I recently ordered a delivery order from Takara in Wellesley. The food was excellent; I ordered a variety of noodles, appetizers and sushi maki dessert etc. want to give a shout out to the shrimp tempura OMG and shrimp tempura tropical both so good! I highly recommend! Cindy read more

First: Now under the name KATARA. Same management and chefs and service. Delicious, varied Japanese and Korean menu. Reasonable prices. Comfortable and quiet when I go mid-week, though quite jumping at busy times. Biggest surprise to me, spectacular desserts made in house. read more

Popped in for lunch with a colleague. This was exactly what I needed, a fulfilling lunch that still allowed me to feel great after. The service was quick and kind and the food was amazing. This will definitely be in my rotation. There's a great assortment of sushi, even for those of us who aren't really sushi people, along with other food options. They also have great lunch specials. read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - Sweet Potato Tempura Roll - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

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The food is good quality and the staff is friendly. Kitty has been there for years and knows all the regulars orders.

The food here is very delicious. The waitress is friendly and efficient. we really enjoyed our dinning experience here for lunch and recommend it! read more

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this is for the Takara in Wellesley. June 2022, dinner with niece who lives nearby. She found it on the internet. Almost looked closed (even though it was Sat night around 7:30pm) as we pulled into the 'parking lot' which was a little confusing on where to park and where was the front door. But, found our way in and were seated politely. Off to the side (kind of behind a curtain, but not really) were a couple girls I think rolling dumplings? Anyway, the service was quick and the food was decent and good value for the quantity. I had a couple sushi rolls which were well presented. Fell apart a little, but not bad. Wife had bibimbab which was a little dry, but a large amount. It's like the hot stone bowl dries out the chicken. Niece had some sort of noodle dish. End of night $68 without drinks but a lot of food for 3 read more

I came here for lunch and the food was very good, I got the beef bulgogi bento box. The portions were a good size and delicious! The boba thai iced tea was wayyy to cream heavy and I had to ask to have it remade. Deduction for the star because parking was difficult the parking lot was packed and the service wasn't great but it might have just been a language barrier. The woman who seemed like the manager was very very nice though and when I asked her if she could fix my drink she didn't seem to mind and she was very friendly to my busy child! read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - a woman eating a meal - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Love Takara. We eat there all the time and love the sushi and the staff. The specialty rolls are all quite good.

We came here as a recommendation from our closest friends because we needed a new place to check out. I am so happy they did because everything was amazing!!! I love the atmosphere. It's a nice looking place for a first date but it's not super formal. The presentation of the food is beautiful. I was really shocked when our plate of food came out because it was glowing!!!! The service was very attentive. Out of everything we ordered I really loved the spicy salmon tar tar plate. It's not on the menu, we changed it from tuna to salmon but it was so so good! Can't wait to go back and try more rolls! read more

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Horrible service. They list that they close at 11p. They will accept an order shortly after 10, and then call a few minutes later and yell at you for being late to pick up stating they close at 10. The food is mediocre, the service is horrible and the staff doesn't care about their customers. I'll never order from them again nor would I recommend them ever. You'd be better off starving in the desert for days then giving these thieves your hard earned money. read more

Mediocre. The sushi did not taste well and it wasn't fresh. The spicy tuna was one of the worst I've had.

I've given Takara enough chances to be able to say that unfortunately, I think two stars will be the highest I will ever give it. In Wellesley, Takara is a great option for Asian fusion - they have a blend of Japanese and Korean food. Unfortunately, the best of Takara is their aesthetics and their service. The food itself is lacking in quality and flavor. I've had their sushi rolls, chilled bibimbap, and beef bulgogi bento box. First off, the Weston roll is actually pretty good and I'd get it as my go-to item whenever I'm at Takara - if only it wasn't $17 for that one roll though. The chilled bibimbap reminds me a little bit of a poke bowl, but there was just too much sesame oil - I couldn't taste anything but that after a while. During my most recent visit to Takara, I ordered the beef bulgogi bento box as a lunch special. On a side note, Takara is one of the few places in town that have value lunch specials Monday through Saturday. The beef bulgogi tastes sweeter than it should. The bento box also comes with miso soup (bland and definitely was sitting in the pot all morning), salad, 1 gyoza, 2 pieces of thin mini pork? katsu, rice and 3 pieces of avocado cucumber roll. The best part of this bento box, surprisingly, was the thin, mini pork katsu, which isn't even the star of the dish. read more

OMG！ The food is so delicious that never have in my life. The sushi chief are really nice. I like the island maki. It was the best special roll. That's the 5 star. They deserved it read more

