It is still the best sushi bar in the Southeast. They have the largest variety of fresh fish and other seafood, but they also make traditional chicken and steaks. The owner / chef Ryo takes care in what he's making and shows great pride in his finished product and it tastes great too. He gets fish that other restaurants do not have access to or have chosen not to purchase. I have seen flying fish, jellyfish, fresh Cobia, fresh Spanish mackerel, live clams and scallops and other seafood that you cannot obtain anywhere else. If you are looking for the best sushi in the area, you don't need to go anywhere else. You can go anywhere and buy a California roll but that is really not what I would consider sushi that's like going to Ruth Chris steakhouse and ordering a hot hot dog. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Ryo and crew hard at work! - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The fact that I'm the only Asian customer at this place says it all. I ordered Inakaya Fried Chicken, which is a split bone chicken wing per their menu. I was given chicken nuggets and told they don't have chicken wings... Glad I found their menu online to prove I wasn't crazy. Everything is either overcooked, dry, or super salty. No idea why this place was even packed. Sushi rice was dry. The chicken nugget thing mentioned above was overly dry and salty. Tonkotsu Ramen was overcooked. Either they chose the wrong type of noodle or let it sit forever before serving it. The two slices of meat that came with the ramen was maybe from pork chop meat? Usually it's made with cha shew meat or pork belly. Two super lean and dry slices of meat made the bowl look like a joke. The noodle was salty enough that I don't even want to try the broth. Edamame was okay. Other than the fact that they don't look appetizing, the shell was brownish and many bean pockets (if you know what I was trying to say) were empty, that's probably the best dish on the table. If you want sushi or ramen or anything that's on their menu, do yourself a favor and please try to find it somewhere else. read more

Two weeks of us for dinner. Needed something not so heavy so opted for a couple of rolls and this place was close. At the back side of a strip mall with lots of parking. Curb appeal is lacking. Very dated exterior and once we walked in this was probably a very nice restaurant a decade ago. Has a full bar and extensive Asian decor. Service was good and attentive and the travel a good selection of Asian beers. The place has potential but needs cleaning and updating. I would go back if in the area. read more

The food was 10/10! Our service was really great, thank you Sean for your great serving attitude and helping my hubby and I decide what to order. The ambiance is 10/10! I like the quaint feel of the restaurant and sitting at the sushi bar is really nice. We will be back for sure. read more

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This place is fantastic. I love their menu. Service is great. I would eat there everyday if I could! I wish they would bring back another lunch day...Thursday maybe! read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Inakaya Watanabe Japanese Restaurant 655 St. Andrew Rd. Columbia SC - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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My partner and I came here when we learned that our favorite place for sushi had closed their sushi bar, so very disappointed to find that out. This place looked amazing from the menu we saw on here with so many rolls to choose from, so we decided to give it a go! We were starving and I was so ready for some good sushi and just knew this was going to be our new spot! The atmosphere was good and normal for a restaurant; nothing special but nothing bad either. We ordered 4 Special Rolls as well as some egg rolls and soup for an appetizer. The egg rolls were good and the dipping sauce was delicious. The soup was good as well. It was very difficult to decide which rolls to get because there were so many to choose from that sounded so delicious; perhaps because we were starving as well. The first roll came out and it immediately set the tone for the rest of the meal. It was nothing like what was described. It was like loaves instead of rolls, which wasn't bad, but it had indicated it had salmon, tuna, and another fish (I forget now) so you would have expected the fish to be in slices. Instead, it was a brown paste. It was also missing the wasabi and other ingredients listed. We asked about these issues and they just stated that sometimes they change the recipe. We indicated that we didn't like it and they just said they were sorry. The other 3 rolls were okay, but just bland. I've had better at the grocery store in a container! $100 later we left full, but very disappointed. I guess our search continues.... read more

Visiting Columbia, SC for the weekend and stumbled across this wonderful restaurant near our accommodation. It's apparently popular with the locals and we had some friendly folks help us out with getting our names written down because they were busy. Being a Friday night we probably waited 20-25mins to be seated. They offer the sushi bar or tables, we opted for either and got the sushi bar which was great because we got front row seats to the fish on display that the chefs use for the dishes. I got myself an Asahi Draught and my wife got a green tea. Both fresh and delicious. Our waitress was very nice. The food was delightful and very flavorful. Sushi and sashimi combos, with some salad and a soup. We topped it off with some dessert - which for any sweet tooth fans out there, I highly recommend. And it was all quite cheap. We were very impressed with everything and highly recommend folks try this place. read more

