Every quarter, a group of us venture out and explore a new place in the city. It's a treat yourself event, where indulgence is not only encouraged, it's mandatory. The energy is good vibes only and the most important rule is no complaints. It is only joy and a shared experience of trying things you wouldn't normally splurge on. If you break the rule, you don't get invited back! On this particular night, I was 2 months postpartum and naturally ready to eat and drink all things sinful during pregnancy. Having 2 kids at home and a dutiful dad to watch them, I did not do the responsible thing, make a reservation weeks in advance. I highly recommend that you do this for this high end and highly sought sushi experience. I managed to get lucky and snag my group a 4:00 pm table for 4. I'm sure what you are thinking is that is incredibly too early to eat, but look at it this way - 2 of us have small children and truthfully eating fancy food while our husbands put the kids to bed and making it home just in time to snuggle up and watch tv ended up being absolutely perfect. First, the view is insane. You are perched atop a mountain overlooking 3 rivers converging. It's gorgeous. You will take a picture. Second, the service is outstanding. I've actually been twice this year just to confirm my first experience wasn't a fluke. Extremely attentive staff who make you believe they want you to have the best culinary experience possible, maybe they actually do! We ordered nearly everything on the menu. My favorite dish is the yellowtail jalapeno. It is unreal good. I also tried uni, which was very unique. Probably not something I need to indulge in every time, but still very cool. Our group enjoyed sharing all of our plates with each other. I left feeling so satisfied. It is an understatement to say that Otaru is excellent. We talked about this place for months afterward, with longing. It is definitely one of the best places to take guests from out of town to show them the finer side of Pittsburgh. I'm already looking forward to my next visit and it will probably always be at 4:00 pm. read more

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SO GOOD. Prices are steep but expected for location and quality of food. We went for my husband's birthday and sat at the bar downstairs, overlooking the gorgeous view of the city. It was shockingly not busy until about 630pm and they open at 4. There is no valet, just street parking. They provided complimentary edamame which had a great little spicy kick. I ordered the sour, the yuzu gave it a nice fresh citrus taste. My husband had a scotch and Coke. We decided to order the experience which began with a tartar (salmon, tuna and yellowtail on a bed of tuna). Amazing. We then had a two piece sashimi with jalapeño and crispy potato in a sauce that was similar to Italian dressing. This was our favorite of the entire night. Next was a shrimp tasting. It had shaved cucumber and seaweed in a light brown sauce, perhaps a mirin. It was okay, like a cold miso. We then had a dish I had only seen videos of called Chawanmushi. It was like an eggy flan served hot. My husband was not a fan but I was. Then was the first nigiri which the bartender was kind enough to split for us. It included 4 light pieces of sushi. After that there was a cold infused tomato palate cleanser and the second nigiri with "darker" fish. It was all delicious. After that was a fatty tuna hand roll (like a sushi taco) which was amazing as well. And last for the savory items, a soft shell crab which was very, very good. The yellow sauce tasted like the yellow of a potato salad with tastes that mimicked mayo, mustard and pickles. We ordered another round of drinks and I had a dirty martini which they called The New 32. The last item is the red bean dessert but we opted to order more food and had the Treasure Box ($78) which had 9 different sashimis. There were a few repeats from the experience portion but we were happy to have the first sashimi item again. And last, we had the red bean dessert as well as a complimentary tiramisu dessert for the husband's birthday. The bill was just over $300 which was expected for the location, amount of food and overall quality and experience. read more

