Ooka Japanese Restaurant

Mine is a 4 star review with a few caveats. First, I came for lunch at 1:30 on a Wednesday with a reservation so I barely had to break my stride from the door to my table apparently unlike some other reviewers I noticed, and second, I’m a big fan of Benihana so they get an extra ½ star just for being the only hibachi restaurant in Riverside. That being said, the food here is pretty solid.
I am strictly speaking about the hibachi food, as I do not eat sushi. We had Filet Mignon and shrimp, and both were very good. The steak was tender and flavorful, while the shrimp was crisp when you bite it but tender and moist when you chew it. The vegetables are typical Japanese Steakhouse fare, but they add those tiny corn things and carrots to the typical zucchini and onions. I personally hate vegetables, but everyone else seemed to enjoy the zucchini and onions but the carrots and baby corns, not so much.
The main problem I had with Ooka when I first ate there, probably about 10 years ago, is that their sauces were disgusting. Anyone can serve you meat and shrimp, but at a Japanese Steakhouse, it’s all about the sauce. This time, they have done the right thing and done their best to rip off Benihana. They have succeeded with the mustard sauce, and they are close enough with the ginger sauce, but it really is too sweet and the sauce I make at home is better, but it’s good enough to make the meal. The salad dressing is basically Thousand Island with some ginger and lemon juice and doesn’t compare.
The main factor here, considering the overall quality of the food, is the price. A shrimp lunch is just $ 10.50, a NY Steak lunch is $ 11.95 and a Filet Mignon lunch is $ 13.95. You can also get a combo of 2 lunch items for $ 15.95, $ 2 extra if one item is the filet. For me, as usual, lunch is the way to go since I am a lite eater, or if you are trying Ooka for the first time, or if you haven’t eaten there in a while. Why pay nearly twice as much for something, half of which you will probably end up just throwing away at home?

I’ve been coming to Ooka since they opened, so you can assume I know what I’m talking about. The hibachi table chef, on the other hand, did not. I ordered the Chilean sea bass on the hibachi table, which I’ve ordered for the past 7+ years and it was prepared terribly. Normally, it has a teriyaki glaze and sesame seeds on it, this time it didn’t. I asked him if he forgot and he argued with me and said that sea bass and teriyaki do not go together and no chef makes it like that. Ok, really biotch? You guys do. There are pictures posted to Unilocal that PROVE it.
He also served my brother and I UNDERCOOKED entrees. My brother asked him to prepare it medium-​rare (which he has asked for every single time he’s gone here), and a few of the pieces were nearly RAW. He argued with us AGAIN and said that he asked for medium-​rare, so that’s what he gets. Not cool. My sea bass was also ridiculously under cooked, so we asked the chef if he could put them back on the table. The steak ended up fine, but my sea bass was still raw.
I wish I would’ve gotten his name, because Ooka needs to have a talk with him. My worst Ooka experience so far.

The show was something, the more enthusiastic the crowed the more the chief will make the show something to see.
The service was excellent. They didn’t pressure you to leave when the show was over but most people leave once it is.
Lots of food

This place is dirty!!!
I’m a curious fellow and happened to peek in the kitchen. Mistake.
These guys don’t wash their hands and wipe sweat with their rags! Could not believe me eyes as I’ve eaten here.

Ok. I want to say good things here, but I can’t. We arrived and were told it was an hour wait for the hibachi side and 30 for the dining room. We could see several empty tables, but we waited. Finally seated. The servers were very attentive, but the kitchen? Not so much. Waited 30 minutes after we ordered and finally cashed out without eating. 35 dollars for 2 drinks and an appetizer. Several places to eat, don’t recommend this one. Thursday Date night? Not a good choice.

Always great service and delicious food that is reasonably priced. Wish they offered all you can eat sushi though…

You get what you pay for, the fish here is very fresh! The ambience of this place is charming; not only is it nice and calm, its décor is beautiful, too. Their hours are later than other sushi places so it’s nice and convenient, especially that it’s located next to the movie theater.

I love this place! Hibachi is my fave. They are always so polite and professional and give a great show. The food is delicious! One of my favorite places to go.

Not the best, but not the worst. I’m really not a fan of their hibachi grill. The service here is always super iffy. The last time we visited we they ran out of soup and forgot to bring our rice and then had the nerve to offer it to us at the end like, what do we need rice to go for? The service needs improvement big time.

I’m located in Moreno Valley and have yet to find a great sushi spot near me but I’m grateful to stumble across Ooka in Riverside ! My husband and I love thier «rainbow» rolls and «morning after» rolls. Let’s not forget thier hot saki always does the job making it an even greater experience. Very nice atmosphere and very welcoming at the hostess stand. It’s best to make reservations for dinner time and weekends as they tend to be more busy then. Located literally next door to the theaters. Perfect date night for me and hubby!

A great place to go for a sexy date or a family or friend get together. Tonight four of us had a dragon rolls, vegetarian sushi rolls, morning after rolls, soft shell crab rolls and ahi tuna rolls. Also saki.
The three sushi chefs were entertaining and talkative. Most of the time they are not.
Three ways to dine.
Hibachi grill
Dining room
Sushi bar.
I think you can order from any menu in any of the areas.

Food was good and moderately priced! Began as a great experience with my friend after swimming practice, we come in find some comfy seats and grab menu’s to begin the order.
I came up on a nice fish plate with a beer on the side, and it all came pretty quickly as there was not too much food traffic in the building but rather calm and leisure.
I did enjoy my experience here and would love to come another time with some Unilocalers!

