Ota-Ya Japanese Restaurant
10 Cambridge Ln, Newtown, PA, 18940
Ota-Ya Japanese Restaurant Menu
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Hot Appetizers
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Soups
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Salad
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Sushi Entrees
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Tempura
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Ota-Ya Japanese Restaurant
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Hot Appetizers
-
Soups
-
Salad
-
Sushi Entrees
-
Tempura
-
Desserts
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Address :
10 Cambridge Ln
Newtown, PA, 18940 - Phone (215) 860-6814
- Website https://www.ota-ya.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Amanda S.
When visiting my aunt who lives in the area, Ota-Ya is always on the agenda. First off, it's BYOB and you can't beat that. Although small, they own the building next door that can house larger parties. The owners are incredibly friendly and seem to know most regulars by name. The spicy tuna pizza is a must have, and order two. I wish I could find something similar near home. Their spicy tuna recipe is on point and to make it even better they pile it on top of a fried wonton. Obviously their spicy tuna roll follows the same order and is a must have as well. Their tempura is outstanding as well. I typically don't know everything that we order, but it's all delicious! If you are in the area, definitely give this place a shot!
(5)Roger F.
Seeing the reviews for this place, I was hoping for a "hidden gem" in the food desert of Newtown. Something without the cheesiness of Oishi; something that wasn't yet another suburban sushi place. Now don't get me wrong, this is a perfectly fine restaurant. The rolls (especially the Violet) that I had were great. But this restaurant is really ordinary for a Japanese place. I guess I was hoping for a place that would have either a bigger variety of sushi (things like nigiri or temakki), or maybe a different variety of rolls. It might have been me looking for a bigger variety of options (there isn't curry, tonkatsu, or anything past tempura iirc). I'm not sure. In any case I wasn't "wowed" by this place, and with 4.5 stars, I was really holding out for something.
(3)Richard G.
The Russians are back in force and their unsupervised kids are roaming the aisles. The noise level is deafening. If you go here, NEVER accept a table in the back room. The food is great but the large groups are ordering such large quantities of sushi that small parties have to wait a long time to get their food. The non-sushi entrees are great and served expeditiously.It's a shame they are consistently understaffed for the sushi.
(3)Viva L.
I've been going to Ota Ya for over 10 yrs for sushi and it's always fresh and delicious. Marlena (one of the owners) is a very kind and accommodating lady and their sit down service is generally prompt and friendly. I don't live in Newtown anymore but still drive the 35 minute ride for their food because it's worth it. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the waiting area is very tiny and quite claustrophobic on a busy day. That being said, you get what you pay for at this place, it's delicious and better yet, it's BYOB :-)
(4)Donna M.
Ota-ya has the bast sushi ever! We also love the spicy tuna pizza, chicken lettuce wraps, shumai, beef negimaki, I could go on and on! The waitstaff is always so nice and they know their regulars by name. One day there will be a Donna roll......haha
(5)Joey R.
Truly a hidden gem! Their sushi is definitely better than Oishi's, but their hot dishes are, generally speaking, lacking and not as good. With this said, the environment is not as crowded as in Oishi, and the customer feels as though he or she is getting individualized service rather than just being "another person" as you can sometimes feel in Oishi. The owner is so nice too!
(4)Lea D.
Hands down the best sushi I have ever had. The spicy tuna pizza appetizer is always one of my go to's. Extremely nice service as well. Featured in this picture: ocean roll (4 stars), spicy tuna roll (5 stars, never had spicy tuna better than Ota-ya), eagle roll (5 stars), treasure roll (5 stars, my personal favorite), spicy king roll (5 stars), love roll (4 stars).
(5)Jane H.
This place isn't terrible, but it's not really good either. However, considering what is around the area in terms of sushi, it was alright. This is a Chinese-owned establishment that has a nice muted Japanese ambiance. I love their fish tank! Their service is excellent. Water was always filled, questions all answered and orders received promptly. The food is so-so. The rice is terrible, but the fish is not bad. I would get anything that is less traditional, it seems to taste better. Perhaps mayo helps mask the poor execution.
