We came back to O Ya to celebrate our anniversary after having such a fantastic experience there for a birthday a while back. Honestly, even with the high expectations from our first visit, it still holds up as the best meal you can get in Boston. I know Michelin recently passed them over for stars but that feels like a massive oversight on their part because the consistency here is wild. We went with the omakase and the beverage pairings again. Our server mentioned they started measuring the pours now, which is fine by me because last time they were heavy handed! The selection is spot on and actually adds value to the meal rather than just being an afterthought. The vibe inside is great because it lacks that stiff, white tablecloth energy you usually get at this price point. It is lively and loud in a way that feels intentional. The food isn't your traditional purist sushi. They play with flavors and textures that shouldn't work but somehow always do. We actually ended up adding the potato chip nigiri as a supplement because it was a highlight of our first trip and we couldn't stop thinking about it. My only real warning is that at twenty plus courses, it is a massive amount of food. I was struggling to finish the last couple of bites. Definitely skip lunch or just fast for the day so you can actually appreciate the final rounds. It is expensive but not out of the realm of other omakase in Boston and for a special occasion I haven't found anywhere else that competes. read more

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They have recently tweaked their menu with a new burst of creativity. It leans a bit more into cooked dishes and desserts than before but still has plenty of the raw favorites. There were a couple courses not listed in the menu. Sure bet for a (long overdue) Michelin. read more

O Ya - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Truly incredible. The ambiance is fun, the service was excellent (shout out to Tim), and the food is absolutely outstanding. This is definitely not your traditional omakase, but an omakase that creatively enhances each bite with new and unique flavors. Truly the best meal I've had in Boston. Would highly recommend the bar seating as it is so fun to watch the process happen. Also, we had an allergy and dietary restriction and they handled it so smoothly and confidently. We also were able to watch the vegan/vegetarian bites get made and they also looked incredible. Street parking in the area was also really easy. read more

O Ya - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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O ya was just ok. It felt like an omakase experience catered towards people who don't want/don't know traditional omakase and that's fine - there's a place for fusion and taking risks in the dining scene - but o ya's version left me cold (and still hungry). For $295 for the base omakase (leaving aside any supplements and the 20% "administrative fee" that includes gratuity), I expect a meal to be mind-blowing, not to actively dislike some of the pieces that were served or to find the whole process of dinner disengaging. FOOD: - I knew going in that o ya wasn't going to be the traditional purist style of omakase that I love, where it's fish, rice, and minimal garnishes and sauces. In fact, o ya was the exact opposite. So much sauce. Every single piece was torched, topped with about 2-3 extras, and otherwise doused in something that overwhelmed the fish. In a handful of cases, the combo of flavors worked beautifully, like the maguro with an herb mix. But for other cases, things fell flat, such as multiple pieces of an oily fish paired with some other oil (a king salmon in ginger scallion oil) or the worst offender, a suzuki with house-made evergreen oil that tasted like taking a big bite of a Christmas tree. Both o ya and Umami suffer from the same issue of not knowing when to stop dressing up a piece of fish. Many times, restraint works better than excess. - The portions are TINY. It was a parade of bite-sized pieces that at times, bordered on insulting. It was a game of how small can you cut a piece. I do not have the biggest appetite in the world and I had to have a snack afterwards. Your stomach may be tricked by how filling the meal was by how much sheer oil is drizzled on everything but when you add everything together ... for two people, you're paying close to a grand for maybe a small bowl of rice and few cuts of (albeit high-quality) fish and meat. - I lost count of how many times there was truffle (or truffle oil) on something. The meal was heavily dependent on luxury ingredients and other up-sells (wagyu, fois gras, truffle, caviar) to seemingly justify the price but if you need those sorts of things to be good, everything else is not actually good enough on its own. PROCESS: - There is zero engagement with the sushi chef, even if you sit at the counter. Considering this is the coolest aspect of omakase where you can interact directly with the person putting together your meal, I found it one of the most off-putting parts of our dinner. No eye contact whatsoever. Because everyone sits down at different times (and is therefore at different parts of the course), the chefs/waiters go through an assembly line, so that when it's time for a given piece, they make it, they put it on top of their counter, a waiter grabs it, ferries it to the back to check which table it goes to, and then finally brings it over/explains what it is. It's a weirdly inefficient and time-consuming process that completely sucks away everything that makes omakase fun and engaging, which brings me to my next point. - Our meal took upwards of 3 hours, where, for much of it, I was hungry and waiting for my next bite of food to arrive. The pacing did not make sense at all. We'd wait 15-25 minutes in between. Towards the halfway point, I was hoping that the long wait would trick my stomach into feeling full but alas. Maybe it was my fault for not eating a snack beforehand and I don't expect everything to be dumped one after the other onto my plate but 3 hours is nonsense. O ya makes more sense as a la carte rather than omakase. Suffice to say, I think you can get better omakase at a lower price point elsewhere in Boston. read more

