OKA Tapasu in Carlisle

The food was fantastic, the waitress was really nice to me and my friend.

Where to even start? An absolute gem in the town centre, and I’m disappointed in myself for not giving this place a chance earlier. The prices might be just enough to put some people off, but the portions sizes are beyond filling for the price you pay. I ordered a salmon pokebowl (following the server’s recommendation) and a bottle of cider- £17.25 total, with a refreshing bowl of fresh veggies, fish and rice served in less than 15 minutes. The server herself was amazing, I didn’t get her name but I hope she sees this and knows she’s doing amazing. The atmosphere was amazing and there is the option for cutlery if you don’t feel confident enough with chopsticks!! You also get a little teapot and clay dish upon ordering- an adorable jug of soy sauce. Absolutely will be returning again to try more of the menu, this places deserves every bit of hype it gets and so much more!! (I’m not sure how edible the flowers are but I ate them anyway)

First time here and won't be the last. Absolutely delicious food. Good friendly service. Busy at 6.30pm on a Saturday evening. Yes it's quite pricey but it's so worth it.

This is our first time in this restaurant. The food is beautifully presented, good portions and delicious. It a gem in Carlisle.

Delicious food. Beautifully presented. Decent choice for a non meat eater too.

Really gorgeous food!!! Stunning presentation and also the vibe was nice and chilled in there. Food was some of the best I’ve had in ages. We even opted for dessert which was apple gyoza, White choc ice cream and miso sauce…… wow!!!!!!! If you’re debating going here, don’t, just go!!!!

I come here often and it is an amazing place! Food is fantastic and the service is impeccable! Sushi is lovely and there is something for everyone, even if you don't like sushi. Atmosphere is great, well decorated and clean.

Amazing food! Try the spicy tuna rice puffs for an euphoric experience

A must visit when in Carlisle. Beautiful presentation & excellent quality food! I already want to visit again! Great menu with lots of choice

We had a great time here. The poke bowls were delicious, staff were friendly, and the decor classy. Highly recommended.

I’ve eaten here a number of times and always had great experiences. The most recent visit was no exception. The food here is incredible. Flavours are fantastic and is all high quality and brilliantly presented. The staff were great too, all highly attentive and very friendly / welcoming. I highly recommend this place if you want Japanese / Korean style food and will most certainly be coming back again.

Fantastic pan Asian food, we tried as many dishes as we could fit into our bodies. Blown away by the food. Outstanding. Great service and love the new location. Will be coming back! 🍣🍛

I've never been here before, but I heard good reports so decided to go.....I was not disappointed. The serving staff were polite, friendly and helpful and the food.....what can I say about that..... Delicious,.....I mean they've even changed my partner to a man who now likes belly pork ........ The photos aren't great because the food looked and tasted so amazing we kept eating it and forgetting to get pictures.....in summary...... just go.....I'm definitely going back ❤️❤️❤️ I went back (lunch this time) and remembered to take photos BEFORE eating...... just as delicious as the first time ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Food was delicious and staff were friendly, food took about 20 minutes to prepare, but was told before so that was ok. Soft drinks were a little expensive for what you get. Overall would recommend.

Amazing food kind welcoming staff

The closest I have found to authentic east asian dishes in Carlisle so far. OKA Tapasu is a lovely little Asian themed restaurant with great tasing, authentic style food and a cosy atmosphere. Our waitress was very knowledgeable, to be honest I think whatever we would have chosen would have been great! The price is a little expensive but the portions are good and intended for sharing. Popular dishes sell out so perhaps book ahead. I hope to be back to try more of the menu.

Really liked it. Very cozy, tasty. Friendly staff.

Had some of the best food we have ever eaten here! All so good quality and staff were amazing!

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Will definitely be returning for the Bibimbap!

Salmon sushi rolls was excellent, I definitely recommend. Thank you! <3

Best pastry in the town. Thumbs up from my side.

