Inakaya Watanabe in Seven Oaks - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Looking at the reviews, I had high expectations of this restaurant. I tried it on a date and both of us were underwhelmed by the food and atmosphere. I ordered the teriyaki chicken bento box and he ordered sushi and some kind of bowl with chicken. We both agreed that we probably should have just gone to a hibachi restaurant where the food is prepared fresh in front of us instead. Needless to say, we won't be back again

The place needs upgrading but the food and service is great.

Our experience at Watanabe was fantastic. The atmosphere was unique, and the food was delicious. As a family of five, including three kids, we were impressed by the freshness of all the special rolls. The kids’ meals were also a perfect fit for our children.

I have been going here for 30 years. I thought it was the best sushi in Columbia. We went last night, just 3 of us. We waited over an hour for a table. This is not a big deal, for the day and time we choose to go. We finally got to order our food. We waited, they were busy. We watched other people sit after us, order their food, get their food, eat their food, and leave. It was over an hour after we ordered, and we still do not have our food. I asked the waitress, she said I will see if they can start on our food now. What, "start on our order". I asked to speak to the manager. I said the same thing I said to the waitress. The manager shrugged her shoulders at me. That is unacceptable. The service has crashed, and I will never dine in again.

My favorite sushi in the midlands, a must try

This place is a temple. I have been coming here my entire life. The food is amazing and fresh, the staff is incredibly kind and the prices are extremely reasonable. This is hands down the best sushi in the state. Look no further.

We love this place. We always sit at the sushi bar. We like to eat "raw". This is not an inexpensive place. But it is worth it to us as the fish is fresh and delicious. We also enjoy the two charming sushi chefs, Carlos and Jesus. It's not just a meal... It's an evening of entertainment.

A bit pricy but food is good! Friendly staff too.

Sydney. My experience was beautiful due to our amazing server, Sydney.

Recently Japan and this is very good. This isn’t just anywhere for these prices? Wow. Sign me up

This restaurant is very authentic and well-run. I loved the quiet and serene atmosphere. The food was very high quality and reasonably priced. I got a plate full of different kinds of sashimi. It’s very clear this is a true Japanese-owned restaurant.

Great place, sea food is really good and flesh!

This place is the real deal. Hidden in a small corner, don't let that fool you. Food is super fresh and the highest quality. Price is good too.

The chicken teriyaki bento box is very good. The rice was cooked very well and the chicken was tender. Our server was very nice and checked in several times.

Our server Nathan was so helpful in suggesting some fun new things to try, as well as recommending popular rolls. Bento Boxes for lunch and a few rolls is where it's at! If you go with a group, definitely get the boat!

This place is full 10/10. Highly recommended it. The food is fantastic. The staff is great. Everything is great about this place. I like to sit at the sushi bar and order sushi. The sushi is phenomenal.

Fresh and tasty Sashimi. Rice is very good. I was also surprised that California Roll was good. Ordered Sushi Supreme $23 decent price. Nice waitresses. Japanese decorations make a welcoming ambient.

It was pretty good. I appreciated the portion sizes. They were generous at a time when other sushi places are slimming the cuts of the fish, not here. Recommended.

Delicious authentic Japanese food. Went there for years. Tatami rooms ar a lot a fun. Fun fact: they had a karaoke room you could rent in the back years ago

Inakaya is one of the best sushi restaurants in the Columbia area. The best place to sit is at the sushi bar, if it is available. We have never had a bad experience here.

Excellent food and service. Smaller restaurant with good atmosphere. I was quite impressed

Weekends are not the best time to go. They are very busy and it slows the service down.

My husband and I arrived and were told there was about a 30 minute wait so we sat and waited for a table. During that time, I examined the interior which was quite old and outdated. I watched the 2 hosts have no sense of urgency to accommodate anyone that arrived. The host was taking her sweet time with every single thing. The other host was just doing his own thing not even a care in the world. I just did not get a good vibe from this place at all. Our server was very polite and knowledgeable. We ordered Shumai, firecracker roll, Godzilla roll, happy roll, stir fried noodles with shrimp, and Kamonasu. The shumai was good, and so was the noodle dish. The kamonasu was delicious. I was not impressed with the flavor of the sushi rolls. I’ve had much better sushi at Miyabi on Columbiana Drive. Their’s is top notch.

