fine except when I ate it the pieces they tasted a little chewy and had like a day old fishy taste which....fresh sashimi shouldn't taste that way :/ After a few pieces the bad taste just piled up and I couldn't finish it, and I used to eat sushi every week. I got the tiramisu for dessert and the first bite was good...except the rest of it was literally frozen solid in the middle, no joke! It just made me sad that I was eating at this expensive restaurant and the dessert wasn't even thawed or fresh. Like old tasting sushi and frozen dessert? I really wanted this place to be good but I actually had a violent stomach ache afterwards...
(1)
Rachel D.
Amazing! If you have the money. We got Hibachi because I would have kicked myself if we hadn't, and it was amazing and extremely entertaining!! The chefs do neat tricks with the eggs on the grill, and also tricks with the utensils and sake squirters. Honestly their fried rice was pretty amazing, and I think it's because they put sake in it - the taste was phenomenal. I also had just a regular sushi roll on the side which was good, nothing to write home about, but it wasn't a special, hard to make roll - just tuna and avocado. The tuna was very fresh and soft though. The chefs also have sake squirters with just water in them for kids to play along. Sometimes they even throw food into your mouth, but they always ask first and never try to make you do anything crazy that you're obviously not willing to do. -GREAT for groups -Great for kids, especially since I always see a million Brookline families there -great for a first date! since it takes the pressure off.
(5)
Courtney H.
I was so excited that there was finally a hibachi steakhouse within walking distance of a train in the city! So my husband made some reservations one night and we went for dinner. The place was pretty full but not sold out and we were seated with two other couples. One definitely was just there to get in and out and the other was there for a date night too. I didn't do so well with catching the vegetable thrown at my face (mostly because he through the first one at my forehead!) but I handled the sake well! I thought the food was similar to any other hibachi place so no complaints! And I love the yum yum sauce! Can't wait to go back!
(4)
John M.
I don't profess to be an expert when it comes to Hibachi - I only started going to places in the last year. That said, I have been a few times, and this place was by far the best. The atmosphere was fun, and the chefs each knew how to make at least a couple of balloon animals which was a nice touch (and added to the general vibe). The sushi was very good (not as excellent as a high-end sushi place - I used to work at Osushi - but damn good for an inexpensive one). The place was clean and the service was excellent. We really liked our grillmaster, Sam, and he seemed to reciprocate and had some good fun with our table. The kicker was that the food prepared was the best I've had from hibachi to date. Everything was cooked perfectly, and was absolutely delicious. I ordered the chicken and salmon, gf ordered the chicken, two of the folks from the other group ordered the fillet. I can attest to the excellence of my choice - salmon had a nice crispy layer on the outside and was perfectly juicy and soft on the inside. Chicken was moist and quite flavorful. And the fillet looked perfectly cooked, a solid medium-rare like the other patrons ordered. Overall, a great time, and can't wait to go with a bigger group in the future.
(5)
Matt S.
It's difficult for me to write a review for Osaka because honestly it's pretty much like every Hibachi/Sushi steakhouse I've ever been to. It has it's own unique decor of course, which is nice and cool in it's own way. Wait staff are attentive and the food is good. Sushi there is pretty decent too, so I'll switch between that and hibachi when I go. The hibachi show is pretty typical, nothing spectacular or unexpected. I'm giving it four stars because while they don't do anything amazing or extravagant they don't do anything wrong either (in terms of food, service, etc...), which makes them pretty reliable and one of my go-to's.
(4)
Rebecca F.
I came here with a LivingSocial coupon and had a decent experience: nothing to rave about, though. The restaurant is located on a side street in Coolidge Corner, very accessible by public transit. It's dimly lit and quite large, and there's a separate room for the hibachi and a downstairs which had dance music playing? I could hear the excitement from the hibachi room at my table in the other portion, which wasn't a bad thing but I was here on an early weekday evening, so I imagine when it's busier it is probably noisier. I just ordered the sashimi sampler ($24) which came with 5-6 types of fish. The sampler comes with soup or salad and a bowl of rice. The fish tasted pretty fresh and was arranged nicely in a bowl of ice. The service was attentive and helpful when I asked for an explanation of the fish. Overall, this place has pretty good Japanese food and the hibachi is always a fun outing.
(3)
Dana S.
We had a great time here for a friend's birthday party. Before sitting down for hibachi, we grabbed a drink at the bar downstairs. Both of the bartenders were so friendly and courteous. My martini was big, and STRONG, and delicious. We started with two sushi rolls for an appetizer. One of them (the name escapes me) was extremely spicy! But the rolls were a great size and very fresh. Our hibachi chef was hysterical and made for great entertainment during the cooking presentation. Who doesn't love sake shots before dinner? I shared the "osaka" special with a friend- a great combo of chicken, lobster, scallop, shrimp, and beef. Everything was tasty and I would definitely go back again!
(4)
Mon R.
THIS PLACE IS AWESSSSSSOME! Its totally off the beaten path (Harvard Ave), and apparently just opened in October! They had a deal for Valentines Day- free glass of champagne. We got here and were promptly seated for the hibachi. Our waiter was really attentive, and it didn't take too long for the hibachi chef to come out. I got steak and chicken, my husband got shrimp. The chef did all his usual tricks, except with a few new ones we haven't seen before. The rice was awesome, and there was enough food left over for lunch the next day. The family next to us had a kid and he was totally into the chef. He exclaimed, "its dinner and a show!" - The irony, here, being that my husband totally feels this way about hibachi... as a result of a number of birthday parties at the place when he was little. Kid at heart. Anyway, we loved it, and are glad to have found a nice hibachi spot in Boston. A bit pricey, but that comes with the hibachi territory.
(5)
Sara M.
We came in on a Wednesday night and were seated on the restaurant side immediately. Next time I would ask to sit towards the back as the hibachi room is very loud. Our drink order was taken by one person and our dinner by another. The way our waitress reacted, we still cannot figure out if she was surprised or impressed that we ordered the Osaka sushi for two (it comes on a boat) - about 18 pieces of sushi, one tuna and one dragon roll and miso for two; a good amount of food for teh two of us, but not gut-busting The soup was good, and the fish was impressive, it was very fresh and the addition of jalapeno and lemon zest on some of the fish was very nice. The dragon roll was great, and the eel sauce was really nice. With a couple of beers, dinner was $50 before tax and tip and we were very satisfied.
(4)
John L.
~New Coolidge Corner Hotspot where the Hibachi over the Sushi. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asupr.us/ap-osaka A friend of mine had a birthday here. Initially I just punched it in to Google Maps, as I was fairly familiar with the Coolidge Corner area, but had never been to/heard of Osaka. I turned on the main street to this side street and I see this relatively sexy new place. For the area, Osaka is quite large. I was there on a Saturday night and it was packed. It was so packed, despite a reservation, we had to hang out at the bar lounge area for around 30 minutes until we could get to our table. I mean, it's fun to go somewhere on a Fri or Sat night where it's packed. Lots of energy and fun with the hibachi stations. No real surprise, if you're either doing hibachi, or anywhere near there, you will hear a plethora of screams, yells, Ay-Ay-Ay's, and a bunch of laughter. So if you're not ready for any and all of that, it's pretty difficult to sit anywhere at Osaka and not hear any of that. The hibachi portions are plentiful and quite delicious. It'd be hard for me to go here for some sushi over the hibachi. We had a variety of rolls including the American Tango, Foxy Lady, Jalapeno, and a few more. All of these fusion rolls were good, not great. I mean, the sushi rolls might actually be as good or better than some other dedicated sushi restaurants, but because of the presence of the hibachi, it's tough for any of the sushi to shine. I might have to go there again and resist the hibachi and try to focus on the sushi and update my review perhaps.
(4)
Lala I.
the food def wasnt bad to be honest. im jus not into anything fusion esp def not my sushi. if you are into japanese fusion and some hibachi action you ll probably like this restaurant. bright, large space, very good for groups. the lounge in the basement is def a plus.
(3)
Jessie C.
we went here a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. Very good! The prices were high but not too terrible for Brookline and the quality of food. We've eaten a lot of hibachi in the past and this was by far the most food you get at a very high quality for the cost. Great choice. I had the chicken and salmon hibachi and the "Summer at osaka" cocktail. If we went again, i'd get just the salmon - it was fantastic!
(4)
Jenn S.
Before my friend invited us to Osaka for her birthday dinner, I had never heard of this place. Both my husband & I thought it was a different place. As we were walking to the restaurant, we saw an employee standing on the sidewalk on Harvard Ave., with a sign advertising Osaka and their parking. Guess they are really making a push for advertising! We arrived a few minutes early, but couldn't be sat until more of our party arrived. Once they did, we were seated at one of the Hibachi tables and waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The main issue with this place? TOO.LOUD. We could not hear what those not sitting right next to us were saying - and the waiter couldn't even hear us when we ordered our drinks! I ordered a glass of Raspberry-flavored sake, which came in a wine glass (not a sake bottle with those adorable sake glasses). It was delish. Other friends got a Mai Tai and hot & cold sake. All delicious. The chef was definitely fun. He used the squeeze bottle to shoot sake into our mouths - and definitely had fun with it. He even tossed a piece of onion into my friend's mouth, but when it missed and landed in her shirt, he hilariously yelled "GOOOAL!" Very fun. The rice was AMAZING. I could have eaten just that! The chicken and veggies were great too - and didn't even need the sauces that are provided. The salad was a typical Japanese ginger salad, which is, frankly, one of my favorite parts of Japanese meals. I love that ginger dressing. Overall, the food was good, the prices are reasonable ($19ish for a salad, hibachi chicken, tons of rice & veg) and the atmosphere is fun. Do not sit at the Hibachi tables if you want to have a conversation though!
(4)
Mirope F.
Love the sushi in this place... and they have a crazy and funny karaoke downstairs... really nice place to go with friends have some good sushi and a lot of fun with the chefs
(4)
Andrea B.
I love sushi, and Osaka's is definitely up there among my favorites. Each of the rolls I tried was delicious, not to mention the presentation, which was gorgeous as well. You probably really can't go wrong regardless of what you try, but I'd highly recommend the Amazing and the American Tango rolls. The former boasts tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, scallops and kamakazi wasabi. And the latter contains hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. It sounds like it could be a rather peculiar combination, but trust me, it's not. Service was both hit and miss. Our waitress was kind of blah, but I have to give them props for doing a great job at keeping our water glasses filled the entire time.
(4)
AM S.
Hands down my favorite hibachi in Boston's frightening dearth of good restaurants! Closest or even as good as Benihana. Great great great quality of food, awesome chefs and even the salad is good. The leftovers taste just as tasty the next day. Highly recommend this, it's a gem in the mire.
(5)
Melissa P.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant functions in two fantastically different ways: entertaining Hibachi grill show and quiet sushi room. The restaurant is literally split in two. The dual personalities of Osaka has a fun way of catering to its diners. For your first visit, start with the hibachi grill. Hibachi is a traditional Japanese grill that is equipped with an iron hot plate called (teppan) used in teppanyaki restaurants, though what you find within its ornate walls might not be considered traditional. The chefs at Osaka go all-out to put on a show with funny banter and a bottle of sake (which they will squirt in the mouth of dinner patrons). As for the food, get ready to watch it diced, grilled, and served right in front of you. On the tamer side of the restaurant, the sushi rolls are made fresh, with creative combinations like TOMO or Hot Lover Roll.
(4)
Kevin G.
We ate at Osaka during Boston's Restaurant Week, Winter 2014. We made a reservation for 8:00 PM (on a Wednesday night) and, unlike most of the other reviewers, we were immediately seated upon arrival at the hibachi table. Then again, it wasn't busy and we probably would have been seated immediately without the reservation. After seating us, they gave us iced water, but it was quite a while before a waiter took our order. My date ordered an iced tea that never arrived. For our appetizers, we ordered the tuna tartare and the tuna dumplings. It should be noted that we waited an extremely long time for them to serve us our appetizers. We were contemplating leaving the restaurant at one point. Both dishes were beautiful in presentation but tasted almost identical to one another. Unfortunately, neither appetizer was particularly good. Though they both contained a decent amount of fresh tuna, the tuna itself was not cold and it was mediocre in quality. Overall, they were very bland. For dinner, we both ordered the steak and lobster hibachi. Though the menu states that the hibachi dinner comes with a salad, neither of us received a salad. This could have been because we were ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu. The hibachi chef was nice and entertaining enough and the food was decent. The rice and vegetables were fine, the steak was cooked to order, but the lobster was a bit overdone and rubbery. Though I must say that we were each given quite a bit of lobster and steak. If you're expecting a range of tastes, flavors, and spices, do not order the hibachi dinner. Like all hibachi, everything pretty much tastes the same. Good salty, buttery, garlicky flavor, but all one-note. For dessert, we ordered the mochi ice cream and fried banana. They were out of the fried ice cream. The mochi ice cream was a generous portion and delicious. The fried banana was one banana on a plate with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Though it was fine, it would have been better had the banana been sliced and then fried or if it had the accompaniment of some ice cream or a fresh garnish. It was an oversimplified dessert that could have been executed better. Overall, Osaka deserves only two stars. The ambiance was fine, the hibachi chefs seemed great, the service was terrible, and the food ranged from decent to mediocre to worthy of sending back. Nothing, except for maybe the mochi ice cream, was delicious or worth re-ordering. There is better hibachi out there and there is certainly more-delicious and fresher sushi-quality fish all over Boston. I'd only go here if you are out with a bunch of friends who can't travel and want sake sprayed into your mouth.
(2)
Thomas L.
Crazy busy here on a Saturday night. Highly recommend reservations. Food was terrific. Service was great. Overall atmosphere was energetic. Sat at the hibachi grill with the wife and another couple. Variety of your standard selections, one drink each, and tip.....$150.00 total. Not too bad, as it was a great experience and we were sitting/eating/drinking for a good amount of time. Again, the food was delicious. The salad, the freshly prepared/cooked fried rice, the shrimp, the vegetables, the steak and chicken, and the accompanying sauces. All terrific. The downstairs (where the restrooms are) looks very trendy and cozy and could be fun for a drink or two. The bar/sushi area on the main floor also looks fun, and although I am not a sushi person, it did look very appetizing. If you are looking for an upbeat dinner and lots of energy, make your reservations today!
(4)
Arden B.
I interviewed the co-owner of Osaka for a video package I was doing on Boston Winter Restaurant Week, and she was so sweet and made everything sound so great that I couldn't wait to come back and actually eat there! We had a party of 4 and were seated right away at a hibachi table. I'm a big Benihana fan (don't judge me!), so I had high expectations! This place was so fun! The chef was extremely engaging and we all had a blast. We pretty much laughed through the entire meal. The shooting sake was definitely a highlight as well. And although I failed to catch a piece of zucchini in my mouth, I still enjoyed watching as my more coordinated friends succeeded. The rice was pretty good. I don't think it was quite up to Benihana standard, and for some reason I really don't like corn in my fried rice, but other than that, I thought it was good! The vegetables were okay. I liked the onion, but the zucchini, carrots and broccoli were not as cooked as I had hoped. My least favorite part of the meal, though, was the salad dressing. It was waaayy too heavy and there as so much of it that I actually felt a little sick just looking at the salad. I had the shrimp and scallops. The scallops were phenomenal! I only wish the chef had cut up the shrimp into smaller pieces because I did not have a knife, and it made it difficult to eat those shrimp with chop sticks. After we finished eating, we went downstairs to the O Bar. I think we actually accidentally crashed some kind of Persian party? Still had a blast doing sake bombs in the corner and listening to the music we couldn't understand. The bartender was pretty rude, though. On nights when there isn't a party, they have karaoke! Lots of fun! We would definitely go back again!
(4)
Jill S.
Very good Hibachi Japanese place!! Came here with a group of friends on a trip to Boston and the food was very good!!! We had a reservation which was good as the place was pretty crowded. The cook was a lot of fun and very entertaining!! I would definitely go back!!
(4)
Ivan L.
First time visiting was during Boston's Restaurant week. Service was extremely quick and courteous; served the first course within 15-20 minutes of walking in! Appetizers included rock shrimp and sashimi (smorgasbord of raw fish), which were both superb. The entrees followed with hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail as well as the Tomo sushi platter, and finally the dessert was Mochi ice cream with a chocolate drizzle. Everything was outstanding, flavors were full individually but melded nicely with one another. You could certainly distinguish the freshness of all the fish and the meat was cooked to perfection. Portions were plentiful and beautifully plated. Would also recommend sharing a scorpion bowl (strong mix but very tasty) as well as pairing hot sake with the ice cream dessert to top it all off. I would absolutely recommend this place to anybody wanting something new or familiar. Most definitely a great experience, will surely return!
(4)
jazzy l.
Grand opening Sushi/Hibachi Grill on Green Street (near Peets) Everything is brand spanking new. Good presentation of sushi rolls although a bit pricey. $66/3 people.
(4)
Hayley M.
How did I possibly miss Osaka? I've lived right by for over a year and a half and didn't know of its existence until restaurant week! I am so glad I found it. Came for restaurant week, and the menu was divided into four options for everything. Two were hibachi, two were sushi. The boy and I decided to split the sushi options. Here is what we ordered: Appetizers: Tuna Dumpling - King crab, avocado wrapped in thin sliced tuna. Garlic White Tuna - Hot pepper white tuna with crispy garlic and spicy yuzu sauce. Entrees: Special Roll Set - Tomo Roll and Hot Lover Roll Sushi and Sashimi Set - Chef choice 6 pcs sushi, 10 pcs sashimi and one foxy lady roll. Desserts: Chocolate Marquise - Chocolate genoise-chocolate ganache and a velvety chocolate mousse and dusted with gold dust. Turtle Cheesecake - Classic fudge filled cheesecake with caramel and pecans The tuna dumpling was amazing. It was out of this world! It blew the white tuna away. The entrees were both fabulous, not only in freshness and taste, but also in appearance. The display of my sashimi was gorgeous, and I happened to notice that other tables had equally pretty but totally different displays. It was (almost) too much food. Just piece after piece of wonderful raw fish. My sashimi had red snapper, white tuna, salmon, maguro, and some other things. The one thing that left a (not literal) bad taste in my mouth was that they brought the check with dessert. Obviously we focused on enjoying our cheesecake and chocolate marquise so we didn't even look at it until we were finished. However, they came back TWICE to ask if the check was "all set," while we were eating! Otherwise, it was a perfect experience.
(4)
Samuel S.
We didn't try the hibachi, and instead went for a grilless table. The service was pretty good, but the food overall was quite bland and uninspired. The fish didn't taste fresh (granted it was Christmas Eve), and the dishes that didn't feature raw fish were marred by an overabundance of sauce. The food presentation impressed me at first, but in the end seemed crass, and like the taste of the food, without subtlety. A generous three stars. Might go again in a pinch, but definitely not at the top of the list.
(3)
lizzie b.
Not bad for a hibachi place. A little crazy, though. We felt like we were on spring break! The chef was raunchy - with his Jersey Shore references et al. "Sakeeee, sakeeee" he shouted as he squirted sake out of a ketchup bottle down the throats of our dinner patrons as they signaled to him to please stop. Uncomfortable. He started throwing zucchini pieces at our faces to catch them in our mouths - gross. The worst moment was when he threw an egg down the waiting bosom of a girl at our table. Was this hibachi gone wild? Overall, in traditional hibachi restaurant style, they rushed us out after the check. When asked how to say "bye" in Japanese by one of our drunk table guests, the chef says "I'm not japanese." Haha - no illusions there. The food was better than Bisuteki across town. The fried rice didn't have many vegetables. It wasn't bad, just wasn't quite my style!
(3)
Brett W.
Made a reservation through OpenTable for 8:30pm. Got to the place at 815pm and there was a huge line waiting in the door to get to the host. Asked people if they made reservations through Open Table as well, and they did. The couple in front of me said they had been waiting about 15 minutes before I arrived. Needless to say, this place will not honor reservations in any capacity. I might only come back during mid-week if it looks empty.
(1)
Allison L.
The fish was fresh and the sushi combos are pricey but worth it. The service leaves a lot to be desired. I was there at 7pm on a Friday night and we were rushed through our meal. Also I asked for spicy mayo when I ordered and about 3 times afterwards before it was brought to the table.
(3)
Lauren E.
We went here in a Saturday night after I had received a gift certificate. We sat at the hibachi table, but nothing too memorable unless you go with a large group of people. The food was good. I might give this place another chance.
(3)
Mikayla F.
I love hibachi and have been to many different Japanese steak houses but this place was the best. Our chef was very entertaining and loved putting on a show. My only criticism was that most hibachi places I have been to are a bit less expensive and this place you're paying more and not getting soup with your meal. Overall though, I loved it and will definitely go back again!
(5)
Sam A.
We had a reservation for 8:30. It's now 9:30 and we're still waiting to be seated. We've been told we might be seated at 10:00. What's the point of making reservation if they can't honor it. We checked on open table and they showed tables open. It would be hard to recommend this place.
(1)
Alex C.
Based on the 4 stars it gets on Yelp, I decided to take my wife here to give it a try. However, after the dining experience here, I really DO NOT understand how can such terrible restaurant gets 4 start rating. 1. Rude: The chef has no respect to the customers. Perhaps it entertains certain customers, but I believe a truly educated and well mannered person won't appreciate the conducts the chef has in a up-scale setting restaurant. What do I really mean? The chef were playing throw and catch by shoot the food to some of the customers. However, some customers, including myself, do not wish to be played like that. I literally told the chef not to throw me the food, but he shoot it to me anyway and landed in my eyes. Yes, in my eyes. Another note is that, the way the chef serve the food. I guess he was trying to demonstrate how quick he is with his tools, so he literally buried my wife's fork and knife with the fried rice. It was just simply rude. I have been to various type of Japanese restaurnat: uper scale, budget type, buffet, traditional... etc. I have never ever encountered such rude chef. 2. Food: Its hibachi is just simply terrible. Eeverything tasted like soy source. We paid $60 something for the 2 people supreme combo which has lobster, steak, scallop, and chicken... yet everything tasted like soy source chicken. It was just a big waste of the good ingrediants. In short, they don't know how to cook. Oh, BTW, its sushi is just equally bad. Base on these 2 points above.... it is enough for me to rate it 1 star and never go back again.
(1)
Isabella C.
Love this place! It's the only Hibachi place in Boston and is amazing! The service is good. It's a bit pricey (~$25-$30pp) but its pretty average for hibachi and is totally worth it. Food is great!! I tried the scallops once an didn't think they were worth getting again. But I love the filet mignon, chicken and shrimps. Gyozo appetizers are also delicious.
(5)
Jamie H.
we went to osaka for restaurant week. everything was very good, and the portions were generous. i started with the garlic white tuna, which ended up being my favorite appetizer. it was seared well, spicy, and topped with tobiko. the money bags (crab rangoon) and rock shrimp were both light, crispy, and great starters as well. my fiance ordered the tuna dumpling, which was a little odd, but kind of good: it was a tuna "pouch" filled with avocado and crab - it may have benefited from a crispy texture to offset the mushiness. my entree was the chilean sea bass, which was absolutely delicious. each bite flaked perfectly, and the skin was crispy and flavorful. we also had the hibachi plate, which was huge! it was stocked with scallop, shrimp, lobster, filet, and grilled vegetables, and the rice was great too. my friend also ordered the sushi, which was very good. osaka is a great spot for a group. the hibachi tables are always fun, and the other options were excellent too. looking forward to going again!
(4)
J. L.
I went to OSAKA for the first time last night and it was fabulous! Fantastic menu, great for kids, and a lot of fun! We went for hibachi. It was a Wednesday night and pretty busy! I can only imagine what the place looks like on the weekends. I would asume you need a reservation to get in at a reasonable time. The hibachi menu here is great. It's $21 (give or take) per person. This includes a house salad, rice, veggies, whatever you choose for your main meal (I chose shrimp...yum!), and of course the fun experience of them cooking all your food in front of you! This is definitely my new favorite hibachi place! And I love the location...right in Coolidge Corner!
(4)
K K.
Tough to review this place. We had reservations at 7:30 PM and when we arrived the line was out of the door full of people with "reservations." By 8:00 PM they hadn't seated the 6:15 reservation crowd. After waiting for almost an hour we left and won't be coming back. Poor customer service! I can't say anything about the food because we never actually got to eat!
(1)
Kristen D.
A solid 3.5. Went for the 1st time back in February and enjoyed it, so went back this past weekend, it was my bf's birthday and he wanted hibachi. The restaurant is very nice inside and pretty spacious. I got chicken and he got the filet. Hibachi dinners come with a small house salad w their delicious ginger dressing, fried rice and hibachi veggies. I love the "yummy yummy" sauce (mayo based deliciousness). BF enjoyed the filet, said it was tender and cooked well. My chicken was very good too, especially dipped in some yummy yummy sauce. The fried rice was OK, I think it could have been cooked a little bit longer. I told the hibachi chef that I did NOT like sake, but he proceeded to squirt it in my mouth anyway. wasn't happy about that, the taste of sake makes me want to puke. He did not put on a very good "show," probably because it was earlier and we were the only 2 at the table. We witnessed other tables getting a much more lively show. II had a lychee martini which was very good, crisp and sweet. I also had the mai tai, which was 1 of the best I've ever had, it wasn't overly sweet ,as most are. The cocktails were $9. We lucked out and got street parking, but it's a short walk from the T and I believe they also offer valet after 9. Overall, we went back and will probably go back again because it is the only hibachi restaurant in Boston.
(3)
Mary Ann L.
Great food.....great service....great evening......great price....great value......
(5)
J G.
Nice variety of rolls including unique and standard. The atmosphere was quite and comfortable. The prices were pretty standard and service was good. I ate here twice on a business trip which is unusual and about as high a complement I can give.
(4)
Molly K.
I should preface this by saying I'm a pretty darn easy going customer. Almost all grievances can be mended by putting something yummy in front of my face. But my experience at Osaka was just too negative to go un-written-about. My boyfriend and I were hoping to try out the new pizza place down the street on a Sunday evening (about 7pm). But since it just opened in the past couple of weeks, the waits are still long. We decided to go a couple doors down to Osaka. We sat on the sushi side (the restaurant is split - hibachi on the left, regular tables on the right) and chose 5 rolls - spicy tuna, spicy salmon, green river, kamikaze, and flying fish row. The wait for our food was longer than usual. As all but the flying fish row arrived, the waiter said it was a "busy night". The sushi side was only about half full, if that. I can't imagine the wait on a Friday or Saturday night. We had finished the first four rolls and were waiting for quite some time before one of the waiters finally realized we were still waiting on the roe. More time passed. And then some more. Another waiter checked on us. No roe. We did finally receive our itty bitty fish eggs. Aside from the waiting, there were some other downsides. The sushi was nothing special. They weren't made all that well - they seemed loose and kind of mushy with uneven ingredients (way too much avocado, etc). And then there was the screaming. I get that hibachi is a fun time. Who doesn't love watching someone older than 3 throw food around? But sitting on the sushi side unable to hear anything but the patrons and chefs from the other side shouting and screaming is akin to chaperoning a chuck-e-cheese birthday party. There isn't enough sake in the world.
(2)
Marisol V.
it was the bomb..pricey but the bomb
(5)
Alison N.
overall great restaurant. chefs are entertaining and food is delightful!
(5)
Tracy T.
This place is best suited for groups of friends getting sloshed on sake and scrumptious fried rice. I came here with a group for a birthday and it was full of hijinks including each getting our own embarrassing nicknames, lots of yelling and bantering, our waiter hitting on my boyfriend repeatedly and getting sake squirted into your mouth with a condiment bottle. If that didn't make me feel like a farm animal, I don't know what will! Everything was timed perfectly, the food came out amazing and so delicious. I would totally go back just for the sake experience. On my own. On a Tuesday. Morning.
(4)
Matt C.
Hibachi is by its nature a fun and social experience and OSAKA does a great job fulfilling that objective. Went with a group of 8 on a Saturday night and the service was top notch. Between the free squirts of sake and the knife show on display everyone had a great time. The food is a little pricy, but the entertainment is worth the extra $$$.
(4)
Moe B.
This is the sister restaurant of my FAVORITE sushi restaurant. I recently moved out to the Boston area from Western Mass (Springfield area) where the other location is. My boyfriend heard good things about this place so we went, seeing as sushi is my favorite food. I thought it funny that this place had the same name as my favorite restaurant back home, but didn't really think twice about it. Even when I recognized the manager, it didn't really register with me. Then I saw the other location on the menu. Rather funny! In any case, this location holds the exact same quality and tastiness as the Osaka back home. We had quite a few rolls and some toro. It was all amazing and delicious. Just like in the other location, the service was prompt, polite, friendly, and wonderful. I'm very excited to have my favorite restaurant so close by!
(5)
Kelsey F.
After hearing that Osaka had just opened I decded to check it out and stay local for my birthday. There were about 10 of us so had a whole hibachi grill to ourselves. The restaurant is really nice with a clean, modern, and intimate feel. We all started with drinks - which are definitely not cheap but worth it. I tried the lychee martini - it was so delicious that I may just come back for this! The wait staff was a bit slow getting us our drinks but I guess there were 10 of us! All of the food was really good. Most of us got the beef and chicken hibachi dinners. The chef was okay...he did some tricks but I saw others being alot more interactive. I think I had higher expectations but I would definitley give it another shot....maybe with a smaller group!
(3)
Natalie K.
We went there for a hibachi dinner. The show is entertaining, the food is too salty because of soy sauce on everything. The specialty rolls are awesome though. We got the toma roll, which was so fresh and delicious that there is no need to dunk it in soy and wasabi. We also ordered a straight up martini, the waitress asked me to write it down on her pad cause she didn't know what that means.
(2)
Natalia T.
I was really surprised to see so many negative reviews about this place! We went there on a Wednesday night at around 6pm. We got a table right away. All the wait staff was super nice. We had a groupon from Guilt City for $65 dinner. We had: Tuna dumplings - VERY good, fresh tuna and avocado, it was our favorite. Sex on a beach roll - it was good, interesting .. definitely haven't tried anything like this before. Foxy lady - delicious roll! Lamb chops - yummy, fresh and very well done. We enjoyed our dinner, and service. Originally we wanted to try hibachi, but given all the negative reviews about it, not sure anymore ;(( there's a nice "clubby" room downstairs, I bet this place is hopping on the weekends!
(5)
Megan B.
I went here last Saturday with a big group for 2 friends birthdays and was not that impressed. We had a great time, but it had nothing to do with the entertainment from our chef. I've been to hibachi grills before and had an amazing time with strangers sitting at my table, so the fact that our Chef was not very entertaining even with a big group was disappointing. Food was delicious, but a bit over priced. If there were more hibachi restaurants in Boston, I probably wouldn't come back.
(3)
Jessica S.
Went here last night for a friend's birthday with a total of 9 people in our group. Great meal! I got the vegetable Hibachi dinner but sampled some salmon and chicken hibachi as well. The only thing I would ask to change is clarifying that ordering the "vegetable hibachi" just means receiving more vegetables than those who order chicken, salmon, steak, etc. I assumed I would be receiving different veggies in addition to the ones that came with the meal. Great restaurant for a birthday celebration! Top things about Osaka: #1. Fried rice: When ordering a Hibachi dinner, fried rice is included and cooked right in front of the group. So delicious! #2. Hibachi salmon dinner: cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing! #3. Waiters/Chefs/Staff: Very friendly, willing to accommodate, and great at interacting with guests!
(4)
Justin P.
Osaka fills a niche by straddling the line between expensive and reasonable that few restaurants manage in Coolidge Corner. For a group over 4, the Hibachi Grill is an absolute must. You can go with fewer but each grill seats 8-9 people so you could be paired with strangers. When the sake shooters start flowing...you may want to know who you are sitting with. For about 22.95 a person, the entrees are plentiful and include friend rice (made on the grill while you watch) and vegetables. The chefs all have huge personalities and are a mixture of nearly every stereotype you can imagine. Its more endearing than offensive as they get everyone at the table laughing. I'd recommend making a reservation solely because I cannot imagine not having one for a group that large. My group of 9 waiting nearly 40minutes WITH a reservation on a Saturday night and the man running the front of the house seemed confused and overwhelmed. I hate to admit it was worth the wait but it was. Bring your patience.
(4)
Carrie P.
I decided to branch out from Genki Ya and try another sushi place in Coolidge Corner. While looking, my roommate and I stumbled into this place. What I enjoyed the most about this place was the departure from the normal sushi options. My roommate and I split 3 rolls, and it was a little much for the two of us, as they gave us complimentary miso soup right after we ordered. The food came out very promptly considering it was 6pm on a Thursday. The service was good, nothing to complain about, and the price was incredibly reasonable. I would come here again for the variety, but nothing else blew me away. A solid and average meal.
(3)
Ricky R.
OSAKA in Brookline has bomb ass sushi. I'm a sushi snob and eat it at least once a week. The atmosphere is great as well. Parking is a bitch and the rolls are about 12-15 bucks... Got 6 rolls and 3 drinks with my lady and spent $125.. I'd def come back here for sushi. Don't listen to anyone saying this place sucks. They suck and don't know sushi...
(4)
Brynne L.
Osaka's food is excellent! It's a manageable portion with a wide selection from which to choose. The hibachi is SO MUCH FUN especially with a large group. The chefs have eclectic personalities and our entire table was roaring with laughter about two minutes into the meal. Excellent experience once we had been seated!!!!!!! If this review was based solely on food, it would have 5 stars. It loses two stars for me because it is so horribly run and managed, it becomes nearly not worth it. Our party of 9 (yes, large, but Hibachi caters to and attracts big groups) waited 45 minutes and we HAD A RESERVATION. Our reservation was for 7:30 and we weren't even seated until 8:15. The man who appeared to be running the front desk and reservations and arrivals could not have been more clueless and incompetent in dealing with his overwhelming crowd. There were about 3 other parties of 8+ people crammed in the entry way asking why they weren't seated when they had reservations for nearly 30 minutes ago. It was literally a disaster and I was shoved into a plant while the crowd continued to grow and servers attempted to get by. Osaka MUST rework how they approach their management and reservations. They clearly overbooked their hibachi but having seemingly no limit to the number of reservations available. Dear Manager, reservations are to reserve tables, not simply there for the heck of it. It's not to put your name in when you arrive, as we so experienced. Overall, three stars. The food makes it worth it but your patience will be tested. Best of luck.
(3)
Zak B.
This is probably my most frequented restaurant. I would say I average going there about 3 or 4 times a month. The sushi is amazing. I could eat it every day. The atmosphere is nice and I like to go downstairs and eat at the bar occasionally. I have never tried the hibachi, live chef thing. That's not my style.
(5)
Alyssa F.
This place is delicious!! Their hibachi filet and scallops are out of this world, as are the fried rice, salad, scorpion bowls, and everything else. The chefs are so much fun. Their karaoke bar downstairs could use a bit more selection, but the chocolate martini is absolutely incredible. Definitely a fun night out!
(5)
Sarah L.
Hands down the best teppanyaki/hibanchi what ever you want to call it I've been to. Had spicy tuna maki to start- have had better but still wasn't bad. Our dinners were great. I had perfectly cooked scallops and I get cranky when they're not. The sake bit was fun, and I was happy to partake in catching zucchini in my mouth. It was just plain ole fun and a great meal. We went in on a Friday night around 6:30 or so and were seated immediately. Really, give it a shot.
(5)
Megan N.
The only good thig here was the hibachi. Te fried ice was good but the sushi was very very bad. Do not order the sushi. I got the tuna on the taco and it was very gross fish that was not fresh and stringy.
(3)
Mabel L.
Went with a friend on New Year's. I've had teppanyaki before (Hibachi here is NOT really hibachi. Wiki it up!) in other places, but at this time of writing, no other places close to Boston have this. So when I saw this, I really had to give this a try. While waiting for the hibachi chef to arrive, we had sushi and sake. The sushi that was served was fresh and firm, and I find sushi of this quality rare in Boston, or at least in places where you'd pay an arm and a leg for them. That would have given this place a 5-star rating from me. The mood-killer for me was the hibachi/teppanyaki. The food was very salty, and I think it was because the chef laid on the soy sauce with wild abandon. Many glasses of water are necessary, if you want to pursue this meal. The meats came out well. Juicy chicken breast is not easy to achieve and he did a great job with my salmon. The vegetables were okay, the fried rice was very wet, salty and disappointing. The chef was, as hibachi chefs should be, very entertaining and had crowd tricks to show off. I wasn't entirely amused, as I found him a little pushy with tricks that involved us. Catching cucumbers with your mouth is normal. Squirting sake into an open mouth till you choke is something else. I'm sure that this will be a hit with college students though.
(3)
Jennifer T.
Came here on a weeknight, so plenty of seating. You get a choice of either sitting on the hibachi side if you want the chef to cook in front of you, or the right side for regular dining. The place has a nice atmosphere, seems like a place to go on a date. The sushi was expensive, but they definitely didnt skimp on the meat, and the presentation was nice. After giving us our food, the waitstaff never came to check up on us. I waiver between giving this a 3 or 4 stars...food was good, but pricey, nice atmosphere, but for how quiet it was, you'd think there'd be better service.
(3)
Jill G.
Love this place for good Japanese food around Boston- really good service. The food is moderately priced and the huge portions are great. Cool atmosphere. The shrimps and scallops are huge and fresh!
(4)
Stephanie T.
After my travels to New York and Chicago, I am back in Brookline and Osaka was the first place I came to. I have been wanting to come by for the longest time and surprise! Gilt City were selling vouchers to this very place! SUCCESS!!! I made my reservation and came in for a hibachi dinner. I have never done hibachi before so I have nothing to compare to, but for my first experience, I had a great time. Even though it wasn't that crowded they knew how to put on a show. They threw broccoli at me and I caught it with my mouth...they definitely aim though because I know I wouldn't have been able to do that on any random night. Regardless, I appreciated the ego boost! The food was delicious! I ended up taking some home because there was a lot. the lobster was great, the steak was great, it was all great. Definitely coming back to try the sushi, this time in the dining room.
(4)
Z Y.
This place makes me so happy! I went to college in Western Mass and after that I moved back to the Boston area. One of the things I really missed was getting a delicious sushi dinner there in NoHo with friends during the weekends, or going there for hibachi sake debauchery with a huge group for birthdays (my friends still remember the chef exclaiming "MORE SAKE MORE HAPPY"). It was definitely my favorite restaurant in that small eccentric town. I eat a LOT of sushi, so when I first discovered it, I was ecstatic. Fresh artfully made sushi in Western Mass? Sweet. Their decor in Northampton reminded me a little of Fugakyu. Really pretty. Then, as if my wishes were answered, I found out that there was an Osaka that had just opened in Brookline. Yes!!!!!! I went there for lunch and it tasted just as good as I remembered it to be. Delicious, creative combinations of sushi with a beautiful presentation. The only thing that was way different was their decor. They went with a sleek modern design with this place, and there's a completely different color scheme. I was a bit surprised to see the negative reviews. I guess this place has a different audience in Boston/Brookline. I'd say that it's definitely a great place for large groups or parties, and if you're feeling like having unique, pleasantly surprising, fusion combinations of sushi. I really like the ocean mix and tuna tartars, hot lover roll, and samurai roll. Since I haven't been as much to this new location, I'll update again the next time I visit.
(5)
Alex J.
Just mediocre. Leave this one alone.
(1)
Ling C.
I absolutely loved this place. Their sushi is the best. You can always find the freshest ingrediants in osaka. Tomo, hidden dragon and foxy lady are tasted amazing. They always can suprised you with their special rolls. The price is worse for the food that you get. I will definity recommend this place.
(5)
Reza H.
The steak was pretty amazing, the meat just melts in your mouth. Would recommend sitting on the stake house side to get the full experience.
(3)
Helmut S.
I have been to this place once for dinner and twice for lunch. The experience was good, but not great. The most memorable observation is from the dinner experience. I was having excellent sushi with my daughters, while people were still lining up for the tepanyaki tables. We listened to a conversation in the line: somebody observed that the place was actually run by Chinese, not Japanese. One girl then commented: well, Japan is just like a part of China, an outlying island. Japan and China are like Sicily and Italy. Same people. Nearly same language. Brilliant insight.
(4)
Kaitlin D.
Sooooo good! And so fresh! The bento boxes are huge and made fresh to order. Would've liked more eel in the lunch bento box, but what can you do.
(4)
Theodore Y.
The coworkers and I came here on a Wednesday Night for some sake bombing and some fun. Lee was our Hibachi grill master and he was the man. Ooh-ed and aah-ed our table with his comedic antics while cooking our food. He squeezed sake down my "big boobied" coworkers shirt and he conned the nick name "sake boy" for me because I managed a 26 second sake count (they squirt sake into your mouth via ketchup bottles). The experience was an overall hit. Service was attentive but it often took what seemed like 5 minutes to come back with our ordered beer. All 9 of us got the Hibachi food items which tasted amazing, but what doesn't when lathered and cooked in butter, and generous amounts of oil and soy sauce.
(4)
Ashley L.
Went here on a Saturday night for hibachi. I had more fun watching the other tables as our chef wasn't into it as much as the others, but it was still a fun experience. The food was not that great, but the drinks were strong and delicious. If you're looking for a different dinner experience, definitely make reservations. I will be going back to try the full restaurant side as some of the sushi and appetizers going to other people at our table looked great.
(3)
Libby L.
This is our 2nd time here for a birthday dinner on New Year's Day - came back exactly 1-year ago. The host was very friendly and seated us quickly however we had to wait at least 20-30 mins for the waitress/ chef even though we had the entire table. The waitress did not fluently speak english and kept making mistakes w/ our order. Osaka Supreme for 2 (includes all the meats & seafood) - very flavorful and cooked to our liking except for the filet. We asked for rare - he cooked it medium but it was tender enough that we didn't mind. Kobe Beef - too much sauce - the beef was soaked in it so it didn't have much flavor. Eel Sashimi - was a bit on the bitter side. Gyoza - very good. ** Probably will not be coming back next year. Food was good but not great. But depends as the sushi pics looked good.
(3)
Ruchi B.
Great food, ambience & awesome hibachi cooking! They drizzle saki right into your mouths!!:) cool experience!! Good for vegetarians too. Parking is a bit hard to find but do make reservations on weekends!
(4)
Marie-frances R.
My boyfriend and I went last night for a nice new years eve dinner and we weren't disappointed, the five rolls we got we're all so gorgeous looking. My favorite was Lover's roll - I've never had anything like this! It was wrapped with a pink soybean wrapper and filled with avocado and spicy tuna, it was slightly sweet and super yummy. All the rolls we had were fresh and i you are a carpaccio fan, my boyfriend got a couple of wagyu beef rolls which he enjoyed. The restaurant has been open for only a couple of months at this point, so everything is super clean and the decor is fresh. I almost gave Osaka a four, but really when you add up the tasty food, speedy and pleasant service and the decor - its definitely a five!
(5)
Dave F.
Through some brilliant hibachi cooking of extremely fresh food, our chef pulled off a comeback we did not think was possible after eating our salad course. If you're patient enough to get through front-of-house chaos, mixed-up service, and boring salad, you won't be disappointed by the fresh flavor and fun that awaits once your chef takes over. Our night at Osaka did not start off well. We weren't seated until thirty minutes after our reservation time. The scene in front was absolute chaos. When we were finally seated at a hibachi table, one of our fellow diners was in a fighting mood, yelling at my fiancee to scoot down using words I can't repeat here, despite there being no room to do so. After this near brawl and a lackluster salad, our spirits were not high, and our patience was wearing thin. We were thinking of going someplace else. Thank God we didn't. Things started turning around after I started drinking some delicious cold sake. Our hot-headed friend cooled off and kept quiet. Then the chef arrived. The food was outstanding. Scallops, shrimp, chicken, beef -- all noticeably fresh, perfectly seasoned, and entertainingly prepared. I've eaten at hibachi restaurants before, but I've never had it cooked so perfectly. My fiancee had never had scallops before. This meal turned her into a believer. In between preparing dishes, our chef spiced things up and squirted sake into everyone's mouth. Normally, I'd write this off as a cheap stunt, but it was fun, it lightened the mood at the table, and tasted really good. Hopefully, once Osaka gets more settled in, its front-of-house staff can keep things running smoothly. Maybe Osaka will even make its salad a little more interesting. But even if they don't, we'll definitely be back -- a little nonsense at the beginning is a small price to pay for such a delicious meal.
(4)
Craig M.
The Wife and I went here for our last real night out as a single couple (before the birth of our son). Yelp helped us select this gem and we were so appreciative of it! The location was just off the main "drag" in Brookline. We snagged a parking spot just across the street from the restaurant (otherwise it would have been a pain. We arrived around 6pm and what looked to be just before the main push for dinner on a Wednesday night. We elected to do Hibachi over the standard dinner option. The Hibachi chef was very exuberant and lively - almost to his detriment. (Would have been good for a crowd of 8-10 but it was early and just us at the grill/table so he probably could have toned it down just a bit.) The food was cooked well but lacked the seasoning we had previously seen and been used to at a Hibachi steak place. He used no butter and we saw no salt/pepper added to the food - just alot of rice vinegar. The meat and vegetables were cooked wonderfully though, so that sort of helped make up the seasoning. (the only reason I didn't give a 5 star though) One thing that did irritate my wife was the chef giving a portion of her steak and shrimp entree to me (and not giving her any of my chicken). I understood her position, but hey - I benefited so I can't really be upset. I will say - the sushi I had for an appetizer was FANTASTIC! I tried a Japanese Fusion roll called the American Tango - Hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. Like Heaven in my mouth!! You will enjoy the food and the experience if you give this place a try - we will be going back!
(4)
Emily W.
The first time I went to Osaka, I was with a group of 5 people. We made reservations, used the valet parking, and were seated on time at a hibachi table upstairs. It was a lot of fun and the food was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon, which comes with vegetable fried rice and three shrimp...and don't forget all the sake that your chef gives you/shoots all over your shirt. The second time I went to Osaka, I booked a surprise party for my boyfriend for 15 people initially. I ended up calling back about three times to add more and more people, and the staff was accommodating every time. We had a very close call- the guests who were seated at our reserved table stayed almost 45 minutes longer than anticipated. Yikes! I understand that's not the restaurant's fault, though. The staff helped keep the surprise through that and made sure my boyfriend didn't know that it wasn't just a party of 2, but a party of 20. I'm not sure why there was no valet- I didn't understand if it was just that night or if the restaurant got rid of the service entirely. I wish they had it that night for sure. We were all seated at one large hibachi table (2 chef stations) downstairs in a private room and it was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon again, as did my boyfriend, and they gave us our entrees and a birthday dessert free of charge. The food was very tasty yet again. Considering how...excited...our friends can get, Osaka did an excellent job serving, cooking, and entertaining us, as well as helping me out with the surprise and reservations! I'll be back!
(4)
Angel M.
Kind of glamorous for green street. Open for about a week. Creepy downstairs dungeon bar where you are not allowed to sit AT the bar, only close to it, apparently they are working on licencsure. Cool wood panelling. Friendly staff. Giganto menu. All the above was written on my phone whilst waiting for my friend. Okay, so, we ordered from the hibachi menu, though I dont know what makes a hibachi place a hibachi place technically. I think that was my first time at the hibachi table. Our chef Eddie was very funny and very personable, though, I feel like half of the tricks involved slamming the spatula down really fast. That was kind of annoying. He did the usual fare, balancing raw eggs, throwing food in your mouth (wasnt very good at it, but I was), volcano fire using an onion, ermmm....the rice was good, the vegetables were actually cut awkwardly so some were cooked more than others, and my squid was squiditch like. I would say it wasnt too expensive. I just stumbled upon it, literally, I was walking in the rain with Gene Kelley and I almost ran into a guy holding a sign for the brand new Osaka, so then I felt all awkward and he all pointed at it and whateva, I started with a BBC beer. I do have to say though, the decor was pretty awesome.
(3)
Dani S.
Overall pretty good. It's a pretty big menu, which can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending how patient and how decisive you are. The atmosphere is ok, it's clean, which is always a plus, and the waitstaff are fairly attentive. Some of the dishes are a little small for the amount they charge you in my opinion, but otherwise worth a try.
(4)
David P.
Above average sushi in a nice, modern looking restaurant. Rolls were not rolled well and fell apart fairly easily. They tasted pretty good. Sashimi was good.
(3)
Sarah A.
I'm not going to lie, when this place first opened I was a little skeptical. Keep in mind this place is not "authentic" by any means! It is owned and run by people who are not Japanese which I'm pretty sure is typical for "Hibachi" restaurants. A little trivia for those that love hibachi, the grill that they cook your food on is actually called a "Teppanyaki". Hibachi is a charcoal grill but I think they gave Teppanyaki that name because it's easier to pronounce. AAAANYWAY. I went in for dinner with a few of my friends and it was suuuper loud like all the other reviews have said. However, their sushi is really yummy and their food is great! I don't plan on going there for dinner anymore ever since discovering their AWESOME lunch menu (and they deliver woohooooo!) you can get a Filet Mignon hibachi lunch (comes with the vegetables and delicious fried rice and their *special sauce) for only $12.95! It is soooooo good. You can also get sushi lunch specials where you can choose 2 of their fancy rolls (most places that do sushi lunch specials you can only choose from the basic roll menu) and I think that's also like 12.95? Anyway, very awesome lunch deals and really great food. If they can improve their "hibachi performance" I'd give them a 5!
(4)
Janie S.
I love this place. I do. My friends know I have a thing for sushi. We are kind of an "item", but I'm very hard on my sushi squeezes. OSAKA is good, very good. Its not my true love but its convenient to me and makes for an ideal quickie during the week.
(4)
Ashleigh P.
People that have given Osaka bad reviews are crazy. I'll be the first to admit that I looked at the menu online and saw that the prices were a little high, but after dining here on Saturday night, I more than got what I paid for. First of all, the portions are huge. I split a sushi roll and a vegetable hibachi with my friend, and he can eat A LOT. Another friend took half of her filet hibachi home. The other girl gave one of her two salmon fillets to her boyfriend...and he already had two chicken breasts. So far, you can read into this: huge portions. Next, the food was delicious. I mean, really, really good. The presentations were also very nice. Finally, our hibachi chef, Peter, was hilarious. He did many more tricks than we expected. That was great, but he also had a fantastic personality. Some hibachi chefs are like robots, but none of the people we saw here were like that. Our dinner had us roaring with laughter, the food was good, and I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back. We split it 5 ways, $32 per person, including tax and tip. We had 4 hibachi dishes, a sushi roll, 3 orders of soup, a salad to go, and 2 desserts. That's not bad, if you ask me.
(4)
Becca M.
I am a Tuna Lover!!!!! Perfect! :)
(4)
Bill R.
Food: Best tasting sushi period. I cannot stress enough at how good the sushi is here; I wish i could give it more stars. I got the sushi deluxe plate with a Rainbow roll and both were exquisite. Usually when I get a sushi dinner elsewhere, there's always 1 or 2 pieces that I don't really like because of their 'fishy' taste but that was not the case with Osaka; I thoroughly enjoyed every piece of sushi on the plate. Price: I've had comparable sushi in the past but it was twice as expensive. Osaka is on the pricey'ish side but you definitely get the best bang for your buck here. Atmosphere: As far as the atmosphere goes, it's nice but has it's short comings. It almost seems a bit too nice given the surrounding area. They have a strange area in the basement with bar that just seems out of place. Their location in North Hampton, MA has a more homey feel which I preferred to the more trendy feel of the Brookline location. If I were to recommend a sushi restaurant to a friend, Osaka would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.
(5)
Qing C.
I have to say I am a very picky customer but I really enjoyed my dining experience at Osaka. I heard of this sushi place from my friend and I decided to go with my family. we sat at the sushi side not the Hibachi side. I love sushi a lot and i tried many Japanese restaurants, Osaka has the best sushi i ever had.I have tried the Tomo Roll which a lot of people recommended and I definitely have to recommend it again. We ordered few other rolls(Nobu, Hidden Drogen, Foxy Lady and Godzila) and we all love it. The environment is great with the soft music and lights. The place is clean and the service is excellent. The food coming up very fast, we didnt have to wait for long. The waitress who served us is very nice and attentive. Everthing I experienced in Osaka is outstanding, I had a great time and I will be back and try Hibachi next time. Osaka definitely worse 5 stars.
(5)
Angela L.
I really wanted to like this place, and so gave it a second try after the first horrible experience a few months ago. This time was no different. 1. The waitress did not know the menu. I wanted the donburi that is listed on their online menu, but didn't see it on the in-restaurant menu. I asked the waitress if they have donburi- she gave me a blank stare and said she doesn't think they have it. Either you know your menu or you do not. 2. Order of edamame came to our table by mistake. 3. My friend and I split the check, but her credit card got charged twice, while mine did not get charged at all. They have overall way too much staff milling around the front reception area. Nobody seems to know what they are doing and running into each other. No thanks. Never again. Hope you got my message with the awful tip we left you.
(1)
Tiffany T.
I brought my friend here for her birthday and we were so pleased! First off, every employee recognized her birthday,offered sake shots, etc. Our hibachi chef was very fun and kept us so involved in the whole process. The food was fresh and tasty. When the bill came they had comped her dinner for her birthday, Would definitely return!
(5)
Lisa C.
Osaka will impress you. Tonight's their grand opening, so my husband and I anticipated glitches that are inherent with opening day. We met the owners, Mark and Paul, right away since they were smack dab at the front door. Really nice guys who definitely have their acts together. We had a seat at a table instead of at the hibachi, and you're immediately struck by the cool, contemporary and beautiful restaurant design. No loud music, so you can hear your own conversations, is a big plus. Waitstaff was plentiful and attentive, and menus and drinks came quickly. We ordered shrimp/veggie tempura and seaweed salad as appetizers. Tempura arrived HOT and crisp, and batter was different from others I've tried - very, very light and super fresh. They also had different veggie types in the tempura that I haven't seen in anywhere else - eggplant and taro root are two of them to definitely try! Seaweed salad was crisp and clean, with great flavor infused with sesame oil - one of my faves! My husband raves about their Bento Box #1. What? They have Bento boxes for dinner?!? Damn right, they do, and it's quite a deliciously substantial meal. Box #1 has ALL of hubby's favorites that he would have had to order separately anywhere else - chicken teriyaki, more shrimp/veggie tempura, California maki. I had the Sushi Special and the fish was super, super fresh and very ample portions. Presentation of the dishes was really beautiful, too, but more delicious. There were six sushi chefs, and their sushi bar provided a dividing wall that separated the teppanyaki (yup, that's the correct term for hibachi dining) seating from the rest of the dining tables. The hibachi side was PACKED with diners who were definitely yukking it up, probably over their dinner preps. I'll definitely be back to try it. Hubby's a Mr. Sushi fan, and I'm a Genki-Ya fan. Osaka, you seriously beat both, and where else can you get teppanyaki in Brookline?!?! The Brookline location's menu is different from their Northampton restaurant, so I'm looking forward to osakabrookline.com to be up and running so I can decide in advance what I want. I would definitely return, my hubby's got a new favorite Coolidge Corner restaurant, and you should check it out too.
(5)
Brian P.
definitely has an 'osaka' vibe to it in terms of decor/ambiance. good job. it's like i got sent back to the edo period.. Went for Lunch special. got beef teriyaki lunch box, friend got salmon teriyaki. server didn't know what donburi is. what? maybe that's why ethnic restaurants should hire people that know the language.. or even foods now i recommend the teriyaki if you like to NOT get a savory teriyaki taste with it. my beef teriyaki SAUCE was reminescent of store bought (kikkoman) teriyaki sauce.. but diluted.. and a hint of blood. maybe the blood was from the beef? it was steak-y .. and medium to well-done. miso soup is good. the salad was ok. i like the dressing more robust, but it was not. water is delicious. the sushi rolls were good. wasabi and soysauce = good. shumai was ok. kind of sweet. a good helping of cooked onions with the beef. this place is MEH to A-OK. for lunch box. can't speak for anything else on the menu!
(3)
Leigh L.
AMAZING!! My boyfriend and I went on a Wednesday night. Not many people there and we got there at 7. We ordered the Lotus Bowl (like a scorpion bowl but better!) and chicken tempura. The tempura and drink came fast and they were delicious! We had Eddy and he was the funniest, loudest, most interesting guy I've ever had at a hibachi grill! So interactive and you could tell he loved his job! Loved the "free" sake being poured into your mouth (have to experience to understand). Had the steak and scallops and they were beyond delicious. I would absolutely recommend going as often as you can! Not too expensive but amazing service and entertainment! Can't say enough good things about this place!
(5)
Anna I.
