This place was soo good, we had the paradise roll, the popcorn shrimp roll and we had to the try the crispy rice and i have to say it was all sooooo good. For dessert i didn't think i could eat anymore but the cheesecake our server recommended was 10/10. I would recommend this spot to anyone AND it was our first time here!!!! read more

This is our go to local sushi joint. My family and I have been coming here for over 10 years. It never disappoints.

The staff is awesome, the service is fantastic and I always get the Larb which I love with green beans spicy but delicious. And we're neighbors my clients also love Oba it's so nice to have the Restaurant In the complex there able to grab lunch or dinner . There truly consistent with there dishes. read more

Time to UPDATE my review! First I should tell you that I work right next door at Pro Fitness, as a massage therapist. I can smell the food while I'm working and it makes my stomach very noisy, lol. This place is family friendly, which is lovely *but* I wish they didn't seat small children along the wall that's under the TV. It is literally the other side of the wall from my massage table. When children kick the booth seat or hit the walls with hands, we can hear and feel every movement on the other side. Went for date night with my wife last week, to check out new menu and location. Oba used the be on the end of this strip mall but swapped places with sister restaurant Rice, now in corner. We had: Oba fries - holy moly, is that crack in the seasoning? Couldn't get enough of that flavor! Asian short rib - delicious, tender, delicate flavor Beef kushiyaki - ditto from above Bacon wrapped scallop - not as good as last time. The scallops are small even for bay scallops and were overcooked and therefore tough. Tempura veggies and tempura shrimp - Geez, probably the best tempura I've ever tasted. Light, crispy and served piping hot. Spicy tuna on wonton crackers - so good, we ordered a second plate. "Pretty In Pink" cocktails. Yummy, will attempt to make this at home. read more

This used to be the old Rice Thai Tapas, and then they combined it together with Oba Sushi. Now you can get Thai food and Japanese food in one place. Both the Thai food and the Japanese food are pretty good. The Thai menu is a lot smaller, some noodles and rice dishes, curry, and some appetizers. The Japanese menu has a much larger variety in terms of rolls and sushi. Overall, the food is pretty good. They also have happy hour for those who want to get some discounted food and drinks. Service is decent. The place is somewhat divided in half so it might be a bit difficult to flag down a waiter at times. Parking: Free parking in strip mall. read more

Oba Sushi Izakaya is a Japanese Restaurant located on E Glenarm Street, right before the Arrow Parkway which leads to the 110 State Highway. [DÉCOR] 4/5 Bigger than the average Japanese restaurant, with a good amount of tables. There's even a bar area too with television showing ESPN. Wood tables and chair. They've got a huge selection of sake. [SERVICE] 3.5/5 Food came out too slow, taking almost 20 minutes and it takes awhile to even take our order. Waitress refills our teas and water without our asking. [FOOD] 3.5/5 Lunch menu comes with miso soup and salad. The soup was very good quality. As for the salad, it was mediocre and a smaller portion. Chirashi - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oba-sushi-izakaya-pasadena?select=7z5GvfXIjSGorFLltfhdhQ#7z5GvfXIjSGorFLltfhdhQ Costs $11 which is $1 more than my last Chirashi lunch. The Sashimi disappointed, as the quality isn't good. Yama in Alhambra is of much better quality and offers bigger portions. Takoyaki - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oba-sushi-izakaya-pasadena?select=7z5GvfXIjSGorFLltfhdhQ#Zod88WVUQU0KStuywJZhOw Japanese Deep Fried Squid Ball is a good value costing only $4 and gets you 6 pieces. Not the best I've had, but it was definitely good, just lacking a sauce to make it more flavorful. If you've got a large group or crave Japanese food and especially sake, this place is worth if for you to check it out, but I wish the quality of the fish was better. I don't mind smaller portions as long as the quality is better, but this wasn't the case here. Came here after I saw a $9.95 Chirashi lunch deal with soup and salad. The cheapest Chirashi I had ever seen, it is also the smallest portioned, but for the price, it is still very good as it does have soup and salad. It is located near the 110 freeway exit. The plaza parking is small. The miso soup is good and the salad uses thousand island dressing. read more

