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Otaru

4.5 (82 reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 10:30 PM

Otaru Photos

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OTARU ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Upscale
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Otaru

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Reviews With Photos

Kristina W.

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.

Honey & Lemon Marinated Tomato
Julie D.

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!

Jess N.

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.

Mochi ice cream Black sesame and vanilla
Alexandra A.

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.

City view from the restaurant
Nikki H.

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.

Lychee martini and edamame
Kristen E.

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!

Yellowtail jalapeno
Tiffany Y.

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.

Yellowtail Jalapeno
Dan V.

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.

Treasure box
Lindsey M.

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!

Yuzu Drop
Ellen K.

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.

Otaru Experience: Tosazu Shrimp
Eryn P.

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!

Kanpachi Crudo Yuzu Kosho
Emma C.

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.

Tartar layer
Kristine S.

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.

Ki-Wa-Mi Don

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8 days ago

Outstanding meal. Food and service from Amy could not have been any better! And the view made it that much more special.

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4 months ago

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

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1 month ago

Closest you'll get to dining in heaven while still being here in Pittsburgh, it's a luxury experience so bring your wallet.

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7 months ago

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

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Otaru Reviews in Other Languages

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Otaru - japanese - Updated May 2026

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