Otaku Sushi in Portsmouth

Edit: This was a review of a previous named restaurant… new review of Mayfair pending :) Fantastic place for some authentic Japanese dining. Very friendly staff and fantastic service! The food was delicious and will definitely be going there again. You can tell this place is a fantastic-hidden gem and well worth a visit if you love Japanese food like myself. The decor of the place was lovely with traditional seating. Don’t worry, there is normal seating if the traditional seating isn’t for you. Appears to be a family run place, which is good for supporting local business. My photos show some of the food we ordered, unfortunately I did eat some before the photos… rookie mistake.

Very cute traditional Japanese restraunt. Had the set menu which was delicious, surprised for there not to be many people in there on a Friday night this place should be way busier!

Two stars as mens toilets were absolutely filthy. Heavily stained sinks and toilets. Unwashed filth and dead flies on the window ledge. Unacceptable - filthiest toilets I have seen in a restaurant.

this was amazing i loved the food it is great a place I wanna go again sorry if you can't understand the language but THIS IS THE BEST SUSHI EVER

Some of the best sushi I’ve ever eaten. Lot’s of vegetarian options, however clearer markings would’ve been nicer. Good cheap drink options (cheap beers too!) Our waitress was very nice and attentive. We ate until we were full up, got 3-4 dishes each and they were all lovely. The only criticism is the hygiene of the restaurant, the toilets are in dire need of a bit of a refresher and despite the beautiful restaurant decor, the windowsills next to where you are seated are incredibly dusty and had cobwebs. Other than that - thank you for a delicious dinner!

As an East Asian, we’ve been looking for a decent Japanese place around and this certainly did not disappoint with their bento meals- delicious and generous servings. Will definitely come back! Also seems to be a family-run business hence would love to support even more. PS. Don’t let the outside appearance of the restaurant fool you.

food was delicious, clean, and tasty seasoned just right to us. My sashimi tasted fresh and cool. definitely would order again.

Very nice food, and very friendly staff.

the cutest restaurant in portsmouth! lovely food, friendly staff, very family atmosphere. 11/10!

We heard this was a hidden gem in portsmouth so were excited to go. The interior looked good. It was a Saturday and was fairly busy and there was only 2 people so can understand they were busy. However my partner got his drink within minutes and I ordered a lemon ice tea which took half an hour to arrive. I asked every 10 minutes or so if I could possibly get my drink and she said she was making it, she even walked past a table that grabbed her and asked for drinks and she got them for them straight away and still I waited for mine. She gave me my food and I had to ask again for my drink. We ordered yakitori skewers and mine were completely pink and one piece was literally just fat. My main meal was teriyaki chicken donburi and wasn’t hot at all and had a drip of sauce on it if that. I barely touched any of mine. The chicken tasted like it had been recooked multiple times. My partner had the tori katsu curry he ate all of this and has since had a very dodgy stomach. I didn’t want to complain at the time as didn’t want to be rude but it was very poor food. Although the server was very polite she took a very long time just to make my drink yet I watched her grab drinks for people when they asked her as she walked by.

One of the absolute hidden gems of Portsmouth.

Quick lunch delicious Bento box and the tempura

Really good authentic place. Tried it for the first time and loved the sushi rolls, best sushi i’ve had in portsmouth. Very fresh and sauces are also really good. Highly recommend

beautiful hidden little gem. went for dinner and the food and service was out of this world, lots to pick from on the menu and everything looked and sounded good. the inside is decorated so beautifully, will be going back again.

I always walk past this sushi place which is a little bit hidden away on Commerical Road so one day my friend and I decided to give it a try. I decided to get an avacado and salmon box. The salmon was extortionately thin and there was not enough for the amount of rice given. When I tried the miso soup it tasted a bit like dirty dish water so I did not drink the rest of that. The takoyaki was good and my friend enjoyed her beef gyu donburi but I was disappointed by my food. Our server was very kind and attentive so the service was good. However I will not go again

You must come, it was a fantastic find. The food was delicious, each dish individually cooked and so tasty. Staff warm and friendly. You would love it. Xxx

Small family run sushi restaurant set on the first floor of a building opposite the train station. The outside is a little run down looking but don’t let that put you off. The staff are lovely, the service was quick and the sushi is excellent. The prawn tempura was a little bland but still tasty.