Best service well done to the staff and the food was excellent

Went today for the first time, beautiful food and the staff were lovely. Food cooked to order, a limited but fabulous menu, we will be back.

Was supposed to be a quick lunch, but the food, service and atmosphere were so good we ordered extra dishes and then stayed for dessert. Fabulous little restaurant. We'll be back soon.

First class Asian food in a relaxed and smart restaurant in the centre of town. Everything we ate was superb and the service from Cierra and her team was top notch.

Absolutely superb, the food was amazing for a date night with the wife. Pints of Ashi were spot on and the food I will be back for the chicken shredded ‘Bibimbap’ which was one of the best things I have ever eaten. Sushi was also spot on and desert was again, amazing.

Excellent with a full explanation of the food etc

Just felt like we were rushed out, our table was only booked for 7 and staff started taking our plates away whilst some of us were still eating and then later whilst finishing our drinks, wanted to clear everything else away, we got the hint and left swiflty around 8.30. The waiter also wasn't sure on what food he was bringing out which usually would be fine but as two of us were pescatarians, we were initially given beef sushi. Food was ok but if the staff didn't feel the need to hurry us out the experience would've been a lot better.

Last time we tried to eat at Oka on a Saturday evening about 7pm outside seats were available but the staff didn’t seem interested in accommodating. Turned us away after finding out we had no reservation saying that kitchen could only cope with existing reservations. It felt odd especially in comparison to service in say NYC restaurants where’d they’d say that the kitchen is busy so there may be a longer than usual wait. Dunno just felt odd at a time when hospitality sector is struggling. Ended up spending over £100 at Turkish opposite chivers. Unsure if that is how owners want restaurant run in which case fair enough. Time eating here prior to that in Nov during Covid was much better although staff seemed to want to rush us out (another reservation had our table half an hour later) as never offered us a dessert menu that was as a group of four so again a lost earning opportunity.

Brilliant restaurant experience. Best pork belly I've ever had! Lovely staff. I'll be going back soon.

First time here and the food was lovely the staff are very welcoming we will definitely be back

I have broad experience of Japanese, Korean and Chinese food having travelled in the East and lived in cities with “Chinese” quarters etc. I can confirm the food on offer here is REALLY excellent. The menu is a slightly odd mix of Japanese/Vietnamese/Korean and the drinks menu could definitely do with improvement (adding some healthy or culturally appropriate options such as pots of eastern teas and healthy smoothies rather than sugary fizzy drinks). The tableware is for the most part beautiful. The decor is quirky and nice. It is fairly small, the kitchen is very much in the dining space. The music tends to be fairly rubbish and intrusive, some traditional Japanese music, folky music, chilled electronica or quiet downbeat J or K-pop or something would be an improvement on the upbeat cheesy singalong pop and terrible high tempo electronic dance. With loud/high bpm music, loud staff, loud customers and kitchen clanging it can get very noisy, this can really intrude on the dining experience and ability to focus mindfully on the excellent flavours and textures. It is a shame tbh. The staff are informal, mostly attentive, not intrusive with mixed levels of professionalism - loud singing to a loud radio being an example of a lack thereof. I’m all for enjoying your work but when the kitchen is open I think many Chefs forget how intrusive it is to have someone in work mode while you’re trying to relax and eat. I’m not a fan of the open kitchen fad. Separate work and play. The toilets weren’t that clean as a staff member had peed and not even flushed. Hopefully hygiene is otherwise good! You generally have to book in advance because it’s busy. It’s definitely more of a café than a “serious” restaurant. If it was a bit quieter, had a bit more elbow/back room and a slightly refined menu it would be an easy 5 stars because the food (from both main chefs I’ve seen) is consistently exceptional.

So so good! Sushi was very fresh and enjoyable, honestly some of the best I have had in the UK. I got the sushi bento box and it was very much worth it.

