Okinii Köln — Restaurant in Cologne

i can not recommend this place. the restaurant looks sleek and modern, the chairs and benches are very comfortable, waiters look very well dressed. it seems to be one of those stylish locations where the cool people meet, so you should absolutely reserve a table beforehand. the food itself is good, but way too expensive for 40€ per person. i am pretty sure they have AC, but during our stay it was uncomfortably warm and only shortly before we left the waitstaff opened a couple of windows. (it's kinda weird seeing a waiter lean out the window to get at least a couple breaths fresh air before returning to their duties. why keep the store at a temperature that guests sweat, and they aren't the ones running around with treys of food?)

the concept is, that you can choose up to 5 items from the menu per "round". the "rounds" are refreshed every 15 minutes. so with 4 people and a 2 hour reservation, you can order 8 times for a total of 40 dishes for the group or 10 per person. the problem is, that you don't order and everything gets delivered to your table at once. instead, the waiters will bring random dishes to your table at random times. there is no real way to see what has been brought to your table. yes, you can see your order history on your phone (through which you have to order), but it's hard to keep track of what has arrived and what is still out. in addition, they have a policy that, if you order stuff and don't eat it, you'll be charged an additional 1€ per serving that remains on the table when you leave, incentivizing ordering less per round (possibly missing out if you aren't full at the end of your 2 hours when you are out of rounds). i actually like the idea to prevent uselessly ordering food that guests KNOW they can't eat anymore. on the other hand, considering the unpredictable way food gets delivered to your table, it's impossible to gauge how much you will be able to eat, if a big plate with 20 pieces arrives way later into your stay and there is another one of those in the queue, that you CAN NOT cancel!

we have been there for about 1.5 hours. in our first round we ordered both edamame and spicy edamame. the latter didn't arrive all evening. there were dishes we were unsure if we ordered them, and when we were done eating, food STILL arrived, even after we asked to stop sending food to our table.

the delivery of food to the tables is SO disorganized that i witnessed a table of 4 pay and leave, just for a portion of food to be set on the table about 10 minutes after they left. the table wasn't cleaned yet, and the waiter just put the dish of fruit on top of the dirty dishes still there.

there are more things in saw during my last visit, but this review is getting long as it is. as i said in my first sentence: don't go there unless they seriously change the way they manage their processes. the way it is right now will leave you probably confused and annoyed.

this will have been our last...

My visit to Okinii in Cologne on July 17th, 2023, left much to be desired. The overall dining experience was disheartening due to several glaring issues that marred what should have been an enjoyable evening. To start, let’s talk about water! the price of entry was €30, but drinking water is not covered by this, so to quench thirst with water you are forced to purchase bottled water. The disappointment continued when the ‘additional cost’ dish I paid for was served incorrectly. This blunder reflected poorly on the restaurant’s attention to detail. Moreover, the service throughout the evening was far from satisfactory. The staff seemed disinterested and inattentive, displaying a lack of professionalism that detracted from the overall dining experience. Adding to the frustration was the impersonal timer system through an app. This mechanized approach took away from the warmth and personal touch that one expects from a dining establishment, further contributing to the feeling of detachment and disappointment. Additionally, the artificial pause between ‘rounds’ of eight meant that when we were told the kitchen would close soon, we were unable to place 2 rounds of dishes. Lastly, the most concerning aspect was the inconsistency between the advertised closing time and the actual kitchen closure. Okinii promoted a closing time of 22:30, but much to our dismay, the kitchen closed at 22:00, depriving us of the opportunity to order additional dishes as intended. In conclusion, my visit to Okinii in Cologne on the 17th of July, 2023, was marred by various disappointments. From the lack of tap water to the incorrect dish served, along with poor service and an impersonal app-based timer system, the overall experience was disheartening. The miscommunication regarding the kitchen’s closing time only added to the frustration. It is regrettable that such issues tainted what could have been a pleasant dining experience. I hope the management addresses these concerns to improve the overall quality of service...

I visited Okinii Köln on a Ester Sunday evening and had an absolutely wonderful experience. They offer a buffet-style dinner with an impressive variety of fresh and flavorful Japanese dishes. From sushi and sashimi to hot dishes like tempura, gyoza, and yakitori – everything was beautifully presented and delicious.

So here’s the deal: you pay a set price for all you can eat within a 2-hour limit. You can place up to 8 rounds of 10 items each using their digital ordering system. It’s a smart way to minimize waste and keep things efficient. Even cooler – a robot delivers your order to the table, which adds a fun and futuristic touch to the whole dining experience.

The selection of food is great, what we ordered was top-quality and served in small, beautifully presented portions. overall, it’s a fun and unique dining experience that’s worth trying.

The restaurant itself has a stylish, modern vibe, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Highly recommend if you’re in Cologne and looking for a great Japanese buffet with a twist. Will definitely be...