My friend kindly invited me out to a meal using her coupon for a pre fix meal for two with Sake, appetizer, shared main course and dessert. This was my second time there after having lunch. The atmosphere is nice and the decorations are good. We did not like the glare from the window that bothered my friend as the sun was setting. The sake they served was delicious. As we were perusing the menu of the set meal, we had problems figuring out the different entree choices. The indentation and lack of clarity made for interesting and a bit time consuming process trying to order. I had to bust out in Mandarin (I heard him speak Mandarin to other server) to tell him maybe fix the menu to cause less confusion. I felt bad that when he explained to us, it still was not clear. In the end we got the white tuna appetizer and the hibachi main entree. The White Tuna appetizer was seared white tuna in a yummy yuzu sauce topped by black caviar. One of my faves of the night. (It doesn't hurt I am a big fan of white tuna too.) Since my friend is not an adventurous eater and usually eats not alot of meat it was an interesting choice getting the hibachi as there was chicken, shrimp, beef, scallop and lobster (she dislikes lobster). I liked the fried rice and the sauce was nothing to write home about with the meat and seafood. As with hibachi, not everything is cooked evenly and though the beef was perfect the chicken, scallop and lobster were a bit overcooked. For the finale, we opted for the mochi ice cream. The presentation was pretty with 3 mochis of different flavors halved (vanilla, green tea and red bean?) were placed with a chocolate drizzled design and whipped cream. My dinner companion disliked the chocolate as it changed the taste. There were some hits---the White Tuna and Sake. The server was nice and attentive just his ability to explain the choice offerings and the lack of clarity in the menu did not help. We did like the decor of the place. Very big and we were seated in the front area by the hostess stand. There is an area downstairs and bar in the back as well as Hibachi area. The food for the main entree a bit over cooked save for the beef and I did like the egg in my rice. My friend was not keen on the chocolate with the mochi. Since there are a ton of Japanese restaurants in the Brookline area there is fierce competition. I have yet to try their makis so I cannot write about it.
(2)
Stan D.
Went here on valentines day, it was busy and we didn't get our seat until about 10 minutes after our reservation, at around 7:10. Food was great and servers were all very polite/friendly/ awesome.
(5)
Sarah A.
A very welcome addition to the Coolidge Corner neighborhood. My friend and I visited Osaka last Friday night for a hibachi dinner. I routinely pass by Osaka on my way home from work around 6 pm and it never seems all that crowded, so I figured we didn't need a reservation. However, when we arrived at 7:30, the place was packed. Thankfully, however, we were quickly seated with another group who was just starting their meal at one of the hibachi tables. I love that so much is included with the hibachi dinners. First you start with a rather generous portion of "salad", which really, is more like a lot of romaine lettuce in a bowl with a sort of Japanese take on Russian dressing. The romaine was fresh, but, it would have been nice if they included some more veggies to make it more like a salad. Perhaps some cucumbers and tomatoes? But, I wasn't even expecting it, so it was okay. The hibachi chef did a lot of the typical hibachi tricks like the onion volcano, juggling of eggs and shooting sake in the mouthes of those who wanted to partake. I especially enjoyed the moment when he burst into a rendition of the Reel 2 Real hit "I Like to Move It". I think that was when he was scrambling the eggs for the fried rice.The portion of fried rice and shrimp was very generous. There were probably about 15 nice sized shrimps with the tails removed. All this for about $22. The staff was great refilling our water glasses and clearing our plates quickly. I also appreciated that they allowed us to linger a little bit after the hibachi chef had left and we had finished eating. However, they were prompt about taking our credit cards when we were ready to leave. I will definitely back for hibachi and I look forward to trying the sushi.
(4)
Thomas W.
I waited eagerly for this place to open last fall and went opening weekend with a group of friends. We had the chef Eddy, who has been our chef for over a year now, we always ask for him and will wait as long as it takes to make sure he is our chef he is amazing, crazy, and lots of fun. Some of the reviews on here are god awful lame people who don't know what fun is. You are going to a place where the f'ing cook in front of you, it's a show, it's entertaining, and going to be loud, GET OVER IT OR DON'T GO! They will toss food at you, and squirt you w saki, this is what they do... again if you're a little baby, then go over to the sushi side of it instead and stop whining. If you want to have fun while eating dinner w a group of friends, this place is for you! The bar downstairs is amazing too and I heard they are expanding it into a bigger area to do karaoke and music/DJing... The food is delish I've done hibatchi and sushi side, and I love it all as do all my friends I've brought here... again DO NOT go here if you are boring and have no sense of fun...
(5)
Kevin C.
Ok i have been here pleanty of times and was great, this time we sat outside of hibachi. i was really hankering for a steak yea i know japanese and steak but they call them self's a "steak house" and there be no steak on the menu and then the manager i could only assume when we asked about the menu we get waved off and told oh well leave. what great service ill never go back there again
(1)
Tara D.
Let me start by saying that I made a reservation for 8:00pm for 3 people. We didn't get seated until after 9:30pm. So for them to earn 4 stars means they REALLY redeemed themselves. 1. The manager was so apologetic for not being able to seat us on time, and compensated with two free rounds of drinks and free desserts. 2. The bartender downstairs was really friendly and gave my friends and I one of his "personally created" shots to try - on the house! 3. Dinner was a BLAST (Hibachi style). The food was delicious, and the hilarious chef was so much fun -- he had great aim shooting Sake into everyone's mouth (out of an empty diner-style ketchup bottle). This place gets really busy on weekend nights, so go early if you don't want to wait! Great food, great drinks, great night.
(4)
Macklin L.
Went here with my girlfriend for a valentines day dinner and it was awesome. I saw another hibachi place on google offers on sale and looked at yelp and it got bad reviews. But it gave me the idea of doing hibachi for valentines day. My girlfriend has never been before and from looking at the reviews of Osaka I knew it was going to be good. Out of any hibachi place, this was easily the most entertaining. They understand hibachi and understand how to put on a show. We ordered the meal for 2 which came with beef, chicken, scallops, shrimp, and lobster.. aka everything. It was pretty expensive but definitely worth it for valentines day and we got to try a little of everything and it made the "show" longer. He not only did the typical onion volcano but had a lot of other tricks and knife skills to show off. Food was great but a little salty. but its hibachi so its what you would expect. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends if you want to have some fun and I am definitely going to try the sushi next time.
(5)
Chelsea G.
Great atmosphere and the food is above average for a hibachi place!
(4)
Ian S.
It's the only hibachi in the Boston/Brookline around but I highly recommend it. Good food, great scorpion bowls. The cooks are a little loud and sometimes over do their routine.
(5)
S K.
Having been to hibachi-style restaurants before, Osaka did not sit high on my list. I went last week for hibachi-style dinner with 4 of my friends, so this review is only on the hibachi-room. First off, if you are planning to have a very rushed dinner, this is definitely the place to be. Our waiter greeted us to take our drink order about 30 seconds after being seated, which is not so bad. However, literally, 1 minute after we ordered drinks, the waiter wanted us to choose our entrees. Asking him to return 2 mins later, after we could get a chance to look at our menus, he rolled his eyes and sent another one of his staff to take our orders. The hibachi meal was rehearsed, and as some other reviewers stated, the chef didn't seem like he wanted to be there. As we were eating our meals, the staff kept coming to take our plates away (even though we clearly were still eating). So, if you decide to take a rest from your plate for more than 30 seconds, be weary, as the staff may take your plate away. All in all, I wasn't too impressed and won't be rushing to return for Hibachi dinner anytime soon.
(2)
Dave G.
Over-priced for what it is. The only hibachi restaurant in Brookline, but how often do you really go for hibachi? Fun place for a birthday group celebration though.
(2)
Sa T.
The best sushi I've ever had! Good price, good service and good drinks too. Highly recommend.
(5)
Jamie G.
We arrived 25 minutes early for our reservation, because last time they gave our table away after being 2 minutes late. So we were ushered down to the basement bar and forced to wait 30 minutes past our set reservation time. During which our party of 12 was sat then ask to get up because they made a mistake so back downstairs we went. When we were finally sat we were sat in the downstairs hibachi where the music was so loud we could not hear each other talk while we ate. I will never eat here again. The customer service was awful as well I had to reminder the host who I was and my party size multiple times. To finish off our experience it took our waitress 20 minutes to get us our checks. I will never eat here again! Too bad food was good thought this time it we would have a better experience, apparently not! Do not come here if your looking for good customer service!
(1)
Emily S.
I've been here for Hibachi twice and it was a lot of fun! The chefs are very entertaining and the service is good. The food is maybe a little better than your typical Hibachi. The fried rice is pretty incredible. As for drinks, my Mai Tai was good and they seem to have an extensive Sake list. There's a neat little bar/lounge area downstairs if you are waiting for a table or want to stick around for a drink after dinner.
(4)
D'Shai H.
Best food I've ever had in my life!! Changed my view of hibachi entirely. They also have an amazing birthday special ;)
(5)
Roseann B.
We love Hibachi and love trying Hibachi wherever we go, so after our arrival at Boston and a day at the Brewery we looked for a nearby place to eat. This was one of the only ones around, but 20 minutes or so away from our hotel. The little drive was definitely worth it. The decor was definitely a great part of the experience--my boyfriend loves anything Japanese. We noticed the surrounding tables were having a good time and we got really excited. We ordered the money bags as an appetizer, amazing choice. The guys at the hibachis are entertaining and funny, I think ours might have been new at this because he was a little quieter than the rest. Overall, this was a great dining experience and if we are in Boston again, we will definitely come back.
(5)
Whiterock R.
We went to the non-hibachi area. The dishes we ordered broiled eel and chilean sea bass tasted like they were cooked in syrup. Too sweet to be an entree. Too bad the description in the menu or the waitress did not tell us it was going to be that sugary. and it cost 22 dollars each. Sake was not great either. Overall wasted the evening.
(1)
Sarah H.
FUNfun experience round twoo.meet at the bar:DD
(5)
Anchalee M.
Food is average and overcooked. The show by the hibachi chefs seem forced. Not panning on going again.
(2)
Bernadette G.
We were looking for a place to go to after the Holiday Pops that would keep a nice night going on Christmas Eve. As you can imagine there are not a lot of places open and since it was a night for our parents we didn't just want to end up at some dive. When my sister mentioned Japanese Hibachi I found this place online. We were able to make reservations for 7 just hours before the show. Phew... Anyway, what seemed too good to be true was really fantastic. The chefs made balloon hats for the little kids at the next table and they loved it. The rolls were delicious and not a bite was left on the plate. The food cooked in front of us was divine! Not only was the service and food wonderful, they accommodated our Dad who has a heart condition by making his hibatchi order in the kitchen without the salt and soy sauce. He said it was delicious and even ate the vegetables, which is a rare feat in itself. We were extremely amused by the chef and loved when he tried to toss pieces of zuccinni in our mouths. He had great energy and skills, a definite must go and see if you are with a big group, a family with children of just the two of you. I doubt that you will be disappointed.
(5)
Nicole B.
sort of expensive but so much fun in a group!!
(4)
Alyssa B.
I loved this place the first time i came! excellent food! also yummy sauces as well! wasn't too crowded, went right in! BUT, made a reservation for valentine's day this year, for 8pm. I called on the same day and found it strange it was so easy to reserve for hibachi on valentines day. Parked, walked in there was a crowd of about 50-60people just at the front door!!!! I couldn't even get to the front to check in to the desk! Finally, as I managed to get to the front desk, I would told " Ill put your name down" and still was told to wait over an hour even having a reservation!!!! Once we realized it was after 8:30 and people were still waiting from the 7pm reservations..... I LEFT! really they should have managed this a lot better, rather than have someone answer the phone and say yes to the hundreds of people to call! unfortunately although I liked this place the first time, I won't be back after this experience!
(1)
B Y.
My friend and I were excited to try out this new restaurant in our neighborhood, but I'm not sure I would come back. Having been to a few teppanyaki (it's not "hibachi" as many people call it) places, I was disturbed by how noisy the chef's performed and how they sprayed sake into diners' mouths via a condiment bottle. It was all a bit too much. Food was decent, but a bit pricey for the portions served. A little less banging of the cooking utensils on the hotplate would have made the experience better. The restaurant itself had nice decor and bathrooms were clean. There are some private rooms for small parties and there is a separate dining room for non-teppanyaki diners. I'd opt for the non-teppanyaki side if you want to catch up with a friend.
(2)
Adriana C.
I love eating here and have been several times. The sushi is tasty, fresh and made up of unique combinations. The hibachi is fun, especially with a group of friends. The bar downstairs is a great place to meet up with friends....and the drinks are delicious. The waitstaff is very friendly and always attentive.
(5)
Val I.
Let me start by saying despite countless bad reviews on here I persisted - I had gone to the other Osaka location near my Alma Matar in western mass and always loved it: the show, the food, the sake. Fast forward many years later and it's my birthday along with 21 of my closest friends who came with me. We booked a reservation two weeks earlier and got to Osaka on time with our whole party. We waited over 90 minutes to be seated as did the numerous large parties who came before us, an 8 o'clock table of 16 was seated at 930, our 830 table was seated at 10pm. The staff lie and keep telling you 15 minutes and suddenly you realize multiple other groups of 10 to 28 are ahead of you and still hadn't been seated. Oh, other large parties are also yelling at the staff since this is the dirty trick they pull on big parties. Big parties who came at 9 and 930 were seated hours later as we witnessed, as well. After we got seated our chefs were lazy, no tricks that are mentioned on yelp nor the ones I saw in Northampton - the chefs (two of them for our 20+ person table) yelled "oh yeah" for 10 seconds, threw some broccoli at us, cooked and left. Folks go to hibachi for the show and food and half of that equation was missing. The food was pretty good but the service and management are terrible and the hibachi chefs sucked, no show PLUS he kept splattering food all over my girlfriends plate and missing it (half her food was dropped into the soy sauce dish) and I had a lot of sauce on my arm from his misfires. I ignored all of the bad reviews, I pushed back and said "no, Osaka will be great," but it was not - it ruined my birthday evening a bit and we will never return. You've been warned.
(2)
Jennifer D.
Absolutely love this place. Great food. Wonderful service. Slightly bias since I've been going to the one in Northampton forever. Very happy to have fantastic hibachi close by.
(5)
Lauren M.
Great service. I think they have the best miso soup I've ever had. The sushi was good and fresh but not exciting. It may be that we didn't do a great job with our selections. The sushi combo was a little boring, but the tuna rolls were huge- very generous. We also ordered a special (very modern) roll with mango in it. Too sweet for me. I would definitely give this place another shot, and I would like to try the habachi.
(4)
max r.
This is not a place you go for quality sushi. They have a lot of fancy rolls where lack of quality fish is masked by presentation and sauces. Try to order one of their rolls along with regular sushi and sashimi, you will see what I am talking about. Nice decor and good service though. So if you want to nourish you esthetic senses that is a place for you.Japanese food aficionados - look elsewhere
(3)
Alex W.
On New Year's Eve I had my first and last Osaka experience. My group of 11 arrived at our 7:30 reservation time to find a packed restaurant. We, along with several other groups, were ushered to the downstairs bar area and told we would have a short wait. As the wait dragged on and the bar filled up it became increasingly evident that Osaka's strategy was to say yes to anyone who called to make a reservation or walked in the door and to throw everyone into the bar area. While I am sure Osaka made a killing off of all of us in the bar, I didn't come to Osaka for its bar scene. We were finally seating over an hour after our reservation time at 8:45. From then until our hibachi chef arrived almost 45 minutes later we received minimal service. I attempted to ask if the restaurant had a sake flight available but I had to settle for a Harpoon IPA (which came out as a Sapporo) when my attempt got lost in translation. My group of three ordered two hibachi meals and two sushi rolls. The hibachi was nothing special (just tons of soy sauce) though the chef was entertaining enough. Our sushi never arrived (and I had to ask to get it removed from our bill). I was atually glad that it didn't because others in our party who ordered sushi received it at the same time that we all got our checks which was about 30 minutes after we had all finished the hibachi. Those that got the sushi decided to get it to go so we could move ahead with the night. By the time we paid and ran for the door it was 11pm. That's right. Our 7:30 reservation go us out of the restaurant at 11pm. We made a few calls, established that it was now too late to get into the downtown bar that we were planning on going to and instead ended up at my friend's Coolidge Corner apartment. Osaka's poor management and inability to say no to potential customers cost me my new years eve. There are far too many great sushi places and other restaurants in the brookline/boston area to waste your time at Osaka.
(1)
P'raka ..
I went here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Hot tea was brought out immediately which greatly appreciated on a chilly day. Lunch box special for $10 included a generously portioned soup, salad, 3 shumai, side of rice, protein of my choice and six piece sushi roll. They let me swap out the california roll for plan tuna for no fee. The shumai and oysters were so-so but the tuna roll was fantastic. I would go back to try more of their sushi.
(3)
Eddie G.
My brother and I have been on a sushi kick for the past month and decided to try Osaka because from the reviews it seemed like it could a fun dinner. We went on a Thursday night, it was a slower night and we were greeted and seated right away. Nice decor, clean and friendly enough staff. Decent sushi, we tried the Yellow Submarine which has lobster tempura topped with mango slices--DELICIOUS. We also tried the American Tango which has tuna sitting in strawberry (yes, the sweetness works) sauce. Again, very good. We topped it off with some lychee sake that was served nice and cold. I def enjoyed the dinner although it was probably a little on the pricier side. I may venture back on a Friday or Saturday night when it's louder and more amped. Give it a try.
(4)
Ice cube X.
it is OK, and that is it.
(3)
Kirsten S.
GO HERE. I should not have to say anything more than that. But I will so you can feel that following that directive is legitimate. 1. They ask if you want Hibachi or Restaurant when you walk in. Fun! 2. If you choose Restaurant, you will notice that Hibachi looks tastefully fun and NOT like you might end up with chef's lint in your food after the flip-shrimp-into-pocket trick. I, however, did not choose Hibachi. I do recognize that based on appearance, it would be a good choice. But I was there for Restaurant. 3. Edamame soup. Puree with coconut milk and crab. Yes. 4. A generous portion of seaweed salad NOT in a martini glass or other vessel that can be stuffed with lettuce at the botom. It came on a plate. It was seaweed all the way through. It was delicious. 5. I got one specialty roll that was the size of a small birthday cake and involved tuna, seared tuna, asparagus, salmon, eel, and some other things. It was topped with three types of tobiko in the center, which rested on a pile of tempura crunch. It had a specially crafted sauce to go with it. It was devine--and that one roll verged on too much food. 6. Sea bass. Now, I would NEVER dine at a Japanese restaurant and get an entree. Or anything cooked for that matter. However, my husband is not so fond of food that doesn't have an identifiable frozen meal equivalent, so he got the sea bass. [SCREECHING HALT.] I would go back just for the sea bass and its seductively succulent and buttery qualities. Also devine. I stole many bites. This place is on a side street across from the Coolidge Corner Theater, so it doesn't get the benefit of Harvard Ave. foot traffic. But anyone who seeks it out or stumbles upon it will certainly make a habit of it. Taking the detour off the main Sushi drag in this area is well worth it--if for no other reason than to experience Restaurant and Hibachi. Nicely done, OSAKA. I'll be back for something wonderful. *Oh yeah, best surprise? After you revel in the deliciousness you won't be hit with a bill that makes you want to retract a review star, or lose your lunch. In my opinion, this place is a steal.
(5)
Caroline C.
We went here recently to celebrate my birthday! It was easy to make a reservation and they made sure to get our larger group all sat comfortably at one hibachi grill. It was a little slow at first...they were finishing up a bunch of large groups so we had to wait a bit for drinks and to order. Our chef was awesome!! So fun, so interactive and great at what he does. The servings were very generous...I couldn't even finish my plate! The options were great too...I got chicken and scallops and my boyfriend got a filet and lobster tail...amazing! Would definitely go back...such a fun outing for a large group!
(4)
Rick C.
This is my first review of a restaurant without actually eating the food! They would not seat us. I made a reservation early in the week for 4 people, when we arrived I could barely get into the doorway. There must have been 30 people waiting, every table was full, the hostess would barely acknowledge me and after getting in her face she clearly had no clue when we would get seated or what was going on. I thik they ignored reservations and let people in off the street. I heard others complaining og longstanding reservations,( made 2 weeks earlier), large groups,( a party of 10), all about to get stiffed by Osaka. Fortunately being in Coolidge Corner there are many good options to walk to, as far as the food- I won't be back so I'll never know.
(1)
Erica T.
I have been here a few times and I always have had a good meal. I normally get the steak and shrimp hibachi dinner and have never been disappointed. Soup is not included as part of the dinner meal which you normally get at most hibachi restaurants so make sure to order it separately. We always make reservations through open table and have never had to wait which makes it a great option if you have a big group. The drinks are strong but the prices reflect that ($9 for Mai tai, $18 scorpion bowl). Getting drinks does take some time so we usually order another round before we finish the first. The inside of the restaurant is dark, modern, and very clean. The downstairs has an additional bar and lounge area. The hibachi cooks are usually pretty entertaining and they normally give you plenty of free saki. Its convenient to get to (right off the Coolidge corner T stop) and they have valet parking.
(4)
Wonder W.
Had hibachi and thought it was great! It's not meant be haute cuisine people - its fun and fiery and yummy. Big servings. Scallops were delicious. Hibachi chef entertained our little one who thought it was wonderful. Will be back.
(4)
Kris S.
I have tried sushi all over Boston, NYC, you name it -- this is it. This is the best sushi I've had. The jalapeno roll, foxy lady, hidden dragon, hot lover roll, I could go on and on. I am even obsessed with the tuna tartar tortilla, even though my hubby thinks it looks a bit unappetizing. I've experienced the hibachi here, too. It was quite good, but the sushi is just superb. The service is consistently strong, as well. And don't be turned off by the prices -- the rolls are a great size and dare I say a value. I am almost hesitant to give such a positive review, b/c the lines are getting long and I don't want to have to wait next time...which will be this week. Welcome to the neighborhood, Osaka!
(5)
Jay J.
The food was good and the performance chef at our 'Beni Hana' style table was good as well. When the meal was eaten, we were ready to leave. The group dining didn't offer much date ambiance I guess. No complaints about food or service, just not as much fun as we expected. If you had a group of twelve or so, and had one of those tables all to yourself, it could be a 4-star blast.. especially if they turned the lights down one notch..
(3)
Rachel P.
OSAKA is amazing. From the appetizer we got to the sushi to the hibachi, this place is delicious. On top of yummy food, their staff is incredible! Our hibachi chef was so funny, he made the whole table laugh. Our waiter recognized that it was my birthday and was nothing but helpful and gracious. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone!
(5)
Lisa H.
We brought a big party (16 people) and had a great time. The chefs were entertaining and the waitstaff took good care of us.
(5)
D C.
I was excited to see a trendy new Japanese place open up in Coolidge Corner. The decor in Osaka is really modern, streamlined and beautiful. I loved the vibe. The menu was very extensive, lots of great options, particularly for those of us with shellfish allergies. The reason I gave them three stars instead of more? Our waitress. I'm not sure what her deal was. We ate early on a Wednesday night, and the restaurant was relatively empty at the time, so it couldn't have been that she was particularly stressed at the time. Ten seconds after I sat down and ordered a drink, she took the table's wine/liquor menus away. Despite the fact we were still waiting for one more person to arrive, and she hadn't asked us if we wanted to order anything from it. She came over FOUR TIMES to ask if we were ready to order, in the span of 10 minutes. The third member of our party had only just sat down when the waitress asked the second time. And despite the fact we had our menus wide-open, and were staring at them when she asked the fourth time, she still couldn't figure out that we were still looking. I just gave up at that point and ordered. My friend ordered the avocado salad, which arrived with fish roe mixed in, though that wasn't described on the menu. She's not a fish fan and so asked for another salad, sans-fish products, to which the waitress replied "it's not fish." My friend insisted on another salad, & the waitress told her re: "I think it's fake." WTF? Eventually she relented and got my friend another salad. I had the New Osaka Maki (tuna, avocado, etc) and the Mexican Roll (spicy salmon, avocado). The Mexican Roll was tasty, if a little sloppily-prepared, and I didn't get the New Osaka Roll till some time later (they should have been served simultaneously, as my entree). The New Osaka came with a mysterious-looking sauce, that appeared to have bits of crab in it. I was concerned and inquired if it did from the waitress. She gave me a blank stare. My companion volunteered that I have a shellfish allergy, and the waitress rudely said, "well, you should have told me that beforehand." I understand that it could be relevant, but I also know how to read a menu, and would never order a dish with shellfish in it. In the end, she didn't know the answer to my question, and went to ask the chef (it didn't have any shellfish in it). I found the sauce overly-sweet and kind of bizarre, but loved the softness of the tempura-ed tuna. My friend's bento box came with a full 6-piece California roll, which was a pleasant surprise, huge shrimp and a generous portion of chicken, and she took her leftovers home so she seemed to enjoy it. Osaka had the standard fried banana/mochi/ice cream dessert menu so we did not partake. We discovered a lovely bar/lounge downstairs which, though completely empty at 8 PM on a Wednesday, seems like it could be fun when it gets going. I definitely want to return to try Hibachi, which sounded like a blast from the shouts emanating from the other room. I'll just make sure to avoid that waitress! (Great iced-tea, but they charge per-glass for fountain drinks and iced tea).
(3)
S Z.
Good food by SO SALTY. There are other ways to flavor food, Osaka.
(3)
Rob B.
Finally a good hibachi restaurant in the area. This place is gorgeous. The food was fantastic. I thought the chefs tricks were great and I was caught off guard by the free sake. I thought he was lying and that it would be water. Nope. The service was a little frazzled but the place just opened. I'm sure they will find their groove.
(4)
C. R. M.
The food is pretty good, and the folks are polite enough, but you don't have to look too deeply to realize that this is a big, well-oiled machine--less interested in customers than in profit. For example: five of us arrived to celebrate a birthday-- we sat, we ordered, and it didn't matter that the food arrived willy-nilly-- the appetizers showing up after we were half way through our main courses-- that's fine. But one main course, one of their Hibatchi specials, didn't show up at all. Eventually, we were told that the dish had been given to the wrong table. Okay, mistakes happen-- but the special was finally delivered to our table after everyone had finished (appetizers and main courses)! We dutifully picked at it, as we speculated on how the restaurant would handle this faux pas: the manager coming to apologize? comping the dish, or perhaps even just the beer I'd ordered? But nothing happened, the bill arrived, nothing comped, we paid it off and left-- annoyed and doubtful that we'd ever return. Had the food been great, maybe. But come on, folks-- you can't make big mistakes and treat customers as if we shouldn't really care. You messed up our experience; you should have done something to make us feel treated better. That's how good restaurants operate.
(2)
Cassie H.
We live pretty close to Osaka and had been anticipating it's opening to try their cuisine and take in their gorgeous decor/ambience. So we went last night for the grand opening. We opted for the hibachi experience since we wanted to see how Osaka would measure up. We were seated right away, and the staff leading us to the table was plentiful (we were "passed of" from the hostess to another gentleman to another girl en route to seating). Unfortunately, as you'll know, the art of owning a hibachi restaurant is trying to fill up the hibachi table so that you can feed the most customers but not make them wait too long. We waited for probably twenty minutes before two other couples were seated at our hibachi table. By then, we were ready to place our orders, and it would have been nice for the waitress to offer to take our drink orders and orders for appetizers. We had the Hidden Dragon roll for an appetizer. The sushi came out beautifully and was pretty tasty, although we will remain true fans to Fin's sushi for our sushi fix. Their house salads were pretty tasty, although beware that the gigantic dinner fork is probably too large for the salad bowl. For dinner, my husband ordered the filet mignon & lobster tail. I ordered the filet mignon & scallops. The filet on both our meals was cooked perfectly. Served hot and amazingly tender. My scallops were to die for (I wondered aloud about ordering just scallops next time), but my husband's lobster tail was tough and overcooked. The hibachi chef gave everyone at the table two pieces of shrimp as a "hibachi appetizer" and to our surprise (compared to other hibachi experiences), the shrimp was perfectly cooked and amazing with their seafood dipping sauce. The hibachi was definitely entertaining, especially if you've never had the experience before. As experienced hibachi diners, my husband and I weren't overwhelmed by Osaka's take on it. The chef was friendly and his tricks and the show he put on was definitely on par with other hibachi chefs we've dined with in the past. He made the fried rice first, followed by protein and then vegetables. It's always an odd eating experience because you never know whether to wait for the next item or dig in while it's hot! The hibachi chefs we observed last night (ours included) seemed to perform two common tricks requiring audience participation. One involved small pieces of melon that the chef would flick at each diner to see if he/she could catch it in his/her mouth. Unfortunately, sometimes they stacked the dice (or melon in this case), so you had three or four pieces of melon coming at you. The other trick involves doing a "shot" of sake. They put some sake in their fried rice and the hibachi chef will ask if you want some... he then proceeds to pour sake from his squeeze bottle toward your mouth until you signal for him to stop. Both of these tricks were a huge hit with younger diners around the restaurant. I didn't mind the melon flick, but I do have to warn you that if you're dressed to the nines, you might want to rethink participating if your clothes are dry clean only. My husband and I didn't partake in the sake offerings, and I think our hibachi chef probably thought we were crazy for declining free sake (He kept saying, "Free sake is always good!"). The wait staff is plentiful. There were a million of them in Osaka shirts running around clearing plates, filling water glasses, and picking up any stray food items that didn't make it into diners' mouths. Having said that, however, I was disappointed in the service experience. As I've mentioned, they could have taken drink/appetizer orders for diners waiting for the hibachi table to fill up. Secondly, no one seems to know who's table is whose. When one of our tablemates asked the closest waitress for another drink from the bar, the waitress looked very frazzled to find our assigned waitress to come back to take the order. Also, our waitress seemed unfamiliar with the menu; she had to look at each item we ordered (drinks and appetizers). When the table asked for the check, it took a good ten to fifteen minutes for them to come back with our credit card receipts. Lastly, the ambience. If you're going for an intimate setting where you can hear each other, you might want to try the table side of the restaurant. The hibachi side is so loud between the hibachi chefs' shows and the crowd that you have to shout to hear your dinner partner. Will we be back? If we're craving hibachi, probably... but for sushi or for a more intimate dinner date, probably not.
(3)
Jeff K.
Went there with my wife, 2 kids (2 and 6) and my dad who was visiting. Awesome experience. Food was spectacular, it was fun, the staff were very friendly and attentive, and my son wants to go back tomorrow! I would definitely go back - and looking forward to it.
(5)
Courtney M.
It's nice to have a modern sushi place in Coolidge Corner. They are probably working out some of their kinks, but everyone seemed to be having a great time on the hibachi side of the restaurant (lots of birthday parties and large groups). The other side is much quieter, so it might be better for dates. Friendly and attentive service (perhaps a bit over-staffed in fact). Hibachi is fun, but not great tasting; sushi also good but not great. I also thought it was a bit over priced. The hibachi was about $21-25, and their specialty rolls, bento boxes, and other entrees in the mid-20s price range. Will we return? Perhaps but not for a while.
(3)
Lori L.
I'm a sushi snob and this is by far the best sushi I have ever had. I keep telling the owner that, and I take everyone there and they all agree. We go there for every family birthday to the hibachi area which is sooooo much fun. I love this place, great atmosphere it's gorgeous and I have never had a bad meal and I go there a lot!!!
(5)
AJ B.
Food was fresh, and good. Service spot on. Chef was friendly. What else can you ask for in a Hibachi restaurant. Enjoyed it.
(4)
David K.
WORTH IT! BEST HIBACHI CHEFS I HAVE SEEN!! $50-65 per couple, so not s cheap date, but it's so much fun! Food is as good as the show! And how can you beat free Saka from a squeeze bottle.
(5)
Alexandra S.
This place was really good. Very fresh food and amazingly talented chefs! Not only was our chef talented but was able to change the vibe of the group to a lively, fun atmosphere. The smell of the food cooking during the show was also a plus. I will suggest this lovely place and come back with friends! Thank you for the awesome dinner!
(4)
R A.
Just what Brookline needs, another Sushi restaurant! Seriously though, this place is pretty cool. On the inside the place is huge, and they have a bar/lounge downstairs. The sushi and service were both great.
(4)
Brian G.
Very good hibachi- steak was quality, fried rice good, though could use more flavoring. Love the decor! We will be back
(4)
Alan W.
3 thumbs up...great food, great service and great value for the price!
(5)
Jay P.
My review is related only to the Sushi. The Hibachi rooms sounded fantastic and full of energy. Regarding the sushi, I have to say it was very run-of-the-mill. Certainly not terrible by any stretch, but nothing remotely noteworthy. In terms of poor dishes, the Truffle Salmon appetizer was absolutely pathetic, as bad a dish as we have eaten in the Boston area in recent memory. Four limp strips of ceviche style salmon overwhelmed by lemon-citrus with no other flavors coming through. It was that bad. And way overpriced at that. Don't be fooled by the "Truffle" commentary -- the world's top taster couldn't taste a hint of truffle in this dish. As for the sashimi it was fine quality, nothing transcendant but no complaints. The rolls were not memorable. Our waitress was not really that cool either, going through the motions.
(2)
Bob J.
I went he with six adult and five kids and have hibachi. I have reservation at 6:30 pm on a sat night. I got there at 6:35 and see that my friend is seated already with a drink. The waiter come over got us drinks when we seat down. We order sushi and hibachi. I got the Osaka roll which is very good. I hibachi started with the chef making the kids balloon hat and sword, nice touch. The hibachi is good, buggy recommend the shrimp and scallop. Overall great service, good foods can't ask for more. Only one thing price is a little high but it's in Coolidge corner. And the hibachi meal doesn't come with a soup like other place.
(5)
Key L.
Went here for the first time on a saturday night to celebrate a friends bday. It was very busy and very crowded. Since only 3 from our party of 15 were on time we were escorted to the bar downstairs. The bar/lounge area was dark but had plenty seating. While waiting for others to arrive we were checked on once. After waiting an hour we inquired about getting seated and was told it would be another 20 min-we didnt mind since we were still waiting on people to arrive. Once seated our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly-tho our waitress had a little trouble with "ciroc". Our food orders were taken and our waitress disappeared. Our chef was awesome! He made jokes, squirted sake and threw broccoli in our mouths-we had a great time! The food was pretty good-my leftovers actually tasted better the next day. Since our waitress was no where to be found we had to ask staff that happened to be walking by for water, etc. after we finished eating we sat waiting for the check. All the grills were cleaned and still we sat. About 40 min later we again had to stop someone and ask for the checks! Several people in my party had trouble getting change and their cc's back and one person felt "attacked" by the waitress when the waitress confronted her about others leaving her only 1-2$ tips. That put a damper on an otherwise amazing evening. I probably will not go back-the crappy service left a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)
Samuel H.
Kind of middle of the road for a sushi restaurant. Great presentation on some of the premium rolls, but the ingredient pairings created some unpleasant tastes; I now know that salmon and eel don't work well together. Modern decor didn't really work for me either--a bit too Tokyo for my taste. I didn't try the throwing-fire-yelling steak thing, but the shenanigans involved with it are nicely separated from the main restaurant. Overall okay, but there are better sushi places in the vicinity--like Shiki.
(3)
Evan D.
Soup, salad and three rolls for $13.38 (including tax) is a fantastic, filling deal on the lunch menu. The salad in that special is about as rudimentary as can be, some greener lettuce couldn't hurt, but that's a minor qualm. It's true that other Japanese restaurants have similar lunch specials... Genki-ya has a three-roll online, cash-only special (I don't believe it's restricted to lunch) that's almost identical in price and the sushi there is very good too. But, Osaka remains my go-to because of proximity, and besides once forgetting the salad dressing in a to-go order, I haven't been let down yet. Prep time is very quick on midday pick-ups, and if you place an order before the lunch special cut-off time (3:30 p.m.) but pick it up afterward, they're not charging you dinner menu prices. The bar downstairs is a plus at night if you're waiting for a table or have a scorpion-bowl craving, but seating is rather minimal there. The staff is very friendly -- one of my waiters was a bit of an oddball, but in a fun way. The atmosphere is definitely vibrant all-around, although quieter in the non-hibachi dining room.
(4)
Henry S.
Great place in Brookline. Large, lots of staff, good service and the the food was excellent. I have been to many different hibachi restaurants in different states. I must say I expected the prices to be much more expenses given, the Boston / Brookline normal mark-up compared to other places. The prices were equal to other Hibachi Steak restaurants I have been to, which does not mean inexpensive but I would say reasonable.
(4)
Aaron G.
Great time at the new bar! Friendly bartenders and of course great sushi!
(4)
Itch S.
It is Teppanyaki not Hibachi as noted in another post. So much for authenticity these days. But hey it tastes good and nobody is the wiser...
(2)
Matthew G.
I made a reservation through OpenTable and in the special requests section I detailed that it was my girlfriends birthday. These "special requests" usually go unnoticed or unfulfilled, as it says right on the app, nothing is guaranteed. We went, had an awesome evening with delicious food and plenty of drinks. The hibachi show was terrific as expected, and the "all you can drink" sake shots from the hibachi chef were much appreciated. Decor and atmosphere was very nice as well. Sushi appetizer was delish, the fried rice was some of the best I've had, and the filet mignon was terrific. At the end of the meal, much to my surprise, we were greeted with a birthday singing and desert of fried ice cream. It was delicious. When I got the bill, the desert had been comped. Free and MUCH appreciated. The service was good, and the gesture of the free desert was very very nice. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great hibachi meal.
(5)
Chann C.
My friend and I went here for dinner around 8PM on a weekday. We were looking for a hibachi restaurant around Boston and after reading reviews on Yelp about this place, we decided to give it a try. The interior design of it was pretty neat and upscale. Our waiter soon led us to our seats at the hibachi area. I couldn't help but notice how LOUD this place was. I have been to a lot of hibachi places but it seemed like a lot of chefs here were just screaming their heads off. I got the hibachi chicken and shrimp and my friend got the NY strip steak. I agree with a lot of the reviewers here about how everything tastes like it's been swimming in soy sauce. My friend's strip steak was pretty good though. Throughout our meal, the chef was entertaining us by throwing things in the air (and at our face). I noticed one customer really did not enjoy the chef throwing things at his face at all. Overall, it was an okay experience. Loud atmosphere. Pricey. O-K food. Nice decor. Nothing too special.
(3)
Nicholas A.
Ignoring the idiotic and obnoxious hibachi chef (actually this is the wrong word, but I won't correct this) antics which make conversation almost impossible, this restaurant suffers from a serious inability to make anything taste different. They seem to use excellent quality ingredients (shrimp, scallops, beef, etc), but everything, absolutely everything is flavored with nothing more than crappy sauces (soy and the other most common one which I can't write here because the spell checker refuses entry) and sugar. This food was easily the very worst of its kind that I have ever had anywhere in the world (New York, Los Angeles, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, etc). ANY native Japanese dinner would walk out in extreme disgust with this Chinese-owned horror show. The prices for this type of food, if tasty, would be reasonable, but given just how poor the taste is, this restaurant is a complete zero. I would not go back, even for free. Also, these "chefs" are actually damaging the cooking surface making cleanup more difficult and bacteria growth more likely. Oh... lastly, seeing people having sake squirted into their mouths from a few feet away, only to drool, splash and spit sake and saliva onto their neighbors, clothing and plates, is about as repulsive as one can imagine. I was really expecting strippers to jump on the table.
(1)
Miriam F.
I really did not enjoy my meal at Osaka. The quality of their food is NOT worth the steep price. Plus the service is not impressive. There are plenty of other sushi places to try in Brookline, the best of which is Genki-Ya. Not worth a trip...
(2)
Kerry S.
Excellent! We have been twice in the past month. The food is delicious and the portions are enormous. Waitstaff is good and the chefs at the hibachi are very entertaining. Definitely sit at the hibachi. This restaurant is also very accommodating for people with dietary restrictions. If you ask they will cook meals for separately (in the back instead of at the hibachi table) for people who do not eat meat or shellfish.The sushi is excellent. A great place for a birthday, anniversary or special occasion.
(5)
Liz R.
This sushi truely raises the bar in Brookline, I eat sushi (rolls usually) about twice a week, and I feel like most places (Fugakyu, Super Fusion, Gari) do a really great job, but if you're looking for a more exotic, exciting experiece, definatly try this place out. As the other reviewers said, the menu looks a little expensive but the rolls are huge, no fillers, and they are crazy fresh and creative, I'm addicted!
(5)
Matthew C.
The food was okay. It's a pretty lousy location being off from Harvard st.
(4)
Marley L.
This place is AMAZING! I went last night with my boyfriend and his parents for our new years dinner. 3 of of us got the hibachi dinner which was delicious. everything was very fresh, the staff was very friendly and we even got to meet the owner!
(5)
Jen D.
Food was great with reasonable prices! Did hibachi with a group of girlfriends. Chef was funny and def was generous with the Saki even though not my fav. Food was great pretty big portions got the seafood combo (shrimp,lobster tail,scallops) came with rice and mixed vegetables w/ a side of salad.Place is nice and clean but the reason I gave it 3 stars is the wait staff they were really rude and quick to hurry us along. We waited a good 20mins before anyone asked us if we wanted anything to drink. Ordered wine and wasn't placed in a bucket or anything just placed it by the grill to get warm. Barely done with my salad and he was already reaching over me to collect my bowl just really annoying when your trying to enjoy yourself and get a feel for a new place your trying out. When dinner came to an end we were being rushed and they continued to march over and say thank you have a good night and we were not ready to go still had some drinks to finish. I understand that there are other people waiting but we just needed 5more mins to finish up and there was other tables wide open. Overall food was great but would rather go elsewhere and be treated like your welcome and not being rushed out the door. I will not be returning here in the future. incompetent staff needs to be retrained with there manners and not be so quick to grab peoples plates when there not even done.
(3)
Tamas S.
First time visiting here and i will definitely be back. The atmosphere is superb for my taste. Clean and cozy, i totally forgot i was in Coolidge Corner! I checked in on yelp and was rewarded with a free delicious miso soup (show to server free miso voucher on iPhone yelp app). I went around 3:00p on a Saturday and there weren't many people there since it's an awkward eating hour i suppose. Ordered 3 specialty rolls. The jalapeno roll, beauty on the beach roll and the spicy tuna tortilla. All were pretty good. The sushi rice leaves a little bit to be desired, hence forth the four stars instead of five. Sushi rice at a sushi restaurant is the backbone, without awesome sushi rice, the sushi is just raw fish, seaweed and rice. The beauty on the beach roll was an experiment for me since i don't usually mix fruit with fish but i gave it a whirl and it was actually pretty tasty. The sauce that covers the plate tastes like a fresh strawberry shortcake. The jalapeno roll was delicious and reminded me of spring (it's "green" tasting due to raw jalapeno). The spicy tuna tortilla was really good but it's on a circular disc that more resembles a cracker, not a tortilla. Still delicious nonetheless. Service was pretty good. All in all a great visit.
(4)
Susan S.
I went here to try the non-teppenyaki/hibatchi food, Friday night after Thanksgiving. The roars, countdowns, cheers, and general noise coming from the hibachi room was really loud and annoying, and almost constant. (Were they doing calisthenics?) But people are having fun, so, ok. We had pork donburi, that was pretty good; pork goyza was pretty good, not doughy like some. Chicken tempura was so-so - small portion, only two strips of chicken, few pieces of vegetables, not much taste. The sushi was awful. I had spicy tuna roll, and it was like tuna mush, and not that spicy - but the texture was bad. Hamachi-maki was the same - mushy - couldn't even see that it was a piece of fish. We had an Alaska roll, and we could see that there was a piece of salmon in there, but it was tasteless and had poor texture. And scallop sushi was just salty and did not taste fresh. The wait staff was filling our water every 2 seconds, really too much. And the bill, including a large sake for $9, was $63. I am going back to Mr. Sushi. Maybe they only make their $15 special rolls with fresh fish, and the standard rolls get ignored.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Ali G.
This place is way bigger than expected and awesome! Parking kind of stinks but you'll figure it out, as we did. We didn't have a reservation, but the wait was super quick, maybe ten minutes. The food was very good, we both got the chicken and shrimp and it was delicious. The atmosphere here is great, loud and exciting (on the hibachi side). Definitely a fun place to come, plus they squirt free sake in your mouth so how can you complain. SAKE! SAKE! SAKE!
(5)Mika S.
Get the Hibachi because the chefs at Osaka seriously know how to put on a show! As soon as we ordered, we were treated to a spectacular display of juggling, with knives, kitchen utensils, eggs and literally anything that the chef could get his hands on. As our food was cooked, we had cooked zucchini tossed into our mouths from across the table, in addition to a Saki fountain. The food was cooked to perfection and made with high quality ingredients. This place is so fun, I can't recommend it highly enough!
(4)Tamas S.
First time visiting here and i will definitely be back. The atmosphere is superb for my taste. Clean and cozy, i totally forgot i was in Coolidge Corner! I checked in on yelp and was rewarded with a free delicious miso soup (show to server free miso voucher on iPhone yelp app). I went around 3:00p on a Saturday and there weren't many people there since it's an awkward eating hour i suppose. Ordered 3 specialty rolls. The jalapeno roll, beauty on the beach roll and the spicy tuna tortilla. All were pretty good. The sushi rice leaves a little bit to be desired, hence forth the four stars instead of five. Sushi rice at a sushi restaurant is the backbone, without awesome sushi rice, the sushi is just raw fish, seaweed and rice. The beauty on the beach roll was an experiment for me since i don't usually mix fruit with fish but i gave it a whirl and it was actually pretty tasty. The sauce that covers the plate tastes like a fresh strawberry shortcake. The jalapeno roll was delicious and reminded me of spring (it's "green" tasting due to raw jalapeno). The spicy tuna tortilla was really good but it's on a circular disc that more resembles a cracker, not a tortilla. Still delicious nonetheless. Service was pretty good. All in all a great visit.
(4)Susan S.
I went here to try the non-teppenyaki/hibatchi food, Friday night after Thanksgiving. The roars, countdowns, cheers, and general noise coming from the hibachi room was really loud and annoying, and almost constant. (Were they doing calisthenics?) But people are having fun, so, ok. We had pork donburi, that was pretty good; pork goyza was pretty good, not doughy like some. Chicken tempura was so-so - small portion, only two strips of chicken, few pieces of vegetables, not much taste. The sushi was awful. I had spicy tuna roll, and it was like tuna mush, and not that spicy - but the texture was bad. Hamachi-maki was the same - mushy - couldn't even see that it was a piece of fish. We had an Alaska roll, and we could see that there was a piece of salmon in there, but it was tasteless and had poor texture. And scallop sushi was just salty and did not taste fresh. The wait staff was filling our water every 2 seconds, really too much. And the bill, including a large sake for $9, was $63. I am going back to Mr. Sushi. Maybe they only make their $15 special rolls with fresh fish, and the standard rolls get ignored.
(2)Adriana C.
I love eating here and have been several times. The sushi is tasty, fresh and made up of unique combinations. The hibachi is fun, especially with a group of friends. The bar downstairs is a great place to meet up with friends....and the drinks are delicious. The waitstaff is very friendly and always attentive.
(5)Lauren M.
Great service. I think they have the best miso soup I've ever had. The sushi was good and fresh but not exciting. It may be that we didn't do a great job with our selections. The sushi combo was a little boring, but the tuna rolls were huge- very generous. We also ordered a special (very modern) roll with mango in it. Too sweet for me. I would definitely give this place another shot, and I would like to try the habachi.
(4)max r.
This is not a place you go for quality sushi. They have a lot of fancy rolls where lack of quality fish is masked by presentation and sauces. Try to order one of their rolls along with regular sushi and sashimi, you will see what I am talking about. Nice decor and good service though. So if you want to nourish you esthetic senses that is a place for you.Japanese food aficionados - look elsewhere
(3)Val I.
Let me start by saying despite countless bad reviews on here I persisted - I had gone to the other Osaka location near my Alma Matar in western mass and always loved it: the show, the food, the sake. Fast forward many years later and it's my birthday along with 21 of my closest friends who came with me. We booked a reservation two weeks earlier and got to Osaka on time with our whole party. We waited over 90 minutes to be seated as did the numerous large parties who came before us, an 8 o'clock table of 16 was seated at 930, our 830 table was seated at 10pm. The staff lie and keep telling you 15 minutes and suddenly you realize multiple other groups of 10 to 28 are ahead of you and still hadn't been seated. Oh, other large parties are also yelling at the staff since this is the dirty trick they pull on big parties. Big parties who came at 9 and 930 were seated hours later as we witnessed, as well. After we got seated our chefs were lazy, no tricks that are mentioned on yelp nor the ones I saw in Northampton - the chefs (two of them for our 20+ person table) yelled "oh yeah" for 10 seconds, threw some broccoli at us, cooked and left. Folks go to hibachi for the show and food and half of that equation was missing. The food was pretty good but the service and management are terrible and the hibachi chefs sucked, no show PLUS he kept splattering food all over my girlfriends plate and missing it (half her food was dropped into the soy sauce dish) and I had a lot of sauce on my arm from his misfires. I ignored all of the bad reviews, I pushed back and said "no, Osaka will be great," but it was not - it ruined my birthday evening a bit and we will never return. You've been warned.
(2)Jennifer D.
Absolutely love this place. Great food. Wonderful service. Slightly bias since I've been going to the one in Northampton forever. Very happy to have fantastic hibachi close by.
(5)P'raka ..
I went here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Hot tea was brought out immediately which greatly appreciated on a chilly day. Lunch box special for $10 included a generously portioned soup, salad, 3 shumai, side of rice, protein of my choice and six piece sushi roll. They let me swap out the california roll for plan tuna for no fee. The shumai and oysters were so-so but the tuna roll was fantastic. I would go back to try more of their sushi.
(3)Eddie G.
My brother and I have been on a sushi kick for the past month and decided to try Osaka because from the reviews it seemed like it could a fun dinner. We went on a Thursday night, it was a slower night and we were greeted and seated right away. Nice decor, clean and friendly enough staff. Decent sushi, we tried the Yellow Submarine which has lobster tempura topped with mango slices--DELICIOUS. We also tried the American Tango which has tuna sitting in strawberry (yes, the sweetness works) sauce. Again, very good. We topped it off with some lychee sake that was served nice and cold. I def enjoyed the dinner although it was probably a little on the pricier side. I may venture back on a Friday or Saturday night when it's louder and more amped. Give it a try.
(4)Ice cube X.
it is OK, and that is it.
(3)Alex W.
On New Year's Eve I had my first and last Osaka experience. My group of 11 arrived at our 7:30 reservation time to find a packed restaurant. We, along with several other groups, were ushered to the downstairs bar area and told we would have a short wait. As the wait dragged on and the bar filled up it became increasingly evident that Osaka's strategy was to say yes to anyone who called to make a reservation or walked in the door and to throw everyone into the bar area. While I am sure Osaka made a killing off of all of us in the bar, I didn't come to Osaka for its bar scene. We were finally seating over an hour after our reservation time at 8:45. From then until our hibachi chef arrived almost 45 minutes later we received minimal service. I attempted to ask if the restaurant had a sake flight available but I had to settle for a Harpoon IPA (which came out as a Sapporo) when my attempt got lost in translation. My group of three ordered two hibachi meals and two sushi rolls. The hibachi was nothing special (just tons of soy sauce) though the chef was entertaining enough. Our sushi never arrived (and I had to ask to get it removed from our bill). I was atually glad that it didn't because others in our party who ordered sushi received it at the same time that we all got our checks which was about 30 minutes after we had all finished the hibachi. Those that got the sushi decided to get it to go so we could move ahead with the night. By the time we paid and ran for the door it was 11pm. That's right. Our 7:30 reservation go us out of the restaurant at 11pm. We made a few calls, established that it was now too late to get into the downtown bar that we were planning on going to and instead ended up at my friend's Coolidge Corner apartment. Osaka's poor management and inability to say no to potential customers cost me my new years eve. There are far too many great sushi places and other restaurants in the brookline/boston area to waste your time at Osaka.
(1)David K.
WORTH IT! BEST HIBACHI CHEFS I HAVE SEEN!! $50-65 per couple, so not s cheap date, but it's so much fun! Food is as good as the show! And how can you beat free Saka from a squeeze bottle.
(5)Alexandra S.
This place was really good. Very fresh food and amazingly talented chefs! Not only was our chef talented but was able to change the vibe of the group to a lively, fun atmosphere. The smell of the food cooking during the show was also a plus. I will suggest this lovely place and come back with friends! Thank you for the awesome dinner!
(4)R A.
Just what Brookline needs, another Sushi restaurant! Seriously though, this place is pretty cool. On the inside the place is huge, and they have a bar/lounge downstairs. The sushi and service were both great.
(4)Brian G.
Very good hibachi- steak was quality, fried rice good, though could use more flavoring. Love the decor! We will be back
(4)Alan W.
3 thumbs up...great food, great service and great value for the price!
(5)Kirsten S.
GO HERE. I should not have to say anything more than that. But I will so you can feel that following that directive is legitimate. 1. They ask if you want Hibachi or Restaurant when you walk in. Fun! 2. If you choose Restaurant, you will notice that Hibachi looks tastefully fun and NOT like you might end up with chef's lint in your food after the flip-shrimp-into-pocket trick. I, however, did not choose Hibachi. I do recognize that based on appearance, it would be a good choice. But I was there for Restaurant. 3. Edamame soup. Puree with coconut milk and crab. Yes. 4. A generous portion of seaweed salad NOT in a martini glass or other vessel that can be stuffed with lettuce at the botom. It came on a plate. It was seaweed all the way through. It was delicious. 5. I got one specialty roll that was the size of a small birthday cake and involved tuna, seared tuna, asparagus, salmon, eel, and some other things. It was topped with three types of tobiko in the center, which rested on a pile of tempura crunch. It had a specially crafted sauce to go with it. It was devine--and that one roll verged on too much food. 6. Sea bass. Now, I would NEVER dine at a Japanese restaurant and get an entree. Or anything cooked for that matter. However, my husband is not so fond of food that doesn't have an identifiable frozen meal equivalent, so he got the sea bass. [SCREECHING HALT.] I would go back just for the sea bass and its seductively succulent and buttery qualities. Also devine. I stole many bites. This place is on a side street across from the Coolidge Corner Theater, so it doesn't get the benefit of Harvard Ave. foot traffic. But anyone who seeks it out or stumbles upon it will certainly make a habit of it. Taking the detour off the main Sushi drag in this area is well worth it--if for no other reason than to experience Restaurant and Hibachi. Nicely done, OSAKA. I'll be back for something wonderful. *Oh yeah, best surprise? After you revel in the deliciousness you won't be hit with a bill that makes you want to retract a review star, or lose your lunch. In my opinion, this place is a steal.
(5)Caroline C.
We went here recently to celebrate my birthday! It was easy to make a reservation and they made sure to get our larger group all sat comfortably at one hibachi grill. It was a little slow at first...they were finishing up a bunch of large groups so we had to wait a bit for drinks and to order. Our chef was awesome!! So fun, so interactive and great at what he does. The servings were very generous...I couldn't even finish my plate! The options were great too...I got chicken and scallops and my boyfriend got a filet and lobster tail...amazing! Would definitely go back...such a fun outing for a large group!
(4)Rick C.
This is my first review of a restaurant without actually eating the food! They would not seat us. I made a reservation early in the week for 4 people, when we arrived I could barely get into the doorway. There must have been 30 people waiting, every table was full, the hostess would barely acknowledge me and after getting in her face she clearly had no clue when we would get seated or what was going on. I thik they ignored reservations and let people in off the street. I heard others complaining og longstanding reservations,( made 2 weeks earlier), large groups,( a party of 10), all about to get stiffed by Osaka. Fortunately being in Coolidge Corner there are many good options to walk to, as far as the food- I won't be back so I'll never know.
(1)Erica T.
I have been here a few times and I always have had a good meal. I normally get the steak and shrimp hibachi dinner and have never been disappointed. Soup is not included as part of the dinner meal which you normally get at most hibachi restaurants so make sure to order it separately. We always make reservations through open table and have never had to wait which makes it a great option if you have a big group. The drinks are strong but the prices reflect that ($9 for Mai tai, $18 scorpion bowl). Getting drinks does take some time so we usually order another round before we finish the first. The inside of the restaurant is dark, modern, and very clean. The downstairs has an additional bar and lounge area. The hibachi cooks are usually pretty entertaining and they normally give you plenty of free saki. Its convenient to get to (right off the Coolidge corner T stop) and they have valet parking.
(4)Wonder W.
Had hibachi and thought it was great! It's not meant be haute cuisine people - its fun and fiery and yummy. Big servings. Scallops were delicious. Hibachi chef entertained our little one who thought it was wonderful. Will be back.
(4)Kris S.
I have tried sushi all over Boston, NYC, you name it -- this is it. This is the best sushi I've had. The jalapeno roll, foxy lady, hidden dragon, hot lover roll, I could go on and on. I am even obsessed with the tuna tartar tortilla, even though my hubby thinks it looks a bit unappetizing. I've experienced the hibachi here, too. It was quite good, but the sushi is just superb. The service is consistently strong, as well. And don't be turned off by the prices -- the rolls are a great size and dare I say a value. I am almost hesitant to give such a positive review, b/c the lines are getting long and I don't want to have to wait next time...which will be this week. Welcome to the neighborhood, Osaka!
(5)Jay J.
