Osaka-Ya

Hello Friends, My name is Hiroshi. Being Japanese, I often get asked where I go for good Japanese foods here in Portland. This 'Osakaya' is the one that I recommend. It is delicious at very, very reasonable price with very friendly service. This place makes me fee like I.m back at home. I've know chef Mitsu-san for about 25years. He is a great chef, but very humble. He is friendly but very soft-spoken. He is a real 'Shoku-nin' (skilled professional'). My wife & I were there this past Saturday. She had a Tempura-soba. I had a Ten-don(Tempura Donburi) and a bowl of Sake Steamed Clam). Oh, they were so good!!! Oishii, Oishii!!!(Delicious, Delicious!!!) You know, when you go to Japan, you'll hear people exclaiming ""Oishii, Oishii!! at restaurants or dining places. This is a joyful exclamation. That's because they are simply so delicious. These words come out of your mouth without thinking just like music. We don't care about so much about candle light or valet parking as long as we have 'Oishii Foods'. Hiroshi more

I am not sure if they are under new management but I am finding the quality of this restaurant getting worse. Last night I had a California roll with ""Real"" crab. I truly believe it came out of a tin can from Trader Joes. It had no flavor. I told the sushi chef. He just said ""real crab"" and no more. I didn't eat it and they still charged me. The woman at check-out register asked me if everything was ok I told her my story. She had no response and charged me the full amount. Too many great sushi places in portland to go back here... hope things improve... Pros: No crowds Cons: Getting sloppy more

Osakaya on Macadam has proven repeatedly to be a best choice for food, service, parking and cozy atmosphere. I especially like the salmon..just thinking about it makes my mouth water. The wait staff are always attentive and eager to get you what you want. I have eaten at the Osakaya's that are part of the chain and I would not recommend them. However, this gem on Macadam is the BEST! Pros: Food, service, parking more

The fish is always quite good and I get the impression that some of the negative reviews are for other locations. If I understand correctly there is a chain of Osaka-Yas in Portland, however, this particular location (Macadam) is no longer part of that chain. Pros: Great fish/fare Cons: Easily confused with other locations of poorer quality more

This place is just awful. I have gone here several times since the location is close to where I work, but I will not be returning. I ordered an ahi roll this last time and I could tell just be looks that the fish was not close to being fresh and they had given me a cut with a lot of connective tissue. I ate one piece and stopped. I didn't want to risk getting sick for something that tasted so awful. Its been a month since I was there and I am still trying to regain my love for sushi - although this next time I will gladly drive the extra distance to go somewhere that prides itself on fresh fish and quality service. Pros: Can't think of any? Perhaps the fact that there is always parking available out front... Cons: awful service, ambiance, and definitely the sushi quality more

Food was great, but was juxtapositioned by a snobbish middle-aged Japanese woman who had her nose so far in the air as if it was waaaaaay beneath her royal lineage to be serving the likes of us! Pros: great food Cons: Queen of Japan snobbish waitress more

My daughters and I started going here regularly when we moved back downtown this past summer. There was a friendly waiter who really likes kids and was always accommodating. Don't know here he has been the past few times we have gone. But service has been terrible lately and except the sushi, the food has also not been great. Tonight we arrived and waited (empty restaurant) nearly 7 minutes while the Owner (we think) and a server argued about a check. I had an infant in arms and a three year old who wanted her ""MISO SOUP""!!!!. I'm all about patience, however no eye contact nor someone saying, ""we'll be right with you"" although we were 2-feet away, made us feel uncomfortable. When we were seated and waited at least 10 minutes until a server came to our table (still only 2-3 tables in restaurant) while a party of three Japanese men were promptly seated at the same time and doted upon the entire time we were there right next to us. Requested that the ""egg"" sashimi to either not be on the sampler platter I had ordered or switched out - then told not substitutions could be made. I ask for this all the time, even at restaurants in large cities like NY and am accommodated because I'm highly allergic to eggs. Sampler platter came with egg sashimi on it anyway, even though I said that it was fine that they not substitute anything, just PLEASE don't put it on. I'm disappointed that a place that is very close to where I live isn't somewhere I'm comfortable going anymore. I may check back in 4-6 months, but will be looking for another local small sushi / Japanese restaurant in the area that will be more accommodating and friendly. Cons: Service, Over priced Wine more

