Ootoya Reviews

Delicious food! ... Great atmosphere! ... Excellent service! ... This is a must visit restaurant! Everything was superb.

I was in New York City for business and decided to try out Ootoya for dinner. Authentic Japanese menu beyond the basics....DELISH!

The Sashimi 5 Ten Mori was literally a joke! At $40 (say $33 if factoring in a baked-in 20% gratuity) this entree was very, very, very small and comparable an appetizer costing around $18 anywhere else. Even the other two dishes we ordered were exorbitantly priced for the amount of food served. And for that matter, so was the sake. Every single element of this dinner was a complete disappointment. A lovely waiter checked in on us and I shared my disbelief at the size of the Sashimi 5 Ten Mori. He took it upon himself to speak with the manager who didn’t even approach our table directly but sent a message with the waiter that there was nothing for him to do and suggested we fill out a survey at the end of the meal. Are you freaking kidding me? Complete a paper survey at how disappointing our meal was? Instead of speaking to us yourself? AVOID this place and go to any other Japanese restaurant...it’s a complete rip off and waste if money.

This place took me back to my time in Okinawa. I had forgotten how much I love real Japanese food, not Japanese Steakhouse or Sushi, the kind of food I ate when we went to the homes of our Okinawan friends. Very friendly service and wonderful food. I will be back.

Went here following 'sushi near me' on Yelp after not being enthralled walking into Monster Sushi a few blocks away. Ootoya has a beautiful interior, very friendly and helpful service, not at all typical American-Japanese restaurant food that was very tasty as well. Prices not bad for the quality of the place. We seemed to be the only non-Japanese people there when we went (pretty late on a Thursday night). We had the 'tofu with world select salt' appetizer which I certainly have never seen before -- three very tasty and unusual salts! My sushi dish had a softly poached egg on top.

If it was minus zero stars, I will have choose that option. I work in the food industry as well and especially in that time but wow, how poorly we have been treated. First we made a google reservation and been told that we can’t eat inside with 2 kids because we made a reservation with google, just right here my mind got blown. I was well after such a longtime not eating out let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Well didn’t get better from there. We ordered 2 fish and a kid meal wit and appetizer and Chawanmushi but never made it to the table only the fish. Even kid meal took 40 mn in the freezing cold with only 18 ppl capacity inside. Yes we were the only one outside. No manager, no apologies and price bill. I used to eat there so many time and had so many great memories but this time was so awful. People treat everyone with respect, not giving attention to everyone inside and forgetting us . For me every customers are vip and should be treated with special care, especially in this unfortunate time. No publicity but if you come where I am , I will make you feel so happy and so appreciated. We will take care of you and your guests to the maximum level of restaurant industry can provide. But thank you for nothing. Felt to the bottom of my list.

Menu selection is pretty good if you like cooked Japanese food, i had the yakitori bento, i liked that and it came with chawamushi...very smooth texture. I don't think they have sushi or ramen there. Generous serving and nicely presented. Service was good and efficient.

I was excited about the great reviews and the online menu for this restaurant - was looking forward to the meal. Menu has a very wide selection and I'd say the best looking items looked to be the grilled fish options, especially in the set menu set. My parents each had a grilled fish or pork set and it was terrific and great value. I was hoping for more sushi selection but chose the 'pressed salmon sushi' set. By 'pressed' they meant sushi nigiri (slices of fish on top of rice) and it was served in several styles including raw, grilled with basil oil or something, something with mayonnaise. I asked for no mayonnaise but it came with it anyways. The sushi did looked 'pressed' (whatever that means) - almost like it was made by a machine. Thick, perfectly rectangular blocks of rice with little hint of vineger had equally perfect rectangles of salmon on top. It didn't taste authentic at all and was generally disappointing. I'd still return to this restaurant but definitely not for the sushi - will go for the grilled fish sets which looked great. It was busy - reservations definitely recommended. Service was very good and attentive.

Really cool Japanese spot tucked away in the Flatiron district. We got there at 515pm and there was already a bunch of people waiting at the door. Definitely get there early if you want a table (seating begins at 530pm.) We sat at the bar and ordered the chirashi bowl, the mini chicken bowl, the grilled pork belly set and a mochi dessert. The chirashi bowl was absolutely delicious. The rice was seasoned perfectly and it had lots of yummy fish and roe throughout. I think chirashi is actually my new favorite to order at sushi spots. The grilled pork belly set though was a bit of a disappointment. It lacked flavor and was pale in color (needed more grill marks or more of a sear, since the paleness kinda made it a bit unappetizing.) The mini ground chicken bowl was nice, the egg was a nice touch, but nothing too memorable. Finally the dessert was just okay. It was a red bean, mochi and ice cream dessert but lacked enough sweetness to really end the meal. This place was quite popular though and maybe we just didn't order the right items (didn't have a chance before hand to check reviews on what were the must-trys.) The woman host/floor manager was super nice and accommodating though, she really made our experience wonderful. The waitress was also really helpful and nice and I would definitely recommend coming here if you want some authentic Japanese food. Just make sure you check out the reviews first to see what the best items are!

Went to this restaurant the booking was a total chaos the reason why people wait for 30 to 40 minutes is because they are not organised not because they are the most fantastic restaurant.. After the chaos when we got the table menu are presented and then believe it or not 40% of the items from the menu was finished. If you think having pork belly with Japanese seasoning and mash potato as "Japanese cuisine " then this could be your place. The waiters when you ask them which is the signature dish - they end up recommending all the dishes including salad. Don't waste your precious time queuing in lovely New York there are far better things to do the queue up for an average restaurant.

