Last night was our first visit to the new and improved Otani. I've generally been a fan of their food, but had always been put off by the somewhat cold space...and the fact that, being next to a Subway, the restaurant positively reeked of yeast. But recently, they moved a few doors down to a space probably five or six times as large, added a full (separate) bar, greatly expanded the sushi bar, and put in three teppanyaki tabletops. New furniture and swank decor round out the upgrade, and an upgrade it most definitely is. While the previous location was serviceable but uninteresting, the new space is a destination, with an upscale atmosphere, subdued lighting, and more comfortable chairs. But of course, the important question is, has the food changed? The menu certainly has. Otani now offers a limited selection of Chinese and Thai dishes alongside the sushi and other Japanese fare--and, of course, they now prepare and serve hibachi. We were there for straight-up Japanese food, though, so that's all I can speak to. The verdict: good, but not great. I've had better--and I've had MUCH worse. The fresh salmon nigiri was tender like butter, but seemed to be slightly short on flavor. Unagi nigiri was spectacularly flavored, but a tiny bit on the tough side. And unagi maki was crunchy (a nice substitute for salmon skin, which I couldn't find on the new menu), but the rice and seasonings seemed somehow bland. I ordered a yakitori chicken appetizer to start, and was similarly whelmed. The chicken was very clearly a top-shelf cut of meat, but the meat on the skewers was almost comically overlarge, lacked any flavor of smoke or grill, and was coated in a slightly-too-sweet teriyaki glaze. I know this doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but taken as a whole, Otani Hudson is a place I'm willing to give a second, third, and fourth chance to. Having tried only three types of sushi, I'm unwilling to dock the score too heavily for what may have been simply bad luck in my ordering. And considering we walked in after 9:00 pm (the restaurant is ostensibly open until 10, though it was deserted at 9), I'm willing to give the chef and the kitchen a bit of leeway. Fortunately, the new space is inviting enough that I'm eager to give it another shot, especially since the restaurant now has daily happy hours, occasional live music, and--oh my, yes--karaoke on Wednesday nights. (And ladies: Thursday is Ladies' Night! All night!) It's more upscale than the generally spartan sushi restaurants in the area, but far less obnoxious than Sushi Rock or even Wasabi. That's pretty much the perfect spot for me. Long story short: If you'd tried Otani before but were put off by the small space or Subway smell, rush back to see what they've done with the place. If you're looking for a new sushi joint in the area, it's a great spot for a not-overly-special occasion. Just beware that the kitchen may be working out a few kinks. read more

Great place! Get there early on a Friday night. If you have the Entertainment Card, you can use the BOGO free option over & over! The card that pays for itself at this place! I LOVE their dressing! I always get the shrimp flambe and the chicken & steak meal. For desert, they give you sorbet and and a fortune cookie. No refills on soft drinks. read more

2 stars = "Meh. I've experienced better.". That about sums up how I feel: Meh. I've experienced better. Otani offered sub-par food on my recent visit. I was surprised, as it was packed with guests. I ordered the Hot & Sour Soup, which was the highlight of my meal. My mother ordered the Mushroom Soup, and it was not bad, but not great. I ordered the Nabeyaki Udon, and it was very average/below-average; the same could be said about my sister's Chicken Udon. My mother ordered the Filet Mignon Hibachi entree, and it was very bad. The "filet" was not cooked properly, and had many pieces that were simply fat instead of meat. The "filet" did not look or taste like a true filet cut, so I'm not sure about the quality of their meat. The rice had a chemical taste, like perfume or lighter fluid. It was a weird and overall disappointing dining experience. This rating is only based on the items we ordered: the sushi bar was packed, and I'd like to think it's for a good reason. If I somehow make it back, I may strictly order off of the sushi menu. read more

We have done the hibachi with the kids. We have had the sushi and soups. Without a doubt, each time we walk away happy. Hibachi chefs are skilled and friendly making the visit enjoyable for the family. Our favorite sushi roll is the spider and love to pair it with the Beef Udon. Fast service is an added plus. read more

one of our favorite places. We usually only sit at the sushi bar and have Chris make us something special. He is very good and I would say it helps to be a local. They know us by name, will make us sushi off the menu based on what we "feel like eating". Sushi is always pricey so can't comment on price expect we have been dining there for 4 years and still go back for more. read more

Best sushi and staff! As far as I am concerned the two best sushi places in Greater Cleveland are Otani Hudson and Otani Mayfield Heights. The quality is extremely high, the sushi chefs and wait staff are always very personable. The sushi is fresh as can be and no matter what I order is WONDERFUL. The hibachi dinners are amazing and the cook in the kitchen should I feel like something different, is wonderful too. Great place, great atmosphere....you are missing out if you don't go to Otani Hudson and Japanese food/sushi are what you are looking for. read more

So I'm a good cook, I swear. There was a time when my wife stopped eating my food. In fact, she wasn't even home to partake. I later discovered that she was cheating on me. Cheating on me with Otani. No kidding, she was sneaking sushi. This place is delicious and the staff is professional and friendly. How fun to sit at the grill and watch the show! The flaming lava onion? Throwing shrimp at you like a seal? Everyone should eat here at least once a year. read more

This is my favorite sushi place in the area. The hot and sour soup is the best you'll find.