The food was good and the performance chef at our 'Beni Hana' style table was good as well. When the meal was eaten, we were ready to leave. The group dining didn't offer much date ambiance I guess. No complaints about food or service, just not as much fun as we expected. If you had a group of twelve or so, and had one of those tables all to yourself, it could be a 4-star blast.. especially if they turned the lights down one notch..
(3)Rachel P.
OSAKA is amazing. From the appetizer we got to the sushi to the hibachi, this place is delicious. On top of yummy food, their staff is incredible! Our hibachi chef was so funny, he made the whole table laugh. Our waiter recognized that it was my birthday and was nothing but helpful and gracious. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone!
(5)Lisa H.
We brought a big party (16 people) and had a great time. The chefs were entertaining and the waitstaff took good care of us.
(5)D C.
I was excited to see a trendy new Japanese place open up in Coolidge Corner. The decor in Osaka is really modern, streamlined and beautiful. I loved the vibe. The menu was very extensive, lots of great options, particularly for those of us with shellfish allergies. The reason I gave them three stars instead of more? Our waitress. I'm not sure what her deal was. We ate early on a Wednesday night, and the restaurant was relatively empty at the time, so it couldn't have been that she was particularly stressed at the time. Ten seconds after I sat down and ordered a drink, she took the table's wine/liquor menus away. Despite the fact we were still waiting for one more person to arrive, and she hadn't asked us if we wanted to order anything from it. She came over FOUR TIMES to ask if we were ready to order, in the span of 10 minutes. The third member of our party had only just sat down when the waitress asked the second time. And despite the fact we had our menus wide-open, and were staring at them when she asked the fourth time, she still couldn't figure out that we were still looking. I just gave up at that point and ordered. My friend ordered the avocado salad, which arrived with fish roe mixed in, though that wasn't described on the menu. She's not a fish fan and so asked for another salad, sans-fish products, to which the waitress replied "it's not fish." My friend insisted on another salad, & the waitress told her re: "I think it's fake." WTF? Eventually she relented and got my friend another salad. I had the New Osaka Maki (tuna, avocado, etc) and the Mexican Roll (spicy salmon, avocado). The Mexican Roll was tasty, if a little sloppily-prepared, and I didn't get the New Osaka Roll till some time later (they should have been served simultaneously, as my entree). The New Osaka came with a mysterious-looking sauce, that appeared to have bits of crab in it. I was concerned and inquired if it did from the waitress. She gave me a blank stare. My companion volunteered that I have a shellfish allergy, and the waitress rudely said, "well, you should have told me that beforehand." I understand that it could be relevant, but I also know how to read a menu, and would never order a dish with shellfish in it. In the end, she didn't know the answer to my question, and went to ask the chef (it didn't have any shellfish in it). I found the sauce overly-sweet and kind of bizarre, but loved the softness of the tempura-ed tuna. My friend's bento box came with a full 6-piece California roll, which was a pleasant surprise, huge shrimp and a generous portion of chicken, and she took her leftovers home so she seemed to enjoy it. Osaka had the standard fried banana/mochi/ice cream dessert menu so we did not partake. We discovered a lovely bar/lounge downstairs which, though completely empty at 8 PM on a Wednesday, seems like it could be fun when it gets going. I definitely want to return to try Hibachi, which sounded like a blast from the shouts emanating from the other room. I'll just make sure to avoid that waitress! (Great iced-tea, but they charge per-glass for fountain drinks and iced tea).
(3)S Z.
Good food by SO SALTY. There are other ways to flavor food, Osaka.
(3)Rob B.
Finally a good hibachi restaurant in the area. This place is gorgeous. The food was fantastic. I thought the chefs tricks were great and I was caught off guard by the free sake. I thought he was lying and that it would be water. Nope. The service was a little frazzled but the place just opened. I'm sure they will find their groove.
(4)C. R. M.
The food is pretty good, and the folks are polite enough, but you don't have to look too deeply to realize that this is a big, well-oiled machine--less interested in customers than in profit. For example: five of us arrived to celebrate a birthday-- we sat, we ordered, and it didn't matter that the food arrived willy-nilly-- the appetizers showing up after we were half way through our main courses-- that's fine. But one main course, one of their Hibatchi specials, didn't show up at all. Eventually, we were told that the dish had been given to the wrong table. Okay, mistakes happen-- but the special was finally delivered to our table after everyone had finished (appetizers and main courses)! We dutifully picked at it, as we speculated on how the restaurant would handle this faux pas: the manager coming to apologize? comping the dish, or perhaps even just the beer I'd ordered? But nothing happened, the bill arrived, nothing comped, we paid it off and left-- annoyed and doubtful that we'd ever return. Had the food been great, maybe. But come on, folks-- you can't make big mistakes and treat customers as if we shouldn't really care. You messed up our experience; you should have done something to make us feel treated better. That's how good restaurants operate.
(2)Cassie H.
We live pretty close to Osaka and had been anticipating it's opening to try their cuisine and take in their gorgeous decor/ambience. So we went last night for the grand opening. We opted for the hibachi experience since we wanted to see how Osaka would measure up. We were seated right away, and the staff leading us to the table was plentiful (we were "passed of" from the hostess to another gentleman to another girl en route to seating). Unfortunately, as you'll know, the art of owning a hibachi restaurant is trying to fill up the hibachi table so that you can feed the most customers but not make them wait too long. We waited for probably twenty minutes before two other couples were seated at our hibachi table. By then, we were ready to place our orders, and it would have been nice for the waitress to offer to take our drink orders and orders for appetizers. We had the Hidden Dragon roll for an appetizer. The sushi came out beautifully and was pretty tasty, although we will remain true fans to Fin's sushi for our sushi fix. Their house salads were pretty tasty, although beware that the gigantic dinner fork is probably too large for the salad bowl. For dinner, my husband ordered the filet mignon & lobster tail. I ordered the filet mignon & scallops. The filet on both our meals was cooked perfectly. Served hot and amazingly tender. My scallops were to die for (I wondered aloud about ordering just scallops next time), but my husband's lobster tail was tough and overcooked. The hibachi chef gave everyone at the table two pieces of shrimp as a "hibachi appetizer" and to our surprise (compared to other hibachi experiences), the shrimp was perfectly cooked and amazing with their seafood dipping sauce. The hibachi was definitely entertaining, especially if you've never had the experience before. As experienced hibachi diners, my husband and I weren't overwhelmed by Osaka's take on it. The chef was friendly and his tricks and the show he put on was definitely on par with other hibachi chefs we've dined with in the past. He made the fried rice first, followed by protein and then vegetables. It's always an odd eating experience because you never know whether to wait for the next item or dig in while it's hot! The hibachi chefs we observed last night (ours included) seemed to perform two common tricks requiring audience participation. One involved small pieces of melon that the chef would flick at each diner to see if he/she could catch it in his/her mouth. Unfortunately, sometimes they stacked the dice (or melon in this case), so you had three or four pieces of melon coming at you. The other trick involves doing a "shot" of sake. They put some sake in their fried rice and the hibachi chef will ask if you want some... he then proceeds to pour sake from his squeeze bottle toward your mouth until you signal for him to stop. Both of these tricks were a huge hit with younger diners around the restaurant. I didn't mind the melon flick, but I do have to warn you that if you're dressed to the nines, you might want to rethink participating if your clothes are dry clean only. My husband and I didn't partake in the sake offerings, and I think our hibachi chef probably thought we were crazy for declining free sake (He kept saying, "Free sake is always good!"). The wait staff is plentiful. There were a million of them in Osaka shirts running around clearing plates, filling water glasses, and picking up any stray food items that didn't make it into diners' mouths. Having said that, however, I was disappointed in the service experience. As I've mentioned, they could have taken drink/appetizer orders for diners waiting for the hibachi table to fill up. Secondly, no one seems to know who's table is whose. When one of our tablemates asked the closest waitress for another drink from the bar, the waitress looked very frazzled to find our assigned waitress to come back to take the order. Also, our waitress seemed unfamiliar with the menu; she had to look at each item we ordered (drinks and appetizers). When the table asked for the check, it took a good ten to fifteen minutes for them to come back with our credit card receipts. Lastly, the ambience. If you're going for an intimate setting where you can hear each other, you might want to try the table side of the restaurant. The hibachi side is so loud between the hibachi chefs' shows and the crowd that you have to shout to hear your dinner partner. Will we be back? If we're craving hibachi, probably... but for sushi or for a more intimate dinner date, probably not.
(3)Jeff K.
Went there with my wife, 2 kids (2 and 6) and my dad who was visiting. Awesome experience. Food was spectacular, it was fun, the staff were very friendly and attentive, and my son wants to go back tomorrow! I would definitely go back - and looking forward to it.
(5)Courtney M.
It's nice to have a modern sushi place in Coolidge Corner. They are probably working out some of their kinks, but everyone seemed to be having a great time on the hibachi side of the restaurant (lots of birthday parties and large groups). The other side is much quieter, so it might be better for dates. Friendly and attentive service (perhaps a bit over-staffed in fact). Hibachi is fun, but not great tasting; sushi also good but not great. I also thought it was a bit over priced. The hibachi was about $21-25, and their specialty rolls, bento boxes, and other entrees in the mid-20s price range. Will we return? Perhaps but not for a while.
(3)Lori L.
I'm a sushi snob and this is by far the best sushi I have ever had. I keep telling the owner that, and I take everyone there and they all agree. We go there for every family birthday to the hibachi area which is sooooo much fun. I love this place, great atmosphere it's gorgeous and I have never had a bad meal and I go there a lot!!!
(5)AJ B.
Food was fresh, and good. Service spot on. Chef was friendly. What else can you ask for in a Hibachi restaurant. Enjoyed it.
(4)Jay P.
My review is related only to the Sushi. The Hibachi rooms sounded fantastic and full of energy. Regarding the sushi, I have to say it was very run-of-the-mill. Certainly not terrible by any stretch, but nothing remotely noteworthy. In terms of poor dishes, the Truffle Salmon appetizer was absolutely pathetic, as bad a dish as we have eaten in the Boston area in recent memory. Four limp strips of ceviche style salmon overwhelmed by lemon-citrus with no other flavors coming through. It was that bad. And way overpriced at that. Don't be fooled by the "Truffle" commentary -- the world's top taster couldn't taste a hint of truffle in this dish. As for the sashimi it was fine quality, nothing transcendant but no complaints. The rolls were not memorable. Our waitress was not really that cool either, going through the motions.
(2)Bob J.
I went he with six adult and five kids and have hibachi. I have reservation at 6:30 pm on a sat night. I got there at 6:35 and see that my friend is seated already with a drink. The waiter come over got us drinks when we seat down. We order sushi and hibachi. I got the Osaka roll which is very good. I hibachi started with the chef making the kids balloon hat and sword, nice touch. The hibachi is good, buggy recommend the shrimp and scallop. Overall great service, good foods can't ask for more. Only one thing price is a little high but it's in Coolidge corner. And the hibachi meal doesn't come with a soup like other place.
(5)Key L.
Went here for the first time on a saturday night to celebrate a friends bday. It was very busy and very crowded. Since only 3 from our party of 15 were on time we were escorted to the bar downstairs. The bar/lounge area was dark but had plenty seating. While waiting for others to arrive we were checked on once. After waiting an hour we inquired about getting seated and was told it would be another 20 min-we didnt mind since we were still waiting on people to arrive. Once seated our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly-tho our waitress had a little trouble with "ciroc". Our food orders were taken and our waitress disappeared. Our chef was awesome! He made jokes, squirted sake and threw broccoli in our mouths-we had a great time! The food was pretty good-my leftovers actually tasted better the next day. Since our waitress was no where to be found we had to ask staff that happened to be walking by for water, etc. after we finished eating we sat waiting for the check. All the grills were cleaned and still we sat. About 40 min later we again had to stop someone and ask for the checks! Several people in my party had trouble getting change and their cc's back and one person felt "attacked" by the waitress when the waitress confronted her about others leaving her only 1-2$ tips. That put a damper on an otherwise amazing evening. I probably will not go back-the crappy service left a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)Samuel H.
Kind of middle of the road for a sushi restaurant. Great presentation on some of the premium rolls, but the ingredient pairings created some unpleasant tastes; I now know that salmon and eel don't work well together. Modern decor didn't really work for me either--a bit too Tokyo for my taste. I didn't try the throwing-fire-yelling steak thing, but the shenanigans involved with it are nicely separated from the main restaurant. Overall okay, but there are better sushi places in the vicinity--like Shiki.
(3)Evan D.
Soup, salad and three rolls for $13.38 (including tax) is a fantastic, filling deal on the lunch menu. The salad in that special is about as rudimentary as can be, some greener lettuce couldn't hurt, but that's a minor qualm. It's true that other Japanese restaurants have similar lunch specials... Genki-ya has a three-roll online, cash-only special (I don't believe it's restricted to lunch) that's almost identical in price and the sushi there is very good too. But, Osaka remains my go-to because of proximity, and besides once forgetting the salad dressing in a to-go order, I haven't been let down yet. Prep time is very quick on midday pick-ups, and if you place an order before the lunch special cut-off time (3:30 p.m.) but pick it up afterward, they're not charging you dinner menu prices. The bar downstairs is a plus at night if you're waiting for a table or have a scorpion-bowl craving, but seating is rather minimal there. The staff is very friendly -- one of my waiters was a bit of an oddball, but in a fun way. The atmosphere is definitely vibrant all-around, although quieter in the non-hibachi dining room.
(4)Henry S.
Great place in Brookline. Large, lots of staff, good service and the the food was excellent. I have been to many different hibachi restaurants in different states. I must say I expected the prices to be much more expenses given, the Boston / Brookline normal mark-up compared to other places. The prices were equal to other Hibachi Steak restaurants I have been to, which does not mean inexpensive but I would say reasonable.
(4)Aaron G.
Great time at the new bar! Friendly bartenders and of course great sushi!
(4)Itch S.
It is Teppanyaki not Hibachi as noted in another post. So much for authenticity these days. But hey it tastes good and nobody is the wiser...
(2)Matthew G.
I made a reservation through OpenTable and in the special requests section I detailed that it was my girlfriends birthday. These "special requests" usually go unnoticed or unfulfilled, as it says right on the app, nothing is guaranteed. We went, had an awesome evening with delicious food and plenty of drinks. The hibachi show was terrific as expected, and the "all you can drink" sake shots from the hibachi chef were much appreciated. Decor and atmosphere was very nice as well. Sushi appetizer was delish, the fried rice was some of the best I've had, and the filet mignon was terrific. At the end of the meal, much to my surprise, we were greeted with a birthday singing and desert of fried ice cream. It was delicious. When I got the bill, the desert had been comped. Free and MUCH appreciated. The service was good, and the gesture of the free desert was very very nice. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great hibachi meal.
(5)Chann C.
My friend and I went here for dinner around 8PM on a weekday. We were looking for a hibachi restaurant around Boston and after reading reviews on Yelp about this place, we decided to give it a try. The interior design of it was pretty neat and upscale. Our waiter soon led us to our seats at the hibachi area. I couldn't help but notice how LOUD this place was. I have been to a lot of hibachi places but it seemed like a lot of chefs here were just screaming their heads off. I got the hibachi chicken and shrimp and my friend got the NY strip steak. I agree with a lot of the reviewers here about how everything tastes like it's been swimming in soy sauce. My friend's strip steak was pretty good though. Throughout our meal, the chef was entertaining us by throwing things in the air (and at our face). I noticed one customer really did not enjoy the chef throwing things at his face at all. Overall, it was an okay experience. Loud atmosphere. Pricey. O-K food. Nice decor. Nothing too special.
(3)Nicholas A.
Ignoring the idiotic and obnoxious hibachi chef (actually this is the wrong word, but I won't correct this) antics which make conversation almost impossible, this restaurant suffers from a serious inability to make anything taste different. They seem to use excellent quality ingredients (shrimp, scallops, beef, etc), but everything, absolutely everything is flavored with nothing more than crappy sauces (soy and the other most common one which I can't write here because the spell checker refuses entry) and sugar. This food was easily the very worst of its kind that I have ever had anywhere in the world (New York, Los Angeles, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, etc). ANY native Japanese dinner would walk out in extreme disgust with this Chinese-owned horror show. The prices for this type of food, if tasty, would be reasonable, but given just how poor the taste is, this restaurant is a complete zero. I would not go back, even for free. Also, these "chefs" are actually damaging the cooking surface making cleanup more difficult and bacteria growth more likely. Oh... lastly, seeing people having sake squirted into their mouths from a few feet away, only to drool, splash and spit sake and saliva onto their neighbors, clothing and plates, is about as repulsive as one can imagine. I was really expecting strippers to jump on the table.
(1)Miriam F.
I really did not enjoy my meal at Osaka. The quality of their food is NOT worth the steep price. Plus the service is not impressive. There are plenty of other sushi places to try in Brookline, the best of which is Genki-Ya. Not worth a trip...
(2)Kerry S.
Excellent! We have been twice in the past month. The food is delicious and the portions are enormous. Waitstaff is good and the chefs at the hibachi are very entertaining. Definitely sit at the hibachi. This restaurant is also very accommodating for people with dietary restrictions. If you ask they will cook meals for separately (in the back instead of at the hibachi table) for people who do not eat meat or shellfish.The sushi is excellent. A great place for a birthday, anniversary or special occasion.
(5)Liz R.
This sushi truely raises the bar in Brookline, I eat sushi (rolls usually) about twice a week, and I feel like most places (Fugakyu, Super Fusion, Gari) do a really great job, but if you're looking for a more exotic, exciting experiece, definatly try this place out. As the other reviewers said, the menu looks a little expensive but the rolls are huge, no fillers, and they are crazy fresh and creative, I'm addicted!
(5)Matthew C.
The food was okay. It's a pretty lousy location being off from Harvard st.
(4)Marley L.
This place is AMAZING! I went last night with my boyfriend and his parents for our new years dinner. 3 of of us got the hibachi dinner which was delicious. everything was very fresh, the staff was very friendly and we even got to meet the owner!
(5)Jen D.
Food was great with reasonable prices! Did hibachi with a group of girlfriends. Chef was funny and def was generous with the Saki even though not my fav. Food was great pretty big portions got the seafood combo (shrimp,lobster tail,scallops) came with rice and mixed vegetables w/ a side of salad.Place is nice and clean but the reason I gave it 3 stars is the wait staff they were really rude and quick to hurry us along. We waited a good 20mins before anyone asked us if we wanted anything to drink. Ordered wine and wasn't placed in a bucket or anything just placed it by the grill to get warm. Barely done with my salad and he was already reaching over me to collect my bowl just really annoying when your trying to enjoy yourself and get a feel for a new place your trying out. When dinner came to an end we were being rushed and they continued to march over and say thank you have a good night and we were not ready to go still had some drinks to finish. I understand that there are other people waiting but we just needed 5more mins to finish up and there was other tables wide open. Overall food was great but would rather go elsewhere and be treated like your welcome and not being rushed out the door. I will not be returning here in the future. incompetent staff needs to be retrained with there manners and not be so quick to grab peoples plates when there not even done.
(3)Bill R.
Food: Best tasting sushi period. I cannot stress enough at how good the sushi is here; I wish i could give it more stars. I got the sushi deluxe plate with a Rainbow roll and both were exquisite. Usually when I get a sushi dinner elsewhere, there's always 1 or 2 pieces that I don't really like because of their 'fishy' taste but that was not the case with Osaka; I thoroughly enjoyed every piece of sushi on the plate. Price: I've had comparable sushi in the past but it was twice as expensive. Osaka is on the pricey'ish side but you definitely get the best bang for your buck here. Atmosphere: As far as the atmosphere goes, it's nice but has it's short comings. It almost seems a bit too nice given the surrounding area. They have a strange area in the basement with bar that just seems out of place. Their location in North Hampton, MA has a more homey feel which I preferred to the more trendy feel of the Brookline location. If I were to recommend a sushi restaurant to a friend, Osaka would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.
(5)Qing C.
I have to say I am a very picky customer but I really enjoyed my dining experience at Osaka. I heard of this sushi place from my friend and I decided to go with my family. we sat at the sushi side not the Hibachi side. I love sushi a lot and i tried many Japanese restaurants, Osaka has the best sushi i ever had.I have tried the Tomo Roll which a lot of people recommended and I definitely have to recommend it again. We ordered few other rolls(Nobu, Hidden Drogen, Foxy Lady and Godzila) and we all love it. The environment is great with the soft music and lights. The place is clean and the service is excellent. The food coming up very fast, we didnt have to wait for long. The waitress who served us is very nice and attentive. Everthing I experienced in Osaka is outstanding, I had a great time and I will be back and try Hibachi next time. Osaka definitely worse 5 stars.
(5)Angela L.
I really wanted to like this place, and so gave it a second try after the first horrible experience a few months ago. This time was no different. 1. The waitress did not know the menu. I wanted the donburi that is listed on their online menu, but didn't see it on the in-restaurant menu. I asked the waitress if they have donburi- she gave me a blank stare and said she doesn't think they have it. Either you know your menu or you do not. 2. Order of edamame came to our table by mistake. 3. My friend and I split the check, but her credit card got charged twice, while mine did not get charged at all. They have overall way too much staff milling around the front reception area. Nobody seems to know what they are doing and running into each other. No thanks. Never again. Hope you got my message with the awful tip we left you.
(1)Tiffany T.
I brought my friend here for her birthday and we were so pleased! First off, every employee recognized her birthday,offered sake shots, etc. Our hibachi chef was very fun and kept us so involved in the whole process. The food was fresh and tasty. When the bill came they had comped her dinner for her birthday, Would definitely return!
(5)Ryan M.
My wife and I are always on a search to find that almost perfect "Benihana" emulation. By that, I mean that we look for a fried rice that is masterfully cooked, food that is seasoned to perfection and worth every penny paid for the dish. Osaka is a gem. It hits the nail on the nail on the head for everything that my wife and I are looking for in a great teppanyaki spot. The staff is courteous and accommodating, the food was cooked perfectly, my shellfish allergy was easily worked around, and it was an overall fantastic experience. Fyi, the filet tenderloin dinner is succulent and melts in your mouth and the lotus bowl is dangerously delicious to share with your significant other. If you're a teppanyaki fan for the show, you won't be disappointed. The chefs are entertaining and engaging. My evening was spent with lots of laughter. I'll be making the drive from the south south shore again to eat here, it was easily worth the drive.
(5)sean m.
I've eaten the Hibachi here a few times and it was pretty good. I much prefer the hibachi place where I am currently living (Two free shrimp with each meal and it includes rice, noodles, soup, and salad) Osaka on the other hand gives you a much smaller portion. The actual restaurant is very nice inside and them being a Grubhub was a plus.
(3)Jenny N.
I have never tried hibachi until I went to this place for Dine out Boston with my friends. The "show" from our chef was okay. Neither bad nor good, but acceptable. The hibachi food was pretty tasty. I ordered their hibachi steak and lobster plus shared a scorpion bowl drink with my friend. The drink was really strong in my opinion and we didn't end up finishing the drink. The fried rice and vegetable was good. I liked it. The lobster was a little too salty, but the steak was well cooked. This was a nice place for hibachi. Not sure why some of the other people gave this place low reviews. The restaurant week price of the hibachi came out to be $40 per person (including tax and tips).
(4)Anneliese P.
I am obsessed with sushi and this is my favorite place in boston. It's simple. but the Buddha roll (roasted peanuts and avocado) is life changing and I can't live without it. Everything is fantastic here, from the taste to the presentation. Highly recommend!
(5)Heather V.
Osaka is a great place. if you go, you need to do hibachi. The sushi is good, but for the price you pay you need a show to go with it. But even then the hibachi food is very standard. I've been to many different restaurants that serve sushi and hibachi and it was nothing different or special. If you watch the hibachi at the table next to you, it's the same show your going to get except my table wasn't even offered the opportunity to catch food or saki, We definitely got short changed and it wasn't worth it for us.
(2)Michael G.
If there's one thing I like, it's sake. I've found a place that is friendly, not pretentious, and serves sake in a relaxed environment. I went with a buddy of mine who is a regular. He steered me right past the hibachi tables, the sushi bar (both of which I was gravitating toward, especially the delicious aromas emanating from the grills) and down a flight of stairs to a second bar. The area downstairs was quieter, well staffed and perfect for catching up with an old friend. The pair of bartenders were attentive but not hovering. They know their sake and I learned a thing or two. The vessels they use for the different kinds of sake are all purpose built for chilling without watering down, or heating without scalding. I really enjoyed the few pieces of maki that I had, my buddy went in for the full dinner and swears by it. I was already full going in, but appreciated the few bites, and will be back to enjoy the rest of the menu. Anyways back to the sake. The prices are very reasonable and the varieties are many and clearly defined and organized on the menu. Most varieties are available in three sizes: small, large, and bottle. A few of the higher end ones are only available in small and bottle. I can't wait to head back and further refine my palate.
(4)Laura A.
Osaka - why don't you come and sashimi sometime? We finally made into Osaka for the first time since moving to Brookline more than a year ago and my only regret is that we waited so long. The lunch specials are amazing. At first glance, $15 seemed like a lot for lunch, but it was so worth it. My SIL, who lives in Hong Kong, and I each ordered the tempura shrimp and Hidden Dragon roll - which we both agreed was not only amazing to eat, but way more food than either of us could handle. My husband ordered one of the lunch boxes and thought it was excellent as well. Our server was friendly and very attentive. We need to get ourselves back to Osaka prawn-to!
(4)Becca L.
Went here for my neighbor's birthday party. The Hibachi was delicious! The scallops were delectable. Cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. The chef was very entertaining. We had a great time watching him perform. The only negative thing I have to say is the server would walk away really fast before we were able to ask him for anything. It would be a quick... 'Do you need anything/Everything all set?' and then turn away before we could actually order another drink or ask him for something. This a little pet peeve of mine. We were also in the basement so he would go back upstairs and wouldn't come back down for a while. The ambiance of the basement isn't as pleasant as upstairs, however it is more of a 'private room' and I could chat with my party without feeling the need to scream across the table which was nice. The birthday girl broke her martini glass, and the staff took every precaution to ensure that they cleaned up the broken glass safely.
(4)Russell M.
This is actually a decent hibachi place. I usually try to stay away from these type of places because I think the majority of them are offensive to Japanese cuisine. This place was no exception. I had the filet mignon and lobster, which came with vegetables and fried rice. Everything was cooked well but nothing stopped me in my tracks, although I wasn't expecting it too. If I HAD to go to hibachi, this would be the place.
(3)Jon L.
Tomo Roll. Hibachi. The only things you need to know about Osaka. If you like salmon with a bit of spice and full of flavor, the tomo roll is the way to go. I was going to throw in a picture but I didnt want to be the guy to steal that first experience from you. Hibachi... This is obviously pretty dependent on your chef, but from what I saw, everyone seemed happy and enjoying their food. If you want to nitpick, you can say the food is a bit salty or the service was a bit slow... With that said, if you're a normal person and like a fun atmosphere with some good food, you'll love their hibachi. Sure, they get a bit understaffed during peek hours, but stop focusing on how you didnt get an instant refill on water and drink some free sake from the chef! (Once you go, you'll get what I'm taking about). Lastly, from top down, the staff is so sweet and kind. From the hostesses to the manager, everyone tries to maximize your experience. TL;DR: great hibachi and tomo roll for a reasonable price
(4)Latoya B.
We went out for a family birthday dinner and we sat at the hibachi grill, which is always entertaining...(and hot lol). I called and made a reservation which wasn't prepared when we got there, and we arrived 10mins early and were seated 20 mins late, but it's seems like a really popular place and it IS a sat night so I guess the timing isn't too bad. The food was great, and they have pretty good sushi too. Sweet potato roll....my fav! Raw sushi isn't really my thing and they have a lot of veggie rolls which is a plus. It has a very relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff......there has to be at least 30 of them working there at that time or more lol. Other than the hibachi side, there is also a regular restaurant side, and a sushi bar, and downstairs is a regular bar with cool lighting and pretty decent music. It's seems pretty stocked and it would be a nice place to chill and have drinks, other than all the people that are sent down there to wait until their table is ready.....there were a few kids running around and dancing to the music. But the age group is probably more 21+ after 10pm. There are a few TVs down there but you can't hear anything because the music is loud....kind of lounge-y. Idk if they serve food down there but the way the tables are set up it seems so.
(4)Shivangi S.
Made a reservation for this place through open table. We were a party of 7 people. When we reached the restaurant, the guy at the reception didn't even smile at us. His behaviour was extremely cold. Our server was an efficient guy and carefully took all our orders. The highlight of this restaurant is its chef. He is the sweetest and the most entertaining person. Our drink was horrible though! Their peanut sushi and crispy tofu sushi are amazing!
(3)Evelyn C.
This place has great tasting food and is also very entertaining if you're getting hibachi. Warning: The chef has sake in a bottle that he squirts into people's mouths as he is cooking, and he throws a bunch of veggies in the air for customers to catch in their mouth. This can kind of catch you off guard if you aren't paying attention, so I totally understand why people would not appreciate this, but I thought it was pretty funny & entertaining. I got the salmon hibachi; it comes with a salad, fried rice and some veggies. The fried rice is bombbb, and the salmon was great too. My dish was about $23, pretty standard price for hibachi. If you're not feeling like hibachi I highly recommend the Osaka spicy noodles. Doesn't sound like much, but it's really good and has lots of flavor. Spicy, but it's more on a mild level. They have a bar downstairs which is pretty quiet for the most part. They make their drinks very strong.
(4)Cameron D.
They make good food but they will get your order wrong or take twice as long making it as they told you when you order takeout. It's happened to me the past 4 times ive ordered from here. If you order something with a sauce such as chicken katsu, they give you a tiny cup of sauce. Underwhelmed.
(2)Kelly O.
3.5 stars. Osaka is just what you'd expect for a hibachi place; our table's chef was entertaining and enthusiastic, the food was simple but prepared well and quite tasty, my raspberry-infused sake was excellent, and it was a fun time had by our whole group. Their menu is extensive so even if you're not into hibachi food, there's plenty of noodles and sushi to choose from as well, so it's good for groups (and great for birthdays; as the birthday girl, I got a free entree, sweet!) Downsides: it's a bit more expensive than other hibachi places, waitstaff service isn't the most attentive/available (maybe order multiple drinks at a time?), and our check had to be corrected twice because of a few mistakes. But overall, Osaka was pretty solid for our hibachi experience.
(3)Lynn J.
Osaka gets high marks on the big 3: service presentation and taste. they're expensive menu includes more sushi then I've yet been able to try... so, I guess I just have to keep going back...smile. the deal: the hibachi is fun family entertainment for large groups!
(4)Chau T.
Terrible!! Girlfriend and I live 40 seconds away from this place and it always seems crowded, so we assumed it was good. Never again will we go back. It was late weeknight, and we just want to grab a quick bite. There was 2 waiters who never care to pay attention to any of the customers. We all sat there for water/tea and it took 10 minutes until we got service. She got the Philadelphia Maki Roll and I with the usual Spicy Tuna/Salmon. We also shared one of the Osaka Special Roll, which I forgot the name. It was super sweet, more like dessert, and disgusting! Waited 20 minutes for our order and none of the waiters came to us to refill the water. When the food arrived, it was pretty bad for a Japanese restaurant. I rather had the supermarket Sushi than these. For Philadelphia sushi, there should be cream cheese in it. It says it on the menu. The waiter couldn't speak English, which I was surprised, and uses that as his excuse to wander away. Like I said, it was late and we just want to go home after the horrible food.
(1)Meghan S.
Fantastic habachi! Had a bit of a wait even though a reservation was made, but still well worth it. Excited to go back and try their sushi.
(4)Nicky E.
Really surprised how much people dislike this place. I've been here thrice and enjoyed it every time. The spicy tuna tortilla? The nosh is on. The rolls aren't what you would typically expect from a sushi place - it's definitely a fusion of different flavors (but it's good! Be adventurous - try new things!). I found the staff to be attentive and friendly. Oh, and did I mention the spicy tuna tortilla? Yeah, it's worth mentioning twice.
(4)Jon R.
Went here last night to celebrate my friends engagement. The service was horrible. They only came around to push us to order and leave but when we needed silverware or more drinks or take empty drinks they never came with was frustrating and cluttered our space. The food was good but our cook was not very entertaining and was in and out within just a few minutes...only got one round with the saki and couldn't aim the bottle so it was all over everyone. Also didn't get one vegetable toss into anyone's mouth... As we were eating and it got later the staff kept asking to take our plates and actually took one of our places while someone was still eating. Never been pushed to leave a restaurant like this before and because of that I will be looking for a new hibachi restaurant. I also used a groupon this time so they probably just didn't care.
(1)Shirley L.
I went for a friends birthday. Never heard of the place before but I wasn't very happy with it. We were all there for hibachi and I've done hibachi at other places before so this isn't a new experience. The chef was rude. He snapped his fingers at my friends face to get her attention so he could ask her how she wanted her steak cooked. Then he waved his spatula in front of my other friends face, so close it almost hit her. And I understand it's supposed to be fun to squirt sake at the group but this guy didn't even try to aim for our damn mouths. If I wanted to shower in sake I would've done that at home. He didn't even try with any of is and squirted sake all over our clothes. He started flying vegetables at us even if we didn't want to catch it with our mouths. He started mimicking and making fun of another friends laugh. And to top it all off, he didn't thoroughly cook the food!!!! Two of my friends and I didn't feel well after eating there. It was like he rushed and wanted to get out of there. Food was horrible and nothing to be amazed about. Service was just as bad. I will not be returning!
(1)Lily S.
Presentation 3 Quality/taste 3 Ambiance 3 Service 4 Location 3 Generally my parents and I are pretty content at Fugakyu when we want to have a massive sushi binge, but today i decided we try something new and give Osaka a shot. I had been here before while intoxicated for some noshing and enjoyed myself so I figured why not. The restaurant was pretty empty at 1 pm on a Sunday, yet of course they seat us back to back to a couple w two very rowdy (albeit not screaming) children. (My parents who were sat before I joined them remained blissfully unaware of this fact because the mother was in the restroom w the kids, and they only emerged when we had already been brought drinks and water so it seemed obnoxious to have them move us then... And the other couple was also Russian speaking so we didn't want to be blatantly rude). Anyway. We ordered a selection of rolls as well as some sea weed salad and salmon sashimi. The 3 pieces of sashimi tasted fine but looked pitiful in contrast to the large and beautifully decorated dish they were served on. For rolls, we had basically the first page of the roll menu (nom) : american tango: the highlight of the meal. the balsamic vinegar sauce paired perfectly with GOAT CHEESE. my most favorite thing on earth. 5 stars. i think there was tuna or something in it too ;) yellow submarine: decent. i have to say that as soon as they put the plate in front of me, i got a whiff of fishy smell. never good at a sushi restaurant. foxy lady: pleasant. the pear is a very interesting touch. didn't realize it was an onion sauce until i looked back at the menu--wouldn't have guessed it. hidden dragon-truly a beautiful creation. very visually appealing. i'm a lover of pink. i'm also a lover of shrimp tempura. but when you're frying stuff, you can't be expecting to collect extra stars, thats too easy. angel roll- this was a great one. please take the middle man out, i don't need the rice and the nori, just wrap fish in more fish. #winning. samurai roll-- wasn't a huge fan, but it was more of a misunderstanding on my part. i misread the menu, and am not a huge fan of ikura or uni. price tag: this kind of surprised me. with my two glasses of wine, the total came out to be just under $130. At Fugakyu, we generally end up having at least several 5 piece orders of sashimi on top of a bunch of rolls AND a $30 bottle of wine for around the same price. Factoring in the lack of ample parking and the overall "meh" feel of the food i was eating, and I will probably pick Fugakyu 9 out of 10 times.
(3)H. S.
When I'm working late, I always order from OSAKA through dining in, as they serve the downtown area. Good quality fish and really nice selection of standard sushi and exotic combo rolls. The shrimp shumai and salmon terriaki is also tasty. I can't comment on the in-restaurant service, but my orders are always correct and promptly delivered.
(5)Idan H.
The sushi is very good! The service is not that good though. Sushi lovers should definitely check this place out.
(4)Frank B.
Quick, easy and overall not bad. Sushi was fresh and ready within 15 min for pickup. If you are looking for a quick place to grab basic sushi go for it.
(3)Steve E.
My eldest niece graduated from Syracuse University and recently took a job in Boston. Since I was in the area on business I wanted to spend the weekend with her and have the chance to do some sightseeing and catch up on all of the family news. She, my sister, my Dad and I all converged in Boston, and we went to Osaka restaurant which is near where she lives in Brighton. Osaka is located in Brookline, on Green Street, near the intersection of Harvard and Beacon Streets in an area known as Coolidge Corner. The restaurant is a classic Japanese Steak House (some would call it a Hibachi-style restaurant) along with a very nice sushi bar. They have several Hibachi dining areas, private function rooms, the sushi bar, and some common dining space. We opted to sit in one of the Hibachi dining areas but also ordered some sushi as appetizers, so we got to try the best of both worlds. My niece and I split the Tomo roll which was spicy crunchy salmon and mango, all topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado, and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. Very beautiful presentation (see the photo), and quite tasty. For the main course, we were all entertained as the chef twirled his spatula and dazzled us with his knife skills, all over the hot grill. He whisked through a mountain of veggies, and teased us by flipping diced pieces of veggies into our open mouths. (I'm sure that we looked like trained seals at the Aquarium, but it was great fun!). The chef made the traditional flaming volcano out of onion ring slices (see attached photo), and displayed a great degree of showmanship along with his cooking expertise. I had a plate of seared diver scallops with Fillet Mignon, and that came with a generous amount of fried rice and grilled veggies. The prices were certainly fair for the quality of the entertainment and the quality of the food. We had a lot of fun, and would highly recommend the restaurant to others.
(4)Melissa M.
Not that great. We ordered the gyozas at the hibachi table, never got them, yet we were charged for them. We asked for our leftovers to-go and then never got them back. We had to go back to the restaurant and ask for them. The rice was also pretty undercooked. They're either running a scam or need to hire better wait staff. I wouldn't go back, but I would recommend the hibachi place in Cambridge-it's significantly less expensive and a better experience.
(2)Melissa B.
Loved this place! I took my boyfriend here yesterday right after work for a Birthday dinner. He had never had hibachi before. It was great, for many reasons: 1.) It was pretty slow at the time we were there so we ended up having our own personal hibachi table and cook. 2.) The drinks were strong. 3.) They squirt sake directly into your mouth at dinner. 4.) We had a sushi appetizer (Yoshi Roll) which was amazing. It was extra crunchy. 5.) The waitstaff was so nice, I did not announce that we were there for a birthday, the staff figured it out after checking IDs for drinks, as a result they comped a meal as a "birthday meal" and brought out ice cream with a candle. 6.) The hibachi show was a lot of fun, the cooks are very talented and the food was delicious. Honestly, I cannot rave enough about this place. I will surly be back.
(5)MacKenzie M.
If I could give Osaka zero stars, sadly I would. As a local to the area, I was eager to try Osaka. Unfortunately, I must admit that I will NEVER return to this establishment. Upon arriving, my party of five was seated in the dining area almost immediately (this was the only positive part of my experience). I then waited 15 minutes for a waiter to approach the table. Not to mention, this was a Wednesday night and the employee/guest ratio was easily 3:1. Once we were finally greeted with a "Can you order now?", we were rushed into shouting out our orders to a very impatient server. Two of the people in my party ordered salad, which only took moments to reach the table. Sadly, this was ruined with a huge piece of salad dressing-covered plastic in one of the dishes. 20 minutes later, 4 out of our 5 meals arrived. Another 20 minutes later, after 4 out of the 5 of us finished our meals, and the 5th meal arrived. The 5th meal was terrible. Upon exiting the restaurant, we mentioned our disappointment to the manager on duty. He claimed that the only reason for this issue was the "open table" app. Note: we did not use open table, nor did we make a reservation. As an individual with years of experience in the service industry, I am the first to defend a server during a busy night, or even with a difficult table. However, there is no justification for the way that servers as well as management interacted with us during this visit. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend Osaka to anyone, and can assure you that we will be taking our business elsewhere in the future.
(1)Adam E.
Here's the deal with this place, DO NOT MAKE RESERVATIONS, THEY DO NOT HONOR THEM!!!! Consider yourself warned, heres what they do, they overbook reservations, then shovel people down to the bar and tell them they will be seated soon, and dont seat you for at least an hour!!! I went in with reservations at 8 pm and had to wait in line at the door for 30 min before i could even get to the front desk, i would have pushed my way through the crowd to let them know we were there for our reservation, but the 30 people in front of us all had the same time reservation time, some even had 730 reservations, When i finally got to the front desk, we heard the hostest tell the couple of two with a 730 reservation that it would be close to 2 hours to be seated! (They laughed and walked out) So, you have been warned, i gave 3 stars because their food is really good! But their service is HORRIBLE. I recommend eating there on an off night to avoid the headache.
(3)Ana R.
I am willing to concede that hibachi is not the best option for lunch. Some of the fun is kinda seeped out of it at noon, you know? That being said, we had a pretty ho-hum experience at Osaka this past weekend. The reason we wanted lunch at Osaka was because my friend had been craving it for days and we were working around her twin newborn's feeding/sleeping schedules. The waitresses were very pleasant, but our maitre d didn't even help us move chairs to accomodate the stroller. We pushed chairs into corners we hoped were out of the way. Our chef phoned in his performance, and though we were happier chatting, there was a noted lack of showmanship. The food, however, was delicious, and just what we'd been craving. The big downfall of this restaurant is the customer service. Neither the men's or women's bathrooms had changing tables, and when asked about it, the staff acted like they'd never dealt with the problem before. We had to change both babies on two chairs pulled together. This is a giant restaurant, probably at least 100 seats. Why they don't have changing tables, or an alternative to them, is beyond me. Hibachi lunch was $20 each including tip.
(2)Vitz H.
If you are looking for a real Japanese restaurant, don't get misled by the good reviews or the name of the place, it is simply not. It's one of those Chinese places trying to counterfeit Japanese cuisine. While Japanese-Chinese fusion cuisine could be very amazing, this one is just horrible. It's basically an entertainment show with flames and shouting that could, to a certain extent, be amusing. But you need to be ready for the apotheosis of the show when the cook spurts his "magic sauce" directly in the open mouth of the customers. Entertaining? Wait till you realize that it has actually some kind of discomfort feeling afterwards... Besides the entertainment aspect, the quality of the food was average, but nothing to get really excited about. But when it comes to the service, forget about it. Our waitress asked us 2 mn after dropping the plate on the table if we were done with it. I really have an issue with waitress who touch my plate while asking if I am done with it. All in all, it is not recommended.
(1)Rachel S.
After many subsequent visits back to Osaka I have to give them more credit than I did previously. The food is consistently good. The staff is generally friendly but can be a bit disoriented at times, which I can't really blame them for considering how loud it gets in the hibachi room (holy drunk college kids, batman). Everything is always delicious and flavorful, and I can't get enough of their white sauce. Can't wait to go back soon.
(4)Laura S.
I'm shocked I felt the need to give this place 2 stars, but the food was delicious and our hibachi chef was really great. I waited a while to post this review, because I was so angry when I left, that I felt it wouldn't be fair to post right to yelp....about a month ago, my friend decided to celebrate her birthday here. Her boyfriend made a reservation for a large group (about 16) for 8pm. This was perfect for me because I was working that weekend, and I'm a nurse, so I expected to get there just in time, and be home at a reasonable hour. When I got there at 810pm, everyone was gathered downstairs at the bar (prison) where we were waiting while they got our table ready. Soon we were told that they couldn't seat us because 2 people were running late and we had to have the entire party together to be seated. Ok, sure. I'll accept that. When they arrived a few min later, we were told 5 minutes until our table was ready. ONE HOUR LATER. we were finally seated. this all involved a lot of lying to us on the part of the waitress. there was a party of college kids who were sitting and talking having already paid their bill. not even drinking. I feel that in a restaurant like this, when you depend on your reservations and big parties, it's acceptable to say "we have a nice bar downstairs with ample seating area, do you all mind moving your party downstairs" It turned out though that the hostess was probably dating the manager (we saw them getting cozy which also seemed inappropriate) and that's why she refused to allow us to speak with a manager. The whole experience was so miserable. The two stars go directly to our hibachi chef. He was lovely. the food was good. however the drinks were VERY SLOW, and the waitress forgot and mixed up drink orders. So I got home from dinner at 11pm and I didn't get food until 930. Needless to say, I ventured to Watertown the next time I wanted hibachi, Edamame was a much better experience.
(2)Claire G.
I'd love to actually write a review of this restaurant, but I can't, as I am still waiting to be seated. It has been over an hour now and we are told there is another large party ahead of ours. This reservation was made 2 weeks in advance. By insanely large crowd also waiting to be seated and by the slew of reviews that say almost the exact same thing, it is clear this is a problem they run into regularly. Get your shit together, Osaka. Don't waste your time.
(1)Randy D.
I had reservations here for Valentine's day and unfortunately so did everyone else in the 100+ person mob that stretched out the door, it was a disaster -- and according to a ton of other reviews, this looks like a common occurrence, not just a one off OpenTable glitch for Valentine's. We left after waiting another 40 minutes with no resolution in site. P.S. Get rid of the stupid neon Budweiser sign on the outside, as it pretty much single handedly destroys the cachet of an otherwise nice looking restaurant.
(1)Grace C.
I dont understand how this place got three and a half stars. the service was good although they got our order wrong. However sushi wise definitely not the place to go. I've been to lots of sushi places in Boston area and if you want good sushi, do not go here.
(2)Frederic M.
I find it difficult to write a review on this place, as I feel it would take a couple of visits to have an overall experience of what Osaka has to offer. Part of the restaurant is allocated to what some would call "Japanese Show-cooking", there is a huge underground bar for non-food related entertainment and then there is a space dedicated to the more classic restaurant experience. I only attended the latter and will thus limit my review to my experience there. With Bento boxes priced at about 20-25$ each, Osaka is not a cheap place to go. But you get plenty of food for that. I ordered Bento Box number 3. I first got a Miso soup, followed by amazing spicy tuna maki. The rest of my Bento box included teriyaki beef, rice, dumplings and tempura (fried vegetables). The food was good. Overall very nice experience in a nice setting, though I believe that prices are a bit steep. If you are just interested in having a Japanese meal in a traditional restaurant setting, there are other places in town that offer similar food at better prices. Osaka is probably a place to be considered more by the show show-cooking fans!
(4)Julie O.
love this place for special rolls and lunch boxes! My favorite lunch boxes are Salmon Teriyaki and Beef Negimaki. I love their Nobu and Dancing rolls very much! Prices are reasonable and servers are very friendly!!!:) Strongly recommended!
(5)Liya A.
Great food but we got bad service. We entered the restaurant and were seated in the regular area ( not the hibachi). We were not aware that we should ask for the hibachi room and nobody asked us about it. We were with kids and the overall feeling was that they are not kid friendly and wish we will leave.
(3)Lusi J.
First off the restaurant is beautiful. But the food and service had a lot of room for improvement. The waitress seemed to hate her job and the sushi wasn't very fresh at all. .Very disappointing. Do not recommend, will not come again.
(1)Michael D.
I just went for a standard American Japanese restaurant lunch, so I can't write about the hibachi or their bar. It's certainly not a bad place. The decor is fine bordering on nice, the staff is fine, and we did not have to wait long for our food. And it's quiet!... because it was fairly empty. I ordered sushi lunch box number 3 and a Godzilla roll. The lunch box and half the Godzilla roll was enough to fill me up (so about $20 base value). You get some white rice in the lunch box, and it was about as bad (a little too soft and sweet) as expected, but not that worse than most other sushi places in Boston. During the meal, I also heard Mandarin from the staff, which was almost reassuring. Whew, it would've been embarrassing for the restaurant if it was actually run by Japanese people. Last bit of good news? It's near a JP Lick's.
(2)Chong C.
Pretty good Japanese roll and meat. We had "Amazing" roll (it's the name of it) and meat skewer, and both tasted fine. Though, service was extremely slow and it seemed like they don't even care how their customers are doing. We had to wait like 15 mins to get our check after finishing our meal. Food was definitely appreciatable although was bit pricy, but their service is one of the worst I've ever had from mid-high end restaurants.
(3)Lisa A.
I created a yelp account just to review Osaka. Ordered the yaki soba and yaki udon and was sorely disappointed. Basically, it tasted like overpriced Chinese takeout. Too sweet and no traditional Japanese flavours. Other things might be good here but I didn't try them. Service was mediocre.
(2)Jonathan M.
They made up for their failure from last time with a gift certificate, but I never got around to updating. I received a $50 voucher in the mail so I applaud their commitment to make things right. We went back and sat on the side without the hibachi. It was solid overall and the service was excellent. The atmosphere is nice, and I enjoyed food's appealing presentation. The flavors didn't blow me away for the price, but everything was tasty all the same. I'll probably come back again because I live in the area, but I will avoid the hibachi side.
(3)Mai H.
I came for a late lunch and must be honest.. I walked in here because Shiki is closed on Mondays. I ordered the Eel Dragon roll and 6 piece sashimi appetizer. For most part the sashimi was good. There was only one fish were I felt the texture was off and maybe had been previously frozen. I ordered the 6 piece but they gave me 8 pieces..can't complain about that! I had the salmon, stripped bass, white tuna and regular tuna. Two pieces of each tasted fresh and the roll was just a typical roll. The eel was great! I saw some bento boxes around and will try one of those next time. Complimentary green tea for the win!
(3)David C.
The menu at Osaka could probably rival The Cheesecake Factory's in terms of sheer enormity, but I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. There's really too much to choose from. My recommendation is to ask your server what he or she recommends. That allowed Andrea B. and me to try a few of the most popular items, and some of our waitress' personal favorites. If you're a sushi purist who only likes raw fish, rice, and raw fish on rice, then you might like it here because they have all that, but you might also scoff at the number of ingredients that go into making a single roll here. For me, the more things you shove into maki, the better. The highlight of my night was the American Tango roll, an outrageous creation featuring hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, shitake mushroom tempura, and a strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. There are approximately forty more rolls on the menu just like that one, and I might have to make it my mission to try them all. Can't comment on the hibachi here, which is really what makes Osaka unique for the area (there are far more sushi places in the neighborhood than would ever be necessary), but I've never been a fan of it in the first place, so I'll leave that up to you to decide.
(4)Nicole A.
Everything was great but the flavors of the hibachi weren't as flavorful as I'm used to with benihana in forty Lauderdale. The cook was fun and the atmosphere was nice but I'd like more flavor and richness to the food. My fiance loved it though. To each their own?
(3)Petros G.
A couple friends suggested hibachi for dinner, so after a bit of online searching we decided to visit this restaurant. It was Friday night and we did not have a reservation--still, we were seated after a 15 minute wait. We place our orders and the salads get to the table relatively quickly. However, this is where the good service ends. About 50 minutes after my 2 friends and I finish our salads, our section of the hibachi room *finally* gets the chef, who begins to cook our food. At one point during the nearly hour-long wait for the main course, my friend went to the front of the place to talk with the manager, with the goal of moving things along and getting our food to us. The manager says he will 'check' on the food but in actuality, doesn't move an inch (it was a busy night, I'll give them that). It didn't help that during most of our time in the restaurant, there was a group of college students on the other side of the room hollering at the top of their lungs whenever the hibachi chef did a fun trick, or basically whenever they felt like it. I'm not against having fun, but it would have been nice if my friends and I could have actually heard each others' voices at times. Though, I wouldn't fault the restaurant for this. Anyways, the food is finally coming onto our plates, courtesy of the very entertaining chef. I ordered the steak & scallops (comes with fried rice and vegetables). The food in general was OK. The meat and the scallops were made well but the entire plate was bathed in the same salty teriyaki/soy sauce. There wasn't much of a difference between this meal and a standard meal from a low-key takeout place. It was average. In short: you can do better, especially for $25, which was not worth it at all. I will not be returning.
(1)Alex S.
I've only ever been here during off times so I can only write about my experience when this place isn't packed. Me and my girl came for lunch because of a Groupon (it's so much cheaper during lunch) and didn't have an issue with our reservation or getting seated. It was only us and another couple that seemed very disinterested in the whole experience. Your experience definitely depends on how out-going your chef is. Our was okay but the chef at the table next to ours seemed a bit more sprightly. Minus 1 star. The kids at the other table even got balloon animals. I didn't get any balloon animals. Minus another star. All in all it was a decent experience. The food was pretty good and the show was decent. They also have decent bento boxes if hibachi isn't your thing. Check out my blog (complete with pictures and childish humor) for the full review! thesuchef.org/2013/10/08…
(3)Julie B.
I had been craving sushi for a while and Osaka came to the rescue in a big way. I went with a group of friends on Tuesday night and immediately started to oggle at the food porn....ahem, the menu. I started off with the miso soup and split the crab rangoons, aka MONEY BAGS. I would order those babies just for the name. And guess what? They come out looking just like bags of cash, complete with a seaweed tie. Adorable! While I'm no expert because most of my crab rangoons come from take-out menus at 3 am, these were phenomenal. They had a very flaky crust and the crab to cheese ratio was like 40:60. Soooo good. Lured in by the idea of 4 different types of tobiko, I ordered the tobiko rainbow roll next. The presentation was beautiful, as it was on all of the plates. Personally I loved my roll, but some of the others I tried were a little bland. The decor in the restaurant is great and I love that they have mini hibachi tables available, but this place was LOUD. There was barely anyone there and we were on the opposite side of the hibachi tables but we could barely hear each other. Not sure how to fix this. Either way, sushi was great and presentation was impeccable.
(4)Lisa B.
After being contacted by the manager, I decided to give Osaka a second chance. It was one of the few restaurants open during the Blizzard of 2013, so my fiance and I stopped by for sushi lunch. Everything was fresh and arrived quickly. I opted for the three roll special which included soup and salad. My fiance ordered one of the bento boxes, and we were both happy. In summary... Osaka has its good moments, and it has its not so good moments. It seems to depend on which server you have. I highly recommend Osaka for lunch, though.
(4)Julia J.
loved the hibachi here
(4)Hung L.
Came here for a buddy's 30th birthday dinner, Henry, you mother says, "Hi!" We had 17 people in the group and had reservations for 7:30 PM on a Saturday. Some people in the group showed up late so it was understandable that we would have to wait to a little longer to get our seats for the Hibachi grill. The last couple showed up around 8pm but we didn't expect to have to wait an hour and a half to get seated. Some people got hungry and went door to Otto's for a quick bite of pizza. Personally not a big fan of Hibachi but if you want to experience it at least once in your lifetime then it's worth it. The wife and I got sushi here and to be honest the sushi deserves 1 star. The extra star is more for the show and the sake we get squirted in our mouths (like mother, like son Henry ;-D ) The couple next to us also got sushi, one of our rolls was the Spider roll, the couple next to us also got the Spider roll for one of their selections yet when both our dishes came out, they looked nothing alike. Never seen sushi filled with lettuce before. On top of that, it had no flavor to it at all. It was probably the most bland sushi roll I have ever eaten, not counting California roll. Normally I can eat 3 rolls of sushi with lots of water and feel full but not at this place. I left feeling hungry. Their sushi prices are somewhat high too for the amount you get. If you want the Hibachi experience come here, if you want sushi, walk 2-3 blocks down Harvard Street to Genki Ya, 100 times better there.
(2)Sara C.
As a sushi fanatic living in Boston, finding restaurants that serve high quality and creative dishes without clearing out my wallet is pertinent. My experience at Osaka was just that, alongside good service. Our waiter was friendly, food and drinks served in a timely fashion. Their menu is extensive, following our servers recommendation I ordered the eel dragon roll and tomo roll, which were both excellent, and huge. We also ordered the king crab ceviche, filet mignon habachi, which was cold but tastey otherwise, and Sui mono soup. We were sitting on the steakhouse side, may next time sit on the habachi side to ensure a hot plate. To drink, hot house sake and Sapporo. All left Osaka with happy full tummys and the prime location allowed us to conveniently continue our night out in Coolidge Corner.
(4)Tony N.
This place has become a staple for my wife and I. It is always easy together a reservation, even on the weekend, despite the place being constantly packed. The decor is modern and the place has a very energetic vibe. The noise level is perfect in that you can hear the excitement of the hibachi from the dining room yet you can have a conversation with your table and not have to raise your voice. The service is more than attentive and very friendly. The times I have asked for recommendations from my server I have not been dissapointed. The drink menu is good and they have this shocu, distiller from sweet potatoes, that I have fallen in love with. Prices are decent. The food is spectacular. The special rolls are inventive and not only taste gay but look ga. Sashimi is fresh and cuts are a good size.
