Decent sushi but lacking ambience in my opinion. Little music and dimmed lights will help a lot. Waiter was friendly and awesome ! read more

[NOTE: BarKaya's 4+ rating here is entirely undeserved. It appears there was a big shift at this business within the last year. Maybe a change of ownership? Take note of date stamps on the photos here in Yelp. The sushi, sashimi, omakase from 4 yrs ago looks GOOD. (I'm assuming that's where the high rating came from.) That is not what is being served currently at BarKaya.] If your neighborhood dive bar (I LOVE a neighborhood dive bar!! Bar. ) with amazing vibes, got a super cool, gorgeous resin bar and really nice upholstered furniture with beautiful colors and big, fabulous, flat screen TVs showing amazing Japanese food shows and served the worst sushi you have ever had. That's BarKaya. No. Really. I kinda wanted to award a third star for general vibe and the fact that I met and talked to some super cool people during my visit. Call it "star inflation." But! BarKaya is, after all, putting itself forth as a restaurant and at restaurants we eat food and BarKaya deserves zero stars for food. I'm pretty sure the sushi here was the worst sushi I have ever eaten in my life. (And I've eaten supermarket sushi in at least 4 states...including VERMONT!! My Friends ...supermarket sushi is the absolute bottom of the Sushi Barrel...so keep that in mind as you read this review.). As in I am worried about having put fish that was clearly dyed/colored/God only knows what, into my body. As in when I ate the first piece of California Roll (CALIFORNIA ROLL!!) I got a whiff of something having gone "off".... As in the "torched fatty tuna belly" was completely unrecognizable as fish (please see attached photos...Yikes!). Y'all. When they put my pieces of sushi in front of me I had to make the conscious decision to eat that mess. As in I took one for the team because I was going to write a review, so I figured I needed to eat it and I also thought I probably wouldn't die (although I did think there was a strong possibility I would be sick after...and yes, this stuff did not "agree with me"...). These people need to be STOPPED from serving "sushi." It is an actual crime (and a travesty). Just. Terrible. On every level. Including the rice, which was not actually sushi rice (FYI: sushi rice is not just the rice, it is the process). I could go on. But should I? They've got this entire, beautiful bar set up. Including a glass topped sushi bar. Lovely. My suggestion is to stop serving any sort of fish. Immediately. Or...stick solely to deep fried seafood for your so-called "sushi." Tempura it all and then turn it into sushi. But please, for the love of all that is holy: NO MORE RAW FISH. They also make Ramen. I did not have Ramen. Perhaps the Ramen is edible. I have my doubts. But! Should I return (for vibes and chit chat - never underestimate those things!!) I will be trying Ramen. What I had: Cucumber Salad. Which was the best thing I ate. And, since I ate it first, it led to me to have falsely inflated expectations. It was fine. Neither flavorful nor spicy. Seaweed Salad. Just a big bowl of premade/bought Seaweed Salad. You too can buy it at the grocery store. Shrug. Miso Soup. Very large bowl. Which is nice. Not good Miso. They're not using a base (like Dashi or fish stock) and they're using too much Miso (how do I know? I've made Miso myself and done the same darn thing at home...many times). An assortment of terrible, awful, barely edible pieces of sushi: Ikura, Tobiko, Salmon Belly, Torched Fatty Tuna (that looked exactly like some sort of really inexpensive cut of beef that was then overcooked). A California Roll. Because who screws up a California Roll?? BarKaya. That's who... And an Unagi Roll. Because, again, it is nearly impossible to mess up Eel. BarKaya proves it's not entirely impossible. Because even the Eel Sauce was not good. I mean you can just BUY Eel Sauce and get some delicious stuff. These people need to be stopped. I drank their one Sake. It was fine. It probably saved my life. Always drink plenty of alcohol when you are also eating questionable/sketchy things that could potentially kill you. My theory is the alcohol will fight the toxins!! Mr Business Manager who replied below in a particularly unhinged fashion (he appears to have retracted the vast majority of his tirade - just as well, it was borderline "restraining order" stuff. YIKES!): Sir. Please take a few moments to glance at the other sushi spots I have reviewed. I know whereof I speak. Pro Tip: RESIST the urge to attack reviews online. It's a bad look. As is the sushi your establishment serves. I spent well over $100 at BarKaya. Because I tried as many things possible before drawing any conclusions Try Harder. Do. Better. You've set the bar incredibly low. Shouldn't be difficult... read more