Low quality food. Not an authentic Japanese.

Great Lil location . Can't wait til next time so I won't be in a hurry . I recommend trying it out.

Great food, great service! As always, great food straight from the sushi bar.

Delicious, fresh, and fun! Our waiter, Nathan, was awesome! Highly recommended

Phenomenal wait staff and bar staff. All in all the absolute best place to go for sushi noodles or drinks.

Went with some friends. Delicious teriyaki chicken! But, they don't have yum yum sauce. I love yum yum, but they don't have it. Their spicy mayo tastes nothing like it either. But, service was quick and our waiter was friendly.

Excellent experience. The food was great and the drinks were delicious. I waited around 30 to 45 minutes to have a table or to even sit on the bar, but the wait was worth it. The chef is Japanese, so he knows what the food must look and taste like. 100% recommended

Amazing ramen and best sushi I've ever had. Wish I could've gotten more!

My favorite sushi place in Columbia. Great food at a reasonable price.

We went to eat at in Akkaya for the first time, and the sushi was absolutely amazing. Definitely recommend the firecracker and the Godzilla the service was outstanding, and the food was so great. Definitely one of the best sushi places I’ve ever eaten. Come back again

Came for dinner on Valentine’s Day since this is one of my wife’s favorite places. She loved the shrimp tempura. I loved the pork katsu. Side salad and miso soup were very good too. Although we didn’t get sushi or sashimi this latest time, when I have had them in the past they were very tasty and fresh. Highly recommend!

The sushi there is fantastic, and the staff is wonderful. We went for a party after not having been there for a few years - I hope to make more regular visits now!

This rating in no way reflects the quality of food as we did not eat here, but more the customer experience. There were four of us who showed up to dine in. The first hostess said they could seat us as soon as they cleared a table off then immediately went to work on our table to prepare it. While she was away a male hostess came up and asked if we already put our name in which we responded yes just now with the other hostess. He then tells us it will be a 30-40 minute wait. My wife explains that the other hostess just told us a table was available and went to prepare it for us. He immediately tells us the hostess was wrong for that, the wait is still minimum 30 minutes, and without even trying to resolve the confusion with the first hostess or with us proceeded to go on to helping the next customers. This was incredibly rude and came off like he was calling my wife a liar. There was never an attempt to resolve the issue or even an apology for the mixup. We understand that stuff happens at times but not trying to fix it is unacceptable. We will not come back to this establishment.

We came here for dinner and we were greeted by a young lady who told us there was no waiting list and that she would clear a table for us to hold on just one moment. So we waited patiently. Then a man came up and asked if our name was on the list, I said no the girl we just spoke with said there was no waiting list. He said “Well she was wrong.” Then he proceeded to start talking to the people behind us. He did not apologize or offer to put our name on the list. Once he got the names of the two groups behind us, he saw that we hadn’t gone away, he said “Well what do you want to do? Do you want me to put your name on the list? It’s a 30 minute wait.” Then he tried to explain about the calendar and why the young lady would have made the mistake. He had a terrible attitude, did not apologize, and only tried to fix the mistake after he realized we weren’t going away. Terrible service, I will not come back here if this is who they have running the place.

We were going to eat here until a server was incredibly rude to us. We walked in and TWO servers told us that there was no wait and then when another server came up to the podium and asked us if we were on the list we said no two lady’s told us there was no wait and they were cleaning off a table for us. Instead of just telling us sorry the lady’s were wrong and letting us know there would be a wait he very rudely said No Thats wrong and then completely ignored us to talk to the other people around us.

Looooooooooove this place! And I love getting a boat and splitting it with my friends. The atmosphere always great. I love when we have a large party we get to sit in one of those booths onto the side or even get the back room.

The service is horrible. The host are extremely rude. Definitely won't be coming back until they get better host with better people skills and attitudes. I'll also be sharing this on social media. Food is amazing if you can handle rude people.

I hate sushi. I love this place

The food and people are unmatched!!! Having worked in the food industry for many years and have traveled most of the continental US. I can honestly say that this is the best overall best restaurant I have ever had the privilege to dine at!!!