(5)Ella F.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this place. The ambiance/decor is nice, but they seemed incredibly disorganized from the moment I walked in. There are two rooms, a hibachi room, and a regular dining room. The hibachi room was practically a zoo. It was incredibly loud/rowdy, and definitely not the type of atmosphere I want for dinner after a long work day. It would be about equal to going to a college bar on a Friday/Saturday night. We sat in the regular dining room where it was more peaceful (and we weren't planning on getting hibachi either). The sushi was okay- nothing too special. The service was sporadic, although there were a lot of waitstaff congregating and chatting at the main entrance. The price was waaaaaay up there for the quality of the food. They clearly have you paying for the "cool" atmosphere/decor, because nothing else could justify the price. If the price had been more reasonable or correlated to the food and service, I would give 3 stars.
(2)Mikhail H.
I was in town on vacation and craving sushi something fierce. Several friends recommended a place around the corner but when we researched them the prices were crazy high. My husband found this place and we decided to give it a go. This seems to be a hidden gem because there were not many people in the gorgeous restaurant. And it really is pretty inside - I nearly fainted at how low the prices were. We went for lunch so you will save a lot just on that alone! It was seriously $40 with tip and we got a sashimi plate (some of the best I have ever had honestly), yakisoba with chicken and some tempura, a beer and soda which is really great. The service was also very impressive and our food was fast!
(5)Alexander K.
Japanese Restaurant with available Chinese option .., hm ? That is a NO-NO for traditionalists !! Especially for those who are into Japanese cuisine. There are few good Chinese restaurants to begin with, rest is junk. There is also explosion within Boston area with Japanese restaurants, and less quality is inevitable. This place is perfect example. From appearance which can be taken as Japanese/Chinese/European dark style, confusion .. !! To service .., two different servers taking order, two others give water, two more taking/bringing food/plates. And what's with the huge white plates to serve just about every thing ???!! 3/4 orders and the table is small, not the cleanest establishment either. Food was tasty yes, presentation was good yes, can be better !! Service no where near of traditional Japanese culture, super weak !!
(3)Heather N.
I have been to Osaka before and had a great time. Unfortunately, I had a reservation for Valentine's day yesterday (which was made a month prior), and when I got there, there was a mob of people waiting to sit down for their reservations. We had an 8 o'clock reservation, and when we showed up, people who had a 7 o'clock reservation were not even seated. I have never seen a restaurant so unorganized and the manager would not even come out to apologize. Not to mention my name was on a post-it note. Thank you so much for ruining what was supposed to be a fun-filled, stress-free valentine's day!
(1)Keo H.
I've been to several hibachi restaurants before but this one has just become my go to suggestion in the boston area. The service, ambiance, entertainment and price are just right. Servers were prompt and really good at replacing our used plates and refilling our drinks with a smile. The entertainment included a very high energy chef who had many tricks up his hat. He incorporated saki shots, volcano, tossing food into our mouths & figurines that squirted water from thier bodies. Hahaa.. that was a first sighting for me. The food was good for the price we paid - if not on the very worthy side. Lobster, steak, shrimp & scallop all cooked to our order; pretty fresh and tender. Sashimi was excellent. My only gripe is my mix drink but its probably not worth complaining about since it was soo cheap ($6). I had the lychee martini. Lets just say it wasn't good. It was probably the cheapest vodka out there that was used. If you're thirsty you can't go wrong with ordering a beer. :0)
(4)Taylor N.
I came in on a Saturday around 3:30. They were open for lunch but no one was really there. I wanted to sit at the sushi bar but was diverted to the large booth. I was by myself. I had observed that my water glass was dirty before the waitress arrived. she was about to pour me some water when I told her what was wrong and she seemed highly shocked. She was very sweet though. The only thing I really didn't care for was that she didn't bother to let me know that she was no longer my server and that the shift had changed. This guy came out and asked for the check. He was standing less then 5 feet away from me waiting to see when I was going to be done with it. I still had. Not finished the martini that I ordered. (I originally ordered a lemon drop but they seem to be missing some ingredients so I had to switch my order) I ordered the hibachi shrimp. Several shrimp still had the excrement attached. BTW, It was rather crispy to taste...eww.
(3)Marty L.
So sad when a restaurant has pretty great food but TERRIBLE service.. Waitress completely forgot about us multiple times, forgot to put in multiple orders, and every time we asked what the hell was going on, she barked back in a condescending tone. Unfortunately, the food experience was completely spoiled. ABSOLUTELY would not recommend.
(2)Esther C.
I would have to give this experience a 5 star experience. There were many things that made this a 5 star experience. First our server Jack was so nice. We went there pretty late and were obviously the only ones there and yet he still didn't rush us. He kept saying we were fine and to take our precious time. Second the chef. I believe his name was Costco? I couldn't really heat him over the grill and stuff but he was amazing. He did all the tricks! The volcano the sake squirt the tossing food to mouth, it was all really fun and amazing Third the food. We went there for restaurant week, but they still gave us so much food that I had to bring it home. The food was a little salty, but still amazing. My boyfriend just gorged his food down because it was so good. I got the filet with shrimp and scallop and he got the fillet with lobster. Everything was cooked to perfection. Their tuna dumpling appetizer is amazing and unique. I would suggest you try them! Overall everything was fantastic. I am so glad I chose Osaka to experience for restaurant week! I will definitely go again even without restaurant week!
(5)Helen L.
My friends recommended the Tomo Roll ($16.95, 8 pieces). Love, love, love it. It exceeded my expectations with its spicy crunchy salmon and mango topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. I think it took me almost 40 min to eat 8 pcs because I was savoring every. single. bite. Finger lickin' Deliciousness. The hibachi is pretty good although I haven't been to many places to compare. I would recommend not wearing anything nice. It's kind of like Korean BBQ. You end up leaving smelling like the food you just ate. I usually get the Hibachi Salmon ($22.95?). It's served with house salad in a bowl, vegetables, fried rice, and of course the salmon. The fried rice is pretty yummy but also tastes like it is doused in butter. For proportions, the rice took up half of the plate and the veggies and salmon each take about a quarter of the plate. Service is excellent!
(4)Zoë Z.
We went here last night for restaurant week and while the food was pretty good, the overall experience wasn't really what we were expecting. The chef that we had seemed like he was having an off day or something because you could tell he was rushing and in a bad mood. He didn't even offer sake shots which was disappointing. The other tables around us had very lively and friendly chefs and we enjoyed watching them as they caught steak mid-air and enjoyed sake shot after sake shot. On top of that, the staff seemed a little drained and unorganized (probably from the busy week) and this made things come out at weird times. They never even cleared our appetizer plates. Also, the scorpion bowl was really, really bad. I took a few sips and decided to leave it alone. It was watered down and wayyy too sweet. As for the food, we were really happy with it. The sashimi appetizer was very good. You could tell the fish was very fresh. I got the steak and lobster hibachi for dinner and while I thought the steak was cooked perfectly, the lobster was a little dry. But living in New England for so long I probably have unreasonable expectations for lobster. Overall, I don't think we will come back to Osaka but I don't regret going either.
(2)Becca P.
O Bar (a hidden gem) downstairs of Osaka is the best!!! FREE KARAOKE on Fridays and Saturday nights. They have different beers on draft, wines, sakes and special cocktails. Bud Light - $3.75 Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban, Steel Rail, Pale Ale, Sam Summer, BBC - $5.35 Definitely should check it out if you are in the area!
(5)Brian S.
I love hibachi and this place definitely hits the spot. The service is a bit disorganized when it gets busy but the food is so good. I ordered the sashimi, hibachi with filet mignon, shrimp and scallop and a mochi ice cream for their restaurant week menu. Their sashimi is not the best, but it is fresh. The hibachi is pretty standard, as in amazing and I'd probably pass on the mochi ice cream if it didn't come with the meal. Definitely coming again!
(4)Sarah G.
Great place for a group outing! I went here with 7 of my colleagues for a work dinner and drinks! We all had hibachi and our chef was fun and made the night a good time! The one complaint was the dining room felt a little empty , which made everyone feel a little awkward. It was also very bright in there! Maybe turn down the lights and get a more cozy atmosphere and we would of stayed for another round of drinks! We all had a mix of chicken , steak and shrimp! The chicken was kind of plain and next time id stick to just steak! The fried rice and veggies were really good though! After the hibachi show you are left alone and kind of feel like you should leave!
(4)Bob B.
Look for a place for celebrating? This must be a nice choice. I was celebrating my friend's birthday here, and it was a really special experience. The chief in Hibachi was amazing. He really knew how to entertain the customers. EX: fire show, juggling with the eggs, zucchini tossing and sake shooting. Everything were really funny and we really had great time. Although the food was just so so, I would definitely come back again.
(4)Cate T.
I would categorize this in the low end of the 4's. I eat at Osaka pretty often. It's a great little sushi spot in the area. I would have to say it's probably my favorite in the Brighton/Brookline area. Their sushi is always fresh. The service is inconsistent though. Sometimes the employees are overly attentive. Then sometimes you have to wave people down. Last night they accidentally gave my order to someone else, so I had to wait an extra 20+ minutes for them to create another dish, while my BF had both his rolls-and didn't want to eat without me. The reason for the 4 stars is the quality of the fish and ingredients. All of the times I have eaten here, the fish is always very fresh and awesome. It's a pretty quiet place too and good ambiance. I would 100% suggest the Nobu roll! Best roll on the menu!
(4)Laurens W.
Went here with some friends and the food is good, especially when considering the price. Why then only three stars? One word: Service (or the lack thereoff).
(3)Gareth L.
My wife and I came here for the restaurant week and we wish we picked somewhere else. We tried to make a reservation for lunch but was unsuccessful on every single day. So we made one for the dinner. Before we mentioned about the restaurant week, the staff didn't even bother to let us know there's a separate menu for the event. The waitress is very pushy. Without any explanation of the menu, she asked us about four times even I told her we need a few more moments to go through it. The food was disappointing, too. My wife ordered a bento box while I tried the restaurant week menu. Her salmon was cooked to a completely black color and of course it tastes bitter. So we called the manager over, and his response was, quote, "What do you want me to do?" I don't know, man. Isn't this your restaurant?
(1)Michelle W.
My friend and I came here for restaurant week and it was an OK experience. If I'm looking for entertainment/experience over taste this would be the place. Appetizers Tuna Dumpling (Pass): This had good intentions, but final product was a bust. They recreated a dumpling by thinly slicing tuna to use as the skin and stuffed it with avocado and shrimp. Only two moderately sized dumplings came out. When you took a bite it felt like you were biting into baby food - basically mush. It sounds very innovative, but ultimately was a huge disappointment. Rock Shrimp (Recommend): This was a good portion - enough to share between 2-3 people. Very basic so hard to mess up - just shrimp fried in batter served with a spice sauce. The shrimp is served in a rice cracker bowl - don't recommend eating the rice cracker bowl though since it's bland and has a slight stale taste to it. Entrees Sushi and Sashimi Set (Recommend): This consists of 10 pieces of sashimi, 6cs of sushi and a spice tuna roll. This was pretty well portioned for a meal and gave you a taste of everything. Not the best sushi I had - but that's not why one should come to Osaka in the first place anyways Special Roll Set (Recommend): This dish featured two large rolls. The Hot Lover was a spicy tuna roll with shrimp tempura, which was very good and filling. The second roll was more on the sweet side - it was a spicy crunch salmon roll with mango, tuna and avocado. There was also a honey wasabi and coconut sauce, which is very sweet! I'm not a fan of sweet flavors in my sushi and I avoided it after my first bite. Dessert Mochi (PASS!!!!!): This is horrible. At least just buy a box from Trader Joe's! The mochi ice cream was hard as a rock and I think they tried to circumvent this issue by cutting it in half for us and sitting it on a bed of chocolate sauce. This did not fix the problem and in the process of cutting the pieces it looked really unappetizing because the mochi was now disfigured. Overall - service was quick and friendly, food was just OK and never get mochi ice cream here - not worth the money. If you are looking for $28 dinner deals for Dine Out this is not a bad option, just be aware of what you signed up for.
(2)Kevin L.
First time I've been here and boy was it PACKED, both the hibachi and restaurant side. Do yourself a favor a make a reservation. My group decided to go with the hibachi this evening. I suggest not wearing nice clothing because you will stink and have sake squirted on you. Ventilation in the hibachi room was pretty bad, real smokey. Only come if you want to have fun! I can see the hibachi chef be quite annoying if you're not in the mood I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp and the portions were huge! Definitely get your money's worth. However, the food was a little too salty for me. However the Tomo Roll is to die for. Highly recommend it!
(3)Ruqian M.
Not as good as I expected. The waitress grabbed the bill so fast that I felt she didn't want us to sit there after dinner.
(3)Janet C.
They have changed there menu, cut out a few dinner entrees, mostly sushi. Also have added/changed the dining area. I've order the chicken Hibachi which I thought the sauce was on salty side. This was my 4th time going here.
(3)Mallory C.
2 years later, I have developed a love hate relationship with this place. The last couple of times we have gone, the service has just been completely lacking, and even though the hibachi is fun once in awhile, and the food is good, nothing really wows me anymore. but for some reason I like going back because it "feels" fancy and like a good date night. This last time we came however, made me realize I just don't want to go for awhile. Our food came quickly, and was good, but every time I asked for something I felt like I was bothering the staff (they weren't very busy, we got there early enough to beat the restaurant week crowd). They only give you chopsticks, I have to ask for a fork, every. single. time we go. It would be nice just to have the option since they have so many menu items that would be easier to eat with silverware. There is NEVER enough ice in their drinks. There is none in the water, and if you order a cocktail, they put like 1 or 2 cubes that basically melt by the time it gets to you so you get a watered down, warmish drink, every time. Last time we went I actually asked for extra ice, because we wanted to stay and just enjoy our cocktails after we ate. The final straw was last night though, when the waiter was cleaning our plates from the table and knocked over a full cup of sake. We had purchased a bottle for the two of us and only had a couple sips left. Instead of remedying the situation, or offering even just another shot to replace what he had wiped out, he got super flustered and muttered "oh sorry," and grabbed one extra napkin and threw it on the table. Then we got our bill. Very unimpressed. We are frequent fliers here, but next time we have people we want to entertain we'll be trying somewhere else for sushi. Fugakyu anyone?
(3)Kevin T.
Very American in taste. A lot of rolls with avocado. Seems like everything is avocado... LOL
(3)Erin B.
The sushi was good here, although I'm not really a sushi aficionado. I tend to go out for sushi when other people have a hankering, and I always get the Philadelphia roll, which is pretty much cheating because it's an inside out roll with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Well, anyway, this Philadelphia roll was good. I also had steamed vegetable gyoza because I just love those little dumplings. Prices were reasonable. Where Osaka tends to veer off track is their service and atmosphere. The service seemed friendly enough, albeit, overattentive. Eventually, however, the multiple staff people that were coming over to our table to clear, take additional drink orders or ask how everything was seemed confused and/or annoyed that we weren't "moving along" as they say. Neither I nor my friend had finished our second glasses of wine and they kept asking us if we were finished. At some point, they just brought the check, which was a clear indication they wanted us out. The downstairs lounge brings in a slew of 20 something women scantily clad for scorpion bowls. It's quite disparate compared to the upstairs restaurant. Walk downstairs to the bathroom, and you feel like you're in a completely different establishment. I wouldn't rush back, but it's a decent option. There was no wait for a table at 6:30pm on a Friday.
(3)K. Grace K.
I think this might be my favorite sushi restaurant ever. And given that my husband's pet name for me is sushi monster, that means means a lot (or not much at all depending on your interpretation). Some people ordered hibachi. They were happy with their meal, but I think we concluded that the standout food was the sushi. The fusion rolls are excellent. I think the people who said the rolls were sweet might have been referring to these because they have fruit in them. I liked the mix of sweet and savory. These rolls embody the creativity of Euro-Japanese fusion that I encountered in one of the nicer sushi restaurants I went to in Hawaii. The presentation of these is also remarkable making the meal an enjoyable visual experience. (Check the pics I uploaded!) For starters, we had the yellow submarine, which had mango and lobster tempura on a plate dressed with a mango and Thai chili sauce. We also had a hidden dragon roll and a garden roll. The latter is vegetarian and has kiwi draped over it with a strawberry-mango-kiwi sauce. The fusion rolls were surprising and balanced sweet with savory and Asian with European ingredients. These rolls were excellent. They aren't huge, and I think the higher prices are because they are more labor intensive and the ingredients are more expensive. (Many of them have 2-3 expensive fishes.) We also ordered from the sushi in the back of the menu. These are smaller, less expensive, more standard rolls. However, these rolls are high quality and represent excellent crafting. They have a very thin layer of rice on the outside with a substantial amount of fish in each roll. In many places the layer of rice is as thick as a single grain. I say this with admiration, as cheep-o sushi usually has a lot of rice. You can see this sign of quality in my pictures. Our favorites are the salmon roll (check out that hunk of fish!) and the pearl roll, which has asparagus. The seaweed salad was good, as it always seems to be. At Osaka, it comes out in a large bowl with iceberg lettuce underneath. The crisp lettuce contrasts nicely with the limp seaweed. I liked that pairing although when I saw the big bowl, I gave my brother a much larger taste than I would have had I known half the "large bowl" was iceberg lettuce. :) I guess he just got lucky. Another reviewer gave me a good idea. He said that the fusion rolls that I love so much are so sweet he thinks it is a desert. Well. I know just what to do with that suggestion. I think the seaweed salad is a good appetizer. Then follow that with one fusion and one smaller roll (Alaskan or pearl) for the main and finish the night with another fusion roll for desert. Healthy choice tip: In all seriousness, the seaweed salad is a great starter to the meal. Avoid tempura (fried) rolls or rolls with mayonnaise or cream cheese. The fusion rolls probably have a higher sugar content, so I limit myself to one fusion in the meal and get the rest from the back of the menu. YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE BROWN RICE! I am very excited about this. That is how the sushi monster rolls.
(5)Nik A.
This is a fantastic restaurant in Brookline. One of the few Hibachi places in Boston. It had really great sushi and awesome ambiance and service. The hibachi chef did an entertain job but I thought that the hibachi special was a little over priced and the food does cool down bit.
(4)Stephanie V.
I have not had worst service than I've had here. We had a group of 10 with a reservation for 8pm. Half our party came at 8pm and the other half came 5 minutes later... 5 minutes late. The host was curt and sent us to the basement while we waited for a party to clear out. The basement had a vibe of its own. It was dark and didnt seem that clean. A few of us ordered drinks and the bartender was unattentive and slow. I dont know if it was his first time but I dont think it should take 10 minutes to pay for a drink. By now it was probably 8:20 and my friend went back to the hostess to see what is the hold up. She was uninformative and unfriendly. We ended up being seating at 8:40.. 40 minutes after a RESERVATION. We were with a friend out of town and time is precious so this was unacceptable. This place was so overpriced! I realize that you're also paying for the show/experience but still. The show was amazing. The chef was really fun. The food was good. Our table got chicken and steak hibachi. They squirt sake from a bottle which was awesome. Then the check came. And the servers kept messing up our checks. It took another 20 minutes just to pay. I think going to a restaurant, its the combination of service, food and atmosphere. But the service here was SO POOR that I will definitely not be going back.
(1)Cassie W.
I can't think of this place without drooling. Let me start of this review by saying, I love sushi!!! This review will be 100% sushi based, which I wish most of my day's food consumption could be. For those who don't know, the restaurant is split into 3 sections, the first floor has both sushi and hiibachi section and the basement has a lounge/bar area. The sushi here is always fresh and for a great price. I have been to a lot of sushi places in boston and none of them compare to osaka, even the more expensive places. They have a great deal where you can get spicy tuna, spicy salmon and a spicy yellowtail maki for 18 bucks!!! Besides that most of their house maki rolls are around 6-7 bucks. Everytime I have a friend visit brookline we always make a run to Osaka. My friends are huge fans of the speciality rolls they have all found one that they are in love with and curse me for introducing them to as it is all they can think about for weeks. If you want fresh well priced sushi, give osaka a try! You won't regret it. Note: This is one of the few places that offers brown rice for maki rolls!!!
(5)Anna M.
The food is typical Americanized hibachi, but done well for what it is. There is also a sushi bar, and the sashimi I ordered as an appetizer was fine. The food is pricey, but portions are huge and if you don't want leftovers you can split a hibachi entree easily, plus they don't charge for sharing!!!!! We had the best chef ever, "Tony" who is an excellent shot with the sake squirter! I have never had so much fun at a restaurant in my life! Also, there is a cocktail lounge and bar downstairs. I think this is an excellent place for a group--start with cocktails downstairs while you wait for your table. The (few) cons are that the wait staff essentially ignores you. It was hard to get refills on water, and to order more cocktails. We gave the bulk of the tip money to Tony because he was so much fun, and made up for the lack of drinks with the sake squirter (next time i will wear a shower cap though ;). Unfortunately, they do not have grapefruit juice, and their lychee martini would seriously benefit from a splash of this. I do not consider this a con, but crotchety people will: the place is loud and very lively! The entertainment is definitely the reason to come here, so be warned if you were looking for a quiet evening!
(4)An N.
- The chef was extremely friendly...Best hibachi ever...best service as well...i love this place and i'm gonna recommend my friends to go here ! Thank you guys for giving me a best hibachi, love it so much. Of course i will go back and put it in my favori
(5)Silly S.
Great food and atmosphere. Steak and scallop are strongly recommended. Chefs are humorous and play "games" with diners.
(4)Jenn S.
I am giving this 2 stars because of the food and cleanliness. But I would give it a 3-4 star for the entertainment value. We had the whole downstairs hibachi room for a party and while waiting for everyone to get there we all noticed how dirty everything was. There was leftover food on the grill top and lots of food residue on the wood....super gross! Our chef was funny and very entertaining with the typical flaming onion tower and sake shots to the face. We all laughed and had fun. The food however was SUPER salty and just ok. I wasn't a fan of the dipping sauces. They were also very salty and just didn't taste good to me. It was expensive for some shrimp and rice but again I know we are paying for the person to make us laugh. I would go there maybe once a year to take people who haven't been but I am not dying to go back.
(2)Ruby C.
Strong drinks at the bar downstairs. Food quality was ok; guess Hibachi places are mainly frequented for the cooking entertainment.
(2)Nina K.
Lotus bowl: 4/5 This drink tasted very much like fruit punch or the "Hurricane" from Vegas. Shrimp Shumai: 5/5 Succulent dumplings. No complaints. Perfecto. Vegetable Rainbow Roll: 3/5 The different ingredients didn't complement one another AT ALL. It was an OKAY sushi roll ... Nothing special. Beef Kushi Yaki Dinner: 3/5 The beef was okay. Spicing was good but not an explosion of flavor. See below for more explanation of the beef dinner. Ok so sat down at 6:08 pm and we were out at 6:52 (please see the receipt photo ... Not kidding). This isn't because we wanted a quick meal. No !!!! This was DATENIGHT. but they rushed us like crazy. They kept coming to ask us if we had decided on our order. HELLO?!!!! WE JUST SAT DOWN. RELAX LADY !!!!! Brought the miso soup, dumplings and sushi all at the same time (5 minutes after ordering). Brought out the main course about 4 minutes into out appetizers. Which meant that by the time we were ready to eat our main course ... It was cold. Didn't know I was going to McDonalds.
(2)Kevin D.
Food was excellent. Thank god we made reservations because there was a wait. If you don't want booze squirted all over you or food tossed at you like a seal, might not want to go here. However it is all part of the experience and a great time.
(4)Cher M.
I came here for restaurant week and I must say I was a little bit disappointed. More disappointed with the service than the food. My server from the time she came up to the table was extremely pushy and very rush full throughout my entire dining process. I first order a cup of tea which I then requested for some sugar that took about 10 to 15 minutes for me to get and by that time I was already done with my tea. I then an order the Scorpion bowl which was watered down completely. I asked for my steak to be medium well and it seems like there was not cook at all. Just to wrap this up I received the bill and I saw that the Scorpion bowl. Now keep in mind I did not drink anything from the Scorpion bowl because it was gross. Never again will I ever come back here
(2)Benjamin E.
A good place to end your day if you are looking for a few drinks and unwind. This place has 2 floors, the ground floor and the lower level. The lower level is a bar that has very nice comfortable low lighting and a club like feel with the a good selection of up beat music and comfortable couches along the side of the wall. Although you are in the lower level bar area, the bar has a full menu you can order off of. Up stairs on the ground level there is a sushi bar and hibachi table and comfortable booth with a much more quite atmosphere oppose to downstairs. The food is okay. Nothing out of the ordinary form your typical Asian/Sushi restaurant. The sushi is good though, they have nice fresh cuts of fish, but their Caterpillar Rolls (i.e Dragon, Volcano, Scorpion, etc.) are a little off. Just a mountain of fried tempura flakes on a sushi roll. The drinks are good. VERY STRONG but still have a lot of flavor besides tasting alcohol. A good place for hanging out with friends and having a few drinks and small bites to eat.
(3)Lannie L.
After passing this restaurant many times, I finally had a chance to dine here for dinner on Restaurant Week (or "Dine Out Boston"). The decor and atmosphere are nice. Wait staff attentive and waters topped off frequently. The drink list was super cheap for RW and stuck with wine though the mixed drinks sounded good. I started with the tuna dumplings, which was the highlight of my meal. Presentation was impressive and the dish was tasty. A thin cut of tuna served as the "dumpling" wrapper while crab meat and avocado was stuffed inside. Friend got the "money bag" appetizer which was a miss in my mind. For the main entree, we both ordered the hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail. The portion size was huge with fried rice, vegetables, steak cubes, and lobster chunks hidden under a lobster tail for presentation. The "surf and turf" was disappointing - the steak was so overridden with garlic that everything became unpalatable. The lobster was tough and also garlic-y. Fried rice and veggies were standard - like typical Chinese food fare. To finish off, we both got the mochi ice cream (which was red bean flavored but not described as such on the menu. I personally don't care for red bean). I'd say average but a good portion and nice presentation. To pay $35 for this meal, I really expected to enjoy the entree more. Not sure if there will be a next time, but...maybe next time.
(2)Jodi G.
I first went to Osaka in North Hampton and thought it was great! Then after moving to Brookline recently I decided to check this place out! Not only is it loud and young and a fun aambiance on a Saturday night out with friends, but the sushi is one of a kind! I love the amount of tuna specialty rolls they have! Watch out for spicy though- it's on almost every roll in some form! As for service- they could improve! They are either invisible or in your face asking you what you want every 5 seconds! They need to find a happy medium on that one! I havent tried hibachi here but I definitely plan to! It looked and smelled delicious when I was there!!
(4)Thanh L.
If I could eat only one meal for lunch for the rest of my life, it would be sushi, but it definitely wouldn't be sushi from here. The handful of times I've come here I've always been underwhelmed. During one visit, I got the Foxy Lady (their description: Spicy tuna, avocado topped with seared tuna and red wine pear. Served with onion sauce). The onion sauce turned me off and the combination of ingredients was altogether unpleasant. I tried my friend's sushi, which was the Dancing Roll. This one tasted great, perhaps because my own dish was unpalatable. The visit after, I ordered the Dancing Roll to play it safe. Unfortunately, it was doused in overly salted peanut sauce, completely masking the other flavors of the sushi. I will say that the standard spicy tuna is fine. Service could also be better. I asked for salad options, since my menu listed none, and the waitress proceeded to mumble a few options. Since I had a difficult time understanding her, she brought the full menu to show me (why weren't we given this one in the first place?). Service needs to kick it up a notch - inattentive service for a non busy dining time. If you're looking for good sushi in the area, make the trek to Genki Ya 5 blocks down, or Fugakyu around the corner.
(2)Kenny C.
Came here for restaurant week. Food is meh. Sashimi appetizer - actually not too bad. 3 pieces of salmon,3 pieces of tuna, and 2 pieces of I don't know. It's white. I've had better but this is alright. Lobster and Steak - overcooked and bland. They tried to salvage it by slathering the entire plate with sauce, but it didn't cover how how dry the lobster and steak were. Served with a bowl of fried rice - drenched in soy sauce. Generous portions. Sea Bass - A bit overcooked, otherwise the taste is fine. The sauce accompanied it was syrupy/gingery and went well with the bass. Bowl of rice on the side was way too dry. Mochi ice cream - I thought we'd get a choice of ice cream flavor. But we didn't. Out comes plain vanilla mochi ice cream. I wouldn't bother coming here again. I'd give these guys 3 stars but yelp's definition of "meh" is 2 stars.
(2)Nevin Z.
Amazing meal and show. Hibachi is truly an art form. I was impressed at the skill of all the hibachi chefs I saw. The food was great. Couldn't ask for more. The sauces they provide add a great combination of tastes. While some of the meals are somewhat pricey, maybe 19-20 dollars, I would say it was more than worth it and I left feeling very full. They have definitely gained a returning customer from me.
(5)Jo T.
Ugh. We went for the hibachi and: - the food wasn't very good. i've had this type of food a few times at other places, and this was the bottom of the barrel. - the hibachi chefs all follow a pretty crass script; e.g., there's a plastic doll filled with sake and they pull down its shorts and spray liquid on the food from the anatomically correct male doll Won't be back.
(1)urbanaite K.
We were there on a busy Friday night, Halloween actually, and the service was very good. Our food arrived promptly and it was delicious! It is not cheap, but I'd say it is appropriately priced for the location, ambiance and food quality.
(5)Matt F.
First time at Osaka, and it did not disappoint. The food was great. Our chef was entertaining. I went on a Monday so the crowd small. But I will be returning and bringing friends as well.
(4)Josephine L.
My friends and I came here after watching the lovely documentary, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" (brilliant idea to show it at Coolidge Corner theater, where there are numerous sushi restaurants). Osaka isn't bad, but nothing about it sets it apart from the millions of other sleek, trendy, chic sushi restaurants that play pulsing lounge music all night long. I had the Nobu Roll and the Rainbow Roll. The Nobu Roll, a combination of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with three kinds of tobiko topped with chef special sauce, was rich and initially satisfying. After a while though, the sauce got to be too much and I couldn't finish the roll. I guess I'm too much of a minimalist when it comes to sushi. I not only like but prefer my sushi to consist of only 3 things: fish, rice and seaweed (avocado allowed). The Nobu Roll was not very well made, either. The pieces kept falling apart when I picked them up. I also had the Rainbow Roll. The fish tasted very fresh and the cuts were pretty generous. No complaints there. Service was good, but almost too attentive. We were constantly interrupted by well-meaning servers asking us how we were doing. Maybe scale back a bit on that?
(3)Cheryl H.
Going to a hibachi-style place, I expect a certain amount of theatrics, but this was ridiculous. Catching shrimp/veg in your mouth? Okay. Squirting sake from a condiment bottle and having the person chug until they choke and spit everywhere? No thanks. The sake squirt chugging also led to a lot of people drooling all over and generally being covered with sake, so dress accordingly. Then the chef started having the women catch the whole raw eggs in their cleavage - are you going to cook those? I hope not. The ambiance is certainly better for groups. Don't count on being able to converse at anything below a shouting volume though because it's extremely loud on the hibachi side. The sake chugging led to a certain level of chaos and gave things a sporting event type of feel including lots of countdowns and screaming. Yes, screaming although at a drunken wrestling brawl, I guess you would be missing the sound of the metal cooking utensils being constantly and rhythmically slammed on a hotplate, so there you go. The hibachi steak ended up being okay although it was overcooked. The sushi was awful and I'm not even a sushi snob. If you're craving sushi, there are many other good alternatives nearby. As we were leaving, the woman in front of us was apologizing to her friend saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would be like a freshman dorm." Yes, I'm sorry too.
(1)Angie D.
Fun to sit at the hibachi table! Our cook was very friendly and entertaining. The food was good, but I was disappointed not to see noodles as well as rice. Good to know for next time! Will definitely be back!
(4)Katie W.
Great place to go with big groups! The atmosphere is lively and fun, and the hibachi chefs really show you a good time. The food was average. You don't really go for the food, more for the overall experience. Hibachi entrees start at $20.
(3)Najica H.
I eat japanese food regularly, so I guess I know when one place makes something good and another place fails...I went here with my roommate for the price fixed restaurant week dinner. It was a nice looking place, super easy to get to, our server was great and I wanted to like this place but unfortunately...the food wasn't good, and that's what's actually important. My roommate got the hibachi and the portions were good but overall it tasted just alright, I've had better hibachi at dives. I got the sushi/sashimi combo w/ dancing roll. The roll was good, but the sashimi wasn't cut right and the pieces were a bit butchered, which would've been fine except when I ate it the pieces they tasted a little chewy and had like a day old fishy taste which....fresh sashimi shouldn't taste that way :/ After a few pieces the bad taste just piled up and I couldn't finish it, and I used to eat sushi every week. I got the tiramisu for dessert and the first bite was good...except the rest of it was literally frozen solid in the middle, no joke! It just made me sad that I was eating at this expensive restaurant and the dessert wasn't even thawed or fresh. Like old tasting sushi and frozen dessert? I really wanted this place to be good but I actually had a violent stomach ache afterwards...
(1)Rachel D.
Amazing! If you have the money. We got Hibachi because I would have kicked myself if we hadn't, and it was amazing and extremely entertaining!! The chefs do neat tricks with the eggs on the grill, and also tricks with the utensils and sake squirters. Honestly their fried rice was pretty amazing, and I think it's because they put sake in it - the taste was phenomenal. I also had just a regular sushi roll on the side which was good, nothing to write home about, but it wasn't a special, hard to make roll - just tuna and avocado. The tuna was very fresh and soft though. The chefs also have sake squirters with just water in them for kids to play along. Sometimes they even throw food into your mouth, but they always ask first and never try to make you do anything crazy that you're obviously not willing to do. -GREAT for groups -Great for kids, especially since I always see a million Brookline families there -great for a first date! since it takes the pressure off.
(5)Courtney H.
I was so excited that there was finally a hibachi steakhouse within walking distance of a train in the city! So my husband made some reservations one night and we went for dinner. The place was pretty full but not sold out and we were seated with two other couples. One definitely was just there to get in and out and the other was there for a date night too. I didn't do so well with catching the vegetable thrown at my face (mostly because he through the first one at my forehead!) but I handled the sake well! I thought the food was similar to any other hibachi place so no complaints! And I love the yum yum sauce! Can't wait to go back!
(4)John M.
I don't profess to be an expert when it comes to Hibachi - I only started going to places in the last year. That said, I have been a few times, and this place was by far the best. The atmosphere was fun, and the chefs each knew how to make at least a couple of balloon animals which was a nice touch (and added to the general vibe). The sushi was very good (not as excellent as a high-end sushi place - I used to work at Osushi - but damn good for an inexpensive one). The place was clean and the service was excellent. We really liked our grillmaster, Sam, and he seemed to reciprocate and had some good fun with our table. The kicker was that the food prepared was the best I've had from hibachi to date. Everything was cooked perfectly, and was absolutely delicious. I ordered the chicken and salmon, gf ordered the chicken, two of the folks from the other group ordered the fillet. I can attest to the excellence of my choice - salmon had a nice crispy layer on the outside and was perfectly juicy and soft on the inside. Chicken was moist and quite flavorful. And the fillet looked perfectly cooked, a solid medium-rare like the other patrons ordered. Overall, a great time, and can't wait to go with a bigger group in the future.
(5)Matt S.
It's difficult for me to write a review for Osaka because honestly it's pretty much like every Hibachi/Sushi steakhouse I've ever been to. It has it's own unique decor of course, which is nice and cool in it's own way. Wait staff are attentive and the food is good. Sushi there is pretty decent too, so I'll switch between that and hibachi when I go. The hibachi show is pretty typical, nothing spectacular or unexpected. I'm giving it four stars because while they don't do anything amazing or extravagant they don't do anything wrong either (in terms of food, service, etc...), which makes them pretty reliable and one of my go-to's.
(4)Rebecca F.
I came here with a LivingSocial coupon and had a decent experience: nothing to rave about, though. The restaurant is located on a side street in Coolidge Corner, very accessible by public transit. It's dimly lit and quite large, and there's a separate room for the hibachi and a downstairs which had dance music playing? I could hear the excitement from the hibachi room at my table in the other portion, which wasn't a bad thing but I was here on an early weekday evening, so I imagine when it's busier it is probably noisier. I just ordered the sashimi sampler ($24) which came with 5-6 types of fish. The sampler comes with soup or salad and a bowl of rice. The fish tasted pretty fresh and was arranged nicely in a bowl of ice. The service was attentive and helpful when I asked for an explanation of the fish. Overall, this place has pretty good Japanese food and the hibachi is always a fun outing.
(3)Dana S.
We had a great time here for a friend's birthday party. Before sitting down for hibachi, we grabbed a drink at the bar downstairs. Both of the bartenders were so friendly and courteous. My martini was big, and STRONG, and delicious. We started with two sushi rolls for an appetizer. One of them (the name escapes me) was extremely spicy! But the rolls were a great size and very fresh. Our hibachi chef was hysterical and made for great entertainment during the cooking presentation. Who doesn't love sake shots before dinner? I shared the "osaka" special with a friend- a great combo of chicken, lobster, scallop, shrimp, and beef. Everything was tasty and I would definitely go back again!
(4)Mon R.
THIS PLACE IS AWESSSSSSOME! Its totally off the beaten path (Harvard Ave), and apparently just opened in October! They had a deal for Valentines Day- free glass of champagne. We got here and were promptly seated for the hibachi. Our waiter was really attentive, and it didn't take too long for the hibachi chef to come out. I got steak and chicken, my husband got shrimp. The chef did all his usual tricks, except with a few new ones we haven't seen before. The rice was awesome, and there was enough food left over for lunch the next day. The family next to us had a kid and he was totally into the chef. He exclaimed, "its dinner and a show!" - The irony, here, being that my husband totally feels this way about hibachi... as a result of a number of birthday parties at the place when he was little. Kid at heart. Anyway, we loved it, and are glad to have found a nice hibachi spot in Boston. A bit pricey, but that comes with the hibachi territory.
(5)Sara M.
We came in on a Wednesday night and were seated on the restaurant side immediately. Next time I would ask to sit towards the back as the hibachi room is very loud. Our drink order was taken by one person and our dinner by another. The way our waitress reacted, we still cannot figure out if she was surprised or impressed that we ordered the Osaka sushi for two (it comes on a boat) - about 18 pieces of sushi, one tuna and one dragon roll and miso for two; a good amount of food for teh two of us, but not gut-busting The soup was good, and the fish was impressive, it was very fresh and the addition of jalapeno and lemon zest on some of the fish was very nice. The dragon roll was great, and the eel sauce was really nice. With a couple of beers, dinner was $50 before tax and tip and we were very satisfied.
(4)John L.
~New Coolidge Corner Hotspot where the Hibachi over the Sushi. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asupr.us/ap-osaka A friend of mine had a birthday here. Initially I just punched it in to Google Maps, as I was fairly familiar with the Coolidge Corner area, but had never been to/heard of Osaka. I turned on the main street to this side street and I see this relatively sexy new place. For the area, Osaka is quite large. I was there on a Saturday night and it was packed. It was so packed, despite a reservation, we had to hang out at the bar lounge area for around 30 minutes until we could get to our table. I mean, it's fun to go somewhere on a Fri or Sat night where it's packed. Lots of energy and fun with the hibachi stations. No real surprise, if you're either doing hibachi, or anywhere near there, you will hear a plethora of screams, yells, Ay-Ay-Ay's, and a bunch of laughter. So if you're not ready for any and all of that, it's pretty difficult to sit anywhere at Osaka and not hear any of that. The hibachi portions are plentiful and quite delicious. It'd be hard for me to go here for some sushi over the hibachi. We had a variety of rolls including the American Tango, Foxy Lady, Jalapeno, and a few more. All of these fusion rolls were good, not great. I mean, the sushi rolls might actually be as good or better than some other dedicated sushi restaurants, but because of the presence of the hibachi, it's tough for any of the sushi to shine. I might have to go there again and resist the hibachi and try to focus on the sushi and update my review perhaps.
(4)Lala I.
the food def wasnt bad to be honest. im jus not into anything fusion esp def not my sushi. if you are into japanese fusion and some hibachi action you ll probably like this restaurant. bright, large space, very good for groups. the lounge in the basement is def a plus.
(3)Jessie C.
we went here a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. Very good! The prices were high but not too terrible for Brookline and the quality of food. We've eaten a lot of hibachi in the past and this was by far the most food you get at a very high quality for the cost. Great choice. I had the chicken and salmon hibachi and the "Summer at osaka" cocktail. If we went again, i'd get just the salmon - it was fantastic!
(4)Jenn S.
Before my friend invited us to Osaka for her birthday dinner, I had never heard of this place. Both my husband & I thought it was a different place. As we were walking to the restaurant, we saw an employee standing on the sidewalk on Harvard Ave., with a sign advertising Osaka and their parking. Guess they are really making a push for advertising! We arrived a few minutes early, but couldn't be sat until more of our party arrived. Once they did, we were seated at one of the Hibachi tables and waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The main issue with this place? TOO.LOUD. We could not hear what those not sitting right next to us were saying - and the waiter couldn't even hear us when we ordered our drinks! I ordered a glass of Raspberry-flavored sake, which came in a wine glass (not a sake bottle with those adorable sake glasses). It was delish. Other friends got a Mai Tai and hot & cold sake. All delicious. The chef was definitely fun. He used the squeeze bottle to shoot sake into our mouths - and definitely had fun with it. He even tossed a piece of onion into my friend's mouth, but when it missed and landed in her shirt, he hilariously yelled "GOOOAL!" Very fun. The rice was AMAZING. I could have eaten just that! The chicken and veggies were great too - and didn't even need the sauces that are provided. The salad was a typical Japanese ginger salad, which is, frankly, one of my favorite parts of Japanese meals. I love that ginger dressing. Overall, the food was good, the prices are reasonable ($19ish for a salad, hibachi chicken, tons of rice & veg) and the atmosphere is fun. Do not sit at the Hibachi tables if you want to have a conversation though!
(4)Mirope F.
Love the sushi in this place... and they have a crazy and funny karaoke downstairs... really nice place to go with friends have some good sushi and a lot of fun with the chefs
(4)Andrea B.
I love sushi, and Osaka's is definitely up there among my favorites. Each of the rolls I tried was delicious, not to mention the presentation, which was gorgeous as well. You probably really can't go wrong regardless of what you try, but I'd highly recommend the Amazing and the American Tango rolls. The former boasts tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, scallops and kamakazi wasabi. And the latter contains hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. It sounds like it could be a rather peculiar combination, but trust me, it's not. Service was both hit and miss. Our waitress was kind of blah, but I have to give them props for doing a great job at keeping our water glasses filled the entire time.
(4)AM S.
Hands down my favorite hibachi in Boston's frightening dearth of good restaurants! Closest or even as good as Benihana. Great great great quality of food, awesome chefs and even the salad is good. The leftovers taste just as tasty the next day. Highly recommend this, it's a gem in the mire.
(5)Melissa P.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant functions in two fantastically different ways: entertaining Hibachi grill show and quiet sushi room. The restaurant is literally split in two. The dual personalities of Osaka has a fun way of catering to its diners. For your first visit, start with the hibachi grill. Hibachi is a traditional Japanese grill that is equipped with an iron hot plate called (teppan) used in teppanyaki restaurants, though what you find within its ornate walls might not be considered traditional. The chefs at Osaka go all-out to put on a show with funny banter and a bottle of sake (which they will squirt in the mouth of dinner patrons). As for the food, get ready to watch it diced, grilled, and served right in front of you. On the tamer side of the restaurant, the sushi rolls are made fresh, with creative combinations like TOMO or Hot Lover Roll.
(4)Kevin G.
We ate at Osaka during Boston's Restaurant Week, Winter 2014. We made a reservation for 8:00 PM (on a Wednesday night) and, unlike most of the other reviewers, we were immediately seated upon arrival at the hibachi table. Then again, it wasn't busy and we probably would have been seated immediately without the reservation. After seating us, they gave us iced water, but it was quite a while before a waiter took our order. My date ordered an iced tea that never arrived. For our appetizers, we ordered the tuna tartare and the tuna dumplings. It should be noted that we waited an extremely long time for them to serve us our appetizers. We were contemplating leaving the restaurant at one point. Both dishes were beautiful in presentation but tasted almost identical to one another. Unfortunately, neither appetizer was particularly good. Though they both contained a decent amount of fresh tuna, the tuna itself was not cold and it was mediocre in quality. Overall, they were very bland. For dinner, we both ordered the steak and lobster hibachi. Though the menu states that the hibachi dinner comes with a salad, neither of us received a salad. This could have been because we were ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu. The hibachi chef was nice and entertaining enough and the food was decent. The rice and vegetables were fine, the steak was cooked to order, but the lobster was a bit overdone and rubbery. Though I must say that we were each given quite a bit of lobster and steak. If you're expecting a range of tastes, flavors, and spices, do not order the hibachi dinner. Like all hibachi, everything pretty much tastes the same. Good salty, buttery, garlicky flavor, but all one-note. For dessert, we ordered the mochi ice cream and fried banana. They were out of the fried ice cream. The mochi ice cream was a generous portion and delicious. The fried banana was one banana on a plate with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Though it was fine, it would have been better had the banana been sliced and then fried or if it had the accompaniment of some ice cream or a fresh garnish. It was an oversimplified dessert that could have been executed better. Overall, Osaka deserves only two stars. The ambiance was fine, the hibachi chefs seemed great, the service was terrible, and the food ranged from decent to mediocre to worthy of sending back. Nothing, except for maybe the mochi ice cream, was delicious or worth re-ordering. There is better hibachi out there and there is certainly more-delicious and fresher sushi-quality fish all over Boston. I'd only go here if you are out with a bunch of friends who can't travel and want sake sprayed into your mouth.
(2)Thomas L.
Crazy busy here on a Saturday night. Highly recommend reservations. Food was terrific. Service was great. Overall atmosphere was energetic. Sat at the hibachi grill with the wife and another couple. Variety of your standard selections, one drink each, and tip.....$150.00 total. Not too bad, as it was a great experience and we were sitting/eating/drinking for a good amount of time. Again, the food was delicious. The salad, the freshly prepared/cooked fried rice, the shrimp, the vegetables, the steak and chicken, and the accompanying sauces. All terrific. The downstairs (where the restrooms are) looks very trendy and cozy and could be fun for a drink or two. The bar/sushi area on the main floor also looks fun, and although I am not a sushi person, it did look very appetizing. If you are looking for an upbeat dinner and lots of energy, make your reservations today!
(4)Arden B.
I interviewed the co-owner of Osaka for a video package I was doing on Boston Winter Restaurant Week, and she was so sweet and made everything sound so great that I couldn't wait to come back and actually eat there! We had a party of 4 and were seated right away at a hibachi table. I'm a big Benihana fan (don't judge me!), so I had high expectations! This place was so fun! The chef was extremely engaging and we all had a blast. We pretty much laughed through the entire meal. The shooting sake was definitely a highlight as well. And although I failed to catch a piece of zucchini in my mouth, I still enjoyed watching as my more coordinated friends succeeded. The rice was pretty good. I don't think it was quite up to Benihana standard, and for some reason I really don't like corn in my fried rice, but other than that, I thought it was good! The vegetables were okay. I liked the onion, but the zucchini, carrots and broccoli were not as cooked as I had hoped. My least favorite part of the meal, though, was the salad dressing. It was waaayy too heavy and there as so much of it that I actually felt a little sick just looking at the salad. I had the shrimp and scallops. The scallops were phenomenal! I only wish the chef had cut up the shrimp into smaller pieces because I did not have a knife, and it made it difficult to eat those shrimp with chop sticks. After we finished eating, we went downstairs to the O Bar. I think we actually accidentally crashed some kind of Persian party? Still had a blast doing sake bombs in the corner and listening to the music we couldn't understand. The bartender was pretty rude, though. On nights when there isn't a party, they have karaoke! Lots of fun! We would definitely go back again!
(4)Jill S.
Very good Hibachi Japanese place!! Came here with a group of friends on a trip to Boston and the food was very good!!! We had a reservation which was good as the place was pretty crowded. The cook was a lot of fun and very entertaining!! I would definitely go back!!
(4)Ivan L.
First time visiting was during Boston's Restaurant week. Service was extremely quick and courteous; served the first course within 15-20 minutes of walking in! Appetizers included rock shrimp and sashimi (smorgasbord of raw fish), which were both superb. The entrees followed with hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail as well as the Tomo sushi platter, and finally the dessert was Mochi ice cream with a chocolate drizzle. Everything was outstanding, flavors were full individually but melded nicely with one another. You could certainly distinguish the freshness of all the fish and the meat was cooked to perfection. Portions were plentiful and beautifully plated. Would also recommend sharing a scorpion bowl (strong mix but very tasty) as well as pairing hot sake with the ice cream dessert to top it all off. I would absolutely recommend this place to anybody wanting something new or familiar. Most definitely a great experience, will surely return!
(4)jazzy l.
Grand opening Sushi/Hibachi Grill on Green Street (near Peets) Everything is brand spanking new. Good presentation of sushi rolls although a bit pricey. $66/3 people.
(4)Hayley M.
How did I possibly miss Osaka? I've lived right by for over a year and a half and didn't know of its existence until restaurant week! I am so glad I found it. Came for restaurant week, and the menu was divided into four options for everything. Two were hibachi, two were sushi. The boy and I decided to split the sushi options. Here is what we ordered: Appetizers: Tuna Dumpling - King crab, avocado wrapped in thin sliced tuna. Garlic White Tuna - Hot pepper white tuna with crispy garlic and spicy yuzu sauce. Entrees: Special Roll Set - Tomo Roll and Hot Lover Roll Sushi and Sashimi Set - Chef choice 6 pcs sushi, 10 pcs sashimi and one foxy lady roll. Desserts: Chocolate Marquise - Chocolate genoise-chocolate ganache and a velvety chocolate mousse and dusted with gold dust. Turtle Cheesecake - Classic fudge filled cheesecake with caramel and pecans The tuna dumpling was amazing. It was out of this world! It blew the white tuna away. The entrees were both fabulous, not only in freshness and taste, but also in appearance. The display of my sashimi was gorgeous, and I happened to notice that other tables had equally pretty but totally different displays. It was (almost) too much food. Just piece after piece of wonderful raw fish. My sashimi had red snapper, white tuna, salmon, maguro, and some other things. The one thing that left a (not literal) bad taste in my mouth was that they brought the check with dessert. Obviously we focused on enjoying our cheesecake and chocolate marquise so we didn't even look at it until we were finished. However, they came back TWICE to ask if the check was "all set," while we were eating! Otherwise, it was a perfect experience.
(4)Samuel S.
We didn't try the hibachi, and instead went for a grilless table. The service was pretty good, but the food overall was quite bland and uninspired. The fish didn't taste fresh (granted it was Christmas Eve), and the dishes that didn't feature raw fish were marred by an overabundance of sauce. The food presentation impressed me at first, but in the end seemed crass, and like the taste of the food, without subtlety. A generous three stars. Might go again in a pinch, but definitely not at the top of the list.
(3)lizzie b.
Not bad for a hibachi place. A little crazy, though. We felt like we were on spring break! The chef was raunchy - with his Jersey Shore references et al. "Sakeeee, sakeeee" he shouted as he squirted sake out of a ketchup bottle down the throats of our dinner patrons as they signaled to him to please stop. Uncomfortable. He started throwing zucchini pieces at our faces to catch them in our mouths - gross. The worst moment was when he threw an egg down the waiting bosom of a girl at our table. Was this hibachi gone wild? Overall, in traditional hibachi restaurant style, they rushed us out after the check. When asked how to say "bye" in Japanese by one of our drunk table guests, the chef says "I'm not japanese." Haha - no illusions there. The food was better than Bisuteki across town. The fried rice didn't have many vegetables. It wasn't bad, just wasn't quite my style!
(3)Brett W.
Made a reservation through OpenTable for 8:30pm. Got to the place at 815pm and there was a huge line waiting in the door to get to the host. Asked people if they made reservations through Open Table as well, and they did. The couple in front of me said they had been waiting about 15 minutes before I arrived. Needless to say, this place will not honor reservations in any capacity. I might only come back during mid-week if it looks empty.
(1)Allison L.
The fish was fresh and the sushi combos are pricey but worth it. The service leaves a lot to be desired. I was there at 7pm on a Friday night and we were rushed through our meal. Also I asked for spicy mayo when I ordered and about 3 times afterwards before it was brought to the table.
(3)Lauren E.
We went here in a Saturday night after I had received a gift certificate. We sat at the hibachi table, but nothing too memorable unless you go with a large group of people. The food was good. I might give this place another chance.
(3)Mikayla F.
I love hibachi and have been to many different Japanese steak houses but this place was the best. Our chef was very entertaining and loved putting on a show. My only criticism was that most hibachi places I have been to are a bit less expensive and this place you're paying more and not getting soup with your meal. Overall though, I loved it and will definitely go back again!
(5)Sam A.
We had a reservation for 8:30. It's now 9:30 and we're still waiting to be seated. We've been told we might be seated at 10:00. What's the point of making reservation if they can't honor it. We checked on open table and they showed tables open. It would be hard to recommend this place.
(1)Alex C.
Based on the 4 stars it gets on Yelp, I decided to take my wife here to give it a try. However, after the dining experience here, I really DO NOT understand how can such terrible restaurant gets 4 start rating. 1. Rude: The chef has no respect to the customers. Perhaps it entertains certain customers, but I believe a truly educated and well mannered person won't appreciate the conducts the chef has in a up-scale setting restaurant. What do I really mean? The chef were playing throw and catch by shoot the food to some of the customers. However, some customers, including myself, do not wish to be played like that. I literally told the chef not to throw me the food, but he shoot it to me anyway and landed in my eyes. Yes, in my eyes. Another note is that, the way the chef serve the food. I guess he was trying to demonstrate how quick he is with his tools, so he literally buried my wife's fork and knife with the fried rice. It was just simply rude. I have been to various type of Japanese restaurnat: uper scale, budget type, buffet, traditional... etc. I have never ever encountered such rude chef. 2. Food: Its hibachi is just simply terrible. Eeverything tasted like soy source. We paid $60 something for the 2 people supreme combo which has lobster, steak, scallop, and chicken... yet everything tasted like soy source chicken. It was just a big waste of the good ingrediants. In short, they don't know how to cook. Oh, BTW, its sushi is just equally bad. Base on these 2 points above.... it is enough for me to rate it 1 star and never go back again.
(1)Isabella C.
Love this place! It's the only Hibachi place in Boston and is amazing! The service is good. It's a bit pricey (~$25-$30pp) but its pretty average for hibachi and is totally worth it. Food is great!! I tried the scallops once an didn't think they were worth getting again. But I love the filet mignon, chicken and shrimps. Gyozo appetizers are also delicious.
(5)Jamie H.
we went to osaka for restaurant week. everything was very good, and the portions were generous. i started with the garlic white tuna, which ended up being my favorite appetizer. it was seared well, spicy, and topped with tobiko. the money bags (crab rangoon) and rock shrimp were both light, crispy, and great starters as well. my fiance ordered the tuna dumpling, which was a little odd, but kind of good: it was a tuna "pouch" filled with avocado and crab - it may have benefited from a crispy texture to offset the mushiness. my entree was the chilean sea bass, which was absolutely delicious. each bite flaked perfectly, and the skin was crispy and flavorful. we also had the hibachi plate, which was huge! it was stocked with scallop, shrimp, lobster, filet, and grilled vegetables, and the rice was great too. my friend also ordered the sushi, which was very good. osaka is a great spot for a group. the hibachi tables are always fun, and the other options were excellent too. looking forward to going again!
(4)J. L.
I went to OSAKA for the first time last night and it was fabulous! Fantastic menu, great for kids, and a lot of fun! We went for hibachi. It was a Wednesday night and pretty busy! I can only imagine what the place looks like on the weekends. I would asume you need a reservation to get in at a reasonable time. The hibachi menu here is great. It's $21 (give or take) per person. This includes a house salad, rice, veggies, whatever you choose for your main meal (I chose shrimp...yum!), and of course the fun experience of them cooking all your food in front of you! This is definitely my new favorite hibachi place! And I love the location...right in Coolidge Corner!
(4)K K.
Tough to review this place. We had reservations at 7:30 PM and when we arrived the line was out of the door full of people with "reservations." By 8:00 PM they hadn't seated the 6:15 reservation crowd. After waiting for almost an hour we left and won't be coming back. Poor customer service! I can't say anything about the food because we never actually got to eat!
(1)Kristen D.
A solid 3.5. Went for the 1st time back in February and enjoyed it, so went back this past weekend, it was my bf's birthday and he wanted hibachi. The restaurant is very nice inside and pretty spacious. I got chicken and he got the filet. Hibachi dinners come with a small house salad w their delicious ginger dressing, fried rice and hibachi veggies. I love the "yummy yummy" sauce (mayo based deliciousness). BF enjoyed the filet, said it was tender and cooked well. My chicken was very good too, especially dipped in some yummy yummy sauce. The fried rice was OK, I think it could have been cooked a little bit longer. I told the hibachi chef that I did NOT like sake, but he proceeded to squirt it in my mouth anyway. wasn't happy about that, the taste of sake makes me want to puke. He did not put on a very good "show," probably because it was earlier and we were the only 2 at the table. We witnessed other tables getting a much more lively show. II had a lychee martini which was very good, crisp and sweet. I also had the mai tai, which was 1 of the best I've ever had, it wasn't overly sweet ,as most are. The cocktails were $9. We lucked out and got street parking, but it's a short walk from the T and I believe they also offer valet after 9. Overall, we went back and will probably go back again because it is the only hibachi restaurant in Boston.