Bad service and bland food. I stopped in for lunch and there was no one to greet or seat me. Eventually, a person appeared and I ordered the Hibachi NY Strip. I then received the blandest beef cubes ever. It was odd to see and nothing to taste. Terrible. read more

Their sushi is delicious. Master chef quality rolls...cut and rolled with perfection. You can tell the chef is a master. Fresh and well priced. These aren't tiny rolls either! Highly recommend trying this place. read more

Otani Restaurant & Pub - Otani located in the shopping plaza between Chase bank and McDonalds. - Japanese Near Me - Hudson, Ohio

Just had to state how good of a meal I had. Last time I went with the family and this time I sat by myself at the sushi bar. Great chef. Truly experienced and understands fish!! I want to compliment the staff for always being friendly and sincere. Job well done! read more

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The sushi is the best I've had. Chris is awesome and the whole place has the charm of a small family restaurant. The ambience has gone downhill since they moved into the new place. I could do without the live music and the hibachi tables. The loss of the crayon sushi menu on the wall was a loss to the charm. The food is still every bit as good but if they could somehow revert to the old location, I would go as often as I used to go. read more

Can't believe people think this is good. Kamikaze drink was just sour mix and water. Ginger dressing was just was watered down mayo. Don't waste your time or money. read more

This is the ULTIMATE sushi restaurant! I've been going here ever since I was a little kid. I love this facility, the employees and of course the sushi. I recommend the salmon roll with the raw quail egg cracked on top! read more

They recently moved a few doors down to a larger establishment and the addition of the Hibachi Grills tableside are a HUGE plus. Unfortunately, with the larger (but much nicer) building, prices have also risen slightly. I'm very glad to see that the new larger force of waitstaff are all just as nice, courteous, and attentive to the customers needs as they were at the old location. We arrived for dinner at 7:30pm and it was a little crowded, and thus the delicious custom made sushi took a little longer than we would've liked, but it was still a great experience. Still a huge fan of Otani's of Hudson and now an even better place to bring the family to enjoy a nice night out at the Japanese steakhouse. read more

Sushi are decent. Overpriced with the quality of sushi. Not worth for the price you paid and get. There are other sushi restaurants nearby this area offer same quality with way cheaper price. read more

Best sushi around. And the owner (Wendy) is like family. Also the kids love the hibachi grill! Highly recommend this location.

We tried this restaurant recently during the Covid 19 debacle. We wanted to support local businesses, restaurants during this difficult time. It must be more known and liked for the sushi. We don't do sushi; ordered Chinese type dishes instead and, sad to say, they were pretty bad. We won't be back. read more

Today was the day we have had the worst dinner at Otani! I am still wondering if the meat served was actually real. The quality of the "steak" was either so poor that it was hard to identify or it was so bad that it was probably NOT steak! All I can say is that I am NOT going back unless they open the Hibachi! Whatever was cooked in the kitchen tonight, was the MOST disgusting meal I have had in a long time! I am very disappointed of your quality today Otani! It was disgusting!! read more

I love smashing sushi ... Unfortunately this just didn't do it for me. Ambiance: we grabbed an early lunch & the restaurant wasn't packed at all so not much to report out. Service: staff was friendly. The guy behind the sushi counter was really nice and attentive to our needs. The sushi was nicely presented however a little bland. Service was and ambiance were fine, nothing out of the ordinary. Food: I wish I could say I loved the food but I'd be lying. It wasn't bad by any means. However once you've had great sushi it's hard to go back on "ok" or "good" sushi. Presentation of food was beautiful but overall taste was bland. read more

Very good lunch dishes available. Menu was a bit small. Service was fantastic. The woman who served us was very kind

fresh sushi and good sized nigiri portions. I got the yellowtail, red snapper, and sweet shrimp (ama ebi), with the fried heads, and also the spider roll. he did a twist on the fried heads that I had not had before: spicy sauce and roe on top. very tasty. a bit pricey, the 4 stars are for the quality. spider roll was awesome, but again pricey for the size. only 1 chef (chris) at work on the weds I went, due to the other guy having to fill in at the middlefield location, so it was slow. overall worth the visit, esp. for a business traveler whose company is paying. read more

So glad we found this gem! The sushi is excellent, perfect cuts of fish and fresh ingredients. Soup is rich and delicious. Wonderful service, every time. read more

Everything was ok, nothing tasted or was presented above average. Won't bother coming back.

Sushi tasted like it was made with previously frozen tuna and salmon and the rice didn't taste fresh at all.

