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    Koya

    4.8 (24 reviews)
    Closed • Closed

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    Best uni ever
    Christy H.

    I feel like after living in Japan and NYC, I've been very, very fortunate to have had some incredible culinary experiences. My husband and I really appreciate/value an expertly crafted meal.. Koya in Tampa absolutely blew us away. We came here for an early birthday dinner. I often speak in superlatives, but I truly think this was the best course meal I've ever had. They absolutely deserve at least one more star on top of the one they already have. The fish was so tender and flavorful. So often the rice can be overlooked, but not here. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I thought I didn't love uni or soup broth. My husband thought he didn't like raw squid or raw scallops. We were both proven wrong. I honestly think I can say I've never loved a meal as much as this. (I'm so sorry to all the places that have come very close.) I can't wait to go back, and if you ever find yourself in Tampa Bay, please go here. It's worth it. On top of all of that, the service was excellent. Koya has a small team full of friendly and knowledgeable staff. Once again, absolutely incredible. The vibe is of a typical sushi bar, which fits the ambiance well. However, you can feel relaxed and not on edge. It's the best of both worlds. Have I adequately expressed how obsessed with this place I am?

    A5 wagyu
    Kristen W.

    Koya is such an awesome intimate dining experience with a level of food quality that is unmatched. The ingredient sourcing alone is just fantastic. Add thoughtful presentation and skilled preparation and your meal is destined to be one of a kind. We enjoyed everything placed in front of us and even made new friends in our intimate space. I definitely recommend Koya for any omakase, high end food lover. You will enjoy the food and the experience.

    Ika
    Jason Y.

    Food was amazing! The chefs were knowledgeable and explained in great detail of each course and the origin. Very small intimate 8 seat counter, great atmosphere and ambiance for an anniversary dinner or special occasion with friends. My top pieces were definitely the Uni on the milk bread. The Maguro and King salmon, the Ika (squid dish), Hokkaido Uni with the pasta, and of course the orange passionfruit ice cream. Basically the entire course! Definitely would come back again for their winter menu to see what they have to offer!

    Katie J.

    Koya is in my opinion, outstanding on all accounts. The chic intimate interior is stunning. All the staff are honestly one of, if not the best I've ever had. They explained everything in detail and were so knowledgeable, kind and honestly funny. Calling the food served at Koya "food" doesn't do it justice. It's a true work of art that I honestly felt kind of bad eating because of how stunning it was. And of course everything was delicious. This restaurant is perfect for a special occasion or just a nice dinner. All in all a great place that I without a doubt hope to return to.

    Elle L.

    They are both creative & yummy dishes! Have been a few times and will continue to be our favorite omakase spot in Tampa! Definitely deserving of the Michelin stars!

    Travis S.

    If you're looking for the most authentic and highest quality Japanese experience in Tampa look no further. I have been to this restaurant several times now and it just keeps getting better. If you are a little weary about going to a Japanese restaurant where it's omakase style where you leave it up to the chef and you have no idea what the menu is until you show up don't be afraid. Take a chance and try this wonderful cuisine to its fullest. Or if you know what you're getting yourself into then you will be very pleased with everything. Everything is flown in straight from Japan. Chef Eric and Adriana and their team are very experienced and operate a the highest of levels. Don't let the price scare you away. Treat yourself and save this for a special occasion.

    Famous and popular uni
    Jon L.

    Honestly some of the freshest creative sushi around. We did the seasonal tasting NOT the nigiri tasting and it was full of delightful varieties of delectable treats like the famous compressed melon and a triple corn panna cotta with corn sorbet and popcorn! The most amazing waygu "steak sando" and of course their famous UNI. Worth the Michelin star and the hefty price tag and my wife opted for the reserve sake paring which was a real treat and sensory experience. Service was impeccable and the atmosphere was a simple, intimate 8 person tasting counter.

    Toro and caviar
    Peter C.

    I had an amazing Omakase experience at Koya and was blown away by the level of creativity behind many of the dishes that were served. There were too many dishes to recall each perfectly but I will go through some of the highlights: Scallop with passionfruit in some type of cream-based broth. Lovely blend of flavors here, scallop tasted very fresh. O-toro tartare with caviar on the side. A simple dish, but one of my favorites I tried tonight. Uni on toasted milk bread. I loved this concept! Milk bread being so sweet and savory, and the richness of the uni adding to that was next-level. King crab in some type of crispy roll. Delicious and I'd devour a second one in an instant. I was very impressed with their dessert dishes as well. I appreciate the blend of contemporary French and American in a traditionally Japanese setting. The service was immaculate and our host/server was always ready to refill our drinks and replace our dinnerware. This place definitely meets the service criteria for a Michelin star establishment.