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I had the tasting menu with wine/sake pairing. Absolutely worth the price. My server Siri was amazing as were all of the servers and staff. Ambiance was great and the noise level wasn't high. Highly recommend! read more

The meal of the year for me. If Boston paid Michelin to visit, this would have a couple of stars. The ambience/atmosphere is low key fancy modern with dim room with pleasant feature lighting. Love the bar area. The low top tables are nice but nothing over the top. The focus is on the meal, and I'm here for it. Service was phenomenal. Our server was a little irreverent and we loved it. He was on top of the offerings, gave his opinion when asked (love it when people are direct!) with whys, and super flexible as needed. Exactly the kind of experience you'd want to ensure a 5 star experience. Food came out at the cadence you'd hope for multicourse experience. Food: just wow. Quality, temperature, plating. All wow. I'm still thinking about this meal on a weekly basis. I'd say more but less is more and I'm at a loss for words. Appreciated the upgrade options. Companion loved the vegetarian options, and she usually is disappointed with vegetarian tasting menus that usually lack creativity and just sub a bland veg for a protein. Not here. Major wow factor achieved. Tough customer is very pleased. Drink: the pairings were done very well. I appreciated that they weren't intimidated to have some inexpensive options that paired very well. All about accessibility and helps for me to have followed up and gotten a few bottles. They even helped tell me the purveyors with contact info to get them! Price: it's expensive. You know it is. And I'd pay it again and hope to again soon. When you pay this much, you want a standout tasting menu. They outdid themselves. This is my new go to big celebration spot. Bravo! read more

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Certainly a unique food experience in Boston that came highly recommended. I didn't like you have to pre-pay completely up front ($700 for 2 people). With no option to change the reservation.. emergencies and things happen and I find this to be a bit insensitive. Upon arrival we were seated at a table near the front door, fine but the vibe is different at the tables as opposed to the chefs counter. I did hear it's hella uncomfortable to sit up on those backless stools that long so maybe for the best. I found the service overall to be very good but seems we were not tended to as much as the night went on. Food was great & certainly a more relaxed, unique take on omakase. We liked everything with the exception of a few pieces. The nigiri offerings were lovely but we really found their use of wasabi on them to be very aggressive. It wasn't necessary and took away from the flavor components. As others have mentioned, the time you are here is kind of crazy. We arrived at 7 and weren't walking out until just after 10. I really feel like they have some figuring out to do regarding timing/coursing. At the beginning the pace was great but at our about 6th course, we didn't receive the 7th for 25 mins. Bizarre. I'm glad we came and had the experience but it's not somewhere I'd frequent often. Nearly $1k for two people (who only had 2 add-ons total & 2 drinks each) is steep for what you receive. read more

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An absolute MUST in Boston if you love a surprising tasting menu. Our server was amazing. We sat at the counter and were kind of squeezed into the corner so I feel they could've spaced everyone out a bit better to prevent this from being an uncomfortable spot. Nonetheless, the restaurant is beautiful overall. The chopstick rests are so cute!! They all seemed to be different too The food was absolutely amazing. Most are 1 bite type of dishes and the flavor profiles were all so well balanced. I honestly do not feel there was a single bite we did not love. See the pics for some delicious foodporn. read more

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A hidden gem in the streets of Boston. With an inconspicuous exterior, O ya offers a satisfying 20-course omakase in a calming yet vibrant setting. The 20-course meal takes an individual on a gastronomic experience. Each dish is made with the highest quality of ingredients. Sashimi slices melt in one's mouth and flavors are deep and refreshing. Expensive? Yes. But I would recommend dining at O ya at least once in your lifetime. It is worth it! read more