Great restaurant! Don't let the location fool you. The service and food are amazing! Highly recommend if you're looking for a place to have a nice dinner.

I love this restaurant the sushi, Ramen, service, and atmosphere are great. I drive 50min to eat here. Highly recommend the Firecracker roll.

I think the best sushi in Columbia!¡!

As authentic as you can get in South Carolina

Awesome AUTHENTIC sushi. I definitely will be visiting again.

Been going here for 4 years and I've yet to be let down. Everyone is super knowledgeable and friendly and the food is astounding

This place is a hidden gem! I lived in Tokyo for 3 years. This place feels, looks, and tastes like I'm back there. Highly recommend!!!!

The food is still first rate, but the service and atmosphere are not what they once were. There was no one at the hostess stand to greet me when I arrived, and it took a bit before someone took my beverage order or food order (and while it was about 7pm on a Saturday, it wasn't that busy). The waiting area had been converted to a place for, apparently, preparing "to go" orders, and was rather messy. In the past, at that time on a Saturday, that area would have been full of people waiting for tables. I sat at the sushi bar, and couldn't have been more pleased with the sushi chefs and food. All fantastic. If they could tighten up the dining room staff, and waiting area/take-out prep area, it would still be a 5 star place.

Best sushi in Columbia hands down

Thus place doesn't look like much when you pull up to park, but once inside the place looks great and the food is even better..

Great atmosphere! We has at the bar. Everything was delicious, the godzilla roll especially!! We got 2!! Inakaya is definitely our favorite sushi spot!!

A great local place with amazing food. Sushi specials change and they offer types that you can't find other places.

Thinking tonight, sushi would hit the spot. Read the reviews, came here, and was not disappointed! From the point, I walked in, to the point that I walked out after eating, I was extremely pleased! They were busy, but sat me after a very brief wait. I chose to sit at the sushi bar, I ordered, watched it be prepared with some very fresh fish, and was served. Excellent sushi! Very friendly service! Great prices! Clean! Everyone around was loving it. I’ll be back, and back, I’m back again. Thank you!

The food experience was 5/5 Everything extremely fresh and perfectly plated. I love traditional sushi and Inakaya went way above my expectations of a Top of the line Japanese restaurant. I am sure it is the best Sushi restaurant in South Carolina.

Comfortably casual serving the best authentic sushi in SC. Plus other tasty classics like Hamachi kama.

Great service, wonderful food. 30-minute wait ,but it's worth it. If I had a negative, I wish they would have done thinner slices. I will ask next time...

This is a gem in Columbia! Tucked away in the back of a parking lot, this restaurant must be tried. So many wonderful things to try on the menu! Sushi on point. If you live in Columbia, it will become a favorite!

The staff here is great and the food is good!

Don't let the location stop you from trying them out. Loved the firecracker roll!

I have been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time. So on Saturday night around 8:00pm or so, I headed over with a friend. There were several couples ahead of us, which I did not have a problem with. The gentleman serving as the host was kind and accommodating. I gave him my name and let him know that we would be waiting outside. The wait wasn't too long. The host brought us in and sat us at table 6A, at least that's what my receipt shows. A minute or so later a female precedes to slam two glasses of water onto our table. I say slam because it caused my friend and I to jump a little and there was water that splashed on me. I'm not sure if the server had to deal with an issue before we were seated, or if she had a preconceived judgement, but, I reluctantly decided to give Ms. L some grace.... Honestly, the way that she came to our table and slammed the drinks down and her bothered demeanor the rest of way, colored a majority of the evening. She was curt and offensive in my opinion. Other than that, we enjoyed the Tempura Shiitake Mushrooms and Gyoza as appetizers. The rest of the meal was good. We ended dinner around 8:45pm. I wish I would have asked for another server but that also would have ruined dinner because I wasn't up for a scene or playing musical chairs. I would possibly go back in the future, but I would definitely make sure to ask for one of the other servers since they didn't seem miserable and appeared to not mind assisting their guests.

Got the spicy tuna and the Philadelphia roll and they were both incredible. Haven't been here in years and it's still the best sushi in town.