    "A little variety please"

    Toro take out, sooo yummy. The takeout is limited days only, I can't wait to for the next one!

    Timmothy T.

    Very intimate atmosphere. Only 9 of us there for the evening. The chefs were great, had some good conversations with them along the way. Definitely suggest doing the alcohol pairing with the tasting. All the dishes were small but had so much flavor. It was a very relaxing and enjoy experience. Parking is easy, which is on the side or back. Expect to pay close to $600 a person if adding the pairing to the tasting. Everything was phenomenal, so fresh and so flavorful.

    a small piece of food on a white plate
    Rodney E.

    Amazing atmosphere, outstanding chefs who explain everything to you perfectly and interact with you throughout your tastings, highest of quality fish and meats, perfectly matched and balanced flavors, warning will leave you with super high expectations from any other Japanese restaurant!! Couldn't ask for a better experience.

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    Great food, service, and ambiance. Best sushi in town. Great prices, we had a bit of everything on the menu.

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    3 years ago

    Amazing tasting menu, service, and experience. Although I do wish the portion sizes were bigger.

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    Tori Bar

    Tori Bar

    4.5(340 reviews)
    0.3 mi•Hyde Park
    •$$

    I love coming here for dinner or happy hour. The happy hour is delicious and I love that we can get…read morea seat at the bar quickly. Food comes out fresh and the drinks are delicious. The decor always sets the mood and the bartenders are so fun! They are funny and polite. One thing I will say, they forgot a hand roll I ordered or maybe it didn't register in the system. The last few items I ordered were To-Go and they brought every dish on a plate. I reminded them it was to-go and they brought me little containers for the food, 3 times.

    Came in on the recommendation of a friend, I don't love that they don't take reservations unless…read moreyou have a party of 6 or more. But we were able to get sat for a party of 2 in about 50 minutes, I believe the bar is first come first served so I'd recommend scouting out bar availability if you're quoted with a longer time than you'd prefer to wait. Ambiance is great, decor is on theme, and the music was solid, not overpowering and it didn't feel like conversations were competing with the music. We were able to hold conversation amongst ourselves and our waitress at normal volumes. Service was solid, food came fairly quickly for the most part, and there were only a couple of times where we needed to look for our server to get some additional request in. Food was amazing, I loved both the chicken and duck skewers. The edamame was okay, could have used a little more seasoning for me personally. The wagyu fried rice was nothing less than delicious. The yellow tail and jalapeño hand roll was good, but more of a taco since it wasn't rolled at all, the ingredients were more so just placed inside the sea weed. The Batanga Highball was probably the most refreshing cocktail I've had this year. Incredible experience over all, I will definitely be back, the next time I'm in town.

    Photos
    Tori Bar - Wine display at Tori Bar!

    Wine display at Tori Bar!

    Tori Bar - Braised pork belly, mentaiko fries (huge portion even during happy hour!)

    Braised pork belly, mentaiko fries (huge portion even during happy hour!)

    Tori Bar - Bar area

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    Bar area

    Izakaya Tori - Yum....

    Izakaya Tori

    4.6(721 reviews)
    2.3 mi•South Tampa
    •$$
    Casual dining
    Grab-and-go

    I cannot wait to go back and take my family! This seemed…read morelike a little hole in the wall place that my friend introduced me to. There's a VARIETY of things in the menu to eat and drink. The monster roll, let's just say I will be back for it and I think 2 people can eat from it (I couldn't finish this in my own). The price you say is DEFINITELY worth it. I love krab rangoons so I had to try the shiso rangoon. I love the light fry to it (it was not oily) and it's a perfect shareable- or I can have it all for myself. The food came out quick. I was surprised how fast things came out the kitchen. Service was great because different waiters kept checking in on us. Parking can be a little tricky due to the small lot, but there is parking in the back! If you park at a nearby business, just make sure there's no signs saying you can't park there if you're going to this restaurant.

    Fresh sushi and great skewers are the highlight of the neighborhood Japanese restaurant…read more Izakaya Tori is Tampa's worst kept secret when it comes to a great place for a casual celebration or weeknight dinner. The menu is vast, with everything from sushi to ramen to donburi to yakitori, etc. I always opt for chicken thigh skewers and a roll or two. Every time I come, the people around me are ordering a variety of things, but next time I need to try the tuna avocado salad. It looks amazing! Service is good as expected and food comes at a nice pace. Definitely recommend for when you want better than takeout sushi, but not necessarily a super upscale sushi spot!