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A friend and I grabbed dinner on a Friday at 6. The restaurant is easy to find and there is adequate parking. The restaurant is located right on Mt Washington, giving a good view of the city. The interior looks appropriate for a sushi restaurant, but due to the massive windows lacked the darker vibe of other upscale restaurants. I've been to hundreds of sushi spots and the interior was merely average. Otaru seems to struggle with its identity. It needs to either commit to being an upscale restaurant or relax and simply be a quality one. The wait staff were kind and prompt, but at times appeared they may be less experienced. We were brought hot (paper) towels and edamame. We ordered the fried tako balls as an app. I personally don't prefer tako and found it very dense and chewy and the overall flavors were too undeveloped. The hand rolls were well filled and were easy to eat due to being more of a taco configuration than a true hand roll. The nori was not too tough, lending to a pleasant experience. The nigiri and sashimi were also good. The nigiri were good, but not as elevated as another upscale sushi spot in the city. They were still very good, but not quite excellent. They either need a bit more development or to be relaxed and served as two per order and the price adjusted slightly upward. If you take one thing from this review, let it be this. The yellowtail jalepeno cups were astonishing. By far this was the most well executed dish I have ever eaten and the best sushi dish I've had. They appear to be wrapped in toasted sesame seed wrappers. If you've had Hapi mixed crackers they give the same great flavor of the "fried chicken" pieces but with yuzu vinaigrette and the umami of the fish. I will certainly be back solely because of how good they were. read more

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The view is absolutely bar none and the food quality is also unbelievable here. I've been here a few times and their sashimi selection in the Treasure Box is consistently fresh and fantastic cuts. I'm not usually big fan of tuna but I love it here. It's one of the restaurants I look forward to returning over and over again. Service is always wonderful and they are very attentive. It's busy even on a week day and when you come, you'll see why. Truly a delicious restaurant with an unforgettable view. This place is the whole package read more

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If you want to really wow someone, you should take them to Otaru up on Mount Washington! It has a gorgeous view of the city and the food is somehow even better. I went a couple of years ago and thought it was decent then but am so glad I gave it another shot because I was really impressed! Our server was really friendly and patient as we ordered essentially half the menu. I will note that it's pricey but definitely worth it for the occasional splurge meal. If I had to pick, the chawanmushi, unagi gozen, and New Zu cocktail would be my favorites although I would order every single thing we got again! We were really impressed by how fresh our fish was. It just melted in your mouth and the presentation of everything was beautiful. read more

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The Pittsburgh sushi scene is so exciting right now! I'm delighted that one of the nicest spots for great and fresh sushi is located on Mount Washington, where I've been hoping for new and exciting restaurants for years. I visited recently for my husband's birthday, and the experience was lovely! The views are beautiful, and our server was friendly and so attentive. We loved everything we ate, too! The treasure box is the star of the show, and we also loved edamame, hand rolls, and the Mont Blanc black sesame cake. It's definitely priced for special occasions, but worth it for such wonderful food and presentation. Parking is available on the side streets nearby! I can't wait to return! read more

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Had girls night out here and had such a wonderful time! We had a grand window view that was so beautiful around sunset. It's a high class, fancy restaurant that really makes you feel VIP. Our server was so kind and she was very professional. I loved everything that I tried. My favorite bites were the yellowtail jalapeño, the shrimp tempura, tiramisu, and salmon tataki. All the fish was flavorful and fresh. Definitely a memorable experience! I would come back to splurge for a special occassion! read more

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As someone who's a huge sushi lover and lived in Chicago for several years, my standards are pretty high. Otaru completely exceeded them. It honestly raised the bar for sushi in Pittsburgh and feels like the kind of restaurant you'd expect to find in a much bigger city. Everything I've tried has been incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. Yes, it's a splurge, but it's absolutely worth it for the quality. The service is excellent, and the view overlooking Mount Washington makes the whole experience even better. If you're looking for the best sushi in Pittsburgh, this is it. read more

We loved our experience at Otaru! The restaurant itself is beautiful and intimate, split between two floors. The view of the city is incredible, we were happy to have a window seat! Service was very friendly and knowledgeable. We both got the Otaru Experience and every course was delicious. I was worried it wouldn't be enough food, but I was stuffed by the end! My favorite course was the chawanmushi, which I added uni to. My partner's favorite was the kanpanchi. Everything was so fresh and worth the higher price tag. If I had one critique, it would be that the nigiri had a bit too much wasabi added underneath the fish at times. I wanted to be able to taste the fish a bit more. Photos of each course in the Otaru Experience are attached, minus the first plate of sushi which I was too excited to remember to take a picture of! read more

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Mistaken review- wrong restaurant, yelp please delete this review as it was made in error

This place was epic, the view was tier one. The service was amazing and the sushi was awesome. It's not cheap but it's worth it!

