Otani’s Japanese Restaurant

Looks like this location is closed :(. We stopped by tonight for dinner and found the door locked with a closed sign taped to the door.

This is the only hibachi place I’ve been where the chef at the table didn’t say one word. Not one. The chef seemed miserable and the overall experience was draining. The interior is outdated, greasy, and unwelcoming. I really didn’t think it was possible to not enjoy a hibachi place. The hibachi in Cuyahoga Falls blows this place out of the water.

The atmosphere is fun with a group of friends. The chef was a lot of fun and had us participate in the preparation. The place is closing down at the end of the year due to code violations.

Ok otanis I have grown up in this fine establishment ok the décor may not be fine and to be honest it has not been a thing done to the inside in thirty year’s.It doesn’t matter the food makes up for it. I’ve ate at numerous habatchi restaurants and none of them compare to otani’s.Now there are a few downsides though the place is owned by two families and they run the place on different nights and one of them is not the most personable also its like pulling teeth to get a refill on your drink. Aside from those two setbacks the place is great and if you have an Entertainment card your dinner is buy one get one free.

This place may look like a little hole in the wall, but don’t let looks deceive you! The food here is delicious. In comparison to other local hibachis in the area, this place is top of the class. The staff may be a bit grouchy, but they know their food. Plus, if you have an entertainment coupon for the area, they run REALLY good specials. The only thing I don’t care for is having to share a table with strangers. I know it’s optimal space management for the business, but I sometimes wish we didn’t have to be packed elbow to elbow with people we don’t know.

Went here awhile ago with some friends. It is a little dark/​dank when you walk in. It just seems old and out a little run down. You are not going to get a high end experience, but you also aren’t paying high end prices either.
The food was not the best, but I thought it was good, and satisfied my craving for hibachi food. I would return again.
The owners should think about renovating, or at least brightening the place up. I would recommend it, but just remember you get what you pay for, it’s not going to be like Benihannas.

Staff is rude, esp the hostess (owner?). She could barely be bothered to take the time to take our orders let alone our drink orders. There were TWO tables occupied in this almost empty restaurant. You’d think the place was packed given her «hurry up I don’t have time for you» attitude. Hubby could barely catch her attn to order a 2^nd beer. She did not answer the phone. It nearly rang off the hook several times. The place looks like a dirty pigsty. I can’t believe they pass health inspections. Look at the grills — they need a thorough cleaning. Looks like someone ripped some veneer off the hostess’ podium. Chairs are all originals I’m willing to bet. It’s as if nothing has changed or been replaced in 25+ years since Hibachi was there. Food was good not great. Again the chef at our table had no personality and hurried thru the prep. We will definitely not return. The rudeness was enough to keep
us from ever coming back.

I’ve been to Otani before and it’s always been and ok alternative to hibachi, wasabi or Benihana.
I went last night and will never go back. They close at 10. I got there around 8:15 Around 9 they said business was slow and they were shutting down early. We had to endure our entire meal listening to banging and clashing as they were putting things away in the Restraunt.
During or meal the chef seemed unengaged. 3 people asked for well done steak and all 3 of us had to give him our steak to recoil as it was real bloody. He poured soysauce on it to make it look brown so he could save time from having to cook it well. Later we realized as we were eating this was probably bc he had to start cleaning the hoods to all the ovens.
Twice I have been there including last night and recovered dirty dishes. The ventilation stinks. If u want a hibachi style meal and ur willing to sacrifice the hibachi experience this is the place for you – if ur expecting something great i would go else where.

I live way too close to this place (and have for 9 years) to have never tried it before yesterday!
My family and I love hibachi, but have gravitated towards Wasabi in Montrose because, I guess we just didn’t know any better. My wife has refused to go for dinner because of the high volume levels and obnoxious «entertainment value» provided by the chefs (not a knock on them, just a personal preference). I found Otani to have high quality food, better noise levels (by far) and less pomp and circumstance — a perfect combo for my family.
The restaurant has 10 hibachi tables that are set up for 8 people each. Seating is comfortable and there is plenty of room between tables to cut down on having to actively ignore the saki-​fueled conversation taking place a table over. The spot has clearly been there for a while — this is not a largely upscale joint — but was clean and comfortable.
The prices were reasonable and the portions were generous. Everything actually tasted lower in sodium and a bit fresher than a lot of other hibachi restaurants I’ve been to. They also had — get ready for this parents — about _​four_​different entries on the children’s menu! Not just chicken! (The most expensive was $ 8.95, too, if memory serves)
The service was prompt — we walked in at 9pm on a Friday and were seated within 3 minutes — and the chef was pleasant (again, not overly theatrical).
I recommend trying this place out for certain and can’t wait to go back myself!

Been going here for the better part of 15 years. Place is really going down hill. Our shrimp was not de veined. I pointed this out to the Cook and he picked them out of 2 shrimp and proceeded to cook the rest when they were not clean. He acted like it was such a bother to serve cleaned food. I used to really really like this place, but its things like this that leave the place half empty at 7/​8pm on a Saturday night.

