O Ya

Eating at O Ya was probably the best dining experience I’ve ever had. The food is so delicious that «delicious» doesn’t do it justice. The ambience is sophisticated without being stuffy. I ordered the omakase, which was an awesome journey through the wide variety of dishes they have to offer. I don’t think I disliked a single item included in the meal. O Ya is pricey, but I think I’ll be back for the soonest occasion I can justify spending a lot of money on :)

I was surprised to see how heavily the torch was used to give a torched taste to good pieces of fish to the point that it overwhelmed the taste of the food. Also, oil based sauces were heavily used and they didn’t heightened or unify the dish but rather overwhelmed it in a negative way. For an 18 course menu the remarkable piece was the Wagyu beef and it is very hard to mess that up. I do not remember the fish pieces. For a combined $ 500+ for two people it was a let down.
Light touch… light touch people… more spices or oils or truffle (I forgot about the liberal use of truffle) does not mean better.
I do not think I am going back. Again, it is one of those reminder that we live in Boston where competition for high end restaurants is weak and allows for weak places to remain open for years on end.

I’m in love. I’m in love with the incognito corner of a quiet street. I’m in love with the unpretentious little door that looks to go into nowhere. I love the small, quaint space inside. But more importantly, I love this food. This sushi. These masterpieces. Sitting at the bar, you get to see all the action. I watched as multiple tiny sculptures get danced around the joint. Some went back to the kitchen to finalize. Some went out to patrons. But one thing I know is that I enjoyed every single bite that was presented to me. I did the seventeen piece omakase that was a lot of food but the perfect bite each time. The pairings were very creative and even though I don’t order sake, this forced me out of my comfort zone (which are what tastings are meant to do). Oh how I wished I lived closer because I would be back a lot. I will just dream of the next time I can venture onto their stoop and have a meal and service that is second to none.

This would’ve been a 5-​star experience if:
A– it weren’t for a few overkill/​pretentious/​meaningless items on the Grand Omakase menu.
B– I hadn’t realized so fast that the waitress taking care of me was making things up (which I figured as I know what the Japanese word for bonito flakes is).
Seriously, much of the menu was really to die for — well thought off and executed. So here I list what did not make it for me.
Among the starters, the trout and kinme dai had very similar seasoning. Hiramasa had so much jalapeño that I had to ask for some ginger to clean off my palate for the next item on the menu (and it certainly destroyed the rather delicate fish and anything else). Similar complaint for the squid and ginger — still too strong with the ginger but one could still enjoy that.
But the two final dishes that were served were the total let down items: The wagyu and the foie gras nigiri (there was another foie gras item on the menu served with yuzu, that was spectacular). Sure a piece of wagyu is something special even at a dinner table with Obama, but for this menu, it looked ridiculously misplaced and as an attempt to justify the price tag on the Grand Omakase. It just does not complement the items served prior to that — but yes, it certainly kills your appetite for anything else (in my case: I wanted to try more of their hamachi, which I had really very much enjoyed).
The second nonsense on the menu is the chocolate foie gras: It was both a let down to their own menu, but also to the foie gras itself: It simply doesn’t work — and I cannot believe that it received a go pass by the professionals who taste these things before served. It sounds cool alright, and as an amuse-​bouche it might make you smile (yet kill your appetite as well) — but it simply looked out there. Like going to Paris only to see Euro-​Disney.
These three comments aside, the remaining items were really spectacular and no short of anything you might expect from a multiple Michelin star restaurants. Particularly, the hue style shime aji deserves a special line here: That could inspire a whole new take on ceviches/​tiraditos.

One of the best meals I ever had period.
Highly recommend ordering the 20-​course Grand Tasting at $ 285/​person (not including 20% gratuity or tax) to sample the best dishes at o ya– it offers special dishes not found on the regular a la carte menu. I was stuffed. Don’t recommend ordering a la carte as your meal could cost up to $ 800-​$ 1000 for two with tip and drinks. Also don’t recommend the omakase as I left the restaurant somewhat hungry the first time I dined there :(Then again, my bf and I eat a lot…
My absolute favorite dish is their wagyu beef! SO juicy and tender it just melts in your mouth! It’s $ 90 for 4 small pieces of beef. I’ll order 4 of these for myself. Other favorites include fried kumamoto oyster nigiri with squid ink bubble, foie gras gyoza, oysters, hamachi nigiri with banana pepper mousse, blue fin chutoro, chicken skin nigiri, and sea urchin with caviar. I don’t even like sea urchin but wow! it was unbelievably fresh and delicious.
If you prefer to dine around 7 – 730, highly recommend making reservations about 1+ month in advance, especially for the weekend, as the restaurant only offers 1 – 2 spots for those times I think. Luckily I like to dine around 9 – 930 so it’s a lot easier for me to get reservations :)

The food was divine, dont get me wrong, but paying over $ 700 for a dinner for two here is not worth the money. My wife and I did the Omakase (not the Grand) along with the wine pairings; after tip and tax the bill was around $ 750. Now I consider myself a very serious eater; I think about food as I fall asleep every-​single-​night — but $ 750 is a little much for something your body turns into waste. Especially when each «course» is actually just a bite.
Every course was well thought out, and well paced by service. The flavors were all amazing and all very bold. The biggest highlight was the A5 Wagyu Beef, which I have never had A5 before. It was hands down the best bite of steak I’ve ever experience in my life. There was a mushroom dish that was so earthy, meaty, salty that I could have melted in my seat. The foie gras with chocolate was a different twist and quite enjoyable. All of the fish was expertly cut and seasoned. Each bite popped with flavor, freshness, and acid.
The space itself is intimate and upscale, without being pretentious at all. Service was quite pleasant, and not forced nor snobby at all. Our waitress selected more wine than sake for our pairings, per out request. She was more than willing to meet whatever request we had.
Bottom line — if you are über successful, are splurging for a VERY special occasion, or someone else is paying — this is the place to go. But even though the food (and service) was spectacular, I’d rather eat three meals at my three favorite places in Boston for the same price, if not less.