1000/10 - literally blew my mind. Everything was extremely fresh. Amazing service. And the atmosphere- I mean come on its mount Washington - you already KNOW it's a vibe. The wagyu nigiri is one of my all time fave bites in the city and the longevity noodles were perfect and not over powered with seafood taste. All unreal. read more

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Was taken out to have dinner out of my comfort zone at Otaru. I am a sushi lover, but I really only go for nigiri, hand rolls, or sushi rolls. This place blew my mind away and definitely made me appreciate quality vs. quantity when it comes to dining for sushi. We decided to get the treasure box, which was the main item that I was a bit nervous for because obviously it is just straight raw fish. However, I truly enjoyed each piece and how they were each packed with their own flavor and texture. This box is perfect for two people as each one comes with two pieces, so you can kind of have fun with it as you go by taste testing and rating each one. We also ordered the pork buns which i think were the perfect appetizer to pair with our treasure box. We had it after so it was a nice cleanse for our palette before getting the mochi ice cream! This place is mounted on the perfect spot for viewing the city of Pittsburgh, allowing for a charming and picturesque vibe. I would love to come back here for a special occasion as it just provides the right setting. read more

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Absolutely loved it! Sushi was on point and clean presentation. One dish wasn't quite right, but the waitress, Lauren (if I remember correctly) addressed it quickly and took care of the charge. Appreciated the smooth service. Overall experience was great! You can tell they care about quality here. Definitely coming back. read more

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We had a lovely dinner date at Otaru on Saturday evening. The evening began with hit moist toilettes with which to clean our hands before enjoying the salty edamame. The lychee martini was good. I had the chef's pick of 6 sushi, and hubby had the beef udon, which has just a enough to be interesting. I was still hungry, but the 3 mochi ice cream balls filled me right up. There were both couples and families dining. We enjoyed watching the city and the rivers from our table on the main floor (there is also seating downstairs; restrooms are upstairs). Noah took good care of us, making sure to explain the menu and check back in regularly. Parking can be tricky, but we found a spot on a residential side street. The cost was fair for what we got (one cocktail, one chef's sushi, one beef udon, one mochi dessert was $136 with tip), including udon leftovers for one of us. We will make a point of coming back! read more

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Absolutely amazing sushi with equally stunning views! The fish is so fresh, and our waitress (who was so knowledgeable and attentive) let us know they receive fresh fish daily from Japan. Places like this make me so grateful to live in Pittsburgh where we have so many fantastic restaurants with quality food and down to earth people. read more

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Very modern and fancy restaurant with great views. The food was tasty and the raw fish was very fresh. We also loved the sake.

Otaru is an upscale Japanese restaurant that is on Mount Washington and has beautiful views of downtown Pittsburgh. Its menu lists appetizers (e.g., shishito peppers, pork buns, and takoyaki), many types of hand rolls, nigiri, and sashimi (e.g., tunas, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, scallop, wagyu, uni, eel, squid, and octopus), several hot dishes (e.g., pork katsu, beef udon, miso black cod, lobster longevity noodles, and wagyu), some desserts, and many non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages (e.g., sake, wines, cocktails, and beers). My husband and I ate one dinner here. All employees provided timely and polite service. I appreciated when our waiter noticed that we dropped a napkin on the floor, and he immediately gave us a clean napkin. Here are my ratings for what we ate: Otaru Old-fashioned - 3 stars - This drink contained whiskey, orange, cherry, yuzu, syrup, and bitter, and I thought that it tasted OK. The waiter had recommended it, and I had expected it to taste fruitier. Edamame - 5 stars - This edamame was complimentary. My husband and I agreed that it was nicely salty and spicy. Yellowtail jalapeno - 5 stars - This appetizer was our favorite food in the entire meal. It contained yellowtail sashimi, jalapeno, and yuzu wasabi vinaigrette. Chawanmushi - 4.5 stars - This egg custard was topped with ikura caviar, and I liked how it tasted. Hand rolls - 4 stars - We ate three types of hand rolls--spicy salmon, tuna, and wagyu. I thought that they tasted very good but that the wagyu could have been more tender. My husband described them as "ordinary." Nigiri - 4 stars - We ate four types of nigiri--bluefin tuna toro, seared albacore, madai, and goldeneye snapper kinmedai. I thought that they tasted very good, and my husband again used the word "ordinary." Mont Blanc Cake - 4.5 stars - My husband had no interest in this cake, but I really enjoyed its flavors of green tea and sugar. Our total bill was $154 *plus* a tip. We felt a little hungry at the end of our meal, so perhaps we could have ordered more foods. Overall, I think that Otaru is definitely worth a try. I give this restaurant 4 stars overall for its quality versus price. I do feel curious about several of its other menu items. read more