(3)Mary Ann L.
Great food.....great service....great evening......great price....great value......
(5)J G.
Nice variety of rolls including unique and standard. The atmosphere was quite and comfortable. The prices were pretty standard and service was good. I ate here twice on a business trip which is unusual and about as high a complement I can give.
(4)Molly K.
I should preface this by saying I'm a pretty darn easy going customer. Almost all grievances can be mended by putting something yummy in front of my face. But my experience at Osaka was just too negative to go un-written-about. My boyfriend and I were hoping to try out the new pizza place down the street on a Sunday evening (about 7pm). But since it just opened in the past couple of weeks, the waits are still long. We decided to go a couple doors down to Osaka. We sat on the sushi side (the restaurant is split - hibachi on the left, regular tables on the right) and chose 5 rolls - spicy tuna, spicy salmon, green river, kamikaze, and flying fish row. The wait for our food was longer than usual. As all but the flying fish row arrived, the waiter said it was a "busy night". The sushi side was only about half full, if that. I can't imagine the wait on a Friday or Saturday night. We had finished the first four rolls and were waiting for quite some time before one of the waiters finally realized we were still waiting on the roe. More time passed. And then some more. Another waiter checked on us. No roe. We did finally receive our itty bitty fish eggs. Aside from the waiting, there were some other downsides. The sushi was nothing special. They weren't made all that well - they seemed loose and kind of mushy with uneven ingredients (way too much avocado, etc). And then there was the screaming. I get that hibachi is a fun time. Who doesn't love watching someone older than 3 throw food around? But sitting on the sushi side unable to hear anything but the patrons and chefs from the other side shouting and screaming is akin to chaperoning a chuck-e-cheese birthday party. There isn't enough sake in the world.
(2)Marisol V.
it was the bomb..pricey but the bomb
(5)Alison N.
overall great restaurant. chefs are entertaining and food is delightful!
(5)Tracy T.
This place is best suited for groups of friends getting sloshed on sake and scrumptious fried rice. I came here with a group for a birthday and it was full of hijinks including each getting our own embarrassing nicknames, lots of yelling and bantering, our waiter hitting on my boyfriend repeatedly and getting sake squirted into your mouth with a condiment bottle. If that didn't make me feel like a farm animal, I don't know what will! Everything was timed perfectly, the food came out amazing and so delicious. I would totally go back just for the sake experience. On my own. On a Tuesday. Morning.
(4)Matt C.
Hibachi is by its nature a fun and social experience and OSAKA does a great job fulfilling that objective. Went with a group of 8 on a Saturday night and the service was top notch. Between the free squirts of sake and the knife show on display everyone had a great time. The food is a little pricy, but the entertainment is worth the extra $$$.
(4)Moe B.
This is the sister restaurant of my FAVORITE sushi restaurant. I recently moved out to the Boston area from Western Mass (Springfield area) where the other location is. My boyfriend heard good things about this place so we went, seeing as sushi is my favorite food. I thought it funny that this place had the same name as my favorite restaurant back home, but didn't really think twice about it. Even when I recognized the manager, it didn't really register with me. Then I saw the other location on the menu. Rather funny! In any case, this location holds the exact same quality and tastiness as the Osaka back home. We had quite a few rolls and some toro. It was all amazing and delicious. Just like in the other location, the service was prompt, polite, friendly, and wonderful. I'm very excited to have my favorite restaurant so close by!
(5)Kelsey F.
After hearing that Osaka had just opened I decded to check it out and stay local for my birthday. There were about 10 of us so had a whole hibachi grill to ourselves. The restaurant is really nice with a clean, modern, and intimate feel. We all started with drinks - which are definitely not cheap but worth it. I tried the lychee martini - it was so delicious that I may just come back for this! The wait staff was a bit slow getting us our drinks but I guess there were 10 of us! All of the food was really good. Most of us got the beef and chicken hibachi dinners. The chef was okay...he did some tricks but I saw others being alot more interactive. I think I had higher expectations but I would definitley give it another shot....maybe with a smaller group!
(3)Natalie K.
We went there for a hibachi dinner. The show is entertaining, the food is too salty because of soy sauce on everything. The specialty rolls are awesome though. We got the toma roll, which was so fresh and delicious that there is no need to dunk it in soy and wasabi. We also ordered a straight up martini, the waitress asked me to write it down on her pad cause she didn't know what that means.
(2)Natalia T.
I was really surprised to see so many negative reviews about this place! We went there on a Wednesday night at around 6pm. We got a table right away. All the wait staff was super nice. We had a groupon from Guilt City for $65 dinner. We had: Tuna dumplings - VERY good, fresh tuna and avocado, it was our favorite. Sex on a beach roll - it was good, interesting .. definitely haven't tried anything like this before. Foxy lady - delicious roll! Lamb chops - yummy, fresh and very well done. We enjoyed our dinner, and service. Originally we wanted to try hibachi, but given all the negative reviews about it, not sure anymore ;(( there's a nice "clubby" room downstairs, I bet this place is hopping on the weekends!
(5)Megan B.
I went here last Saturday with a big group for 2 friends birthdays and was not that impressed. We had a great time, but it had nothing to do with the entertainment from our chef. I've been to hibachi grills before and had an amazing time with strangers sitting at my table, so the fact that our Chef was not very entertaining even with a big group was disappointing. Food was delicious, but a bit over priced. If there were more hibachi restaurants in Boston, I probably wouldn't come back.
(3)Jessica S.
Went here last night for a friend's birthday with a total of 9 people in our group. Great meal! I got the vegetable Hibachi dinner but sampled some salmon and chicken hibachi as well. The only thing I would ask to change is clarifying that ordering the "vegetable hibachi" just means receiving more vegetables than those who order chicken, salmon, steak, etc. I assumed I would be receiving different veggies in addition to the ones that came with the meal. Great restaurant for a birthday celebration! Top things about Osaka: #1. Fried rice: When ordering a Hibachi dinner, fried rice is included and cooked right in front of the group. So delicious! #2. Hibachi salmon dinner: cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing! #3. Waiters/Chefs/Staff: Very friendly, willing to accommodate, and great at interacting with guests!
(4)Justin P.
Osaka fills a niche by straddling the line between expensive and reasonable that few restaurants manage in Coolidge Corner. For a group over 4, the Hibachi Grill is an absolute must. You can go with fewer but each grill seats 8-9 people so you could be paired with strangers. When the sake shooters start flowing...you may want to know who you are sitting with. For about 22.95 a person, the entrees are plentiful and include friend rice (made on the grill while you watch) and vegetables. The chefs all have huge personalities and are a mixture of nearly every stereotype you can imagine. Its more endearing than offensive as they get everyone at the table laughing. I'd recommend making a reservation solely because I cannot imagine not having one for a group that large. My group of 9 waiting nearly 40minutes WITH a reservation on a Saturday night and the man running the front of the house seemed confused and overwhelmed. I hate to admit it was worth the wait but it was. Bring your patience.
(4)Carrie P.
I decided to branch out from Genki Ya and try another sushi place in Coolidge Corner. While looking, my roommate and I stumbled into this place. What I enjoyed the most about this place was the departure from the normal sushi options. My roommate and I split 3 rolls, and it was a little much for the two of us, as they gave us complimentary miso soup right after we ordered. The food came out very promptly considering it was 6pm on a Thursday. The service was good, nothing to complain about, and the price was incredibly reasonable. I would come here again for the variety, but nothing else blew me away. A solid and average meal.
(3)Brynne L.
Osaka's food is excellent! It's a manageable portion with a wide selection from which to choose. The hibachi is SO MUCH FUN especially with a large group. The chefs have eclectic personalities and our entire table was roaring with laughter about two minutes into the meal. Excellent experience once we had been seated!!!!!!! If this review was based solely on food, it would have 5 stars. It loses two stars for me because it is so horribly run and managed, it becomes nearly not worth it. Our party of 9 (yes, large, but Hibachi caters to and attracts big groups) waited 45 minutes and we HAD A RESERVATION. Our reservation was for 7:30 and we weren't even seated until 8:15. The man who appeared to be running the front desk and reservations and arrivals could not have been more clueless and incompetent in dealing with his overwhelming crowd. There were about 3 other parties of 8+ people crammed in the entry way asking why they weren't seated when they had reservations for nearly 30 minutes ago. It was literally a disaster and I was shoved into a plant while the crowd continued to grow and servers attempted to get by. Osaka MUST rework how they approach their management and reservations. They clearly overbooked their hibachi but having seemingly no limit to the number of reservations available. Dear Manager, reservations are to reserve tables, not simply there for the heck of it. It's not to put your name in when you arrive, as we so experienced. Overall, three stars. The food makes it worth it but your patience will be tested. Best of luck.
(3)Zak B.
This is probably my most frequented restaurant. I would say I average going there about 3 or 4 times a month. The sushi is amazing. I could eat it every day. The atmosphere is nice and I like to go downstairs and eat at the bar occasionally. I have never tried the hibachi, live chef thing. That's not my style.
(5)Alyssa F.
This place is delicious!! Their hibachi filet and scallops are out of this world, as are the fried rice, salad, scorpion bowls, and everything else. The chefs are so much fun. Their karaoke bar downstairs could use a bit more selection, but the chocolate martini is absolutely incredible. Definitely a fun night out!
(5)Sarah L.
Hands down the best teppanyaki/hibanchi what ever you want to call it I've been to. Had spicy tuna maki to start- have had better but still wasn't bad. Our dinners were great. I had perfectly cooked scallops and I get cranky when they're not. The sake bit was fun, and I was happy to partake in catching zucchini in my mouth. It was just plain ole fun and a great meal. We went in on a Friday night around 6:30 or so and were seated immediately. Really, give it a shot.
(5)Megan N.
The only good thig here was the hibachi. Te fried ice was good but the sushi was very very bad. Do not order the sushi. I got the tuna on the taco and it was very gross fish that was not fresh and stringy.
(3)Mabel L.
Went with a friend on New Year's. I've had teppanyaki before (Hibachi here is NOT really hibachi. Wiki it up!) in other places, but at this time of writing, no other places close to Boston have this. So when I saw this, I really had to give this a try. While waiting for the hibachi chef to arrive, we had sushi and sake. The sushi that was served was fresh and firm, and I find sushi of this quality rare in Boston, or at least in places where you'd pay an arm and a leg for them. That would have given this place a 5-star rating from me. The mood-killer for me was the hibachi/teppanyaki. The food was very salty, and I think it was because the chef laid on the soy sauce with wild abandon. Many glasses of water are necessary, if you want to pursue this meal. The meats came out well. Juicy chicken breast is not easy to achieve and he did a great job with my salmon. The vegetables were okay, the fried rice was very wet, salty and disappointing. The chef was, as hibachi chefs should be, very entertaining and had crowd tricks to show off. I wasn't entirely amused, as I found him a little pushy with tricks that involved us. Catching cucumbers with your mouth is normal. Squirting sake into an open mouth till you choke is something else. I'm sure that this will be a hit with college students though.
(3)Jennifer T.
Came here on a weeknight, so plenty of seating. You get a choice of either sitting on the hibachi side if you want the chef to cook in front of you, or the right side for regular dining. The place has a nice atmosphere, seems like a place to go on a date. The sushi was expensive, but they definitely didnt skimp on the meat, and the presentation was nice. After giving us our food, the waitstaff never came to check up on us. I waiver between giving this a 3 or 4 stars...food was good, but pricey, nice atmosphere, but for how quiet it was, you'd think there'd be better service.
(3)Jill G.
Love this place for good Japanese food around Boston- really good service. The food is moderately priced and the huge portions are great. Cool atmosphere. The shrimps and scallops are huge and fresh!
(4)Stephanie T.
After my travels to New York and Chicago, I am back in Brookline and Osaka was the first place I came to. I have been wanting to come by for the longest time and surprise! Gilt City were selling vouchers to this very place! SUCCESS!!! I made my reservation and came in for a hibachi dinner. I have never done hibachi before so I have nothing to compare to, but for my first experience, I had a great time. Even though it wasn't that crowded they knew how to put on a show. They threw broccoli at me and I caught it with my mouth...they definitely aim though because I know I wouldn't have been able to do that on any random night. Regardless, I appreciated the ego boost! The food was delicious! I ended up taking some home because there was a lot. the lobster was great, the steak was great, it was all great. Definitely coming back to try the sushi, this time in the dining room.
(4)Z Y.
This place makes me so happy! I went to college in Western Mass and after that I moved back to the Boston area. One of the things I really missed was getting a delicious sushi dinner there in NoHo with friends during the weekends, or going there for hibachi sake debauchery with a huge group for birthdays (my friends still remember the chef exclaiming "MORE SAKE MORE HAPPY"). It was definitely my favorite restaurant in that small eccentric town. I eat a LOT of sushi, so when I first discovered it, I was ecstatic. Fresh artfully made sushi in Western Mass? Sweet. Their decor in Northampton reminded me a little of Fugakyu. Really pretty. Then, as if my wishes were answered, I found out that there was an Osaka that had just opened in Brookline. Yes!!!!!! I went there for lunch and it tasted just as good as I remembered it to be. Delicious, creative combinations of sushi with a beautiful presentation. The only thing that was way different was their decor. They went with a sleek modern design with this place, and there's a completely different color scheme. I was a bit surprised to see the negative reviews. I guess this place has a different audience in Boston/Brookline. I'd say that it's definitely a great place for large groups or parties, and if you're feeling like having unique, pleasantly surprising, fusion combinations of sushi. I really like the ocean mix and tuna tartars, hot lover roll, and samurai roll. Since I haven't been as much to this new location, I'll update again the next time I visit.
(5)Alex J.
Just mediocre. Leave this one alone.
(1)Ling C.
I absolutely loved this place. Their sushi is the best. You can always find the freshest ingrediants in osaka. Tomo, hidden dragon and foxy lady are tasted amazing. They always can suprised you with their special rolls. The price is worse for the food that you get. I will definity recommend this place.
(5)Reza H.
The steak was pretty amazing, the meat just melts in your mouth. Would recommend sitting on the stake house side to get the full experience.
(3)Helmut S.
I have been to this place once for dinner and twice for lunch. The experience was good, but not great. The most memorable observation is from the dinner experience. I was having excellent sushi with my daughters, while people were still lining up for the tepanyaki tables. We listened to a conversation in the line: somebody observed that the place was actually run by Chinese, not Japanese. One girl then commented: well, Japan is just like a part of China, an outlying island. Japan and China are like Sicily and Italy. Same people. Nearly same language. Brilliant insight.
(4)Kaitlin D.
Sooooo good! And so fresh! The bento boxes are huge and made fresh to order. Would've liked more eel in the lunch bento box, but what can you do.
(4)Theodore Y.
The coworkers and I came here on a Wednesday Night for some sake bombing and some fun. Lee was our Hibachi grill master and he was the man. Ooh-ed and aah-ed our table with his comedic antics while cooking our food. He squeezed sake down my "big boobied" coworkers shirt and he conned the nick name "sake boy" for me because I managed a 26 second sake count (they squirt sake into your mouth via ketchup bottles). The experience was an overall hit. Service was attentive but it often took what seemed like 5 minutes to come back with our ordered beer. All 9 of us got the Hibachi food items which tasted amazing, but what doesn't when lathered and cooked in butter, and generous amounts of oil and soy sauce.
(4)Ashley L.
Went here on a Saturday night for hibachi. I had more fun watching the other tables as our chef wasn't into it as much as the others, but it was still a fun experience. The food was not that great, but the drinks were strong and delicious. If you're looking for a different dinner experience, definitely make reservations. I will be going back to try the full restaurant side as some of the sushi and appetizers going to other people at our table looked great.
(3)Libby L.
This is our 2nd time here for a birthday dinner on New Year's Day - came back exactly 1-year ago. The host was very friendly and seated us quickly however we had to wait at least 20-30 mins for the waitress/ chef even though we had the entire table. The waitress did not fluently speak english and kept making mistakes w/ our order. Osaka Supreme for 2 (includes all the meats & seafood) - very flavorful and cooked to our liking except for the filet. We asked for rare - he cooked it medium but it was tender enough that we didn't mind. Kobe Beef - too much sauce - the beef was soaked in it so it didn't have much flavor. Eel Sashimi - was a bit on the bitter side. Gyoza - very good. ** Probably will not be coming back next year. Food was good but not great. But depends as the sushi pics looked good.
(3)Ruchi B.
Great food, ambience & awesome hibachi cooking! They drizzle saki right into your mouths!!:) cool experience!! Good for vegetarians too. Parking is a bit hard to find but do make reservations on weekends!
(4)Marie-frances R.
My boyfriend and I went last night for a nice new years eve dinner and we weren't disappointed, the five rolls we got we're all so gorgeous looking. My favorite was Lover's roll - I've never had anything like this! It was wrapped with a pink soybean wrapper and filled with avocado and spicy tuna, it was slightly sweet and super yummy. All the rolls we had were fresh and i you are a carpaccio fan, my boyfriend got a couple of wagyu beef rolls which he enjoyed. The restaurant has been open for only a couple of months at this point, so everything is super clean and the decor is fresh. I almost gave Osaka a four, but really when you add up the tasty food, speedy and pleasant service and the decor - its definitely a five!
(5)Dave F.
Through some brilliant hibachi cooking of extremely fresh food, our chef pulled off a comeback we did not think was possible after eating our salad course. If you're patient enough to get through front-of-house chaos, mixed-up service, and boring salad, you won't be disappointed by the fresh flavor and fun that awaits once your chef takes over. Our night at Osaka did not start off well. We weren't seated until thirty minutes after our reservation time. The scene in front was absolute chaos. When we were finally seated at a hibachi table, one of our fellow diners was in a fighting mood, yelling at my fiancee to scoot down using words I can't repeat here, despite there being no room to do so. After this near brawl and a lackluster salad, our spirits were not high, and our patience was wearing thin. We were thinking of going someplace else. Thank God we didn't. Things started turning around after I started drinking some delicious cold sake. Our hot-headed friend cooled off and kept quiet. Then the chef arrived. The food was outstanding. Scallops, shrimp, chicken, beef -- all noticeably fresh, perfectly seasoned, and entertainingly prepared. I've eaten at hibachi restaurants before, but I've never had it cooked so perfectly. My fiancee had never had scallops before. This meal turned her into a believer. In between preparing dishes, our chef spiced things up and squirted sake into everyone's mouth. Normally, I'd write this off as a cheap stunt, but it was fun, it lightened the mood at the table, and tasted really good. Hopefully, once Osaka gets more settled in, its front-of-house staff can keep things running smoothly. Maybe Osaka will even make its salad a little more interesting. But even if they don't, we'll definitely be back -- a little nonsense at the beginning is a small price to pay for such a delicious meal.
(4)Craig M.
The Wife and I went here for our last real night out as a single couple (before the birth of our son). Yelp helped us select this gem and we were so appreciative of it! The location was just off the main "drag" in Brookline. We snagged a parking spot just across the street from the restaurant (otherwise it would have been a pain. We arrived around 6pm and what looked to be just before the main push for dinner on a Wednesday night. We elected to do Hibachi over the standard dinner option. The Hibachi chef was very exuberant and lively - almost to his detriment. (Would have been good for a crowd of 8-10 but it was early and just us at the grill/table so he probably could have toned it down just a bit.) The food was cooked well but lacked the seasoning we had previously seen and been used to at a Hibachi steak place. He used no butter and we saw no salt/pepper added to the food - just alot of rice vinegar. The meat and vegetables were cooked wonderfully though, so that sort of helped make up the seasoning. (the only reason I didn't give a 5 star though) One thing that did irritate my wife was the chef giving a portion of her steak and shrimp entree to me (and not giving her any of my chicken). I understood her position, but hey - I benefited so I can't really be upset. I will say - the sushi I had for an appetizer was FANTASTIC! I tried a Japanese Fusion roll called the American Tango - Hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. Like Heaven in my mouth!! You will enjoy the food and the experience if you give this place a try - we will be going back!
(4)Emily W.
The first time I went to Osaka, I was with a group of 5 people. We made reservations, used the valet parking, and were seated on time at a hibachi table upstairs. It was a lot of fun and the food was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon, which comes with vegetable fried rice and three shrimp...and don't forget all the sake that your chef gives you/shoots all over your shirt. The second time I went to Osaka, I booked a surprise party for my boyfriend for 15 people initially. I ended up calling back about three times to add more and more people, and the staff was accommodating every time. We had a very close call- the guests who were seated at our reserved table stayed almost 45 minutes longer than anticipated. Yikes! I understand that's not the restaurant's fault, though. The staff helped keep the surprise through that and made sure my boyfriend didn't know that it wasn't just a party of 2, but a party of 20. I'm not sure why there was no valet- I didn't understand if it was just that night or if the restaurant got rid of the service entirely. I wish they had it that night for sure. We were all seated at one large hibachi table (2 chef stations) downstairs in a private room and it was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon again, as did my boyfriend, and they gave us our entrees and a birthday dessert free of charge. The food was very tasty yet again. Considering how...excited...our friends can get, Osaka did an excellent job serving, cooking, and entertaining us, as well as helping me out with the surprise and reservations! I'll be back!
(4)Angel M.
Kind of glamorous for green street. Open for about a week. Creepy downstairs dungeon bar where you are not allowed to sit AT the bar, only close to it, apparently they are working on licencsure. Cool wood panelling. Friendly staff. Giganto menu. All the above was written on my phone whilst waiting for my friend. Okay, so, we ordered from the hibachi menu, though I dont know what makes a hibachi place a hibachi place technically. I think that was my first time at the hibachi table. Our chef Eddie was very funny and very personable, though, I feel like half of the tricks involved slamming the spatula down really fast. That was kind of annoying. He did the usual fare, balancing raw eggs, throwing food in your mouth (wasnt very good at it, but I was), volcano fire using an onion, ermmm....the rice was good, the vegetables were actually cut awkwardly so some were cooked more than others, and my squid was squiditch like. I would say it wasnt too expensive. I just stumbled upon it, literally, I was walking in the rain with Gene Kelley and I almost ran into a guy holding a sign for the brand new Osaka, so then I felt all awkward and he all pointed at it and whateva, I started with a BBC beer. I do have to say though, the decor was pretty awesome.
(3)Kelley D.
This was my first time at a hibachi restaurant, and I was pleasantly surprised. They have a pretty large menu, so you can find something to fit everyone's tastes. I got the chicken & salmon hibachi... the chicken was great, the salmon was ok, just really really bland. I thought everything else tasted great. It was a fun experience, the service definitely made everything that much better. The more people you go with, the better. The location can't be beat, right in the heart of Coolidge Corner with the T steps away. I will be back soon!
(4)Sarah A.
I'm not going to lie, when this place first opened I was a little skeptical. Keep in mind this place is not "authentic" by any means! It is owned and run by people who are not Japanese which I'm pretty sure is typical for "Hibachi" restaurants. A little trivia for those that love hibachi, the grill that they cook your food on is actually called a "Teppanyaki". Hibachi is a charcoal grill but I think they gave Teppanyaki that name because it's easier to pronounce. AAAANYWAY. I went in for dinner with a few of my friends and it was suuuper loud like all the other reviews have said. However, their sushi is really yummy and their food is great! I don't plan on going there for dinner anymore ever since discovering their AWESOME lunch menu (and they deliver woohooooo!) you can get a Filet Mignon hibachi lunch (comes with the vegetables and delicious fried rice and their *special sauce) for only $12.95! It is soooooo good. You can also get sushi lunch specials where you can choose 2 of their fancy rolls (most places that do sushi lunch specials you can only choose from the basic roll menu) and I think that's also like 12.95? Anyway, very awesome lunch deals and really great food. If they can improve their "hibachi performance" I'd give them a 5!
(4)Janie S.
I love this place. I do. My friends know I have a thing for sushi. We are kind of an "item", but I'm very hard on my sushi squeezes. OSAKA is good, very good. Its not my true love but its convenient to me and makes for an ideal quickie during the week.
(4)Ashleigh P.
People that have given Osaka bad reviews are crazy. I'll be the first to admit that I looked at the menu online and saw that the prices were a little high, but after dining here on Saturday night, I more than got what I paid for. First of all, the portions are huge. I split a sushi roll and a vegetable hibachi with my friend, and he can eat A LOT. Another friend took half of her filet hibachi home. The other girl gave one of her two salmon fillets to her boyfriend...and he already had two chicken breasts. So far, you can read into this: huge portions. Next, the food was delicious. I mean, really, really good. The presentations were also very nice. Finally, our hibachi chef, Peter, was hilarious. He did many more tricks than we expected. That was great, but he also had a fantastic personality. Some hibachi chefs are like robots, but none of the people we saw here were like that. Our dinner had us roaring with laughter, the food was good, and I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back. We split it 5 ways, $32 per person, including tax and tip. We had 4 hibachi dishes, a sushi roll, 3 orders of soup, a salad to go, and 2 desserts. That's not bad, if you ask me.
(4)Becca M.
I am a Tuna Lover!!!!! Perfect! :)
(4)Rachel L.
Came here for lunch before work once. Started off with the firecracker shrimp or something. It was good, generous portion. Pretty good menu for lunch only, got the beef yaki noodles. They didn't have chili oil either, and only had siracha. My date got some bento lunch box with beef wrapped around onions. It was okay, nothing to complain about nor anything to hype about either. Maybe we'll give it another go some time in the future considering how close to work it is.
(3)Kelly D.
Went here for hibachi with a group of friends from out of state who really wanted a hibachi experience. Our chef was great -- while he may have missed our mouths a few times with the sake -- he was entertaining! BEST HIBACHI STEAK I HAVE EVER HAD. I like my steak a little less pink than most, and the chef made sure to let me try it to make sure it was cooked how I wanted before he took it off the grill. Great drinks, strong! Rice was also great. Only downside is that the noodles were not as great as I had liked. I would definitely come back, if not for the sake bombs, that steak!
(4)Richard Y.
PRICE: Competitive for Sushi $5 - $15 LOCATION: 5/5 Coolidge Corner 1/2 block from C line SERVICE: 4.5/5 Really nice service (If they held the entire order for full presentation Ozaka would have received 5/5!) After a long and grueling 48 hours, I decided to give in to my Sushi cravings and give Osaka a chance. The restaurant is on a quiet street in Brookline, not the typical location for a gem like this; it's a one way street and parking is available but you have to be a parking shark to find anything on the block and it was after 9pm on a Saturday night and I still managed to park my party bus (Ford Expedition) on Green Street. Upon entering Osaka, we were greeted and immediately shown to our seats. Water was poured within 90 seconds and the menu's followed thereafter, this was orchestrated very well. The server arrived at the table to ask if we wanted to order drinks and upon receiving our response of "no drinks tonight" she smiled, took the drink menu and told us she would return shortly to take our orders. As I looked through the menu I noticed that Osaka was pretty busy that night, the Hibachi area was nearly full and others waiting to be seated. At least 2/3 of the both seating were full with party sizes ranging from 2 - 8 people per seating area enjoying the well light ambiance. The waitress returned about 5 minutes later where we asked for more time which was my fault; I was observing the crowd, wait staff and the foot traffic and interaction of the staff. Within a few minutes our order was placed, 5 traditional rolls and 2 specialty rolls and 2 miso soup. Within 90 seconds the soups arrived; still steaming, there was plenty of tofu and great ribbons of seaweed. The server with the water was extremely attentive and was on point with all the water, something that is often missed and taking for granted but not at Ozaka. The 5 traditional rolls arrived on a long white platter. The sushi arraigned in a two rows in an "S" shape with the 5th roll plated in the center in a pyramid pattern given the plate height. Excellent presentation and I am now kicking myself for not taking pictures to share. The specialty rolls, finally arrived 5-7 minutes later, which I think is a bit too long but was the rolls worth the wait - Hell ya! In fairness, I should say that as we finished placing our order, so did the table behind us of 3 and the table to our right with 6 people. Overall, great experience and very yummy Sushi, I shall return again for sure!
(5)Cait A.
First off, let me just say that I almost only use Yelp to help promote businesses I love and want to see succeed. I've always loved hibachi and haven't had it in years, so for my birthday, we got a bunch of people together and my boyfriend made an 8pm reservation for 16 for a hibachi table about a week ago. All the hibachi places around Boston had spotty Yelp reviews, but I didn't think anyone would want to drive to Acton, to a tried and true place, so I picked Osaka, which seemed the most promising and closest. My bf called 2 days later, to confirm the number of diners, and once more day of to make sure everything was set. They told him the table would seat 18, so that was fine. We arrived on time and there were about five girls standing at the front desk shifting around and avoiding eye contact with us. We found the hostess, who asked whether we had a regular table and I said no, we had a reservation for 8pm for a hibachi table, it was very specific. She pointed to my roommate, who had gotten there early to wait for everyone, and said "she said it was a regular table". I said "We have had a reservation under Brian for 16 for a hibachi table"- my roommate was not involved in preps, so she had nothing to do with it?? The hostess told us it would be 10-15 minutes and would we like to wait in the bar area, so we said okay and went downstairs. After a few minutes, the rest of our group showed up, sans two who had to get plowed out of their driveway because of the snow earlier. We sat in the bar drinking for a good half hour, frequently checking in with the hostess, who said she'd come find us when the table was ready. Around 8:45, we checked in again and the hostess said we weren't being seated because our last two had not shown up. When they did, the reason was that the previous diners were still sipping their drinks at our table. Finally, just before 9, we went upstairs to gather around the hostess desk and put the pressure on. First she said 10-15 minutes, then she was blaming it on our two friends not being there, THEN it became the previous diners. Okay, so you gave our table away like right before 8pm, stop lying to us/blaming our two friends. It was an hour after our res and people were starving. I was pissed and stressed as if I'd been in rush hour traffic on 93 for two hours. When we FINALLY sat down (with only 12 people- 4 cancelled d/t weather last minute), we were asked to squeeze in two more chairs on the corners because they were stuffing in another group on the other side of the table. When the waiter took our drink orders, it was a good 15+ min before drinks came out. All food and drinks that were brought out were served to the wrong people, and the waiter who took the order didn't even bother to look at his own notes, just asked us where the plate went. All plates were handed to us, even if there was already a plate in front of the diner and nowhere to put it. No one was assisted in any way- they didn't remove the original plate or make room, it was just fend for yourself. Some people just put their large appetizer plate on top of their large hibachi plate because there was nowhere to move anything. The group next to us looked as if they'd been waiting just as long (I saw them at a bar upstairs when we first walked in) and had a 10 year old boy who was literally banging his head on the table with exasperation, which was pretty representative how we all felt. What kind of a Mickey Mouse operation is this? Get your act together Osaka. It was laughably ridiculous. Thank goodness for the entertaining chef and the free sake that they squirt in your mouths, but when you set up something fun and are responsible about coordinating preparations with the restaurant, you should not be starving and having heart palpitations at the table over an hour after your res. I associate this place with so much grief that I wouldn't go back unless they sent me a gift cert. Food wasn't bad, but besides the awesome chef, experience was god awful. PS, we asked for the manager several times and were ignored, but then saw him frequently hanging around the area while seated, so its not like he was not nearby and couldn't speak to us.
(2)Lyusha G.
Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? This is the best sushi I've had in years, and I've had A LOT of sushi. I really was not expecting this when I wandered in around midnight with a friend, in Brookline of all places. The décor and service were both great, but everything pales in comparison to the spicy crunchy tuna roll and the new special Osaka roll that took the cake and stuck it happily into my belly. If I could eat more than two rolls in one sitting, I would have spent the night. Not only will I be back, I will be back with all the sushi lovers I know. How did I not know about this place earlier!?! I feel embarrassed as a native Brookliner that I haven't been patronizing this place from the start. Phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal. And did I mention they're open until 2am and have karaoke and cocktails!? It turns out that heaven is just off Harvard St.
(5)Lisa C.
Osaka will impress you. Tonight's their grand opening, so my husband and I anticipated glitches that are inherent with opening day. We met the owners, Mark and Paul, right away since they were smack dab at the front door. Really nice guys who definitely have their acts together. We had a seat at a table instead of at the hibachi, and you're immediately struck by the cool, contemporary and beautiful restaurant design. No loud music, so you can hear your own conversations, is a big plus. Waitstaff was plentiful and attentive, and menus and drinks came quickly. We ordered shrimp/veggie tempura and seaweed salad as appetizers. Tempura arrived HOT and crisp, and batter was different from others I've tried - very, very light and super fresh. They also had different veggie types in the tempura that I haven't seen in anywhere else - eggplant and taro root are two of them to definitely try! Seaweed salad was crisp and clean, with great flavor infused with sesame oil - one of my faves! My husband raves about their Bento Box #1. What? They have Bento boxes for dinner?!? Damn right, they do, and it's quite a deliciously substantial meal. Box #1 has ALL of hubby's favorites that he would have had to order separately anywhere else - chicken teriyaki, more shrimp/veggie tempura, California maki. I had the Sushi Special and the fish was super, super fresh and very ample portions. Presentation of the dishes was really beautiful, too, but more delicious. There were six sushi chefs, and their sushi bar provided a dividing wall that separated the teppanyaki (yup, that's the correct term for hibachi dining) seating from the rest of the dining tables. The hibachi side was PACKED with diners who were definitely yukking it up, probably over their dinner preps. I'll definitely be back to try it. Hubby's a Mr. Sushi fan, and I'm a Genki-Ya fan. Osaka, you seriously beat both, and where else can you get teppanyaki in Brookline?!?! The Brookline location's menu is different from their Northampton restaurant, so I'm looking forward to osakabrookline.com to be up and running so I can decide in advance what I want. I would definitely return, my hubby's got a new favorite Coolidge Corner restaurant, and you should check it out too.
(5)Brian P.
definitely has an 'osaka' vibe to it in terms of decor/ambiance. good job. it's like i got sent back to the edo period.. Went for Lunch special. got beef teriyaki lunch box, friend got salmon teriyaki. server didn't know what donburi is. what? maybe that's why ethnic restaurants should hire people that know the language.. or even foods now i recommend the teriyaki if you like to NOT get a savory teriyaki taste with it. my beef teriyaki SAUCE was reminescent of store bought (kikkoman) teriyaki sauce.. but diluted.. and a hint of blood. maybe the blood was from the beef? it was steak-y .. and medium to well-done. miso soup is good. the salad was ok. i like the dressing more robust, but it was not. water is delicious. the sushi rolls were good. wasabi and soysauce = good. shumai was ok. kind of sweet. a good helping of cooked onions with the beef. this place is MEH to A-OK. for lunch box. can't speak for anything else on the menu!
(3)Leigh L.
AMAZING!! My boyfriend and I went on a Wednesday night. Not many people there and we got there at 7. We ordered the Lotus Bowl (like a scorpion bowl but better!) and chicken tempura. The tempura and drink came fast and they were delicious! We had Eddy and he was the funniest, loudest, most interesting guy I've ever had at a hibachi grill! So interactive and you could tell he loved his job! Loved the "free" sake being poured into your mouth (have to experience to understand). Had the steak and scallops and they were beyond delicious. I would absolutely recommend going as often as you can! Not too expensive but amazing service and entertainment! Can't say enough good things about this place!
(5)Anna I.
My friend kindly invited me out to a meal using her coupon for a pre fix meal for two with Sake, appetizer, shared main course and dessert. This was my second time there after having lunch. The atmosphere is nice and the decorations are good. We did not like the glare from the window that bothered my friend as the sun was setting. The sake they served was delicious. As we were perusing the menu of the set meal, we had problems figuring out the different entree choices. The indentation and lack of clarity made for interesting and a bit time consuming process trying to order. I had to bust out in Mandarin (I heard him speak Mandarin to other server) to tell him maybe fix the menu to cause less confusion. I felt bad that when he explained to us, it still was not clear. In the end we got the white tuna appetizer and the hibachi main entree. The White Tuna appetizer was seared white tuna in a yummy yuzu sauce topped by black caviar. One of my faves of the night. (It doesn't hurt I am a big fan of white tuna too.) Since my friend is not an adventurous eater and usually eats not alot of meat it was an interesting choice getting the hibachi as there was chicken, shrimp, beef, scallop and lobster (she dislikes lobster). I liked the fried rice and the sauce was nothing to write home about with the meat and seafood. As with hibachi, not everything is cooked evenly and though the beef was perfect the chicken, scallop and lobster were a bit overcooked. For the finale, we opted for the mochi ice cream. The presentation was pretty with 3 mochis of different flavors halved (vanilla, green tea and red bean?) were placed with a chocolate drizzled design and whipped cream. My dinner companion disliked the chocolate as it changed the taste. There were some hits---the White Tuna and Sake. The server was nice and attentive just his ability to explain the choice offerings and the lack of clarity in the menu did not help. We did like the decor of the place. Very big and we were seated in the front area by the hostess stand. There is an area downstairs and bar in the back as well as Hibachi area. The food for the main entree a bit over cooked save for the beef and I did like the egg in my rice. My friend was not keen on the chocolate with the mochi. Since there are a ton of Japanese restaurants in the Brookline area there is fierce competition. I have yet to try their makis so I cannot write about it.
(2)Stan D.
Went here on valentines day, it was busy and we didn't get our seat until about 10 minutes after our reservation, at around 7:10. Food was great and servers were all very polite/friendly/ awesome.
(5)Sarah A.
A very welcome addition to the Coolidge Corner neighborhood. My friend and I visited Osaka last Friday night for a hibachi dinner. I routinely pass by Osaka on my way home from work around 6 pm and it never seems all that crowded, so I figured we didn't need a reservation. However, when we arrived at 7:30, the place was packed. Thankfully, however, we were quickly seated with another group who was just starting their meal at one of the hibachi tables. I love that so much is included with the hibachi dinners. First you start with a rather generous portion of "salad", which really, is more like a lot of romaine lettuce in a bowl with a sort of Japanese take on Russian dressing. The romaine was fresh, but, it would have been nice if they included some more veggies to make it more like a salad. Perhaps some cucumbers and tomatoes? But, I wasn't even expecting it, so it was okay. The hibachi chef did a lot of the typical hibachi tricks like the onion volcano, juggling of eggs and shooting sake in the mouthes of those who wanted to partake. I especially enjoyed the moment when he burst into a rendition of the Reel 2 Real hit "I Like to Move It". I think that was when he was scrambling the eggs for the fried rice.The portion of fried rice and shrimp was very generous. There were probably about 15 nice sized shrimps with the tails removed. All this for about $22. The staff was great refilling our water glasses and clearing our plates quickly. I also appreciated that they allowed us to linger a little bit after the hibachi chef had left and we had finished eating. However, they were prompt about taking our credit cards when we were ready to leave. I will definitely back for hibachi and I look forward to trying the sushi.
(4)Thomas W.
I waited eagerly for this place to open last fall and went opening weekend with a group of friends. We had the chef Eddy, who has been our chef for over a year now, we always ask for him and will wait as long as it takes to make sure he is our chef he is amazing, crazy, and lots of fun. Some of the reviews on here are god awful lame people who don't know what fun is. You are going to a place where the f'ing cook in front of you, it's a show, it's entertaining, and going to be loud, GET OVER IT OR DON'T GO! They will toss food at you, and squirt you w saki, this is what they do... again if you're a little baby, then go over to the sushi side of it instead and stop whining. If you want to have fun while eating dinner w a group of friends, this place is for you! The bar downstairs is amazing too and I heard they are expanding it into a bigger area to do karaoke and music/DJing... The food is delish I've done hibatchi and sushi side, and I love it all as do all my friends I've brought here... again DO NOT go here if you are boring and have no sense of fun...
(5)Cwot W.
I like watching Top Chef, Iron Chef and Hell's Kitchen. So when I dine, I appreciate two things: lots of flames and chefs screaming at employees and customers. Osaka didn't have a screaming chef (although I have hopes for future visits). But they did have flames shooting up in the air and a persistent smell of smoke. As a professional knife thrower and a pseudo pyro, I appreciate the use of good cutlery and high flames. Osaka was a great fit for me as I almost got a flash burn when they lit the onion tower on fire. Oh and the food was good too, good taste and good volume of food.
(5)Tara D.
Let me start by saying that I made a reservation for 8:00pm for 3 people. We didn't get seated until after 9:30pm. So for them to earn 4 stars means they REALLY redeemed themselves. 1. The manager was so apologetic for not being able to seat us on time, and compensated with two free rounds of drinks and free desserts. 2. The bartender downstairs was really friendly and gave my friends and I one of his "personally created" shots to try - on the house! 3. Dinner was a BLAST (Hibachi style). The food was delicious, and the hilarious chef was so much fun -- he had great aim shooting Sake into everyone's mouth (out of an empty diner-style ketchup bottle). This place gets really busy on weekend nights, so go early if you don't want to wait! Great food, great drinks, great night.
(4)Macklin L.
Went here with my girlfriend for a valentines day dinner and it was awesome. I saw another hibachi place on google offers on sale and looked at yelp and it got bad reviews. But it gave me the idea of doing hibachi for valentines day. My girlfriend has never been before and from looking at the reviews of Osaka I knew it was going to be good. Out of any hibachi place, this was easily the most entertaining. They understand hibachi and understand how to put on a show. We ordered the meal for 2 which came with beef, chicken, scallops, shrimp, and lobster.. aka everything. It was pretty expensive but definitely worth it for valentines day and we got to try a little of everything and it made the "show" longer. He not only did the typical onion volcano but had a lot of other tricks and knife skills to show off. Food was great but a little salty. but its hibachi so its what you would expect. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends if you want to have some fun and I am definitely going to try the sushi next time.
(5)Chelsea G.
Great atmosphere and the food is above average for a hibachi place!
(4)Ian S.
It's the only hibachi in the Boston/Brookline around but I highly recommend it. Good food, great scorpion bowls. The cooks are a little loud and sometimes over do their routine.
(5)S K.
Having been to hibachi-style restaurants before, Osaka did not sit high on my list. I went last week for hibachi-style dinner with 4 of my friends, so this review is only on the hibachi-room. First off, if you are planning to have a very rushed dinner, this is definitely the place to be. Our waiter greeted us to take our drink order about 30 seconds after being seated, which is not so bad. However, literally, 1 minute after we ordered drinks, the waiter wanted us to choose our entrees. Asking him to return 2 mins later, after we could get a chance to look at our menus, he rolled his eyes and sent another one of his staff to take our orders. The hibachi meal was rehearsed, and as some other reviewers stated, the chef didn't seem like he wanted to be there. As we were eating our meals, the staff kept coming to take our plates away (even though we clearly were still eating). So, if you decide to take a rest from your plate for more than 30 seconds, be weary, as the staff may take your plate away. All in all, I wasn't too impressed and won't be rushing to return for Hibachi dinner anytime soon.
(2)Dani S.
Overall pretty good. It's a pretty big menu, which can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending how patient and how decisive you are. The atmosphere is ok, it's clean, which is always a plus, and the waitstaff are fairly attentive. Some of the dishes are a little small for the amount they charge you in my opinion, but otherwise worth a try.
(4)David P.
Above average sushi in a nice, modern looking restaurant. Rolls were not rolled well and fell apart fairly easily. They tasted pretty good. Sashimi was good.
(3)Dave G.
Over-priced for what it is. The only hibachi restaurant in Brookline, but how often do you really go for hibachi? Fun place for a birthday group celebration though.
(2)Sa T.
The best sushi I've ever had! Good price, good service and good drinks too. Highly recommend.
(5)Jamie G.
We arrived 25 minutes early for our reservation, because last time they gave our table away after being 2 minutes late. So we were ushered down to the basement bar and forced to wait 30 minutes past our set reservation time. During which our party of 12 was sat then ask to get up because they made a mistake so back downstairs we went. When we were finally sat we were sat in the downstairs hibachi where the music was so loud we could not hear each other talk while we ate. I will never eat here again. The customer service was awful as well I had to reminder the host who I was and my party size multiple times. To finish off our experience it took our waitress 20 minutes to get us our checks. I will never eat here again! Too bad food was good thought this time it we would have a better experience, apparently not! Do not come here if your looking for good customer service!
(1)Emily S.
I've been here for Hibachi twice and it was a lot of fun! The chefs are very entertaining and the service is good. The food is maybe a little better than your typical Hibachi. The fried rice is pretty incredible. As for drinks, my Mai Tai was good and they seem to have an extensive Sake list. There's a neat little bar/lounge area downstairs if you are waiting for a table or want to stick around for a drink after dinner.
(4)D'Shai H.
Best food I've ever had in my life!! Changed my view of hibachi entirely. They also have an amazing birthday special ;)
(5)Roseann B.
We love Hibachi and love trying Hibachi wherever we go, so after our arrival at Boston and a day at the Brewery we looked for a nearby place to eat. This was one of the only ones around, but 20 minutes or so away from our hotel. The little drive was definitely worth it. The decor was definitely a great part of the experience--my boyfriend loves anything Japanese. We noticed the surrounding tables were having a good time and we got really excited. We ordered the money bags as an appetizer, amazing choice. The guys at the hibachis are entertaining and funny, I think ours might have been new at this because he was a little quieter than the rest. Overall, this was a great dining experience and if we are in Boston again, we will definitely come back.
(5)Whiterock R.
We went to the non-hibachi area. The dishes we ordered broiled eel and chilean sea bass tasted like they were cooked in syrup. Too sweet to be an entree. Too bad the description in the menu or the waitress did not tell us it was going to be that sugary. and it cost 22 dollars each. Sake was not great either. Overall wasted the evening.
(1)Sarah H.
FUNfun experience round twoo.meet at the bar:DD
(5)Anchalee M.
Food is average and overcooked. The show by the hibachi chefs seem forced. Not panning on going again.
(2)Bernadette G.
We were looking for a place to go to after the Holiday Pops that would keep a nice night going on Christmas Eve. As you can imagine there are not a lot of places open and since it was a night for our parents we didn't just want to end up at some dive. When my sister mentioned Japanese Hibachi I found this place online. We were able to make reservations for 7 just hours before the show. Phew... Anyway, what seemed too good to be true was really fantastic. The chefs made balloon hats for the little kids at the next table and they loved it. The rolls were delicious and not a bite was left on the plate. The food cooked in front of us was divine! Not only was the service and food wonderful, they accommodated our Dad who has a heart condition by making his hibatchi order in the kitchen without the salt and soy sauce. He said it was delicious and even ate the vegetables, which is a rare feat in itself. We were extremely amused by the chef and loved when he tried to toss pieces of zuccinni in our mouths. He had great energy and skills, a definite must go and see if you are with a big group, a family with children of just the two of you. I doubt that you will be disappointed.
(5)Nicole B.
sort of expensive but so much fun in a group!!
(4)Alyssa B.
I loved this place the first time i came! excellent food! also yummy sauces as well! wasn't too crowded, went right in! BUT, made a reservation for valentine's day this year, for 8pm. I called on the same day and found it strange it was so easy to reserve for hibachi on valentines day. Parked, walked in there was a crowd of about 50-60people just at the front door!!!! I couldn't even get to the front to check in to the desk! Finally, as I managed to get to the front desk, I would told " Ill put your name down" and still was told to wait over an hour even having a reservation!!!! Once we realized it was after 8:30 and people were still waiting from the 7pm reservations..... I LEFT! really they should have managed this a lot better, rather than have someone answer the phone and say yes to the hundreds of people to call! unfortunately although I liked this place the first time, I won't be back after this experience!
(1)B Y.
My friend and I were excited to try out this new restaurant in our neighborhood, but I'm not sure I would come back. Having been to a few teppanyaki (it's not "hibachi" as many people call it) places, I was disturbed by how noisy the chef's performed and how they sprayed sake into diners' mouths via a condiment bottle. It was all a bit too much. Food was decent, but a bit pricey for the portions served. A little less banging of the cooking utensils on the hotplate would have made the experience better. The restaurant itself had nice decor and bathrooms were clean. There are some private rooms for small parties and there is a separate dining room for non-teppanyaki diners. I'd opt for the non-teppanyaki side if you want to catch up with a friend.
(2)Bill C.
Really delicious sushi. Great combinations and the fish is really fresh and beautifully presented. There is a great variety of tuna dishes and not a heavy reliance on fried makis. The "spicy" has been toned downed for the typical suburban diners of this area, but adding your own wasabi brings out great flavors. The biggest (and only) complaint is the excessive noise coming from the 1990's sit-com like hibachi room. A door to the back entry to Hibachiville would really help the rest of the restaurant's diners.
(4)Kat T.
Not the best Hibachi (definitely not worth coming here for Hibachi) but very interesting take on sushi. If you would like to experience different and unusual approach to sushi rolls, this is definitely a great place for that! We had a few different rolls that sounded quite unique (like hot lover roll), and it was really amazing! Hibachi is not good at all though! The tuna was cooked nicely but the piece was too tiny, rice was absolutely bad, and vegetables were just overcooked and not tasty. Spring rolls were tiny and blend. Recommend this place for sushi rolls only. Nice ambiance, not fancy but not too simple either.
(3)Amin A.
Best hibachi! Sushi rolls are delicious... I have tried different rolls, all were fresh & high quality. Pineapple fried rice is awesome don't miss it! Fun and very attentive wait staff. Tomo roll is by far the best sushi roll ever Filet mignon is delicious and premium quality!
(5)Ricky R.
OSAKA in Brookline has bomb ass sushi. I'm a sushi snob and eat it at least once a week. The atmosphere is great as well. Parking is a bitch and the rolls are about 12-15 bucks... Got 6 rolls and 3 drinks with my lady and spent $125.. I'd def come back here for sushi. Don't listen to anyone saying this place sucks. They suck and don't know sushi...
(4)Kevin C.
Ok i have been here pleanty of times and was great, this time we sat outside of hibachi. i was really hankering for a steak yea i know japanese and steak but they call them self's a "steak house" and there be no steak on the menu and then the manager i could only assume when we asked about the menu we get waved off and told oh well leave. what great service ill never go back there again
(1)Keo H.
I've been to several hibachi restaurants before but this one has just become my go to suggestion in the boston area. The service, ambiance, entertainment and price are just right. Servers were prompt and really good at replacing our used plates and refilling our drinks with a smile. The entertainment included a very high energy chef who had many tricks up his hat. He incorporated saki shots, volcano, tossing food into our mouths & figurines that squirted water from thier bodies. Hahaa.. that was a first sighting for me. The food was good for the price we paid - if not on the very worthy side. Lobster, steak, shrimp & scallop all cooked to our order; pretty fresh and tender. Sashimi was excellent. My only gripe is my mix drink but its probably not worth complaining about since it was soo cheap ($6). I had the lychee martini. Lets just say it wasn't good. It was probably the cheapest vodka out there that was used. If you're thirsty you can't go wrong with ordering a beer. :0)
(4)Taylor N.
I came in on a Saturday around 3:30. They were open for lunch but no one was really there. I wanted to sit at the sushi bar but was diverted to the large booth. I was by myself. I had observed that my water glass was dirty before the waitress arrived. she was about to pour me some water when I told her what was wrong and she seemed highly shocked. She was very sweet though. The only thing I really didn't care for was that she didn't bother to let me know that she was no longer my server and that the shift had changed. This guy came out and asked for the check. He was standing less then 5 feet away from me waiting to see when I was going to be done with it. I still had. Not finished the martini that I ordered. (I originally ordered a lemon drop but they seem to be missing some ingredients so I had to switch my order) I ordered the hibachi shrimp. Several shrimp still had the excrement attached. BTW, It was rather crispy to taste...eww.
(3)Marty L.
So sad when a restaurant has pretty great food but TERRIBLE service.. Waitress completely forgot about us multiple times, forgot to put in multiple orders, and every time we asked what the hell was going on, she barked back in a condescending tone. Unfortunately, the food experience was completely spoiled. ABSOLUTELY would not recommend.
(2)Esther C.
I would have to give this experience a 5 star experience. There were many things that made this a 5 star experience. First our server Jack was so nice. We went there pretty late and were obviously the only ones there and yet he still didn't rush us. He kept saying we were fine and to take our precious time. Second the chef. I believe his name was Costco? I couldn't really heat him over the grill and stuff but he was amazing. He did all the tricks! The volcano the sake squirt the tossing food to mouth, it was all really fun and amazing Third the food. We went there for restaurant week, but they still gave us so much food that I had to bring it home. The food was a little salty, but still amazing. My boyfriend just gorged his food down because it was so good. I got the filet with shrimp and scallop and he got the fillet with lobster. Everything was cooked to perfection. Their tuna dumpling appetizer is amazing and unique. I would suggest you try them! Overall everything was fantastic. I am so glad I chose Osaka to experience for restaurant week! I will definitely go again even without restaurant week!
(5)Helen L.
My friends recommended the Tomo Roll ($16.95, 8 pieces). Love, love, love it. It exceeded my expectations with its spicy crunchy salmon and mango topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. I think it took me almost 40 min to eat 8 pcs because I was savoring every. single. bite. Finger lickin' Deliciousness. The hibachi is pretty good although I haven't been to many places to compare. I would recommend not wearing anything nice. It's kind of like Korean BBQ. You end up leaving smelling like the food you just ate. I usually get the Hibachi Salmon ($22.95?). It's served with house salad in a bowl, vegetables, fried rice, and of course the salmon. The fried rice is pretty yummy but also tastes like it is doused in butter. For proportions, the rice took up half of the plate and the veggies and salmon each take about a quarter of the plate. Service is excellent!
(4)Zoë Z.
We went here last night for restaurant week and while the food was pretty good, the overall experience wasn't really what we were expecting. The chef that we had seemed like he was having an off day or something because you could tell he was rushing and in a bad mood. He didn't even offer sake shots which was disappointing. The other tables around us had very lively and friendly chefs and we enjoyed watching them as they caught steak mid-air and enjoyed sake shot after sake shot. On top of that, the staff seemed a little drained and unorganized (probably from the busy week) and this made things come out at weird times. They never even cleared our appetizer plates. Also, the scorpion bowl was really, really bad. I took a few sips and decided to leave it alone. It was watered down and wayyy too sweet. As for the food, we were really happy with it. The sashimi appetizer was very good. You could tell the fish was very fresh. I got the steak and lobster hibachi for dinner and while I thought the steak was cooked perfectly, the lobster was a little dry. But living in New England for so long I probably have unreasonable expectations for lobster. Overall, I don't think we will come back to Osaka but I don't regret going either.
(2)Becca P.
O Bar (a hidden gem) downstairs of Osaka is the best!!! FREE KARAOKE on Fridays and Saturday nights. They have different beers on draft, wines, sakes and special cocktails. Bud Light - $3.75 Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban, Steel Rail, Pale Ale, Sam Summer, BBC - $5.35 Definitely should check it out if you are in the area!
(5)Brian S.
I love hibachi and this place definitely hits the spot. The service is a bit disorganized when it gets busy but the food is so good. I ordered the sashimi, hibachi with filet mignon, shrimp and scallop and a mochi ice cream for their restaurant week menu. Their sashimi is not the best, but it is fresh. The hibachi is pretty standard, as in amazing and I'd probably pass on the mochi ice cream if it didn't come with the meal. Definitely coming again!
(4)Cate T.
I would categorize this in the low end of the 4's. I eat at Osaka pretty often. It's a great little sushi spot in the area. I would have to say it's probably my favorite in the Brighton/Brookline area. Their sushi is always fresh. The service is inconsistent though. Sometimes the employees are overly attentive. Then sometimes you have to wave people down. Last night they accidentally gave my order to someone else, so I had to wait an extra 20+ minutes for them to create another dish, while my BF had both his rolls-and didn't want to eat without me. The reason for the 4 stars is the quality of the fish and ingredients. All of the times I have eaten here, the fish is always very fresh and awesome. It's a pretty quiet place too and good ambiance. I would 100% suggest the Nobu roll! Best roll on the menu!
(4)Laurens W.
Went here with some friends and the food is good, especially when considering the price. Why then only three stars? One word: Service (or the lack thereoff).
(3)Gareth L.
My wife and I came here for the restaurant week and we wish we picked somewhere else. We tried to make a reservation for lunch but was unsuccessful on every single day. So we made one for the dinner. Before we mentioned about the restaurant week, the staff didn't even bother to let us know there's a separate menu for the event. The waitress is very pushy. Without any explanation of the menu, she asked us about four times even I told her we need a few more moments to go through it. The food was disappointing, too. My wife ordered a bento box while I tried the restaurant week menu. Her salmon was cooked to a completely black color and of course it tastes bitter. So we called the manager over, and his response was, quote, "What do you want me to do?" I don't know, man. Isn't this your restaurant?
(1)Mika S.