O Ya - Some of the dishes in the 20-course set menu. - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The food was obviously delicious - I got 2 seasonal items (fingerling potato chip and the Japanese Sakura masu), so the whole dinner was 22 courses and so flavorful all the way through. I also got a sparkling Hana Awaka sake which was also great. The service was lovely, my server was really kind and attentive and made sure I had everything I needed. The ambiance is nice, it's a little less intimate than other omakases nearby which I actually like. The only thing that's keeping me from coming back more often is the price - $483 for the whole thing and I'm just one person. This easily would've racked up over $1000 if I had someone with me. read more

This entire meal was incredible from start to finish - the pacing, the service and the overall ambiance. We loved everything but special shoutouts to the watermelon oyster to start, the nodoguro with miso vinaigrette, kinmedia (one of my favorites), ora king salmon (very buttery and delicous), Kyoto style morel mushroom (one of my favorites) and the foie gras with balsamic chocolate (last of my top three favorites!) The rice crispy ice cream to finish was truly the cherry on top to this perfect meal. read more

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I've been here twice and both times were exceptional! So far this has been my best omakase experience and whenever I'm in Boston, I'll be stopping in to see what's new. They are so inventive and with their creations and the staff is well versed, attentive, and friendly. read more

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We've been to quite a few Michelin star restaurants and omakase's and O ya might have been our favorite omakase and one of our favorite restaurant experiences of all times. First off, it is conveniently located with plenty of paid street parking. The interior is more laid back and trendy than I was expecting. Definitely a great vibe (not stuck up like some fancy restaurants). The waitress came over and started explaining the menus and add ons. The meal is quite expensive, so we didn't do any add ons, but for a very very special night out they really did have a lot of options for up charges. Our waitress (and all of the staff) were excellent. They even printed out a special menu for me because some of my items were modified since I'm dairy free. Each bite was a truly unique experience. The fishes were unique and eat had a topping and/or accoutrement that enhanced the fish. There were no misses, as every dish was as good as the last (and as unique). The staff explained all of the dishes as well which really enhanced the experience. We were truly blown away by this experience. If you are in Boston and like raw fish, you need to give O Ya a try for your next celebration. read more

This is a Omakase style restaurant which means "it is up to the chef". The chef determines the content of each one bite course. I like sushi so the 20 course meal was great for my palate. I was doubting that 20 courses could be served without being seated for 4 hours but alas, each course arrived promptly after the finished plates were removed. I felt like this was an experience rather than a dinner. There isn't a traditional dinner flow to the evening. The course arrives, you get the overview, server leaves, you eat your one bite, the server appears and takes away your plate. Repeat 20 times. It is fun and delicious. The beverages are crazy expensive. Stunning in fact. So, not a place to focus on getting a bottle of wine. Have a beer or glass of wine. Service was spectacular. Friendly, extremely accommodating, knowledgeable about every dish and best of all..they kept the meal moving. Overall I am happy to have had the opportunity to try this multi year best of Boston restaurant. Pricing is impressive but so was the food. This is a good place to go for a special evening with friends; wealthy friends. read more

O Ya - Our 20 courses. November 2023 - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Could not say more nice things about this place! Ambience/ service / food were all beyond excellent. Obvsly pricey but taking into account the quality of ingredients/the care that goes into every dish it is very fairly priced and 1000% worth it! read more

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O Ya has been on my Boston bucket list for years. I was consistently deterred by the price tag and couldn't justify spending that much on a single meal. But after being generously gifted a birthday dinner, I can say I think it's worth it for a special occasion. The 20 course omakase feels like it's more than just a meal - it's an entire experience, comparable to a dinner + a show. We were there for over 3 hours and left completely satisfied.  Each course was unique and inventive. Individual components were well-crafted and balanced each other out perfectly. The progression from course to course was well done and takes you on a beautiful journey with wide ranging flavor profiles. If you spring for the sake pairing, it is an incredible complement to the meal. You get one pour for every 3-5 courses and the selections truly enhanced the food. As a sake newbie, I discovered a couple types I didn't even know existed. Although expensive, it did feel more worth it than a single $16 Sapporo beer. The service and ambiance were both so warm and inviting. I know it's not the most accessible experience and I am very fortunate to have dined here. I'd certainly be a regular if I could! read more