Dining at O Ya is a wonderful and super delicious expericien! here is a snippet of my full review:
Food:
There are a few ways you can enjoy the food at O Ya. You can order from the menu, or choose between a 17-​course and a 24-​course Omakase. The food are very delicious and will not disappoint you. Dinner at O Ya guarantees a satisfied experience. For me, I picked the 17-​course Omakase with a few substitution to get the exact dishes I wanted and two desserts. At the end of the dinner, I was very full and happy. Faberge onsen egg, Seared A5 strip loin, and Santa Barbara uni with black caviar are the must-​orders. :p :p Yummy! Talking about these dishes make me want to reserve a dinner at O Ya right away ;)
go to
for the full experience and pictures of all the crave-​worthy foods!

THE BEST Japanese place in town for special occasions. Went to O Ya for the first time 3 years ago for my birthday and recently returned for my bf’s birthday. AMAZING experience both times. We went with the Grand Omakase 3 years ago and decided that this time we wanted to order A La Carte. We ordered about 15 courses (each one is a couple of bites). Every single dish was nicely prepared, but some of our favorites include (see photos!!):
Fried oyster nigiri with squid ink bubbles;
Hot oil seared salmon;
Scallop sashimi in uni (sea urchin) sauce with shaved black truffle;
Somen noodles with an onsen egg (egg slowly-​boiled in 60 degree water for 45 minutes. IT WAS OUT OF THE WORLD GOOD!);
Squid-​ink noodles topped with slow-​braised octopus
The dessert was a green tea cake topped with white chocolate ice-​cream and pomegranate. We also tried 3 different kinds of sake (as recommended by the waitress). The bill came out to the a little over $ 400 (+20% tips). Sure that it’s not a restaurant to go everyday, but it is worth every penny and perfect for a special occasion/​romantic night out. You will for sure be treated with some of the best and most creative Japanese cuisine!
Tips: Make sure to reserve in advance for your special occasion. You can make reservation for tables via Open Table, but you need to call to reserve seats on the Chef’s counter (Highly recommended! It’s where all the action happens!). Valet parking available for about $ 20 (including tip).

500^th review if this goes through in time?
Had an excellent birthday meal. We enjoyed the Grand Omakase at the counter. All the dishes were exceptional, top tier ingredients expertly prepared. What stood out above all though was the fantastic service. Anna-​Li was AWESOME. The staff is so engaging and fun, as well being intimately familiar with all of the dishes and ingredients.
Thanks again, we loved all the extra courses tossed in there, what an experience!

Decided to celebrate a special occasion at one of the best restaurants in Boston. My boyfriend and I were given the most coveted seats at the bar (according to the hostess) that gave us full view of the sushi chefs. We decided to go big or go home and went with the grand omakase (20 course tasting menu).
Overall, we had a pretty dismal experience. 80% of our meal was extremely salty and 60% of our meal with masked in truffle oil. Truffle oil, used lightly, can really add a lot to a dish, but for most of the courses, it was all I could taste. It perfumed through my nose and completely clouded the entire course. As for the salt, about ¾ of the way through the meal, my tongue felt like a giant rug. It’s hard to claim that a dish is salty when it’s one piece of fish that you usually eat whole so there’s nothing to show for it, but I guess for the price we’re paying I should’ve said something earlier. Once we got to the skate, I had my boyfriend split his in half and sure enough, it was extremely salty. The waiter apologized and told us that each dish is topped with a special salt before it goes out and said he would remove it from our dishes moving forward. He also brought out complimentary tea-​brined ribs, but we took a bite of those and immediately pushed them away. I’ve had the ones from Myers and Cheng and they were infinitely better than the ones here.
Once we got to the wagyu beef (which other Unilocalers have claimed is the best thing on the menu), I was hopeful for some redemption. Unfortunately, there was none. The beef was tender and cooked well, but again, the salt was unbearable. At this point, I could feel my tongue shriveling up in my mouth. I really just wanted my meal to be over with.
Hoping for relief in the dessert, we were served a white chocolate concoction with green tea cake and yuzu sorbet. All I could taste was white chocolate. I DESPISE white chocolate. It shouldn’t even be called chocolate. The cake was dry, but the sorbet would’ve been decent if it was overpowered by white chocolate. We took a few bites and decided it wasn’t worth finishing.
We ended up paying a little over $ 700 for that meal (with no drinks) and just felt sad and unsatisfied. I’m not even sure if our meal was worth a third of the price. Service was good and the atmosphere was cozy, but for the price, I expect the food to be nothing less than exceptional… and we were found carpet-​mouthed, drowned in truffle oil, and wanting.

Walk into the dark rooms of O ya and be prepared to be amazed. I had the pleasure of coming here for several years, and this place has never disappointed. O Ya is in my view one of best sushi restaurants on the East Coast. Their omakase menu is heavy and long, so please don’t eat for days beforehand. However, it is well worth both the price and the amount. If you ever get to meet Tim or Nancy Cushman (the owners) while you are there, the will share an amazing story about how they come to start the restaurants, and their love and respect for Japanese cuisine.
My favorite include:
–Hamachi tartare ginger verjus sauce, spiced chile oil
–Scottish salmon belly cilantro, ginger, hot sesame oil drizzle
–hamachi spicy banana pepper mousse*
It is very hard to go wrong here. I couldn’t give this place higher recommendations.