(3)Richard G.
The Russians are back in force and their unsupervised kids are roaming the aisles. The noise level is deafening. If you go here, NEVER accept a table in the back room. The food is great but the large groups are ordering such large quantities of sushi that small parties have to wait a long time to get their food. The non-sushi entrees are great and served expeditiously.It's a shame they are consistently understaffed for the sushi.
(3)Gerald S.
Ota-Ya requires a bit of patience to find. Sitting out back off Cambridge Lane in Newtown, it is easy to have never known that this place existed. It is next door to Mamita's, the new Central American resto. If you don't know where that is, then you need to call ahead to speak with the very friendly owners who are accustomed to directing lost patrons. If you are familiar with the current state of Sushi/Japanese houses; this is not that. It is an older space, without the front row knifemen flashing blades nor rice shapers. All that creative stuff is done in the back (kitchen). What you see is the finished product brought to you by management or an on-the-ball server who knows everything about the menu, and will tell you what she/he thinks is de rigor for lunch or dinner. The floor plan is rather small for a contemporary restaurant, reflecting that Ota-Ya has been slicing fish for a long time without the need for floorshows. The aura is dark, the tables and chairs old, and the overall atmospherics close and subdued. Whispering comes naturally. But, in exchange for being the anti-Oishi in Ntown you get the best sushi. Fresh, creative, aesthetic and self-assured. If you love old Zato-Ichi movies, this is your place. The blind swordsman sits quietly while the nasty Samurais' steel slice each other up defending their noble's honor. Finally, when the dominant villian and his henchman are about to kill the last innocent, Zato-Ichi excuses himself meekly, unsheathes his short sword, and dispatches the baddies while holding a baby in his free hand. "...so sorry for the disturbance, young prince..." Have whatever you want here. It is all very good. If raw fish is not for you, there is plenty of excellent Tempura, Teriyaki, Udon, Bentos, and Salads. The owners are happy to chat with you if they have time, and if not crowded feel free to ask for a refill of the Green Tea and sit a while.
(5)Alyssa C.
The sushi is good. The only thing negative about this place is LITERALLY. THEY ARE SO STINGY WITH THE SPICY MAYO. SO STINGY! EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! I will literally order for four people and ask for spicy mayo for all dishes, and they'll give me ONE CONTAINER. literally you can specifically ask for multiples and you will only get one every time it's literally bullshit like you have to start world war three to get the proper amount of condiments.
(3)love f.
Went here this evening with my family. We had agedashi tofu, seaweed salad, shumai, deluxe sushi platter, and crunchy crab roll. Agedashi tofu's crunchy skin was too thick, and it's sauce was too sweet for us. Seaweed salad was one of those neon green seaweed (?) and had the typical taste. Shumai was a bit on the mushy side and tasted like frozen shumai. Sushi was not too bad. We also had green and red bean ice creams for desert, but they tasted mediocre. The service was prompt and waiters had smiles on their faces. Not bad food over all, but their food doesn't have the sensitivity and refined taste, I thought. The food is on the pricey side. I prefer Tsukasa in Bordentown as their food is much better and price is a little cheaper. This joint is about ten miles from us, so we may not repeat. But this is a descent sushi joint if you don't have any other choices.
(3)Amanda S.
When visiting my aunt who lives in the area, Ota-Ya is always on the agenda. First off, it's BYOB and you can't beat that. Although small, they own the building next door that can house larger parties. The owners are incredibly friendly and seem to know most regulars by name. The spicy tuna pizza is a must have, and order two. I wish I could find something similar near home. Their spicy tuna recipe is on point and to make it even better they pile it on top of a fried wonton. Obviously their spicy tuna roll follows the same order and is a must have as well. Their tempura is outstanding as well. I typically don't know everything that we order, but it's all delicious! If you are in the area, definitely give this place a shot!
(5)Roger F.