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Just ate our last meal at Inakaya. Miso soup too salty and for some reason cloudy. Sushi was just okay, crunchy roll, St. Andrews roll, cucumber roll, eal, octopus and squid. Teriyaki chicken had an odd flavor that I couldn't put my finger on and dry. The seafood yakasoba left a lot to be desired. Not sure what has happened within the last year or so here but hoping they figure it out. read more

best in Columbia so far pork belly & sashimi combination my favorite pretty peaceful place for having dinner good service. yummy read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Sushi is excellent. We have heard about Inakaya over and over with rave reviews so we decided why not try it for ourselves. Went on a Sunday and was not expecting it to be so full but the sushi bar seats were all filled when we arrived so we opted for a table. On the way in we saw the special board and everything from three roll appetizer special to hibachi meal on special looked like great options. We asked our server for recommendations and she kindly explained and answered all our questions. She was always smiling and very friendly. We started with the vegetable and shrimp tempura and it was devious. Lightly fried and very tasty with a perfect amount of food for an appetizer - not too big and not too small. We tried some new rolls such as the happy and ONeil Ct roll! Oh my gosh - both were delicious. And good size rolls. It was very busy and while we only had sushi this time, next time we will try a hibachi meal as all the food that went by looked and smelled delicious. Will return and would recommend. read more

So good and so unassuming, in the same plaza as the dmv, we got too gyudon bowls one with beef and one with pork, plenty of soup on the bottom maybe just a little less for ratio balance... The sushi chefs are very friendly and has been around for a while... I felt like you can taste the difference and the authenticity, can't wait to go back to get some sushi and rolls! read more

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This little gem is the best kept secret in Columbia for sushi. The sushi is phenomenal. Upon entry, you're greeted and quickly taken to a table. My glass was always filled, the appetizers were prompt, and the sushi was excellent. It's well lit and has a family feel to it. I'm also a sucker for a food story, which is on the front of the menu. Please go in a check it out and pay your respect to the head man in charge. You can find him behind the sushi bar providing excellent service! This is the only place I go to for sushi and I recommend it to anyone! Enjoy! read more

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Atmosphere isn't very inviting and we had a wait. Ended up at sushi bar next to a couple clearly on their first date. Sushi was good. I was just told this place was amazing so had to try it and wasn't overly impressed. Maybe it was talked up too much. My rock'n roll was delicious! Flower roll was pretty but lacked much flavor. Husband enjoyed his rainbow roll and (black or red, he couldn't remember) dragon roll. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Rock'n roll on left and flower roll on right - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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From the outside, it's a plain building with a plain sign. From the inside? Amazing. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. All the staff that I met were very friendly. We had a server named Nathan who was so patient, explained some of the menu items to us and even offered us some recommendations. The food will not disappoint! The sushi is fresh and prepared beautifully. We had the Godzilla roll, Firecracker roll, black dragon roll, and takoyaki maki. I didn't think I would like the red pickled ginger on the takoyaki maki, but I was wrong. Definitely takes it up a notch. One thing I really liked was that my sushi was brought out one roll at a time. We got to taste and experience one roll before jumping to the next. I can't wait to go back. There were so many other options that I wanted to try. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Takoyaki Maki - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Wed 12/10: I hope this was an off night because this meal was very disappointing. Inakaya has always been our preferred sushi restaurant in the Irmo area. Tonight, the fish and the rice were cold and dry; very cold and very dry like day-old Publix sushi. This tells me the maki rolls were made in advance, or the ingredients were past their prime. And I am not exaggerating on this, or that the yellowfin, salmon, tuna, and eel all tasted the same: different colors of cold rubber. The food left a bitter aftertaste that I still cannot get rid of an hour later. We ordered mochi and it was hard-frozen and freezer-burned. The service and food prep were slow for a Wednesday night at 7:30. I was surprised by the recent positive reviews. Red Sake is average for sushi, but it was far better than what I experienced tonight, at $200 (no alcohol ordered) for four people. read more

We last ate here in 2018 and it was very mediocre then. I'm sorry to report that things haven't changed much. Service was prompt, polite, and attentive but the food is made with low quality ingredients like tiny cocktail shrimp in noodle dishes. Sushi was just OK. Japanese food is typically very healthy but Inakaya serves the McDonalds version of Japanese food - greasy, fatty, and salty. If you're looking for good Japanese food, I would look elsewhere. Also, this Inakaya location is located in a sad, depressing, broken down strip mall that looks closed. It only adds to the unpleasant experience. read more

This has, hands-down, the best sushi in Columbia! Its only rival for authentic sushi would be Inakaya on O'Neil Ct, but I also prefer the ambience of this small and cozy restaurant. Everyone's friendly and works well, and there's usually not too much of a wait. Very cute and yummy! read more

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Columbia, hands down. There are some decent places out there, but this is the winner. The service is always fast and friendly, and the waitstaff knows the menu very well for people like me who are not exactly sushi experts. The restaurant is quiet, with low music playing in the background. The perfect place to go have a nice dinner and conversation. This is also my son's favorite restaurant! Enjoy! read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Godzilla Roll - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Excellent sushi!!!! The service can sometimes be slow and inattentive but the food is always fresh and good.