Get the Hibachi because the chefs at Osaka seriously know how to put on a show! As soon as we ordered, we were treated to a spectacular display of juggling, with knives, kitchen utensils, eggs and literally anything that the chef could get his hands on. As our food was cooked, we had cooked zucchini tossed into our mouths from across the table, in addition to a Saki fountain. The food was cooked to perfection and made with high quality ingredients. This place is so fun, I can't recommend it highly enough!
(4)Nicky E.
Really surprised how much people dislike this place. I've been here thrice and enjoyed it every time. The spicy tuna tortilla? The nosh is on. The rolls aren't what you would typically expect from a sushi place - it's definitely a fusion of different flavors (but it's good! Be adventurous - try new things!). I found the staff to be attentive and friendly. Oh, and did I mention the spicy tuna tortilla? Yeah, it's worth mentioning twice.
(4)Michelle W.
My friend and I came here for restaurant week and it was an OK experience. If I'm looking for entertainment/experience over taste this would be the place. Appetizers Tuna Dumpling (Pass): This had good intentions, but final product was a bust. They recreated a dumpling by thinly slicing tuna to use as the skin and stuffed it with avocado and shrimp. Only two moderately sized dumplings came out. When you took a bite it felt like you were biting into baby food - basically mush. It sounds very innovative, but ultimately was a huge disappointment. Rock Shrimp (Recommend): This was a good portion - enough to share between 2-3 people. Very basic so hard to mess up - just shrimp fried in batter served with a spice sauce. The shrimp is served in a rice cracker bowl - don't recommend eating the rice cracker bowl though since it's bland and has a slight stale taste to it. Entrees Sushi and Sashimi Set (Recommend): This consists of 10 pieces of sashimi, 6cs of sushi and a spice tuna roll. This was pretty well portioned for a meal and gave you a taste of everything. Not the best sushi I had - but that's not why one should come to Osaka in the first place anyways Special Roll Set (Recommend): This dish featured two large rolls. The Hot Lover was a spicy tuna roll with shrimp tempura, which was very good and filling. The second roll was more on the sweet side - it was a spicy crunch salmon roll with mango, tuna and avocado. There was also a honey wasabi and coconut sauce, which is very sweet! I'm not a fan of sweet flavors in my sushi and I avoided it after my first bite. Dessert Mochi (PASS!!!!!): This is horrible. At least just buy a box from Trader Joe's! The mochi ice cream was hard as a rock and I think they tried to circumvent this issue by cutting it in half for us and sitting it on a bed of chocolate sauce. This did not fix the problem and in the process of cutting the pieces it looked really unappetizing because the mochi was now disfigured. Overall - service was quick and friendly, food was just OK and never get mochi ice cream here - not worth the money. If you are looking for $28 dinner deals for Dine Out this is not a bad option, just be aware of what you signed up for.
(2)Kevin L.
First time I've been here and boy was it PACKED, both the hibachi and restaurant side. Do yourself a favor a make a reservation. My group decided to go with the hibachi this evening. I suggest not wearing nice clothing because you will stink and have sake squirted on you. Ventilation in the hibachi room was pretty bad, real smokey. Only come if you want to have fun! I can see the hibachi chef be quite annoying if you're not in the mood I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp and the portions were huge! Definitely get your money's worth. However, the food was a little too salty for me. However the Tomo Roll is to die for. Highly recommend it!
(3)Ruqian M.
Not as good as I expected. The waitress grabbed the bill so fast that I felt she didn't want us to sit there after dinner.
(3)Janet C.
They have changed there menu, cut out a few dinner entrees, mostly sushi. Also have added/changed the dining area. I've order the chicken Hibachi which I thought the sauce was on salty side. This was my 4th time going here.
(3)Mallory C.
2 years later, I have developed a love hate relationship with this place. The last couple of times we have gone, the service has just been completely lacking, and even though the hibachi is fun once in awhile, and the food is good, nothing really wows me anymore. but for some reason I like going back because it "feels" fancy and like a good date night. This last time we came however, made me realize I just don't want to go for awhile. Our food came quickly, and was good, but every time I asked for something I felt like I was bothering the staff (they weren't very busy, we got there early enough to beat the restaurant week crowd). They only give you chopsticks, I have to ask for a fork, every. single. time we go. It would be nice just to have the option since they have so many menu items that would be easier to eat with silverware. There is NEVER enough ice in their drinks. There is none in the water, and if you order a cocktail, they put like 1 or 2 cubes that basically melt by the time it gets to you so you get a watered down, warmish drink, every time. Last time we went I actually asked for extra ice, because we wanted to stay and just enjoy our cocktails after we ate. The final straw was last night though, when the waiter was cleaning our plates from the table and knocked over a full cup of sake. We had purchased a bottle for the two of us and only had a couple sips left. Instead of remedying the situation, or offering even just another shot to replace what he had wiped out, he got super flustered and muttered "oh sorry," and grabbed one extra napkin and threw it on the table. Then we got our bill. Very unimpressed. We are frequent fliers here, but next time we have people we want to entertain we'll be trying somewhere else for sushi. Fugakyu anyone?
(3)Kevin T.
Very American in taste. A lot of rolls with avocado. Seems like everything is avocado... LOL
(3)Erin B.
The sushi was good here, although I'm not really a sushi aficionado. I tend to go out for sushi when other people have a hankering, and I always get the Philadelphia roll, which is pretty much cheating because it's an inside out roll with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Well, anyway, this Philadelphia roll was good. I also had steamed vegetable gyoza because I just love those little dumplings. Prices were reasonable. Where Osaka tends to veer off track is their service and atmosphere. The service seemed friendly enough, albeit, overattentive. Eventually, however, the multiple staff people that were coming over to our table to clear, take additional drink orders or ask how everything was seemed confused and/or annoyed that we weren't "moving along" as they say. Neither I nor my friend had finished our second glasses of wine and they kept asking us if we were finished. At some point, they just brought the check, which was a clear indication they wanted us out. The downstairs lounge brings in a slew of 20 something women scantily clad for scorpion bowls. It's quite disparate compared to the upstairs restaurant. Walk downstairs to the bathroom, and you feel like you're in a completely different establishment. I wouldn't rush back, but it's a decent option. There was no wait for a table at 6:30pm on a Friday.
(3)K. Grace K.
I think this might be my favorite sushi restaurant ever. And given that my husband's pet name for me is sushi monster, that means means a lot (or not much at all depending on your interpretation). Some people ordered hibachi. They were happy with their meal, but I think we concluded that the standout food was the sushi. The fusion rolls are excellent. I think the people who said the rolls were sweet might have been referring to these because they have fruit in them. I liked the mix of sweet and savory. These rolls embody the creativity of Euro-Japanese fusion that I encountered in one of the nicer sushi restaurants I went to in Hawaii. The presentation of these is also remarkable making the meal an enjoyable visual experience. (Check the pics I uploaded!) For starters, we had the yellow submarine, which had mango and lobster tempura on a plate dressed with a mango and Thai chili sauce. We also had a hidden dragon roll and a garden roll. The latter is vegetarian and has kiwi draped over it with a strawberry-mango-kiwi sauce. The fusion rolls were surprising and balanced sweet with savory and Asian with European ingredients. These rolls were excellent. They aren't huge, and I think the higher prices are because they are more labor intensive and the ingredients are more expensive. (Many of them have 2-3 expensive fishes.) We also ordered from the sushi in the back of the menu. These are smaller, less expensive, more standard rolls. However, these rolls are high quality and represent excellent crafting. They have a very thin layer of rice on the outside with a substantial amount of fish in each roll. In many places the layer of rice is as thick as a single grain. I say this with admiration, as cheep-o sushi usually has a lot of rice. You can see this sign of quality in my pictures. Our favorites are the salmon roll (check out that hunk of fish!) and the pearl roll, which has asparagus. The seaweed salad was good, as it always seems to be. At Osaka, it comes out in a large bowl with iceberg lettuce underneath. The crisp lettuce contrasts nicely with the limp seaweed. I liked that pairing although when I saw the big bowl, I gave my brother a much larger taste than I would have had I known half the "large bowl" was iceberg lettuce. :) I guess he just got lucky. Another reviewer gave me a good idea. He said that the fusion rolls that I love so much are so sweet he thinks it is a desert. Well. I know just what to do with that suggestion. I think the seaweed salad is a good appetizer. Then follow that with one fusion and one smaller roll (Alaskan or pearl) for the main and finish the night with another fusion roll for desert. Healthy choice tip: In all seriousness, the seaweed salad is a great starter to the meal. Avoid tempura (fried) rolls or rolls with mayonnaise or cream cheese. The fusion rolls probably have a higher sugar content, so I limit myself to one fusion in the meal and get the rest from the back of the menu. YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE BROWN RICE! I am very excited about this. That is how the sushi monster rolls.
(5)Nik A.
This is a fantastic restaurant in Brookline. One of the few Hibachi places in Boston. It had really great sushi and awesome ambiance and service. The hibachi chef did an entertain job but I thought that the hibachi special was a little over priced and the food does cool down bit.
(4)Stephanie V.
I have not had worst service than I've had here. We had a group of 10 with a reservation for 8pm. Half our party came at 8pm and the other half came 5 minutes later... 5 minutes late. The host was curt and sent us to the basement while we waited for a party to clear out. The basement had a vibe of its own. It was dark and didnt seem that clean. A few of us ordered drinks and the bartender was unattentive and slow. I dont know if it was his first time but I dont think it should take 10 minutes to pay for a drink. By now it was probably 8:20 and my friend went back to the hostess to see what is the hold up. She was uninformative and unfriendly. We ended up being seating at 8:40.. 40 minutes after a RESERVATION. We were with a friend out of town and time is precious so this was unacceptable. This place was so overpriced! I realize that you're also paying for the show/experience but still. The show was amazing. The chef was really fun. The food was good. Our table got chicken and steak hibachi. They squirt sake from a bottle which was awesome. Then the check came. And the servers kept messing up our checks. It took another 20 minutes just to pay. I think going to a restaurant, its the combination of service, food and atmosphere. But the service here was SO POOR that I will definitely not be going back.
(1)Cassie W.
I can't think of this place without drooling. Let me start of this review by saying, I love sushi!!! This review will be 100% sushi based, which I wish most of my day's food consumption could be. For those who don't know, the restaurant is split into 3 sections, the first floor has both sushi and hiibachi section and the basement has a lounge/bar area. The sushi here is always fresh and for a great price. I have been to a lot of sushi places in boston and none of them compare to osaka, even the more expensive places. They have a great deal where you can get spicy tuna, spicy salmon and a spicy yellowtail maki for 18 bucks!!! Besides that most of their house maki rolls are around 6-7 bucks. Everytime I have a friend visit brookline we always make a run to Osaka. My friends are huge fans of the speciality rolls they have all found one that they are in love with and curse me for introducing them to as it is all they can think about for weeks. If you want fresh well priced sushi, give osaka a try! You won't regret it. Note: This is one of the few places that offers brown rice for maki rolls!!!
(5)Bill C.
Really delicious sushi. Great combinations and the fish is really fresh and beautifully presented. There is a great variety of tuna dishes and not a heavy reliance on fried makis. The "spicy" has been toned downed for the typical suburban diners of this area, but adding your own wasabi brings out great flavors. The biggest (and only) complaint is the excessive noise coming from the 1990's sit-com like hibachi room. A door to the back entry to Hibachiville would really help the rest of the restaurant's diners.
(4)Ruby C.
Strong drinks at the bar downstairs. Food quality was ok; guess Hibachi places are mainly frequented for the cooking entertainment.
(2)Anna M.
The food is typical Americanized hibachi, but done well for what it is. There is also a sushi bar, and the sashimi I ordered as an appetizer was fine. The food is pricey, but portions are huge and if you don't want leftovers you can split a hibachi entree easily, plus they don't charge for sharing!!!!! We had the best chef ever, "Tony" who is an excellent shot with the sake squirter! I have never had so much fun at a restaurant in my life! Also, there is a cocktail lounge and bar downstairs. I think this is an excellent place for a group--start with cocktails downstairs while you wait for your table. The (few) cons are that the wait staff essentially ignores you. It was hard to get refills on water, and to order more cocktails. We gave the bulk of the tip money to Tony because he was so much fun, and made up for the lack of drinks with the sake squirter (next time i will wear a shower cap though ;). Unfortunately, they do not have grapefruit juice, and their lychee martini would seriously benefit from a splash of this. I do not consider this a con, but crotchety people will: the place is loud and very lively! The entertainment is definitely the reason to come here, so be warned if you were looking for a quiet evening!
(4)An N.
- The chef was extremely friendly...Best hibachi ever...best service as well...i love this place and i'm gonna recommend my friends to go here ! Thank you guys for giving me a best hibachi, love it so much. Of course i will go back and put it in my favori
(5)Silly S.
Great food and atmosphere. Steak and scallop are strongly recommended. Chefs are humorous and play "games" with diners.
(4)Jenn S.
I am giving this 2 stars because of the food and cleanliness. But I would give it a 3-4 star for the entertainment value. We had the whole downstairs hibachi room for a party and while waiting for everyone to get there we all noticed how dirty everything was. There was leftover food on the grill top and lots of food residue on the wood....super gross! Our chef was funny and very entertaining with the typical flaming onion tower and sake shots to the face. We all laughed and had fun. The food however was SUPER salty and just ok. I wasn't a fan of the dipping sauces. They were also very salty and just didn't taste good to me. It was expensive for some shrimp and rice but again I know we are paying for the person to make us laugh. I would go there maybe once a year to take people who haven't been but I am not dying to go back.
(2)Nina K.
Lotus bowl: 4/5 This drink tasted very much like fruit punch or the "Hurricane" from Vegas. Shrimp Shumai: 5/5 Succulent dumplings. No complaints. Perfecto. Vegetable Rainbow Roll: 3/5 The different ingredients didn't complement one another AT ALL. It was an OKAY sushi roll ... Nothing special. Beef Kushi Yaki Dinner: 3/5 The beef was okay. Spicing was good but not an explosion of flavor. See below for more explanation of the beef dinner. Ok so sat down at 6:08 pm and we were out at 6:52 (please see the receipt photo ... Not kidding). This isn't because we wanted a quick meal. No !!!! This was DATENIGHT. but they rushed us like crazy. They kept coming to ask us if we had decided on our order. HELLO?!!!! WE JUST SAT DOWN. RELAX LADY !!!!! Brought the miso soup, dumplings and sushi all at the same time (5 minutes after ordering). Brought out the main course about 4 minutes into out appetizers. Which meant that by the time we were ready to eat our main course ... It was cold. Didn't know I was going to McDonalds.
(2)Kevin D.
Food was excellent. Thank god we made reservations because there was a wait. If you don't want booze squirted all over you or food tossed at you like a seal, might not want to go here. However it is all part of the experience and a great time.
(4)Cher M.
I came here for restaurant week and I must say I was a little bit disappointed. More disappointed with the service than the food. My server from the time she came up to the table was extremely pushy and very rush full throughout my entire dining process. I first order a cup of tea which I then requested for some sugar that took about 10 to 15 minutes for me to get and by that time I was already done with my tea. I then an order the Scorpion bowl which was watered down completely. I asked for my steak to be medium well and it seems like there was not cook at all. Just to wrap this up I received the bill and I saw that the Scorpion bowl. Now keep in mind I did not drink anything from the Scorpion bowl because it was gross. Never again will I ever come back here
(2)Benjamin E.
A good place to end your day if you are looking for a few drinks and unwind. This place has 2 floors, the ground floor and the lower level. The lower level is a bar that has very nice comfortable low lighting and a club like feel with the a good selection of up beat music and comfortable couches along the side of the wall. Although you are in the lower level bar area, the bar has a full menu you can order off of. Up stairs on the ground level there is a sushi bar and hibachi table and comfortable booth with a much more quite atmosphere oppose to downstairs. The food is okay. Nothing out of the ordinary form your typical Asian/Sushi restaurant. The sushi is good though, they have nice fresh cuts of fish, but their Caterpillar Rolls (i.e Dragon, Volcano, Scorpion, etc.) are a little off. Just a mountain of fried tempura flakes on a sushi roll. The drinks are good. VERY STRONG but still have a lot of flavor besides tasting alcohol. A good place for hanging out with friends and having a few drinks and small bites to eat.
(3)Lannie L.
After passing this restaurant many times, I finally had a chance to dine here for dinner on Restaurant Week (or "Dine Out Boston"). The decor and atmosphere are nice. Wait staff attentive and waters topped off frequently. The drink list was super cheap for RW and stuck with wine though the mixed drinks sounded good. I started with the tuna dumplings, which was the highlight of my meal. Presentation was impressive and the dish was tasty. A thin cut of tuna served as the "dumpling" wrapper while crab meat and avocado was stuffed inside. Friend got the "money bag" appetizer which was a miss in my mind. For the main entree, we both ordered the hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail. The portion size was huge with fried rice, vegetables, steak cubes, and lobster chunks hidden under a lobster tail for presentation. The "surf and turf" was disappointing - the steak was so overridden with garlic that everything became unpalatable. The lobster was tough and also garlic-y. Fried rice and veggies were standard - like typical Chinese food fare. To finish off, we both got the mochi ice cream (which was red bean flavored but not described as such on the menu. I personally don't care for red bean). I'd say average but a good portion and nice presentation. To pay $35 for this meal, I really expected to enjoy the entree more. Not sure if there will be a next time, but...maybe next time.
(2)Jodi G.
I first went to Osaka in North Hampton and thought it was great! Then after moving to Brookline recently I decided to check this place out! Not only is it loud and young and a fun aambiance on a Saturday night out with friends, but the sushi is one of a kind! I love the amount of tuna specialty rolls they have! Watch out for spicy though- it's on almost every roll in some form! As for service- they could improve! They are either invisible or in your face asking you what you want every 5 seconds! They need to find a happy medium on that one! I havent tried hibachi here but I definitely plan to! It looked and smelled delicious when I was there!!
(4)Thanh L.
If I could eat only one meal for lunch for the rest of my life, it would be sushi, but it definitely wouldn't be sushi from here. The handful of times I've come here I've always been underwhelmed. During one visit, I got the Foxy Lady (their description: Spicy tuna, avocado topped with seared tuna and red wine pear. Served with onion sauce). The onion sauce turned me off and the combination of ingredients was altogether unpleasant. I tried my friend's sushi, which was the Dancing Roll. This one tasted great, perhaps because my own dish was unpalatable. The visit after, I ordered the Dancing Roll to play it safe. Unfortunately, it was doused in overly salted peanut sauce, completely masking the other flavors of the sushi. I will say that the standard spicy tuna is fine. Service could also be better. I asked for salad options, since my menu listed none, and the waitress proceeded to mumble a few options. Since I had a difficult time understanding her, she brought the full menu to show me (why weren't we given this one in the first place?). Service needs to kick it up a notch - inattentive service for a non busy dining time. If you're looking for good sushi in the area, make the trek to Genki Ya 5 blocks down, or Fugakyu around the corner.
(2)Kenny C.
Came here for restaurant week. Food is meh. Sashimi appetizer - actually not too bad. 3 pieces of salmon,3 pieces of tuna, and 2 pieces of I don't know. It's white. I've had better but this is alright. Lobster and Steak - overcooked and bland. They tried to salvage it by slathering the entire plate with sauce, but it didn't cover how how dry the lobster and steak were. Served with a bowl of fried rice - drenched in soy sauce. Generous portions. Sea Bass - A bit overcooked, otherwise the taste is fine. The sauce accompanied it was syrupy/gingery and went well with the bass. Bowl of rice on the side was way too dry. Mochi ice cream - I thought we'd get a choice of ice cream flavor. But we didn't. Out comes plain vanilla mochi ice cream. I wouldn't bother coming here again. I'd give these guys 3 stars but yelp's definition of "meh" is 2 stars.
(2)Rachel L.
Came here for lunch before work once. Started off with the firecracker shrimp or something. It was good, generous portion. Pretty good menu for lunch only, got the beef yaki noodles. They didn't have chili oil either, and only had siracha. My date got some bento lunch box with beef wrapped around onions. It was okay, nothing to complain about nor anything to hype about either. Maybe we'll give it another go some time in the future considering how close to work it is.
(3)Anneliese P.
I am obsessed with sushi and this is my favorite place in boston. It's simple. but the Buddha roll (roasted peanuts and avocado) is life changing and I can't live without it. Everything is fantastic here, from the taste to the presentation. Highly recommend!
(5)Heather V.
Osaka is a great place. if you go, you need to do hibachi. The sushi is good, but for the price you pay you need a show to go with it. But even then the hibachi food is very standard. I've been to many different restaurants that serve sushi and hibachi and it was nothing different or special. If you watch the hibachi at the table next to you, it's the same show your going to get except my table wasn't even offered the opportunity to catch food or saki, We definitely got short changed and it wasn't worth it for us.
(2)Kelly D.
Went here for hibachi with a group of friends from out of state who really wanted a hibachi experience. Our chef was great -- while he may have missed our mouths a few times with the sake -- he was entertaining! BEST HIBACHI STEAK I HAVE EVER HAD. I like my steak a little less pink than most, and the chef made sure to let me try it to make sure it was cooked how I wanted before he took it off the grill. Great drinks, strong! Rice was also great. Only downside is that the noodles were not as great as I had liked. I would definitely come back, if not for the sake bombs, that steak!
(4)Jenny N.
I have never tried hibachi until I went to this place for Dine out Boston with my friends. The "show" from our chef was okay. Neither bad nor good, but acceptable. The hibachi food was pretty tasty. I ordered their hibachi steak and lobster plus shared a scorpion bowl drink with my friend. The drink was really strong in my opinion and we didn't end up finishing the drink. The fried rice and vegetable was good. I liked it. The lobster was a little too salty, but the steak was well cooked. This was a nice place for hibachi. Not sure why some of the other people gave this place low reviews. The restaurant week price of the hibachi came out to be $40 per person (including tax and tips).
(4)Ryan M.
My wife and I are always on a search to find that almost perfect "Benihana" emulation. By that, I mean that we look for a fried rice that is masterfully cooked, food that is seasoned to perfection and worth every penny paid for the dish. Osaka is a gem. It hits the nail on the nail on the head for everything that my wife and I are looking for in a great teppanyaki spot. The staff is courteous and accommodating, the food was cooked perfectly, my shellfish allergy was easily worked around, and it was an overall fantastic experience. Fyi, the filet tenderloin dinner is succulent and melts in your mouth and the lotus bowl is dangerously delicious to share with your significant other. If you're a teppanyaki fan for the show, you won't be disappointed. The chefs are entertaining and engaging. My evening was spent with lots of laughter. I'll be making the drive from the south south shore again to eat here, it was easily worth the drive.
(5)sean m.
I've eaten the Hibachi here a few times and it was pretty good. I much prefer the hibachi place where I am currently living (Two free shrimp with each meal and it includes rice, noodles, soup, and salad) Osaka on the other hand gives you a much smaller portion. The actual restaurant is very nice inside and them being a Grubhub was a plus.
(3)Michael G.
If there's one thing I like, it's sake. I've found a place that is friendly, not pretentious, and serves sake in a relaxed environment. I went with a buddy of mine who is a regular. He steered me right past the hibachi tables, the sushi bar (both of which I was gravitating toward, especially the delicious aromas emanating from the grills) and down a flight of stairs to a second bar. The area downstairs was quieter, well staffed and perfect for catching up with an old friend. The pair of bartenders were attentive but not hovering. They know their sake and I learned a thing or two. The vessels they use for the different kinds of sake are all purpose built for chilling without watering down, or heating without scalding. I really enjoyed the few pieces of maki that I had, my buddy went in for the full dinner and swears by it. I was already full going in, but appreciated the few bites, and will be back to enjoy the rest of the menu. Anyways back to the sake. The prices are very reasonable and the varieties are many and clearly defined and organized on the menu. Most varieties are available in three sizes: small, large, and bottle. A few of the higher end ones are only available in small and bottle. I can't wait to head back and further refine my palate.
(4)Laura A.
Osaka - why don't you come and sashimi sometime? We finally made into Osaka for the first time since moving to Brookline more than a year ago and my only regret is that we waited so long. The lunch specials are amazing. At first glance, $15 seemed like a lot for lunch, but it was so worth it. My SIL, who lives in Hong Kong, and I each ordered the tempura shrimp and Hidden Dragon roll - which we both agreed was not only amazing to eat, but way more food than either of us could handle. My husband ordered one of the lunch boxes and thought it was excellent as well. Our server was friendly and very attentive. We need to get ourselves back to Osaka prawn-to!
(4)Becca L.
Went here for my neighbor's birthday party. The Hibachi was delicious! The scallops were delectable. Cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. The chef was very entertaining. We had a great time watching him perform. The only negative thing I have to say is the server would walk away really fast before we were able to ask him for anything. It would be a quick... 'Do you need anything/Everything all set?' and then turn away before we could actually order another drink or ask him for something. This a little pet peeve of mine. We were also in the basement so he would go back upstairs and wouldn't come back down for a while. The ambiance of the basement isn't as pleasant as upstairs, however it is more of a 'private room' and I could chat with my party without feeling the need to scream across the table which was nice. The birthday girl broke her martini glass, and the staff took every precaution to ensure that they cleaned up the broken glass safely.
(4)Russell M.
This is actually a decent hibachi place. I usually try to stay away from these type of places because I think the majority of them are offensive to Japanese cuisine. This place was no exception. I had the filet mignon and lobster, which came with vegetables and fried rice. Everything was cooked well but nothing stopped me in my tracks, although I wasn't expecting it too. If I HAD to go to hibachi, this would be the place.
(3)Jon L.
Tomo Roll. Hibachi. The only things you need to know about Osaka. If you like salmon with a bit of spice and full of flavor, the tomo roll is the way to go. I was going to throw in a picture but I didnt want to be the guy to steal that first experience from you. Hibachi... This is obviously pretty dependent on your chef, but from what I saw, everyone seemed happy and enjoying their food. If you want to nitpick, you can say the food is a bit salty or the service was a bit slow... With that said, if you're a normal person and like a fun atmosphere with some good food, you'll love their hibachi. Sure, they get a bit understaffed during peek hours, but stop focusing on how you didnt get an instant refill on water and drink some free sake from the chef! (Once you go, you'll get what I'm taking about). Lastly, from top down, the staff is so sweet and kind. From the hostesses to the manager, everyone tries to maximize your experience. TL;DR: great hibachi and tomo roll for a reasonable price
(4)Latoya B.
We went out for a family birthday dinner and we sat at the hibachi grill, which is always entertaining...(and hot lol). I called and made a reservation which wasn't prepared when we got there, and we arrived 10mins early and were seated 20 mins late, but it's seems like a really popular place and it IS a sat night so I guess the timing isn't too bad. The food was great, and they have pretty good sushi too. Sweet potato roll....my fav! Raw sushi isn't really my thing and they have a lot of veggie rolls which is a plus. It has a very relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff......there has to be at least 30 of them working there at that time or more lol. Other than the hibachi side, there is also a regular restaurant side, and a sushi bar, and downstairs is a regular bar with cool lighting and pretty decent music. It's seems pretty stocked and it would be a nice place to chill and have drinks, other than all the people that are sent down there to wait until their table is ready.....there were a few kids running around and dancing to the music. But the age group is probably more 21+ after 10pm. There are a few TVs down there but you can't hear anything because the music is loud....kind of lounge-y. Idk if they serve food down there but the way the tables are set up it seems so.
(4)Shivangi S.
Made a reservation for this place through open table. We were a party of 7 people. When we reached the restaurant, the guy at the reception didn't even smile at us. His behaviour was extremely cold. Our server was an efficient guy and carefully took all our orders. The highlight of this restaurant is its chef. He is the sweetest and the most entertaining person. Our drink was horrible though! Their peanut sushi and crispy tofu sushi are amazing!
(3)Evelyn C.
This place has great tasting food and is also very entertaining if you're getting hibachi. Warning: The chef has sake in a bottle that he squirts into people's mouths as he is cooking, and he throws a bunch of veggies in the air for customers to catch in their mouth. This can kind of catch you off guard if you aren't paying attention, so I totally understand why people would not appreciate this, but I thought it was pretty funny & entertaining. I got the salmon hibachi; it comes with a salad, fried rice and some veggies. The fried rice is bombbb, and the salmon was great too. My dish was about $23, pretty standard price for hibachi. If you're not feeling like hibachi I highly recommend the Osaka spicy noodles. Doesn't sound like much, but it's really good and has lots of flavor. Spicy, but it's more on a mild level. They have a bar downstairs which is pretty quiet for the most part. They make their drinks very strong.
(4)Kelly O.
3.5 stars. Osaka is just what you'd expect for a hibachi place; our table's chef was entertaining and enthusiastic, the food was simple but prepared well and quite tasty, my raspberry-infused sake was excellent, and it was a fun time had by our whole group. Their menu is extensive so even if you're not into hibachi food, there's plenty of noodles and sushi to choose from as well, so it's good for groups (and great for birthdays; as the birthday girl, I got a free entree, sweet!) Downsides: it's a bit more expensive than other hibachi places, waitstaff service isn't the most attentive/available (maybe order multiple drinks at a time?), and our check had to be corrected twice because of a few mistakes. But overall, Osaka was pretty solid for our hibachi experience.
(3)Lynn J.
Osaka gets high marks on the big 3: service presentation and taste. they're expensive menu includes more sushi then I've yet been able to try... so, I guess I just have to keep going back...smile. the deal: the hibachi is fun family entertainment for large groups!
(4)Chau T.
Terrible!! Girlfriend and I live 40 seconds away from this place and it always seems crowded, so we assumed it was good. Never again will we go back. It was late weeknight, and we just want to grab a quick bite. There was 2 waiters who never care to pay attention to any of the customers. We all sat there for water/tea and it took 10 minutes until we got service. She got the Philadelphia Maki Roll and I with the usual Spicy Tuna/Salmon. We also shared one of the Osaka Special Roll, which I forgot the name. It was super sweet, more like dessert, and disgusting! Waited 20 minutes for our order and none of the waiters came to us to refill the water. When the food arrived, it was pretty bad for a Japanese restaurant. I rather had the supermarket Sushi than these. For Philadelphia sushi, there should be cream cheese in it. It says it on the menu. The waiter couldn't speak English, which I was surprised, and uses that as his excuse to wander away. Like I said, it was late and we just want to go home after the horrible food.
(1)Meghan S.
Fantastic habachi! Had a bit of a wait even though a reservation was made, but still well worth it. Excited to go back and try their sushi.
(4)Jon R.
Went here last night to celebrate my friends engagement. The service was horrible. They only came around to push us to order and leave but when we needed silverware or more drinks or take empty drinks they never came with was frustrating and cluttered our space. The food was good but our cook was not very entertaining and was in and out within just a few minutes...only got one round with the saki and couldn't aim the bottle so it was all over everyone. Also didn't get one vegetable toss into anyone's mouth... As we were eating and it got later the staff kept asking to take our plates and actually took one of our places while someone was still eating. Never been pushed to leave a restaurant like this before and because of that I will be looking for a new hibachi restaurant. I also used a groupon this time so they probably just didn't care.
(1)Shirley L.
I went for a friends birthday. Never heard of the place before but I wasn't very happy with it. We were all there for hibachi and I've done hibachi at other places before so this isn't a new experience. The chef was rude. He snapped his fingers at my friends face to get her attention so he could ask her how she wanted her steak cooked. Then he waved his spatula in front of my other friends face, so close it almost hit her. And I understand it's supposed to be fun to squirt sake at the group but this guy didn't even try to aim for our damn mouths. If I wanted to shower in sake I would've done that at home. He didn't even try with any of is and squirted sake all over our clothes. He started flying vegetables at us even if we didn't want to catch it with our mouths. He started mimicking and making fun of another friends laugh. And to top it all off, he didn't thoroughly cook the food!!!! Two of my friends and I didn't feel well after eating there. It was like he rushed and wanted to get out of there. Food was horrible and nothing to be amazed about. Service was just as bad. I will not be returning!
(1)Cameron D.
They make good food but they will get your order wrong or take twice as long making it as they told you when you order takeout. It's happened to me the past 4 times ive ordered from here. If you order something with a sauce such as chicken katsu, they give you a tiny cup of sauce. Underwhelmed.
(2)Lily S.
Presentation 3 Quality/taste 3 Ambiance 3 Service 4 Location 3 Generally my parents and I are pretty content at Fugakyu when we want to have a massive sushi binge, but today i decided we try something new and give Osaka a shot. I had been here before while intoxicated for some noshing and enjoyed myself so I figured why not. The restaurant was pretty empty at 1 pm on a Sunday, yet of course they seat us back to back to a couple w two very rowdy (albeit not screaming) children. (My parents who were sat before I joined them remained blissfully unaware of this fact because the mother was in the restroom w the kids, and they only emerged when we had already been brought drinks and water so it seemed obnoxious to have them move us then... And the other couple was also Russian speaking so we didn't want to be blatantly rude). Anyway. We ordered a selection of rolls as well as some sea weed salad and salmon sashimi. The 3 pieces of sashimi tasted fine but looked pitiful in contrast to the large and beautifully decorated dish they were served on. For rolls, we had basically the first page of the roll menu (nom) : american tango: the highlight of the meal. the balsamic vinegar sauce paired perfectly with GOAT CHEESE. my most favorite thing on earth. 5 stars. i think there was tuna or something in it too ;) yellow submarine: decent. i have to say that as soon as they put the plate in front of me, i got a whiff of fishy smell. never good at a sushi restaurant. foxy lady: pleasant. the pear is a very interesting touch. didn't realize it was an onion sauce until i looked back at the menu--wouldn't have guessed it. hidden dragon-truly a beautiful creation. very visually appealing. i'm a lover of pink. i'm also a lover of shrimp tempura. but when you're frying stuff, you can't be expecting to collect extra stars, thats too easy. angel roll- this was a great one. please take the middle man out, i don't need the rice and the nori, just wrap fish in more fish. #winning. samurai roll-- wasn't a huge fan, but it was more of a misunderstanding on my part. i misread the menu, and am not a huge fan of ikura or uni. price tag: this kind of surprised me. with my two glasses of wine, the total came out to be just under $130. At Fugakyu, we generally end up having at least several 5 piece orders of sashimi on top of a bunch of rolls AND a $30 bottle of wine for around the same price. Factoring in the lack of ample parking and the overall "meh" feel of the food i was eating, and I will probably pick Fugakyu 9 out of 10 times.
(3)H. S.
When I'm working late, I always order from OSAKA through dining in, as they serve the downtown area. Good quality fish and really nice selection of standard sushi and exotic combo rolls. The shrimp shumai and salmon terriaki is also tasty. I can't comment on the in-restaurant service, but my orders are always correct and promptly delivered.
(5)Idan H.
The sushi is very good! The service is not that good though. Sushi lovers should definitely check this place out.
(4)Frank B.
Quick, easy and overall not bad. Sushi was fresh and ready within 15 min for pickup. If you are looking for a quick place to grab basic sushi go for it.
(3)Steve E.
My eldest niece graduated from Syracuse University and recently took a job in Boston. Since I was in the area on business I wanted to spend the weekend with her and have the chance to do some sightseeing and catch up on all of the family news. She, my sister, my Dad and I all converged in Boston, and we went to Osaka restaurant which is near where she lives in Brighton. Osaka is located in Brookline, on Green Street, near the intersection of Harvard and Beacon Streets in an area known as Coolidge Corner. The restaurant is a classic Japanese Steak House (some would call it a Hibachi-style restaurant) along with a very nice sushi bar. They have several Hibachi dining areas, private function rooms, the sushi bar, and some common dining space. We opted to sit in one of the Hibachi dining areas but also ordered some sushi as appetizers, so we got to try the best of both worlds. My niece and I split the Tomo roll which was spicy crunchy salmon and mango, all topped with seared salmon, white tuna, avocado, and crispy rice powder and honey wasabi sauce. Very beautiful presentation (see the photo), and quite tasty. For the main course, we were all entertained as the chef twirled his spatula and dazzled us with his knife skills, all over the hot grill. He whisked through a mountain of veggies, and teased us by flipping diced pieces of veggies into our open mouths. (I'm sure that we looked like trained seals at the Aquarium, but it was great fun!). The chef made the traditional flaming volcano out of onion ring slices (see attached photo), and displayed a great degree of showmanship along with his cooking expertise. I had a plate of seared diver scallops with Fillet Mignon, and that came with a generous amount of fried rice and grilled veggies. The prices were certainly fair for the quality of the entertainment and the quality of the food. We had a lot of fun, and would highly recommend the restaurant to others.
(4)Melissa M.
Not that great. We ordered the gyozas at the hibachi table, never got them, yet we were charged for them. We asked for our leftovers to-go and then never got them back. We had to go back to the restaurant and ask for them. The rice was also pretty undercooked. They're either running a scam or need to hire better wait staff. I wouldn't go back, but I would recommend the hibachi place in Cambridge-it's significantly less expensive and a better experience.
(2)Melissa B.
Loved this place! I took my boyfriend here yesterday right after work for a Birthday dinner. He had never had hibachi before. It was great, for many reasons: 1.) It was pretty slow at the time we were there so we ended up having our own personal hibachi table and cook. 2.) The drinks were strong. 3.) They squirt sake directly into your mouth at dinner. 4.) We had a sushi appetizer (Yoshi Roll) which was amazing. It was extra crunchy. 5.) The waitstaff was so nice, I did not announce that we were there for a birthday, the staff figured it out after checking IDs for drinks, as a result they comped a meal as a "birthday meal" and brought out ice cream with a candle. 6.) The hibachi show was a lot of fun, the cooks are very talented and the food was delicious. Honestly, I cannot rave enough about this place. I will surly be back.
(5)MacKenzie M.
If I could give Osaka zero stars, sadly I would. As a local to the area, I was eager to try Osaka. Unfortunately, I must admit that I will NEVER return to this establishment. Upon arriving, my party of five was seated in the dining area almost immediately (this was the only positive part of my experience). I then waited 15 minutes for a waiter to approach the table. Not to mention, this was a Wednesday night and the employee/guest ratio was easily 3:1. Once we were finally greeted with a "Can you order now?", we were rushed into shouting out our orders to a very impatient server. Two of the people in my party ordered salad, which only took moments to reach the table. Sadly, this was ruined with a huge piece of salad dressing-covered plastic in one of the dishes. 20 minutes later, 4 out of our 5 meals arrived. Another 20 minutes later, after 4 out of the 5 of us finished our meals, and the 5th meal arrived. The 5th meal was terrible. Upon exiting the restaurant, we mentioned our disappointment to the manager on duty. He claimed that the only reason for this issue was the "open table" app. Note: we did not use open table, nor did we make a reservation. As an individual with years of experience in the service industry, I am the first to defend a server during a busy night, or even with a difficult table. However, there is no justification for the way that servers as well as management interacted with us during this visit. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend Osaka to anyone, and can assure you that we will be taking our business elsewhere in the future.
(1)Adam E.
Here's the deal with this place, DO NOT MAKE RESERVATIONS, THEY DO NOT HONOR THEM!!!! Consider yourself warned, heres what they do, they overbook reservations, then shovel people down to the bar and tell them they will be seated soon, and dont seat you for at least an hour!!! I went in with reservations at 8 pm and had to wait in line at the door for 30 min before i could even get to the front desk, i would have pushed my way through the crowd to let them know we were there for our reservation, but the 30 people in front of us all had the same time reservation time, some even had 730 reservations, When i finally got to the front desk, we heard the hostest tell the couple of two with a 730 reservation that it would be close to 2 hours to be seated! (They laughed and walked out) So, you have been warned, i gave 3 stars because their food is really good! But their service is HORRIBLE. I recommend eating there on an off night to avoid the headache.
(3)Ana R.
I am willing to concede that hibachi is not the best option for lunch. Some of the fun is kinda seeped out of it at noon, you know? That being said, we had a pretty ho-hum experience at Osaka this past weekend. The reason we wanted lunch at Osaka was because my friend had been craving it for days and we were working around her twin newborn's feeding/sleeping schedules. The waitresses were very pleasant, but our maitre d didn't even help us move chairs to accomodate the stroller. We pushed chairs into corners we hoped were out of the way. Our chef phoned in his performance, and though we were happier chatting, there was a noted lack of showmanship. The food, however, was delicious, and just what we'd been craving. The big downfall of this restaurant is the customer service. Neither the men's or women's bathrooms had changing tables, and when asked about it, the staff acted like they'd never dealt with the problem before. We had to change both babies on two chairs pulled together. This is a giant restaurant, probably at least 100 seats. Why they don't have changing tables, or an alternative to them, is beyond me. Hibachi lunch was $20 each including tip.
(2)Vitz H.
If you are looking for a real Japanese restaurant, don't get misled by the good reviews or the name of the place, it is simply not. It's one of those Chinese places trying to counterfeit Japanese cuisine. While Japanese-Chinese fusion cuisine could be very amazing, this one is just horrible. It's basically an entertainment show with flames and shouting that could, to a certain extent, be amusing. But you need to be ready for the apotheosis of the show when the cook spurts his "magic sauce" directly in the open mouth of the customers. Entertaining? Wait till you realize that it has actually some kind of discomfort feeling afterwards... Besides the entertainment aspect, the quality of the food was average, but nothing to get really excited about. But when it comes to the service, forget about it. Our waitress asked us 2 mn after dropping the plate on the table if we were done with it. I really have an issue with waitress who touch my plate while asking if I am done with it. All in all, it is not recommended.
(1)Laura S.
I'm shocked I felt the need to give this place 2 stars, but the food was delicious and our hibachi chef was really great. I waited a while to post this review, because I was so angry when I left, that I felt it wouldn't be fair to post right to yelp....about a month ago, my friend decided to celebrate her birthday here. Her boyfriend made a reservation for a large group (about 16) for 8pm. This was perfect for me because I was working that weekend, and I'm a nurse, so I expected to get there just in time, and be home at a reasonable hour. When I got there at 810pm, everyone was gathered downstairs at the bar (prison) where we were waiting while they got our table ready. Soon we were told that they couldn't seat us because 2 people were running late and we had to have the entire party together to be seated. Ok, sure. I'll accept that. When they arrived a few min later, we were told 5 minutes until our table was ready. ONE HOUR LATER. we were finally seated. this all involved a lot of lying to us on the part of the waitress. there was a party of college kids who were sitting and talking having already paid their bill. not even drinking. I feel that in a restaurant like this, when you depend on your reservations and big parties, it's acceptable to say "we have a nice bar downstairs with ample seating area, do you all mind moving your party downstairs" It turned out though that the hostess was probably dating the manager (we saw them getting cozy which also seemed inappropriate) and that's why she refused to allow us to speak with a manager. The whole experience was so miserable. The two stars go directly to our hibachi chef. He was lovely. the food was good. however the drinks were VERY SLOW, and the waitress forgot and mixed up drink orders. So I got home from dinner at 11pm and I didn't get food until 930. Needless to say, I ventured to Watertown the next time I wanted hibachi, Edamame was a much better experience.
(2)Claire G.
I'd love to actually write a review of this restaurant, but I can't, as I am still waiting to be seated. It has been over an hour now and we are told there is another large party ahead of ours. This reservation was made 2 weeks in advance. By insanely large crowd also waiting to be seated and by the slew of reviews that say almost the exact same thing, it is clear this is a problem they run into regularly. Get your shit together, Osaka. Don't waste your time.
(1)Randy D.
I had reservations here for Valentine's day and unfortunately so did everyone else in the 100+ person mob that stretched out the door, it was a disaster -- and according to a ton of other reviews, this looks like a common occurrence, not just a one off OpenTable glitch for Valentine's. We left after waiting another 40 minutes with no resolution in site. P.S. Get rid of the stupid neon Budweiser sign on the outside, as it pretty much single handedly destroys the cachet of an otherwise nice looking restaurant.
(1)Grace C.
I dont understand how this place got three and a half stars. the service was good although they got our order wrong. However sushi wise definitely not the place to go. I've been to lots of sushi places in Boston area and if you want good sushi, do not go here.
(2)Frederic M.
I find it difficult to write a review on this place, as I feel it would take a couple of visits to have an overall experience of what Osaka has to offer. Part of the restaurant is allocated to what some would call "Japanese Show-cooking", there is a huge underground bar for non-food related entertainment and then there is a space dedicated to the more classic restaurant experience. I only attended the latter and will thus limit my review to my experience there. With Bento boxes priced at about 20-25$ each, Osaka is not a cheap place to go. But you get plenty of food for that. I ordered Bento Box number 3. I first got a Miso soup, followed by amazing spicy tuna maki. The rest of my Bento box included teriyaki beef, rice, dumplings and tempura (fried vegetables). The food was good. Overall very nice experience in a nice setting, though I believe that prices are a bit steep. If you are just interested in having a Japanese meal in a traditional restaurant setting, there are other places in town that offer similar food at better prices. Osaka is probably a place to be considered more by the show show-cooking fans!
(4)Julie O.
love this place for special rolls and lunch boxes! My favorite lunch boxes are Salmon Teriyaki and Beef Negimaki. I love their Nobu and Dancing rolls very much! Prices are reasonable and servers are very friendly!!!:) Strongly recommended!
(5)Liya A.
Great food but we got bad service. We entered the restaurant and were seated in the regular area ( not the hibachi). We were not aware that we should ask for the hibachi room and nobody asked us about it. We were with kids and the overall feeling was that they are not kid friendly and wish we will leave.
(3)Lusi J.
First off the restaurant is beautiful. But the food and service had a lot of room for improvement. The waitress seemed to hate her job and the sushi wasn't very fresh at all. .Very disappointing. Do not recommend, will not come again.
(1)Michael D.
I just went for a standard American Japanese restaurant lunch, so I can't write about the hibachi or their bar. It's certainly not a bad place. The decor is fine bordering on nice, the staff is fine, and we did not have to wait long for our food. And it's quiet!... because it was fairly empty. I ordered sushi lunch box number 3 and a Godzilla roll. The lunch box and half the Godzilla roll was enough to fill me up (so about $20 base value). You get some white rice in the lunch box, and it was about as bad (a little too soft and sweet) as expected, but not that worse than most other sushi places in Boston. During the meal, I also heard Mandarin from the staff, which was almost reassuring. Whew, it would've been embarrassing for the restaurant if it was actually run by Japanese people. Last bit of good news? It's near a JP Lick's.
(2)Chong C.
Pretty good Japanese roll and meat. We had "Amazing" roll (it's the name of it) and meat skewer, and both tasted fine. Though, service was extremely slow and it seemed like they don't even care how their customers are doing. We had to wait like 15 mins to get our check after finishing our meal. Food was definitely appreciatable although was bit pricy, but their service is one of the worst I've ever had from mid-high end restaurants.
(3)Lisa A.
I created a yelp account just to review Osaka. Ordered the yaki soba and yaki udon and was sorely disappointed. Basically, it tasted like overpriced Chinese takeout. Too sweet and no traditional Japanese flavours. Other things might be good here but I didn't try them. Service was mediocre.
(2)Jonathan M.
They made up for their failure from last time with a gift certificate, but I never got around to updating. I received a $50 voucher in the mail so I applaud their commitment to make things right. We went back and sat on the side without the hibachi. It was solid overall and the service was excellent. The atmosphere is nice, and I enjoyed food's appealing presentation. The flavors didn't blow me away for the price, but everything was tasty all the same. I'll probably come back again because I live in the area, but I will avoid the hibachi side.
(3)Mai H.
I came for a late lunch and must be honest.. I walked in here because Shiki is closed on Mondays. I ordered the Eel Dragon roll and 6 piece sashimi appetizer. For most part the sashimi was good. There was only one fish were I felt the texture was off and maybe had been previously frozen. I ordered the 6 piece but they gave me 8 pieces..can't complain about that! I had the salmon, stripped bass, white tuna and regular tuna. Two pieces of each tasted fresh and the roll was just a typical roll. The eel was great! I saw some bento boxes around and will try one of those next time. Complimentary green tea for the win!
(3)David C.
The menu at Osaka could probably rival The Cheesecake Factory's in terms of sheer enormity, but I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. There's really too much to choose from. My recommendation is to ask your server what he or she recommends. That allowed Andrea B. and me to try a few of the most popular items, and some of our waitress' personal favorites. If you're a sushi purist who only likes raw fish, rice, and raw fish on rice, then you might like it here because they have all that, but you might also scoff at the number of ingredients that go into making a single roll here. For me, the more things you shove into maki, the better. The highlight of my night was the American Tango roll, an outrageous creation featuring hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, shitake mushroom tempura, and a strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. There are approximately forty more rolls on the menu just like that one, and I might have to make it my mission to try them all. Can't comment on the hibachi here, which is really what makes Osaka unique for the area (there are far more sushi places in the neighborhood than would ever be necessary), but I've never been a fan of it in the first place, so I'll leave that up to you to decide.
(4)Nicole A.
Everything was great but the flavors of the hibachi weren't as flavorful as I'm used to with benihana in forty Lauderdale. The cook was fun and the atmosphere was nice but I'd like more flavor and richness to the food. My fiance loved it though. To each their own?
(3)Petros G.
A couple friends suggested hibachi for dinner, so after a bit of online searching we decided to visit this restaurant. It was Friday night and we did not have a reservation--still, we were seated after a 15 minute wait. We place our orders and the salads get to the table relatively quickly. However, this is where the good service ends. About 50 minutes after my 2 friends and I finish our salads, our section of the hibachi room *finally* gets the chef, who begins to cook our food. At one point during the nearly hour-long wait for the main course, my friend went to the front of the place to talk with the manager, with the goal of moving things along and getting our food to us. The manager says he will 'check' on the food but in actuality, doesn't move an inch (it was a busy night, I'll give them that). It didn't help that during most of our time in the restaurant, there was a group of college students on the other side of the room hollering at the top of their lungs whenever the hibachi chef did a fun trick, or basically whenever they felt like it. I'm not against having fun, but it would have been nice if my friends and I could have actually heard each others' voices at times. Though, I wouldn't fault the restaurant for this. Anyways, the food is finally coming onto our plates, courtesy of the very entertaining chef. I ordered the steak & scallops (comes with fried rice and vegetables). The food in general was OK. The meat and the scallops were made well but the entire plate was bathed in the same salty teriyaki/soy sauce. There wasn't much of a difference between this meal and a standard meal from a low-key takeout place. It was average. In short: you can do better, especially for $25, which was not worth it at all. I will not be returning.
(1)Alex S.
I've only ever been here during off times so I can only write about my experience when this place isn't packed. Me and my girl came for lunch because of a Groupon (it's so much cheaper during lunch) and didn't have an issue with our reservation or getting seated. It was only us and another couple that seemed very disinterested in the whole experience. Your experience definitely depends on how out-going your chef is. Our was okay but the chef at the table next to ours seemed a bit more sprightly. Minus 1 star. The kids at the other table even got balloon animals. I didn't get any balloon animals. Minus another star. All in all it was a decent experience. The food was pretty good and the show was decent. They also have decent bento boxes if hibachi isn't your thing. Check out my blog (complete with pictures and childish humor) for the full review! thesuchef.org/2013/10/08…
(3)Julie B.
I had been craving sushi for a while and Osaka came to the rescue in a big way. I went with a group of friends on Tuesday night and immediately started to oggle at the food porn....ahem, the menu. I started off with the miso soup and split the crab rangoons, aka MONEY BAGS. I would order those babies just for the name. And guess what? They come out looking just like bags of cash, complete with a seaweed tie. Adorable! While I'm no expert because most of my crab rangoons come from take-out menus at 3 am, these were phenomenal. They had a very flaky crust and the crab to cheese ratio was like 40:60. Soooo good. Lured in by the idea of 4 different types of tobiko, I ordered the tobiko rainbow roll next. The presentation was beautiful, as it was on all of the plates. Personally I loved my roll, but some of the others I tried were a little bland. The decor in the restaurant is great and I love that they have mini hibachi tables available, but this place was LOUD. There was barely anyone there and we were on the opposite side of the hibachi tables but we could barely hear each other. Not sure how to fix this. Either way, sushi was great and presentation was impeccable.
(4)Lisa B.
After being contacted by the manager, I decided to give Osaka a second chance. It was one of the few restaurants open during the Blizzard of 2013, so my fiance and I stopped by for sushi lunch. Everything was fresh and arrived quickly. I opted for the three roll special which included soup and salad. My fiance ordered one of the bento boxes, and we were both happy. In summary... Osaka has its good moments, and it has its not so good moments. It seems to depend on which server you have. I highly recommend Osaka for lunch, though.
(4)Julia J.
loved the hibachi here
(4)Ali G.
This place is way bigger than expected and awesome! Parking kind of stinks but you'll figure it out, as we did. We didn't have a reservation, but the wait was super quick, maybe ten minutes. The food was very good, we both got the chicken and shrimp and it was delicious. The atmosphere here is great, loud and exciting (on the hibachi side). Definitely a fun place to come, plus they squirt free sake in your mouth so how can you complain. SAKE! SAKE! SAKE!
(5)Bob B.
Look for a place for celebrating? This must be a nice choice. I was celebrating my friend's birthday here, and it was a really special experience. The chief in Hibachi was amazing. He really knew how to entertain the customers. EX: fire show, juggling with the eggs, zucchini tossing and sake shooting. Everything were really funny and we really had great time. Although the food was just so so, I would definitely come back again.
(4)Kat T.
Not the best Hibachi (definitely not worth coming here for Hibachi) but very interesting take on sushi. If you would like to experience different and unusual approach to sushi rolls, this is definitely a great place for that! We had a few different rolls that sounded quite unique (like hot lover roll), and it was really amazing! Hibachi is not good at all though! The tuna was cooked nicely but the piece was too tiny, rice was absolutely bad, and vegetables were just overcooked and not tasty. Spring rolls were tiny and blend. Recommend this place for sushi rolls only. Nice ambiance, not fancy but not too simple either.
(3)Sarah G.
Great place for a group outing! I went here with 7 of my colleagues for a work dinner and drinks! We all had hibachi and our chef was fun and made the night a good time! The one complaint was the dining room felt a little empty , which made everyone feel a little awkward. It was also very bright in there! Maybe turn down the lights and get a more cozy atmosphere and we would of stayed for another round of drinks! We all had a mix of chicken , steak and shrimp! The chicken was kind of plain and next time id stick to just steak! The fried rice and veggies were really good though! After the hibachi show you are left alone and kind of feel like you should leave!
(4)Amin A.
Best hibachi! Sushi rolls are delicious... I have tried different rolls, all were fresh & high quality. Pineapple fried rice is awesome don't miss it! Fun and very attentive wait staff. Tomo roll is by far the best sushi roll ever Filet mignon is delicious and premium quality!
(5)Hung L.
Came here for a buddy's 30th birthday dinner, Henry, you mother says, "Hi!" We had 17 people in the group and had reservations for 7:30 PM on a Saturday. Some people in the group showed up late so it was understandable that we would have to wait to a little longer to get our seats for the Hibachi grill. The last couple showed up around 8pm but we didn't expect to have to wait an hour and a half to get seated. Some people got hungry and went door to Otto's for a quick bite of pizza. Personally not a big fan of Hibachi but if you want to experience it at least once in your lifetime then it's worth it. The wife and I got sushi here and to be honest the sushi deserves 1 star. The extra star is more for the show and the sake we get squirted in our mouths (like mother, like son Henry ;-D ) The couple next to us also got sushi, one of our rolls was the Spider roll, the couple next to us also got the Spider roll for one of their selections yet when both our dishes came out, they looked nothing alike. Never seen sushi filled with lettuce before. On top of that, it had no flavor to it at all. It was probably the most bland sushi roll I have ever eaten, not counting California roll. Normally I can eat 3 rolls of sushi with lots of water and feel full but not at this place. I left feeling hungry. Their sushi prices are somewhat high too for the amount you get. If you want the Hibachi experience come here, if you want sushi, walk 2-3 blocks down Harvard Street to Genki Ya, 100 times better there.
(2)Sara C.
As a sushi fanatic living in Boston, finding restaurants that serve high quality and creative dishes without clearing out my wallet is pertinent. My experience at Osaka was just that, alongside good service. Our waiter was friendly, food and drinks served in a timely fashion. Their menu is extensive, following our servers recommendation I ordered the eel dragon roll and tomo roll, which were both excellent, and huge. We also ordered the king crab ceviche, filet mignon habachi, which was cold but tastey otherwise, and Sui mono soup. We were sitting on the steakhouse side, may next time sit on the habachi side to ensure a hot plate. To drink, hot house sake and Sapporo. All left Osaka with happy full tummys and the prime location allowed us to conveniently continue our night out in Coolidge Corner.
(4)Tony N.
This place has become a staple for my wife and I. It is always easy together a reservation, even on the weekend, despite the place being constantly packed. The decor is modern and the place has a very energetic vibe. The noise level is perfect in that you can hear the excitement of the hibachi from the dining room yet you can have a conversation with your table and not have to raise your voice. The service is more than attentive and very friendly. The times I have asked for recommendations from my server I have not been dissapointed. The drink menu is good and they have this shocu, distiller from sweet potatoes, that I have fallen in love with. Prices are decent. The food is spectacular. The special rolls are inventive and not only taste gay but look ga. Sashimi is fresh and cuts are a good size.