Seeing the reviews for this place, I was hoping for a "hidden gem" in the food desert of Newtown. Something without the cheesiness of Oishi; something that wasn't yet another suburban sushi place. Now don't get me wrong, this is a perfectly fine restaurant. The rolls (especially the Violet) that I had were great. But this restaurant is really ordinary for a Japanese place. I guess I was hoping for a place that would have either a bigger variety of sushi (things like nigiri or temakki), or maybe a different variety of rolls. It might have been me looking for a bigger variety of options (there isn't curry, tonkatsu, or anything past tempura iirc). I'm not sure. In any case I wasn't "wowed" by this place, and with 4.5 stars, I was really holding out for something.
(3)Lea D.
Hands down the best sushi I have ever had. The spicy tuna pizza appetizer is always one of my go to's. Extremely nice service as well. Featured in this picture: ocean roll (4 stars), spicy tuna roll (5 stars, never had spicy tuna better than Ota-ya), eagle roll (5 stars), treasure roll (5 stars, my personal favorite), spicy king roll (5 stars), love roll (4 stars).
(5)Jane H.
This place isn't terrible, but it's not really good either. However, considering what is around the area in terms of sushi, it was alright. This is a Chinese-owned establishment that has a nice muted Japanese ambiance. I love their fish tank! Their service is excellent. Water was always filled, questions all answered and orders received promptly. The food is so-so. The rice is terrible, but the fish is not bad. I would get anything that is less traditional, it seems to taste better. Perhaps mayo helps mask the poor execution.
(3)Joey R.
Truly a hidden gem! Their sushi is definitely better than Oishi's, but their hot dishes are, generally speaking, lacking and not as good. With this said, the environment is not as crowded as in Oishi, and the customer feels as though he or she is getting individualized service rather than just being "another person" as you can sometimes feel in Oishi. The owner is so nice too!
(4)Gary W.
Great little gem. Signature rolls are awesome. Menu is diverse. Love it.
(5)James P.
The best sushi ever! The decor is nothing to write home about, but everyone is very welcoming and friendly!
(5)Lisa B.
We have been going here for 16 + years and it is our favorite. The sushi is out of this world. So fresh and well prepared, it is far superior to any other restaurant in Bucks or Philly for that matter. The staff are so kind and friendly. I consider it one of the best places to eat really great japanese in a casual BYOB, which is my idea of perfection!!
(5)Viva L.
I've been going to Ota Ya for over 10 yrs for sushi and it's always fresh and delicious. Marlena (one of the owners) is a very kind and accommodating lady and their sit down service is generally prompt and friendly. I don't live in Newtown anymore but still drive the 35 minute ride for their food because it's worth it. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the waiting area is very tiny and quite claustrophobic on a busy day. That being said, you get what you pay for at this place, it's delicious and better yet, it's BYOB :-)
(4)Donna M.
Ota-ya has the bast sushi ever! We also love the spicy tuna pizza, chicken lettuce wraps, shumai, beef negimaki, I could go on and on! The waitstaff is always so nice and they know their regulars by name. One day there will be a Donna roll......haha
(5)R S.
Great staff, great food. Long wait possible (call ahead), cramped, super loud. The place is very tight and the local scream at each other instead of talking. The food is so good, but it's better for groups, because you may not want a date with so much noise.
(4)Irina L.
This has been our trusted and reliable turn-to sushi place for years. It's a small restaurant, which may be a bit hard to find if you are coming for the first time, but don't shy away. The sushi is always good, and they have THE best spicy tuna (salmon, scallop) rolls, especially if you ask for the extra spicy! The rolls are perfectly sized and cut into 6 pieces, but the ultimate is they put so much extra spicy tuna (or whatever you ordered) ON TOP of the finished rolls: so, unlike in most other restaurants, you don't feel like you are cheated out of the most delicious ingredient! Cindy and Marina will give you recommendations for whatever off-the-menu items you may be interested in. They are always ready to try something new for you, and do their best to meet customers' (read: my family's) demands. I have not had sushi, Nigiri or sashimi that I did not like here. Their menu stretches far beyond sushi / sashimi, and includes other Asian fusion options. They are BYOB, and will serve your libation exactly the way you like. Ota Ya will host a party for you - again, with numerous and fabulous dish suggestions, and will cater off site. Also try their Lambertville location, which is a bit more "hip". My only reason for holding back a star is that sometimes the kitchen is a bit too slow, especially if there is a party they are hosting. Otherwise, I'll be coming here for as long as I'll live in this area
(4)Danan R.