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A bunch of us from the office decided to order in for our last meal together in 2015. Oba offers a bunch of lunch specials and since it is located an easy walk across the parking lot from our building we opted for Japanese. So we called in our orders and they were ready in no time. The lunch specials come with miso soup and salad. I opted for the teriyaki (chicken, beef, or salmon) and 6 piece roll (California or spicy tuna) for $9.50. I chose the chicken teriyaki with the California roll. Everything was made well, seasoned perfectly, and fresh! The chicken teriyaki was tender and juicy and not too sweet. The miso soup was exceptionally good this time around and wish I could have had more. Some other highlights from the lunch were the Chirashi and the short ribs!!! Prices are about average and the food is a-ok. We will definitely be back. read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Crunchy Shrimp Roll - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

We keep coming back to Oba because we find the quality of their sashimi to be pretty good and consistent. We first heard of this place from my wife's co-worker, I think he knows the owner(s). The GM Kunchi originally left another restaurant in the area called Sushi of Naples, which has gone downhill during the same time I might say. In any case, we been here a couple of times over the last 4 years but this is the first time I can remember trying something off of the izakaya menu which is one of their strengths... When I speak of consistency, I'm talking about the Chirashi bowl, a visually appealing arrangement of mixed sashimi, oboro, sweet shitake, seasoned seaweed, shredded daikon, and tamago served over rice http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#aI6vMxeCib1HqPjhCzqlQQ. I don't think you would order the Chirashi expecting the best sashimi that I've ever had class stuff but it is usually a nice variety and consistently fresh. As an entree, it comes with miso soup and a side salad... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#X-UGsd8Ok9e8brTh0zZaBA I decided not to order the chirashi for once and ordered the Spicy Seared Tuna Salad which was little more than spicy tuna over a small bowl of lettuce with a little watercress http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#17N7Rm6gzDRSBDzY6DaOHA. The Ikageso Karaage, or lightly floured and fried squid legs was much more satisfying than regular calamari http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#gGoFyNzAY8beCsCJHceCtQ. My indulgence came in the form of the Hamachi Toro sashimi which was absolutely melt in your mouth fresh and tender... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#Oy1LrsZCCh9j-4rlJM-7Mw I absolutely love their cups and tableware, the last time I checked it wasn't from Crate and Barrel... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#jOcVxT1O59bfZL4uoByu7w http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#2RCeaxIOQ-x6HHzdi-rNMA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#HwV3Zmbls04T9mGkoHUZ6g http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rkV8lxAOUXJlH2Q3f2FiyQ?select=V6JzNIQMntm10Jk1lseAHg#DtcbiKROY704SOoM0dJjTQ No doubt that we'll keep coming back for the chirashi, but the izakaya menu has a lot of interesting sounding items that will keep me wanting to try some more... read more

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Good sushi is expensive and I am not rich. So I really emphasize two things in a sushi restaurant. The first is really good, fresh fish with an emphasis on bringing in seasonal fish that isn't normally served at the run-of-the-mill sushi places. The second is a good sake selection - I know my sake, and Hakutsuru Junmai Draft Sake is NOT going to cut it! With that said, I am obviously not overly concerned with ambiance or neighborhoods because that usually pushes me out of my price point. If you are in the Pasadena area, I would strongly recommend checking out Oba sushi izakaya. The menu has a multiple personality disorder: the ordinary Japanese American fare like teriyaki and tempura, the small plate Japanese fusion izakaya dishes, the creative Americanized specialty rolls, and SUSHI. The good news is that generally everything is done well. But where it really stands out is the sushi. The price point of the sushi is moderate, but the selection of fish is outstanding. They obviously pass on the savings of paying small mini-mall rent to the customers. This month they are offering noresore (conger eel whitebait that has a very short season) and takabe (yellowstriped butterfish). This is what I mean about serving seasonal fish. They also have an extensive premium sake menu which include some of my favorites: kikusui (light and fragrant), chobei (dry) and dassai (flavorful). Some other menu items that are worth noting: echigo and hitachino beer, chimpanzee roll (unagi and banana), mango tango roll (with salmon and crab), sukiyaki (excellent), ikageso karaage (crispy fried ikageso squid) and eggplant miso. The interior is modern in a strong grey and green color palette. The izakaya bar has an ordinary maple finish, but the sushi bar is done in a glowing translucent material. The tables and chairs are meh. Service here is friendly and attentive. The owner manager Kunche is usually there on most nights and has a long experience managing Japanese restaurants. And don't write off the head sushi chef just because he is Mexican. He has decades of experience studying under multiple Japanese sushi chefs who have passed through Sushi of Naples in Pasadena where he was unfortunately treated as a second class chef. He really gets to shine now. If you are looking for really great sushi at a reasonable price with a menu that has enough stuff to satisfy even the non-sushi eater, this is the place to go. read more

