Okawa - (Near Antioch, CA)

3 /5 Giovanni Orellana: This place is OK. My usual spot was closed so I came out here to try something new. Should have gone to get ramen. In and out in about 40 minutes(not horrible) but it also wasnt really packed. The biggest reason why the rating is so low is due to the sushi itself. I had ordered a lion king roll(I know everyone gives it a different taste) but my salmon came out crispy and burnt. And typically when I have this roll elsewhere, it usually has a melt in your mouth taste, if that makes sense, so that was my disappointment. The other rolls were decent. But was lacking something I cant quite put my finger on. The baked mussels and baked scallops were also a bit crispy but they had good flavor so if I came back Id come back for that. I really dislike giving places lower ratings, but I will always give a place a second chance, so Im hoping next time i come around its gotten better. Ill review it once again when I come back.

4 /5 Rod M: I stopped by to try this place and ordered the Dragon Roll and the Lion King Roll. The Dragon Roll was fantastic definitely my favorite! The Lion King Roll, however, was a bit too salty and had a slightly burnt taste. I’d highly recommend the Dragon Roll over the other. The ambiance is pleasant, and the hospitality from what seemed to be the owners, a lovely older Asian couple, was top notch. Overall, a great experience, and I can definitely see myself coming back!

5 /5 Kristin Bolen: Okawa has been a favorite of ours for decades and it never disappoints. The sushi is excellent, fresh, beautifully crafted, and consistently delicious. The servers are always friendly and attentive, making every visit enjoyable. It is rare to find a restaurant that maintains such high quality and service over so many years, but Okawa continues to set the standard. A true local gem.

5 /5 DJ Spieker: Hello this is D.J. Okawa is a 2nd home to me Ive been going for over 25 years. Everything is the best to me , just my opinion. I love the people there. The service is top notch and the food is amazing. Food is pricey if your on a budget keep it simple to a few rolls , otherwise its great for a choice family engagement. Love it !! Love them !!! Love the food !!!! Enjoy !

4 /5 Dishing Oakland: I was in the neighborhood and was craving Japanese food. I found this place and came by for dinner on a Friday evening. I sat at the bar and oddly I saw that a space was reserved for a couple that was already eating at the bar. I have never seen reservations for a bar spot. As I was sitting there, I noticed that the customers were very friendly with the sushi Chef and vice versa. I could tell right away that this was going to be a good restaurant based on their interaction - loyal customers are always an indication of good food and great service. I was hungry (and I also eat a lot) so, I ordered three items. The sushi chef asked me if I was sure I could eat everything and I said yes. And I definitely did. As I was sitting there eating my food. I was listening to the conversation, both English and the other language that the sushi Chef was speaking in. I was trying to figure out if they were Korean or Chinese. I come to find out that the sushi Chef, Teddy, used to live in Burma. (But I think he’s Chinese? I forgot to ask. And I couldn’t tell if they were speaking in Mandarin). Teddy and I had a little chat about Burma. I told him how I had visited a few years ago to Yangon and Bagan and how different it was compared to other countries I’ve been to. Although I was meeting Teddy for the first time, I felt like I had known him for awhile. Okay, to the food! It was good! The sauce for the Hamachi kama is fire! I look forward to going back when I’m in the area again. Overall service was great from the hostess, to the girls taking my order and taking away my plates to Tina and Teddy and even the friendly bar customers (I think Friday nights is sushi night for them and it was recently his wife’s birthday (he bought her a car with cash…that got me thinking, the Rover I parked next to must have been their car…. What can I say, you hear a lot when you’re not on your phone and eating alone. Haha). Thanks for the great service and good food! And most importantly thanks for making me and all your customers feel welcome and important! UPDATE: Went back on a Tuesday. It was understaffed, and I thought the roll wasn’t as good as the first time. Also, I made a mistake of ordering the tonkatsu. It was very dry, too thin and hard to digest. It also took the waitress over 10 minutes to give me my bill. I understand they are understaffed, but there were like only four other tables with 2 people at each table. Definitely go on a Friday when they are expecting a lot of customers so they are fully staffed. The food did come out quickly though. But now I understand some of the reviews saying that no one helped them or that they were waiting for a while to get a table, etc. The guy making the sushi did acknowledge me when I went up to the sushi bar. I was just disappointed since it wasn’t as good compared to my first experience.