This restaurant is so disrespectful to their customers. We first went in to get a printed copy of the menu a few days prior to getting the food, and when there was a misunderstanding about whether we wanted to eat there or just get a menu, she gave petty comments like "well you should have just told me that". The owner had a very bad additude and made complaints when she received a tip less than 15%. She made rude comments and assumed we weren't even from America, told us to do more research on tipping, that the servers were living off our tips and we should feel bad, and told us to do take out if we didn't want to tip 15%. DO NOT COME TO THIS RESTAURANT!!! TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! read more

On days when the dining hall food is MEHH, I am willing to brave the cold 20 minute trek to Takara. And it's so worth it every time. I've been there a couple times with friends and it's definitely the best Japanese/Korean restaurant in Wellesley - or even one of the best restaurants in Wellesley. Last time I went, we were seated immediately - its always been the case. The restaurant is never really crowded. When I saw both Korean and Japanese food on the menu, I got an uneasy feeling this place wouldn't be legit but I needed my Asian fix #desperate...I've ordered both Korean food and Japanese food and both have been surprisingly amazing. Service is great - food comes quickly and its super clean. I think they're used to dealing with college students, too, because last time we asked to split the check 5 ways and they were pretty chill about it. Thing I ordered here: Salmon avocado roll: SO GOOD. The salmon is fresh, the rice is legit sushi rice, and seriously who hates on avocados..only weirdos Kimchi fried rice: OMG EVEN BETTER. Maybe I've been out of LA for too long and haven't tasted legit Asian food, but this rice was addicting...it was a huge serving - probably three to four bowls of rice, but I easily devoured the whole thing..I loved the bits of kimchi in it. California roll: ehhh it was okay. I actually don't really remember what it tastes like so it wasn't too memorable. Beef Okdol Bibimbab: AMAZING. Again, maybe its because I've been in an Asian withdrawal but this rice was hella fragrant. I would never have expected the suburb of Wellesley to have a nice Asian restaurant. I expect myself to come here several more times before I graduate...And I just noticed they deliver HEHE read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - Spicy salmon roll and California roll - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

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Got the Unaju. It was cold and tasted like muddy pond water. Really disappointed because I usually love unaju but couldn't even finish a bite of this. I'm guessing the fish was old. The flavor had even soaked into the rice underneath, so nothing was salvageable. The only upside was that the miso soup was decent. read more

This place is great and the service is excellent! We love to go there--the new specials are excellent. Particularly loved the wagu steak sushi!! Give this place another look! read more

Such great sushi! My husband and I stopped in here for a late lunch. We sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed two different miso soups, two rolls and some sashimi. It was all so great. My husband also raved about their sake selection. The service was fabulous and because it was so late in the day, it was nice and quiet. Definitely a "must try" if you are in the area. read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

If eating overpriced, mediocre sushi and sashimi in a drab and uninspired location are what you crave, then you've come to the right place. I've eaten here three times, hoping each time my sub-par experience here would be the exception. Three consistently disappointing meals would suggest mediocrity is the rule. The maki rolls and nigiri are small and uneven and sloppily flung together. The quality of the sushi rice is especially dismal and the fish unexceptional with the salmon (sake) bordering just plain ol' funky. The sashimi slices were also small, ragged, and uneven -- certainly not cleaved by a trained itamae. Wait staff seems focused on the task of doling out grub and less on checking in with its patrons. Maybe because they already know how we're feeling about the food. "Takara" means jewel in Japanese. Unfortunately, this gem is nothing more than a disappointing knock off, lacking any real luster. If you are in the neighborhood, opt for the supermarket sushi down the street. read more

Ordered three rolls and an avocado salad. The rolls were awful, especially the spicy tuna which tasted like a bottle of tobacco was dumped into the mix before being rolled. The avocado salad Waac literally a mixed green salad with two little sticks of crab inside and very few avocado pieces on top. Not many options in Wellesley and I've traveled the world eating sushi from all over. Still waiting for something better to open. read more

Terrible restaurant that has no regard for their customers. After they messed up a delivery order they told us it was tough luck and we could call Grubhub for a refund. We even tried to go pick up the order from them but they said they didn't even offer that option. Clearly just trying to rip people off I guess. Lot of great restaurants in the area. Don't waste your time and money here. read more

Love this place! My favorite go to Japanese restaurant in Wellesley! I even took my family here for graduation weekend. Their veggie udon is delish! read more

Came here once because we were craving sushi - would not come again. The biggest thing is that the food is too pricey for the quality. I've had similar quality sushi from a box that cost a lot less. It was mediocre and not memorable. read more

Decent lunch spot in Wellesley- Bento box with beef bulgugi is my go to! It comes with marinated beef stir friend with onion and scallion, side salad, miso soup, California roll, and a daily special side (usually potato croquette or salmon croquette). It's not anything too special but everything is usually pretty tasty. It's a pretty good value as the meal only comes out to $10. Service is always quick and friendly (and they are very honest - I asked if the milk tea was made with real tea and the waitress told me that it was made with powders- THANK YOU for being honest.). I've also tried the yaki udon there, which is ok, but the noodles were too soft for my liking... Will be back at Takara for quick lunches with colleagues. read more