Food was awful. Smelt like the bottom of a rubbish bin. Rice was warm and soggy.

I had the feeling the food was served from yesterdays service. There were pieces of rice super dry stone. The chicken needed a bit more time because it felt hard chew, moreover, it was not marinated appropiately, again, I felt the food was not freshly made. This is unfortunate because the restaurant is well designed and the service was good.

Really nice Japanese restaurant, does a nice set menu for anyone like me who is not really sure what they would want. The staff are also really friendly and helpful. Absolutely loved it

Amazing amazing amazing, such a hidden gem! We ate so much! We will definitely go again!

Wonderfully cooked and presented food. Great friendly service.

First time visiting with family and our 8 week old son. Welcoming and warm and very nice people. Amazing food which looked and tasted great. Very child friendly and accommodated everything we needed. We will definitely be revisiting and eating there from now on.

Truelly wonderful food and service. Real Japanese. Our 7 year old devoured the sushi. Don't be fooled by the tatty outside (we nearly were and would have missed a treat). Should be busier.

So glad we found this amazing Sushi restaurant tucked around the corner opposite the station. First class service, tasty food and all at a great price. The beef ramen, salt and pepper king prawns and gyozas are to die for. What a great find, we will definitely return soon!

Beautiful restaurant. Reallyyyy tasty sushi. Good service, staff are really friendly.

While Otaku seems incredibly unassuming from its signage outside, climbing up the stairs led us to a gem. We had the cheese seared salmon and prawn nigiri, the tuna tataki (our favourite!!!) and the soft shell crab. Each dish was made to order and tasted unique- a perfect pick me up on a gloomy day ♡ I wish I had more time to explore the menu further! The owners, with their big smiles and kind hearts, made every moment special. Their friendly hospitality and love for what they do made the meal even more memorable! A must try in Portsmouth ☺️

Food was alright, not £80 for two people alright. Atmosphere was quite nice, however the service was a bit slow as it got quite hectic. Avoid the beef ramen, overcooked beef and noodles. Sushi was decent but I’ve had much better for a cheaper price. Atmosphere was the only thing that was really good, if I could order takeout and eat in the restaurant I would. Place looks a bit shady on the outside but looks can be deceiving. Overall 5/10

Great food and lovely service, had an awesome Japanese metal playlist on at the time. Felt authentic and the table had a great view of the Guildhall square.

We have dined a few times at this local sushi gem, and it was an absolute delight! The ambiance was inviting, the service impeccable, and the sushi—oh, the sushi—fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. This place has definitely earned a spot in my list of go-to spots for a fantastic sushi experience.

Make the effort to go to Otaku as you will not be disappointed. Set in a strange building where you need to go up a flight of stairs. The food is amazing and fabulous to be in an independent restaurant that offers so much choise. Everything is prepared to order. Don't miss it if you are in town.

The BEST sushi I have ever had. Very fresh food, tasty and at decent price. The place doesn't give much of a welcome from outside and the inside it just at basic level but the food changes the game immediately. I will definitely go back there! Highly recommend this place!

This was our first experience of Japanese food. The menu is quite daunting with many different dishes so we chose a set meal which gave us a taste of many different dishes. The restaurant has a very nice Japanese atmosphere and we cat on padded benches in a cubicle. Friendly helpful service. The restaurant seemed to be a bit cold and we were the only people there. It is an odd location as the rest of the centre of Portsmouth is has virtually nowhere to eat. The presentation of the food was superb and each dish was explained to us. I think it would be a good place for a group of people to go as one could try even more dishes. The food has many interesting textures and colours I would go back here again. Overall I thought it was quite reasonably priced.

While the staff are lovely and the decorations are gorgeous, the food is bad and potion sizes are terrible for the cost you are paying. Can't recommend this place,

Absolutely amazing in every way The staff are amazingly friendly Stunning atmosphere 11/10 -rox

While the service was decent, the crying staff's baby, grim toilets, dirty seating, tasteless beef bowl, inconsistently warm starters, and thin tuna did very little for me. My brother enjoyed his tonkatsu and the tuna nigiri was tasty even if skimpy.

Food is fresh and genuine nectar of the gods

すごい ! An incredible experience. Beautiful restaurant with sublime food and wonderful staff, would 1000% recommend to anyone with an interest in Japanese food and culture. Counting down the days until I can visit again for takoyaki! UPDATE: Went back again, still as amazing as the other times I've been. Cannot recommend it enough.