The softshell crab tasted like the oil it was fried in was old and burnt. I also had the Chirashi. Will not be going back.

Great Japanese restaurant. The best Sushi Nigiri in town. After a small mistake in the order, the owner didn't hesitate to correct it. I vote Inakaya Watanabe #1 in my book.

It does get a little warm in the restaurant sometimes, but otherwise, it's a great place! It's our favorite sushi place and we go at least once a month, if not more!

Best hole in the wall sushi restaurant in Columbia

Very authentic, loved it great sushi.

Excellent sushi spot. Every roll we tried was amazing.

Excellent sushi bar. Has about a dozen seats or so. Fast service, fresh ingredients, our server was friendly and polite. Wontons are delicious if you want a hot appetizer. The Happy roll and Crunch roll were great, couldn't eat it all.

Inakaya Watanabe recieves the highest praise I can give. I have tried many Japanese/sushi restaurants, and this one is the best.

This place has a Grade C health rating. Eat at your own risk!

I saw this restaurant online and wanted to try because i have never been. I took my lil niece. I immediately wanted to try their sushi i have heard such good things. I ordered the Godzilla rolls. They were so good. I love the sauce on top. They were fresh and tasty. 10/10. I then ordered fried vegetables with teriyaki chicken along with a side salad and miso soup. The soup wasn’t the best it was a lil cold. The salad was really good my niece even loved it. The vegetables and the chicken was good. I didn’t know they didn’t cook fried rice they only offer white rice. So i decided not to get none. I ordered my niece teriyaki chicken as-well but the kids portion. I thought it was so cute how they have a kids plate and fork. My niece loved it. I will definitely go back for the sushi alone or the salad because they stood out. The waiter was very nice aswell. She helped me with the menu. So i will def go back and try something else.

Sat at the sushi bar. Fresh fish, specials, good service. Not the usual fried rolls covered in Mayo. Best Japanese in Columbia.

What is there to say about some place that you love to eat out regularly with family and friends for over 23 years? It's like home, but different in a uniquely beautiful way; it's like being in another country and never actually leaving Columbia; it's fellowship, comfort, familiarity and unparalleled food made with such precision and quality, deliciously served with humility, in love and respect. This restaurant is the all American dream spoken in Japanese, where everybody works to make the ambiance something superior, yet it can be so casual feeling that you can come as you are, whether you are dressed in your best or in your flip flops and shorts, all are welcome without judgement. They have so many beautiful traditions in that restaurant and I've made so many beautiful memories there. I can honestly say they are worth the sometimes long wait. It is sometimes hard to get a table, but that's only because I can honestly say there's no place like it in the world, and if you're not eating there, you should be! Kickback some sake, have some steamed gyoza, while you're waiting for your red dragon roll, quit using a fork, say thanks in Japanese, and be carried away for an hour or two. You won't regret becoming a regular, I never have and never will. My favorite family-owned, local Japanese restaurant in the USA.🐉

Best sushi in town. Pleasant staff and was a great experience. A bit crowded for my taste, but that should be expected given the quality and that we went on a Sat night.

Great dining experience and great food! It gets crowded early, so its best to get there as soon as possible, especially if you want a seat at the sushi bar!

I can't believe I've been a loyal customer for over 20 years and never reviewed. Wow! Sorry Ryo! The best sushi in town but don't overlook their other dishes. This is a Japanese restaurant and sushi is only one aspect of their offerings. Get the noodles and thank me later. Got a party? Reserve a tatami room and sit back and enjoy. Great parking, friendly staff, good service but don't be in a hurry. There can be wait times so plan accordingly.

Lots of really good Japanese grade sushi and plates. Probably the best sushi place I've been to!

Food and sushi are the best. 100% authentic!! Atmosphere and service is exquisite. Very clean and friendly service. Well priced

So far we haven't eaten in, we like to get the big platter that's only available for pick up. But when going in, the service is has been great every time I've gone in, to pick up or they offer pick up outside the restaurant, to run in and get extra spicy mayo or the white sauce, not sure the name, and they are generous with the Wasabi. I know you can be seated at the sushi bar or at a booth. There was a line bc they were popping busy, but it was Saturday night. Their sushi is very good, that platter is 59.99 and it has at least 9 plus rolls. I'll usually add a couple spicy tuna rolls. I can't remember how many rolls come on the platter exactly but it fills up my wife and I. With or with out the extra rolls. And we can put down some sushi, lol. I highly recommend to give them a shot. Its nice spot for family, couples, and friends type of place to go. Calmer and quieter atmosphere than some other sushi restaurants around. Id call ahead to find out their hours. Bc I don't believe they're open all day. That's all i got for now. Next time I'll get some pictures. Thank yall!!!