We visited BarKaya late on a Saturday night - it seemed like the restaurant had experienced a massive rush of customers, and once sitting down, we were unfortunately told that they were no longer offering sushi. However, the ramen did not dissapoint! BarKaya has some of the best ramen soup I have ever had! Ingredients were fresh, and the ramen bowls were packed with flavor. A great fall and winter dish! Hope to be back again soon... next time, to try the sushi! read more

BarKaya - Miso Ginger Chicken Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

If you're in the area and you're craving ramen, go to Barkaya! I've been here quite a few times, including for my last birthday dinner, and it's pretty close to perfect every time! A big bowl of warm and filling ramen and a decent selection of small plates/apps. It has a trendy inside with a bar and TVs (one played sports and the other played anime). Always good service with very nice staff. I do wish they were open for longer hours! You'll definitely be seeing me again there! Glad Springfield has this little spot for ramen and sushi. read more

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I ordered the spicy seafood mazemen and mercy roll. Both were delicious. I also had a Kamikaze for a cocktail and it was so good. I have been to Barkaya many times and it never disappoints. Great food, drinks and service. The ambiance is great and they have a big flat screen for sports. I recommend visiting them on a Mondays for $10 ramen but just a heads up sushi isn't served on Mondays. read more

LACKLUSTER - Not Worth a Revisit. YOU'LL WALK AWAY DISSATISFIED Service was exceptional - and food came out quickly. Unfortunately, the food was less then desirable. Their Pork Belly Ramen is Souyo Based. It was super salty, lack complexity, lacked umami! It also came to our table lukewarm in temperature with only few of the traditional toppings! You could make a better broth at home or you can pay $16 at this joint, which is a higher price than great ramen in J-Town in LA, or what we have in SoCal, and just short of what you pay for exceptional ramen in NY. If the price point is this high, then the Ramen must be better than good! Unfortunately, the ramen SUCKED, walking away, DISSATISFIED! The rolls were average, nothing special, except, again their price. Try another joint! read more

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I was so excited when I saw that this place was opening - ramen nearby?? Too bad after our meal, we left very disappointed. We tried both the suiyaki beef ramen and the shoyu chashu pork ramen. Both were underwhelming. The broths themselves were okay - but I don't think any of them were rich enough. The noodles also did not absorb any of the beef flavor. The meat that came with both ramens were just okay and nothing really special. The soft boiled egg was cooked perfectly, however. We also opted for a few pieces of sushi. The downside is when we asked for certain things, we kept being told they were out of it. We ended up getting some toro later which was just okay. The portions were small given the price point. Additionally, we were overcharged on our receipt. Of course, this got remedied, but you should def. check if you were correctly charged before leaving. Given the price points and the hype that was built around this restaurant, I expected a lot more. read more

BarKaya - Beef ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

Well, this is a difficult one to write- a mixed bag of a review I guess. First of all, the space is excellent, nice decor and a very comfortable space. 3 of us came to enjoy Sushi, and we did not take them up on the Omakase, preferring to order a la carte. They have a good selection of drinks, we were interested in beer and Saké. We had a local beer on draft which was great. The Saké only came in little cans, but was good. We ordered Spicy Edamame, and the amount was pitifully small, and not at all spicy. We asked for a second order and were told they were out of Edamame- not sure how you can run out of Edamame on a Friday night. They offered fried Shishito Peppers as an alternate, which were good, but too large and slightly undercooked. We ordered a lot of different Sushi, Sashimi and rolls. Our server came back and told us that they were out of a couple of items, so we ordered some alternates. It took forever to get our food, and it came out in bits and spurts. And while we each ordered some of the same orders as each other, she only brought out one order for all of us. Also, even though the original menu we read online said the were 2 Nigiri per order, this is no longer the case- be aware that it is one piece of Nigiri/Sashimi per order- it gets very expensive quick! We started realizing that many of the items were not showing up, and we were told they had run out of them, again, surprising on a Friday night. They even ran out of the Saké we were drinking. No Ikura, no Otoro or Chu Toro, Hokkigai, Tako, Amaebi... Okay, so the Sushi itself was good, albeit expensive, the 3 of us paid $350.00 pretip for what we ate and drank. We figured 9 pieces of basic Nigiri Sushi cost $41.00 (see photo). I am willing to give them a second chance, maybe I'll try the Omakase next time... read more

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I think they closed down. I went this past weekend and they weren't open. Tried to call a couple times, phone line is down