Finally made it here and the food is just as good as the Lambertville location's. Get the eel on eel and American dream rolls with a fresh scallops on half shell app. Trust me. Your mouth will be grateful. The spicy tuna and salmon isn't as fantastic as Bluefin's but definitely on par with Ajihei. Service is great and seating is a bit tight but still comfortable.
(4)Diana C.
I MISS OTA YA SO MUCH! I lived in Langhorne for about a year and discovered Ota Ya. It's small, service can be slow (would call for a reservation), but by far the BEST SUSHI I HAVE EVER HAD! It's also a BYOB. The spicy tuna roll is the best spicy tuna! Always fresh and they don't skimp on the fish! Also love the spicy tuna pizza and the roti cani appetizer. Also delicious tempura ice cream! I've been trying to find another sushi place as good as Ota Ya, but my husband (who turned me onto sushi) tells me that Ota Ya is special and that not all sushi places are like it. I'm so sad to have moved 3 hours away :(
(5)Ariela J.
I'm a huge fan of Japanese food, but Ota-Ya has to be one of, if not my favorite, Japanese restaurants. Yes, the Newtown restaurant itself is rather small, but the layout is intimate rather than cluttered, so it's easy to negate the lack of space. The servers are always pleasant, professional, and surprisingly easy to communicate with, albeit the language barrier. And though there are only 6-10 tables, they never make you feel rushed. But, what has to be the best aspect of Ota-Ya has to be its food, hands down. I have been to countless Japanese restaurants to compare it with, and Ota-Ya's sushi, soup, and salads always seem to raise the standard. What's more --- it's BYOB! Fully recommend this place to any Japanese food adventurers. My favorites: - seaweed salad - miso soup - edamame - eel on eel roll - spicy king roll - spicy salmon/tuna roll - salmon teriyaki
(5)David D.
This is graded on a curve, because we're talking about suburban Newtown here! But what we're also talking about is a diverse array of traditional Japanese food. I'm blown away that they even have Hamachi Kama (grilled yellowtail cheek). Ota-Ya is snuggled into an unassuming shopping center, as traditional Japanese restaurants so often are. The servers aren't necessarily the most pleasant people in the world, but they are efficient. They have a lunch menu now, but you can still order off of their very diverse dinner menu. It's like this rarefied secret because it's not online, but I'll include a few photos of the menu with this review. Ambiance is pretty divey, to be frank. The restaurant has been around for a long time, which bodes well considering its multifarious competitors, such as the higher-end Oishis of the world. Ota-Ya's interior is about a half-step up from your typical Chinese restaurant. But let's not dwell on the drawbacks, it's the food that matters most. I had a miso soup to start, which is non-traditional in terms of coursing, but I didn't mind since it was bitter cold outside. The broth was good and it was served with real seaweed, very auspicious, and a generous helping of tofu cubes. I liked it. Next up, I had a sunomono salad. For those not in the know, this is a vinegar based salad with various sashimi on top. Excellent. I was surprised to find tako (although recently de-thawed, no doubt), kani, a silver fish, and salmon. Everything was very good, and the vinegar sauce was so deliciously sweet and tart, the German-American in me had to resist drinking it. They served me the complimentary side salad which came with my sushi deluxe lunch, which was really a bog-standard helping of mixed greens. Instead of a bright, citrus-based dressing, it came with a more tomato-paste type dressing. The side salad was quite boring next to the sunomono, so I set it aside, no pun intended. ;) Hamachi Kama, grilled yellowtail collar cheek, was next. This is a rare find in the suburbs, in fact, I almost never see it. Basically, it's like the KFC of the Japanese - try it, you'll love it. It's the broiled cheek of a large yellowtail fish. So crispy on the outside, and juicy on the interior. It's served with ponzu sauce, which was very traditional. I enjoyed it very much. Obviously, this was a frozen portion but it was cooked well, and retained the juiciness inside that is critical. It's fun to eat too, as there are a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. My server was confused when I ordered it, so I had to point it out on the menu to her (it's under the appetizers, although it's a fairly meaty portion of 3 ounces, or so). Finally, I had my set sushi deluxe. I'm not crazy about receiving my sushi all at one time, since I'm a stickler for rice temperature and fish, but this was lunch, and I wasn't expecting an omakase at a restaurant next to a national park. Anyway, the neta (fish) was all very fresh, in fact, some of them almost melted in my mouth fresh! Not terribly varied, but at least they had a silver fish. The server did not explain any of the fish to me. It was served with a california roll. I didn't want to ask for another roll, because I was scared to confuse my waitress, too much! That said, the california roll was well formed and fresh. I asked for brown rice, since I'm battling the post-holidays bulge, but I can say that their shari (rice) was slightly above room temperature (good!), a touch sweet (great!), and well formed (did not fall apart). All in all, a very good experience, considering the location. I'll be back, probably many times to explore other selections on the menu, such as the eel and squid options.