Anybody that rates this place below a five star rating is just a complete moron. This is hands-​down the best Japanese steakhouse you’ll ever go to in your entire life I guarantee that. It’s a mom-​and-​pop operation, they’ve been added a while and they seem to be a little bit burned out. I wouldn’t go here for the customer service I go here because this is the best food you will ever eat in your entire life. I could care less if the owners told me to piss off and they don’t want me to ever come back– I would call every single day and get it for carry out. that’s how good it is.
They seem like the type of people that won’t sell the business they would just close up one random day. That Will be a very very sad day in Ohio. I don’t know how I will live without the best white sauce brown sauce and salad dressing in the world.
Not only is it the best but I’ve tried every hibachi in Northeast Ohio and I’m talking a lot of hibachis… They are hands-​down the best and the cheapest. Their chicken dinner cost you about 10 bucks.
Let’s do the math. $ 10+otani=heaven…

Hate this shithole. It’s lack of ventilation is enough not to return but then you run into the rudest wait staff and charges for every soda you have which is dumb as hell. It says it right on their menus too.

The staff is a little slow but our chef was fun and really nice. The food was delicious and had no complaints about portion size. I left with a little box so clearly they didn’t skimp out. Loved the orange sherbet and fortune cookie topper at the end. Definitely worth a trip back. It may look like a dive, but that’s how you know they have good food. ;)

I’ve heard so many good things about this place. I called ahead to see if I could make a reservation. The hostess said «no» then hung up immediately. Decided to just go down there. Walked in, and there were three employees at front desk. None of them said anything to me. I waited over five minutes, and still no service at all. They really fucking pissed me off. So I left.

My roommates and I lived in the Valley for years at Timber Top and we would always hit up the lunch deal at Otani’s. And were never disappointed.
It’s been years since I lived in Akron but I would love to go back and see if it’s still the same! Great deal during the day, have a great lunch cooked in front of you the steak and chicken is what I used to get and the soup the served was pretty good to have in between the meal.

My daughter and I love Otani’s and eat there every few months! We love the shrimp with their very tasty white sauce! The food is excellent; definitely worth the trip!

Stopped here for lunch on a Friday. I guess when it’s lunch, the long-​in-​the-​tooth décor, with Asian banners in one instance held on the wall with scotch tape, dorm-​room style, seems a bit more acceptable. The prices are also luncheon-​like prices, which helps as well, the Entertainment coupon sporting a $ 5 or $ 6 discount helped as well. The food is ok, the chefs lost their zip 15 years ago, and the hostess has never been blessed with a personality that I’ve been able to discern, other than hurried Gracious, inviting, cordial and similar adjectives do not come to mind when evaluating either the décor or the help.
Why they want my phone number on their charge slip escapes me while offending as well. I get enough calls from unwanted sources already, and anyone associated with this place calling is most assuredly unwanted. Hmm… what was that number on that clever bumper sticker, 1−800− EAT-S**T?
That’ll do!
Drink like crazy before the chef arrives, because the waitress goes on a 40 minute break as soon as he arrives, so no refills or additional libations are to be had, regardless of the amount of sodium strewn over your food in and out of the guise of soy sauce.
Based on our table’s statistics, there’s exactly a 50% chance you’ll get a glass of water if you ask for one.
If you arrive with relatively low expectations regarding ambiance and services, the food is ok, so all may be well.
Otherwise, unless you want lunch, go to Hibachi Japan in Cuyahoga Falls They don’t serve lunch, but for dinner there’s no comparison, coupons be damned!

Yum. best in Ohio… love the Otani platter. The best shrimp, scallops and chicken. You never leave hungry! Great for dates, families and celebrations.

My partner and I are regulars at this establishment when we are in the mood for some hibachi grilled food. Are all hibachi food the same? Maybe, but what makes the difference is their sauces. Usually each shop makes their own signature sauces and salad dressing.
Otani in the Merriman Valley has very good sauces (the white one for seafood and the brown one for meat is what they suggest but I just eat them both) and a delicious salad dressing.
Their servers and chefs are quick and friendly. They try to seat you as quickly as possible so that they can turn over their tables fast. Their prices are very reasonable ($ 14.95 for a Sirloin Steak entrée) and you get a soup, salad, flambed shrimp, entrée served with vegetables and mushrooms and rice plus a dessert of sorbet and fortune cookie. For an even better value, use the Akron Entertainment Card and get a BOGO.
I recommend you visit early or late because it gets really crowded during prime dining hours.

Even though we never got to the dining part of our dinner, I’m giving Otani’s the benefit of the doubt that their food is probably okay.
I just had a strange feeling about this place the moment we walked in the door. The smokers outside created a fine haze to greet us with, and as we walked in, I felt like I was in a cave. The smell of oil and fried things was really overwhelming. The restaurant is dark, cramped and claustrophobic, and I didn’t see one person smiling as they ate.
After our party of four was seated, we looked at the menu and decided to leave. Hubby and I have enjoyed hibachi-​style dining in the past, but wasn’t feeling it at this place.
Sorry, Otani’s.