We had the most amazing experience at this elegant but welcoming restaurant tonight. One night stop between Maine and Philadelphia; just got lucky. Beautiful food, eclipsed only by the service. The woman running the show was the best bartender we have encountered in at least five years, and we travel constantly. The chef is young and brilliant...we must come back if only to hear his story. Thanks for the memories! read more

Service was great. Place was nice and clean. Good atmosphere. Food was awful, ramen broth lacked any flavor in both ramen soups. Gyoza was cold throughout. read more

i love love love this place. sushi, ramen- it's all amazing and made just for you (where does that happen anymore?!! woot woot!).....Chris and staff are awesome and I'm just waiting for his ramen making classes to be whole in life ;) It seriously is a gem in our area - you won't be disappointed :) Thanks Barkaya! Big love !!!! read more

My wife and I went to BARkaya with high expectations, and we were not disappointed. The restuarant itself is meticulously designed, modern elements that blend seamlessly with respect to the area's historic roots. We did the 13 course Omakase which gave us a wide array of some of the best sushi and sashimi I've ever had in my life, prepared right in front of us by Chef Chow. A few courses were non-traditional, but were fantastic non-the-less (standing out was the slightly seared waygu beef sashimi topped with shaved truffles). Absolutely phenomenal food, hands down. The service was fantastic as well, every need was met. Our waitress was awesome and the front end manager, knowing I had a soft spot for Japanese whiskey, brought some samples for me to try. Speaking of the drinks, they are out of this world. Each cocktail has some form of Japanese flavors are incorporated and are as delicate and thought out as the food itself, used as an enhancement to the cuisine, rather than a stand alone. That's not to say that you shouldn't go for just the drinks, because you definitely should. Overall, our diner at BARkaya was one of the best dining experiences in the city, maybe the region. We will be back for the normal diner service, and try to conjure a special occasion to try to 22 course Omakase next. We're been excited and impressed with the renaissance of our city, and BARkaya is a terrific addition to it. read more

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The ambiance in this place is sooo pretty. I usually sit at the bar. Drinks are great. Food is so bomb and the service is always really good, I always have the same waiter and she is so sweet and polite. read more

BarKaya - Spicy seafood ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

Not a good first impression at all! This place was not the vibe at all. They have a 10$ Monday deal going on. I said let try it why not... to begin you are not even able to get in contact with the restaurant, it keeps coming up busy/or call fail.. no online ordering avail. On google it says the place is closed but on IG they post advertising the Monday sale.. so confusing. After calling 73x+ I decided to take a trip down there and see what the big deal was. Place was not busy at all.. so why the phones weren't being answered... idk. I proceded to order and was told 35mins+ being the fool I am. I waited. Got my ramen went home and started to assemble. Immediately.. I noticed discoloration in the noodles. Almost like a blue/green color.. as I continúe to sort I keep seeing green/blue noodles. I was so turned off. Presentation is cute, but taste wise.. way to salty almost like oil+soy sauce and water. I'm not sure what has to be done to make noodles go bad but this was not it. I ordered 2 orders of noodles and my family did eat one without noticing. We are hoping no issues but expect the worst atm. Please save your money and try something else. Maybe Indian food down the street. Or Nadims just some good food options downtown. THIS THO WAS NOT IT! read more

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Me and my partners meal here was amazing! We got the firecracker roll and ramen. The service and ambiance was very nice as well. Would definitely recommend this establishment. read more

BarKaya - Firecracker roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

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I came here a while back on a Monday night with two friends when they were running a 10$ bowl of ramen special. We were excited to try a ramen place in Spfld, since normally we end up in Noho. We sit down pretty quickly, the waiter is very kind, professional, and courteous to us while serving. The issues we ran into pretty quickly were: they were out of a lot of things we asked about on the menu. I eat gluten free, so I asked about rice noodles. They initially said yes, but upon checking with the kitchen, said they were out, so my "ramen" had to go without noodles for my own sake. They use the same broth for every ramen. It's a vegetable broth, which is fine, but my friend had a pork ramen and found the broth lacking. Since my bowl was broth and veggies, i had a good taste, the broth wasn't very strong. They only offered one dessert, which was a matcha creme brulee. I and a friend split one. I found the color to be unappetizing, and the taste not to work with the creme brulee. It just made me wish they had offered a vanilla creme brulee. Given that the ramen was cheaper than normal the night we went, I'd say it's a stretch that it's a good bang for your buck. The service was great, and the atmosphere was nice, but can't recommend the food. read more