Absolutely loved it!!!Fantastic food,very nice service.We will be back.

If you are looking for an authentic Japanese food restaurant then this is not your place. They are trying to make something similar but the taste of the food is not what you would expect. The sushi rice was way too vinegary sashimi wasn't really nice too, hoisin sauce had a strange seasoning. Unfortunately the whole experience was very disappointing. This is definitely not the best Japanese restaurant. Also, staff members need proper training, the supervisor was shockingly unprofessional and urgently needs some food safety training if they don't want to cause someone a serious allergic reaction. They can do a proper deep cleaning in the toilet too.

Birthday meal, couldn't fault the service or food! We had nigiri starters (just get 2, they are quite filling!). Hubby had a beef donburi and I had beef kare. Service was great, as was the food.

Absolutely beautiful food! 100% will be recommending. Staff are great, all the food is lovely and fresh, something for everyone!

Tucked away in Carlyle's Court is one of the nicest restaurants we've been to in years! Honestly can't recommend this place enough, we felt welcomed from the moment we walked in and the food was immaculate. Can't wait to come back and try something else!

Absolutely love this place, been a few times now, exceptional every time. Definitely advise booking in advance.

I love this restaurent - the food is fantastic and a healthy option for eating out. Love the poke bowls and sushi starters, and the miso crème brûlée was fabulous !

The food is always lovely but they are now making people pay £20 just to book a table which I think is ridiculous fair enough £5 but £20 is just a joke in my eyes. Such a shame

Great place with good portions. The sushi was particularly good!!

Came for a friend’s birthday meal and the food was delicious. There aren’t many places to eat sushi around here, and this is one of the better ones! :D

Really excellent food and great service. We thoroughly enjoyed eating here.

Genuinely awesome. Eaten here twice. I had to come back a second time to double check it’s as good as I thought it was. Staff super lovely as well. Favourite place in Carlisle

The ultimate delight. Every course of food was excellent, serviced fresh and when it's ready and was absolutely flawless. Great portion sizes allow for a wide choice of things from the menu to try. The staff are friendly and very helpful. Happy to take the time to explain anything you might not be sure of and make recommendations even during a busy Saturday night service. Excellent addition to Carlisle's restaurant line-up and we'll be back soon without a doubt.

The food was too salty The service is ok The presentation is good The dessert was good The placement of the tables could be better Telling one couple that the restaurant is out of stock then letting another one enter 10min later made me very uncomfortable I wouldn't come back

Had the beef teriyaki and it was the best I’ve ever had and I usually don’t care for beef. My friend had the spiced duck ramen and thought it was amazing as well.

I have visited here on a LOT of occasions, normally solo trips and I keep going back, not just for the food but the amazing, friendly service. I definitely recommend booking, because this small place gets so busy very quickly! Food is gorgeous and the cocktails are tasty. Bowl of ramen and sushi is around £20 ish which I think is quite reasonable.

Food is absolutely delicious, fresh food just great atmosphere :)

All their food is absolutely brilliant it tastes wonderful can’t explain what dish you like or dislike me like them all I have no photoIf your tastebuds are working I recommend it

Lovely little restaurant hidden away in Carlyle Court. Booking is recommended as it is very popular. Inimite dining with plenty of charm. The food is fabulous and was good portions. The sushi was very tasty and I personally enjoyed the gyoza the most. Will definitely be making a return visit

Nice food and staff, a little over priced, unfortunately you leave with the aroma of the open kitchen clinging to your clothes and hair.

Some of the best food I've ever eaten. A hidden gem!

Food quality is great, service & presentation are great. I’m not an expert on Japanese food but the experience as a whole was very nice. Worth a visit if you’re in town.

First visit, helpful staff, excellent food. Will be going again

An excellent evenings dining. The food was brilliant and the service couldn't be bettered. Will definitely be going back.