(5)Rachel S.
After many subsequent visits back to Osaka I have to give them more credit than I did previously. The food is consistently good. The staff is generally friendly but can be a bit disoriented at times, which I can't really blame them for considering how loud it gets in the hibachi room (holy drunk college kids, batman). Everything is always delicious and flavorful, and I can't get enough of their white sauce. Can't wait to go back soon.
(4)Nevin Z.
Amazing meal and show. Hibachi is truly an art form. I was impressed at the skill of all the hibachi chefs I saw. The food was great. Couldn't ask for more. The sauces they provide add a great combination of tastes. While some of the meals are somewhat pricey, maybe 19-20 dollars, I would say it was more than worth it and I left feeling very full. They have definitely gained a returning customer from me.
(5)Ella F.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this place. The ambiance/decor is nice, but they seemed incredibly disorganized from the moment I walked in. There are two rooms, a hibachi room, and a regular dining room. The hibachi room was practically a zoo. It was incredibly loud/rowdy, and definitely not the type of atmosphere I want for dinner after a long work day. It would be about equal to going to a college bar on a Friday/Saturday night. We sat in the regular dining room where it was more peaceful (and we weren't planning on getting hibachi either). The sushi was okay- nothing too special. The service was sporadic, although there were a lot of waitstaff congregating and chatting at the main entrance. The price was waaaaaay up there for the quality of the food. They clearly have you paying for the "cool" atmosphere/decor, because nothing else could justify the price. If the price had been more reasonable or correlated to the food and service, I would give 3 stars.
(2)Mikhail H.
I was in town on vacation and craving sushi something fierce. Several friends recommended a place around the corner but when we researched them the prices were crazy high. My husband found this place and we decided to give it a go. This seems to be a hidden gem because there were not many people in the gorgeous restaurant. And it really is pretty inside - I nearly fainted at how low the prices were. We went for lunch so you will save a lot just on that alone! It was seriously $40 with tip and we got a sashimi plate (some of the best I have ever had honestly), yakisoba with chicken and some tempura, a beer and soda which is really great. The service was also very impressive and our food was fast!
(5)Kelley D.
This was my first time at a hibachi restaurant, and I was pleasantly surprised. They have a pretty large menu, so you can find something to fit everyone's tastes. I got the chicken & salmon hibachi... the chicken was great, the salmon was ok, just really really bland. I thought everything else tasted great. It was a fun experience, the service definitely made everything that much better. The more people you go with, the better. The location can't be beat, right in the heart of Coolidge Corner with the T steps away. I will be back soon!
(4)Alexander K.
Japanese Restaurant with available Chinese option .., hm ? That is a NO-NO for traditionalists !! Especially for those who are into Japanese cuisine. There are few good Chinese restaurants to begin with, rest is junk. There is also explosion within Boston area with Japanese restaurants, and less quality is inevitable. This place is perfect example. From appearance which can be taken as Japanese/Chinese/European dark style, confusion .. !! To service .., two different servers taking order, two others give water, two more taking/bringing food/plates. And what's with the huge white plates to serve just about every thing ???!! 3/4 orders and the table is small, not the cleanest establishment either. Food was tasty yes, presentation was good yes, can be better !! Service no where near of traditional Japanese culture, super weak !!
(3)Heather N.
I have been to Osaka before and had a great time. Unfortunately, I had a reservation for Valentine's day yesterday (which was made a month prior), and when I got there, there was a mob of people waiting to sit down for their reservations. We had an 8 o'clock reservation, and when we showed up, people who had a 7 o'clock reservation were not even seated. I have never seen a restaurant so unorganized and the manager would not even come out to apologize. Not to mention my name was on a post-it note. Thank you so much for ruining what was supposed to be a fun-filled, stress-free valentine's day!
(1)Jo T.
Ugh. We went for the hibachi and: - the food wasn't very good. i've had this type of food a few times at other places, and this was the bottom of the barrel. - the hibachi chefs all follow a pretty crass script; e.g., there's a plastic doll filled with sake and they pull down its shorts and spray liquid on the food from the anatomically correct male doll Won't be back.
(1)urbanaite K.
We were there on a busy Friday night, Halloween actually, and the service was very good. Our food arrived promptly and it was delicious! It is not cheap, but I'd say it is appropriately priced for the location, ambiance and food quality.
(5)Matt F.
First time at Osaka, and it did not disappoint. The food was great. Our chef was entertaining. I went on a Monday so the crowd small. But I will be returning and bringing friends as well.
(4)Angie D.
Fun to sit at the hibachi table! Our cook was very friendly and entertaining. The food was good, but I was disappointed not to see noodles as well as rice. Good to know for next time! Will definitely be back!
(4)Katie W.
Great place to go with big groups! The atmosphere is lively and fun, and the hibachi chefs really show you a good time. The food was average. You don't really go for the food, more for the overall experience. Hibachi entrees start at $20.
(3)Richard Y.
PRICE: Competitive for Sushi $5 - $15 LOCATION: 5/5 Coolidge Corner 1/2 block from C line SERVICE: 4.5/5 Really nice service (If they held the entire order for full presentation Ozaka would have received 5/5!) After a long and grueling 48 hours, I decided to give in to my Sushi cravings and give Osaka a chance. The restaurant is on a quiet street in Brookline, not the typical location for a gem like this; it's a one way street and parking is available but you have to be a parking shark to find anything on the block and it was after 9pm on a Saturday night and I still managed to park my party bus (Ford Expedition) on Green Street. Upon entering Osaka, we were greeted and immediately shown to our seats. Water was poured within 90 seconds and the menu's followed thereafter, this was orchestrated very well. The server arrived at the table to ask if we wanted to order drinks and upon receiving our response of "no drinks tonight" she smiled, took the drink menu and told us she would return shortly to take our orders. As I looked through the menu I noticed that Osaka was pretty busy that night, the Hibachi area was nearly full and others waiting to be seated. At least 2/3 of the both seating were full with party sizes ranging from 2 - 8 people per seating area enjoying the well light ambiance. The waitress returned about 5 minutes later where we asked for more time which was my fault; I was observing the crowd, wait staff and the foot traffic and interaction of the staff. Within a few minutes our order was placed, 5 traditional rolls and 2 specialty rolls and 2 miso soup. Within 90 seconds the soups arrived; still steaming, there was plenty of tofu and great ribbons of seaweed. The server with the water was extremely attentive and was on point with all the water, something that is often missed and taking for granted but not at Ozaka. The 5 traditional rolls arrived on a long white platter. The sushi arraigned in a two rows in an "S" shape with the 5th roll plated in the center in a pyramid pattern given the plate height. Excellent presentation and I am now kicking myself for not taking pictures to share. The specialty rolls, finally arrived 5-7 minutes later, which I think is a bit too long but was the rolls worth the wait - Hell ya! In fairness, I should say that as we finished placing our order, so did the table behind us of 3 and the table to our right with 6 people. Overall, great experience and very yummy Sushi, I shall return again for sure!
(5)Cait A.
First off, let me just say that I almost only use Yelp to help promote businesses I love and want to see succeed. I've always loved hibachi and haven't had it in years, so for my birthday, we got a bunch of people together and my boyfriend made an 8pm reservation for 16 for a hibachi table about a week ago. All the hibachi places around Boston had spotty Yelp reviews, but I didn't think anyone would want to drive to Acton, to a tried and true place, so I picked Osaka, which seemed the most promising and closest. My bf called 2 days later, to confirm the number of diners, and once more day of to make sure everything was set. They told him the table would seat 18, so that was fine. We arrived on time and there were about five girls standing at the front desk shifting around and avoiding eye contact with us. We found the hostess, who asked whether we had a regular table and I said no, we had a reservation for 8pm for a hibachi table, it was very specific. She pointed to my roommate, who had gotten there early to wait for everyone, and said "she said it was a regular table". I said "We have had a reservation under Brian for 16 for a hibachi table"- my roommate was not involved in preps, so she had nothing to do with it?? The hostess told us it would be 10-15 minutes and would we like to wait in the bar area, so we said okay and went downstairs. After a few minutes, the rest of our group showed up, sans two who had to get plowed out of their driveway because of the snow earlier. We sat in the bar drinking for a good half hour, frequently checking in with the hostess, who said she'd come find us when the table was ready. Around 8:45, we checked in again and the hostess said we weren't being seated because our last two had not shown up. When they did, the reason was that the previous diners were still sipping their drinks at our table. Finally, just before 9, we went upstairs to gather around the hostess desk and put the pressure on. First she said 10-15 minutes, then she was blaming it on our two friends not being there, THEN it became the previous diners. Okay, so you gave our table away like right before 8pm, stop lying to us/blaming our two friends. It was an hour after our res and people were starving. I was pissed and stressed as if I'd been in rush hour traffic on 93 for two hours. When we FINALLY sat down (with only 12 people- 4 cancelled d/t weather last minute), we were asked to squeeze in two more chairs on the corners because they were stuffing in another group on the other side of the table. When the waiter took our drink orders, it was a good 15+ min before drinks came out. All food and drinks that were brought out were served to the wrong people, and the waiter who took the order didn't even bother to look at his own notes, just asked us where the plate went. All plates were handed to us, even if there was already a plate in front of the diner and nowhere to put it. No one was assisted in any way- they didn't remove the original plate or make room, it was just fend for yourself. Some people just put their large appetizer plate on top of their large hibachi plate because there was nowhere to move anything. The group next to us looked as if they'd been waiting just as long (I saw them at a bar upstairs when we first walked in) and had a 10 year old boy who was literally banging his head on the table with exasperation, which was pretty representative how we all felt. What kind of a Mickey Mouse operation is this? Get your act together Osaka. It was laughably ridiculous. Thank goodness for the entertaining chef and the free sake that they squirt in your mouths, but when you set up something fun and are responsible about coordinating preparations with the restaurant, you should not be starving and having heart palpitations at the table over an hour after your res. I associate this place with so much grief that I wouldn't go back unless they sent me a gift cert. Food wasn't bad, but besides the awesome chef, experience was god awful. PS, we asked for the manager several times and were ignored, but then saw him frequently hanging around the area while seated, so its not like he was not nearby and couldn't speak to us.
(2)Lyusha G.
Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? This is the best sushi I've had in years, and I've had A LOT of sushi. I really was not expecting this when I wandered in around midnight with a friend, in Brookline of all places. The décor and service were both great, but everything pales in comparison to the spicy crunchy tuna roll and the new special Osaka roll that took the cake and stuck it happily into my belly. If I could eat more than two rolls in one sitting, I would have spent the night. Not only will I be back, I will be back with all the sushi lovers I know. How did I not know about this place earlier!?! I feel embarrassed as a native Brookliner that I haven't been patronizing this place from the start. Phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal. And did I mention they're open until 2am and have karaoke and cocktails!? It turns out that heaven is just off Harvard St.
(5)Josephine L.
My friends and I came here after watching the lovely documentary, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" (brilliant idea to show it at Coolidge Corner theater, where there are numerous sushi restaurants). Osaka isn't bad, but nothing about it sets it apart from the millions of other sleek, trendy, chic sushi restaurants that play pulsing lounge music all night long. I had the Nobu Roll and the Rainbow Roll. The Nobu Roll, a combination of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with three kinds of tobiko topped with chef special sauce, was rich and initially satisfying. After a while though, the sauce got to be too much and I couldn't finish the roll. I guess I'm too much of a minimalist when it comes to sushi. I not only like but prefer my sushi to consist of only 3 things: fish, rice and seaweed (avocado allowed). The Nobu Roll was not very well made, either. The pieces kept falling apart when I picked them up. I also had the Rainbow Roll. The fish tasted very fresh and the cuts were pretty generous. No complaints there. Service was good, but almost too attentive. We were constantly interrupted by well-meaning servers asking us how we were doing. Maybe scale back a bit on that?
(3)Cheryl H.
Going to a hibachi-style place, I expect a certain amount of theatrics, but this was ridiculous. Catching shrimp/veg in your mouth? Okay. Squirting sake from a condiment bottle and having the person chug until they choke and spit everywhere? No thanks. The sake squirt chugging also led to a lot of people drooling all over and generally being covered with sake, so dress accordingly. Then the chef started having the women catch the whole raw eggs in their cleavage - are you going to cook those? I hope not. The ambiance is certainly better for groups. Don't count on being able to converse at anything below a shouting volume though because it's extremely loud on the hibachi side. The sake chugging led to a certain level of chaos and gave things a sporting event type of feel including lots of countdowns and screaming. Yes, screaming although at a drunken wrestling brawl, I guess you would be missing the sound of the metal cooking utensils being constantly and rhythmically slammed on a hotplate, so there you go. The hibachi steak ended up being okay although it was overcooked. The sushi was awful and I'm not even a sushi snob. If you're craving sushi, there are many other good alternatives nearby. As we were leaving, the woman in front of us was apologizing to her friend saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would be like a freshman dorm." Yes, I'm sorry too.
(1)Cwot W.
I like watching Top Chef, Iron Chef and Hell's Kitchen. So when I dine, I appreciate two things: lots of flames and chefs screaming at employees and customers. Osaka didn't have a screaming chef (although I have hopes for future visits). But they did have flames shooting up in the air and a persistent smell of smoke. As a professional knife thrower and a pseudo pyro, I appreciate the use of good cutlery and high flames. Osaka was a great fit for me as I almost got a flash burn when they lit the onion tower on fire. Oh and the food was good too, good taste and good volume of food.
(5)Najica H.
I eat japanese food regularly, so I guess I know when one place makes something good and another place fails...I went here with my roommate for the price fixed restaurant week dinner. It was a nice looking place, super easy to get to, our server was great and I wanted to like this place but unfortunately...the food wasn't good, and that's what's actually important. My roommate got the hibachi and the portions were good but overall it tasted just alright, I've had better hibachi at dives. I got the sushi/sashimi combo w/ dancing roll. The roll was good, but the sashimi wasn't cut right and the pieces were a bit butchered, which would've been fine except when I ate it the pieces they tasted a little chewy and had like a day old fishy taste which....fresh sashimi shouldn't taste that way :/ After a few pieces the bad taste just piled up and I couldn't finish it, and I used to eat sushi every week. I got the tiramisu for dessert and the first bite was good...except the rest of it was literally frozen solid in the middle, no joke! It just made me sad that I was eating at this expensive restaurant and the dessert wasn't even thawed or fresh. Like old tasting sushi and frozen dessert? I really wanted this place to be good but I actually had a violent stomach ache afterwards...
(1)Rachel D.
Amazing! If you have the money. We got Hibachi because I would have kicked myself if we hadn't, and it was amazing and extremely entertaining!! The chefs do neat tricks with the eggs on the grill, and also tricks with the utensils and sake squirters. Honestly their fried rice was pretty amazing, and I think it's because they put sake in it - the taste was phenomenal. I also had just a regular sushi roll on the side which was good, nothing to write home about, but it wasn't a special, hard to make roll - just tuna and avocado. The tuna was very fresh and soft though. The chefs also have sake squirters with just water in them for kids to play along. Sometimes they even throw food into your mouth, but they always ask first and never try to make you do anything crazy that you're obviously not willing to do. -GREAT for groups -Great for kids, especially since I always see a million Brookline families there -great for a first date! since it takes the pressure off.
(5)Courtney H.
I was so excited that there was finally a hibachi steakhouse within walking distance of a train in the city! So my husband made some reservations one night and we went for dinner. The place was pretty full but not sold out and we were seated with two other couples. One definitely was just there to get in and out and the other was there for a date night too. I didn't do so well with catching the vegetable thrown at my face (mostly because he through the first one at my forehead!) but I handled the sake well! I thought the food was similar to any other hibachi place so no complaints! And I love the yum yum sauce! Can't wait to go back!
(4)John M.
I don't profess to be an expert when it comes to Hibachi - I only started going to places in the last year. That said, I have been a few times, and this place was by far the best. The atmosphere was fun, and the chefs each knew how to make at least a couple of balloon animals which was a nice touch (and added to the general vibe). The sushi was very good (not as excellent as a high-end sushi place - I used to work at Osushi - but damn good for an inexpensive one). The place was clean and the service was excellent. We really liked our grillmaster, Sam, and he seemed to reciprocate and had some good fun with our table. The kicker was that the food prepared was the best I've had from hibachi to date. Everything was cooked perfectly, and was absolutely delicious. I ordered the chicken and salmon, gf ordered the chicken, two of the folks from the other group ordered the fillet. I can attest to the excellence of my choice - salmon had a nice crispy layer on the outside and was perfectly juicy and soft on the inside. Chicken was moist and quite flavorful. And the fillet looked perfectly cooked, a solid medium-rare like the other patrons ordered. Overall, a great time, and can't wait to go with a bigger group in the future.
(5)Matt S.
It's difficult for me to write a review for Osaka because honestly it's pretty much like every Hibachi/Sushi steakhouse I've ever been to. It has it's own unique decor of course, which is nice and cool in it's own way. Wait staff are attentive and the food is good. Sushi there is pretty decent too, so I'll switch between that and hibachi when I go. The hibachi show is pretty typical, nothing spectacular or unexpected. I'm giving it four stars because while they don't do anything amazing or extravagant they don't do anything wrong either (in terms of food, service, etc...), which makes them pretty reliable and one of my go-to's.
(4)Rebecca F.
I came here with a LivingSocial coupon and had a decent experience: nothing to rave about, though. The restaurant is located on a side street in Coolidge Corner, very accessible by public transit. It's dimly lit and quite large, and there's a separate room for the hibachi and a downstairs which had dance music playing? I could hear the excitement from the hibachi room at my table in the other portion, which wasn't a bad thing but I was here on an early weekday evening, so I imagine when it's busier it is probably noisier. I just ordered the sashimi sampler ($24) which came with 5-6 types of fish. The sampler comes with soup or salad and a bowl of rice. The fish tasted pretty fresh and was arranged nicely in a bowl of ice. The service was attentive and helpful when I asked for an explanation of the fish. Overall, this place has pretty good Japanese food and the hibachi is always a fun outing.
(3)Dana S.
We had a great time here for a friend's birthday party. Before sitting down for hibachi, we grabbed a drink at the bar downstairs. Both of the bartenders were so friendly and courteous. My martini was big, and STRONG, and delicious. We started with two sushi rolls for an appetizer. One of them (the name escapes me) was extremely spicy! But the rolls were a great size and very fresh. Our hibachi chef was hysterical and made for great entertainment during the cooking presentation. Who doesn't love sake shots before dinner? I shared the "osaka" special with a friend- a great combo of chicken, lobster, scallop, shrimp, and beef. Everything was tasty and I would definitely go back again!
(4)Mon R.
THIS PLACE IS AWESSSSSSOME! Its totally off the beaten path (Harvard Ave), and apparently just opened in October! They had a deal for Valentines Day- free glass of champagne. We got here and were promptly seated for the hibachi. Our waiter was really attentive, and it didn't take too long for the hibachi chef to come out. I got steak and chicken, my husband got shrimp. The chef did all his usual tricks, except with a few new ones we haven't seen before. The rice was awesome, and there was enough food left over for lunch the next day. The family next to us had a kid and he was totally into the chef. He exclaimed, "its dinner and a show!" - The irony, here, being that my husband totally feels this way about hibachi... as a result of a number of birthday parties at the place when he was little. Kid at heart. Anyway, we loved it, and are glad to have found a nice hibachi spot in Boston. A bit pricey, but that comes with the hibachi territory.
(5)Sara M.
We came in on a Wednesday night and were seated on the restaurant side immediately. Next time I would ask to sit towards the back as the hibachi room is very loud. Our drink order was taken by one person and our dinner by another. The way our waitress reacted, we still cannot figure out if she was surprised or impressed that we ordered the Osaka sushi for two (it comes on a boat) - about 18 pieces of sushi, one tuna and one dragon roll and miso for two; a good amount of food for teh two of us, but not gut-busting The soup was good, and the fish was impressive, it was very fresh and the addition of jalapeno and lemon zest on some of the fish was very nice. The dragon roll was great, and the eel sauce was really nice. With a couple of beers, dinner was $50 before tax and tip and we were very satisfied.
(4)John L.
~New Coolidge Corner Hotspot where the Hibachi over the Sushi. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asupr.us/ap-osaka A friend of mine had a birthday here. Initially I just punched it in to Google Maps, as I was fairly familiar with the Coolidge Corner area, but had never been to/heard of Osaka. I turned on the main street to this side street and I see this relatively sexy new place. For the area, Osaka is quite large. I was there on a Saturday night and it was packed. It was so packed, despite a reservation, we had to hang out at the bar lounge area for around 30 minutes until we could get to our table. I mean, it's fun to go somewhere on a Fri or Sat night where it's packed. Lots of energy and fun with the hibachi stations. No real surprise, if you're either doing hibachi, or anywhere near there, you will hear a plethora of screams, yells, Ay-Ay-Ay's, and a bunch of laughter. So if you're not ready for any and all of that, it's pretty difficult to sit anywhere at Osaka and not hear any of that. The hibachi portions are plentiful and quite delicious. It'd be hard for me to go here for some sushi over the hibachi. We had a variety of rolls including the American Tango, Foxy Lady, Jalapeno, and a few more. All of these fusion rolls were good, not great. I mean, the sushi rolls might actually be as good or better than some other dedicated sushi restaurants, but because of the presence of the hibachi, it's tough for any of the sushi to shine. I might have to go there again and resist the hibachi and try to focus on the sushi and update my review perhaps.
(4)Lala I.
the food def wasnt bad to be honest. im jus not into anything fusion esp def not my sushi. if you are into japanese fusion and some hibachi action you ll probably like this restaurant. bright, large space, very good for groups. the lounge in the basement is def a plus.
(3)Jessie C.
we went here a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. Very good! The prices were high but not too terrible for Brookline and the quality of food. We've eaten a lot of hibachi in the past and this was by far the most food you get at a very high quality for the cost. Great choice. I had the chicken and salmon hibachi and the "Summer at osaka" cocktail. If we went again, i'd get just the salmon - it was fantastic!
(4)Jenn S.
Before my friend invited us to Osaka for her birthday dinner, I had never heard of this place. Both my husband & I thought it was a different place. As we were walking to the restaurant, we saw an employee standing on the sidewalk on Harvard Ave., with a sign advertising Osaka and their parking. Guess they are really making a push for advertising! We arrived a few minutes early, but couldn't be sat until more of our party arrived. Once they did, we were seated at one of the Hibachi tables and waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The main issue with this place? TOO.LOUD. We could not hear what those not sitting right next to us were saying - and the waiter couldn't even hear us when we ordered our drinks! I ordered a glass of Raspberry-flavored sake, which came in a wine glass (not a sake bottle with those adorable sake glasses). It was delish. Other friends got a Mai Tai and hot & cold sake. All delicious. The chef was definitely fun. He used the squeeze bottle to shoot sake into our mouths - and definitely had fun with it. He even tossed a piece of onion into my friend's mouth, but when it missed and landed in her shirt, he hilariously yelled "GOOOAL!" Very fun. The rice was AMAZING. I could have eaten just that! The chicken and veggies were great too - and didn't even need the sauces that are provided. The salad was a typical Japanese ginger salad, which is, frankly, one of my favorite parts of Japanese meals. I love that ginger dressing. Overall, the food was good, the prices are reasonable ($19ish for a salad, hibachi chicken, tons of rice & veg) and the atmosphere is fun. Do not sit at the Hibachi tables if you want to have a conversation though!
(4)Mirope F.
Love the sushi in this place... and they have a crazy and funny karaoke downstairs... really nice place to go with friends have some good sushi and a lot of fun with the chefs
(4)Andrea B.
I love sushi, and Osaka's is definitely up there among my favorites. Each of the rolls I tried was delicious, not to mention the presentation, which was gorgeous as well. You probably really can't go wrong regardless of what you try, but I'd highly recommend the Amazing and the American Tango rolls. The former boasts tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, scallops and kamakazi wasabi. And the latter contains hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. It sounds like it could be a rather peculiar combination, but trust me, it's not. Service was both hit and miss. Our waitress was kind of blah, but I have to give them props for doing a great job at keeping our water glasses filled the entire time.
(4)AM S.
Hands down my favorite hibachi in Boston's frightening dearth of good restaurants! Closest or even as good as Benihana. Great great great quality of food, awesome chefs and even the salad is good. The leftovers taste just as tasty the next day. Highly recommend this, it's a gem in the mire.
(5)Melissa P.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant functions in two fantastically different ways: entertaining Hibachi grill show and quiet sushi room. The restaurant is literally split in two. The dual personalities of Osaka has a fun way of catering to its diners. For your first visit, start with the hibachi grill. Hibachi is a traditional Japanese grill that is equipped with an iron hot plate called (teppan) used in teppanyaki restaurants, though what you find within its ornate walls might not be considered traditional. The chefs at Osaka go all-out to put on a show with funny banter and a bottle of sake (which they will squirt in the mouth of dinner patrons). As for the food, get ready to watch it diced, grilled, and served right in front of you. On the tamer side of the restaurant, the sushi rolls are made fresh, with creative combinations like TOMO or Hot Lover Roll.
(4)Kevin G.
We ate at Osaka during Boston's Restaurant Week, Winter 2014. We made a reservation for 8:00 PM (on a Wednesday night) and, unlike most of the other reviewers, we were immediately seated upon arrival at the hibachi table. Then again, it wasn't busy and we probably would have been seated immediately without the reservation. After seating us, they gave us iced water, but it was quite a while before a waiter took our order. My date ordered an iced tea that never arrived. For our appetizers, we ordered the tuna tartare and the tuna dumplings. It should be noted that we waited an extremely long time for them to serve us our appetizers. We were contemplating leaving the restaurant at one point. Both dishes were beautiful in presentation but tasted almost identical to one another. Unfortunately, neither appetizer was particularly good. Though they both contained a decent amount of fresh tuna, the tuna itself was not cold and it was mediocre in quality. Overall, they were very bland. For dinner, we both ordered the steak and lobster hibachi. Though the menu states that the hibachi dinner comes with a salad, neither of us received a salad. This could have been because we were ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu. The hibachi chef was nice and entertaining enough and the food was decent. The rice and vegetables were fine, the steak was cooked to order, but the lobster was a bit overdone and rubbery. Though I must say that we were each given quite a bit of lobster and steak. If you're expecting a range of tastes, flavors, and spices, do not order the hibachi dinner. Like all hibachi, everything pretty much tastes the same. Good salty, buttery, garlicky flavor, but all one-note. For dessert, we ordered the mochi ice cream and fried banana. They were out of the fried ice cream. The mochi ice cream was a generous portion and delicious. The fried banana was one banana on a plate with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Though it was fine, it would have been better had the banana been sliced and then fried or if it had the accompaniment of some ice cream or a fresh garnish. It was an oversimplified dessert that could have been executed better. Overall, Osaka deserves only two stars. The ambiance was fine, the hibachi chefs seemed great, the service was terrible, and the food ranged from decent to mediocre to worthy of sending back. Nothing, except for maybe the mochi ice cream, was delicious or worth re-ordering. There is better hibachi out there and there is certainly more-delicious and fresher sushi-quality fish all over Boston. I'd only go here if you are out with a bunch of friends who can't travel and want sake sprayed into your mouth.
(2)Thomas L.
Crazy busy here on a Saturday night. Highly recommend reservations. Food was terrific. Service was great. Overall atmosphere was energetic. Sat at the hibachi grill with the wife and another couple. Variety of your standard selections, one drink each, and tip.....$150.00 total. Not too bad, as it was a great experience and we were sitting/eating/drinking for a good amount of time. Again, the food was delicious. The salad, the freshly prepared/cooked fried rice, the shrimp, the vegetables, the steak and chicken, and the accompanying sauces. All terrific. The downstairs (where the restrooms are) looks very trendy and cozy and could be fun for a drink or two. The bar/sushi area on the main floor also looks fun, and although I am not a sushi person, it did look very appetizing. If you are looking for an upbeat dinner and lots of energy, make your reservations today!
(4)Arden B.
I interviewed the co-owner of Osaka for a video package I was doing on Boston Winter Restaurant Week, and she was so sweet and made everything sound so great that I couldn't wait to come back and actually eat there! We had a party of 4 and were seated right away at a hibachi table. I'm a big Benihana fan (don't judge me!), so I had high expectations! This place was so fun! The chef was extremely engaging and we all had a blast. We pretty much laughed through the entire meal. The shooting sake was definitely a highlight as well. And although I failed to catch a piece of zucchini in my mouth, I still enjoyed watching as my more coordinated friends succeeded. The rice was pretty good. I don't think it was quite up to Benihana standard, and for some reason I really don't like corn in my fried rice, but other than that, I thought it was good! The vegetables were okay. I liked the onion, but the zucchini, carrots and broccoli were not as cooked as I had hoped. My least favorite part of the meal, though, was the salad dressing. It was waaayy too heavy and there as so much of it that I actually felt a little sick just looking at the salad. I had the shrimp and scallops. The scallops were phenomenal! I only wish the chef had cut up the shrimp into smaller pieces because I did not have a knife, and it made it difficult to eat those shrimp with chop sticks. After we finished eating, we went downstairs to the O Bar. I think we actually accidentally crashed some kind of Persian party? Still had a blast doing sake bombs in the corner and listening to the music we couldn't understand. The bartender was pretty rude, though. On nights when there isn't a party, they have karaoke! Lots of fun! We would definitely go back again!
(4)Jill S.
Very good Hibachi Japanese place!! Came here with a group of friends on a trip to Boston and the food was very good!!! We had a reservation which was good as the place was pretty crowded. The cook was a lot of fun and very entertaining!! I would definitely go back!!
(4)Ivan L.
First time visiting was during Boston's Restaurant week. Service was extremely quick and courteous; served the first course within 15-20 minutes of walking in! Appetizers included rock shrimp and sashimi (smorgasbord of raw fish), which were both superb. The entrees followed with hibachi filet mignon and lobster tail as well as the Tomo sushi platter, and finally the dessert was Mochi ice cream with a chocolate drizzle. Everything was outstanding, flavors were full individually but melded nicely with one another. You could certainly distinguish the freshness of all the fish and the meat was cooked to perfection. Portions were plentiful and beautifully plated. Would also recommend sharing a scorpion bowl (strong mix but very tasty) as well as pairing hot sake with the ice cream dessert to top it all off. I would absolutely recommend this place to anybody wanting something new or familiar. Most definitely a great experience, will surely return!
(4)jazzy l.
Grand opening Sushi/Hibachi Grill on Green Street (near Peets) Everything is brand spanking new. Good presentation of sushi rolls although a bit pricey. $66/3 people.
(4)Hayley M.
How did I possibly miss Osaka? I've lived right by for over a year and a half and didn't know of its existence until restaurant week! I am so glad I found it. Came for restaurant week, and the menu was divided into four options for everything. Two were hibachi, two were sushi. The boy and I decided to split the sushi options. Here is what we ordered: Appetizers: Tuna Dumpling - King crab, avocado wrapped in thin sliced tuna. Garlic White Tuna - Hot pepper white tuna with crispy garlic and spicy yuzu sauce. Entrees: Special Roll Set - Tomo Roll and Hot Lover Roll Sushi and Sashimi Set - Chef choice 6 pcs sushi, 10 pcs sashimi and one foxy lady roll. Desserts: Chocolate Marquise - Chocolate genoise-chocolate ganache and a velvety chocolate mousse and dusted with gold dust. Turtle Cheesecake - Classic fudge filled cheesecake with caramel and pecans The tuna dumpling was amazing. It was out of this world! It blew the white tuna away. The entrees were both fabulous, not only in freshness and taste, but also in appearance. The display of my sashimi was gorgeous, and I happened to notice that other tables had equally pretty but totally different displays. It was (almost) too much food. Just piece after piece of wonderful raw fish. My sashimi had red snapper, white tuna, salmon, maguro, and some other things. The one thing that left a (not literal) bad taste in my mouth was that they brought the check with dessert. Obviously we focused on enjoying our cheesecake and chocolate marquise so we didn't even look at it until we were finished. However, they came back TWICE to ask if the check was "all set," while we were eating! Otherwise, it was a perfect experience.
(4)Samuel S.
We didn't try the hibachi, and instead went for a grilless table. The service was pretty good, but the food overall was quite bland and uninspired. The fish didn't taste fresh (granted it was Christmas Eve), and the dishes that didn't feature raw fish were marred by an overabundance of sauce. The food presentation impressed me at first, but in the end seemed crass, and like the taste of the food, without subtlety. A generous three stars. Might go again in a pinch, but definitely not at the top of the list.
(3)lizzie b.
Not bad for a hibachi place. A little crazy, though. We felt like we were on spring break! The chef was raunchy - with his Jersey Shore references et al. "Sakeeee, sakeeee" he shouted as he squirted sake out of a ketchup bottle down the throats of our dinner patrons as they signaled to him to please stop. Uncomfortable. He started throwing zucchini pieces at our faces to catch them in our mouths - gross. The worst moment was when he threw an egg down the waiting bosom of a girl at our table. Was this hibachi gone wild? Overall, in traditional hibachi restaurant style, they rushed us out after the check. When asked how to say "bye" in Japanese by one of our drunk table guests, the chef says "I'm not japanese." Haha - no illusions there. The food was better than Bisuteki across town. The fried rice didn't have many vegetables. It wasn't bad, just wasn't quite my style!
(3)Brett W.
Made a reservation through OpenTable for 8:30pm. Got to the place at 815pm and there was a huge line waiting in the door to get to the host. Asked people if they made reservations through Open Table as well, and they did. The couple in front of me said they had been waiting about 15 minutes before I arrived. Needless to say, this place will not honor reservations in any capacity. I might only come back during mid-week if it looks empty.
(1)Allison L.
The fish was fresh and the sushi combos are pricey but worth it. The service leaves a lot to be desired. I was there at 7pm on a Friday night and we were rushed through our meal. Also I asked for spicy mayo when I ordered and about 3 times afterwards before it was brought to the table.
(3)Lauren E.
We went here in a Saturday night after I had received a gift certificate. We sat at the hibachi table, but nothing too memorable unless you go with a large group of people. The food was good. I might give this place another chance.
(3)Mikayla F.
I love hibachi and have been to many different Japanese steak houses but this place was the best. Our chef was very entertaining and loved putting on a show. My only criticism was that most hibachi places I have been to are a bit less expensive and this place you're paying more and not getting soup with your meal. Overall though, I loved it and will definitely go back again!
(5)Sam A.
We had a reservation for 8:30. It's now 9:30 and we're still waiting to be seated. We've been told we might be seated at 10:00. What's the point of making reservation if they can't honor it. We checked on open table and they showed tables open. It would be hard to recommend this place.
(1)Alex C.
Based on the 4 stars it gets on Yelp, I decided to take my wife here to give it a try. However, after the dining experience here, I really DO NOT understand how can such terrible restaurant gets 4 start rating. 1. Rude: The chef has no respect to the customers. Perhaps it entertains certain customers, but I believe a truly educated and well mannered person won't appreciate the conducts the chef has in a up-scale setting restaurant. What do I really mean? The chef were playing throw and catch by shoot the food to some of the customers. However, some customers, including myself, do not wish to be played like that. I literally told the chef not to throw me the food, but he shoot it to me anyway and landed in my eyes. Yes, in my eyes. Another note is that, the way the chef serve the food. I guess he was trying to demonstrate how quick he is with his tools, so he literally buried my wife's fork and knife with the fried rice. It was just simply rude. I have been to various type of Japanese restaurnat: uper scale, budget type, buffet, traditional... etc. I have never ever encountered such rude chef. 2. Food: Its hibachi is just simply terrible. Eeverything tasted like soy source. We paid $60 something for the 2 people supreme combo which has lobster, steak, scallop, and chicken... yet everything tasted like soy source chicken. It was just a big waste of the good ingrediants. In short, they don't know how to cook. Oh, BTW, its sushi is just equally bad. Base on these 2 points above.... it is enough for me to rate it 1 star and never go back again.
(1)Isabella C.
Love this place! It's the only Hibachi place in Boston and is amazing! The service is good. It's a bit pricey (~$25-$30pp) but its pretty average for hibachi and is totally worth it. Food is great!! I tried the scallops once an didn't think they were worth getting again. But I love the filet mignon, chicken and shrimps. Gyozo appetizers are also delicious.
(5)Jamie H.
we went to osaka for restaurant week. everything was very good, and the portions were generous. i started with the garlic white tuna, which ended up being my favorite appetizer. it was seared well, spicy, and topped with tobiko. the money bags (crab rangoon) and rock shrimp were both light, crispy, and great starters as well. my fiance ordered the tuna dumpling, which was a little odd, but kind of good: it was a tuna "pouch" filled with avocado and crab - it may have benefited from a crispy texture to offset the mushiness. my entree was the chilean sea bass, which was absolutely delicious. each bite flaked perfectly, and the skin was crispy and flavorful. we also had the hibachi plate, which was huge! it was stocked with scallop, shrimp, lobster, filet, and grilled vegetables, and the rice was great too. my friend also ordered the sushi, which was very good. osaka is a great spot for a group. the hibachi tables are always fun, and the other options were excellent too. looking forward to going again!
(4)J. L.
I went to OSAKA for the first time last night and it was fabulous! Fantastic menu, great for kids, and a lot of fun! We went for hibachi. It was a Wednesday night and pretty busy! I can only imagine what the place looks like on the weekends. I would asume you need a reservation to get in at a reasonable time. The hibachi menu here is great. It's $21 (give or take) per person. This includes a house salad, rice, veggies, whatever you choose for your main meal (I chose shrimp...yum!), and of course the fun experience of them cooking all your food in front of you! This is definitely my new favorite hibachi place! And I love the location...right in Coolidge Corner!
(4)K K.
Tough to review this place. We had reservations at 7:30 PM and when we arrived the line was out of the door full of people with "reservations." By 8:00 PM they hadn't seated the 6:15 reservation crowd. After waiting for almost an hour we left and won't be coming back. Poor customer service! I can't say anything about the food because we never actually got to eat!
(1)Kristen D.
A solid 3.5. Went for the 1st time back in February and enjoyed it, so went back this past weekend, it was my bf's birthday and he wanted hibachi. The restaurant is very nice inside and pretty spacious. I got chicken and he got the filet. Hibachi dinners come with a small house salad w their delicious ginger dressing, fried rice and hibachi veggies. I love the "yummy yummy" sauce (mayo based deliciousness). BF enjoyed the filet, said it was tender and cooked well. My chicken was very good too, especially dipped in some yummy yummy sauce. The fried rice was OK, I think it could have been cooked a little bit longer. I told the hibachi chef that I did NOT like sake, but he proceeded to squirt it in my mouth anyway. wasn't happy about that, the taste of sake makes me want to puke. He did not put on a very good "show," probably because it was earlier and we were the only 2 at the table. We witnessed other tables getting a much more lively show. II had a lychee martini which was very good, crisp and sweet. I also had the mai tai, which was 1 of the best I've ever had, it wasn't overly sweet ,as most are. The cocktails were $9. We lucked out and got street parking, but it's a short walk from the T and I believe they also offer valet after 9. Overall, we went back and will probably go back again because it is the only hibachi restaurant in Boston.
(3)Mary Ann L.
Great food.....great service....great evening......great price....great value......
(5)J G.
Nice variety of rolls including unique and standard. The atmosphere was quite and comfortable. The prices were pretty standard and service was good. I ate here twice on a business trip which is unusual and about as high a complement I can give.
(4)Molly K.
I should preface this by saying I'm a pretty darn easy going customer. Almost all grievances can be mended by putting something yummy in front of my face. But my experience at Osaka was just too negative to go un-written-about. My boyfriend and I were hoping to try out the new pizza place down the street on a Sunday evening (about 7pm). But since it just opened in the past couple of weeks, the waits are still long. We decided to go a couple doors down to Osaka. We sat on the sushi side (the restaurant is split - hibachi on the left, regular tables on the right) and chose 5 rolls - spicy tuna, spicy salmon, green river, kamikaze, and flying fish row. The wait for our food was longer than usual. As all but the flying fish row arrived, the waiter said it was a "busy night". The sushi side was only about half full, if that. I can't imagine the wait on a Friday or Saturday night. We had finished the first four rolls and were waiting for quite some time before one of the waiters finally realized we were still waiting on the roe. More time passed. And then some more. Another waiter checked on us. No roe. We did finally receive our itty bitty fish eggs. Aside from the waiting, there were some other downsides. The sushi was nothing special. They weren't made all that well - they seemed loose and kind of mushy with uneven ingredients (way too much avocado, etc). And then there was the screaming. I get that hibachi is a fun time. Who doesn't love watching someone older than 3 throw food around? But sitting on the sushi side unable to hear anything but the patrons and chefs from the other side shouting and screaming is akin to chaperoning a chuck-e-cheese birthday party. There isn't enough sake in the world.
(2)Marisol V.
it was the bomb..pricey but the bomb
(5)Alison N.
overall great restaurant. chefs are entertaining and food is delightful!
(5)Tracy T.
This place is best suited for groups of friends getting sloshed on sake and scrumptious fried rice. I came here with a group for a birthday and it was full of hijinks including each getting our own embarrassing nicknames, lots of yelling and bantering, our waiter hitting on my boyfriend repeatedly and getting sake squirted into your mouth with a condiment bottle. If that didn't make me feel like a farm animal, I don't know what will! Everything was timed perfectly, the food came out amazing and so delicious. I would totally go back just for the sake experience. On my own. On a Tuesday. Morning.
(4)Matt C.
Hibachi is by its nature a fun and social experience and OSAKA does a great job fulfilling that objective. Went with a group of 8 on a Saturday night and the service was top notch. Between the free squirts of sake and the knife show on display everyone had a great time. The food is a little pricy, but the entertainment is worth the extra $$$.
(4)Moe B.
This is the sister restaurant of my FAVORITE sushi restaurant. I recently moved out to the Boston area from Western Mass (Springfield area) where the other location is. My boyfriend heard good things about this place so we went, seeing as sushi is my favorite food. I thought it funny that this place had the same name as my favorite restaurant back home, but didn't really think twice about it. Even when I recognized the manager, it didn't really register with me. Then I saw the other location on the menu. Rather funny! In any case, this location holds the exact same quality and tastiness as the Osaka back home. We had quite a few rolls and some toro. It was all amazing and delicious. Just like in the other location, the service was prompt, polite, friendly, and wonderful. I'm very excited to have my favorite restaurant so close by!
(5)Kelsey F.
After hearing that Osaka had just opened I decded to check it out and stay local for my birthday. There were about 10 of us so had a whole hibachi grill to ourselves. The restaurant is really nice with a clean, modern, and intimate feel. We all started with drinks - which are definitely not cheap but worth it. I tried the lychee martini - it was so delicious that I may just come back for this! The wait staff was a bit slow getting us our drinks but I guess there were 10 of us! All of the food was really good. Most of us got the beef and chicken hibachi dinners. The chef was okay...he did some tricks but I saw others being alot more interactive. I think I had higher expectations but I would definitley give it another shot....maybe with a smaller group!
(3)Natalie K.
We went there for a hibachi dinner. The show is entertaining, the food is too salty because of soy sauce on everything. The specialty rolls are awesome though. We got the toma roll, which was so fresh and delicious that there is no need to dunk it in soy and wasabi. We also ordered a straight up martini, the waitress asked me to write it down on her pad cause she didn't know what that means.
(2)Natalia T.
I was really surprised to see so many negative reviews about this place! We went there on a Wednesday night at around 6pm. We got a table right away. All the wait staff was super nice. We had a groupon from Guilt City for $65 dinner. We had: Tuna dumplings - VERY good, fresh tuna and avocado, it was our favorite. Sex on a beach roll - it was good, interesting .. definitely haven't tried anything like this before. Foxy lady - delicious roll! Lamb chops - yummy, fresh and very well done. We enjoyed our dinner, and service. Originally we wanted to try hibachi, but given all the negative reviews about it, not sure anymore ;(( there's a nice "clubby" room downstairs, I bet this place is hopping on the weekends!
(5)Megan B.
I went here last Saturday with a big group for 2 friends birthdays and was not that impressed. We had a great time, but it had nothing to do with the entertainment from our chef. I've been to hibachi grills before and had an amazing time with strangers sitting at my table, so the fact that our Chef was not very entertaining even with a big group was disappointing. Food was delicious, but a bit over priced. If there were more hibachi restaurants in Boston, I probably wouldn't come back.
(3)Jessica S.
Went here last night for a friend's birthday with a total of 9 people in our group. Great meal! I got the vegetable Hibachi dinner but sampled some salmon and chicken hibachi as well. The only thing I would ask to change is clarifying that ordering the "vegetable hibachi" just means receiving more vegetables than those who order chicken, salmon, steak, etc. I assumed I would be receiving different veggies in addition to the ones that came with the meal. Great restaurant for a birthday celebration! Top things about Osaka: #1. Fried rice: When ordering a Hibachi dinner, fried rice is included and cooked right in front of the group. So delicious! #2. Hibachi salmon dinner: cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing! #3. Waiters/Chefs/Staff: Very friendly, willing to accommodate, and great at interacting with guests!
(4)Justin P.
Osaka fills a niche by straddling the line between expensive and reasonable that few restaurants manage in Coolidge Corner. For a group over 4, the Hibachi Grill is an absolute must. You can go with fewer but each grill seats 8-9 people so you could be paired with strangers. When the sake shooters start flowing...you may want to know who you are sitting with. For about 22.95 a person, the entrees are plentiful and include friend rice (made on the grill while you watch) and vegetables. The chefs all have huge personalities and are a mixture of nearly every stereotype you can imagine. Its more endearing than offensive as they get everyone at the table laughing. I'd recommend making a reservation solely because I cannot imagine not having one for a group that large. My group of 9 waiting nearly 40minutes WITH a reservation on a Saturday night and the man running the front of the house seemed confused and overwhelmed. I hate to admit it was worth the wait but it was. Bring your patience.
(4)Carrie P.
I decided to branch out from Genki Ya and try another sushi place in Coolidge Corner. While looking, my roommate and I stumbled into this place. What I enjoyed the most about this place was the departure from the normal sushi options. My roommate and I split 3 rolls, and it was a little much for the two of us, as they gave us complimentary miso soup right after we ordered. The food came out very promptly considering it was 6pm on a Thursday. The service was good, nothing to complain about, and the price was incredibly reasonable. I would come here again for the variety, but nothing else blew me away. A solid and average meal.
(3)Ricky R.
OSAKA in Brookline has bomb ass sushi. I'm a sushi snob and eat it at least once a week. The atmosphere is great as well. Parking is a bitch and the rolls are about 12-15 bucks... Got 6 rolls and 3 drinks with my lady and spent $125.. I'd def come back here for sushi. Don't listen to anyone saying this place sucks. They suck and don't know sushi...
(4)Brynne L.
Osaka's food is excellent! It's a manageable portion with a wide selection from which to choose. The hibachi is SO MUCH FUN especially with a large group. The chefs have eclectic personalities and our entire table was roaring with laughter about two minutes into the meal. Excellent experience once we had been seated!!!!!!! If this review was based solely on food, it would have 5 stars. It loses two stars for me because it is so horribly run and managed, it becomes nearly not worth it. Our party of 9 (yes, large, but Hibachi caters to and attracts big groups) waited 45 minutes and we HAD A RESERVATION. Our reservation was for 7:30 and we weren't even seated until 8:15. The man who appeared to be running the front desk and reservations and arrivals could not have been more clueless and incompetent in dealing with his overwhelming crowd. There were about 3 other parties of 8+ people crammed in the entry way asking why they weren't seated when they had reservations for nearly 30 minutes ago. It was literally a disaster and I was shoved into a plant while the crowd continued to grow and servers attempted to get by. Osaka MUST rework how they approach their management and reservations. They clearly overbooked their hibachi but having seemingly no limit to the number of reservations available. Dear Manager, reservations are to reserve tables, not simply there for the heck of it. It's not to put your name in when you arrive, as we so experienced. Overall, three stars. The food makes it worth it but your patience will be tested. Best of luck.
(3)Zak B.
This is probably my most frequented restaurant. I would say I average going there about 3 or 4 times a month. The sushi is amazing. I could eat it every day. The atmosphere is nice and I like to go downstairs and eat at the bar occasionally. I have never tried the hibachi, live chef thing. That's not my style.
(5)Alyssa F.
This place is delicious!! Their hibachi filet and scallops are out of this world, as are the fried rice, salad, scorpion bowls, and everything else. The chefs are so much fun. Their karaoke bar downstairs could use a bit more selection, but the chocolate martini is absolutely incredible. Definitely a fun night out!
(5)Sarah L.
Hands down the best teppanyaki/hibanchi what ever you want to call it I've been to. Had spicy tuna maki to start- have had better but still wasn't bad. Our dinners were great. I had perfectly cooked scallops and I get cranky when they're not. The sake bit was fun, and I was happy to partake in catching zucchini in my mouth. It was just plain ole fun and a great meal. We went in on a Friday night around 6:30 or so and were seated immediately. Really, give it a shot.
(5)Megan N.
The only good thig here was the hibachi. Te fried ice was good but the sushi was very very bad. Do not order the sushi. I got the tuna on the taco and it was very gross fish that was not fresh and stringy.
(3)Mabel L.
Went with a friend on New Year's. I've had teppanyaki before (Hibachi here is NOT really hibachi. Wiki it up!) in other places, but at this time of writing, no other places close to Boston have this. So when I saw this, I really had to give this a try. While waiting for the hibachi chef to arrive, we had sushi and sake. The sushi that was served was fresh and firm, and I find sushi of this quality rare in Boston, or at least in places where you'd pay an arm and a leg for them. That would have given this place a 5-star rating from me. The mood-killer for me was the hibachi/teppanyaki. The food was very salty, and I think it was because the chef laid on the soy sauce with wild abandon. Many glasses of water are necessary, if you want to pursue this meal. The meats came out well. Juicy chicken breast is not easy to achieve and he did a great job with my salmon. The vegetables were okay, the fried rice was very wet, salty and disappointing. The chef was, as hibachi chefs should be, very entertaining and had crowd tricks to show off. I wasn't entirely amused, as I found him a little pushy with tricks that involved us. Catching cucumbers with your mouth is normal. Squirting sake into an open mouth till you choke is something else. I'm sure that this will be a hit with college students though.
(3)Jennifer T.
Came here on a weeknight, so plenty of seating. You get a choice of either sitting on the hibachi side if you want the chef to cook in front of you, or the right side for regular dining. The place has a nice atmosphere, seems like a place to go on a date. The sushi was expensive, but they definitely didnt skimp on the meat, and the presentation was nice. After giving us our food, the waitstaff never came to check up on us. I waiver between giving this a 3 or 4 stars...food was good, but pricey, nice atmosphere, but for how quiet it was, you'd think there'd be better service.
(3)Jill G.
Love this place for good Japanese food around Boston- really good service. The food is moderately priced and the huge portions are great. Cool atmosphere. The shrimps and scallops are huge and fresh!
(4)Stephanie T.
After my travels to New York and Chicago, I am back in Brookline and Osaka was the first place I came to. I have been wanting to come by for the longest time and surprise! Gilt City were selling vouchers to this very place! SUCCESS!!! I made my reservation and came in for a hibachi dinner. I have never done hibachi before so I have nothing to compare to, but for my first experience, I had a great time. Even though it wasn't that crowded they knew how to put on a show. They threw broccoli at me and I caught it with my mouth...they definitely aim though because I know I wouldn't have been able to do that on any random night. Regardless, I appreciated the ego boost! The food was delicious! I ended up taking some home because there was a lot. the lobster was great, the steak was great, it was all great. Definitely coming back to try the sushi, this time in the dining room.
(4)Z Y.
This place makes me so happy! I went to college in Western Mass and after that I moved back to the Boston area. One of the things I really missed was getting a delicious sushi dinner there in NoHo with friends during the weekends, or going there for hibachi sake debauchery with a huge group for birthdays (my friends still remember the chef exclaiming "MORE SAKE MORE HAPPY"). It was definitely my favorite restaurant in that small eccentric town. I eat a LOT of sushi, so when I first discovered it, I was ecstatic. Fresh artfully made sushi in Western Mass? Sweet. Their decor in Northampton reminded me a little of Fugakyu. Really pretty. Then, as if my wishes were answered, I found out that there was an Osaka that had just opened in Brookline. Yes!!!!!! I went there for lunch and it tasted just as good as I remembered it to be. Delicious, creative combinations of sushi with a beautiful presentation. The only thing that was way different was their decor. They went with a sleek modern design with this place, and there's a completely different color scheme. I was a bit surprised to see the negative reviews. I guess this place has a different audience in Boston/Brookline. I'd say that it's definitely a great place for large groups or parties, and if you're feeling like having unique, pleasantly surprising, fusion combinations of sushi. I really like the ocean mix and tuna tartars, hot lover roll, and samurai roll. Since I haven't been as much to this new location, I'll update again the next time I visit.
(5)Alex J.
Just mediocre. Leave this one alone.
(1)Ling C.
I absolutely loved this place. Their sushi is the best. You can always find the freshest ingrediants in osaka. Tomo, hidden dragon and foxy lady are tasted amazing. They always can suprised you with their special rolls. The price is worse for the food that you get. I will definity recommend this place.
(5)Reza H.
The steak was pretty amazing, the meat just melts in your mouth. Would recommend sitting on the stake house side to get the full experience.
(3)Helmut S.
I have been to this place once for dinner and twice for lunch. The experience was good, but not great. The most memorable observation is from the dinner experience. I was having excellent sushi with my daughters, while people were still lining up for the tepanyaki tables. We listened to a conversation in the line: somebody observed that the place was actually run by Chinese, not Japanese. One girl then commented: well, Japan is just like a part of China, an outlying island. Japan and China are like Sicily and Italy. Same people. Nearly same language. Brilliant insight.
(4)Kaitlin D.
Sooooo good! And so fresh! The bento boxes are huge and made fresh to order. Would've liked more eel in the lunch bento box, but what can you do.
(4)Theodore Y.
The coworkers and I came here on a Wednesday Night for some sake bombing and some fun. Lee was our Hibachi grill master and he was the man. Ooh-ed and aah-ed our table with his comedic antics while cooking our food. He squeezed sake down my "big boobied" coworkers shirt and he conned the nick name "sake boy" for me because I managed a 26 second sake count (they squirt sake into your mouth via ketchup bottles). The experience was an overall hit. Service was attentive but it often took what seemed like 5 minutes to come back with our ordered beer. All 9 of us got the Hibachi food items which tasted amazing, but what doesn't when lathered and cooked in butter, and generous amounts of oil and soy sauce.
(4)Ashley L.
Went here on a Saturday night for hibachi. I had more fun watching the other tables as our chef wasn't into it as much as the others, but it was still a fun experience. The food was not that great, but the drinks were strong and delicious. If you're looking for a different dinner experience, definitely make reservations. I will be going back to try the full restaurant side as some of the sushi and appetizers going to other people at our table looked great.
(3)Libby L.
This is our 2nd time here for a birthday dinner on New Year's Day - came back exactly 1-year ago. The host was very friendly and seated us quickly however we had to wait at least 20-30 mins for the waitress/ chef even though we had the entire table. The waitress did not fluently speak english and kept making mistakes w/ our order. Osaka Supreme for 2 (includes all the meats & seafood) - very flavorful and cooked to our liking except for the filet. We asked for rare - he cooked it medium but it was tender enough that we didn't mind. Kobe Beef - too much sauce - the beef was soaked in it so it didn't have much flavor. Eel Sashimi - was a bit on the bitter side. Gyoza - very good. ** Probably will not be coming back next year. Food was good but not great. But depends as the sushi pics looked good.
(3)Ruchi B.
Great food, ambience & awesome hibachi cooking! They drizzle saki right into your mouths!!:) cool experience!! Good for vegetarians too. Parking is a bit hard to find but do make reservations on weekends!
(4)Marie-frances R.
My boyfriend and I went last night for a nice new years eve dinner and we weren't disappointed, the five rolls we got we're all so gorgeous looking. My favorite was Lover's roll - I've never had anything like this! It was wrapped with a pink soybean wrapper and filled with avocado and spicy tuna, it was slightly sweet and super yummy. All the rolls we had were fresh and i you are a carpaccio fan, my boyfriend got a couple of wagyu beef rolls which he enjoyed. The restaurant has been open for only a couple of months at this point, so everything is super clean and the decor is fresh. I almost gave Osaka a four, but really when you add up the tasty food, speedy and pleasant service and the decor - its definitely a five!
(5)Dave F.