While visiting Columbia I had a fantastic meal at Inakaya Watanabe. Sydney provided the best service ever. Can't wait to go back. Tom read more

Sashimi Dinner for two $48 Comes with miso soup and salad with ginger dressing Wish there was an explanation on what is what. Quality good. read more

What a wonderful discovery! We were passing through and liked the reviews so we stopped by. It was a busy Friday but got a table after a short wait! We could have chosen a sushi bar seat or traditional tatami mat room though? We ordered a lot to try a wide range with a boat, katsu Don and two tempura plates! Zoie our servicer made this great dining experience memorable as we ate our fill and had enough for our refrigerator to offer a weekend treat! The standard for a great meal is looking forward to your next visit! read more

Best restaurant in Columbia. I will never not talk about this place. Me and my boyfriend go here once a week (sometimes 2 times a week). Everyone who works there knows us and what we'll order. We LOVE LOVE LOVE inakaya watanabe! The sashimi is amazing! If you want to try appetizers, try the ika geso karage or the baked mussels (its to die for). We've tried their omakase as well, we loved it. The fried cheescake for dessert is also the best way to end the meal. read more

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It's been WAY too long since I've dined here, so my excitement was difficult to contain. I brought my son here after baseball practice as one of our monthly sushi date nights and we were starving, ready to feast on some highly reputable sushi in the midlands. First off, I need to say that the food here is prepared very well and served fresh to order (as it should be). You can taste the difference in the quality of sushi here. It's much better than any other sushi restaurant in the midlands that I've tried. You don't have sloppy sushi chefs and it shows. Again, I must say, this is truly the best sushi around! The ambiance is perfect here. It is a little hole in the wall joint, but it feels very comfortable and traditional to Japanese cuisine when you walk in. The staff is all dressed properly and attentive. The owner is a sushi chef himself. On the right night, you can find him rolling sushi behind the bar, just like tonight, which makes the whole experience feel like you're definitely in the right place. The service tonight was not as great as my previous experience, however. The host at the door was very accommodating as he sat us within minutes after cleaning our table and presenting our table properly, but our server just wasn't as pleasant. She literally walked up to the table with a "know what you want?" kind of attitude. She did not introduce herself and she did not smile the whole time we were there. She was accurate with our order, but she just wasn't very welcoming at all. This was the only mishap of our evening though. All in all, we had a good experience and even though we like to try a new place every month, we both agreed this was the best of all the sushi restaurants we've been to so far and we plan on coming back for more. read more

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Been here plenty of times before. Always enjoy myself. The food is delicious and it has a good ambience. read more

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Food was fantastic and the atmosphere is very quaint. They have some really interesting decor. The warrior armor looks awesome. The chicken wings aka split bone wings! Probably the best fried chicken I have had in Columbia. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Chicken wings, make sure to ask for the hot chili paste! - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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First, they get the one star because they were all very kind and had great service. However, the place smelled like urine but we sat down thinking it was because the air conditioner was out. The tempura tasted like paper mache and the ponzu sauce tasted like the carpet smell. The chicken yakatori had no flavor and tasted like imitation chicken. The King roll and Happy roll tasted like white roll paste. However, if you like 70's music and decor you might enjoy yourselves. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - The grouper appetizer. It tastes like it looks - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Went here again & decided to try their hot pot. Wasn't sure if I should get it but the server said it always really good. It wasn't what I expected but it was good enough. It could've been more for the price but it was worth trying. I should've went with the sushi boat since I was really hungry & that filled me up before read more