A questionable meal at a higher than expected price point. First time trying this place, and having ate at a variety of Asian-inspired restaurants, I would say this place isn’t as comparable. Ordered the Spicy pork donburi, and 1. It wasn’t remotely spicy & 2 the vegetables were quite dry. Perhaps this was their spin on the dish, so if you’re after something generic then you could give this place a try, but I wouldn’t recommend it as authentic unfortunately. Based on 2 dishes. This is a non-influenced review.

Fantastic food and service. Really looking forward to coming back again.

Had a amazing meal with my daughter, absolutely cracking food and very friendly service.

Glass of fizz on arrival as stated was birthday celebrations. Nice touch Very good quality food. Well presented. Nice to see chef at work. Will definitely revisit.

Food and service was excellent!

The food was okay but with it being an open kitchen I really don't think the chef should be eating or on his phone when in full view of all the guests also the food came out very randomly some of our party were eating while others waited for food.

Extremely good food, though a tad expensive for what you do get. Would recommend.

I usually never do this but I had to. I am a big fan of sushi, I've dined in some of the best japanese restaurants and this is not it. This was a poor representation of the cuisine and incredibly overpriced for what it was. The dumplings were okay but for the price, I expect them to be excellent. Good dumplings are supposed to be plump, perfectly elastic dough to wrap the juicy, well seasoned, generous portion of meat inside. These were thin and anemic, cooked poorly as the dough cracked when it wanted to crisp. Meat inside was dry and underseasoned. Sauce outside was good. I can make better dumplings myself from scratch so therefore unacceptable at this price point. The sushi rice was overcooked and underseasoned. We had one with the pate and it just does not work at all in a roll, it completely overpowers everything else in the bite and after two bites, we had enough. The nigiri we got was also not great for the aforementioned reasons. Fish was fresh, I'll give it that. This was the only redeeming part of this meal. I just had sushi from a mall in Edinburgh and it was more enjoyable than this was. Im all for fusión but not when it destroys the integrity of the cuisine and has the audacity to overcharge you for the desecration. I do not recommend this for anyone who is passionate about food or Japanese cuisine, it will break your heart at best and enrage you and worst.

Lunch here for the first time today. Our waitress (Nadia?) took time to talk us through the menu and was friendly and helpful. Good was delicious, freshly prepared and nicely presented. Nice to have somewhere like this in Carlisle and happy to recommend it.

Honestly the best meal I have ever had in a restaurant. I have already booked another table. Food is excellent, the staff are fantastic. Would highly recommend.

Really modern and relaxing atmosphere, crisp decor and lovely vibe. Food was really nice and the lady that served us was really helpful in helping us understand what we were ordering. It's tapas style so lots of plates and sharing which is nice when you want to try lots of different flavours. Seems steep in price for someone who likes keeping a budget but to be fair I was stuffed and happy so worth it. When you weigh up the quality and amount of food it's fair enough. We'll defo be back, especially if the wife has anything to say about it.

A great sushi fusion restaurant with excellent customer service. Check out the photos and then imagine the flavour..!

Enjoyed everything too much to get pictures. My absolute new favourite place to eat. The fish was so fresh and everything flavoured perfectly. The jalapeño and ginger cocktail is amazing

I find it really embarrassing that some people have rated the restaurant poor due to not receiving "starters and mains". It is very clear when arriving that the restaurant is tapas style and the food arrives as share platters when ready. It's also embarrassing that people have giving a low rating based on the restaurant being "cold". It is a quaint little restaurant with a few tables, the food is excellent and exceptionally well presented. It's very popular and fully booked at most times and every establishment requires an ENTRANCE so if you're close to the door, wear a coat. It's not difficult. The food quality is perfect, if you're looking for starters and mains, get yourself to a Toby's carvery. This is Japanese fusion food, it's cultured, it is special and full of flavour. If you're an impatient fish and chips kind of person, head over to a local pub. If you're looking for something special, some healthy flavoursome food and for a good experience, this is your place. We had a poke bowl, some sushi, the most incredible little creme brulé and some Japanese whiskey and were completely wowed. Thank you for brining good food close to home, we will be back again soon. Excellent service and food!!!