I absolutely Love this place... Food is always perfect and the customer service is amazing. Particularly the lady name Kat... she's very helpful and delightful. read more

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Found this place accidently because Café chimichurri was a 40 minute wait. Ordered edamame, salmon sushi, Philadelphia roll, fried tofu, Asian short ribs, popcorn shrimp roll, miso salmon, and pad see ew. We ordered a few skewers but nothing really stood out. My hubby liked that the sushi was fresh :) thank God. Our favorite was definitely the popcorn shrimp roll! Miso salmon was too sweet. Service was great. The waitresses were very attentive! read more

Oba was recommended to me by several friends, and I've been wondering for a while how this izakaya stacks up. Tried going last month around 7 p.m. on a Saturday night and there was an hour-plus wait. I went to Oba again on a Thursday at 6 p.m. and finally made it happen. My expectations were high, as the recommendations I received were from people who had experience at legit izakayas in Japan. I really wanted Oba to be a fantastic experience. My heart was eventually shattered. From the start of the meal to the very end, I encountered mediocre service and food quality at Oba. After pouring over their impressive menu, my family and I eventually placed orders for the fried oysters, crispy rice spicy tuna, blue crab salad, shrimp-and-vegetable tempura, and the baked miso cod. We also indulged in the "cajun roll" -- a gluttonous construction of crab meat, shrimp tempura, chili sauce, cajun albacore, fried garlic, fried onion and ponzu sauce. Long story short, the meal was average. Not a single spectacular bite, but nothing terrible either. Service was so-so as well. I can see how children might like this place, but true sushi connoisseurs will be disappointed at Oba. This is Japanese food for people with American palates, not experienced sushi eaters. read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Oba Sushi Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great Sushi spots are hard to find. I don't mind fine dinning (who does?) but as much as I eat Sushi, I can not always afford the *fine dinning tabs. Besides, I'm a true Fan of family own businesses like this one. In addition, when the food is great - the experience is even better. Oba Sushi... You can feed me sushi any day of the week. read more

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Been going to Oba for years and it's' as good as ever. My favorite dish is thee crab fried rice.

Oba is a family place. A local favorite. I love how easy it is to be there. I love the staff everyone remembers you. It's great for adults and for family. The sushi is always fresh and the combinations are fantastic. I don't think I have ever ordered anything I didn't like. Some favorites are Richie Rich roll. The Paradise Roll (that sauce is amazing) Crispy Rice with spicy tuna. The Oba roll. I love the yum salad and the halibut. The ginger tea is my favorite. read more

My husband and I found this place during the pandemic, I can't believe we never knew it was here before! It's tucked away in a little corner in an area of south pas we rarely go, and it's such a gem. We never really know what we are craving and sometimes we crave both sushi and Thai, this place has it all! Not only do they have amazing Thai dishes and sushi options, they're small portions (hence tapas). They also have full meals which we always have leftovers because the portions are so big. We love their shrimp tamarind, papaya salad, all their sushi and sashimi is fresh, yellow curry, Tom yum chicken wings, oba wings, and stuffed peppers (either shishito or jalapeño are worthy of trying). During the pandemic, they only take reservations. But sometimes you can walk in and get a seat. Definitely highly recommended! Service is great too! read more

Absolutely love this place! I've been eating here for quite a while and they never disappoint. Their Richie rich role and yellowtail jalapeño is fresh and their service is excellent. read more

Highly recommend this family owned sushi and Thai joint. Always leaving here feeling full and happy! I'm always happy to support small businesses. Try them you won't be disappointed! read more

We came here for a weekday lunch and were led to our table as soon as we walked in. The restaurant was not terribly busy while not completely empty either. We decided to order the lunch special which is basically a bento box with your choice of protein, rolls, and a small salad. It also came with miso soup. I ordered the teriyaki chicken with california rolls. The portion are relatively small compared to other lunch specials. The California rolls are kid size also. The teriyaki chicken was a little on the dry side. Overall this is an okay Japanese restaurant but don't expect to walk out with a completely satisfied tummy. read more