    Photos
    Izakaya Tori - Tonkotsu ramen.

    Tonkotsu ramen.

    Izakaya Tori - Assort of skewers

    Assort of skewers

    Izakaya Tori - Variety of Japanese sakes and Japanese craft beer

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    Variety of Japanese sakes and Japanese craft beer

    Ro Hyde Park - King salmon

    Ro Hyde Park

    4.1(297 reviews)
    0.5 mi•Hyde Park, Historic Hyde Park

    Excellent experience. Sit at the sushi bar- they are so engaging and hospitable. Logan and Ameer…read moremade the night entertaining and made the evening worth it. When you spend good money on good, it ought to be worth it. It is certainly worth it here. The food was fantastic, the decor and environment was so high end. I will be back. Highly recommend!

    Had a fabulous dinner at Ro while visiting Tampa last month with my sister! We were both craving…read moresushi and this was the perfect spot for a girls night out. We also love Hyde Park and it's just so nice to walk around that area before or after your meal. We started off with cocktails -- I went with the pomelo (nikka coffey gin, aperol, grapefruit, szechuan peppercorn) and she got the shinshun (sparkling sake, yuzu extract, & honey). We both really enjoyed our drinks. For appetizers, we shared the wagyu gyoza and I also got a couple pieces of nigiri -- Hokkaido Hotate (scallop) and the otoro (fatty tuna belly). Yum! We both ordered sushi rolls (maki) for our mains. I got the Ro signature roll which has spicy tuna, avocado, and hamachi. My sis got the classic tempura shrimp roll topped with crispy potato chips which was a nice twist. We definitely got our sushi fix! The end of every meal comes with a complimentary sweet surprise and I'm so glad we saved just enough room for dessert. They make their own ice cream in-house and have fun rotating flavor combinations. I can't remember the exact flavor we had, but it had a passion fruit ganache on top with some crumble topping and it was phenomenal! Some of the best ice cream I've ever had. That alone is worth going back for.

    Photos
    Ro Hyde Park - Interior

    Interior

    Ro Hyde Park - Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

    Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

    Ro Hyde Park - Sitting at the bar, looking behind you

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    Sitting at the bar, looking behind you

    Noble Rice

    Noble Rice

    4.3(242 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Channelside
    •$$$

    First time eating here and it didn't disappoint. Everything was fresh and creative. Service was…read morestellar and our waiter was knowledgeable about not only the food menu but the drink menu as well. Hubby and I started with the neki toro and tempura poke rolls both which were super fresh. The rolls also seemed to have less rice than other sushi restaurants we frequent which we both loved. If you are a tuna lover like I am, I highly recommend to try the toro flight as well! The Dungeness crab salad was interesting but absolutely delish. It comes on a bed of tuna carpaccio which makes for a nice presentation. The kamo crostini (duck breast with onion jam on house made toast points) is inventive and flavorful. Each bite had that satisfying sweet and savory element to it. To round out our supper, we also shared the kinoko gohan with salmon (mushroom coconut rice with a salmon filet) and it was for sure the highlight of the meal!The salmon is marinated and cooked to perfection so it just melts in your mouth and much like the crostini, there is a sweet and savoriness to each bite of the salmon and rice. For desert we tried the soy milk panna cotta which was silky and light. The restaurant itself is super cute and well done inside. It is dark enough to create a cozy, intimate ambiance without being so dark you can't see what you are eating. The noise level is also acceptable. The restaurant was pretty busy while we were there yet we were still able to enjoy good conversation without feeling like we had to yell to one another across the booth. We cannot wait to go back!

    What an amazing evening and experience…read more The staff is incredibly helpful and nice. The food is incredible extremely fresh. Had the omakase and it did not disappoint. The most delicious and surprisingly treat was the chocolate covered foie gras. Don't be a hater you must try.