I recently had lunch at Koji. I've been there before and had the lunch tempura special. This time, however, it was doughy and I could tell that the oil used to fry was not fresh. The sake nigiri wasn't much to write home about either. A disappointment. I ordered basically the same meal just a few weeks before at a strip-mall Japanese restaurant in San Diego. Cheaper and ten times better. I won't return to Koji. more

Nice staff. A bit spendy, but the fish is always great. more

Having lived there for more than a decade, in Japan, Koji Osakaya would hardly rate as much more than a decent cafeteria (in a good location on Broadway). Bush Garden, for example, vastly outweighs Koji in authenticity, quality and sevice. Some of Koji's fare is quite good with most being merely pleasantly edible. Very few true surprises waiting for you here. It's a good choice if in a mild rush to find a place on the main drag and to watch Japanese college exchange students hang out. Pros: Good first experience, All the standards, Location Cons: Average quality, Prices, Service more

We have been to the downtown location many times, mostly for dinner. We have tried a variety of dishes, and we have yet to find something disappointing. For vegetarians, I highly recommend the eggplant teriyaki and the vegetable tempura rolls. I really like their Ten Zaru (cold soba noodles and tempura) and the Yakitori. My wife enjoyed the sliced ribeye and onion donburi, as well as the udon soup from the specials whiteboard (perfect for a cold fall evening). In some cases they have been willing to make us something for dinner even though it was only on the lunch menu, and to make rolls without wasabi to please our four year old. The downtown location is small and often you have to wait a while for a table, but it it only a few steps from a Max station. Pros: Excellent food, Vegetarian friendly, Next to Max Cons: Crowded more

My family and I frequent Kojis often. Mostly for an early lunch, which after eating dinner I found is the best value. The food is delicious and early in the day the staff if very friendly and accomodating. Toward the night it gets sketchy. Definitely hit Koji's for an early lunch and you wont be disappointed. The portions for lunch stay the same for dinner, but the prices go up. Soup and salad arrived at the same time as the dinner, which was awkward to say teh least. Pros: Good Lunch, Authentic Food Cons: Spendy Dinner more

It can't get much worse than this. Especially when your waiter brings your long overdue food to the table after hotboxing a cigarette. Never again. Cons: smokey, poor service, poor quality more

I have eaten at Koji several times and enjoy the food very much. Everything has always been fresh and flavorful. The atmoshphere; however, can be a bit intimidating and distracting. It is noisy, crowded, and feels a little pressured. The prices are reasonable and the portions are large. The wait staff are very knowledgeable and helpful, but again it feels a bit rushed. Pros: good food, good prices, knowlegable staff Cons: crowded, noisy, no parking more

Great sushi, great hours of operation, great service, and informal atmostphere. more

We went Friday night and I have to say getting into a sushi place without a wait in portland is nice. The eda mame was great, but small in portions. The mixed drinks were ok, nothing special. The sushi- we ordered 3 specialty rolls- loved one, hated one liked the 3rd. Think the House 21 was the stinker. The tuna was fresh and good, and we enjoyed the rest of the sushi we ordered. Not the best and truly Americanized. Large menu, staff seemed inexperienced but friendly. In a pinch we'll head back, but won;t ver be ""jonsing"" for Koji. Pros: quick seating, quick service, freindly staff Cons: missed items, one nasty roll more

My husband and I go to the Koji's in Beaverton and have always found the sushi to be fresh and delicious. The staff is attentive and friendly, too. The best part? It's so affordable that you can eat sushi until you're full and pay less than $50!! Pros: Inexpensive, Fresh more

This used to be one of my favorite, but it has been going down hill slowly and steadily. The fish is not a consistantly fresh as it was 6 months ago and the service is faltering as well. It took me an hour and a half one day for a small lunch for two people, and there were only two other tables of people. more

Try the NW special - Godzilla and crush that tasty fire breather in your mouth! Pros: location, price, quality Cons: service, parking, seating more