My husband and I love Asian comfort food especially when we are away from home so we always like trying izakayas. We first saw this chain in Tokyo and had never tried it so when one finally opened in North America - it was worth a visit. We glanced on the reviews and they seemed pretty decent on YELP - but now that I am checking on Tripadvisor it seems a lot of people are disappointed in their service. The restaurant DOES allow reservations - but only for 6pm. We made reservations and happy that we did because there was a line up as we arrived! Plan ahead if you want to come here without waiting instead of dealing with a long queue. We were seated on the second floor overlooking the grilling station and part of the kitchen. The service was quick but I wouldn't say they were rude or trying to hurry us out of the restaurant. The food was delicious - make sure you get some sort of Yakitori - we tried some chicken and beef skewers and my husband ordered one of the Hokke sets. I think I ate half of his mackerel because it was better than my cinnamon pork. Their traditional desserts are good for the Asian palette - light and not too sweet. We are definitely going back the next time we are in NYC - there was a bonito flake salad appetizer that we saw several tables order but we didn't have a chance to get. The price is pretty decent for what you get. Go early and avoid lining up.

I ate here with some work colleagues. We had a table in the back corner. It was great for the space but lousy for the service. At times it felt like our server forgot about us. They would come back to refill water glasses but ignored the refills for the soft drinks. We had to finally ask for more. The food was good. I had the Kaage which was fried chicken with garlic flavoring. It came with rice, pickled carrots, miso soup, and a small salad. My colleagues had the Spring Gozen and the Sukiyaki. The advertising was true about not accepting a tip. There was no line for a tip on the bill and even though I left a tip, I was not charged for it. I gave the lady at the coat check a couple of dollars and she seemed totally surprised and awkwardly received it.

My son loves Japanese culture, food, the language, etc. We live in the midwest, but he went to college in CT and found Ootoya on a visit to NYC. He raved, so we tried the place ourselves during a visit. We were very pleased and will definitely return when we have the chance. Lucky New Yorkers with so many amazing choices.

Not sushi, but better than good Japanese food. Fine, attentive service. No tipping makes the slightly higher than expected cost more acceptable

This is my third visit!! Almost every dish is amazing, very stylish restaurant. They don't take reservation so be prepared to wait a bit, most of the time is full.

Amazing atmosphere - they announce a greeting to every guest - all the waiters and cooks "sing" a type of hello whenever someone new comes in. Full of Japanese diners so you know the food is authentic and excellent. Amazing sushi, sashimi, and other cooked Japanese dishes. My only advice is not to waste your time/money/stomach space on a "set", just order a la carte dishes. Sets are big trays with a bunch of useless sides - the main courses are what you want. Small place in Chelsea neighborhood. Amazing!

Very interesting dinner--an education as well as a meal. Some dishes we loved (washu beef, chicken breast with plum sauce, tofu with selected salts), some dishes/accompaniments we didn't (bonito flakes, egg custard). All were interesting--we were glad we went beyond our comfort zone. And our server was very patient with our many questions, and our plebeian tastes.

Solid, good food, but in terms of food/dollar ratio, I'd say average. For three people, including tip, cost roughly $160. Yakitori Totto is a better deal and tastes significantly better. We had the Tsumami Tororo Soba (feels scratchy and slimy at the same time) and the Tsumami Ume Oroshi (which smells like feet) and no one really enjoyed either. Reminds me of the soba at Matsugen, which was a Jean Georges restaurant, and horrible. To be fair, the soba here was far better than Matsugen. The yakitori overall was satisfactory. Had the tsukune (salty), tebasaki (very good sweet), momo ninniku (salty) and kawa. The kawa in particular was not good or crispy and the texture felt like pure fat (Yakitori Totto makes it crispier to eliminate the chewy fattiness). Also had the Saba and Toro Aji which were both great and flavorful, but far too many bones to eat comfortably. Still, well worth the hassle to eat. The restaurant has a good atmosphere and the second story is relatively quiet and private.

The reviews brought us to this place. We were told a 25-35 minute wait, which was fine. We left and had a drink down the street while waiting. About 15 minutes into our wait, we were called to let us know a table was ready. We were taken to a table upstairs. We were a lot disappointed with this location, but kind of had no choice. The hostess gave us no option. So that was a disappointment. The menu was extensive. In fact we needed guidance from our waitress who was most helpful. We ordered food that we typically would not have. It was really, really good. Fresh and flavorful. The bill was very reasonable for NYC. My wife needed to use the restroom before we left. She was disgusted with the filth in there. Not good!!! Dirty with a few bugs. That needs to be cleaned up. But we both thought the food outweighed the negatives. We would definitely go back.

Since we were the only non-Japanese guests here I suspect that this restaurant offers real Japanese food. In any case, I really liked it. They also have an amazing selection of sake, and the very friendly waiter advised me, had me taste some of them, that was very good. I would definitely go back here when I'm in NYC again!

We stopped here for a late lunch - we had the nabe and the tonkatsu set. The soup for the nabe was very delicious - clear soup with a very pure simple taste. The pork was very fresh and the tonkatsu came out well. The meals were a set and came with the usual pickles rich and soup. Interesting thing about this restaurant is that it is a "tip-included"/tip free" restaurant, meaning they stated clearly that they "pay their server well enough" that the customers do not have to tip for the servers to have a reasonable income. That said, I found the prices reasonable.

Through a narrow entrance you get into a nice, very Japanese long room with tables on the left hand side. You eventually reach the "large" part of the restaurant with reasonably sized tables and nice decorations. The quality of the food is good, not exceptional, and the service somehow slow, they seem to be unable to bring all the orders at the same time even for a party of five. Our tonkatsu was good, but not so the dessert, an ordinary scoop of vanilla ice cream served in an iced bowl. The green tea was probably the most exotic thing on the menu, and we all enjoyed it.

The Lunch combo included a delicious bowl of Udon and salmon chirashi. Very nice. I walked in as a solo diner and was immediately seated at the counter in the rear f the restaurant. The service was prompt and polite and the food was excellent and reasonably priced for NYC. I would definitley recommend this place.