(4)Anony-mom C.
I love Japanese food and this is the best place I've found. It is very small, so be prepared to wait if it's busy. Everything is very fresh - I actually prefer Ota-Ya to Oishi.
(5)Andrew F.
Best sushi restaurant in the area. The ambiance isn't all that great (Oishi is much better), but if it's sushi you crave, there is no better place. Try the specialty rolls. The Happy Joe roll is my favorite along with the Apollo roll. The wait staff is very pleasant and knows their frequent customers by name. I highly recommend Ota-Ya Newtown as well as Ota-Ya Lambertville where you'll get more ambiance.
(5)Joseph Y.
Let me preface this by saying I come from southern california where sushi places are a dime in a dozen, and you can probably find some of the most authentic japanese sushi in the country. This is a malaysian (chinese) owned japanese place. They have a large assortment of sushi and rolls. We ordered some cooked and raw rolls as we don't like to order a lot of sashimi and sushi without knowing what we're getting. The yellowtail roll was standard, fish seemed decent but nothing too special. The spicy tuna roll which the owners recommended was ok, nothing too special. The two cooked rolls were eel roll which was fine, and a salmon skin roll that they somehow poured the eel soysauce over it which was a very unusual arrangement. them being malaysian, we did order the roti canai. the roti was obviously not home made, appeared to be likely a frozen store bought (not puffy ), the accompanying curry was malaysian style - different from the ones we've had - the curry was a bit diluted. this not being a very high volume item, i suspect that they probably didn't make alot of these. For this area of PA, this is probably a decent place. We did not order any more of the sashimi or other nigiri sushi - which probably would give us a better idea of the quality of the fish. Wasabi was not home made neither was the pickled ginger. But that would not be expected in a place like this. Prices were reasonable for being in newtown. If you absolutely must have japanese food, it's probably not a bad place to go. The owner is very friendly and accommodating. If you're looking for some of the best japanese authentic food, then i'd look elsewhere.
(3)Julia S.
This is THEE place for your basic rolls-spicy tuna, spicy salmon. Absolutely delicious in every way. I did not want my rolls to end. We didn't try many special rolls ( the best roll ever is still at Ooka-lobster dynamite) but will definitely sample something next time. Service is a little slow but pleasant. I can't believe I live so close to this place and have missed out on it for so long.
(5)R M.
excellent, innovative and byob! a must go for that discerning sushi lover.
(5)Sarah B.
We love Ota Ya. Even my toddler loves their goyza. Their sushi is fresh and delicious. We always order a variety of rolls, which I know isn't very authentic but it's what we like and it's always good. Favorite rolls - Godzilla roll, spicy rock roll, spicy tuna roll, tuna and avocado roll, eel and avocado roll, Ota Ya roll, Nemo roll, Incredible roll.
(5)Irina L.