Otani needs to get it together, it's a good place to go but the service is declining. It started from walking in to getting the wrong order. We will or probably give it one more try. read more

Otani's in Hudson is wonderful! Staff and management are friendly and kind. All of the sushi is impeccable, our favorite is the Juanita sushi roll, it's sooooo good. Great atmosphere, great food, great drinks. Check it out!! read more

First clue should have been was located in strip-mall. Disappointed in that this might be the first Asian restaurant that did not know how to cook chicken breast. Asian restaurants being known for their tender chicken, these guys missed the boat. Over cooked and tuff! Like grandpa cooked on his grill with grandma harping not to under-cook it! Did the Hibachi dinner at the table since was alone and didn't want to do the whole table-top cook experience. Might have been my mistake. Fried rice was meh!, salad way too chilled and right out of the bag. I would definitely do the chains Benihana or Ichiban before I would go back for Hibachi here. That said...Lots of regular locals seem to like the place and their Sushi. Atmosphere was very informal, not very cozy. Service was good and very friendly. Was glad to have left before Karaoke started at 8pm. Wouldn't rush back. read more

We were so excited to go out for hibachi. You think of these great flavors and a little bit of a show put on. Best way to describe this was mediocre, food and service. Disappointed read more

Simply the best Japanese food in NE Ohio. Typical 5-star Japanese service, food was excellent, restaurant was clean. You don't really get better than this. The Otani steakhouse in Hudson is completely different than the one in Mayfield. I'd suggest avoiding that one and visiting here. Small, but quiet and you really can't beat the service for the price. Highly recommended. read more

Went to Otani for my girlfriends birthday dinner. Excellent food and service! The Hibachi chef was very nice and made sure everything was cooked exactly how we liked it. Prices are pretty high, a lot higher than any other Japanese steakhouse I've been to but the food is well worth it. I'll be back again. Highly recommend read more

The food is excellent here, the service is quick and the place is clean. Just look at the hoods above the hibachi grill. They look like they were installed yesterday. The sushi is also the best around. Heinz, the owner, is a very gracious host and will likely do a shot of sake with you if you ask him. He's got this great sake aged in a barrel for a year. it's fantastic. I would recommend Otani's to anyone that wants to have good Japanese Hibachi food, good sushi or just go to have fun and hang out in the bar where the bartenders do a great job. Love this place. read more

Sadly, I would not recommend this restaurant.. we went there tonight for my sons birthday. We started the evening out with my daughter complaining of food caked on her chair and also on her silverware. The chairs were pretty broken down that we sat in at habachi tabLe In back, and the server warned us of a slant to the hibachi table itself and made us use napkins beneath our soups so they wouldn't slide off! There was 1 server who seemed to be taking care of the whole restaurant, who would intermittently pop in- my husband had to go to the bar to get me a drink! All of this after waiting for over an hour at the hibachi table with a bunch of people we didn't know. The food was ok, but nothing to write home about. Overall, this place needs a major overhaul- in decor, timing, and service. If you are going to pay $100 for hibachi, I sure wouldn't do it here. read more

I honestly don't know how this place is still in business. Number one we waited forever to get our appetizers. Which after that my girlfriend finally got her drink. This is 40 min in so far mind you. The reason being is our waitress seemed to be the only person there. She was also the hostess. The salad that we ordered was basically cheap iceberg with mayo on top. No flavor. Basically to sum this place up, way over priced and poorly executed. Save yourself the money and go to pacfic east in kent. We walked out. Stay away!!! read more

I actually give it a 2.8 I rounded up based off the lunch i had so it could be bias. I only had the sushi bar . My nigiri pieces were great, fish was good, fresh with large pieces. Now for the reason for 2.8 stars. Little pricey but that doesn't bother me to much. The spider roll I had was pretty bad. The roll job was very poor, the roll had a ton of rice in it and the smallest bit of soft shell crab almost as skinny as a pencil. Very disappointing since the roll was 18 bucks. I will try the place again maybe for the dinner service. read more

Best sushi and sashimi in the area. All the people who gave it one or two stars got General Taos, so that should tell you why they didn't like it. I give the Kraft Mac & Cheese I made at home around 1 or 2 stars. I prefer to eat like an adult, so I don't order garbage when I go to a restaurant with decent food. Try one of their signature rolls like the Hudson or the Morgan. read more

Fantastic food, great atmosphere, staff is really nice, owner is awesome. I can't really give any reason not come here. Sushi is so good and there are not many sushi options in the area...at all...heinens??.... I also think they have broken that locations curse as on a yearly basis there has been something new in that spot, so I am so happy to see Otani stay and be thriving!!!! read more

Wow, this might be my favorite restaurant in Hudson and I've been to them all. We got sushi and it was excellent. The service also was top notch, very friendly. The inside was very nice and is deceiving since it's in a little strip mall. I'll definitely be back! read more

Really fresh, delicious sushi! We just moved from Chicago where we used to eat sushi all of the time, and Otani either matches or beats the places we used to go. So happy to have Otani in Hudson! read more

I was looking forward to my birthday dinner here as we have not been in many years. Now I know why! Food was way over cooked. By the time we were given out plates the rice, veggies and first meat were ice cold. The yum yum sauce tastes like mayo and horseradish mixed together. When my husband brought the temperature to the attention of the server she offered to microwave it, and the chef said oh I know what you're talking about. Bill came, no adjustments. Very disappointed. Will not be back. I do not recommend. read more