Robataya Oton

Robataya Oton has an interesting reservation only policy and interior layout. The unique seating arrangements made the dining experience fun but the food wasn't the most memorable. Reservations are mandatory and each party gets their own room. We had to remove our shoes off before sitting down. Besides the normal menu, they also had handwritten specials. Strangely the appetizers didn't come out prior to the entrees but anything raw or cold had priority. =ORDERED=*Uni Crispy Rice: one of their specials. The rice base had the slightest crunch and was topped with baked uni, salmon roe and shiso. This dish needed a creamy binder as it was very bland and dry. The uni itself was crumbly and tasteless. *Uni Udon: very watery. The udon should have been drained better because it diluted the sauce. There was the slightest of uni flavor but it was more creamy than anything. The udon texture was excellent but I was expecting more seafood flavor. *Scallop Cutlet: another special. The scallops could have used more seasoning but the batter was thin and crunchy. Light, tasty appetizer. *Poke Donburi: a mixture of tuna, salmon, uni and roe atop of rice. The included miso had lots of green onion and soft tofu. The fish were all pre marinated and were on the saltier side. Everything was tender albeit the quality wasn't outstanding for the price. *Dango: came with sweet soy glaze and had a satisfying chew. Nothing blew me away food wise and the prices were higher across the board compared to other restaurants. The private rooms made the experience resemble that of Japan but the food was underwhelming.

I have been here before, and hadn't been back in a while. The tatami seating here is very themed and on point. We ordered the Roasted Green Tea to start which is such a comforting beverage on a cold day. Unlimited refills. We proceeded to order some of the Specials they wrote on their white board. This was a bad call. I would not recommend ordering these. Stick with the menu (appetizers). Small plates is what this restaurant does best, along with the sashimi.From the specials, we ordered Crispy Rice (which is rectangles of fried rice cakes?). We also ordered the Baked Uni Bowl. This is really, really bad. Uni doesn't taste great baked. They are very good about scooping you the largest bowl of rice. This was the case when I ordered the Unagi bowl. Tiniest piece of Unagi (yummy though), large bowl of rice. We ordered a Carpaccio appetizer along with intestines that came fried in a black iron pan. Both were delicious. We also got this raw octopus app, which was just OK. We wanted to get the Beef Tongue Curry (but turns out they didn't have beef tongue, and instead had chicken). We were let down to see that they charged the same price as beef tongue even though it was chicken...seems wrong in principle? We ordered the 10pc Sashimi, which had pretty good fatty cuts. Overall, it felt like we didn't eat that much if we didn't eat all the rice.Pro tip: stick to the apps on the menu + sashimi + avoid all bowls/rice dishes.

I am not the sushi connoisseur. With that being said, I fell like I paid $120 for 2 people and a kid and had a better experience elsewhere in the past. This isn't a bad experience. It was rather a good experience. But few things kinda fell short. Like A5 wagyu sushi. I had a better experience before with A5 wagyu sushi in a different restaurant, and even the caviar on the top didn't rock my world. Not sure soy sauce does justice on A5 wagyu....Kara-age was a bit bland flavor, and feels like it could have used a bit more prep. Kisu tempura was not as crispy as I would have liked and it was leaking oil around it a little bit. Salmon had very very fishy smell. Ice cream tempura had hint of grainy texture which felt out of place. Saikyo yaki was great along with assorted temaki. No complaints on that. And total of $120. Well. Not completely satisfied.

I have been thinking to try this restaurant out for a long time. And finally I made a phone call to book a reservation on Saturday night. It was so cool to sit in a private room, feeling like in Asia! We ordered two servings of sukiyaki, it was pretty authentic and delicious. The portion is good for two people, we order an appetizer and one udon noodle to put into the hotpot. The meat is a little bit too thick to my taste but all the others are nice. We might be back to try their uni items.