This has been our trusted and reliable turn-to sushi place for years. It's a small restaurant, which may be a bit hard to find if you are coming for the first time, but don't shy away. The sushi is always good, and they have THE best spicy tuna (salmon, scallop) rolls, especially if you ask for the extra spicy! The rolls are perfectly sized and cut into 6 pieces, but the ultimate is they put so much extra spicy tuna (or whatever you ordered) ON TOP of the finished rolls: so, unlike in most other restaurants, you don't feel like you are cheated out of the most delicious ingredient! Cindy and Marina will give you recommendations for whatever off-the-menu items you may be interested in. They are always ready to try something new for you, and do their best to meet customers' (read: my family's) demands. I have not had sushi, Nigiri or sashimi that I did not like here. Their menu stretches far beyond sushi / sashimi, and includes other Asian fusion options. They are BYOB, and will serve your libation exactly the way you like. Ota Ya will host a party for you - again, with numerous and fabulous dish suggestions, and will cater off site. Also try their Lambertville location, which is a bit more "hip". My only reason for holding back a star is that sometimes the kitchen is a bit too slow, especially if there is a party they are hosting. Otherwise, I'll be coming here for as long as I'll live in this area
(4)Danan R.
Finally made it here and the food is just as good as the Lambertville location's. Get the eel on eel and American dream rolls with a fresh scallops on half shell app. Trust me. Your mouth will be grateful. The spicy tuna and salmon isn't as fantastic as Bluefin's but definitely on par with Ajihei. Service is great and seating is a bit tight but still comfortable.
(4)Diana C.
I MISS OTA YA SO MUCH! I lived in Langhorne for about a year and discovered Ota Ya. It's small, service can be slow (would call for a reservation), but by far the BEST SUSHI I HAVE EVER HAD! It's also a BYOB. The spicy tuna roll is the best spicy tuna! Always fresh and they don't skimp on the fish! Also love the spicy tuna pizza and the roti cani appetizer. Also delicious tempura ice cream! I've been trying to find another sushi place as good as Ota Ya, but my husband (who turned me onto sushi) tells me that Ota Ya is special and that not all sushi places are like it. I'm so sad to have moved 3 hours away :(
(5)Ariela J.
I'm a huge fan of Japanese food, but Ota-Ya has to be one of, if not my favorite, Japanese restaurants. Yes, the Newtown restaurant itself is rather small, but the layout is intimate rather than cluttered, so it's easy to negate the lack of space. The servers are always pleasant, professional, and surprisingly easy to communicate with, albeit the language barrier. And though there are only 6-10 tables, they never make you feel rushed. But, what has to be the best aspect of Ota-Ya has to be its food, hands down. I have been to countless Japanese restaurants to compare it with, and Ota-Ya's sushi, soup, and salads always seem to raise the standard. What's more --- it's BYOB! Fully recommend this place to any Japanese food adventurers. My favorites: - seaweed salad - miso soup - edamame - eel on eel roll - spicy king roll - spicy salmon/tuna roll - salmon teriyaki
(5)Joseph Y.
Let me preface this by saying I come from southern california where sushi places are a dime in a dozen, and you can probably find some of the most authentic japanese sushi in the country. This is a malaysian (chinese) owned japanese place. They have a large assortment of sushi and rolls. We ordered some cooked and raw rolls as we don't like to order a lot of sashimi and sushi without knowing what we're getting. The yellowtail roll was standard, fish seemed decent but nothing too special. The spicy tuna roll which the owners recommended was ok, nothing too special. The two cooked rolls were eel roll which was fine, and a salmon skin roll that they somehow poured the eel soysauce over it which was a very unusual arrangement. them being malaysian, we did order the roti canai. the roti was obviously not home made, appeared to be likely a frozen store bought (not puffy ), the accompanying curry was malaysian style - different from the ones we've had - the curry was a bit diluted. this not being a very high volume item, i suspect that they probably didn't make alot of these. For this area of PA, this is probably a decent place. We did not order any more of the sashimi or other nigiri sushi - which probably would give us a better idea of the quality of the fish. Wasabi was not home made neither was the pickled ginger. But that would not be expected in a place like this. Prices were reasonable for being in newtown. If you absolutely must have japanese food, it's probably not a bad place to go. The owner is very friendly and accommodating. If you're looking for some of the best japanese authentic food, then i'd look elsewhere.