We made a reservation and we are glad that we did. When we got there, there were some empty tables, but soon they were all taken and there was a waiting line. Food was good and much better compared to what we can get in most Japanese restaurants in the DC area where we live. Overall, we were satisfied and would recommend this restaurant to those who want to eat Japanese food.

We were guided to Ootoya by my sister-in-law, who is from Japan. She recommended this restaurant as being very authentically Japanese and very good. She steered us towards the grilled fish (hokka), burger and getting the set, with the chawan mushi (silky savory custard), pickles, winter squash, miso soup, rice and seaweed as side dishes. We had these and only ventured out to one dish with sashimi (yellowtail, salmon and maguro). The fish was very fresh, but they had okra and a sauce that got the gummy texture of the okra, making every bite the same texture. This was no fun! I think it was called Hanabi wan. Next time we will stick to the recommendation to get the pork katsu, which looked very tasty, to judge from other tables. Service was excellent and well-paced. They don't take reservations, so if you are not the first group at 5:30 PM, be ready to wait a while.

My friend and I shared a few pieces of sashimi to start--excellent and fresh. For our shared entree, we had the Buta Kim-Chee Nabe Hot Pot and I seriously will never forget that pork belly. It was actually my first time having pork belly (though I love pork in all its forms) and it was absolutely DELICIOUS. Three pieces of sashimi and a shared hot pot was enough food for two without spending a lot or feeling super full. Gratuity is included in all the prices at Ootoya and I found the prices very reasonable for NYC (and this is coming from somebody who lives in the Southwest and thinks NYC is mega expensive, so that's saying a lot).

Went to Ootoya for a Friday night dinner. Ordered food at 9:20, by 10:20 we had only been served a salad. Other parties who were seated after us received their entrees. We notified the manager, who actually had the audacity to start arguing with us (she claimed we hadn't waited an hour; when we asked her to check the computer, she realized the mistake and blamed it on "too many yakitori orders"). After we argued for 5 minutes, she offered the meal "on the house". Later she came back though and said since we got our salad on time they would charge us for it (some people have no shame). Food was decent but not worth an hour wait. We will not be returning.

The waiter was very nice and explained some of the dishes that I wasn't familiar with. The food was excellent and it looked amazing :D Made me fall in love even more with sashimi.

A group of us came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. Since we had a reservation, we were seated on the second floor overlooking the premises and it really was the best seat in the house. From the food to the service, the entire dining experience was a pleasure. We ordered from fish dishes to tonkatsu to kaisen don and everyone was pleased with the food. The entree portions were quite large too, but not to the point that left you no room to dessert. We shared earl gray ice cream, moji as well as another dish with green tea ice cream and red beans in it and everything was to die for. Definitely going back.

All their locations that I've been to In Manhattan have served consistently excellent food. Usually a wait though. If you're a fan of traditional Japanese this is the place to go for a good value (not cheap) meal.

One of my besties in NYC let me in on the Ootoya experience and this is the first time I have ever ticked the "Is this one of the best meals you've had in a restaurant" fields...because it was! Not only is this fantastic Japanese cuisine, it is INCREDIBLY cheap for NYC. Like I'm almost scared to talk too much about it cause I don't want too many people to start going there and have demand push up the prices! Having said that, the queue was OUT THE DOOR by the time we left, so go early (we had an 11.45 booking). Check out the Bento boxes we had below. So damned good. ABSOLUTE must do when in NYC.

Stepping off the street into Ootoya is like stepping into a typical modern Japanese restaurant in Japan. The decor and ambiance is Japanese, many of the diners and most of the staff are Japanese. The food is good quality and nicely prepared and presented. This is not a typical sushi place so don't expect an abundance of Maki rolls.

I have been to Ootoya twice. I have enjoyed the food there both times. It is down to earth Japanese comfort food, simply well prepared.

Was in the mood for Japanese food after having my haircut at Cowlicks. A Japanese style hair salon. My stylist recommended it. As it turned out my wife had been there before. I had sukiyaki which is a favorite of mine. It was really good. I guess health laws do not allow a fresh egg. My wife also had a delicious meal. It’s close to japan in the mid range pricing. Would recommend it if in the area.

I was taken there by some students from NYU, and was very happy to discover their lunch combinations. I had the BUTA SHIO KOJI WITH NEGISHIO (silky pork loin) which was served with Rice, Miso Soup (Pork and Vegetables), Homemade Pickles and Steamed Egg Custard. It was all delicious, and very different from my usual sushi/sashimi combo.

Great food, combining traditional japanese culinary with traces of noveau cuisine. Staff helpufull and extremelly polite. And with an unsual feature for restaurants in America: is a non tip restaurant. What you pay is what you eat (and drink).

We called around 6 for a reservation but we were told that the wait is very small so that we should be able to be served once we arrived. I think we waited for 40 minutes though once we got there. But if the food was terrible I would have complained but the food was lovely and well worth the wait. I got the Kaisen Don, I'm a big fan of uni and it was so yummy and pretty at the same time! I would go again if I had the chance and would say the wait was worth it!

I had the tonkatsu and the matcha dessert, all great, but seems like a few items in the menu were not availabe. The egg custard was delicious!

I have lost my mind that I am in NYC, because all dishes I ordered were so delicious and real Japanese taste. It's kind of sensitive flavors such as wasabi, yuzu(sort of citrus), kosho(pepper) are no difference with the ones we eat in Japan. One thing that I want to inform everyone is Ootoya in Japan is more casual restaurant, but in NYC very luxury atmosphere.