I loved coming here … It was a great family experience! The food was awesome and the show was even better… what show? well having someone cook for you you right in front of you. My kids had fun we all had fun. Lobster, shrimp, scallops, chicken, noodles, sushi, rice yeah it was nice. The price was right !!

I ate here the other night with a large party and thought that it was pretty good.
The restaurant itself is clean and has nice ambiance. I love that they do hibachi here because it really creates a fun experience for everyone.
The service was generally good. They were usually very on top of it. Sometimes it took awhile to get things we ordered or needed (e.g. one of the people who ate with us waited quite awhile for his sake because they ran out of the containers that they put the sake in). But overall, they were very diligent. Our hibachi chef was really great and fun! He paid close attention to peoples’ allergies and cooked up a great meal! I had the NY strip hibachi entrée. The soup in the beginning was okay and I wasn’t a fan of the salad (mostly because I’m not a fan of spicy mayonnaise dressings). The steak was nice and tender and had good flavor. The hibachi noodles and veggies were tasty, as well as the fried rice. I really enjoyed the entrée, but thought that it was super salty and that they could go a little less on the salt.
Overall, it was a good experience. I think the price was pretty fair. The service was pretty good. If I’m around and the time is right, then I will be back!

This was easily the best sushi and streak restaurant I’ve ever been to. Customer service was spectacular, food was delicious and abundant for its price, and the restaurant itself was fantastically presented. Riverside needed a place like this.

Only in Riverside.
What I mean is, only in Riverside, this small-​town-​feel city nestled in the dry hills of the Inland Empire where tumbleweeds take over the road and people still drive pick up trucks from the 40s, could a sushi restaurant of this caliber survive as long as it has.
They’ve done everything by the books– the «How to for Dummies» version of what a Japanese restaurant should look like and have: teppan area, dining area, sushi counter, bar. Décor and appearance looks as a Japanese restaurant should. But when people are ordering fried rice for lunch in a bento with tempura — this isn’t authentic Japanese — this is fauxAsian.
Sure, the fish is decent and the service is friendly, but it’s a watered down version of what a Japanese restaurant should be. The menu is so lengthy and unorganized that I now understand why people are ordering the fried rice and there was nothing about my lunch that felt inspired or exemplary enough to mention or crave.
When there is no where else to go and I’m in need of sushi, this place might be somewhere to visit. But if you want real Japanese style sushi find another place. The drive out of the this small, desert town will be worth it.

I’ve been a regular customer at Ooka for more than two years and it is time that I give the establishment the credit they are due with a review.
The dining room, bar and hibachi grill are all absolutely amazing. I have never, in two years, had a single complaint other than «I wish the Morning After roll always came with thin sliced lemons standard instead of by request.»
The atmosphere is amazing, the sushi is the best I have ever had in the Inland Empire and the service is always great, even during the busier times. Every appetizer I have ever had satisfied my cravings and then some, and every sushi tray I have had has been more amazing than the next.
Their drink menu is creative and current, featuring tried and true classics alongside seasonal favorites that are all worth a short (the Georgia Peach martini is the one of the best drinks I’ve ever had).
Whether it is a business meal, a meal with friends or a romantic date, Ooka can meet your needs without breaking the bank!

My go to sushi spot in riverside. Are they perfect? Nope. Do they have the greatest sushi/​sashimi? Nope.
But they are consistent and clean. Ive never had a bad experience here. Never had bad or questionable fish either. There is just something lacking. I go about once a week.
It’s really nice ambiance, and all the staff is awesome.
If you gi aline sit at the real bar, james and amber are awesome.

One of my favorite places for sushi rolls and hibachi cooking. Must try the spicy tempura scallop roll and new Zealand baked mussels.
I’ve been coming here for years. The ambiance and modern dimly lit atmosphere makes it a great date place or just to satisfy your cravings with friends.
My all time favorite is their spicy scallop tempura roll, the sauce is just amazing! Normally I don’t eat rolls, I prefer nigiri or sashimi, but this roll is just that superb.
I’ve had countless dining experiences here and have always left happy and satisfied.
The hibachi grill is a fun experience, better than benihana in flavor.
Amazing lunch specials, you get quite a bit of food for your buck. I wish I can come here more often to make good on this great deal, but my waistline Thanks me for not. Haha.

I was a newbie, and now I’m a fan.
Came here for a Birthday Dinner and was pleasantly surprised.
:RESTAURANT:
Lovely building, décor and atmosphere. The restaurant has a traditional dining area, bar, hibachi and sushi bar. We sat at the Sushi Bar. The bad part about the Hibachi area is everyone has to get Hibachi. Which we didn’t want.
:FOOD:
Drinks — We had a wonderful Chilled Pear Sake for $ 13. It was really good, but here is where things went wrong. The «Carafe» they had the Sake is had a hole in it where the ice was. Which was nice, until the ice melted then we had water all over the table. No good.
Sushi Bento Box ($ 21) — 6 pieces of Sushi (even including a piece of Shark. OK, but chewy), Shrimp Tempura, California Roll, Gyoza, Sweet Potato. A TON of food. I really wasn’t expecting this much food, especially for the price. But it was DELICIOUS. I really loved the California Roll, it wasn’t traditional with that horrible creamy mixture. Everything was chunky. No cream at all.
Sashimi Bento Box ($ 24) — 12 pieces of Sashimi and everything from the Sushi Bento Box. Yummy.
Because we are so entertaining, the Sushi Chef gave us complimentary dessert… a wonderful display of fruit.
:SERVICE:
The service wasnt HORRIBLE, but it wasnt great either. The preason this is a four star review and not 5.
Great place for lunch, dinner, date, girls night.