Came here earlier this week at an odd time, right before they closed for lunch w/ the recommendation of my brother. He ordered his usual: takoyaki, richie rich, and dragon roll. Out of these three, the richie rich roll was my favorite. Flavorful, refreshing, light, and clean. Because of the ponzu and lemon rind, it tasted really clean and very unusual to the typical rolls I normally eat at sushi restaurants. Definitely coming back for that richie rich. Along w/ a sapporo and hot green tea, the check was about $51. I think it's on the pricier side, but for what it's worth, so good. I also appreciated their customer service. They let us know that we had a few more minutes to order before they were shutting down the kitchen and came back several times to makes sure we were enjoying our food and asking if we wanted more tea. Not sure what the rush is like, but I'd assume: busy and limited parking. read more

Delicious but pricey. I got the Omakase dinner and an order of Uni nigiri. The fish was very fresh. The cuts weren't generous or slim, but standard. The pricing slightly steeper, for the amount that was given. For the omakase dinner, I think it was 25 for the amount of fish I felt should have been 19-21, 22 at the most. Service was good. Parking was a breeze. The ambiance is inviting. The space is open, yet has large bay windows overlooking the 110 freeway / Arroyo Parkway. It's the price that was the deterrent for me. Would I go back? Maybe. But it's not a must. read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Omakase Dinner (rice bowl not pictured) - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

We used to love coming here because it was above average for in a relaxed atmosphere or take out was fine too. But over the last year, we came four times and each time we found their portions got smaller and smaller and smaller. read more

This place was very tasty and I had a good experience here overall. It is a bit off of the beaten path, nestled in a little strip mall at the corner of Marengo and Glenarm, right by the end of the 101. There are a lot of sushi places in Pasadena, but this one has its own kind of distinctness probably due to its location and general vibe. I was going to rate it a 3, but because I appreciate good and friendly service, I gave it a 4. In reality its probably closer to a 3.5 As someone mentioned, it is not like the most amazing sushi place ever, but it is definitely a strong contender with some of the other places I have been to. What I appreciated most about the place was its superior plating and attention to service. The portions are on the smallish side, but they usually make up for this with the presentation of the food. One dish the table loved and got two of was the monkey roll I believe it was called. it was this tempura banana with this kind of sweet and salty sauce drizzled on it. Definitely a great dessert for all you banana fans. read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Caterpillar roll - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been here a few times for lunch. The fish selection is excellent. They have all the normal basics plus daily specials like Mirugai, ankimo, oysters and Blue Fin tuna. They have a good selection I tasty rolls along with other Japanese dishes for the non-sushi eaters among us. The atmosphere is comfortable and friendly. read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Kumo roll - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Been going here for about 10 years my kids grow up I can say in this place super good food and super friendly people Thank you OBA for your service read more

Always my go to sushi when I'm home. I couldn't be happier with a sushi place this close and this good. I've ordered out a few times and waited maybe like 5 mins or less when I am the one who showed up early! Haha If you sit inside it's great too! Service is always on point and have never had a complaint about the food. Nice little spot, been going for years now. read more

We love this local spot. It's our go to place for sushi. Sushi is fresh and the service is outstanding! We have been going here for years. I love that the combined the old Thai restaurant RICE with the Oba menu. You could have the best of both worlds. My favorite is the popcorn shrimp with the dipping sauce. You also have to try the short ribs. read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Coconut yummy chicken - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I needed my sushi fix last week, so the dad and I stopped by for their happy hour specials. Turns out that the discount applies to everything except sushi/sashimi....sadface. The reason why I wanted to come here in the first place is because they have a bunch of fish that you normally don't find at your typical sushi restaurant. We ended up ordering a bunch of sushi nonetheless along with a sakana roll (inside - salmon, tuna, albacore, yellowtail, avo, outside - soy paper) and crispy rice with spicy tuna. Here's what we ended up ordering from what I can remember. Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) Wild Salmon Ono (Hawaiian King Mackerel) Aji (Spanish Mackerel) Pompano (Butterfish) Yellowtail Belly Uni Although I was impressed by the selection of fish, I wasn't too impressed with the quality of it all, especially after I got home. My stomach was angry at me for the rest of the night. read more

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Fabulous experience to order online, have them keep you updated on when it would be ready and WAS DELICIOUS!!!! Best assortment ever...and everything was 100%. thank you! Cathy and Ken Ude read more