You know the restaurant is good when there's already a line outside waiting 30 minutes before the restaurant even opens for dinner. It's also a good sign when you see a lot of native Japanese speaking customers. The food as you would expect is very authentic and has a lot of selections that you don't normally see at other Japanese restaurants. I recommend getting the sets, which come with several side dishes like pickled vegetables, soup, egg custard etc and it's only a few dollars more than getting the entree on its own. The only negative is that there's not a lot of seating and it's not particularly good for groups either, unless it's for an event or party, in which case they have a private room on the second floor that you can reserve.

Stopped by on my own for lunch and enjoyed a terrific lunch at the counter. I love counters/bar lunches when I am on my own, and this place has very comfortable seating. Place is buzzy and filled with people who clearly enjoy food. The lunch - presented on a tray - includes delicious savoury egg custard, miso soup, excellent pickles, and super good wasabi. I ordered the Kaiser Don which includes great sashimi over rice - excellent selection of tuna, salmon, salmon roe, scallop, and uni. Very nice. Lunch also comes with very good green tea. Service is included, so good value for above average food and service. Inside is much bigger space than expected with two levels. Overall very pleasant and definitely worth a repeat visit. Service is also very friendly. Loved it.

We had an exquisite Japanese meal. Homemade tofu salad was shared by all with great reviews. Salmon plate featured a range of raw to seared sushi size salmon. For light fare there are mini sushi bowls. Interior design is simple yet sophisticated, but we prefer downstairs seating. Always go for Set order which includes miso soup, salad and delicious egg custard for a nominal additional cost. The management should reconsider their policy of taking reservations only for 6 o'clock, for other times you need to wait in line.

It is an authentic Japanese Restaurant, not cheap but we really enjoyed the food and the evening Service was very good.

It's like eating in Japan. Must make your dish "set", comes with a Chawan Mushi (savory pudding), veggies pickles, tasty Miso soup and fluffy rice! After many visits, I like their pork cutlet but the curry was a bit to be desired. Grilled fish is excellent choice. My favorite is Saba (salted mackerel), fatty and excellent with Daikon Oroshi (shredded). Least fave of all fishes is Shima Hokke, many tiny bones made not easy to eat. I also liked Sushi and pressed Sushi, Kimuchi Nabe (hotpot), any Donburi (over rice) and Buta Cinnamon (grilled pork belly). They worked very well with a non-alcoholic beer, Krin Free. For desserts, few choices but they are all good! My fave is in photo attached, grapefruit sorbet.

Excellent food, good for groups, great staff, making a reservation is good, very good for dinner. Loved it!

My friends insisted to take me out to Ootoya for my birthday dinner. Their menu highlights home cooked Japanese plates as supposed to the usual sushi rolls and sashimi that most people are used to. We came in at 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday night. The wait was already over an hour but we put our name down anyway and came back when they called us. We seated at the counter right in front of the kitchen which was nice since we were able to see the action straight from where we sat. I ordered their Yakitori-Ju set; It was grilled to perfection, flavorful and generous in size. My friend ordered their marinated salmon dish set and it was also cooked very nicely. Sake selection is also very good, our server was very knowledgeable about their sake list and was able to make recommendations . I will definitely come back! Their price range is also very reasonable for Manhattan. I left the dining room feeling very satisfied.

We had a nice family meal at Ootoya Chelsea the other night. A mixture of Yakitori and Sukiyaki with miso sides, and drinks. Our server was good, and quick at bringing the food, which was well-prepared and very tasty. The reason for the terrible review is that a little more than an hour after we were seated, when we had just paid our bill and were finishing our tea, someone on the management team came up to our table and asked us to leave, because there were many people waiting for tables. Another five minutes and we would have left of our own accord. I have never been treated so shabbily before, and will not be returning to Ootoya. There are better Japanese restaurants out there, with management who know how to treat their guests.

With 3 friends at the 2nd location at 41st 6 Ave. We were there without reservation at about 8pm on Thurs, but fortunately it was just 5 mins wait. Nice decoration, helpful waiter and good food. We like the homemade tofu, too. I chose the chef recommanded set grilled fish ($22, tasted brown rice additional $2). The set was in good presentation: juicy fish, miso soup (interesting with chopped pork), smooth steamed egg, the beautiful fresh ground white radish and some seaweed things. We love the beatiful ice bucket for the plum wine. I am thinking to give 4 stars as some of the tablewares are in plastic, but only some of them and it is in midtown. Well, let's five!

This is mostly Yakitori, which was very good. Grilled fish was great too. A few sashimi items, and futomaki, but not a place for sushi. Cold soba, but no udon. Good selection of sake. "Set" meals worthwhile as they add miso, pickle, custard, and a vegetable for a couple of bucks extra. Was fine with kids, though they had soup, soba, and rice.

A friend selected this restaurant a s the place to meet up for lunch and enjoying some Japanese cuisine. Looking at the menu I need to say it doesn’t honor the meal as it will arrive at your table! I ordered conservative and was honestly thinking... what will I eat next BUT the food that finally arrived at my plate was not only enough and filling it offered a wide variety of different flavors and dishes. I was really positively surprised and enjoyed this delicious meal. ...and no worries... In case you don’t like Fish... there are plenty of chicken or vegetarian options. I can just recommend this place if you want to have a culinarily trip to Japan in the middle of New York

Delicious authentic Japanese food, nice atmosphere and great service, pricey but it’s worth. I loved the udon soup and the Donburi. Excellent location.

We went to two yakitori type Japanese restaurants on our trip. This was the winner by far (even though the other one is probably a little more well known after showing up on a foodie tv show). Food was absolutely delicious. We over ordered - but definitely enjoyed every single dish we shared. We asked our servers for some favorites and most of those were the top winners of our night. Only downside was a really gross moment when they were bringing us new plates and another person (not our server) also accidentally dropped off a cup of some already-chewed, discarded chicken bones from another table! Seriously unappetizing to see that before eating our meal. When we mentioned it to our server, he looked appalled and immediately took it away, but there was no apology or mention of it again after that nor discount or offer to make up for it. We are sure it was an unintentional mistake, but c'mon...that is just gross! So...to everyone else, I'm sure that won't happen to you, so go enjoy a fantastic meal there!