Through some brilliant hibachi cooking of extremely fresh food, our chef pulled off a comeback we did not think was possible after eating our salad course. If you're patient enough to get through front-of-house chaos, mixed-up service, and boring salad, you won't be disappointed by the fresh flavor and fun that awaits once your chef takes over. Our night at Osaka did not start off well. We weren't seated until thirty minutes after our reservation time. The scene in front was absolute chaos. When we were finally seated at a hibachi table, one of our fellow diners was in a fighting mood, yelling at my fiancee to scoot down using words I can't repeat here, despite there being no room to do so. After this near brawl and a lackluster salad, our spirits were not high, and our patience was wearing thin. We were thinking of going someplace else. Thank God we didn't. Things started turning around after I started drinking some delicious cold sake. Our hot-headed friend cooled off and kept quiet. Then the chef arrived. The food was outstanding. Scallops, shrimp, chicken, beef -- all noticeably fresh, perfectly seasoned, and entertainingly prepared. I've eaten at hibachi restaurants before, but I've never had it cooked so perfectly. My fiancee had never had scallops before. This meal turned her into a believer. In between preparing dishes, our chef spiced things up and squirted sake into everyone's mouth. Normally, I'd write this off as a cheap stunt, but it was fun, it lightened the mood at the table, and tasted really good. Hopefully, once Osaka gets more settled in, its front-of-house staff can keep things running smoothly. Maybe Osaka will even make its salad a little more interesting. But even if they don't, we'll definitely be back -- a little nonsense at the beginning is a small price to pay for such a delicious meal.
(4)Craig M.
The Wife and I went here for our last real night out as a single couple (before the birth of our son). Yelp helped us select this gem and we were so appreciative of it! The location was just off the main "drag" in Brookline. We snagged a parking spot just across the street from the restaurant (otherwise it would have been a pain. We arrived around 6pm and what looked to be just before the main push for dinner on a Wednesday night. We elected to do Hibachi over the standard dinner option. The Hibachi chef was very exuberant and lively - almost to his detriment. (Would have been good for a crowd of 8-10 but it was early and just us at the grill/table so he probably could have toned it down just a bit.) The food was cooked well but lacked the seasoning we had previously seen and been used to at a Hibachi steak place. He used no butter and we saw no salt/pepper added to the food - just alot of rice vinegar. The meat and vegetables were cooked wonderfully though, so that sort of helped make up the seasoning. (the only reason I didn't give a 5 star though) One thing that did irritate my wife was the chef giving a portion of her steak and shrimp entree to me (and not giving her any of my chicken). I understood her position, but hey - I benefited so I can't really be upset. I will say - the sushi I had for an appetizer was FANTASTIC! I tried a Japanese Fusion roll called the American Tango - Hot pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese, tempura shitake mushroom with strawberry and balsamic vinegar sauce. Like Heaven in my mouth!! You will enjoy the food and the experience if you give this place a try - we will be going back!
(4)Emily W.
The first time I went to Osaka, I was with a group of 5 people. We made reservations, used the valet parking, and were seated on time at a hibachi table upstairs. It was a lot of fun and the food was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon, which comes with vegetable fried rice and three shrimp...and don't forget all the sake that your chef gives you/shoots all over your shirt. The second time I went to Osaka, I booked a surprise party for my boyfriend for 15 people initially. I ended up calling back about three times to add more and more people, and the staff was accommodating every time. We had a very close call- the guests who were seated at our reserved table stayed almost 45 minutes longer than anticipated. Yikes! I understand that's not the restaurant's fault, though. The staff helped keep the surprise through that and made sure my boyfriend didn't know that it wasn't just a party of 2, but a party of 20. I'm not sure why there was no valet- I didn't understand if it was just that night or if the restaurant got rid of the service entirely. I wish they had it that night for sure. We were all seated at one large hibachi table (2 chef stations) downstairs in a private room and it was great! I ordered the chicken and filet mignon again, as did my boyfriend, and they gave us our entrees and a birthday dessert free of charge. The food was very tasty yet again. Considering how...excited...our friends can get, Osaka did an excellent job serving, cooking, and entertaining us, as well as helping me out with the surprise and reservations! I'll be back!
(4)Angel M.
Kind of glamorous for green street. Open for about a week. Creepy downstairs dungeon bar where you are not allowed to sit AT the bar, only close to it, apparently they are working on licencsure. Cool wood panelling. Friendly staff. Giganto menu. All the above was written on my phone whilst waiting for my friend. Okay, so, we ordered from the hibachi menu, though I dont know what makes a hibachi place a hibachi place technically. I think that was my first time at the hibachi table. Our chef Eddie was very funny and very personable, though, I feel like half of the tricks involved slamming the spatula down really fast. That was kind of annoying. He did the usual fare, balancing raw eggs, throwing food in your mouth (wasnt very good at it, but I was), volcano fire using an onion, ermmm....the rice was good, the vegetables were actually cut awkwardly so some were cooked more than others, and my squid was squiditch like. I would say it wasnt too expensive. I just stumbled upon it, literally, I was walking in the rain with Gene Kelley and I almost ran into a guy holding a sign for the brand new Osaka, so then I felt all awkward and he all pointed at it and whateva, I started with a BBC beer. I do have to say though, the decor was pretty awesome.
(3)Dani S.
Overall pretty good. It's a pretty big menu, which can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending how patient and how decisive you are. The atmosphere is ok, it's clean, which is always a plus, and the waitstaff are fairly attentive. Some of the dishes are a little small for the amount they charge you in my opinion, but otherwise worth a try.
(4)David P.
Above average sushi in a nice, modern looking restaurant. Rolls were not rolled well and fell apart fairly easily. They tasted pretty good. Sashimi was good.
(3)Sarah A.
I'm not going to lie, when this place first opened I was a little skeptical. Keep in mind this place is not "authentic" by any means! It is owned and run by people who are not Japanese which I'm pretty sure is typical for "Hibachi" restaurants. A little trivia for those that love hibachi, the grill that they cook your food on is actually called a "Teppanyaki". Hibachi is a charcoal grill but I think they gave Teppanyaki that name because it's easier to pronounce. AAAANYWAY. I went in for dinner with a few of my friends and it was suuuper loud like all the other reviews have said. However, their sushi is really yummy and their food is great! I don't plan on going there for dinner anymore ever since discovering their AWESOME lunch menu (and they deliver woohooooo!) you can get a Filet Mignon hibachi lunch (comes with the vegetables and delicious fried rice and their *special sauce) for only $12.95! It is soooooo good. You can also get sushi lunch specials where you can choose 2 of their fancy rolls (most places that do sushi lunch specials you can only choose from the basic roll menu) and I think that's also like 12.95? Anyway, very awesome lunch deals and really great food. If they can improve their "hibachi performance" I'd give them a 5!
(4)Janie S.
I love this place. I do. My friends know I have a thing for sushi. We are kind of an "item", but I'm very hard on my sushi squeezes. OSAKA is good, very good. Its not my true love but its convenient to me and makes for an ideal quickie during the week.
(4)Ashleigh P.
People that have given Osaka bad reviews are crazy. I'll be the first to admit that I looked at the menu online and saw that the prices were a little high, but after dining here on Saturday night, I more than got what I paid for. First of all, the portions are huge. I split a sushi roll and a vegetable hibachi with my friend, and he can eat A LOT. Another friend took half of her filet hibachi home. The other girl gave one of her two salmon fillets to her boyfriend...and he already had two chicken breasts. So far, you can read into this: huge portions. Next, the food was delicious. I mean, really, really good. The presentations were also very nice. Finally, our hibachi chef, Peter, was hilarious. He did many more tricks than we expected. That was great, but he also had a fantastic personality. Some hibachi chefs are like robots, but none of the people we saw here were like that. Our dinner had us roaring with laughter, the food was good, and I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back. We split it 5 ways, $32 per person, including tax and tip. We had 4 hibachi dishes, a sushi roll, 3 orders of soup, a salad to go, and 2 desserts. That's not bad, if you ask me.
(4)Becca M.
I am a Tuna Lover!!!!! Perfect! :)
(4)Bill R.
Food: Best tasting sushi period. I cannot stress enough at how good the sushi is here; I wish i could give it more stars. I got the sushi deluxe plate with a Rainbow roll and both were exquisite. Usually when I get a sushi dinner elsewhere, there's always 1 or 2 pieces that I don't really like because of their 'fishy' taste but that was not the case with Osaka; I thoroughly enjoyed every piece of sushi on the plate. Price: I've had comparable sushi in the past but it was twice as expensive. Osaka is on the pricey'ish side but you definitely get the best bang for your buck here. Atmosphere: As far as the atmosphere goes, it's nice but has it's short comings. It almost seems a bit too nice given the surrounding area. They have a strange area in the basement with bar that just seems out of place. Their location in North Hampton, MA has a more homey feel which I preferred to the more trendy feel of the Brookline location. If I were to recommend a sushi restaurant to a friend, Osaka would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.
(5)Qing C.
I have to say I am a very picky customer but I really enjoyed my dining experience at Osaka. I heard of this sushi place from my friend and I decided to go with my family. we sat at the sushi side not the Hibachi side. I love sushi a lot and i tried many Japanese restaurants, Osaka has the best sushi i ever had.I have tried the Tomo Roll which a lot of people recommended and I definitely have to recommend it again. We ordered few other rolls(Nobu, Hidden Drogen, Foxy Lady and Godzila) and we all love it. The environment is great with the soft music and lights. The place is clean and the service is excellent. The food coming up very fast, we didnt have to wait for long. The waitress who served us is very nice and attentive. Everthing I experienced in Osaka is outstanding, I had a great time and I will be back and try Hibachi next time. Osaka definitely worse 5 stars.
(5)Angela L.
I really wanted to like this place, and so gave it a second try after the first horrible experience a few months ago. This time was no different. 1. The waitress did not know the menu. I wanted the donburi that is listed on their online menu, but didn't see it on the in-restaurant menu. I asked the waitress if they have donburi- she gave me a blank stare and said she doesn't think they have it. Either you know your menu or you do not. 2. Order of edamame came to our table by mistake. 3. My friend and I split the check, but her credit card got charged twice, while mine did not get charged at all. They have overall way too much staff milling around the front reception area. Nobody seems to know what they are doing and running into each other. No thanks. Never again. Hope you got my message with the awful tip we left you.
(1)Tiffany T.
I brought my friend here for her birthday and we were so pleased! First off, every employee recognized her birthday,offered sake shots, etc. Our hibachi chef was very fun and kept us so involved in the whole process. The food was fresh and tasty. When the bill came they had comped her dinner for her birthday, Would definitely return!
(5)Lisa C.
Osaka will impress you. Tonight's their grand opening, so my husband and I anticipated glitches that are inherent with opening day. We met the owners, Mark and Paul, right away since they were smack dab at the front door. Really nice guys who definitely have their acts together. We had a seat at a table instead of at the hibachi, and you're immediately struck by the cool, contemporary and beautiful restaurant design. No loud music, so you can hear your own conversations, is a big plus. Waitstaff was plentiful and attentive, and menus and drinks came quickly. We ordered shrimp/veggie tempura and seaweed salad as appetizers. Tempura arrived HOT and crisp, and batter was different from others I've tried - very, very light and super fresh. They also had different veggie types in the tempura that I haven't seen in anywhere else - eggplant and taro root are two of them to definitely try! Seaweed salad was crisp and clean, with great flavor infused with sesame oil - one of my faves! My husband raves about their Bento Box #1. What? They have Bento boxes for dinner?!? Damn right, they do, and it's quite a deliciously substantial meal. Box #1 has ALL of hubby's favorites that he would have had to order separately anywhere else - chicken teriyaki, more shrimp/veggie tempura, California maki. I had the Sushi Special and the fish was super, super fresh and very ample portions. Presentation of the dishes was really beautiful, too, but more delicious. There were six sushi chefs, and their sushi bar provided a dividing wall that separated the teppanyaki (yup, that's the correct term for hibachi dining) seating from the rest of the dining tables. The hibachi side was PACKED with diners who were definitely yukking it up, probably over their dinner preps. I'll definitely be back to try it. Hubby's a Mr. Sushi fan, and I'm a Genki-Ya fan. Osaka, you seriously beat both, and where else can you get teppanyaki in Brookline?!?! The Brookline location's menu is different from their Northampton restaurant, so I'm looking forward to osakabrookline.com to be up and running so I can decide in advance what I want. I would definitely return, my hubby's got a new favorite Coolidge Corner restaurant, and you should check it out too.
(5)Brian P.
definitely has an 'osaka' vibe to it in terms of decor/ambiance. good job. it's like i got sent back to the edo period.. Went for Lunch special. got beef teriyaki lunch box, friend got salmon teriyaki. server didn't know what donburi is. what? maybe that's why ethnic restaurants should hire people that know the language.. or even foods now i recommend the teriyaki if you like to NOT get a savory teriyaki taste with it. my beef teriyaki SAUCE was reminescent of store bought (kikkoman) teriyaki sauce.. but diluted.. and a hint of blood. maybe the blood was from the beef? it was steak-y .. and medium to well-done. miso soup is good. the salad was ok. i like the dressing more robust, but it was not. water is delicious. the sushi rolls were good. wasabi and soysauce = good. shumai was ok. kind of sweet. a good helping of cooked onions with the beef. this place is MEH to A-OK. for lunch box. can't speak for anything else on the menu!
(3)Leigh L.
AMAZING!! My boyfriend and I went on a Wednesday night. Not many people there and we got there at 7. We ordered the Lotus Bowl (like a scorpion bowl but better!) and chicken tempura. The tempura and drink came fast and they were delicious! We had Eddy and he was the funniest, loudest, most interesting guy I've ever had at a hibachi grill! So interactive and you could tell he loved his job! Loved the "free" sake being poured into your mouth (have to experience to understand). Had the steak and scallops and they were beyond delicious. I would absolutely recommend going as often as you can! Not too expensive but amazing service and entertainment! Can't say enough good things about this place!
(5)Anna I.
My friend kindly invited me out to a meal using her coupon for a pre fix meal for two with Sake, appetizer, shared main course and dessert. This was my second time there after having lunch. The atmosphere is nice and the decorations are good. We did not like the glare from the window that bothered my friend as the sun was setting. The sake they served was delicious. As we were perusing the menu of the set meal, we had problems figuring out the different entree choices. The indentation and lack of clarity made for interesting and a bit time consuming process trying to order. I had to bust out in Mandarin (I heard him speak Mandarin to other server) to tell him maybe fix the menu to cause less confusion. I felt bad that when he explained to us, it still was not clear. In the end we got the white tuna appetizer and the hibachi main entree. The White Tuna appetizer was seared white tuna in a yummy yuzu sauce topped by black caviar. One of my faves of the night. (It doesn't hurt I am a big fan of white tuna too.) Since my friend is not an adventurous eater and usually eats not alot of meat it was an interesting choice getting the hibachi as there was chicken, shrimp, beef, scallop and lobster (she dislikes lobster). I liked the fried rice and the sauce was nothing to write home about with the meat and seafood. As with hibachi, not everything is cooked evenly and though the beef was perfect the chicken, scallop and lobster were a bit overcooked. For the finale, we opted for the mochi ice cream. The presentation was pretty with 3 mochis of different flavors halved (vanilla, green tea and red bean?) were placed with a chocolate drizzled design and whipped cream. My dinner companion disliked the chocolate as it changed the taste. There were some hits---the White Tuna and Sake. The server was nice and attentive just his ability to explain the choice offerings and the lack of clarity in the menu did not help. We did like the decor of the place. Very big and we were seated in the front area by the hostess stand. There is an area downstairs and bar in the back as well as Hibachi area. The food for the main entree a bit over cooked save for the beef and I did like the egg in my rice. My friend was not keen on the chocolate with the mochi. Since there are a ton of Japanese restaurants in the Brookline area there is fierce competition. I have yet to try their makis so I cannot write about it.
(2)Stan D.
Went here on valentines day, it was busy and we didn't get our seat until about 10 minutes after our reservation, at around 7:10. Food was great and servers were all very polite/friendly/ awesome.
(5)Sarah A.
A very welcome addition to the Coolidge Corner neighborhood. My friend and I visited Osaka last Friday night for a hibachi dinner. I routinely pass by Osaka on my way home from work around 6 pm and it never seems all that crowded, so I figured we didn't need a reservation. However, when we arrived at 7:30, the place was packed. Thankfully, however, we were quickly seated with another group who was just starting their meal at one of the hibachi tables. I love that so much is included with the hibachi dinners. First you start with a rather generous portion of "salad", which really, is more like a lot of romaine lettuce in a bowl with a sort of Japanese take on Russian dressing. The romaine was fresh, but, it would have been nice if they included some more veggies to make it more like a salad. Perhaps some cucumbers and tomatoes? But, I wasn't even expecting it, so it was okay. The hibachi chef did a lot of the typical hibachi tricks like the onion volcano, juggling of eggs and shooting sake in the mouthes of those who wanted to partake. I especially enjoyed the moment when he burst into a rendition of the Reel 2 Real hit "I Like to Move It". I think that was when he was scrambling the eggs for the fried rice.The portion of fried rice and shrimp was very generous. There were probably about 15 nice sized shrimps with the tails removed. All this for about $22. The staff was great refilling our water glasses and clearing our plates quickly. I also appreciated that they allowed us to linger a little bit after the hibachi chef had left and we had finished eating. However, they were prompt about taking our credit cards when we were ready to leave. I will definitely back for hibachi and I look forward to trying the sushi.
(4)Thomas W.
I waited eagerly for this place to open last fall and went opening weekend with a group of friends. We had the chef Eddy, who has been our chef for over a year now, we always ask for him and will wait as long as it takes to make sure he is our chef he is amazing, crazy, and lots of fun. Some of the reviews on here are god awful lame people who don't know what fun is. You are going to a place where the f'ing cook in front of you, it's a show, it's entertaining, and going to be loud, GET OVER IT OR DON'T GO! They will toss food at you, and squirt you w saki, this is what they do... again if you're a little baby, then go over to the sushi side of it instead and stop whining. If you want to have fun while eating dinner w a group of friends, this place is for you! The bar downstairs is amazing too and I heard they are expanding it into a bigger area to do karaoke and music/DJing... The food is delish I've done hibatchi and sushi side, and I love it all as do all my friends I've brought here... again DO NOT go here if you are boring and have no sense of fun...
(5)Kevin C.
Ok i have been here pleanty of times and was great, this time we sat outside of hibachi. i was really hankering for a steak yea i know japanese and steak but they call them self's a "steak house" and there be no steak on the menu and then the manager i could only assume when we asked about the menu we get waved off and told oh well leave. what great service ill never go back there again
(1)Tara D.
Let me start by saying that I made a reservation for 8:00pm for 3 people. We didn't get seated until after 9:30pm. So for them to earn 4 stars means they REALLY redeemed themselves. 1. The manager was so apologetic for not being able to seat us on time, and compensated with two free rounds of drinks and free desserts. 2. The bartender downstairs was really friendly and gave my friends and I one of his "personally created" shots to try - on the house! 3. Dinner was a BLAST (Hibachi style). The food was delicious, and the hilarious chef was so much fun -- he had great aim shooting Sake into everyone's mouth (out of an empty diner-style ketchup bottle). This place gets really busy on weekend nights, so go early if you don't want to wait! Great food, great drinks, great night.
(4)Macklin L.
Went here with my girlfriend for a valentines day dinner and it was awesome. I saw another hibachi place on google offers on sale and looked at yelp and it got bad reviews. But it gave me the idea of doing hibachi for valentines day. My girlfriend has never been before and from looking at the reviews of Osaka I knew it was going to be good. Out of any hibachi place, this was easily the most entertaining. They understand hibachi and understand how to put on a show. We ordered the meal for 2 which came with beef, chicken, scallops, shrimp, and lobster.. aka everything. It was pretty expensive but definitely worth it for valentines day and we got to try a little of everything and it made the "show" longer. He not only did the typical onion volcano but had a lot of other tricks and knife skills to show off. Food was great but a little salty. but its hibachi so its what you would expect. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends if you want to have some fun and I am definitely going to try the sushi next time.
(5)Chelsea G.
Great atmosphere and the food is above average for a hibachi place!
(4)Ian S.
It's the only hibachi in the Boston/Brookline around but I highly recommend it. Good food, great scorpion bowls. The cooks are a little loud and sometimes over do their routine.
(5)S K.
Having been to hibachi-style restaurants before, Osaka did not sit high on my list. I went last week for hibachi-style dinner with 4 of my friends, so this review is only on the hibachi-room. First off, if you are planning to have a very rushed dinner, this is definitely the place to be. Our waiter greeted us to take our drink order about 30 seconds after being seated, which is not so bad. However, literally, 1 minute after we ordered drinks, the waiter wanted us to choose our entrees. Asking him to return 2 mins later, after we could get a chance to look at our menus, he rolled his eyes and sent another one of his staff to take our orders. The hibachi meal was rehearsed, and as some other reviewers stated, the chef didn't seem like he wanted to be there. As we were eating our meals, the staff kept coming to take our plates away (even though we clearly were still eating). So, if you decide to take a rest from your plate for more than 30 seconds, be weary, as the staff may take your plate away. All in all, I wasn't too impressed and won't be rushing to return for Hibachi dinner anytime soon.
(2)Dave G.
Over-priced for what it is. The only hibachi restaurant in Brookline, but how often do you really go for hibachi? Fun place for a birthday group celebration though.
(2)Sa T.
The best sushi I've ever had! Good price, good service and good drinks too. Highly recommend.
(5)Jamie G.
We arrived 25 minutes early for our reservation, because last time they gave our table away after being 2 minutes late. So we were ushered down to the basement bar and forced to wait 30 minutes past our set reservation time. During which our party of 12 was sat then ask to get up because they made a mistake so back downstairs we went. When we were finally sat we were sat in the downstairs hibachi where the music was so loud we could not hear each other talk while we ate. I will never eat here again. The customer service was awful as well I had to reminder the host who I was and my party size multiple times. To finish off our experience it took our waitress 20 minutes to get us our checks. I will never eat here again! Too bad food was good thought this time it we would have a better experience, apparently not! Do not come here if your looking for good customer service!
(1)Emily S.
I've been here for Hibachi twice and it was a lot of fun! The chefs are very entertaining and the service is good. The food is maybe a little better than your typical Hibachi. The fried rice is pretty incredible. As for drinks, my Mai Tai was good and they seem to have an extensive Sake list. There's a neat little bar/lounge area downstairs if you are waiting for a table or want to stick around for a drink after dinner.
(4)D'Shai H.
Best food I've ever had in my life!! Changed my view of hibachi entirely. They also have an amazing birthday special ;)
(5)Roseann B.
We love Hibachi and love trying Hibachi wherever we go, so after our arrival at Boston and a day at the Brewery we looked for a nearby place to eat. This was one of the only ones around, but 20 minutes or so away from our hotel. The little drive was definitely worth it. The decor was definitely a great part of the experience--my boyfriend loves anything Japanese. We noticed the surrounding tables were having a good time and we got really excited. We ordered the money bags as an appetizer, amazing choice. The guys at the hibachis are entertaining and funny, I think ours might have been new at this because he was a little quieter than the rest. Overall, this was a great dining experience and if we are in Boston again, we will definitely come back.
(5)Whiterock R.
We went to the non-hibachi area. The dishes we ordered broiled eel and chilean sea bass tasted like they were cooked in syrup. Too sweet to be an entree. Too bad the description in the menu or the waitress did not tell us it was going to be that sugary. and it cost 22 dollars each. Sake was not great either. Overall wasted the evening.
(1)Sarah H.
FUNfun experience round twoo.meet at the bar:DD
(5)Anchalee M.
Food is average and overcooked. The show by the hibachi chefs seem forced. Not panning on going again.
(2)Bernadette G.
We were looking for a place to go to after the Holiday Pops that would keep a nice night going on Christmas Eve. As you can imagine there are not a lot of places open and since it was a night for our parents we didn't just want to end up at some dive. When my sister mentioned Japanese Hibachi I found this place online. We were able to make reservations for 7 just hours before the show. Phew... Anyway, what seemed too good to be true was really fantastic. The chefs made balloon hats for the little kids at the next table and they loved it. The rolls were delicious and not a bite was left on the plate. The food cooked in front of us was divine! Not only was the service and food wonderful, they accommodated our Dad who has a heart condition by making his hibatchi order in the kitchen without the salt and soy sauce. He said it was delicious and even ate the vegetables, which is a rare feat in itself. We were extremely amused by the chef and loved when he tried to toss pieces of zuccinni in our mouths. He had great energy and skills, a definite must go and see if you are with a big group, a family with children of just the two of you. I doubt that you will be disappointed.
(5)Nicole B.
sort of expensive but so much fun in a group!!
(4)Alyssa B.
I loved this place the first time i came! excellent food! also yummy sauces as well! wasn't too crowded, went right in! BUT, made a reservation for valentine's day this year, for 8pm. I called on the same day and found it strange it was so easy to reserve for hibachi on valentines day. Parked, walked in there was a crowd of about 50-60people just at the front door!!!! I couldn't even get to the front to check in to the desk! Finally, as I managed to get to the front desk, I would told " Ill put your name down" and still was told to wait over an hour even having a reservation!!!! Once we realized it was after 8:30 and people were still waiting from the 7pm reservations..... I LEFT! really they should have managed this a lot better, rather than have someone answer the phone and say yes to the hundreds of people to call! unfortunately although I liked this place the first time, I won't be back after this experience!
(1)B Y.
My friend and I were excited to try out this new restaurant in our neighborhood, but I'm not sure I would come back. Having been to a few teppanyaki (it's not "hibachi" as many people call it) places, I was disturbed by how noisy the chef's performed and how they sprayed sake into diners' mouths via a condiment bottle. It was all a bit too much. Food was decent, but a bit pricey for the portions served. A little less banging of the cooking utensils on the hotplate would have made the experience better. The restaurant itself had nice decor and bathrooms were clean. There are some private rooms for small parties and there is a separate dining room for non-teppanyaki diners. I'd opt for the non-teppanyaki side if you want to catch up with a friend.
(2)Adriana C.
I love eating here and have been several times. The sushi is tasty, fresh and made up of unique combinations. The hibachi is fun, especially with a group of friends. The bar downstairs is a great place to meet up with friends....and the drinks are delicious. The waitstaff is very friendly and always attentive.
(5)Val I.
Let me start by saying despite countless bad reviews on here I persisted - I had gone to the other Osaka location near my Alma Matar in western mass and always loved it: the show, the food, the sake. Fast forward many years later and it's my birthday along with 21 of my closest friends who came with me. We booked a reservation two weeks earlier and got to Osaka on time with our whole party. We waited over 90 minutes to be seated as did the numerous large parties who came before us, an 8 o'clock table of 16 was seated at 930, our 830 table was seated at 10pm. The staff lie and keep telling you 15 minutes and suddenly you realize multiple other groups of 10 to 28 are ahead of you and still hadn't been seated. Oh, other large parties are also yelling at the staff since this is the dirty trick they pull on big parties. Big parties who came at 9 and 930 were seated hours later as we witnessed, as well. After we got seated our chefs were lazy, no tricks that are mentioned on yelp nor the ones I saw in Northampton - the chefs (two of them for our 20+ person table) yelled "oh yeah" for 10 seconds, threw some broccoli at us, cooked and left. Folks go to hibachi for the show and food and half of that equation was missing. The food was pretty good but the service and management are terrible and the hibachi chefs sucked, no show PLUS he kept splattering food all over my girlfriends plate and missing it (half her food was dropped into the soy sauce dish) and I had a lot of sauce on my arm from his misfires. I ignored all of the bad reviews, I pushed back and said "no, Osaka will be great," but it was not - it ruined my birthday evening a bit and we will never return. You've been warned.
(2)Jennifer D.
Absolutely love this place. Great food. Wonderful service. Slightly bias since I've been going to the one in Northampton forever. Very happy to have fantastic hibachi close by.
(5)Lauren M.
Great service. I think they have the best miso soup I've ever had. The sushi was good and fresh but not exciting. It may be that we didn't do a great job with our selections. The sushi combo was a little boring, but the tuna rolls were huge- very generous. We also ordered a special (very modern) roll with mango in it. Too sweet for me. I would definitely give this place another shot, and I would like to try the habachi.
(4)max r.
This is not a place you go for quality sushi. They have a lot of fancy rolls where lack of quality fish is masked by presentation and sauces. Try to order one of their rolls along with regular sushi and sashimi, you will see what I am talking about. Nice decor and good service though. So if you want to nourish you esthetic senses that is a place for you.Japanese food aficionados - look elsewhere
(3)Alex W.
On New Year's Eve I had my first and last Osaka experience. My group of 11 arrived at our 7:30 reservation time to find a packed restaurant. We, along with several other groups, were ushered to the downstairs bar area and told we would have a short wait. As the wait dragged on and the bar filled up it became increasingly evident that Osaka's strategy was to say yes to anyone who called to make a reservation or walked in the door and to throw everyone into the bar area. While I am sure Osaka made a killing off of all of us in the bar, I didn't come to Osaka for its bar scene. We were finally seating over an hour after our reservation time at 8:45. From then until our hibachi chef arrived almost 45 minutes later we received minimal service. I attempted to ask if the restaurant had a sake flight available but I had to settle for a Harpoon IPA (which came out as a Sapporo) when my attempt got lost in translation. My group of three ordered two hibachi meals and two sushi rolls. The hibachi was nothing special (just tons of soy sauce) though the chef was entertaining enough. Our sushi never arrived (and I had to ask to get it removed from our bill). I was atually glad that it didn't because others in our party who ordered sushi received it at the same time that we all got our checks which was about 30 minutes after we had all finished the hibachi. Those that got the sushi decided to get it to go so we could move ahead with the night. By the time we paid and ran for the door it was 11pm. That's right. Our 7:30 reservation go us out of the restaurant at 11pm. We made a few calls, established that it was now too late to get into the downtown bar that we were planning on going to and instead ended up at my friend's Coolidge Corner apartment. Osaka's poor management and inability to say no to potential customers cost me my new years eve. There are far too many great sushi places and other restaurants in the brookline/boston area to waste your time at Osaka.
(1)P'raka ..
I went here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Hot tea was brought out immediately which greatly appreciated on a chilly day. Lunch box special for $10 included a generously portioned soup, salad, 3 shumai, side of rice, protein of my choice and six piece sushi roll. They let me swap out the california roll for plan tuna for no fee. The shumai and oysters were so-so but the tuna roll was fantastic. I would go back to try more of their sushi.
(3)Eddie G.
My brother and I have been on a sushi kick for the past month and decided to try Osaka because from the reviews it seemed like it could a fun dinner. We went on a Thursday night, it was a slower night and we were greeted and seated right away. Nice decor, clean and friendly enough staff. Decent sushi, we tried the Yellow Submarine which has lobster tempura topped with mango slices--DELICIOUS. We also tried the American Tango which has tuna sitting in strawberry (yes, the sweetness works) sauce. Again, very good. We topped it off with some lychee sake that was served nice and cold. I def enjoyed the dinner although it was probably a little on the pricier side. I may venture back on a Friday or Saturday night when it's louder and more amped. Give it a try.
(4)Ice cube X.
it is OK, and that is it.
(3)Kirsten S.
GO HERE. I should not have to say anything more than that. But I will so you can feel that following that directive is legitimate. 1. They ask if you want Hibachi or Restaurant when you walk in. Fun! 2. If you choose Restaurant, you will notice that Hibachi looks tastefully fun and NOT like you might end up with chef's lint in your food after the flip-shrimp-into-pocket trick. I, however, did not choose Hibachi. I do recognize that based on appearance, it would be a good choice. But I was there for Restaurant. 3. Edamame soup. Puree with coconut milk and crab. Yes. 4. A generous portion of seaweed salad NOT in a martini glass or other vessel that can be stuffed with lettuce at the botom. It came on a plate. It was seaweed all the way through. It was delicious. 5. I got one specialty roll that was the size of a small birthday cake and involved tuna, seared tuna, asparagus, salmon, eel, and some other things. It was topped with three types of tobiko in the center, which rested on a pile of tempura crunch. It had a specially crafted sauce to go with it. It was devine--and that one roll verged on too much food. 6. Sea bass. Now, I would NEVER dine at a Japanese restaurant and get an entree. Or anything cooked for that matter. However, my husband is not so fond of food that doesn't have an identifiable frozen meal equivalent, so he got the sea bass. [SCREECHING HALT.] I would go back just for the sea bass and its seductively succulent and buttery qualities. Also devine. I stole many bites. This place is on a side street across from the Coolidge Corner Theater, so it doesn't get the benefit of Harvard Ave. foot traffic. But anyone who seeks it out or stumbles upon it will certainly make a habit of it. Taking the detour off the main Sushi drag in this area is well worth it--if for no other reason than to experience Restaurant and Hibachi. Nicely done, OSAKA. I'll be back for something wonderful. *Oh yeah, best surprise? After you revel in the deliciousness you won't be hit with a bill that makes you want to retract a review star, or lose your lunch. In my opinion, this place is a steal.
(5)Caroline C.
We went here recently to celebrate my birthday! It was easy to make a reservation and they made sure to get our larger group all sat comfortably at one hibachi grill. It was a little slow at first...they were finishing up a bunch of large groups so we had to wait a bit for drinks and to order. Our chef was awesome!! So fun, so interactive and great at what he does. The servings were very generous...I couldn't even finish my plate! The options were great too...I got chicken and scallops and my boyfriend got a filet and lobster tail...amazing! Would definitely go back...such a fun outing for a large group!
(4)Rick C.
This is my first review of a restaurant without actually eating the food! They would not seat us. I made a reservation early in the week for 4 people, when we arrived I could barely get into the doorway. There must have been 30 people waiting, every table was full, the hostess would barely acknowledge me and after getting in her face she clearly had no clue when we would get seated or what was going on. I thik they ignored reservations and let people in off the street. I heard others complaining og longstanding reservations,( made 2 weeks earlier), large groups,( a party of 10), all about to get stiffed by Osaka. Fortunately being in Coolidge Corner there are many good options to walk to, as far as the food- I won't be back so I'll never know.
(1)Erica T.
I have been here a few times and I always have had a good meal. I normally get the steak and shrimp hibachi dinner and have never been disappointed. Soup is not included as part of the dinner meal which you normally get at most hibachi restaurants so make sure to order it separately. We always make reservations through open table and have never had to wait which makes it a great option if you have a big group. The drinks are strong but the prices reflect that ($9 for Mai tai, $18 scorpion bowl). Getting drinks does take some time so we usually order another round before we finish the first. The inside of the restaurant is dark, modern, and very clean. The downstairs has an additional bar and lounge area. The hibachi cooks are usually pretty entertaining and they normally give you plenty of free saki. Its convenient to get to (right off the Coolidge corner T stop) and they have valet parking.
(4)Wonder W.
Had hibachi and thought it was great! It's not meant be haute cuisine people - its fun and fiery and yummy. Big servings. Scallops were delicious. Hibachi chef entertained our little one who thought it was wonderful. Will be back.
(4)Kris S.
I have tried sushi all over Boston, NYC, you name it -- this is it. This is the best sushi I've had. The jalapeno roll, foxy lady, hidden dragon, hot lover roll, I could go on and on. I am even obsessed with the tuna tartar tortilla, even though my hubby thinks it looks a bit unappetizing. I've experienced the hibachi here, too. It was quite good, but the sushi is just superb. The service is consistently strong, as well. And don't be turned off by the prices -- the rolls are a great size and dare I say a value. I am almost hesitant to give such a positive review, b/c the lines are getting long and I don't want to have to wait next time...which will be this week. Welcome to the neighborhood, Osaka!
(5)Jay J.
The food was good and the performance chef at our 'Beni Hana' style table was good as well. When the meal was eaten, we were ready to leave. The group dining didn't offer much date ambiance I guess. No complaints about food or service, just not as much fun as we expected. If you had a group of twelve or so, and had one of those tables all to yourself, it could be a 4-star blast.. especially if they turned the lights down one notch..
(3)Rachel P.
OSAKA is amazing. From the appetizer we got to the sushi to the hibachi, this place is delicious. On top of yummy food, their staff is incredible! Our hibachi chef was so funny, he made the whole table laugh. Our waiter recognized that it was my birthday and was nothing but helpful and gracious. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone!
(5)Lisa H.
We brought a big party (16 people) and had a great time. The chefs were entertaining and the waitstaff took good care of us.
(5)D C.
I was excited to see a trendy new Japanese place open up in Coolidge Corner. The decor in Osaka is really modern, streamlined and beautiful. I loved the vibe. The menu was very extensive, lots of great options, particularly for those of us with shellfish allergies. The reason I gave them three stars instead of more? Our waitress. I'm not sure what her deal was. We ate early on a Wednesday night, and the restaurant was relatively empty at the time, so it couldn't have been that she was particularly stressed at the time. Ten seconds after I sat down and ordered a drink, she took the table's wine/liquor menus away. Despite the fact we were still waiting for one more person to arrive, and she hadn't asked us if we wanted to order anything from it. She came over FOUR TIMES to ask if we were ready to order, in the span of 10 minutes. The third member of our party had only just sat down when the waitress asked the second time. And despite the fact we had our menus wide-open, and were staring at them when she asked the fourth time, she still couldn't figure out that we were still looking. I just gave up at that point and ordered. My friend ordered the avocado salad, which arrived with fish roe mixed in, though that wasn't described on the menu. She's not a fish fan and so asked for another salad, sans-fish products, to which the waitress replied "it's not fish." My friend insisted on another salad, & the waitress told her re: "I think it's fake." WTF? Eventually she relented and got my friend another salad. I had the New Osaka Maki (tuna, avocado, etc) and the Mexican Roll (spicy salmon, avocado). The Mexican Roll was tasty, if a little sloppily-prepared, and I didn't get the New Osaka Roll till some time later (they should have been served simultaneously, as my entree). The New Osaka came with a mysterious-looking sauce, that appeared to have bits of crab in it. I was concerned and inquired if it did from the waitress. She gave me a blank stare. My companion volunteered that I have a shellfish allergy, and the waitress rudely said, "well, you should have told me that beforehand." I understand that it could be relevant, but I also know how to read a menu, and would never order a dish with shellfish in it. In the end, she didn't know the answer to my question, and went to ask the chef (it didn't have any shellfish in it). I found the sauce overly-sweet and kind of bizarre, but loved the softness of the tempura-ed tuna. My friend's bento box came with a full 6-piece California roll, which was a pleasant surprise, huge shrimp and a generous portion of chicken, and she took her leftovers home so she seemed to enjoy it. Osaka had the standard fried banana/mochi/ice cream dessert menu so we did not partake. We discovered a lovely bar/lounge downstairs which, though completely empty at 8 PM on a Wednesday, seems like it could be fun when it gets going. I definitely want to return to try Hibachi, which sounded like a blast from the shouts emanating from the other room. I'll just make sure to avoid that waitress! (Great iced-tea, but they charge per-glass for fountain drinks and iced tea).
(3)S Z.
Good food by SO SALTY. There are other ways to flavor food, Osaka.
(3)Rob B.
Finally a good hibachi restaurant in the area. This place is gorgeous. The food was fantastic. I thought the chefs tricks were great and I was caught off guard by the free sake. I thought he was lying and that it would be water. Nope. The service was a little frazzled but the place just opened. I'm sure they will find their groove.
(4)C. R. M.
The food is pretty good, and the folks are polite enough, but you don't have to look too deeply to realize that this is a big, well-oiled machine--less interested in customers than in profit. For example: five of us arrived to celebrate a birthday-- we sat, we ordered, and it didn't matter that the food arrived willy-nilly-- the appetizers showing up after we were half way through our main courses-- that's fine. But one main course, one of their Hibatchi specials, didn't show up at all. Eventually, we were told that the dish had been given to the wrong table. Okay, mistakes happen-- but the special was finally delivered to our table after everyone had finished (appetizers and main courses)! We dutifully picked at it, as we speculated on how the restaurant would handle this faux pas: the manager coming to apologize? comping the dish, or perhaps even just the beer I'd ordered? But nothing happened, the bill arrived, nothing comped, we paid it off and left-- annoyed and doubtful that we'd ever return. Had the food been great, maybe. But come on, folks-- you can't make big mistakes and treat customers as if we shouldn't really care. You messed up our experience; you should have done something to make us feel treated better. That's how good restaurants operate.
(2)Cassie H.
We live pretty close to Osaka and had been anticipating it's opening to try their cuisine and take in their gorgeous decor/ambience. So we went last night for the grand opening. We opted for the hibachi experience since we wanted to see how Osaka would measure up. We were seated right away, and the staff leading us to the table was plentiful (we were "passed of" from the hostess to another gentleman to another girl en route to seating). Unfortunately, as you'll know, the art of owning a hibachi restaurant is trying to fill up the hibachi table so that you can feed the most customers but not make them wait too long. We waited for probably twenty minutes before two other couples were seated at our hibachi table. By then, we were ready to place our orders, and it would have been nice for the waitress to offer to take our drink orders and orders for appetizers. We had the Hidden Dragon roll for an appetizer. The sushi came out beautifully and was pretty tasty, although we will remain true fans to Fin's sushi for our sushi fix. Their house salads were pretty tasty, although beware that the gigantic dinner fork is probably too large for the salad bowl. For dinner, my husband ordered the filet mignon & lobster tail. I ordered the filet mignon & scallops. The filet on both our meals was cooked perfectly. Served hot and amazingly tender. My scallops were to die for (I wondered aloud about ordering just scallops next time), but my husband's lobster tail was tough and overcooked. The hibachi chef gave everyone at the table two pieces of shrimp as a "hibachi appetizer" and to our surprise (compared to other hibachi experiences), the shrimp was perfectly cooked and amazing with their seafood dipping sauce. The hibachi was definitely entertaining, especially if you've never had the experience before. As experienced hibachi diners, my husband and I weren't overwhelmed by Osaka's take on it. The chef was friendly and his tricks and the show he put on was definitely on par with other hibachi chefs we've dined with in the past. He made the fried rice first, followed by protein and then vegetables. It's always an odd eating experience because you never know whether to wait for the next item or dig in while it's hot! The hibachi chefs we observed last night (ours included) seemed to perform two common tricks requiring audience participation. One involved small pieces of melon that the chef would flick at each diner to see if he/she could catch it in his/her mouth. Unfortunately, sometimes they stacked the dice (or melon in this case), so you had three or four pieces of melon coming at you. The other trick involves doing a "shot" of sake. They put some sake in their fried rice and the hibachi chef will ask if you want some... he then proceeds to pour sake from his squeeze bottle toward your mouth until you signal for him to stop. Both of these tricks were a huge hit with younger diners around the restaurant. I didn't mind the melon flick, but I do have to warn you that if you're dressed to the nines, you might want to rethink participating if your clothes are dry clean only. My husband and I didn't partake in the sake offerings, and I think our hibachi chef probably thought we were crazy for declining free sake (He kept saying, "Free sake is always good!"). The wait staff is plentiful. There were a million of them in Osaka shirts running around clearing plates, filling water glasses, and picking up any stray food items that didn't make it into diners' mouths. Having said that, however, I was disappointed in the service experience. As I've mentioned, they could have taken drink/appetizer orders for diners waiting for the hibachi table to fill up. Secondly, no one seems to know who's table is whose. When one of our tablemates asked the closest waitress for another drink from the bar, the waitress looked very frazzled to find our assigned waitress to come back to take the order. Also, our waitress seemed unfamiliar with the menu; she had to look at each item we ordered (drinks and appetizers). When the table asked for the check, it took a good ten to fifteen minutes for them to come back with our credit card receipts. Lastly, the ambience. If you're going for an intimate setting where you can hear each other, you might want to try the table side of the restaurant. The hibachi side is so loud between the hibachi chefs' shows and the crowd that you have to shout to hear your dinner partner. Will we be back? If we're craving hibachi, probably... but for sushi or for a more intimate dinner date, probably not.
(3)Jeff K.
Went there with my wife, 2 kids (2 and 6) and my dad who was visiting. Awesome experience. Food was spectacular, it was fun, the staff were very friendly and attentive, and my son wants to go back tomorrow! I would definitely go back - and looking forward to it.
(5)Courtney M.
It's nice to have a modern sushi place in Coolidge Corner. They are probably working out some of their kinks, but everyone seemed to be having a great time on the hibachi side of the restaurant (lots of birthday parties and large groups). The other side is much quieter, so it might be better for dates. Friendly and attentive service (perhaps a bit over-staffed in fact). Hibachi is fun, but not great tasting; sushi also good but not great. I also thought it was a bit over priced. The hibachi was about $21-25, and their specialty rolls, bento boxes, and other entrees in the mid-20s price range. Will we return? Perhaps but not for a while.
(3)Lori L.
I'm a sushi snob and this is by far the best sushi I have ever had. I keep telling the owner that, and I take everyone there and they all agree. We go there for every family birthday to the hibachi area which is sooooo much fun. I love this place, great atmosphere it's gorgeous and I have never had a bad meal and I go there a lot!!!
(5)AJ B.
Food was fresh, and good. Service spot on. Chef was friendly. What else can you ask for in a Hibachi restaurant. Enjoyed it.
(4)David K.
WORTH IT! BEST HIBACHI CHEFS I HAVE SEEN!! $50-65 per couple, so not s cheap date, but it's so much fun! Food is as good as the show! And how can you beat free Saka from a squeeze bottle.
(5)Alexandra S.
This place was really good. Very fresh food and amazingly talented chefs! Not only was our chef talented but was able to change the vibe of the group to a lively, fun atmosphere. The smell of the food cooking during the show was also a plus. I will suggest this lovely place and come back with friends! Thank you for the awesome dinner!
(4)R A.
Just what Brookline needs, another Sushi restaurant! Seriously though, this place is pretty cool. On the inside the place is huge, and they have a bar/lounge downstairs. The sushi and service were both great.
(4)Brian G.
Very good hibachi- steak was quality, fried rice good, though could use more flavoring. Love the decor! We will be back
(4)Alan W.
3 thumbs up...great food, great service and great value for the price!
(5)Jay P.
My review is related only to the Sushi. The Hibachi rooms sounded fantastic and full of energy. Regarding the sushi, I have to say it was very run-of-the-mill. Certainly not terrible by any stretch, but nothing remotely noteworthy. In terms of poor dishes, the Truffle Salmon appetizer was absolutely pathetic, as bad a dish as we have eaten in the Boston area in recent memory. Four limp strips of ceviche style salmon overwhelmed by lemon-citrus with no other flavors coming through. It was that bad. And way overpriced at that. Don't be fooled by the "Truffle" commentary -- the world's top taster couldn't taste a hint of truffle in this dish. As for the sashimi it was fine quality, nothing transcendant but no complaints. The rolls were not memorable. Our waitress was not really that cool either, going through the motions.
(2)Bob J.
I went he with six adult and five kids and have hibachi. I have reservation at 6:30 pm on a sat night. I got there at 6:35 and see that my friend is seated already with a drink. The waiter come over got us drinks when we seat down. We order sushi and hibachi. I got the Osaka roll which is very good. I hibachi started with the chef making the kids balloon hat and sword, nice touch. The hibachi is good, buggy recommend the shrimp and scallop. Overall great service, good foods can't ask for more. Only one thing price is a little high but it's in Coolidge corner. And the hibachi meal doesn't come with a soup like other place.
(5)Key L.
Went here for the first time on a saturday night to celebrate a friends bday. It was very busy and very crowded. Since only 3 from our party of 15 were on time we were escorted to the bar downstairs. The bar/lounge area was dark but had plenty seating. While waiting for others to arrive we were checked on once. After waiting an hour we inquired about getting seated and was told it would be another 20 min-we didnt mind since we were still waiting on people to arrive. Once seated our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly-tho our waitress had a little trouble with "ciroc". Our food orders were taken and our waitress disappeared. Our chef was awesome! He made jokes, squirted sake and threw broccoli in our mouths-we had a great time! The food was pretty good-my leftovers actually tasted better the next day. Since our waitress was no where to be found we had to ask staff that happened to be walking by for water, etc. after we finished eating we sat waiting for the check. All the grills were cleaned and still we sat. About 40 min later we again had to stop someone and ask for the checks! Several people in my party had trouble getting change and their cc's back and one person felt "attacked" by the waitress when the waitress confronted her about others leaving her only 1-2$ tips. That put a damper on an otherwise amazing evening. I probably will not go back-the crappy service left a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)Samuel H.
Kind of middle of the road for a sushi restaurant. Great presentation on some of the premium rolls, but the ingredient pairings created some unpleasant tastes; I now know that salmon and eel don't work well together. Modern decor didn't really work for me either--a bit too Tokyo for my taste. I didn't try the throwing-fire-yelling steak thing, but the shenanigans involved with it are nicely separated from the main restaurant. Overall okay, but there are better sushi places in the vicinity--like Shiki.
(3)Evan D.
Soup, salad and three rolls for $13.38 (including tax) is a fantastic, filling deal on the lunch menu. The salad in that special is about as rudimentary as can be, some greener lettuce couldn't hurt, but that's a minor qualm. It's true that other Japanese restaurants have similar lunch specials... Genki-ya has a three-roll online, cash-only special (I don't believe it's restricted to lunch) that's almost identical in price and the sushi there is very good too. But, Osaka remains my go-to because of proximity, and besides once forgetting the salad dressing in a to-go order, I haven't been let down yet. Prep time is very quick on midday pick-ups, and if you place an order before the lunch special cut-off time (3:30 p.m.) but pick it up afterward, they're not charging you dinner menu prices. The bar downstairs is a plus at night if you're waiting for a table or have a scorpion-bowl craving, but seating is rather minimal there. The staff is very friendly -- one of my waiters was a bit of an oddball, but in a fun way. The atmosphere is definitely vibrant all-around, although quieter in the non-hibachi dining room.
(4)Henry S.
Great place in Brookline. Large, lots of staff, good service and the the food was excellent. I have been to many different hibachi restaurants in different states. I must say I expected the prices to be much more expenses given, the Boston / Brookline normal mark-up compared to other places. The prices were equal to other Hibachi Steak restaurants I have been to, which does not mean inexpensive but I would say reasonable.
(4)Aaron G.
Great time at the new bar! Friendly bartenders and of course great sushi!
(4)Itch S.
It is Teppanyaki not Hibachi as noted in another post. So much for authenticity these days. But hey it tastes good and nobody is the wiser...
(2)Matthew G.
I made a reservation through OpenTable and in the special requests section I detailed that it was my girlfriends birthday. These "special requests" usually go unnoticed or unfulfilled, as it says right on the app, nothing is guaranteed. We went, had an awesome evening with delicious food and plenty of drinks. The hibachi show was terrific as expected, and the "all you can drink" sake shots from the hibachi chef were much appreciated. Decor and atmosphere was very nice as well. Sushi appetizer was delish, the fried rice was some of the best I've had, and the filet mignon was terrific. At the end of the meal, much to my surprise, we were greeted with a birthday singing and desert of fried ice cream. It was delicious. When I got the bill, the desert had been comped. Free and MUCH appreciated. The service was good, and the gesture of the free desert was very very nice. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great hibachi meal.
(5)Chann C.
My friend and I went here for dinner around 8PM on a weekday. We were looking for a hibachi restaurant around Boston and after reading reviews on Yelp about this place, we decided to give it a try. The interior design of it was pretty neat and upscale. Our waiter soon led us to our seats at the hibachi area. I couldn't help but notice how LOUD this place was. I have been to a lot of hibachi places but it seemed like a lot of chefs here were just screaming their heads off. I got the hibachi chicken and shrimp and my friend got the NY strip steak. I agree with a lot of the reviewers here about how everything tastes like it's been swimming in soy sauce. My friend's strip steak was pretty good though. Throughout our meal, the chef was entertaining us by throwing things in the air (and at our face). I noticed one customer really did not enjoy the chef throwing things at his face at all. Overall, it was an okay experience. Loud atmosphere. Pricey. O-K food. Nice decor. Nothing too special.
(3)Nicholas A.
Ignoring the idiotic and obnoxious hibachi chef (actually this is the wrong word, but I won't correct this) antics which make conversation almost impossible, this restaurant suffers from a serious inability to make anything taste different. They seem to use excellent quality ingredients (shrimp, scallops, beef, etc), but everything, absolutely everything is flavored with nothing more than crappy sauces (soy and the other most common one which I can't write here because the spell checker refuses entry) and sugar. This food was easily the very worst of its kind that I have ever had anywhere in the world (New York, Los Angeles, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, etc). ANY native Japanese dinner would walk out in extreme disgust with this Chinese-owned horror show. The prices for this type of food, if tasty, would be reasonable, but given just how poor the taste is, this restaurant is a complete zero. I would not go back, even for free. Also, these "chefs" are actually damaging the cooking surface making cleanup more difficult and bacteria growth more likely. Oh... lastly, seeing people having sake squirted into their mouths from a few feet away, only to drool, splash and spit sake and saliva onto their neighbors, clothing and plates, is about as repulsive as one can imagine. I was really expecting strippers to jump on the table.
(1)Miriam F.
I really did not enjoy my meal at Osaka. The quality of their food is NOT worth the steep price. Plus the service is not impressive. There are plenty of other sushi places to try in Brookline, the best of which is Genki-Ya. Not worth a trip...
(2)Kerry S.
Excellent! We have been twice in the past month. The food is delicious and the portions are enormous. Waitstaff is good and the chefs at the hibachi are very entertaining. Definitely sit at the hibachi. This restaurant is also very accommodating for people with dietary restrictions. If you ask they will cook meals for separately (in the back instead of at the hibachi table) for people who do not eat meat or shellfish.The sushi is excellent. A great place for a birthday, anniversary or special occasion.
(5)Liz R.
This sushi truely raises the bar in Brookline, I eat sushi (rolls usually) about twice a week, and I feel like most places (Fugakyu, Super Fusion, Gari) do a really great job, but if you're looking for a more exotic, exciting experiece, definatly try this place out. As the other reviewers said, the menu looks a little expensive but the rolls are huge, no fillers, and they are crazy fresh and creative, I'm addicted!
(5)Matthew C.
The food was okay. It's a pretty lousy location being off from Harvard st.
(4)Marley L.
This place is AMAZING! I went last night with my boyfriend and his parents for our new years dinner. 3 of of us got the hibachi dinner which was delicious. everything was very fresh, the staff was very friendly and we even got to meet the owner!
(5)Jen D.
Food was great with reasonable prices! Did hibachi with a group of girlfriends. Chef was funny and def was generous with the Saki even though not my fav. Food was great pretty big portions got the seafood combo (shrimp,lobster tail,scallops) came with rice and mixed vegetables w/ a side of salad.Place is nice and clean but the reason I gave it 3 stars is the wait staff they were really rude and quick to hurry us along. We waited a good 20mins before anyone asked us if we wanted anything to drink. Ordered wine and wasn't placed in a bucket or anything just placed it by the grill to get warm. Barely done with my salad and he was already reaching over me to collect my bowl just really annoying when your trying to enjoy yourself and get a feel for a new place your trying out. When dinner came to an end we were being rushed and they continued to march over and say thank you have a good night and we were not ready to go still had some drinks to finish. I understand that there are other people waiting but we just needed 5more mins to finish up and there was other tables wide open. Overall food was great but would rather go elsewhere and be treated like your welcome and not being rushed out the door. I will not be returning here in the future. incompetent staff needs to be retrained with there manners and not be so quick to grab peoples plates when there not even done.
(3)Tamas S.
First time visiting here and i will definitely be back. The atmosphere is superb for my taste. Clean and cozy, i totally forgot i was in Coolidge Corner! I checked in on yelp and was rewarded with a free delicious miso soup (show to server free miso voucher on iPhone yelp app). I went around 3:00p on a Saturday and there weren't many people there since it's an awkward eating hour i suppose. Ordered 3 specialty rolls. The jalapeno roll, beauty on the beach roll and the spicy tuna tortilla. All were pretty good. The sushi rice leaves a little bit to be desired, hence forth the four stars instead of five. Sushi rice at a sushi restaurant is the backbone, without awesome sushi rice, the sushi is just raw fish, seaweed and rice. The beauty on the beach roll was an experiment for me since i don't usually mix fruit with fish but i gave it a whirl and it was actually pretty tasty. The sauce that covers the plate tastes like a fresh strawberry shortcake. The jalapeno roll was delicious and reminded me of spring (it's "green" tasting due to raw jalapeno). The spicy tuna tortilla was really good but it's on a circular disc that more resembles a cracker, not a tortilla. Still delicious nonetheless. Service was pretty good. All in all a great visit.
(4)Susan S.
I went here to try the non-teppenyaki/hibatchi food, Friday night after Thanksgiving. The roars, countdowns, cheers, and general noise coming from the hibachi room was really loud and annoying, and almost constant. (Were they doing calisthenics?) But people are having fun, so, ok. We had pork donburi, that was pretty good; pork goyza was pretty good, not doughy like some. Chicken tempura was so-so - small portion, only two strips of chicken, few pieces of vegetables, not much taste. The sushi was awful. I had spicy tuna roll, and it was like tuna mush, and not that spicy - but the texture was bad. Hamachi-maki was the same - mushy - couldn't even see that it was a piece of fish. We had an Alaska roll, and we could see that there was a piece of salmon in there, but it was tasteless and had poor texture. And scallop sushi was just salty and did not taste fresh. The wait staff was filling our water every 2 seconds, really too much. And the bill, including a large sake for $9, was $63. I am going back to Mr. Sushi. Maybe they only make their $15 special rolls with fresh fish, and the standard rolls get ignored.
(2)