INNOVATIVE & ARTISTIC NIGIRI/​SUSHI
I am usually not a fan of sushi that deviates from traditional flavors/​cooking styles. I stay away from sushi that has fruit, cream cheese, or other Americanized ingredients. My boyfriend and I are huge fans of Sushi Nakasawa in NY, where the main focus is on the fish and its natural flavors. O Ya offers nigiri and sushi options that are innovative in flavor and texture profiles, yet does not ruin the experience of fresh fish.
We had a reservation for the Chef’s Counter, which is usually an enhanced experience where you can watch the chefs make the sushi while also interacting with them. O Ya was different in that sitting at the Counter was not different from sitting at the table, besides having a view of the chefs. Sometimes the chef would hand us our sushi, but other times our server would serve us and explain the dish. This was confusing, as many times we saw our sushi set to serve, but our server would take the dish, disappear into the kitchen, and reappear by setting the dish in front of us. I would’ve much preferred if all sushi dishes were served by the chef, and the cooked dishes from the kitchen came from our servers.
We went with the a la carte option instead of omakase.
highlights —
+ HAMACHI: They did not have hamachi belly, so we got this instead. The hamachi was torched upon order and had a great smoky taste.
+ WILD MAINE AMA EBI: The shrimp was amazingly fresh topped with sea urchin.
+ SHIMA AJI & SANTA BARBARA SEA URCHIN: The aji was so thick and fatty with the sea urchin. The emphasis of this uni coming from Santa Barbara was distinct as it had a different taste from the ebi nigiri.
+ DAYBOAT SCALLOP (sage tempura): We could barely taste the scallop, but we loved the olive oil bubbles and fried sage as they both complemented each other so well.
+ BLUEFIN TORO TARTARE: Spicy! We loved the kick in this tartare from the kimchi jus, but it is notably spicy. We loved this take on tartare.
+ SCOTTISH SALMON: The scallion oil and ponzu with salmon was genius. We loved the flavors with this salmon.
+ ONSEN EGG: The egg takes 45 minutes for preparation, but the execution was perfect. We got to see the chef prepare this dish with very mild flavors that enhanced the flavor and texture of this egg.
+ FOIE GRAS: The last piece you should eat before you move onto dessert (and my favorite nigiri!) The foie gras, chocolate, and raisin blend so well together. The foie gras melts in your mouth, the chocolate coats every bite, and there is a slight chewiness from the raisin.
mediocre options —
~ NEGIHAMA: This was a miniature maki that did not really stand out to us.
~ WARM EEL: The eel had great texture and flavor, but nothing about the nigiri constitutes an $ 18 price tag.
~ SUZUKI SEA BASS: This was the weirdest sashimi option for us. The sea bass was used as the outside «roll» filled with cucumber, cilantro, avocado, and topped with a chunky vinagrette. This dish was unique in presentation, topped with flowers, but it almost tasted like a garden.
TIPS
* The vibe of the restaurant is very casual and laid back. Do not feel like you need to be on your best behavior and attire while dining here.
* If you prefer a more intimate dining experience, table seating is preferred. Often times servers would have to squeeze between guests at the Counter to retrieve the sushi dishes from the chefs.
* The a la carte option is much cheaper than the omakase menu. They space out each dish, as we dined for over 2 hours, so that you will get full from what seems like little food.
* The Grand Omakase menu has items not available on the a la carte menu (i.e. onsen egg topped with gold flakes, more sushi with caviar, etc).
* Sashimi options come in 3 pieces. If you are with 2 or 4 people, you can ask the server to bring enough for each person in your party to try.
* The bathrooms are stocked with tampons, clear nail polish, shoe polish, hand sanitizer, phone charger, stain remover, lint roller… ditch your date and stay in the bathroom! Lol I’m not sure who would use any of these items.

It’s called O ya because that’s the sound your mouth will make when it hits the spot just right, another word food-​gasm! Came here for my special 30^th and anniversary, but regardless my SO and I always treat ourselves at least 2 – 3 times a year to some mouth watering sushi. Needless to say this was definitely one of them. Everything was so artistically deliciously crafted including the sauce bottles. Keep in mind with exquisite places as such the menu is constantly changing, especially for the omasake. I personally think it was worth every dollar spent I absolutely loved it. Will go back for its grand omasake in the near future! Definitely on my must try, except bring only the bestest person/​people in your life. Don’t waste such fine dining experience on mediocre people.
also GLUTEN-​FREE friendly
Good for people with Celiac disease

O Ya is expensive, but it is not just a dinner it is an experience. Amazing creative dishes that are full of flavor. Amazing presentation, friendly staff. If you are looking for the best japanese dining experience look no further try O Ya.

The food is mind blowing! Friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here.

The service was fantastic. 5 stars. Really warm, friendly staff who didn’t act pretentious but also knew how to avoid unwanted interruptions, knew everything you could ever want to know about the menu but also knew not to overburden you with tons of info, and all the other niceties of excellent service. At the end of dinner, I kind of wanted to stay and hang out.
The food was pretty incredible. Most of the items we ordered got 5 stars. But there were a few 3 and 4 star items as well. Good, but not $ 10/​bite good. (Literally.)
The prices were just too high. Too high. Like we need another Unilocal category of prices for this. We had a $ 250 gift certificate. And we put down an additional $ 80 (for 2 people). This was while attempting to stay mostly on the average to lower cost side of the menu and leaving somewhat satiated, but nowhere near full.
The oddest part was the music. I kind of dug it, but I wasn’t expecting 90s rock and
’everybody was kung foo fighting.’ Many of the songs were american with some sort of nod to Japan, so I think the playlist must have been carefully curated. It was unexpected, but not bad.
But the most expensive bite of my life was also one of the best. The Foie Gras roll. With balsamic chocolate and raisin sauce and a little shot of aged saki. $ 33 for two pieces. And if I ever went back to O Ya, which I probably won’t, I would most definitely order that.