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If you're in Boston and craving a dining experience that borders on art, this Omakase is worth every second and yes, every dollar. From the first bite to the last course, it was a masterclass in balance, temperature, texture, and respect for the ingredient. We started with light, clean flavors beautifully dressed sashimi, subtle citrus notes, and house-aged soy that elevated each cut. From there, the progression built steadily into deeper umami tones: foie gras with nori, seared wagyu, uni with caviar, truffle-draped nigiri... all flawlessly executed. Presentation was nothing short of gallery-level. Every plate, bowl, and tray felt intentional, hand-selected to complement the food. And the pacing? Impeccable. Never rushed, never dragging just pure, uninterrupted flow. What stood out most: the consistency across so many courses, and how each bite truly felt like the best version of itself. Even the textures from creamy to snap-fresh were on point. This is not just a meal, it's a memory. For sushi lovers and omakase purists, this place sets the bar incredibly high. read more

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This has been recommended to me by many people, so I really wanted to like this place. It was good overall, but I was expecting a lot more for $380. After the meal, I was still hungry and wanted more food. I went to a bar nearby and got some food. read more

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Attentive and friendly service. Awesome food. So this is more fusion than traditional omakase. So if you come in thinking it is you'll be turned off. This is a fun menu with great cuts of fish with flavorful sauces and toppings. So if traditional omakase is a whisky tasting o ya is more a cocktail tasting if that makes sense. I enjoyed every dish. I added the potato chip, uni toast, and the A5 wagyu. I suggest all of them if in your budget. I would highly recommend giving this place a shot and enjoy a menu that doesn't take itself to seriously but still maintains a super high level. 5/5 highly recommended. read more

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I went for the Omakase. Overall, it was a great experience with a more Japanese style menu. We did a total of 20 courses. It comes with a preset menu (dessert included) based on your allergy selection which is very accommodating of them. You also have a few add on options and drink pairing add on. Parking: plan ahead, very limited meters/street. There are some garages nearby Ambiance: small with some tables and a counter. Heads up it will be a long meal sitting on a stool chair if seated on the counter. Food: great variety of good quality fish selection Service: amazing. The only thing is there were a lot of people for the number of chefs there so the wait in between courses may be longer than preferred. read more

O Ya - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Listen, this place is phenomenal, with AMAZING staff, food, ambiance, and overall experience. However, be prepared to fork over the dough ($), especially if you plan on drinking. This is a place for a very special occasion, or if you are Jeff Bezos, otherwise I think there are more "bang for your buck" Omakase options in Boston. read more

O Ya - House Smoked Wagyu - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We came in on a super cold evening and the hostess asked if we like some hot tea while our spot at the sushi bar was being prepped. Our coats were taken for us. At the bar there are hooks to hang your bags. The restaurant has about a dozen or so seats at the sushi bar; roughly five tables seating four people each. We were lucky to sit in front of the main chef, it was a show in itself for the evening. The omakase had 20 items total, the last one being a dessert. There are plenty of great itemized descriptions in other yelp reviews, so I'll keep to the general overall experience. The freshness of all the ingredients, was what I would expect, from a place of this caliber. The culinary inventiveness & cuisine fusion is refreshing and fun. A few favorite ingredients were the urchins and truffles. A few of the favorite dishes were the Hamachi; really well played with the Viet flavors, thai basil, and fried shallots. The Bay Scallops in the sake sea urchin jus was amazing in flavors and texture. For the most part, the flavors for each piece were incredibly balance. A few of the items were not as attention to detail. The bluefin maguro & Kyoto mushrooms were over powered by the salt/soy sauce. I expected to taste the Kyoto mushrooms as the prominent flavor with salt to enhance the mushroom flavor; we were not able to taste the mushroom or anything else. The Yuzu broth was dominated by red pepper flakes. Sadly, no other flavors came through from the broth. The experience was fantastic. The staff is very attentive. I'm glad I finally went. Parking is street, give yourself enough time to find parking. read more

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The service was friendly, the atmosphere was very business-oriented. It wasn't inviting enough to stay longer than the meal, which was fine because after 20 wonderful courses I was ready for a nap anyway. We've been to several omakase and this restaurant didn't have (nor did they need) a signature dish or "story" like the rest because it's just THAT good. It was fun and fast and the flavors were complex in the sexiest ways. The dishes I didn't like as much were still better than the best dishes at other omakase restaurants. read more

O Ya - King Salmon - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The food presentation was delightful, BUT got a massive food poisoning. Haven't been this sick ever! Lost 5lbs+ in 3 days. Frequent visitor at Japanese restaurants, that's a first! They were not crowded, my take is they just 'recycle' what's not sold the day before. Can't do that with fish. Also, pre-set menu only not a la carte! Avoid!!!! read more