(3)Julia S.
This is THEE place for your basic rolls-spicy tuna, spicy salmon. Absolutely delicious in every way. I did not want my rolls to end. We didn't try many special rolls ( the best roll ever is still at Ooka-lobster dynamite) but will definitely sample something next time. Service is a little slow but pleasant. I can't believe I live so close to this place and have missed out on it for so long.
(5)R M.
excellent, innovative and byob! a must go for that discerning sushi lover.
(5)Sarah B.
We love Ota Ya. Even my toddler loves their goyza. Their sushi is fresh and delicious. We always order a variety of rolls, which I know isn't very authentic but it's what we like and it's always good. Favorite rolls - Godzilla roll, spicy rock roll, spicy tuna roll, tuna and avocado roll, eel and avocado roll, Ota Ya roll, Nemo roll, Incredible roll.
(5)Anony-mom C.
I love Japanese food and this is the best place I've found. It is very small, so be prepared to wait if it's busy. Everything is very fresh - I actually prefer Ota-Ya to Oishi.
(5)Andrew F.
Best sushi restaurant in the area. The ambiance isn't all that great (Oishi is much better), but if it's sushi you crave, there is no better place. Try the specialty rolls. The Happy Joe roll is my favorite along with the Apollo roll. The wait staff is very pleasant and knows their frequent customers by name. I highly recommend Ota-Ya Newtown as well as Ota-Ya Lambertville where you'll get more ambiance.
(5)love f.
Went here this evening with my family. We had agedashi tofu, seaweed salad, shumai, deluxe sushi platter, and crunchy crab roll. Agedashi tofu's crunchy skin was too thick, and it's sauce was too sweet for us. Seaweed salad was one of those neon green seaweed (?) and had the typical taste. Shumai was a bit on the mushy side and tasted like frozen shumai. Sushi was not too bad. We also had green and red bean ice creams for desert, but they tasted mediocre. The service was prompt and waiters had smiles on their faces. Not bad food over all, but their food doesn't have the sensitivity and refined taste, I thought. The food is on the pricey side. I prefer Tsukasa in Bordentown as their food is much better and price is a little cheaper. This joint is about ten miles from us, so we may not repeat. But this is a descent sushi joint if you don't have any other choices.
(3)Gary W.
Great little gem. Signature rolls are awesome. Menu is diverse. Love it.
(5)James P.
The best sushi ever! The decor is nothing to write home about, but everyone is very welcoming and friendly!
(5)Lisa B.
We have been going here for 16 + years and it is our favorite. The sushi is out of this world. So fresh and well prepared, it is far superior to any other restaurant in Bucks or Philly for that matter. The staff are so kind and friendly. I consider it one of the best places to eat really great japanese in a casual BYOB, which is my idea of perfection!!
(5)David D.
This is graded on a curve, because we're talking about suburban Newtown here! But what we're also talking about is a diverse array of traditional Japanese food. I'm blown away that they even have Hamachi Kama (grilled yellowtail cheek). Ota-Ya is snuggled into an unassuming shopping center, as traditional Japanese restaurants so often are. The servers aren't necessarily the most pleasant people in the world, but they are efficient. They have a lunch menu now, but you can still order off of their very diverse dinner menu. It's like this rarefied secret because it's not online, but I'll include a few photos of the menu with this review. Ambiance is pretty divey, to be frank. The restaurant has been around for a long time, which bodes well considering its multifarious competitors, such as the higher-end Oishis of the world. Ota-Ya's interior is about a half-step up from your typical Chinese restaurant. But let's not dwell on the drawbacks, it's the food that matters most. I had a miso soup to start, which is non-traditional in terms of coursing, but I didn't mind since it was bitter cold outside. The broth was good and it was served with real seaweed, very auspicious, and a generous helping of tofu cubes. I liked it. Next up, I had a sunomono salad. For those not in the know, this is a vinegar based salad with various sashimi on top. Excellent. I was surprised to find tako (although recently de-thawed, no doubt), kani, a silver fish, and salmon. Everything was very good, and the vinegar sauce was so deliciously sweet and tart, the German-American in me had to resist drinking it. They served me the complimentary side salad which came with my sushi deluxe lunch, which was really a bog-standard helping of