    Photos
    Noble Rice - Negi toro roll

    Negi toro roll

    Noble Rice - Panna cotta

    Panna cotta

    Noble Rice - Cocktails

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    Cocktails

    Wagamama - Kare Burosu Ramen

    Wagamama

    4.0(426 reviews)
    1.1 mi•Downtown Tampa
    •$$

    This was our second time dining at Wagamama Tampa, and once again the food, presentation, and…read moreservice were absolutely outstanding. Chef Joel made our experience unforgettable. He came to our table to personally explain the Tokyo Fries, introduced us to the new Shrimp Bao and the new Crispy Rice with Yuzu Ponzu, and shared the inspiration behind the dishes. Everything tasted incredible, and you can tell how much care goes into every plate. We've been to Wagamama in the UK, but the Water Street location is truly exceptional. Chef Joel has been amazing both times we've dined here. He even took the time to talk with my daughter about the food, and it completely made her day. She talked about the experience for the rest of the day! Thank you, Chef Joel, for the amazing food, your passion, and for taking the time to visit our table and make us feel so welcome. Great job, Wagamama Tampa! We'll definitely be back.

    We were really hoping to find a spot with a great atmosphere, awesome vibes, and tasty food for our…read moreSunday night dinner. We checked out a bunch of different restaurants, but they were all booked up. So, we ended up booking Wagamama for our dinner on Sunday night. After finding roadside parking near the restaurant, we checked in at the register and were shown to our table. Our server greeted us and provided us with menus. Following a discussion among ourselves and with our server, we began our order with a lychee martini and a coconut drift for drinks. For appetizers, we selected the Bang Bang Cauliflower, which our server highlighted as a very popular option, along with chicken pot stickers.For our main courses, we ordered the chicken pad Thai, Karage Chicken Strips for our toddler and the chicken firecracker dishes. Our drinks arrived first: a Lychee Martini and a Coconut Drift. The Lychee Martini contained a significant amount of vodka, so much that my spouse could only manage two sips. The Coconut Drift was better, but it still had an excessive amount of sugar. We got our Bang Bang Cauliflower appetizer. However, upon tasting it, we found it wasn't cooked properly. It tasted like they simply coated the cauliflower with sauce without properly cooking it. We were disappointed to have to return it. Following that, our chicken pot stickers arrived. The chicken pot stickers were just okay, without anything particularly noteworthy about them. They weren't even properly cooked around the edges. Both appetizers we ordered turned out to be disappointing. Our dinner arrived and included Pad Thai and Chicken Firecracker. Both dishes were just alright; they could have been better. Compared to how other reviews described them, they didn't live up to the expectations set by those reviews. We couldn't get the Chicken Karage Strips we wanted for dinner. We ended up having to comp the whole thing because even though the restaurant wasn't that full (only about 70-75% empty), we had to wait a super long time for the food to be ready. Our visit to Wagamama was so disappointing that we may not return. We were unhappy with the food, the service, and the atmosphere.

    Photos
    Wagamama - View from booth on side

    View from booth on side

    Wagamama - Bang Bang Cauliflower

    Bang Bang Cauliflower

    Wagamama - Coconut Drift

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    Coconut Drift

    Kinjo - Carpaccio

    Kinjo

    4.8(30 reviews)
    0.0 mi•Hyde Park

    Went for my birthday and the experience was top-notch. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and…read moreanswered questions before they were even asked. The only downside was that I sat at the chefs counter hoping to see someone cook or even chef Jada (huge Hell's Kitchen fan) but didn't see anyone except the wait staff. We started off with bread service, which I heard great things about. It was absolutely delicious - both the sourdough and the focaccia as well as the butter and oil. The only thing is $16 for 2 pieces of bread is pricey, I wish they provided more bread for that price. We also got the carpaccio which was fantastic. The meat was melty and I loved the black garlic. The capers gave it some saltiness while the gremolata gave it some freshness. Perfect balance of flavor. $44 was pricey but very good. The pastas were difficult because I wanted to try them all!! They were out of the truffle pasta so that wasn't an option. YUZU SPAGHETTI A LIMONE: this tasted like something I would get from Positano, Italy! The lemon was prominent throughout and there was a perfect portion of snow crabs which gave it that seafood flavor (although you can never have too much!!). The star was the chewiness of the noodles, the texture made it taste home-made. The yuzu wasn't as prominent so it definitely tasted more Italian than Asian. Absolutely delicious though! PAPPARDELLE: I was so surprised when I took my first bite because I understood the Asian-Italian fusion with this dish. When you think of pappardelle, you think of short rib with a red sauce and this had a hint of spicy Asian flavor and I absolutely loved it! I like heat so I really loved the extra kick it had. The balsamic gave it some sweetness and the fondue really balanced that heat. Highly recommend this dish! We will be back because I want to try the other pastas!! Definitely a hidden gem .