I have been here twice, one for traditional dinner and one for omakase. For dinner my group ordered full sushi meals as a way of scoping out the seafood quality. Everything was amazingly fresh, the rice was well seasoned, wasabi had a good bite, and the fish was cut really fine. It took a little while for it all to come out, but this was a Friday night and there were many tables and one sushi chef. We left satisfied and ready to come back. We book the 13 course omakase as our next visit. I will echo the sentiments of other reviews, you are going to get an amazing show of personalized service and fantastic food. My favorites were the clam and shrimp, so sweet with great textures. The manager offered some sake pairings with different courses. The bartender offered my kid any blended non-alcoholic drink on the house so he could get into the spirit of the night too. Maybe it was the matcha IPA beer, but I was feeling really warm and fuzzy by the whole event, we were well taken care of by the staff. read more

BarKaya - From the omakase course: one donut shape of rice, two cuts of tuna, one cut salmon, mixed roe. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

absolutely delicious. Everyone is right when they say you can really taste the difference, i will definitely be back soon for sure. The atmosphere is great, and i even enjoyed the music that was playing, our waitress was super friendly and attentive as well. read more

BarKaya - spicy tuna roll and salmon sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

Over hyped ramen was not flavorful at all and the pork was burnt another popularity over quality nice decor staff blah

My Husband and I RSVP'd for the 22 course tasting menu. We have traveled many places to try Sushi and Ramen. this place by far has our patronage for life. the food is fresh and fantastic. The Owner/Chef Chris Mckiernan is down to earth, fabulous personality. makes you feel right at home. read more

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Went on a Monday in search of sushi only to find out they do not do sushi on Monday. Decided to give the ramen a try. It was tasty and fresh but not sushi. Sat at the bar and the best thing about our visit was our server Becky. She was fantastic and made our visit entertaining. read more

The Ramen and Noodle Bowl was just ok. I've definitely made better at home. We were disappointed when we ordered the Seafood Ramen and Seafood bowl and each was supposed to include Scallops. Both dishes arrived without Scallops. When we asked the waitress about the Scallops, she said that they didn't have Scallops so they added more shrimp and imitation crab (the menu did not state that it was going to be imitation crab either). There were 4 tiny shrimp and very little imitation crab. We won't be going back. read more

Tasty food, great service. The sushi was fresh, pork belly, draft beer, and ramen were excellent. Friendly unassuming feel. Will go back soon. read more

I'm back after after being here a few months ago. The place has changed already. The original, online sign-up Omikase menu was removed but it's back! However, tonight, I am going to try several items to see what has become of the place as the head chef had quit. I like the bottle of cold water! Also, they have a little duck-shaped, chopstick holder. That's different. I rather vociferously complained about the $5 cup of miso soup ($3 is the record so far), so I was given a sample of the King Crab Naruto. This is quite good. Love the edible gold flakes! First off, I am starting off with their version of seaweed salad, or Kyuri. It is very good. For my next item, I am trying a bowl of the [$5 ] miso soup. It includes fish bone broth, scallions, tofu and wakame (edible seaweed). Interesting. I have never seen a soup spoon quite like that before. Well, the soup is good. Very authentic. It is somewhat darker than most. For my next item, I am having the kaya edamame (extra spicy, of course). The taste is amazing! Unique, too. For my next item, I am having a spicy tuna hand roll (extra spicy). Very good. Next up, the Hamachi Pepper made with yellowtail, micro cilantro and jalapeño ponzu. For my final item, I am having a Bowl of Spicy Seafood Ramen noodle soup. I believe this is my first ever bowl of ramen noodles! It includes a vegetable broth, scallions, cilantro, nori (dried seaweed), a soy egg and sesame. Yes, this is extra spicy at no extra charge! I have just been told that on Mondays all of the ramen noodle bowls are $10! This is damn good! read more

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Ok, so we were skeptical when we first walked in. We researched the menu online and were expecting something more extensive (the owner explained that with supply chain issues they slimmed their menu a little bit which is totally understandable and honestly better to have the freshest ingredients). With that being said, this place was UNBELIEVABLE. The owner was actually at the sushi bar and we could tell that he really cared about the menu and took time to perfect each roll. Our bartender was fabulous and made us the most amazing cocktails. Both had impeccable attention to detail. The owner let us sample a few pieces we were unsure about and totally sold us on a few things. We also got the "broth-less" ramen with beef and scallion, AMAZING. We also had the pork dumplings which were super flavorful. We will be back again and again. Already craving more and we just left! read more

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Had the best sushi here last night! Highly recommend the tuna Crispy rice appetizer. Abby made us some excellent drinks too! Can't wait to be back all summer! Beautiful inside as well. read more