Quite simply, the best restaurant in Boston. The bill is exorbitant — $ 300+ for two, at least, but if you don’t mind paying that kind of money for superlative food, then you won’t find a better place to do so in the Boston area.
This is a small and unassuming space, and it serves primarily sushi… but not in your run-​of-​the-​mill sushi bar manner. This is elevated food, and if you are going to try it, treat yourself to the omakase, the chef’s tasting menu. It is truly special.

One of the best meals I have ever had in my life. Only menton has come up a another additional memorable meal. Only down side to the whole meal is how full you are when you leave if you do the tasting menu but it is absolutely worth it. My mind was blown with a mackerel and a terrigon crème which is so simple and awesome I just was amazed. Food and service were amazing and the sake list were fantastic.
Had the best eating night of my life,

OYa serves very creative sushi nigiri. They embellish their sushi with 20 – 30 different sauces and garnish. Their sushi chefs are all Japanese, which is very nice. Other than presentation and variety in garnishing, the main reason that they are so expensive is that their raw material are expensive, including foie gras and caviar. I tried their omakase, and paid 240+ including tax. The place itself is very hidden just outside of Chinatown. You wouldn’t notice that place unless you know the address and are looking for it. Overall, it’s a very special dining experience but I like traditional sushi more and would not go again.

O Ya is probably the best sushi restaurant in Boston. As much as one can rave about the sushi rolls and value at Avana or the fun rolls at Douzo, this is where it’s at for fine sushi as its meant to be.
Tucked away on a corner near South Station, O Yo is a very exquisite sushi restaurant. Reservations should be make 1 – 2 weeks in advance. Staff is friendly and provide decent recommendations.
Favorites include:
Fried Kumamoto Oyster or just the Kumamoto Oyster
Hamachi
Onsen Egg
Wagyu Beef
Foie Gras — My most favorite. Yes it is one of the more expensive items on a already pricy menu, but it is definitely worth it
Would definitely come back.

The best restaurant in Boston. The Chef is just a genius. Not at all your typical Japanese restaurant, the flavors, techniques and mix of ingredients are so different than anything we’ve tried before. Just genius. It’s an expensive place but totally worth it. Each dish is a small tapa with 2 pieces, so you need around 6. One of our favorites was the wagyu strip loin over potato confit. The nigiri, the sashimi. Everything was perfect.

My favorite sushi place in Boston. If you haven’t tried the omakase dinner (chef’s choice), please make a reservation ASAP.
Sit at the sushi bar & watch the chef at work, expertly preparing each course. The sushi/​sashimi courses are delicious & prepared with so much care & presented as if each course was a work of art.
Pricey, but worth every $.

This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Boston. We celebrated our anniversary here and I give it 5 stars across the board — ambience, service and most of all the unique flavorful dishes!
Our favorite dishes —
Fried Kumamoto Oyster
Bluefin Maguro
Kyoto Style Enoki Mushrooms
Warm Eel
Salmon Tartare
It’s pricey but so worth the experience!

Overall: 5+
Food: 5+
Service: 5
Value: 3
(I’m aware that the average of 5, 5, and 3 is closer to 4 than 5, but my formula for the «Overall» score is (max (Food, Value) + Service) /​2, rounded up.)
NOTE: Photos depict amount of food per person, except the final white chocolate treat
I took my fiancée to O Ya for her birthday. I made a reservation online to sit at the Chef’s Table (the bar).
We had the Grand Omakase and included the Italian white truffles. Let me start by noting that the meal was extremely pricey, at $ 350 per person before tax and tip, and close to $ 450 afterwards. Definitely not an «everyday» sort of meal. To be clear, there was a less expensive «Grand Omakase without Italian white truffles» option, which was the same tasting menu except all the dishes with «Italian white truffles» listed would not have any. Also, it was «Italian white truffle season» so if you come at a different time it might be something else.
That said, the quality and presentation of the food and the service were excellent, and the price variance at this level is so wide that it’s hard to say how the price compares to other restaurants of similar quality.
Now, let’s get down to the food. I generally try to keep my reviews short but this was a 20 course tasting menu. I’ve simply noted my impressions for each dish below.
1. KUMAMOTO OYSTER, watermelon pearls, cucumber mignonette: tasty palate cleanser
2. HAMACHI, banana pepper: spicy
3. KINME DAI, ume, japanese plum vinaigrette, shiso: spicy
4. KAMASU WILD JAPANESE BARRACUDA, yuzu truffle, shiso: this included a fried tomato, which was interesting
5. NIJI MASU, sakura, lime, kinome: had a spicy wasabi flavor
6. KYOTO STYLE ENOKI MUSHROOMS, garlic, soy, Italian white truffle: garlic, savory, earthy truffle flavor
7. HOKKAIDO SEA URCHIN & BLACK RIVER OSSETRA CAVIAR: cold, salty, bitter, tasty
8. FOIE GRAS, miso, preserved california meyer lemon: very interesting consistency, felt like eating fried ice cream, creamy and crunchy, savory
9. TENNEN MADAI, white soy ginger, myoga, lemon oil: chewy, lemony, clean and refreshing
10. TASMANIAN OCEAN TROUT, rainbow trout caviar, wasabi vinaigrette: wrapped in cucumber, refreshing salty, reminded me of oyster, surprisingly wasabi vinaigrette was not very spicy
11. BLUEFIN TORO, wasabi oil, lots of green onion: wasabi, strong green onion flavor, soy sauce, reminded me of tuna sashimi
12. SHIMA AJI, leche de tigre, momiji oil, cilantro, cucumber: spicy, tart, green tea, chewy, many pieces
13. KEGANI HOKKAIDO HAIRY CRAB, tosa zu, sansho, seaweed: cold and wet, seaweed, some sauce like spicy mayo
14. DAYBOAT SCALLOP, Italian white truffle, sake sea urchin jus, chervil: soft and meaty, very earthy truffle flavor
15. WARM LOBSTER, ponzu beurre fondue, bonito, Italian white truffle: strong truffle flavor, savory, delicious succulent lobster, I was wowed
16. «FABERGÉ» ONSEN EGG, Italian white truffle, Black River ossetra caviar, gold leaf, dashi sauce, green onion: strong truffle flavor, soft slipper egg, creamy like custard, I think I ate gold…
17. GRILLED CHANTERELLE & SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, rosemary garlic oil, sesame froth, soy: sesame, crunchy, fleshy mushrooms, soy sauce and sesame oil flavors
18. TRUFFLED WAGYU SEARED PETIT STRIP LOIN: truffle flavor, tender, fatty, flavorful, crispy potato chips underneath, to die for, I’d come back just for this, oh my god it was so good, best steak I’ve ever had, I was so sad when I finished it
19. FOIE GRAS NIGIRI, balsamic chocolate kabayaki, raisin cocoa pulp, sip of aged sake: warm, sweet and savory sort of like Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong)
20. SOMETHING SWEET: raspberry sorbet was sweet, tart, refreshing; some curd, they even put a birthday candle for my fiancée’s birthday; raw chocolate gelato, made with almond milk, coconut milk, coconut meat, caramel mousse, sea salt
21. Homemade white chocolate with matcha and something else
All of the dishes were very flavorful and beautifully presented. The highlight for me was the Wagyu steak. I’m a sucker for steak, and the Wagyu was so tender and flavorful. I think they did a good job of ordering the dishes so that it felt like a gustatory roller coaster, with cold refreshing dishes followed by warm, rich ones, and vice versa. Sitting at the bar was a cool experience, as we got to watch the 3 chefs prepare food as we waited for each course. They were very serious, yet good-​humored and friendly, and bid us farewell when we left. One of them even posed for some photos of our food. The server was extremely warm and friendly, and they even put a birthday candle in the dessert for my fiancée. It was definitely a great experience, and I’m glad I tried it out.