Tucked back in an unassuming strip mall lies some of the better sushi in Columbia. Their prices are very reasonable, the staff are always friendly, and the food is delicious. My family and I have stopped by around 3 times and haven't had anything that wasn't great. I highly recommend making reservations or plan on hanging out for at least 45 minutes if you go during dinner time. You can hang out in your car and they'll come get you once your name is called. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Rainbow roll - I forgot the name of the other two rolls! - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Got the sushi boat for two from here, and it definitely fed 2 people. I thought everything in the boat was good! I do think their sushi has a lot more rice than necessary, but still good. Sashimi tasted super fresh and I really liked their shumai. Plenty of crablegs to go around too. Our server was really nice, and knew a lot about what dishes were the best and made good suggestions. This place seems to be super busy all the time, so I would get here early or try to order online when they open. Overall, this place is worth a try. Especially if you have a group and wanna give the boats a try. They have options that feed several people. I would definitely go back to try some other dishes. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Seafood sushi boat for 2 - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We got some sushi & miso soup. Had to get to go but, after entering the restaurant I wished we had time to sit at the sushi bar & have the chef make us whatever he wanted to make. The host was gracious & knowledgeable. He also spoke excellent English. The quality of the sushi was at a very high level. Next time we will dine in & soak up the experience. read more

Inakaya is just delicious! A hole-in-the-wall that you might not even consider if you're unfamiliar with the area, but the sushi is authentic and super tasty! The ambience is very relaxing, perfect for date night or a quiet conversation. The staff is friendly. Try the king roll, the black and/or red dragon, the godzilla... all delicious. You can't go wrong. They get very busy on the weekends, so maybe try to get there early or try a week night. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Rockn roll - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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My boyfriend and I'd FAVORITE sushi spot in Columbia! They have every kind of roll you can imagine and we always share about 4-5 rolls. The food is awesome too! Bento boxes with crab Rangoons for the win. My favorite roll ever is the candy roll and the salad roll. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - The best sushi ever (candy roll in the far left one topped with tuna and spicy Mayo, salad roll is right beside it wrapped in cucumber. - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Meh If Strip mall, grocery store sushi is you thing.., this place is great! Service is good. But not a fan of the food or atmosphere. read more

Excellent sushi, excellent service. Cant say enough good things about this place. Call first as the wait time can some times be very long. Otherwise, well worth the drive and wait. Best sushi in Columbia! read more

Hard to get in if you're not there at just the right time. Might have to wait but it is well worth it. Authentic cuisine. Well worth the visit. read more

So disappointing to write this, but here goes. If you can actually get seated or fed, they have some of the best and most authentic Japanese food in the area. It is often a royal pain to get through to them on the phone. With small kids, we often find it easier for us and kinder to other patrons to just get takeout and put them to bed early so mom and dad can enjoy our own dinner. With that in mind, I called Inakaya tonight. It too several attempts with the line ringing and ringing to even get through, but when I did, I told the man who answered I wanted to place a takeout order. He asked me to wait and let me know he'd be with me shortly to take the order. Hearing that, I packed up the kids and hit the road, with the call running through the car's Bluetooth, since on previous attempts they had always picked back up and taken my order. And I waited. And waited. And waited, listening to silence on the line. I eventually figured out I'd been forgotten after more than 10 minutes of this (call log screenshot attached), and hung up to try again, only to get a busy signal for the remainder of the drive there. When I arrived, I explained to the hostess what had happened, only to receive an "I'm sorry" and was told takeout would be a 45 minute wait. I explained that as good as their food was, it was no longer worth the hassle and wasted time. They made no attempt to salvage the situation, and I walked out disappointed. I wish it were otherwise- we really do enjoy their food. read more

Inakaya Watanabe - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

This is an awesome local restaurant. The atmosphere is family friendly, quiet with good conversations going all around, and clean. Our food came out quick and hot. We had great service, was sit down promptly, & our order was took within a matter of 5 minutes. I had the steak teriyaki dinner 9/10 was delicious! My husband had chicken teriyaki dinner 7/10 flavor was there but chicken was a little dry. We also shared a salad roll which was good for what we wanted. The fried gyoza was crispy & tasty! Definitely would recommend this place. read more

I have been going here for 30 years. I thought it was the best sushi in Columbia. We went last night, just 3 of us. We waited over an hour for a table. This is not a big deal, for the day and time we choose to go. We finally got to order our food. We waited, they were busy. We watched other people sit after us, order their food, get their food, eat their food, and leave. It was over an hour after we ordered, and we still do not have our food. I asked the waitress, she said I will see if they can start on our food now. What, "start on our order". I asked to speak to the manager. I said the same thing I said to the waitress. The manager shrugged her shoulders at me. That is unacceptable. The service has crashed, and I will never dine in again. read more

Absolutely love Inakaya. Always a reliably good meal and we live Ryo , the owner. We enjoy sitting at the sushi bar and talking with the sushi chefs. They always offer to share new and interesting sushi combos. Don't let the location fool you! If you live good food and not just a fancy facade, this is the place!! read more