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Starts with the incredible view from atop Mt. Washington and each drink and course continues in an impressive way. Service was good and not rushed in any way, allowing you to enjoy the time there. We sampled our way through multiple appetizers and rolls. The tartar, waygu, and hand rolls were good. The shrimp buns, yellowtail jalapeno, and Godzilla roll were really good. read more

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An incredible experience! I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and we were amazed. Our waitress was lovely (I forget her name, I apologize). But she gave us incredible recommendations and everything she suggested was incredible! We did a couple of the apps and then the treasure box and longevity noodles. The restaurant was beautiful and had incredible views! From start to finish, our meal was incredible! They gave my boyfriend a complimentary Tiramisu for his birthday, and honestly it was some of the best I've had in the city! read more

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Dined here on a clear sky Monday night for a special occasion. There are two stories of seating, maximizing the number of window seats to enjoy the classic expansive Mt. Washington perched view of the City of Pittsburgh. The hostess was welcoming and our waitress Brynn was skilled and cheerfully helpful. The ambiance was inviting with warm rich golden lighting and blonde wood furniture. The fish was AMAZING as it is flown in from Japan daily. It is very pricey but worth every bite. By far one of the best dining experiences I've had in Pittsburgh in quite awhile. On Thursdays, they offer a special dining multiple course meal experience (reserve on Open Table) which I'm looking forward to coming back to try. It's located very close to the paid parking lot or you can try to score street parking if you're feeling lucky as it is on popular Grandview Avenue. read more

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What an incredible meal. The food was superb, the ambience was beautiful and the star of the show? Angela. She really made our valentines dinner special. I have never been so educated on what was being brought to the table. She told us how fish was flown in every day from Japan, and all the love that goes into the dishes before they come to your table. I know you go to a restaurant for food, but we would come back just to experience another part of the menu with her. The sushi was fresh, the dishes unique and I'm so glad you could get two different menu experiences for one dinner. I know some folks have said that they have left hungry from Otaru, and while I can see that being a possibility, Matt & I destroyed the Otaru experience and the Otaru course on the menu and I left full and ready for a long nap. The view is beautiful, only blocked a little by the dinosaur that is the LeMont. Go here. Ask for Angela, or make a reservation on OpenTable and request her there. She was incredible and her love for what she does is clear. Happy Eating! read more

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The sushi here came with a hefty price tag but everything we had was delicious. The fish was fresh and flavorful and the dishes were authentic. They don't have any sushi rolls on the menu besides hand rolls so this isn't your typical sushi restaurant in America. We enjoyed the scallop hand rolls, tartar trio, and yellowtail jalapeño dishes. The views from this restaurant are amazing! Definitely request a table by the window if possible. My only complaint about this restaurant is that we made a reservation and still had to wait 20 minutes for our table. I understand that things happen but it was unfortunate to have to stand around randomly and have our meal be rushed as we were the last seating of the night. I felt bad that our table was still eating after the restaurant had started to close up because we had been seated so late. read more

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Everything about Otaru was fantastic. Our server was attentive and offered great recommendations. The ambiance and views were unmatched. The food was on another level. Bold, fresh, and simply delicious. Hands down one of the best dining experiences i've ever had in Pittsburgh. I can't wait to go back. read more