The bf made reservations for dinner on a Wednesday night. Our reservation was late so we called to see if we could be moved up. They were pretty busy so it wasn’t likely, but we ended up getting a call to come about 30 minutes before our reservation.
The atmosphere is dark and sexy! We were seated at the end of the bar, which was nice because we love to see the food action. The only part that was awkward was interacting with the servers and waiters. Whenever they would bring our food out, refill our water or talk to us we had to turn around or move out of their way as it was a tight space. Other than that, no complaints about the space or service.
The food was excellent and unconventional, which I loved! I went with the Omakase and the bf got a few small plates. My favorites were the Kumamoto Oyster and Shima Aji & Santa Barabara Sea Urchin (must try — the uni was so fresh). The plating was superb as well. I love it when it’s a feast for your eyes as well as your tummy. :) Our waiter was nice enough to give us two servings of the last omakase dish so that the BF could experience it too, it was the chocolate and foie gras. It sounds weird, but it totally works! We were too stuffed for dessert, but I’m sure that would have impressed as well.
I have to make a special shout out to the bathroom… LOL! It is freaking awesome. They offered a bunch of amenities that restaurants don’t normally offer. Safety pins, clear nail polish, free tampons, lint rollers, stain remover, and reading glasses to name a few. I didn’t need any of these things, but it was nice to know that they were there for you if you needed them. Not even all hotels offer these amenities. Blasphemy!
It will cost you a pretty penny to dine here, but I think it’s well worth it! Great for a special night out or if you want to spoil that special person in your life. :)

I am normally a deal seeker so I am always looking for the best value for my money, especially when it comes to something as fleeting as a meal, so normally when I review a place, the price is a big part of it, higher prices comes higher expectations. Having said that, an annual occasion called for a lavish meal, and since I have always wanted to try O Ya after hearing so many good stories and amazing reviews, I decided to finally bite the bullet and give this place a shot. The restaurant had a pretty quiet, semi-​romantic ambient setting that was good for a date or a group of friends celebrating their friendship. We were seated at the bar where we can watch the chef making every dish. We went with the 17 course tasting menu so we could sample everything.
Every single course we had was absolutely mind blowingly DELICIOUS! O Ya is not a ‘traditional’ Japanese restaurant in the sense that it doesn’t serve plain rice and fish sushi, but they are so creative with the dish preparation, presentation, ingredient selection, pairing of sauces that every dish blown my mind away! There were dishes that used truffle oil, ceviche vinaigrette, scallion oil, and other creative dressing in combination with fish or other ingredients to create such unique flavors that I guarantee you never had before. Each course was served within a minute of us finishing the last, so we had no gap time between courses at all. My favorite dish was probably the Wagyu beef, which I have always wanted to try. It was the fattiest piece of lean meat I have ever had, it almost tasted like the meat was infused with butter but yet it was lean, it was just the most heavenly piece of meat that I ever had.
While there was a lot of courses, you might not actually get full since each course it only a single bite, but you will be satisfied, its all about quality here.
We also bought a bottle of saku here which we were allowed to try first, our waiter said that if we don’t like it, he will drink it and we can try a different bottle, I hope he wasn’t disappointed that we did like the first bottle we tried: P
While O Ya is incredibly expensive and should only warrant a visit for a worthwhile celebration, it is by far the best single meal I have ever had in my entire life and that’s coming from a diehard foodie, so if that special someone deserves a special occasion, make them feel special and take them to O Ya!