Went here with my sister while I was visiting Boston. As a disclaimer, I'm an avid omakase fan and have been to a lot of places, so I think my palate is a lot harder to satisfy than most! Case in point, my sister definitely enjoyed this a lot and was wowed by all of the pieces. I definitely also enjoyed it, but was a bit of a harsher critic on the first few sets. I think it might just be personal preference, but some of the starting pieces were a bit "experimental" or "fusion"-adjacent for my taste. Later on though, I enjoyed many of the pieces -- basically everything starting with the potato chips + truffle nigiri (I attached the full menu for that day as well). So the first third or fourth of the menu was not great for me, but a solid portion was really excellent! I think a few pieces especially stood out, particularly the first dish (the oyster + watermelon pearls), the potato chips + truffle (super creative!), the squid ink foam, and the mushroom dishes. Overall, despite the hefty price, if you look at just the ingredients I think it's not too off the mark: they serve a hefty portion of truffle with 2-3 of the dishes and also quite a large serving of A5 wagyu compared with other omakase places for the same price point, as well as multiple uni dishes. Experience-wise, I think I've enjoyed some cheaper omakases a bit more -- but this could just be up to personal preference of preferring more traditional tastes, which the first few dishes parted from. read more

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Not having visited w/n the last few years we found their menu to now only offer one omakasa instead of two different levels previously. More importantly, their wine menu has gotten much better over the years. The dishes, as usual, are creative and a joy to eat if you haven't experienced Oya before. I must say that having patronized this place before the allure was not as heightened as a newbie. Expect to pay major bucks as well as a heavy carbon footprint as many items are flown in. Note: no photos of the food items as I want to fully enjoy the meal. Overall, $250 for a 20 course dinner. Expect fresh sushi items but totally embellished with sauces and whatever creative additional ingredients. Enjoy. read more

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Wife & I went here to celebrate a special occasion. Each dish was surprisingly delicious with unique flavors. We waited with anticipation to see if the next dish would be even better - and it usually was! Presentation was great as well. Our server was very knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed the atmosphere as it was not overly noisy and you could have a conversation. A good pace, didn't feel rushed. The wine pairing - really good but we are light drinkers and was overkill for us. So next time we would pick a single drink. Most expensive meal we've had, but also the best! read more

definitely the worst ever fusion omakase I ever had. Chef was trying to be creative but over do it. A thick sweet soya sauce mixed with oliver oil doesn't go well with sashimi. Adding olive oil to fatty tuna ?!?! your mouth is simply full of fat. I understand fusion is not tradition, but serving sushi before sashimi is totally the wrong order for your stomach. As for the dessert, they serve me a donut. you kidding me ? read more

O Ya - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

If the place wouldn't bankrupt my bank account I would definitely come again over and over again. Definitely worth the splurge every now and then because the food was absolutely divine. Super fresh. Well composed flavors. And we also enjoyed the drink pairings. I definitely left full filled with delicious food and great libations! I would 10/10 recommend for a special occasion and a must try if you can snag reservations. Our server was super friendly and knowledgeable. I had a great time! ($295 pp and drink pairing is $160 pp) read more

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Definitely Americanized omakase. I think it's worth trying once but I was disappointed based on all the hype. The waiters are nice, albeit the only actual Asian/Japanese employee I saw was the main chef. The weirdest parts to me were that they did not give ginger, they included a fork and knife, and no one was eating the nigiri pieces with their fingers as traditionally done (as well as no finger wipe for doing so). As for the actual food, I thought that I wouldn't be full from the whole menu until the Wagyu came out. The first 15 courses came out quickly, one after another, but the last 5 had 15-20 min between each one, which made my friend and I very hungry. The standouts were the Hokkaido Sea Urchin, Wild Spot Prawn, Homemade Fingerling Potato Chip, A5 Wagyu, and Mochi Donut dessert. The worst by far was the second Foie Gras course with chocolate balsamic (definitely for non-Asian tastebuds), very strange/unbalanced in my opinion to follow up the fatty Wagyu with foie gras. In general, I felt a lot of the fish courses had too much sauce/accessorization and it would have been better if it was just the fish itself. I've had omakase in NYC for significantly cheaper that impressed and satisfied me far more. But I guess this is the best of what you can get from the Boston food scene. read more