Another fantastic meal. Heavenly Pork dish is just that, heavenly. The thai dumplings are delish, baked mussells, and sushi rolls are great! Love this place! read more

We love Oba and Lily is the absolute best! She always remembers what we want and is great with special requests. The fish is so fresh and there's something for everyone. We've been going to Oba for years and it never disappoints. read more

UPDATE - FIVE STARS! Oba has partnered with Door Dash, so home delivery is up and running again! The best sushi in town is back for home delivery. Enjoy! read more

Somehow they are closed. It's a Tuesday. Yelp said they were open. It's 6 pm. Should be open for dinner. We used to come all the time, but we slowly stopped coming because of Lily. You know who. She a racist. Walk into Oba, if you are white, shed be your server and chit chat and be all nice. Any other race? She'd only be your server if she has to. She'd be really impatient and inattentive. Their food is alright. I only like the cold udon. Sushi is too thick, miso soup has no tofu or wakame. Take it from someone who is Japanese. Find another Japanese restaurant to dine at. read more

I loved it! Will be back! We sat at sushi bar and watched all the hard work they did yet smiling. Great atmosphere. Freshest food! read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great food and super friendly staff, plus a unique fusion offerings of Thai and Sushi.

Great service, excellent quality sushi, and amazing food! Never disappoints!!! A must try when you are in Pasadena!

How am I just finding out about this place?!!?? It is so amazing on every level! Not just the food and drink, the service, the people, cleanliness, everything! The menu is outstanding! My wife is mostly Vegetarian, so Im so grateful for the abundance of non fish/meat dishes. And I was blown away by the quality of the fish! Every dish was amazing! And cold Orion on draft. I always prefer local/ family businesses! We can't wait to bring friends. Literally some of the best sushi I've had outside of Japan! See you again soon!!! Also, they have tables outside, in the front, and are very health conscious for those who prefer/ need safe eating environments. Thank you Oba!!!! read more

I ordered for delivery through eat 24. Normally most of my orders from eat 24 (different restaurants) are ALWAYS early. This is the ONLY one that was late. Food was ok but my worst fear was finding a staple on the tuna in my poke salad that I was about to feed my 8 year old daughter! Really??? Not cool at all! read more

Oba Sushi Thai Tapas - A piece of staple that I was about to feed my 8 year old daughter - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Disappointing after reading all the positive reviews. Slow food service. Poor staff service for a place that's been in business for so long. They should know better; it's their job to know better. Made reservations, showed up a couple minutes early, seated promptly. They were busy but not packed. She took our simple order and let us keep a menu for ordering more when we were ready. A pleasant start. Very casual place. Drinks arrived and ... we waited. And waited. Over 45 minutes. Nobody stopped at our table to check on us, or update us, or ask if we wanted another drink. I politely asked a passing server who she said she'd get our server. Nobody came. We watch many take-out orders leave the kitchen, which probably slows them down. A lot. I finally saw our server. She apologized nicely and for the first time said the kitchen was backed up and something about how it has been backup up today. A free bowl of edamame arrives. Nice gesture but it also reminds me of places that give a free mini-miso to all guests. Hmm. An hour passes before the two sushi rolls arrive. Due to the long delay, I ask how long it would take to order another one. Another 10 minutes passes before the answer returns from the kitchen: "more than 30 minutes". For a simple roll. For hungry customers who had to wait nearly 60 minutes for two simple rolls. If you're running a restaurant, you must communicate to your paying customers. If you know your kitchen is backed up, let them know when they order. Warn them about the duration. Warn them to get their full order in at the start, because ordering later will take too long. Don't start off friendly and attentive and then ignore the table for most of an hour. One and done. read more

My family and I used to dine here all the time. We had not been here since the move to the other side of the parking lot. We went there on Sunday to have a b early birthday dinner for my wife. I was not able to tell my own waiter to bring something out at the end of the dinner so we can celebrate my wife's birthday. Instead I went around and told two of the ladies that were working on the other side if they could perhaps bring an ice cream scoop with a candle in it. They told me they would. At the end of the dinner our bill came with no celebration whatsoever. I asked one of the ladies whatever happened to the ice cream and very rudely she told me "well I told him." And she walked away. No apology no nothing. Unfortunately this will be the last time we dined there. Very sad because I really liked this place and was very close to my house. read more