I don’t know why people rave so much about this place, maybe you guys should go to Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas to try more high end sushi restaurants. I have been to a lot of high end Restaraunt all over the country. For the price you are paying, $ 170 omakese you can definitely get so much more and better quality Japanese fish. I’m extremely disappointed. It’s even cheaper to order from the a la carte. Two very small priece of lobster cost $ 33 bucks. 5 very small pieces of wagyu beef cost $ 70! My friend doesn’t eat uni or foie gras instead of giving her something comparable they gave her some really cheap fish. And she have to pay the same price!

the reason for 4 vs. 5 slides is due to the extreme cost to dine @ O Ya. Do I think it’s high quality? yes. Do I think it’s a unique dining experience? yes. But I still wince a bit at the thought of spending $ 500 for a dinner for two (which includes saki, which definitely pads the bill)
Service is good — as to be expected
Space is small — only a few table and a line of bar seats. Meaning, call ahead, far ahead, for a late in the week/​weekend dinner table. Definitely an intimate setting
Presentation is what really nailed it home for me. We did the tasting menu consisting of roughly 17 courses and each one was presented very uniquely. Towards the end, we requested dishes without truffle oil because it seemed to be a prime ingredient in a bunch
overall, food was tasty and we were totally stuffed by the end of the tasting menu
Saki was good but frankly, I can’t really tell the difference between good and excellent saki. Selection seems vast though, which is impressive
I’d suggest this for a very special evening out. It’s a bit harder to find but that kind of adds to the mystique of the restaraunt
Good for a big occassion or if you have a client that you’re looking to wine & dine (who loves sushi). Truly a unique spot where the food is an actual experience

O Ya. Uh huh. Ooo Yaaa! After 300+ 5 star reviews, here’s mine to throw into the communal bucket. I was in awe when I found out we were having dinner here at the most sacred «Restaurant of all restaurants». Food orgasms, mind explosion and just plain super duper extravagant were some things I’ve heard about this place and it still doesn’t quite cover it. With all this anticipation, we were excited to see how our experience would measure up to all this hype!
As we fumbled around with our GPS, we turned the corner and went through their non-​descript red front door where our little magic carpet ride of Japanese food artistry began. Our server immediately greeted us and went right down to business explaining the 2 different Omakases along with the a la carte menu. Going with a mix of my fellow Unilocalers’ tried and true choices and some from our server, we opted to go the a la carte route and ordered these scrumptious pieces of edible art:
1. Warm Braised Shiitake Mushroom nigiri — This was prepared with truffle and shiitake. I repeat, truffle and shiitake. Do not pass this up thinking it’s just a mushroom!
2. Fried Kumamoto Oyster — Ahhh… the fried oyster. This and the Negihama are neck and neck in my book and if you can only choose between the fried or the raw Kumamoto, do yourself a favor and get this fried version. You will not be sorry. Flavor explosions from this bite from the crunchy texture to the sauce with the oyster.
3. Negihama — Loved this one. We’re still wondering what tobanjan is since it was mixed with it but whatever it is, please keep doing what you’re doing. It tastes amazing!
4. Hamachi Belly — Fresh, delicate hamachi finished off with a burst of nutty creamy sea urchin. Flavor contrasts in this one was a mind teaser.
5. Kumamoto Oyster (raw) — These plump little rascals were larger than your average Kumamoto and the finish was quite creamy too.
6. Salmon Tartare — Skillfully made and seasoned very well. Arguably a contender as one of our the best dishes of the night.
7. Suzuki Sea Bass — Very tasty and flavorful with a little bit of a zesty kick.
8. Sake Braised Short Ribs — Didn’t try this personally but we got the nod of acceptance and a wink that all went well with this one.
9. Warm Seared Spanish Octopus — Squid ink… repeat — this is made with squid ink. Need I say more? Oh, actually yes. Remember to wipe your mouth and drink lots of water. No one else is going to tell you that you’ve got black teeth and lips. Just saying :)
10. Miso Wild Black Cod — Nice miso glaze and flaked right off with our forks; Slightly brinier than I thought it would be but a nice piece of fish nonetheless. ⁴⁄₅
11. Shiso Tempura with Grilled Lobster — Mix of ingredients in this one was complex in a good way. My first half bite tasted of more lobster but on my finishing bite, I could’ve sworn I detected just a slight taste of wasabi cream. Yummm…
12. Shrimp Tempura — Loved that this took me by surprise. I was half expecting the usual fried tempura variety but it was served more like grilled shrimp.
Side note: Bubbles. A good amount of their food seems to have lots and lots of bubbles and the Shrimp Tempura and the Fried Oyster had them. Anybody know why? Just curious. Rookie culinary question :)
Anyway, you get the drift. Mostly everything I tried was a ⁵⁄₅ although if I simply had to choose the top 5 that we tried, it would likely be the Fried Kumamoto, Negihama, Salmon Tartare, Shiso Tempura with Lobster and Shrimp Tempura.
Overall, the food was decadent, atmosphere was casual but welcoming and service was superb. If I died right now, I could honestly say I’ve tasted the best sushi concoctions there is on this planet.

Some of the most unique and delicious preparations of nigiri I have ever experienced, and my husband, who is s «rolls» man, didn’t even mind that there really weren’t any.
The menus can be a little overwhelming — a lot to choose from (in a good way). There’s a nigiri and sashimi menu, «other stuff» (hot dishes) and two Omasake menus. We were really having sushi cravings so stuck to the nigiri section of the menu for the most part.
Everything was fabulous, but a few dishes stick out in my mind as particular favorites. Loved the salmon tataki so much we ordered it twice. The pork ribs were so tender they fell off the bone. The warm eel was phenomenal. The blowtorched prawn was delicious. And I loved the «omelet.»
Our server was fantastic (I’ve forgotten his name). Personable, helpful, and his suggestions were spot on.
Small place, so be sure to make a reservation. Online reservations are only for seats at the Chef’s counter (in my opinion, best seats in the house at a sushi joint).