Very lovely place to eat. Beautiful atmosphere. Great to cool off after a 2 hour journey

Hidden gem in Portsmouth. After Nara Sushi closed down, my partner was really disappointed that we couldn't go there anymore. We decided to order from this place online once, and it turned out to be great. After we decided to go in there for lunch, It's a true hole-in-the-wall spot! The food is fantastic, and we absolutely loved the interior design. The homemade tea and milk tea were exceptionally delicious. Thank you; we will definitely be returning.

The chicken is so good that you can’t taste it fresh. Seats and sofas are sunken, making it impossible to sit for long periods of time The only thing I find interesting is Having a child on site (probably the boss's baby) brings innocent smiles and makes people happy.

Everything is very average, the ramen soup has no taste, the barbecued pork is as hard as a stone, the eggs are fried with egg whites, even the Coke has no taste, and the hand-rolled seaweed is soft and dripping.

Lovely family run establishment, the food is excellent and the service is very attentive. Decor and ambience are comfortable. Would highly recommend.

Was in town to see morrissey and read the menu just out of interest and it had veggie options so I took a chance ....so glad I did. The food was incredible the staff were lovely and the price was great. The restaurant itself is beautiful too it must be said

Good food and service. Susi is fresh

The outside looked sketchy. We took a chance and were greatly rewarded. Fantastic Japanese restaurant. A bit pricey but totally worth it. Food was all excellent. I requested rice vinegar instead of ponzu sauce to dip my soft shell crab. I also enjoyed a lovely hand roll. The chef makes his own rice vinegar on some days. It was my lucky day. The house sake was the smoothest I’ve had anywhere. We had a fantastic time. I highly recommend this wonderful place. Service was lovely. Obviously a family owned and run business. You can tell how much they care.

Lovely atmosphere and nice food! Advice to staff - bathrooms need a massive improvement and staff's babies crawling on the floor is not very professional.

Absolutely stunningly decorated resturant. Cozy, intimate, and very atmospheric. The food is 10/10 weve been there multiple times and have never been let down. Tastiest Japanese food I've ever had. Please please if you get the opportunity, you won't be dissapointed

We had a lovely dinner, beautiful ambiance and a wonderful service. Recommended to anyone who loves Japanese food

This is mine and my partners go to place for sushi in the area. Amazing food, amazing staff and amazing prices

5 star Authentic freshly cook food Very happy we discovered this gem!

Avoid at all costs. Had food delivered as the usual place I go to is closed tonight. Everything was just wrong. Sushi isn’t fresh, rice was not cooked properly, cold and doesn’t look appetising. I should have listened to my friend’s advice and not taking the risk to give them another chance. Can’t really claim to be a Japanese restaurant, even without the word authentic.

Really great place for sushi and takoyaki. Worth going to if you love Japanese cuisine and casual atmosphere.

Me and my friend visited this place yesterday 29.4.23 and the food was excellent value for money and the staff were very warming and welcoming I had the spicy tuna rolls and the salmon bento box both packed full of flavour was my first time here and enjoyed it

Very cool place to hang out. Nice decorations, healthy and tasty food. The staff is always very polite and kind. A great experience overall. Me and my friend have been coming to your restaurant over the last 2 years and we can honestly and openly recommend it to anyone.

Hidden gem. Food was tasty, staff were friendly, very nice atmosphere.

Come here often, food is always amazing, great value

Lovely staff, atmosphere and the best ramen my boyfriend and I have ever eaten. We come here regularly and will always think of the restaurant as a special place. Please visit if you have the chance!!! :)

Amazing sushi, some of the best I've ever had. Staff are friendly and the authentic Japanese style is a very nice touch!

Good taste👍🏿Good service attitude👍🏿

Really nice place, looks a bit weird from outside, but it is lovely from inside. Food and service was good. Recommend to visit

Lovely food in a brilliantly decorated restaurant. Could do with more staff though as the service was a bit slow with just 1 girl running the show.

Had no idea this place was here. Loved the tatami boths. Food and service were faultless. Really yummy Birthday lunch.