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Finally snagged a res two months ago and here to chronicle the experience! 1. Kumamoto Oyster really enjoyed how the flavors transition in your mouth -- it started off with a slightly briny, soy-sauced based cucumber sauce, but the oyster itself was light and a bit sweet due to the watermelon pearls that it was covered in 2. Hamachi again hit me with that flavor bending -- this one was seasoned really well with the hamachi and banana pepper entering your mouth first before the wasabi hidden underneath the fish and rice took over. another one for the books! 3. Hokkaido Sea Urchin & White Sturgeon Caviar creamy uni and caviar packaged into a bite-sized packet of flavor! really liked the creamy texture and non oceanicness of the uni 4. Kinmedai plum vinaigrette definitely stole the show on this one -- great combo with the shiso leaf 5. Wild Spot Prawn two types of spices complemented each other nicely -- texture on prawn was great too! 6. Ora King Salmon favorite one so far!! not sure what moromi is but the ginger scallion oil was on point!! 7. Housemade Fingerling Potato Chip new favorite one so far!! as a bit of a truffle enjoyer myself, they really hit me up with a thick homeslice of beefy black truffle. 11/10 would eat again. 8. Fresh Kumamoto Oyster wasabi had a strong kick in the back of the mouth which was really interesting -- fried oyster super yummy and squid ink actually tasting like squid chips, yummy! 9. Kyoto Style Black Trumpet Mushroom can't go wrong with mushroom -- the soy sauce and umami was really good at the beginning but i think i chewed it for too long and at the end i was just munching on the trumpets, which was a pretty interesting experience 10. Yuzu Kosho Niboshi Broth personally, not a big fan of this one. it serves its purpose of transitioning between nigiri and sashimi, but the flavors were a little too strong for my taste 11. Shima Aji & Hokkaido Sea Urchin we burrito'd this one up -- first dish in the sashimi portion of the menu! the ceviche vinaigrette was v unique! 12. Hamachi (part 2) really captured the thai taste with the seasoning on this one!! i enjoyed thoroughly 13. Ora King Salmon (part 2) more of a classic salmon flavor here -- i think the fish itself was emphasized for me and was a nice bite! 14, 15. Bluefin Maguro Oaxaca, Toro Comparatively, I think the Oaxaca looked more appetizing but the Toro was fattier and an overall more enjoyable cut. Cool of them to put two tunas together though 16. Bay Scallop A really tender, juicy scallop with truffle on top! Great taste and three bites instead of one so we could enjoy the flavor for longer. 17. Grilled Maitake, Shiitake, and King Oyster Mushroom This was a nice change of pace from the rest of the menu, and each mushroom definitely had its own distinct crunch or taste -- i could eat twenty plates of these for sure haha 18. Wagyu Kushiyaki Wagyu never fails to amaze my tastebuds -- three chunks on a skewer were enough to make me go mmmm... the seasoning was also a nice touch! 19. Foie Gras Teriyaki Foie Gras flavoring was pretty interesting, but not as memorable as the other dishes. 20. Something Sweet - Yuzu Curd Meringue I may be biased as a Yuzu fanatic, but this was a banger to end off the meal on, and left me craving more the next day! Overall, Experience took ~2.5 hours with more time in between later dishes than earlier ones (perhaps because they became more busy), and the wait staff was very nice! Not sure if I'd go back given the price point but it was definitely worth experiencing at least once!! read more

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Beyond amazing! One of the best if not the best omakase experience I've ever had. Beautiful, delicious, creative and unique flavors. Ambiance was great and the service was incredible. I can't wait to return! read more

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Shout out to Tim and colleagues for a nice evening. We enjoyed the tasting menu and pairings (plenty for us without any of the extras). Food and service were great. read more

O Ya - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is going to be a little bit of a different type of review. I will update once we can actually dine with them, but I think this is important. We haven't been able to eat here yet due to their availability and COVID spikes, but I would like to give this establishment their due respect for keeping me updated and in contact regarding availability and schedule changes. We are from the Bay Area and were really hoping to get in this week for a meal, but their schedule was full. The kind lady on the phone added us to their cancellation list in case someone had to cancel. We were lucky enough to get a prompt call with a reservation that had become available. Unfortunately, a couple days later we got another call that there were COVID concerns and they wouldn't be open until next week; which sucks...but I am grateful for their concern to keep us updated and working with us to make it right. I look forward to actually getting in here sometime soon, but until then, it will be on my Boston list. read more