mixed greens. Instead of a bright, citrus-based dressing, it came with a more tomato-paste type dressing. The side salad was quite boring next to the sunomono, so I set it aside, no pun intended. ;) Hamachi Kama, grilled yellowtail collar cheek, was next. This is a rare find in the suburbs, in fact, I almost never see it. Basically, it's like the KFC of the Japanese - try it, you'll love it. It's the broiled cheek of a large yellowtail fish. So crispy on the outside, and juicy on the interior. It's served with ponzu sauce, which was very traditional. I enjoyed it very much. Obviously, this was a frozen portion but it was cooked well, and retained the juiciness inside that is critical. It's fun to eat too, as there are a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. My server was confused when I ordered it, so I had to point it out on the menu to her (it's under the appetizers, although it's a fairly meaty portion of 3 ounces, or so). Finally, I had my set sushi deluxe. I'm not crazy about receiving my sushi all at one time, since I'm a stickler for rice temperature and fish, but this was lunch, and I wasn't expecting an omakase at a restaurant next to a national park. Anyway, the neta (fish) was all very fresh, in fact, some of them almost melted in my mouth fresh! Not terribly varied, but at least they had a silver fish. The server did not explain any of the fish to me. It was served with a california roll. I didn't want to ask for another roll, because I was scared to confuse my waitress, too much! That said, the california roll was well formed and fresh. I asked for brown rice, since I'm battling the post-holidays bulge, but I can say that their shari (rice) was slightly above room temperature (good!), a touch sweet (great!), and well formed (did not fall apart). All in all, a very good experience, considering the location. I'll be back, probably many times to explore other selections on the menu, such as the eel and squid options.
(4)Gerald S.
Ota-Ya requires a bit of patience to find. Sitting out back off Cambridge Lane in Newtown, it is easy to have never known that this place existed. It is next door to Mamita's, the new Central American resto. If you don't know where that is, then you need to call ahead to speak with the very friendly owners who are accustomed to directing lost patrons. If you are familiar with the current state of Sushi/Japanese houses; this is not that. It is an older space, without the front row knifemen flashing blades nor rice shapers. All that creative stuff is done in the back (kitchen). What you see is the finished product brought to you by management or an on-the-ball server who knows everything about the menu, and will tell you what she/he thinks is de rigor for lunch or dinner. The floor plan is rather small for a contemporary restaurant, reflecting that Ota-Ya has been slicing fish for a long time without the need for floorshows. The aura is dark, the tables and chairs old, and the overall atmospherics close and subdued. Whispering comes naturally. But, in exchange for being the anti-Oishi in Ntown you get the best sushi. Fresh, creative, aesthetic and self-assured. If you love old Zato-Ichi movies, this is your place. The blind swordsman sits quietly while the nasty Samurais' steel slice each other up defending their noble's honor. Finally, when the dominant villian and his henchman are about to kill the last innocent, Zato-Ichi excuses himself meekly, unsheathes his short sword, and dispatches the baddies while holding a baby in his free hand. "...so sorry for the disturbance, young prince..." Have whatever you want here. It is all very good. If raw fish is not for you, there is plenty of excellent Tempura, Teriyaki, Udon, Bentos, and Salads. The owners are happy to chat with you if they have time, and if not crowded feel free to ask for a refill of the Green Tea and sit a while.
(5)Alyssa C.
The sushi is good. The only thing negative about this place is LITERALLY. THEY ARE SO STINGY WITH THE SPICY MAYO. SO STINGY! EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! I will literally order for four people and ask for spicy mayo for all dishes, and they'll give me ONE CONTAINER. literally you can specifically ask for multiples and you will only get one every time it's literally bullshit like you have to start world war three to get the proper amount of condiments.
(3)R S.
Great staff, great food. Long wait possible (call ahead), cramped, super loud. The place is very tight and the local scream at each other instead of talking. The food is so good, but it's better for groups, because you may not want a date with so much noise.
(4)