The front door is a bit tiny compare to the surrounding building. You can easily miss it especially if you are not paying attention. Luckily we have some very hungry ppl looking out for this. Key thing here is portion to price ratio. I honestly think for the price we aren't getting much in quantity but more in quality. For example, the salmon bowl and soba is only enough for about 2 bites if share with four people. We had that as appetizer and I think why in the world we just ate. Portion is a big problem. Since we are here for the quality of food and service, I will say my dinner is amazing. Either this location or one by the Greenwich, their standard doesn't lack. I have a salmon soup with the set. Do you honest need to charge $1 extra for multi grain rice? Is $30+ per entree not enough already? Best of all they don't charge tip but just tax. This is a non tipping restaurant and the service I can say is 5 star all the way. Waiter gave us warm towels, tea and smile. Food is delicious. I wish I ordered the beed soup bowl instead as they have the mushroom I wanted and the broth is out of this world. Do try this a few times and definitely a third or fourth date to place to impress.

It wasn't a busy night for Monday. The menu was different than the menu they had available on their website, which was fine, as I found alternatives. Service was brisk and courteous when I mentioned that we were short on time. I like how the entire wait staff shouts the greeting and the farewell when people enter and exit the restaurant. It's very customary of the Japanese restaurants. We ordered grilled mackerel set and a grilled salmon set. For my katsudon, I just ordered the bowl. While it might not look like much compared to the sets, it was more than plenty and steaming hot. Brown rice costs $1 more, something not pointed out when the choice was offerred. Maybe it was written somewhere on the menu, I couldn't be sure.

Stopped by for dinner, and had the "Kaisen Don" set and the "Salmon Don" set. The set includes soup, pickles and egg custard. The food was nicely presented, the tastes were excellent. The soup was as good if not better than any I have had in the the US (NYC & LA). I am not a fan of egg custard but this was very good, soft, slightly sweet, with a drop of fruit syrup.. The sashimi, was fresh. It was also sliced far too thinly, so that it tore as it was lifted. This was a disappointment as everything else was excellent and the fish was tasty. Price is a little high, at least high enough to warrant a proper service of fish. What is different in their pricing is that no tip is expected. The space is in three sections, up front some tables, then behind that a bar and table area and a balcony with more seating. The decor is simple, dark very Japanese.

We visited for a birthday and wanted real Japanese food. This chain from Japan is considered ordinary fare in Japan, but in the US it's special because it's pretty authentic. The food, ambiance, and service are all solidly above average by US standards. It's clean, too. Note that tips are included in the price, so even thought the prices may seem a touch high, no tipping is necessary.

my family went to Ootoya in Jan. 2013. we had to wait approximately 45 minutes because they do not take reservations. it was worth it. the food was terrific as well as the presentation. our waiter confused one of our selections, but it turned out to be yummy as well.....if you don't mind waiting, i would highly recommend this restaurant....it was very busy on a week night, and i was told it is like this all the time. Great find!!!

Agree this is more of a lunch place although they have sushi and sake, it's not that kind of lktchen. What they do is teishoku, which is a set meal served all together, common in Japan for lunch when people have limited time. And it's good and authentic, this being a branch of a Japanese chain. You can tell by the quality of the rice. We were there for RW, which had a different menu, but obvious the food is solid. Grilled fish done correctly.

I didn't find anything special about this place. I know Ootoya in Japan. It's just teishokuya. The one I went in New York (Chelsea), the ambiance is nice but the food is nothing but average. I don't think there is second time for me.

I got a recommendation for this place from a Japanese woman whose friends had told her they felt the ingredients used were exceptionally fresh and high quality. I went immediately and was totally impressed. Very busy, so I went early and was seated right away. I felt, though I've never been to Japan, that this food was not Americanized and was more authentic. About 80% of the customers were seemingly Japanese. The food was different than I was used to and wonderful. I felt I was expanding my Japanese food horizons! I've only been once, but I am telling people about it and will go over and over again. NYC has lots of Japanese restaurants but I'm convinced this is one of the best. And the price is still "reasonable" for what you get - not cheap, but worth it. Good design with touches of Nakashima and lots of space. You will not be crammed-in once you get seated. Excellent service and overall highly recommended! Loved the hot sake - best I've had. Do yourself a favor and go!

We were unfamiliar with the type of Teishoku Japanese cuisine Ootoya specializes in, and our server was helpful in discussing the differences of the dishes. He also guided us to the shoshu which he thought might suit our taste and the dishes we ordered. My husband's standard chicken yakitori was flavorful and beautifully presented. I ordered the set menu Kaasan Ni. It was heavenly! The mushrooms were so meaty and tender that I would have been happy with a bowl of just them. The breaded chicken remained crispy even with its submersion in a wonderfully flavorful sauce. We would return.

We had the chance to experience Ootoya, a Japanese chain that has made its way to USA. Try the Kaasanni chicken with egg and radish.Also the Yakitori ju grilled chicken is small skewers with various sauces and wasabi. Of course, Saki or Kirin help as well. Enjoyable

My son who loves Japanese cuisine selected this restaurant for us, 6 adults, 1 pre-schooler, 1 toddler, 1 infant. My son, wife and 2 children had already sat down, my group (4 adults and a baby) arrived shortly, so we were seated at a table far apart from each other at the other end; but later was moved close to each other when customers at the next table finished with their meais and left. The adults (who ordered different menu items) in our party said the food was pretty good. My order was a duplicate of my son's, sashimi with uni and salmon roe. The uni had some dark blood vessels and should not had been there; not to make too much fuss I just let it go. This was a detail that the cook should have NOT overlooked. I lived in Japan for one year and had excellent foods at various types of restaurants including those comparable to Ootaya: fine cuisine, delicate preparation, and exquisite presentation. I expected attention to details with my order, it was not an inexpensive item. Compared to what I had in Japanese, this is passable for Japanese food in the U.S. Though I would go back but would definitely bring to their attention if uni again came with dark blood vessels. Looking around, there were several Asian families with young children.