Made a reservation about a week in advance for 4 and they were able to fit us in at 5:45pm on a Saturday. They do take your credit card to reserve the spot, but won't charge it unless you are a no show. You must make a reservation, last time we tried to walk in at opening and they turned us away! There is a parking lot, but it was pretty filled both times I came. We sat in one of those low booths that we had to take our shoes off for, it was fun but did make it a bit difficult to get in and out when using the bathroom haha. Two of us got the sukiyaki ($29 pp) and there is a minimum of 2 orders. The broth was super flavorful and there was a good amount of meat (it didn't look like a ton raw, but after cooked it was a lot!). I also got an egg (+$1) and we got udon (+$5) for the end like they recommended, but kind of wished it was in the beginning because I like to eat my sukiyaki with udon. The other two people got nabeyaki udon ($20) which they said was good. In my opinion, it looked and tasted just ok. I think the sukiyaki was definitely the way to go! Overall, service was polot, a tad slower, but we didn't mind because it gave us all time to catch up. Food was good!

Pros -Intimate, traditional tatami-lined booths make for a fun dining experience- Since it's located in the opposite direction of the main Convoy strip of restaurants, the wait time is okay - They also take reservations! Cons - Food was just okay and portion sizes were on the smaller side. My partner enjoyed the beef tongue curry and I agree that it is one of the better dishes on the menu. The uni udon was NOT it... I understand that I'm not going to get a lot of uni, but the cream sauce was extremely diluted by the udon water and was flavorless. - Service wasn't the best that day, and we had to crawl around our booth and stick our hand out to flag our server for the bill/more water.

Robataya Oton offers a traditional Japanese ambiance with somewhat average food. We tried to walk-in once and they said it was reservation only, which made me want to dine-in even more. I was really looking forward to an experience that kind of takes you back to Japan but I was disappointed. I called for reservations and was asked to put a credit card down. You can cancel and modify but there's a $25/person charge if it's within 24 hours of your reservation. This kind of reservation system is usually seen in high-end restaurants or restaurants with highly sought after reservations so I was a bit surprised by it all. Our table was somewhat isolated and you're asked to remove your shoes to step into the booth. I thought we would be sitting cross-legged on tatami mats but it was just a regular booth with cold tiles for the floor. Make sure you wear socks...I made the mistake of wearing slides and so I had to sit there with my bare feet touching the ground. Our server was nice, she mentioned a couple of their specials and emphasized how some seafood items were in season. We shared most of the food but individually ordered some nigiri. Karaage: Maybe had like 6-8 pieces. None of them were crispy but they were juicy. Definitely had way better karaage at other restaurants. Calamari: Even as an appetizer, the portion size was so small. Shockingly small. Flavor was decent though but definitely not worth it for the amount you get. Saba Shio: Lightly salted and grilled Mackerel. I'm a huge fan of grilled fish and I think this was the best thing we had. Lots of tiny bones though so be careful. Nigiri: A5 Wagyu comes with a pickled jalapeño on the top. I enjoyed the seared flavor and the meat was really tender. The Uni, however, tasted off. None of us knew how to explain it but it just didn't taste right. Texture was smooth and buttery.I really wanted to enjoy the experience here but the food was average and we paid a hefty price for it all. For the amount of money spent, I should feel full, satisfied, and content with the meal but unfortunately, we left disappointed.

We made a reservation over the phone. Came here for a date night and loved how cute the restaurant was with private rooms with seating close to the floor and short tables. It felt like an authentic experience. The food was delicious and there was a great variety to choose from though the fish quality isn't up to par with other Japanese restaurants we have tried. The staff was attentive and provided excellent service overall.

If you are looking for a good omakase type style Japanese Restaurant, then Robataya Oton is an excellent choice. The Chef is from Tokyo, Japan and brings the taste from the Land of the Rising Sun into each dish. The restaurant has counter seating, booth seating, and tatami type seating. Unfortunately, the tatami seating is semi private because of a thinly vailed drape between the tables. Thus, 4 stars due to ambiance. You can hear easily the table next to you. Service is excellent ! The Servers are friendly, polite, and welcoming. In traditional Japanese way, you are given a sealed hand cleaning cloth before you eat. Each dish was presented nicely as well as delicious in flavor. If you are looking for an American style Japanese Restaurant with Teriyaki dishes, this is not the place. But, if you are looking for authentic Japanese cuisine then Oton will reward your palate.

Yummmy, the food was delicious! Our whole experience was great. The staff was very helpful even asking me if I was cold from the door being opened from where I was sitting at the bar. The chef overheard my husband and I having a question about the menu and he helped answer our questions. His recommendations on the menu did not disappoint. I felt like we were in Japan all over again, the ambiance looked very cool and we totally like the set up with the private rooms. We will definitely be going back! Highly recommend :)