O Ya is easily considered one of the best restaurants in Boston. It’s located in the Leather District and tucked away in a back alley. There are two 9 East St in Boston and I found out the hard way. I had to call the restaurant and they had to clarify their location for me. It cost me two Über rides and luckily for me Boston isn’t very congested like a celebrity’s nose after a night of a cocaine binge.
Anyway, the restaurant has a «chef’s counter» that seats about 17 and around 8 dining tables behind the «chef’s counter» area. The restaurant décor was cool and it was pretty lively in the restaurant. They played 90s hip hop on the Friday night I dined there. The servers were all very nice, and course explanations were decent. I’m kind of on the fence about O Ya like a bunch of zombies in the Walking Dead.
I sat at the «Chef’s Counter» and the experience was nothing more than sitting at a local bar’s counter. I didn’t get the whole «Chef’s Counter» dining experience because the Chefs were busy preparing the food so it was waiters’ job to serve the courses. It was a really awkward experience cause the waiters would come from behind to drop off the food and pick up the dish. They would explain the dish from behind and I had to turn around every single time. I had to move every time they did it and it got kind of annoying mid-​way through the meal like being in a relationship with someone after 6 months.
A typical «Chef’s Counter» experience would consist of the course being dropped off in front of you then picked up from behind you. Furthermore, the Chef, not the waiter, would explain the dish. This was nothing like what I’ve experience in the past. The O Ya Chef Counter’s experience was lame. There was no Chef interaction at all like when your gf/​wife gets mad at you and doesn’t speak to you. However, it could be a good thing if you have a nagging gf/​wife or side b*tch.
In addition, I expected more from them regarding service at the Chef’s Counter. The Chef’s Counter experience was mediocre at best and the service wasn’t on par with other restaurants in the same price range. It was extremely lacking compared to NYC’s Masa, LA’s Urasawa, Yamakase or even Sushi Zo and Tokyo’s Hatsune Sushi. The mentioned restaurants had the wait staff clean your area after every dish and readjust your setting. O Ya should relabeled the Chef’s Counter to something else cause it’s very misleading like people getting plastic surgery.
Now, the food. O Ya serves an A La Carte menu, an Omakse menu and a Grand Omakase menu. The Omakase is the Chef’s pick off the A La Carte menu so I decided to go with the Grand Omakase. Everything was good. Here are the memorable items:
1) Poached Egg w/​Gold Flakes & Caviar — It was slow poached in a Sous Vide bucket at 62 °F. The Chef timed it and it looked like he wrote the time on the shell. The slowed poached egg was really good topped with caviar and gold flakes. The creamy texture of the egg yolk combined with the slightly salty caviar was a good marriage between the two. I could tell the caviar wasn’t as fresh. Fresh caviar doesn’t have a slight hint of salt at all. However, I was sh*tting gold for a week.
2) Foie Gras Nigiri — It was a seared Foie Gras on top of rice wrapped in nori. It had balsamic chocolate kabayaki, raisin cocoa pulp and accompany by a sip of aged sake. The texture of the Foie Gras was perfect. It was rich, creamy and slightly sweet due to the balsamic chocolate. The seared parts made it slightly crisp. The rice temperature was decent and could have been a dash warmer to give it better texture. The combination made it buttery and the «melt in your mouth goodness» level was at a 8 out 10.
3) A5 Japanese Wagyu — This was a sirloin strip and cooked to medium rare. It was laid on top of thinly sliced fried potato. The potato resembled a potato chip but it wasn’t as deep fried or dried out as a potato chip. However, it had the salty part down pretty well. It was a great piece of A5 Japanese Wagyu that came from a distributor outside of Kobe, Japan. It was buttery, rich, and succulent, which is expected. I personally prefer a rib eye cut more than a sirloin cut due to better texture but I’m not going to complain if it’s on the menu.
Okay. The food was pretty good and it had comforting flavors. However, it relied too heavily on sauces. Everything had some sort of sauce to it and there was no progression in the Grand Omakase menu. The natural flavors of the ingredients didn’t come out and it was often overpowered by the sauces. You can put ketchup or mayo on a hamburger and make it taste good.
Here’s the thing. I sat there during my dinner was having trouble on where to place them in regards to other notable restaurants. Where would O Ya be place on the Michelin scale? In my opinion, it’s definitely not a three Michelin star restaurant. Maybe two stars if that? At the end, I definitely think it would be a one star.

O Ya is easily considered one of the best restaurants in Boston. It’s located in the Leather District and tucked away in a back alley. There are two 9 East St in Boston and I found out the hard way. I had to call the restaurant and they had to clarify their location for me. It cost me two Über rides and luckily for me Boston isn’t very congested like a celebrity’s nose after a night of a cocaine binge.
Okay. The food was pretty good and it had comforting flavors. However, it relied too heavily on sauces. Everything had some sort of sauce to it and there was no progression in the Grand Omakase menu. The natural flavors of the ingredients didn’t come out and it was often overpowered by the sauces. You can put ketchup or mayo on a hamburger and make it taste good.
Here’s the thing. I sat there during my dinner was having trouble on where to place them in regards to other notable restaurants. Where would O Ya be place on the Michelin scale? In my opinion, it’s definitely not a three Michelin star restaurant. Maybe two stars if that? At the end, I definitely think it would be a one star.