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An amazing spot for sushi with a beautiful view of the city. The food was delicious and I especially loved the bluefin tuna sushi and the gyoza. The server, Angela, was exceptional and made terrific recommendations and was so friendly. The vibe of the restaurant is modern and sleek. The cocktails all seemed to be more spring and summer oriented. It would have been nice to have some holiday/winter drinks added to the menu. If you get dessert, try the tiramisu. It's excellent! Overall, a lovely evening. Prices are a bit high, but given the quality and location, definitely worth it. read more

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The food was said to be flown in from Japan daily. The quality was good and definitely sizeable pieces. The restaurant really has the view going for it. Unfortunately, the windows were dirty where we were sitting. I feel the food was a bit overpriced especially because the experience did not feel as personalized and high scale. I think for us the hostess seemed unhappy and unwelcoming. But I gave it 4 stars because I think it definitely is worth a try! Our server was very pleasant and answered all of our questions. read more

Otaru - Japanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Another amazing experience at Otaru! I cannot praise this place enough, every meal we have ever had here seems to beat the previous one. We tried something different this round, Ki-Wa-Mi Don, an appetizer, was recommended to us by our server, Noah. And boy what a recommendation it was! Outstanding. We finished with a mochi dessert which was amazing as well. Always a great experience at Otaru. read more

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Decided to come here on a whim. Reserve a table to get the view. The atmosphere was nice and gave good vibes. The restaurant is very nice on the inside. The food was not what I was expecting like for the hand rolls especially. We started with a few apps, edamame which is free. Pork buns, tartar layer and the Wagyu. The pork buns are 10/10 amazing order again . The tartar needs a like chips or something with it it's missing a crunch texture but the fish is so fresh and really good flavor. The wagyu was excellent a lil too much pineapple but that was my opinion it should have been sliced thinner. Then we got some hand rolls, scallop ( so fresh and tons of pieces) shrimp tempura nicely breaded and fried, spicy tuna nice kick too it. We also got beef udon. Which was nice on a chilly day. We had a few mix drinks they honestly were nothing to complain about but nothing exciting either. This place was ok. It was just lacking excitement. The only thing I would come back for is the pork buns. The hand rolls is like not at all what I expected and I don't know if I would order them again I would have called them a sushi taco instead lol maybe then I wouldn't have had false version. It is pricey but the quality is good so I wasn't too shocked. read more

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Wow. If you're looking for a new type of sushi experience this is the place. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Pair that with the amazing views, fresh fish, and overall ambiance and you're in for quite the experience. I recommend getting the treasure box and a few handrolls. I have been to many sushi restaurants in Pittsburgh and I can 100% say this place is in my top 3. I Definitely recommend. read more

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Otaru was an amazing dining experience. First the view is classic Mt Washington, but unlike a couple of the restaurants there, the food also lives up to the view as does the service. The restaurant itself is on the small side and you will definitely need a reservation. But, it is definitely worth the planning ahead. As for the food, it did not disappoint. It is definitely on the pricey side, but I cannot argue with the results (see pics). I had the Otaru Experience (set menu akin to an Omakase menu). Just about every dish was delicious and impeccably prepared. For me the Chawanmushi was the star of the meal. But really everything lived up to the hype. The Kampachi, the Otoro hand roll, and the tartar layer were all delicious. Oh and the Otaru old fashioned was a really nice, refreshing take with Yuzu and Toki whiskey. read more

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Went to celebrate a special occasion with my native Japanese partner. We were underwhelmed and put-off by the faux-Japanese nature of this establishment. It was also quite expensive for what we got. First, the good: The view is wonderful, if you get a window seat. We were at the bar with our back to the windows, so that wasn't much of a plus for us. The edamame served as an otoshi were really good, with excellent spicing and nicely cooked. Good selection of sake, with a few gems. Second, the mediocre: I ordered the "Otaru course" which involved five courses. The first two courses were fine. The third course was six of the tiniest slices of sushi I've ever seen placed on truly mediocre rice. All were standard fare -- shake (salmon), hamachi, maguro. Nothing exciting. Any sushi chef in Japan would be ashamed to serve this dish. The fourth course was a "Godzilla Roll" which made me roll my eyes. The chef had cut and included the end pieces of the rolls, which is sometimes seen as bad form in Japan. The final course, mochi ice cream, was actually pretty good. My partner's salmon was a bit better, but drowning in sauce. Finally, the bad: This place is cosplaying as a Japanese restaurant. I know Pittsburgh doesn't have many choices of authentic Japanese, but this is definitely a very thin veneer. Just look around at the staff, none of whom were Japanese. The food preparation shows that no authentic Japanese skill was involved in its preparation. Even the restaurant name is a problem. The kanji displayed on the front of the menu is "taru" (meaning cask or barrel) and missing the "o" symbol. Lots of poorly executed calligraphy covers the walls. For half the price I could have put up with it. We won't be back. read more