Very very disappointed this time. The last few times were great but the flavor wasn't the same or there was no flavor at all this time. Everything was extremely bland, even the pieces we loved last time tasted different and bland. There was a regular chef who has been there for a long time at the counter but two of the chefs were new. If we have the same level of sushi in Japan, it would probably cost $35 per person. It's such a shame that we paid about $1000 for two of us for a meal that tasted so extremely bland. Completely overpriced, overrated and we felt cheated. read more

I've lived in the Boston area for years, and O Ya was always at the top of my "must-try" omakase list. I'm glad I went and tried it before leaving Boston, but I probably wouldn't go back given how expensive it is. FOOD A few of the dishes were incredible, a number were disappointing, and most were fine. The omakase is not a traditional one - it is very heavily influenced by Southeast Asian flavors (particularly, Vietnamese and Thai). This might be a matter of personal preference, but while I love Southeast Asian food generally, I didn't enjoy the extent to which it influenced the omakase. Some hit dishes of the night were: * Kumamoto oyster * Fried kumamoto oyster with squid ink bubbles - YUM * Bluefin chutoro * A5 Japanese Wagyu - GREAT * Mochi donuts for dessert - AMAZING DRANK I had a glass of Chenin Blanc, and it was very, very good! VIBE I loved the vibe at O Ya - I think it's exactly what industrial chic should be. It strikes the right balance between upscale and cozy. The fact that there are only a few seats available (unsure if this is a COVID thing) adds to the intimate atmosphere. SERVICE Professional and friendly. No complaints. MONEY THO At $250/person (before tax and tip and drinks), it's just too expensive to be seriously worth it. I feel like O Ya is charging too much based on its historically excellent reputation (it's been around since 2007), and really hope that they improve their quality or decrease their price. read more

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Celebrated my birthday here and it was truly a special omakase evening. I now understand why it's so difficult to book as it took us 3 hours to finish our 20 course meal, we only added one extra item. We had the bar seating which allowed us to watch the food preparations and it was great to see each item thoughtfully crafted. Each plate was always introduced to us and all were fantastic. The price is more expensive but the whole dining experience pairs well with what you're paying for. read more

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Great! I didn't have any issues and the food was amazing. A little pricey but well worth the experience and food. Great job!

Slippage. When a restaurant that used to be top-notch has slipped in quality and attention to detail. O Ya used to be one of the best sushi restaurants in the US. But it appears that expansion of the O Ya empire (to Mexico and New York) and the addition of other restaurants in the portfolio (viz., Hojoko, Covina, and Roof) have diluted the experience and left the "mother ship" unsupervised. For example, we arrived promptly at 5:00 pm for our reservation, and we were made to wait several minutes while the hostess got her act together (even though there was only one other party to seat, who also had to wait while the crew got organized). If you're going to charge $285 for an omakase dinner, be scrupulously prepared. Here's the breakdown: Strengths: *Still has a high level of creativity *The Kumamoto oyster with watermelon pearls was excellent *The cuttlefish with cherry blossom, shiso, and smokey bonito also was a highlight *The Kagoshima A5 Wagyu seared petit strip loin was one of the best wagyu dishes you'll ever have, with a melt-in-your mouth texture *The wine list is particularly noteworthy for a sushi restaurant *The service was solid Weaknesses: *The hostess should be much more organized. Don't make people wait when they have reservations and the restaurant is empty *The menu is a bit heavy-handed with smoking and torching. It often overpowers the beautiful, simple power of fresh sashimi and sushi *Many of the dishes would have excelled if they had been more carefully sauced. Several dishes had the sushi resting in a puddle of sauce that had not been evenly applied *The on-line wine list should be updated regularly. Nothing is more disappointing than expecting an excellent wine to be in stock, only to be told that it no longer is *I detest restaurants (like O Ya) that automatically apply a 20% gratuity. Sometimes the service does not merit such a high gratuity; don't force diners to pay it if they believe a 20% tip is not deserved read more

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As a person who isn't a sushi omakase fan(b/c I don't do most of the raw food), I still LOVE this place. Definitely worth going. Food 9/10 Awesome. Prepared each dish to my requests plus dedication and delicacy. It is different from traditional Japanese sushi/nigiri cusine--O Ya is more like the traditional techniques combined with the creativity of fusion. Service 7/10 Regular fine dining service. Ambiance 7/10 Place is dark, quiet, elegant. Bar sort feeling. read more