Great food and friendly staff, drinks slightly pricey.

2 time visit here is lovely taste so delicious💋👍 (Varaporn)

Excellent service and food and cocktails. Had such a great night with my sister . Would recommend.

An excellent meal full of varied and interesting courses..try it... it's excellent 👌.....visited again today..... absolutely fantastic.....please try it....visited 11 February.........visited again today...24/3/22...this eatery just gets better.. wonderful meal...my friends from Tbilisi were amazed at the quality of food and service...top marks......

Nothing like this in carlisle, the best sushi I’ve ever had!

One of the best restaurants in Carlisle, brilliant food and atmosphere. Staff very friendly and food reasonably priced for the quality.

Excellent food, lovely friendly service, the waitress really helped us out with our choices. Lovely atmosphere we will definitely be back.

Delicious Asian food, the terryaki beef is a personal fav but the bento boxes are sooo good to try a mix. Waitress is always the loveliest

This is the best thing in Carlisle. Lovely atmosphere, staff very helpful.But, the food must be the star of the show, and it was. I've enjoyed every mouthful, it was just amazing. Definitely going back, and I'll recommend Oka to everyone I know. Just beautiful xxx

Food was excellent and service was superb. Would definitely eat here again.

Another brilliant experience at Oka even brought my 7 week old baby to share the experience with. They we're so very attentative, highly recommend!

Nice food, good friendly service, please open a restaurant in Penrith. It's quite a drive to Carlisle!

Great date lunch over Christmas 🎄 Our highlights were the Dragon Rolls; fresh and light and the Spicy Pork Bao Buns; Tenderly BBQ and tasty! With attentive, detailed service 👌

Great, knowledgeable service and delicious food!

My partner and I visited a couple of weeks ago, and will be visiting again shortly. The atmosphere was wonderful, the service was fantastic, and the food was overall very nice. The only thing holding me back from rating five stars would be the pork loin ramen. Pork ramen broth, or tonkotsu, is traditionally a bone broth, made from clean bones with no meat, and should be a creamy, almost milky texture, with a rich flavour. The broth for the pork ramen at OKA is a dark brown broth, with a flavour more akin to a meaty gravy. It wasn't inedible, but certainly not what was expected, and not in any sense traditional. Otherwise however, the food was of an excellent standard, with interesting (albeit non-traditional) sushi rolls, and delicious bar buns. All in all, one of the best restaurants in Carlisle, but with a very non-traditional approach to Japan's cuisine, some of which works, and some of which doesn't. I will be returning regularly, as no other restaurant in the area provides food like this, and the standard is genuinely impressive for the most part.

Amazing food amazing service and the greatest smells . Plus lots of fresh tasting produce

Exactly what Carlisle needs, amazing open kitchen with very interactive and professional Chefs. They have a huge variety of in house options and front of house staff that make you feel warmly welcomed from the start. Cocktails are also sublime just wish it wasn't a work night; I would have had one of each otherwise.

If friendly staff and amazing Asian food is your forte you need to visit! The sashimi, sushi, gyoza and ramen dishes myself and my friends ordered are to die for! Amazing drinks and suitable for all ages! Make sure to book ahead as they will be booked for weeks!

Great food, atmosphere and service by Nadia and the team, thanks!

Tried OKA last night for the first time and it was top notch. The staff were friendly and helpful and the food was amazing, so amazing we booked to go back for new year.

Went for a Birthday meal today and can definitely say I’ll be coming back. Can’t recommend it enough! All of the ingredients were so fresh and tasty. The pork was melt in your mouth amazing and the salmon was the best I’ve ever had. The service was so friendly and helpful which added to the lovely atmosphere. 10/10!