Ando Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Blue Ash

This restaurant was ranked very highly on several lists for sushi in Cincinnati so perhaps I just had too high of expectations. Went here for dinner with my partner and friend for my birthday dinner and it was not a great experience. We made a reservation for 8pm. Maybe that wasn't needed but we wanted to be sure. When we arrived our waitress took our drink order and disappeared. A few minutes later someone from the back came out and demanded we order ASAP because they wanted to close the kitchen. We were rushed several times by different people and reminded over and over again they wanted to close the kitchen. We felt very unwelcome at this point. When our food came out, it was just okay. I will say the soft shell crab was pretty good but the unagi Don was lackluster, a little bland, and they forgot the pickles that were supposed to come with it. Our waiter(s) were nowhere to be found for me to address this. My partner and friend felt their food was just okay. My partners steak and vegetables he said were not prepared well, and he compared it to food he has had at a cafeteria. When we finished eating the busboy came to collect our dishes talking about how it was time for him to go out and party. I guess that's why we were being rushed the whole meal. For the prices they charge we were really expecting something a little better. We have been to several amazing sushi and Asian places in Cincy and this one is definitely my least favorite. It's possible we came on an off night, I would be willing to try it again if my friends wanted to go back, but for now I think I will pass on...

Underwhelmed. With their prices I expected much more in quantity and quality. We arrived early and it wasn't busy but we were served after others who arrived after we had. The server was polite and explained the menu options. From the way he was talking I came to expect the best sushi was here. Unfortunately I was bitten by a mosquito multiple times while waiting. It seemed to be having a better meal than I had. Ordered 5 rolls. Only 1 of them might be worth ordering again. $17.50 for a Philadelphia roll? Was thinking maybe they had something special or it would be bigger...but it was tiny and the fish was scarce. The roll could have come from Kroger and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. Disappointed! Can easily get bigger better sushi for half the price almost anywhere else in town.

Dessert was just ok. We had the dark chocolate cheesecake and it was dry and lacked presentation...same story as the sushi. Also was given a dirty spoon to eat dessert. When I mentioned the spoon was dirty, I got no apology, only a skeptical inspection of the spoon before he replaced it.

If you're looking for overpriced sushi that is lacking in presentation and size, this is your place. Otherwise I suggest skipping it and going...

Ando is the best sushi I have ever had; period. I have been to at least 10 sushi establishments in the Greater Cincinnati area as well as a few in San Francisco and Vancouver. Ando beats them all!

I loved the decor; it feels authentic and Shinto - giving a different vibe than Buddhist themed places. It is run by family and there are always other Japanese customers, which is a very good sign.

I have been to lunch and dinner at Ando with my sons and both visits were great. The dinner visit was a little slow on service, but it was packed and once the food arrived I completely forgot about the wait. The food is amazing! Both times I ordered bento boxes. For lunch I had a small box and for dinner I had a multi-tiered box.

Each box contained sushi, which was phenomenal, as well as traditional Japanese pickled vegetables and tempura. Everything was top notch and every employee was nice and extremely accommodating. It is hard to believe that a place as good as this can exist in the Midwest. It is now the place by which I compare every other sushi...