Always great food. Just started their new menu. More ala cart for the sides. Very creative dishes and very flavorful. Place was busy with alot of local Japanese people. So you know it must be good. Atmosphere and service was excellent. Sukiyaki was so so good!

This is a great, airy open space that it seems a lot of Japanese people go to -- which is a good sign when you're looking for authentic cuisine. I wouldn't recommend going with more than 2 people, though, because they have mostly tables for two and no waiting list after 6 pm. Go after 830 for less of a wait. I recommend the katzu don or the chicken one with the soup.

I looved this place. The atmosphere is beautiful and the staff was very very attentive. My family and I came here and had an amazing meal at a very very good price. I ordered the Wagyu beef on rice and I have to say I am still thinking about it. It'll be the dish that I came back here for. The meat was super tender and more flavorful than any I've had before and came in a portion that was very filling. The cheese and potato croquettes were a fantastic appetizer as was the salmon and pork katsu dish. The portions were generous. I highly recommend this place.

if you looking to feel like your eat good home cooked Japanese food .. there is no other place in NYC that beats this place. Great decor and wonderful selection of great food. Extremely busy so i recommend going early or late ... or just with 2 people. I am a regular and they've never failed my appetite for a scrumptious meal!

This restaurant in the city may present some parking challenges so I would tell you to avoid driving in the city as much as possible unless you like to spend a lot of money in parking. As we came in my friend told me that they here do not take tips, that they pay their staff enough so they dont need to be tipped, I am not sure about that cause I did not ask but if anyone who reads this has any idea on how this works please leave me a DM I would love to know more. They also only have an additional restaurant in the city and another in Japan, so there are 3 total. As we came in we were lucky case they didn't have reservations at the time cause it was ned their mid afternoon closing but it seems like they get pretty busy so it would be wise to not do like me and make a reservation before coming. The host no matter where they are from they will greet you in Japanese and so all the staff in the restaurant as you enter as well as all will say farewell in Japanese when you leave, that was a nice touch in my opinion. The decor here is dark and simple, it is a very cold but at the same time well thought out decoration for sure. I can't say this is a sexy or romantic atmosphere cause I did not fell that way but it is well decorated. POT STICKERS - we got a couple of them and they were good, made as usual and not much different than the usual you can see anywhere you go for this specialty of food. EHO- MAKI ROLL- so this is a roll the is seasonal for a celebration of something and we ordered it but the waiter I guess forgot so we never got it, once we finished our meal we mentioned to him so he could take it out of the check, he asked if we still wanted but we denied as we were all ready for dessert. MINI BOWL: KATSU DON - it was ok cause it comes with the side but in truth this is only good if you will either get a bunch of other small things and appetizers or you not sure about the food and never had it so u don't want to be leaving food behind, but if you do know this dish I would tell you to get the regular size cause the amount of rice and carbs are way too much and the protein here is minimal on the case of a mini bowl. SIDE SOBA- they give you the option of hot or cold Soba, I got the cold cause I was told that it is the best tasting of its kind, and they were not wrong, I loved it, it was pretty nice and sort o fun to be dipping the pasta on the sauce, it was cool. taste wise, it was nothing very special or memorable. ANMITSU- this is a Japanese dessert it seems, I never seen before so I am to sure how popular this is out there, but there is green tea ice reran, some mochi balls, red beans and a sauce to pour on top. it was pretty nice, but again nothing super memorable. I think this place overall had good tasting food, and some of the meals here have great serving sizes if you know what your are going for, so do your research before coming over and make sure to do make a reservation cause with only 2 venues here in the city they can get pretty busy and a table can be a challenge if you do not prepare. I would come back here to try more of their dishes for sure

Our friend took us to Ootoya on 18th Street West of 5th ave. The restaurant will only seat you when your whole party arrives. We were seated upstairs which was nice. The service and food were very good. I definitely recommend this place for either lunch or dinner.

Friends took us here for dinner on a Monday night. We still had to reserve as it's very popular. We ate around 8.30pm. The menu is typically Japanese but with flair. You can order several variations, just a meal but we all had the meal sets which are a main course of your choice that comes with extras on the side. Really tasty, really filling. Good service. Definitely reserve ahead. I think there are three of them in New York.

Having been to Ootaya several times, the food has been consistently good. However today I had the washu beef and my friend had the grilled salmon, we felt both dishes felt short. However, the condiment such as the steam egg (Japanese Egg Custard), miso soup, the seaweed rice and the Asian mashed potato were still pretty delicious.

The Ootoya restaurants are unique in that they are not serving your standard Japanese menu. There are lots of grilled meets and fish on the menu and some very good small vegetable dishes. I loved my Washu beef burger with miso sauce and the grilled butter fish with sides if kinpiri, sautéed veggs and rice. That said it is virtually void of charm and has a cafeteria feel. I didn’t think this would be possible, but the Time Square location is nicer. Not a place I need to return to.