Unexpectedly fantastic highway stop.

Food was really good. Try the natto if you are brave enough.

カウンター席とテーブル席一回ずつ、計2回ディナーに行きました。日本人のオーナーの方がいると聞いていたので期待値が高かったのですが、特に日本人の方と話す機会もなく、どちらかというと一般的なアメリカ寿司のお店という印象を受けました。ただウェイターさんも頻繁に声をかけてくれたり、ネタも比較的良いものをリーズナブルな価格で食べれるのでコロンビアにあるもう一個の田舎屋よりも満足度は高いかと思います。期待値も込めて星5です。

Good food, but over priced and over rated.

The sushi is always fresh and delicious. It is always fun to get a sushi boat.

A great place for large party gatherings; if they don't mind sitting on the floor.

Upon arrival and entrance to the restaurant the wait for seating with the hostess wasn’t long and we were seating at what at first appeared to be a nice table location with space. After being seated however another group of kids was sat right next to us in a booth, and the proximity of the tables to each other was very appalling and close in proximity. Which in its self was a terrible experience as the whole other table of unknown people/kids proceeded to watch and make fun of my wife and I throughout our whole meal. The wait for our ordered drinks wasn’t long, but our appetizer took about 15-20 minutes to arrive, with our waitress disappearing shortly after. We weren’t offered a refill on our waters or beverage. After waiting about 45 minutes my food arrived and we were told my wife’s sushi was still being made. I ordered the steak, which came out fine but there was nothing great to really remark about it. Id also ordered a vegetable roll which was very sad to say the least. It was made with lettuce and tomato. A freakin salad with rice. Cheaply made! When my wife’s sushi arrived the raw fish wasn’t chilled or cool. It was warm/hot. It had a very strong not fresh taste and my wife could only stomach around 3 pieces before saying she was done and couldn’t attempt to eat anymore. This place is severely over rated and it’s definitely not a great/classy type of place to bring your wife for an outing. The food isn’t cold/fresh and you’ll have a bit of a wait while being watched like a hawk by near by customers at their own tables. It says a lot in its self when I say the best part of the meal was the ice water and soda. My advice is to go somewhere else, the food and quality is not worth the money here.

Bar none, the best sushi and authentic Japanese in the state! We come here all the time and everything we've ever had here is just amazing. Cannot recommend this place enough!

Food was absolutely worth every penny and then some, and our server was simply delightful ! Very attentive and took the time to talk with our group of 8 about Pokémon <3

Been coming here for over 10 Years!!! No other place in the nation better than this restaurant!!! Love it!!!

Staff was amazing, food was Batabulous.. will go back.

I make it a point to come here for tonkatsu ramen every time Im in town. I’m not brave enough to sit at the bar where they handmake sushi infront of you, but it looks like a fun experience. The place is tiny, so I’d suggest to-go orders.

This has been my go to sushi spot since 2014! The godzilla roll is my personal favorite, but everything is amazing. Try their ramen bowls!

Our favorite sushi place. Best in Columbia by far

Great sushi as always, and exceptional service. Always a pleasure to dine here

Disappointed! We went and got the Omazake boat which is the most expensive boat there and we got TWO!! The chefs didn’t even give us fatty tuna, uni etc. Won’t come back! Waste of money for mediocre fish.

So very fresh sushi, great service and atmosphere!

Honestly I was a little disappointed. Food lacked flavor and service was not attentive; it felt like they wanted to make us leave. The server needs to treat all tables with the same hospitality no matter the size of the party. For the time I spent here I wouldn’t do it again. Not for me sorry.

Top-tier. The best sushi I've ever had. An absolute MUST-try for sushi lovers. The sushi chef is an artist.