There was a staple in my caterpillar roll! I had to argue about it with them. They said they don't use staples in the kitchen! Ultimately they refunded the whole amount. I realize this is rare, and that many people enjoy this restaurant. read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - I ordered take out, and when I got home I bit into a caterpillar roll, which had a staple in it. It hurt my tooth. - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Based on feedback from friends about the other Takara locations, I took my girlfriend there for dinner last night since both of us are die-hards and connoisseurs of sorts when it comes to sushi. For Columbus Day, there was a comfortable group of people inside (around 4 tables or so, 2 to 3 people each) tended by 2 servers. One would think that this would make the service a little more "personal", but half of the time our servers were nowhere to be seen. The only only people in sight were one of the sushi chefs standing at the far end of the room and the owner who was busy talking to one of the other tables. When we did receive the food (we ordered a Sushi Party "A" Set), the quality of the food left something to be desired for the price we were paying. The fish had the "fishy" after-taste that indicated un-fresh fish, while the rice was stale, stiff, hard, and went down our throats roughly. Almost painfully. The mochi ice cream was to die for though. We tried one of each and the Green Tea and Red Bean still came out on top. Our bill took a really long time to arrive, and at that point in time one server was counting cash on the outside table, the owner and a sushi chef were talking to each other, and whenever each looked in our direction they seemed to miss our waving hands signalling for the bill. When the bill did arrive, I was surprised to find an 18% gratuity tacked on to our bill without any explanation. Now, in my experience, this 18% gratuity is only charged for large parties in most other restaurants, typically 6+, and in normal circumstances we are left to determine the tip on our own. When we called the server over to ask for an explanation, we were simply told over and over that the 18% gratuity was charged by default. At this point in time, the owner was nowhere to be found and I had run out of both time and patience to deal with the matter. For the price we paid, I'd rather have gone to Yama's in Wellesley Hills where, for the same price, we'd also have got a salad and miso soup in addition to fresher fish and rice. Otherwise, if I were willing to pay slightly more and travel further, I'd have gone to Oga's down by Route 9. I wish I had the same kind of experience as everyone seems to be raving about, but until the quality of the food and service improves, I will never be coming back here again. The only saving grace was literally the mochi ice cream which was just that good. read more

I was very impressed with the food at Takara. I usually go into the city for dinner but decided to try a local sushi restaurant. The sushi was delicious as was the Udon noodle and beef dish we tried. Most of the rolls we had were tuna, with my favorite being the Wellesley roll. I would also highly recommend the edamame, gyoza and crispy tuna appetizers. This restaurant is just as good as any sushi restaurant you'd find in Boston and the prices are more reasonable. The atmosphere is nothing fancy - bright lights and not a lot of decor. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and although we had a 7:30 reservation for 5 on a Saturday night, we probably could have walked in. The menu at the restaurant is larger than the one on Takara's website. As they are still awaiting their liquor license, the restaurant is BYOB. read more

The price for lunch is not bad at all, definitely lower than those in the area. Bento box offers great variety. I was hoping for more sushi but still satisfied. The tofu was a good surprise. Service was good, seems like the owner pays attention. The atmosphere is fantastic with windows on all sides letting in a lot of natural light. read more

We were so disappointed with this restaurant! Having just moved from the CA bay area we were excited to see that they had a full bar! No specials when we were there so that meant no fresh fish came in that day. The supposedly "fresh" tuna was inedible. Overall the sushi rolls were on the bland side for us, even though we ordered spicy rolls. Even the wasabi wasn't strong, we asked for Srirachi but were given bland spicy mayo instead. They also serve some Korean influenced foods which is always a red flag to me when restaurants try to catch a wide net to attract diners. Perhaps we came on an off night based on the other reviewers but not likely to return to this location. read more

Nice add to Wellesley restaurant scene. They took space of old Jimmy's. First look this is a tough space to make a restaurant work. Even when Jimmy's the table spacing/layout was not ideal. Somehow cram seating for 50 into the place, but I imagine this could be a hard place to get a table once folks figure it out. Front seating area is OK, back area is purgatory (if you have small children, please sit there;-) On the review. Fish is outstanding, menu is very delightful with lots of options. Very reasonably priced for our neighborhood. Immediately becomes the top sushi place in Wellesley proper. They even took a special order of Salmon/Tuna Temaki with Cucumber Wrap (hard to find). Rolls were very well made. Presentation was a bit tough as they just jammed an overload of sushi for 3 into 2 medium-sized plates. Service was rough, but to be expected I believe (they just opened). Owner was around talking to folks thus if we were upset I know they would have made things right. Definite keeper. read more