What a cute, tasty experience! We had date night here and while my husband tends to be more adventurous than I am, we both were happy. We had wagyu, which was our favorite and the truffle put it over the top! We had yellowtail, yellowtail belly, spicy salmon, potstickers, wagyu, scallops and shrimp. Lauren served us and she was so kind and attentive yet let us sit and chat privately throughout our meal. She explained how the menu worked and it was really neat that we could order as we go. We sat downstairs and got to look out at the city. It was pricey but the quality was worth it and it's fun for special occasions. I would like to go back and try a few entrees! read more

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As good as it gets. The food was outstanding and only outshined by the service which was phenomenal

The best dinner experience we've ever had in Pittsburgh - So many reasons to try out Oraru: High quality fish, balanced dishes, great alcohol selection, and overall atmosphere. We were lucky enough to get a seat by the window, overlooking the city. With the recommendation of our server, we got the Tartar Layer and pork/shrimp buns to start, then a variety of hand rolls. TO DIE FOR. The hand rolls were so full of the most buttery fish. I couldn't stop smiling after every bite. If you are looking for quantity of food, this might not be the place for you (personally I thought we got a lot, but if you're used to the mass sushi places, it might not be enough). But if you are looking for a quality meal and wonderful date night, this is your place. read more

Otaru - Japanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Take in the views, and eat all of the sushi. The bluefin toro was SO GOOD. Huge fan of the cocktail, Suki, which is dangerously tasty. Server was fantastic and incredibly helpful with choosing options. A bit pricy, but worth it for the occasion. Looking forward to going back at some point read more

Went to celebrate my wife's birthday and her arrival in Pittsburgh for the weekend with an incredible meal at Otaru. Our server, Cat, was knowledgeable, attentive, and immediately picked up on our social cues, blending in to the chitchat we enjoy, while we could hear her behind us giving another table the alone time they preferred. She is the best server I have experienced in a long time. I heard her tell another table that her whole family is in the restaurant business, and her comfort and skill with every table made that abundantly clear. Too bad we were not hungry enough to order more, because everything was fantastic. We had the chef's selection of sashimi and of sushi (two different dishes) and a takoyaki appetizer. Everything was fresh and delicious, and the different sauces on the nigiri and sashimi elevated the fish in amazing ways. Of course, all of this joy is just highlighted by the incredible three-river view, which my wife said was a great way to start her weekend here. What a great place! If you are thinking about it even a little, just go. You will be thrilled. read more

Wow and Yum! Fish just melts like butter. Glad we made it here this time. We had the otaru experience and we were full!

The most divine meal with impeccable service and no better view. We celebrated my 20 year old daughter's birthday and this was the perfect choice. Noah (I think) was our server, and there is none better. We really appreciated the way he explained the menu, and each of the dishes as they arrived. We'll be back soon. Thanks for a perfect evening. read more

Good service, good drinks, great view of Pittsburgh. But the food was underwhelming. It was not bad and it was very fresh, tasty, consistent, and balanced. But there was not a lot of depth to the flavors. For this price point ($160 each after tip) I would expect to be blown away, which I simply was not. This is not a place I feel the need to revisit. read more

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This is a nice place for sushi with a view! The hand rolls were delicious. They provide a complimentary edamame. They have happy hour drinks for 1/2 off and such a great variety. It is on the pricier range but you do have a great view with your experience. The waitress was patient and nice. read more

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