Steve Goodson
My daughter and I went to get food to go this evening…had the opportunity to speak with Wen (owner) for quite some time!!! I usually shy away from “smoked salmon”, but he said the Helena Roll was one of the favorites on the menu. HE WAS RIGHT! The crab, cream cheese, and smoked salmon paired perfectly! Thanks for the conversation and for turning me to a new favorite!
… moreMary Costlow
A few friends and I ate at Osaka after church this past Sunday. It was standing room only when we arrived. They are a quaint place with friendly staff. After about 20 minutes we were seated. All of us decided on having the Habichi shrimp meal. The meals did not disappoint and were delicious. I will go back to dine and recommend them to anyone hunting an Asian restaurant. Fairly extensive menu and they do serve alcohol.
… moreDoug Allen
Great cleaning inviting atmosphere. We ate at 4pm but didn’t feel like we were early for dinner or late for lunch. Typical ginger dressing on the salad which was nicely chilled snd crisp. Miso soup was too salty for my wife but good for me. I had the don katsu which was little over done but nice and crunchy. Pork loin can be so dry and pounder that thin, easy to overcook. My wife’s steak hibachi was tender and loved the noodles. Fried rice maybe a little soft.
… moreShannon Nash
Tried out the new Osaka Japanese sushi and steakhouse in Helena, AL for the first time this weekend.
We had been to the old BBQ restaurant at that location and the interior was completely revamped and looked very nice.
We were seated quickly and greeted promptly. But what caught me off guard was the lack of a hibachi grill. Which is a staple for a hibachi Japanese restaurant.
Typical “Americanized” Japanese menu with hibachi and teriyaki choices as well as a large sushi menu. We did not try the sushi so I cannot give it an honest review.
We ordered steak hibachi and shrimp hibachi. The beef/onion soup was bland and under seasoned. The salad with ginger dressing was smothered in dressing which lacked any ginger flavor at all and was overall just “blah”.
Our meals came out within 5 minutes of ordering which made me think that the majority of the meal was not “made to order.”
Steak was cooked to a nice medium, as ordered, but it was also under seasoned. Shrimp was warm, not hot and under seasoned and bland as well.
Vegetables were soft and mushy, very overcooked. And unfortunately…bland.
Fried rice, which should be the star of the show at any Japanese restaurant was the big disappointment. Very little egg involved and absolutely no veggies mixed in with the fried rice. No sauce or seasoning was palatable either. So sad!
Prices were what you would expect at an upper scale Japanese restaurant. Way over priced for what you get.
So if you like bland undercooked hibachi then this place is for you. Otherwise, make it a hard pass!
I did give it two stars, instead of one, because it was very clean and the wait staff was very prompt and attentive.
I hope they take this review as constructive criticism and make improvements on the food quality. They have a nice restaurant at an underserved location and could do very well with some improvements.
… moreMalia Robinson
We usually dine in and service is always fantastic!
Ordered take out tonight, Monday evening and it was ready in 20 minutes. Everything was still hot when I got home, and delicious as if we had dined in.
… moreCarissa Mishoe
We are spoiled by having this place so close to our house. We have been pleased with the food and service since our first visit. We are becoming “regulars” here because of the quick service and their food always hits the spot. Always fresh ingredients for their sushi and have never ordered anything We didn’t like. Definitely a must go place for a relaxed dinner or quick meal.
… moreAurelia Davis
I usually don’t write reviews for restaurants but for Osaka I had too. I ordered the combination filet and scallop it was Horrible!! The meat had a lot of stringy fat, the rice taste old, and the rock and roll
Sushi disgusting……Wasted $44… Never again!!!
“Prices Do Not Reflect the Quality of Food”
… moreKelsey
I’ve tried this place for lunch and take out. It was great both times! The service was wonderful. The food well seasoned and their yum yum is the style I prefer. The portions are generous for take out and perfect for lunch (maybe a bit more than expected for lunch). I was not disappointed here. Such a welcomed addition to the food options in Helena! Thank you!
… moreVon Ellis
Excellent foods and great friendly and knowledgeable service. Love was our server and she answered all my questions and provided me with the knowledge I needed to make a decision. I went with the Bento special and it comes with a ton of food. A week later we did takeout and it also provided a lot of left overs. Would recommend!
… moreJa Meal
Ordered a filet and shrimp lunch special rice only. Order was repeated at pick up. I received the order with an abundance of vegetables in which I am allergic. I called the restaurant to state the issue with order. I was treated very rude by the staff that answered the phone. No apology for error in order. He was very rude. And stated bring it back but dont touch the food!! What is that about? (Will they re serve it to someone else? That is clearly against health code) I will not return nor recommend. Now I have wasted my time money and lunch break to only still not be able to eat. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND STAFF
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