I look forward to seeing my life long friends twice a year. We try to find a place that is equal distance between us, as we all live about an hour from each other, but our usual meeting place didn't have sushi that we were all in the mood for. Suggested by another friend we decided to veer course to Wellesley and tried Takara. We are sushi snobs so went in not expecting much but WOW!! The spicy tuna avocado salad was Delicious! And something I never expected was Tuna Truffle - huge chunks of tuna with drizzled truffle oil and yummy crisp wonton chips (not the usual oily ones you might expect). So thank you to my friend who suggested going here but mostly thank you to Takara for a delicious and memorable night where we are happy to drive out of the way to meet up for our biannual dinner! read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

I had a dentist appointment across the street and was craving japanese food, so i decided to try this place out. When i vame in the resturant, the employee just stared at me for several minutes, before i asked - "is this not the enterence?". They sit me down and give me a menu that is all over the place....korean, japanese and etc. To me that was a red flag; however, cause i am starving.... i order the tempura udon and extra tempura on the side. The servers do not talk or do anything to define customer service too... they only do hand gestures and we have to hope that we will get what we ordered. My food comes out and i questioned the server... is that udon? Becuse it literally looked like they dumped in alot of vegetables and put in a udon noodle. The server nods, so i try the broth... I never been so disappoint. The sweet flavor of the vegtables literally overpowered the flavor of the broth making it into sugar water. It was unbarable to eat. I barely eat my food and ask for the check to one guy at the sushi bar, he saw me raise my hand to get some service, but he just stares at me and speaks out loudly again to his co-workers.... i get angry at this point and raise my hand slighty again and say, excuse me can you help me. He glances at me again and says wait couple minute she will be out... the resturants so empty, but it took them a while....when i counted almost 4-6 people working. Overall, in conclusion.... do not ever go here. This resturant is in my top 3 for the worst food. I would rather spend my money eating japanese food that they sell in markets... not worth paying for very poor food and service read more

Creative Sushi without Driving into the City (3.5 stars) Takara is located just off the center of town in Wellesley. It offers Japanese-Korean fusion cuisine. The menu is large with an incredible number of sushi, noodle, and Korean options. The staff are helpful and courteous. The ambiance is simple and typical of many restaurants in it's league. We started with the steamed shrimp shumai which were good but standard. We also got a house salad which was fine. Again, very standard fare. The sushi (which will be the focus of the rest of this review since that's what we ate) extends far beyond the typical spicy tuna roll or California roll. The snow mountain roll was topped with sweet flaky crab salad and was delicious. The Hawaii roll was excellent too. The Wayland roll was very creative with pressed sushi rice, white tuna, and a sweet sauce. It tended to fall apart and was hard to eat. Still worth it though. The Wellesley roll was our least favorite but still not bad. We finished with the fried green tea ice cream. It was a bit too frozen but otherwise good. Overall, it's nice to know we have this option so close to home. read more

great spot for wellesley! The food is nice, mostly Japanese focused but has some nice korean dishes. The bi bim bop with sushi fish is the best, you can't find that many places. the chirashi and other sushi rolls are good, they have high quality fish here. nice to find a korean/japanese mix that is actually good. i am usually weary about non japanese restaurants with sushi. nice staff, easy to park. a bit pricey but its wellesley. read more

Stop here for lunch... Crowded which means good restaurant. I sat in the bar and ate Katsu don. Served with miso soup. It is ok but too much soy sauce though.. May be too early to make judgement but overall ok. read more

Takara Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Can't belive it, wellesley have this wonderful Japanese food. The fish is very fresh and they have very special roll. I tried the wayland roll and kimchee fried rice with pork both was very good. Will come back and try the Bibiba. read more

Excellent sushi and fried rice. I order from here almost every other weekend and it's always a hit for my girlfriend and I.

Such an unpleasant experience. The tuna was so gnarly and gristly. Not trimmed proper for sushi. Waitstaff was painfully slow and place was empty. Uninspiring. read more

Good place to go if you're craving sushi in Wellesley, but their food is mediocre and portions are small for what they charge! I was craaaaving sushi so much so I decided to visit Takara one night, and one roll ($16) was barely enough to fill me up. Servers are nice but the food could be better. read more

A pleasant surprise. We were on our way to another restaurant but it was closed, so we stumbled upon Takara by accident. The physical space itself is nothing special, very plain, but the food was quite good. The nigiri sushi was fresh and tasty, though the pieces were on the small side. The maki (we had salmon & avocado) were good, though I would have preferred a little less avocado and more salmon. The agedashi tofu was OK, served outside the broth stacked on a plate (never seen that before). The green salad had delicious dressing. Overall a good meal. read more