Best Japanese restaurant on the South Coast. So sad I can’t go here as regularly now I live in Brighton. But, the food, decor, staff, music and the prices are absolutely 10/10 :)

Brilliant place. So lovely and friendly with the added bonus of being a stone's throw away from the guildhall. The food was brilliant and the staff wonderful. We felt so welcomed from the second we walked in until we left. We will definitely go back. It's a total hidden gem.

A friend and I visited Otaku Sushi to have dinner before going to a nearby event and we both said we may come back just to have dinner there again. The food was scrumptious, we were full by the end, and we were very happy with the price. The staff could not have been more pleasant, accommodating, and friendly. The decoration, music, and general atmosphere were lovely. Highly recommend it, and have already recommended it to a friend.

It's the second time that I come with my family there and we are very happy from the warm welcome and the food. We will come back.

Best teriyaki salmon you will have.

This place is beautiful! I really wanted to dine in but collected takeaway. Very peaceful vibe, music and decor, will definitely be back to sit on the traditional seating (low tables and mats on the floor) food wasn't cheap but delicious. Note that you can't have ramen, pudding or most of the drinks for takeaway.

Stumbled across this place a few years back now, have to say it’s the BEST Sushi/Japanese restaurant I’ve ever experienced. Including some of the top places in London. We live on the Isle of Wight and make the Journey over on the ferry on occasion to specifically visit this place! Staff/Owners are always super friendly and nothing is ever to much for them, can’t meet more hospitable hosts. Definitely would recommend the Tako Yaki here, it’s to die for. Their fresh fish selection is also always fantastic, stepping away from the usual Prawn, Salmon and Tuna they have such a massive selection it’s great. You can really tell they care so much and freshness is key as we’ve been before and had to wait until the fish is prepared as their order had only just come in bang on opening time! If you know anything about fish, service like this is perfection! Thank you so much We cannot wait to return again!

Stumbled across this place a few years back now, have to say it’s the BEST Sushi/Japanese restaurant I’ve ever experienced. Including some of the top places in London. We live on the Isle of Wight and make the Journey over on the ferry on occasion to specifically visit this place! Staff/Owners are always super friendly and nothing is ever to much for them, can’t meet more hospitable hosts. Definitely would recommend the Tako Yaki here, it’s to die for. Their fresh fish selection is also always fantastic, stepping away from the usual Prawn, Salmon and Tuna they have such a massive selection it’s great. You can really tell they care so much and freshness is key as we’ve been before and had to wait until the fish is prepared as their order had only just come in bang on opening time! If you know anything about fish, service like this is perfection! Thank you so much We cannot wait to return again!

Ordered a king prawn curry - received a curry sauce with onions and plain rice - £12:80. Called restaurant and told king prawns in the rice! No they weren’t - rip off

My friend and I visited for dinner whilst on a weekend break in the area. The food was faultless and delicious. We both had warming ramen dishes due to the extreme cold outside, it was very welcome. My slight criticism is that the restaurant felt very cold, so they may need to look at their heating or glazing in the building.

Excellent food! We will definitely come back! May I say "hidden gem "!? For us - great discovery! Thank you!

Excellent Japanese cuisine, Sakura is always packed but Otaku is always empty however it's just as great, if not better. The menu is more expansive and the sets are great if you want it simplified. Highly recommend, one of our favourite.

I spent two years working in Japan and this food is authentic as you can get. The restaurant could do with an upgrade however the food is magic. Well done keep up the good work.

Amazing service, so polite! The food was really good quality food even down to the soy sauce . Lovely ashetic and vibe.

Stumbled upon this place, don't let the outside deceive you. Really authentic restaurant with attentive staff and delicious food. Seated booths around the perimeter with space to remove shoes. Only minor comment, music slightly loud but it was a quiet evening so with more people in its probably a none issue. Would recommend!

Such an incredible atmosphere and lovely staff. The food was amazing, the best tonkotsu ramen I've ever had, and such a generous portion with the pork belly. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone, and have already planned my next trip to Portsmouth to return. Absolutely amazing. Thank you.

Really friendly staff and a delicious fresh tasting Spider roll. Minimum waiting. Perfect for being in a rush.

We popped to Otaku for lunch. Tried a bento box, deep fried squid and a beef dish. Everything was amazing. I particularly liked the mixture of food in fhe bento. Service was great and a nice restaurant.

First time, great sabi noodles and even more amazing salt & pepper/chilli prawns which were some of the best I've ever had. Finished with coconut mochi which were lovely. Will definitely return to try more!

