Okurama Japanese Cuisine — Restaurant in Saint Julian's

Avoid this place at all costs - you'd have a better sushi experience jumping into the sea and trying to take a bite out of a passing fish. And you'd certainly get your food faster that way.

Went for the "buffet" option at 8PM, ordered first round (sushi) quickly, no food arrived until gone 9:30PM, and only part of what we'd ordered came. They were clearly prioritizing delivery orders which were coming and going all night. Politely explained that I know they were busy but since it took so long we'd prefer to just pay a la carte prices for what we'd ordered. The waitress said they'd need to "check this with the manager because it isn't allowed" (?!).

After another 15 minute delay the bill finally arrived. When I went to pay, their card terminal was displaying network issues ("unable to connect to host"), and after explaining this to the manager and offering to try a different card (same issue...because it was an issue with their network) she rudely complained that it had been working for other people and I should walk out to find an ATM. Fortunately, I had cash on me, despite her clear insinuation that I was trying to skip out without paying.

On the one hand, I can't fault their bottled water, so if that's what you're looking for then maybe this is the place for you. On the other hand, Malta airport is only a 20minute drive away, and a one-way flight to Tokyo only takes 18h with a stop off in London Heathrow - which is probably a faster way to get a proper round of sushi...

I recently visited this restaurant, and while the food was excellent, the service from one of the staff members was disappointing.

As a 19-year-old on a language stay, I was eating alone, which made me a bit anxious already. I greeted her politely, but she didn’t smile or seem welcoming. Later, I noticed she was much friendlier with other customers, smiling and giving them more attention.

My food arrived, but my drinks, as well as those of other customers who ordered at the same time, were left on the counter for about five minutes. I don’t want to assume anything, but she seemed to spend a lot of time going in and out of a room while the food and drinks remained on the counter, even after the chef rang the bell.

When I asked for the bill, I had to wait about 10 minutes, even though other tables who requested it after me were served first. I tried signaling that I was ready to pay, and although we locked eyes, she ignored me and continued serving others. After another 10 minutes, I went to the counter to pay, even though others were able to pay at their table when she brought them the card scanner. Thankfully, another staff member noticed and apologized.

The difference in service made me feel uncomfortable, especially since I was polite and respectful throughout my visit. I hope this feedback helps improve the service, as the food was fantastic, and I believe all customers should be treated with the same...

Update 2: Appreciated the management's response to my previous update and gave this place another chance. Service was definitely improved with servers constantly checking in on us to ensure everything was fine. Food was good and definitely enjoyed it. Will surely return.

Update: Unfortunately I have to downgrade my previous review after being served rather chewy pork that I wasn't even sure if it was pork or beef. But the worst was not the pork but however that the waitress just says "Are you ready Sir?" to a clearly uneaten quarter portion without asking why I didn't finish it and just offered dessert when I'm still hungry.

Note: Appreciate the management's response and hopefully next time things will be better.

Nice little Asian gem of a restaurant hidden in plain site just off the main Paceville area. Surprisingly empty during a Sunday Lunch in comparison to the 2 other Okurama outlets (one of which is nearby). This one is particularly Japanese themed (food not as much in decor). Nice dishes, though perhaps slightly less portion sizes than the other two, and the same level of service as its counterparts. Nicely styled (perhaps more than expected for its price range) except for that glaringly kitchy "We love Sushi" neon sign that is rather at odds with the rest of the decor. Only giving 4 stars in comparison to Okurama's two other rather upscale outlets, but still worth a visit for its...