A diner from Oakdale, MN
Jan 14, 2011
My son took me to Osaka Japanese Steakhouse in Golden Valley for Mother's Day. It was absolutely fabulous!! Having already dined at the Osaka in Golden Valley, I thought I would take my sister in law to the Newly opened Osaka in Maplewood as a Christmas gift. This week claims to be the grand opening. This place was a HUGE disappointment! I went in wanting to love the place... not so! While very nicely appointed... the dining area was way too cold for starters... making it uncomfortable to eat, but that was the least of the problems. The buffet line was way less than adequate in variety. The food was flavorless and cold. The crab casserole thing was swimming in grease. The sushi was good, but again, not much variety. Honestly, the highlight of the meal was the pineapple at the end of the line... why? Because it had some flavor. Really, I tried to find something I liked about it... I am not even that hard to please... maybe if the Golden Valley Osaka was not so fabulous, this place wouldn't have been such a let down. Judge for yourself... One of my favorite places to eat is the Mongolian BBQ in Stillwater, MN, or any of the Mongolian BBQ's are awesome, but I can tell you that there is no comparison between the Mongolian BBQ and Osaka, Maplewood... The lunch buffet prices are about the same and the Mongolian has endless variety and freshness. The staff needs to go check out the Mongolian BBQ'S and take a lesson. Like I say... you try it... see for yourself. Now I have to buy my sister in law another Christmas gift.... sigh! ): By the way, I am NOT a restaurant owner, nor am I affiliated with the Mongolian BBQ in any way... just an honest customer who works hard for their dollar.
To add a positive... the wait staff were friendly and attentive. The service good. Restaurant was also clean and attractive. Just wish the food would have lived up to the rest. I should note that perhaps if you are dining in, try the main menu or the grill and the show. Maybe it was just the buffet that was off.
To add a positive... the wait staff were friendly and attentive. The service good. Restaurant was also clean and attractive. Just wish the food would have lived up to the rest. I should note that perhaps if you are dining in, try the main menu or the grill and the show. Maybe it was just the buffet that was off.