I was torn about writing a review about Ootoya because I don't want too many people to go there! It's one of the best Japanese restaurants in New York. Of all the locations my favorite is the Chelsea one (W 18th St.) as far as decor and ambience. Ootoya offers traditional Japanese fares with an accent on Yakitori dishes (skewers) as well as incredible other fares with vegetarian options, meat or fish. There is something very special about this place, not too many frills, great food and service. They don't take reservations so make sure to put your name down at the reception and hope for the best, it's totally worth the wait.... They also have the best draft Japanese beer (hard to find in NY as it's usually bottled) - Kirin Ichiban. Also a great selection of sake. I have explored this menu extensively and I was never disappointed. If you're looking for sushi rolls this is not the right place, there are other places dedicated to that. Ootoya has a different kind of menu. If you like Tofu you should try the Three Salt home-made tofu dish, insanely good. Everything on the menu will make you happy (especially if you drink a lot of sake! Lol). Highly recommended. PS: if you can, avoid sitting upstairs as if it gets crowded it can be a little stuffy with the heat from the kitchen. I prefer sitting in the back personally.

Love this place. Ootoya offers some really good Japanese cuisine -- yakitori, cooked fish, soba, tonkatsu, sashimi bowls, you name it. The service is impeccable, the space is gorgeous, there's plenty of seating, and the food is delicious. Love the desserts as well. Note -- higher prices, but a no tip policy.

Ootoya is a good option for those looking for an authentic cooked Japanese meal. This is not a sushi place. There are meat, rice and cooked fish options. It is Japanese comfort food. Restaurant is smallish, can get busy during prime lunch and dinner times, but wait times usually short. Decor is simple but nice and relaxing, food is well prepared using good quality ingredients, and presentation is very well done. Prices are reasonable for midtown. Certainly worth many return visits.

Kudos on the "home-cooking" concept. Loved it that Ootoya has nabe (simmered, hot pot items), donburi (rice bowls), natto (an acquired taste if you like fermented soybeans), mackerel dishes, etc. Sushi aficionados, go elsewhere but stay here for the other Japanese basic dishes. A must is to get the "set" not a la carte. The set comes with chawan mushi (egg custard), pickles, miso soup, rice. The service was very unprofessional which I was surprised to see in Manhattan, albeit in a Japanese restaurant. The hostesses gossiped about patrons who were taking too long for dinner. One of them walked back and forth constantly to report on the status of the tables. "Maybe they won't order dessert so you all can get seated faster." Huh? Then several parties of 2 got seated before my party. I had to bring it to their attention. The only response I got was "Oh." That was an apology? The entire wait staff seemed to be Asian students from local universities and need to have more training. This is not a cafeteria where you joke with your friends. Where was a manager? Anyway, I still would come back again to try other dishes and hopefully someone from Ootoya reads reviews! I gave "Average" as the review because of the service.

I’m a sporadic repeat but always remind myself why I don’t go back... 3/4 of the appetizers came out halfway through entrees. The service always struggles... I wonder if that’s why the gratuity is built into the price??

Reservations are definitely necessary. Otherwise expect at least an hour wait during dinner and anywhere around 30-45 during weekend brunch. I really wish they could overhaul their reservation system (c'mon, it should all be digital now). They do check to see that your entire party is here before being seated, so warn your friends who are drama queens and like to make a grand entrance. The atmosphere won't allow for that anyway. They have a small bar area in the front which is a bit awkward in my opinion to sit there while everyone who is waiting stare at you/food. There's also bar seating in the middle of the restaurant which is more intimate, not as awkward. Overall, a great place to meet with friends/family/date night. Won't break the bank and a good retreat from the 5th ave shopping.

I had lunch with a friend at Ootoya, and it was so delicious. I got the salmon sushi three ways, which included a lot of little treats, like cold soba noodles, and an egg custard that I'm pretty sure was made by angels. I'll be back for the custard, no question.

Food and service was excellent, did expect to wait with amount of people queuing but a single bod can get a table at the bar. Thoroughly enjoyed myself

Japanese restaurant specializing in yakitori. The service is good, the menu had many options that were available a la carte or as set meals. Best of all the prices were quite reasonable for midtown Manhattan!

Went with my two girlfriends for a luncheon celebrating the New Year! The ambiance is attractive, poetic and Japanese. I had the cubed sashimi over rice. Love this dish!! The fish is fresh, naturally sweet & a delicious texture. The rice is a short grain and "pearl" like. Better than any rice one can get in the US supermarket. The meal also comes with a delicate savory egg custard. It's a side dish that's steamed and specially prepared by this restaurant. As I looked around the room, customers at nearby tables were enjoying a few types of casserole dishes with steam wafting through the air enticing customers like me to come back next time and order that.

The food is really good and authentic. The only problem is the wait to get in. The restaurant will not take reservations except at the door resulting in a wait of 1-2 hours while you have to hover near the place waiting for the call that your table is ready. Too many young Asians use the place as a tavern and set up camp for the night. ( thus the long wait). Ootoya should show these people the door.

I really enjoyed this Japanese restaurant. It is different from the run-of-the-mill Japanese, but not outrageously different that it is trying to create a different type of cuisine. Be warned, the portions are large, but very enjoyable. Expect to pay between $20 - 25 per head for a main dish and non-alcoholic drink. I recommend the tonkatsu.

A taste of Japan in NYC! A very rich menu with everything cooked to taste. The daikon salad was very good! Yakitori was cooked to perfection and even had chicken neck meat on the menu. Miso katsu was tasty with tonkatsu in a thick dark miso broth. Make reservation and be there on time if don't want to wait in a long line.

Varying types of Japanese food including sushi. Bar seating available for singles or quick dining. Each dish that we ordered was very tasty. We all did the sets so the dishes came with rice (brown or white), miso soup, egg custard and a picked veg dish. Green tea was served afterwards with a desert menu.

Mackerel,chicken yak. Sashimi. Etc etc All good!!! And. No Tipping! Dinner starts at 530pm plenty of parking space at this time. Inside- nice ambiance, soft light great service. No doubt I will come back.

I Can taste diferent dishes! All of them was delicious! I recomment Katsu Toji and Yakitori Ju to you! That's really palatable and delectable! The Staff is friendly and the environtment of the restaurant is comfortable! I'm sure I come back!