***Saved my 300^th Unilocal review for this place!
I have bookmarked this place for quite awhile and I finally got to experience this place last night. I had an extraordinary experience here.
The restaurant is not too big, the ambiance is really romantic, relaxing, and hip. It matches the type of food they serve. This isn’t one of your traditional Japanese restaurant, this is a creative and elegant redirection of Japanese cuisine. From the presentation to the taste of each dish I tried, I am impressed by the attention to every little detail the chefs put in.
They have an extensive menu. This place is pricey but it is worth every penny! You can choose to do the omakase and they have two options of 18 courses and 23 courses. Also, you can order a la carte. I opted for the a la carte because I wanted to choose and explore the menu on my own. They recommend ordering around 13 things from the menu for 2 people. I ended up trying 12 things and I was completely satisfied and full!
This is what I sampled:
1. Chilled soba noodles with uni, soba dashi broth, nori, fresh wasabi
— The uni was very fresh and delicious. The creaminess and richness of the uni blended well with the soba noodles. The dashi broth was amazing. I liked the acidity and the umami flavors of the broth.
2. Soy marinated salmon with truffle oil and green onion nigiri
— I am in love with anything truffle! It was amazing how flavorful this was. The truffle flavor infused with the soy marinated salmon. This dish hit all of my different taste buds in one bite. The overall taste and presentation was exceptional. This was definitely one of my favorites of the night.
3. Salmon tataki with torched tomato, smoked salt, and onion aioli nigiri
— This was was delicious. I love the smoky flavors that the fish has when it is torched. The tomato was a good touch, which add some acidity to this fish and everything was well balanced.
4. Negihama — yellowtail scallion and tobanjan nigiri
— This was a cute presentation. There is nori wrapped around the rice in a roll and each piece is topped with minced up yellowtail. Tobanjan is a spicy miso bean sauce, which added savory flavors to this dish.
5. Kumamoto oysters with watermelon pearls and cucumber mignonette
— Kumamoto oysters are my favorite! They are from Washington state. West coast oysters are known for their sweetness vs east coast oysters which tend to be saltier. The watermelon pearls and cucumber mignonette was a good touch. It added some acidity which accentuated the sweetness of the oysters.
6. Hamachi belly with yuzu soy marinated sea urchin nigiri
— This is another yellowtail that I tried. It was very delicious and fresh. The fish was juicy and delicate. The citrus flavors from the yuzu definitely great flavors to the bite. The sea urchin was also very creamy and sweet. This was another one of my favorite dishes of the night.
7. Bluefin maguro with caramelized onion, foie gras ponzu, and crunchy gobo nigiri
— I love foie gras so this was a perfect pair with the bluefin. The crunchy texture kind of threw me off a little bit but it is a good added texture. The bluefin was slightly torched and because this fish is so lean, it is not as smooth and creamy to the bite. But I enjoyed the flavors of it nonetheless.
8. Salmon tartare with cucumber yogurt coulis, argon oil, and dill
— The salmon tartare was decadent. I loved the cucumber yogurt which added freshness to the tartare. I liked the herb flavors from the dill.
9. Suzuki sea bass with spicy cucumber vinaigrette, avocado, and cilantro sashimi
— The herbs used in this dish had some Thai flavors. It was tangy and spicy. I loved the freshness and sweetness of the sea bass. This was another one of my favorites of the night!
10. Bluefin toro tartare with ginger kimchi jus
— The tartare was rich and creamy. The toro was delicious. I wish the kimchi jus was not as salty. I felt it overpowered the lightness of the toro.
11. Santa Barbara sea urchin with uni mousse, kuidashi gelee, tonka bean
— I love see urchin and this was a big bowl of sea urchin sashimi! I have nothing to complain about this dish. For any sea urchin lovers out there like me, you should definitely order this.
12. Porcelet tonkatsu with seared foie gras, cabbage shiso slaw, and dashi apple sauce
— The tonkatsu was super juicy. I had this as the last dish which was by the time this came out I was already full! The fried batter was crunchy. The katsu sauce was delicious.
Service was good whenever the server was around. My server was super attentive and helpful. However, it was towards closing time and she was mainly in the kitchen working I had a hard time getting immediate service when I needed it.
I would definitely come back to experience this journey again!

In my wildest food dreams I could never have imagined Fois Gras Gyoza… until now.
I tip my hat off to you O-​Ya.
The food here was some of the best I’ve ever had, so let me break it down for you play by play.
****Fois gras miso spoon with tempura bits: Not wow me good. Not even worth ordering a second time good. Think Fois gras in powdered form with some tempura bits. Hard to eat, and be careful not to sneeze or you’ll blow $ 10 all over the table.
****2 oz Waygu Beef with Bone Marrow Chawan mushi: Easily makes it to my one of the best foods that I’ve ever eaten list. Not because of the waygu because I’ve had that many times, though it was cooked perfectly at medium rare with a nice soy glaze, but because of the bone marrow egg custard. OMG wow! Perfect bone marrow flavor in this rich custard. And of course the pairing with the Waygu was amazing! ($ 70 but you need at least two since it’s so small so 70×2=$ 140)
****Chicken Broth with Fois gras shumai: Great light soup with nice mushrooms and it was piping hot, not lukewarm like other soups I’ve had. ($ 10)
*****Fois Gras with balsamic chocolate and cocoa pulp with a sip of Madeira wine: More like a Fois gras sushi dessert. Sweet and savory mixed together and the dark chocolate is balanced with that sip of wine on the side. ($ 33)
*****Fois Gras Gyoza: OMG wow! Perfectly pan fried and has nice smooth Fois gras inside. Amazing, one of the BEST things I’ve ever had. Five pieces for $ 18.
*****Fried Kumamoto Oysters with squid ink bubbles: Basically two small bites of oyster with what looks like an afro of foam on top. Just okay, not worth the $ 14.
******Bluefin Tuna with Smoked Salmon Tartar: Has a small bit of caviar on top, good fish, $ 38
******Seared Dayboat Scallops with Fois Gras: Nice sear on the scallop and shiso grapes give it a light sweetness. ($ 25)
*******Warm Chive Omelette: Nice comfort food for only $ 9, just because I like chives.
******Warm Eel: Had some Thai basil and was sweet and crunchy like good eel should be ($ 18)
And the tea was $ 4. Excellent dinner for one!
I say forget the Grand Omakese for $ 285 or the smaller seventeen course Omakese for $ 185 and build your own.
Sure this meal may cost you upwards of $ 300 for one person, but it’s worth every penny
I love making my own thing, just like building Legos.
But man, that Fois Gras Gyoza and the Waygu with the Bone Marrow Chawan Mushi was amazing!!!
I’m saying that with lots of exclamation marks!!!
Wow!!!