    Great restaurant. Loved the vibe, menu and service…read more Creative approach to elevated Japanese/Italian fusion. Everything was very tasty loved the akami spaghettoni and pappardelle. The caprese dessert was so surprising and fun. Service was warm, engaged. Restaurant is able to be casual and high-end at the same time. Great for a special occasion or just a night out. Only miss was at the end of the meal. The check was dropped off before dessert and the team was in a rush to make us pay. I realized patrons were waiting but the length of our time at the restaurant was wholly determined by the restaurants service timing not us. This was a miss after an otherwise great experience.

    Photos
    Kinjo
    Kinjo - Cappelletti

    Cappelletti

    Kinjo - Dessert Caprese

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    Dessert Caprese

    Soho Sushi - Delicious Curbside Takeout at SoHo Sushi

    Soho Sushi

    4.2(922 reviews)
    1.7 mi•South Tampa
    •$$
    Happy hour specials
    Takes reservations

    This is a cool sushi restaurant and I have to say the creativity and quality is top notch. My…read morebiggest observance is that service is a bit slow. Now I enjoy a paced dinner and am not one to rush. The night I visited, on a Saturday night, the restaurant is 75% full. While I understand sushi of this quality takes time (yes it is top quality) the team is just not prompt. Beer taking 10 minutes etc. we will be back no doubt, just trying to help provide constructive feedback.

    We love coming to soho sushi, usually get carry out, but this review is for 2 different visits with…read moregroup of 7 this past Sunday and a larger group also on a Sunday in July. I have the feeling restaurant is severely understaffed. We arrived before our table was ready so sat at bar and got some drinks, bartender was amazing and is the only highlight of our visit. Sat at table, ordered food and no issues. The guys ordered beers and when she brought the beer, the women ordered wine. 25 minutes later still no wine was brought. Our table saw the bartender was also tending tables and asked about the wine which was then immediately brought by the bar tender. Food was good as usual, we finished and ready for check but then we did not have contact with waitress for 35 minutes. When we finally got the bill, we can't see the itemized bill until after you pay. Saw the bill after and we were not charged the happy hour price for the wine, but the waitress was gone again and we were done waiting. We will only be sitting in the bar area from now on IF we come back.

    Photos
    Soho Sushi - Volcano Roll

    Volcano Roll

    Soho Sushi - Toro Trio Tartare (Akami, Chutoro, Otoro) with Quail Egg + Black Tobiko

    Toro Trio Tartare (Akami, Chutoro, Otoro) with Quail Egg + Black Tobiko

    Soho Sushi - Ramen

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    Ramen

    Haiku Tampa - Braised Pork Belly

    Haiku Tampa

    3.8(522 reviews)
    0.8 mi•Downtown Tampa
    •$$$

    Recently visited Haiku for a friend's Birthday Dinner and had some items I loved and some that I…read moredid not care for. To start the crab cake was amazing. Didn't need all the micro greens for garnish on top but this could be overlooked because taste and flavor was amazing. The tuna tartare was super tasty as well and I would definitely order this again same comment for micro greens on this dish - didn't need this and found myself moving it off the dishes to actually enjoy the item. The two not so favorite dishes for me were the fried rice topped with fried chicken. While chicken was very tasty the rice was extremely basic. Could have used eggs or other ingredients to elevate this dish. Also the Volcano roll was extremely disappointing. Normally the volcano topping is cooked or (torched) and this topping was cold and very unappetizing. Would not recommend this roll. Overall this place is a hit or miss. Service for our large party wasn't bad and everything came out pretty quickly!

    Terrible from start to finish. Waited 25 minutes at hostess stand without anyone coming to help…read more Ended up seating myself and waiting another 15 minutes for a waitress to help. Food is terrible - they even forgot the egg as a part of my ramen and brought me a frozen egg when I mentioned the missing item which was disgusting. Octopus is so tough and chewy. Terribly cooked from frozen. Mango sticky rice is absolutely horrendous. Nothing like what you expect. Temperature is terrible - they don't use A/C so it's incredibly hot and humid in restaurant. Avoid this place at all costs.

    Photos
    Haiku Tampa - Lobster Tamaki Roll

    Lobster Tamaki Roll

    Haiku Tampa - Haiku Uramaki

    Haiku Uramaki

    Haiku Tampa - Crab Maki, Haiku Uramaki, Lobster Tamaki

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    Crab Maki, Haiku Uramaki, Lobster Tamaki

    Koya - japanese - Updated October 2026

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