Need to try out the lunch menu. Potentially a little intimidating for the average person, like myself, but worth taking a deep dive. It's the biggest lunch box you will have eaten at a restaurant in a while

Can't get any better than this! Authentic Japanese food at down to earth prices. Like I said? We each had an appetizer and a main course which we all shared so we do 't miss a thing. Soft tofu with 3 salts, thin sliced pork belly on salad and oshitashi with large bonito shavings plus 3 main course all to share. I suggest you get the sushi in a bowl which comes with soup AND tofu custard. All very good - except the tonkatsu was not as flavorful. Stuffed and satisfied without putting a hole in our pockets. Nourishing and healthy! We had a little room for dessert too but after we walk a couple of blocks away.

Casual meals I order the pork the very typical Japanese style pork dinner set (pork inside is little bit dry , if juicy then will be prefect ) no tipping system I appreciated. Lot of restaurants in NY expected a good tip but poor services . Ive been here few times, sometimes with friends sometimes solo, food is good. There is few Ootoya in NYC I still prefer this one, the cooking /food quality better than others shop. Can be a long line on weekends

If you have seen this movie you can understand. This place is amazing ! The food is perfect. Just like if you are in Tokyo.

Need a reservation. Delicious, authentic Japanese food. Highly recommend for anyone visiting New York.

Traditional Japanese food , wide variety of sake and exclusive special menu including fishes shipped from Japan . Pork or fish place is not the best for vegetarians, no sushi no ramen. I always order fish different kinds and it comes on the set with rice , miso soup, pickles, egg white, and many others little additions . I noticed every customer leave this place with the smile on the face and satisfaction , so do I :)

Eating at Ootoya now for years, I was never disappointed. The restaurant is a calm oasis serving authentic Japanese food, great service and delight tasting dishes. I normally go for the Saba Lunch Menu set, including the fish, custard egg, vegetables, little side snacks, Rice, Miso soup. The green tea is also great and with beautiful taste. It's a great place for a clam lunch meeting or intimate dinner date. It never disappoints to come to Ootoya. Five stars!

The food is average. We had the seasonal special (eel in stone bowl) and the yakitori donburi. Both were decent but not extraordinary, certainly not good enough for me to return. We also shared the mini soba with tororo.

I gave it a very good rating and not excellent because they didn't provide suitable options fro young children (we could not get an individual sushi roll or miso soup for lunch!). In other words not a family place, but since I am a family man this is important. Also the menu was a bit focused on pork and chicken although this day many of the pork dishes were not available. Having said this the food was excellent, and we could really tell that they were trying and succeeding at preparing delicious Japanese cuisine with a flair of gourmet as the sauces were delicately flavored without enhancement (if you know what I mean). I had the free range grilled chicken in a citrus sauce and I would definitely order it again... The dinner menu is bigger and barely more expensive..

Excellent lunch. Fast and efficient. Was quite a nice set - different than normal but combination was great. Service was good and discrete and people were nice. A real good place for lunch. Will go back.

My son and I had lunch here today. We each ordered one of the sushi bowls. It wasn't bad for what it is, but be forewarned: this is not really what I'd call a sushi restaurant. It is apparently a very authentic Japanese restaurant but the feature here is: soba noodles, bowls of rice with a little bit of sashimi, pork cutlets, chicken yakitori, beef dishes, etc. we both enjoyed the little egg custard that comes with the set lunch. One thing to be very cautious of: the prices shown on the online menu for this restaurant are wrong, by a longshot. For example, the Kaisan Don shows as $28 on the website, while the actual price on the menu at the restaurant is $38. So be prepared to spend about 25% more than what you expected. When I inquired about the discrepancy, they told me that they haven't updated the menu shown on the website for several years.

I first came to this place for lunch with a colleague 6 months ago and immediately loved it! Sushi/sashimi is super fresh with a wide selections of cooked food. I then took my husband here twice and he loves it too. They also do not charge tip ( supposedly the price in the menu already include the tip, which normally is bad as service may not be up to standard. I've seen it with other restaurants), but their service is always good (for the three times I was there) . Only issue is that they normally will not seat you if not everyone from your party arrive. But I guess I can live with that with such good, fresh food.

Good solid homestyle Japanese cooking. Get there early or reserve for the 6pm seating - otherwise first come first served. Service is friendly and good, but the sushi chef or kitchen can get a bit slow when busy. Good midtown choice for Japanese food.

The food and service were amazing. It took me back to my days living in Japan. But the sale was so expensive.

This was a delicious meal! From the tastiest miso- to the end, it was fantastic! I was treated for my birthday, so I can't be a judge on the pricing but, whatever it was, it IS worth it! I had the chirashi, not only excrutiatylingly fresh, but there was so much I couldn't finish. We got there for an early lunch with reservation, and by the time we left there was a line. So do heed the reservation warnings!

A very lovely experience, a restaurant full of Japanese and Asian people, just between Briant Park and Times Square. Non-conventional, informal location and good food. Try the tsumami tororo soba with grated yem, the yakitory yu (grilled yakitory assortments) and the salmon saikyo (grilled salmon marinated in special sakyo miso). I tried also the hanabi wan, not my favourite though, due to the not so light mix of poached egg and fermented soy beans with tuna salmon. More than reasonable prices, service attentive and patient.

Very busy Japanese restaurant which, I understand, is part of a chain. Yakitori starters were tasty, special of beef in demi with cheese was, quite frankly, a bit weird. Like a cheeseburger floating in gravy, it had no distinct flavors and didn't seem like something to be eaten with chopsticks. Especially the large carrots and other root vegetables floating around. It was, to put it graciously, inelegant. I liked the no topping policy and felt the prices fair.

I love authentic Japanese food. This place is amazing. There is not a single dish that doesn't appeal to me. The raw fish is superb. Recommended