BarKaya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

Loved this spot!! Fairly new to the area- we were there visiting our daughter and are complete foodies! Wanted to go out an experiment and experience the best the neighborhood had to offer. BarKaya did not disappoint! We did the chefs choice 22 course meal... first, come VERY hungry because wow! Second, this place is chic and elegant and goes out of their way to please you, we also chose to have the drink pairing with our meal and I can't wait to go back and try something new! They picked out some amazing wines, mixed cocktails, and various other adult beverages to compliment the items the chef put in front of us. There is certainly a few VERY WEIRD things he will put in front of you and a lot of raw but trust him! He's going to take you on an amazing journey that you will never forget. All the way to the surprise dessert we loved our visit and hope to return again very soon! read more

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I have been twice and not disappointed one bit. The chefs and bartender really get into their job and make sure everything is fresh and tasty. Drinks were top notch and the ramen.....mmmmmmm. Which is only $10 on mondays. Definitely a must try!!! read more

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It was a quick in and out but the chef really attentive, food was good I got the pork ramen Noddles and they where delicious read more

BarKaya - Pork belly ramen. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

Atmosphere is top notch. The food is absolutely amazing. Sat at the chef station and was able to watch them bring this fabulous food to life. I am gluten free and they made special accommodations for me. The seafood ramen was absolutely amazing! I will definitely be returning to this restaurant. read more

Absolutely enjoyed ourselves at this establishment!! From the moment we walked in until we closed the place down!! We even had a great conversation with the chef.. the Ramen noodle bowls are to die for and the beautiful drinks were so unique! We definitely will be back! read more

BarKaya - Ramen noodle bowl.. Pork - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

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The ramen and appetizers were delicious Service and atmosphere was great. I would definitely recommend.

Was excited about a ramen place in Springfield! Really wanted to love it. 5 stars for trendy/modern ambience/decor, cleanliness, service. But the beef onion ramen was just... blah. Lacking in depth of flavor and bland. Vegetarian broth should feel clean to the palate, but then the greasy beef/pork weighed it all down with oil. Boiled egg was overcooked. Noodles were meh. $10 ramen on Mondays and decent portion sizes make for not a bad deal, though. Suppose it's better than, say, a fast food meal at a comparable price. I was starving so I ate it all but it does mean it was pretty bad if I didn't think it was absolutely delicious when I was so ravenous! Usually even instant cup noodles taste amazing when I am hungry enough...So overall I'd say this was pretty much a mediocre meal. Avocado/cucumber roll was laughably amateurish, misshapen and falling apart, with ratios way off: like 85% overdone rice drenched in way too much vinegar. We did go on a Monday afternoon for lunch so maybe it's an off day. read more

This place is amazing. The food scene in Springfield sucks but this place seems right out of a major city. The decor inside is modern and beautiful and the food is delicious. I highly recommend the chicken sando and wings and ramen. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Found this gem in a local news article. Loved the read about being local and having a fine detailed experience made with passion and love for the art. I ordered the 22 course sushi sampling. (There is a name for it, it escapes me at the moment.) I have had sushi experiences many many times over the years. This time though is was the atmosphere, the feeling of being part of something special, made for you that was it for me. The food is amazing. The Owner Chris, I wish all the best. Thank you for having us and letting us get to know you and you livelihood. Many blessings and good fortune. Needless to say we will be back forever and a day. read more

First time here and I highly recommend. Service, food, drinks, and atmosphere all great. read more

BarKaya - Dragon and Mercy Rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

More like 3.5 stars. The restaurant is very modern & trendy. Service is attentive & accommodating. Sushi side of the menu is top-notch. The prices are a bit up there but that's understandable. The ramen needs a lot of improvement. I had ordered the Pork Belly Ramen and it was not impressive. It came with a layer of oil on top and the broth itself was overly salty. The noodles were chinese restaurant lo mein noodle. The egg, however, was perfect. read more

BarKaya brings genuine Japanese cuisine and drinks to downtown Springfield. I recently had a fine Japanese whiskey cocktail with Unagi Negiri (broiled eel on rice, similar to sushi) and shrimp tempura. The shrimp were enormous and very tender. It was a perfect way to relax after work. read more

Have been three times since they opened and it keeps getting better. Been dying for a solid sushi place in Springfield and this does the job for me. Very reasonably priced for a nice place with great drinks. Others in my party really enjoyed the ramen. Two of the times we walked to and from MGM, nice walk from there maybe 10 minutes tops. read more