Friendly place with nice decor. Food is average quality and taste though.

Amazing Such a lovely interior design looks like a place you would find in Japan itself. Service was so kind and helpful (even though I was half in cosplay and looked a bit silly) they looked as if they didn't judge us in the slightest which was very comforting. The food was absolutely amazing worth the wait which wasn't even that long and every bite was worth the money. The tea I had was amazing a perfect balance of milk and sugar. I will definitely come back if I visit Portsmouth. The whole meal was such a lovely experience. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Excellent service, fantastic range of authentic Japanese food. Lovely décor.

Lovely restaurant, great food, very friendly staff

Absolutely incredible food, gorgeous restaurant and ambience and a lovely staff!

Absolutely THE best place we've eaten at in a long time. Beautiful atmosphere, perfect food, and wonderful staff. This place is really great for a cute date or to be with friends, would 100% recommend. Wen was super sweet and really helpful. Thank you guys so much! The menu update is also well advertised and not TOO different from the website. Also, best mochi ever!!

Wow! First time here. Just got a takeaway for lunch. Opted for the Unagi (eel) and deep fried soft shell crab. Both were outstanding. Best I've had by far. Crab was juicy on a little bed of cabbage, carrot and sesame seeds. Eel was smoky and soft on a little pillow of sticky rice and beautifully presented. It's fairly pricey but as an occasional treat, absolutely superb. Beyond anything you'll get in a supermarket. I finished off just stuffing the ginger doused in soy and wasabi!

Firstly the menu and prices are outdated on their website. Online it says the Agedashi Tofu is £4.80, it is now £8, that's £2 per small cube of tofu! The tofu was also deep fried in tempura batter rather than lightly fried on potato starch, so it was thick, they also hadn't pressed the tofu beforehand, so there was too much moisture making the batter soggy, and the tofu lacking flavour. And as you can see in the photo, there wasn't any daikon radish or spring onion, struggling to understand how they changed £8 for this. For the unagi donburi, the uniagi was quite thin and I think they used teriyaki sauce rather than kabayaki, and the sauce was cooked for slightly too long as it was on the bitter end (high sugar content in sauce burns easily). The staff all spoke to each other in Cantonese, so it may be Hong Kongese ran Japanese restaurant rather than authentic Japanese.

From the outside, you wouldn't know it but this is the best sushi place in Portsmouth. The attention to detail and array of food on selection are incredible.

Delicious. Fabulous menu, so much choice and everyone in our party enjoyed their food. We will definitely return.

Had a lovely family meal for a 6 year old birthday, food was excellent and service was fine

Actually I don't want to give it any stars because they were not be serious in the customer's order. First of all, they have missed some food I have ordered. The other matter is they gave me the wrong food. I will not ordered this again.

This is a great sushi place if you want to weeb out. Rather than focusing they have instead give for a broad menu selection from sashimi to hand rolls to bento or donburi and a bunch of street food. The atmosphere makes for good photos with plenty of booths. Really strong mid tier Japanese option with broad selection. Diversity is the game, except for their sake.

Please do not order take away from this restaurant, I ordered Chirashi Donburi, and all I got was rice with little sashimi and even carrots in this dish was more than sashimi. This poor dish cost me 19 ponds it’s ridiculous and unacceptable

Okay I have to say this is the most unique japanese food experience I have had in the UK for the last 10 years. The service was excellent and very friendly, The food was beyond amazing, And the atmosphere was gorgeous. Thank you so much for a gorgeous evening and food ♡♡♡

My favourite Japanese restaurant in Portsmouth. The best sushi outside of London I have found since moving back home. The unagi (eel) is lovely, eat it whilst it’s hot for the best flavour, be sure to accompany it with warm sake. They have recently expanded the menu too. I’ve been spoilt for choice Absolutely fantastic service and surroundings. We really like the vibe mid-week when the Japanese students are enjoying themselves.

Lovely fresh sushi. Friendly service from the staff.

I found this amazing, hidden resturant on TripAdvisor and it was one of the best sushi places I have been to. It was a nice traditional sushi resturant and we were lucky to be given a wooden booth where you take your shoes off to get the full experience. On top of that, the food was amazing, so much to choose from and all wonderful. Would highly recommend and look forward to going there again!!!