Inakaya Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Columbia

Inakaya Japanese Restaurant in Columbia, SC, is a local favorite for good reason. The moment you step inside, you’re greeted by a spacious, Japanese-inspired interior featuring traditional decor and even a display case of antiques. Whether you choose to sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs in action or relax at a cozy table, the ambiance strikes a balance between authenticity and comfort. Service here consistently earns high marks—staff are friendly, attentive, and quick to offer helpful recommendations, making both first-timers and regulars feel right at home. Spicy Tuna Rolls Start your meal with the spicy tuna rolls, a menu staple that showcases Inakaya’s commitment to freshness. The rolls are generously filled with high-quality tuna, and the spice level is just right—enough to deliver a kick without overwhelming the delicate flavor of the fish. The rice is well-seasoned, and the construction of the roll is tidy, though some diners have noted the rice can be a bit chewy at times. Still, the overall freshness and flavor make this a must-try for sushi enthusiasts. Seafood Ramen Inakaya’s seafood ramen is a comforting bowl that highlights the kitchen’s skill with both broth and seafood. Expect a savory, well-balanced broth brimming with shrimp, crab, and other fresh seafood, complemented by springy noodles and crisp vegetables. The portion size is satisfying, making it a great choice for a hearty lunch or dinner. The dish is a testament to the restaurant’s ability to deliver more than just sushi—ramen lovers will appreciate the depth of flavor and generous seafood portions. Fried Tempura Vegetables For a lighter, crispy option, order the fried tempura vegetables. Inakaya’s tempura batter achieves the ideal texture: airy, crisp, and not overly oily. Common vegetables include sweet potato, kabocha squash, mushrooms, and bell peppers, all fried to golden perfection. The tempura is served with a classic dipping sauce that enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables. This dish is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for sharing or as a starter to your meal. Tips for the Best Experience • If you enjoy watching your food being prepared, opt for a seat at the sushi bar. • Ask your server for recommendations—they’re knowledgeable and happy to guide you, even steering you toward house specialties or away from less popular items. • For dessert, consider skipping the mochi ice cream in favor of the fried cheesecake, which comes highly recommended by staff and diners alike. • The menu is extensive, so don’t hesitate to try something new—special rolls and sashimi platters are particularly popular. Final Thoughts Inakaya Japanese Restaurant stands out for its consistently fresh ingredients, attentive service, and inviting atmosphere. Whether you’re craving classic sushi rolls, a warming bowl of ramen, or perfectly fried tempura, you’ll find something to love. Prices are reasonable, portions are generous, and the overall experience is one that keeps guests coming back. For anyone seeking authentic Japanese cuisine in Columbia, Inakaya is...

I haven’t never been this upset in my life. I brought my friends and workers here because I have seen many five stars and great reviews about this place. And so we were all excited about coming to this place and trying the food out ! I understand there’s many of us and we’re a little loud for the atmosphere, I understand it’s a great place ! But all this time our server just seen to be rushing us to order the drinks and our meal right away! She never told us her name , either which just seem to be little odds, however we moved along when one of my friends asked for green tea( hot pot) our server seem to forgot about the drink, it’s fine, I understand I owned a business too ! However after getting food before the drink we just wanted to her remind about the drink we missing and she seems VERY irritated about it and rushing us to order. You have to know we pay for the food and service, what’s wrong about getting our drink when we got our meal beforehand. Another thing seems to upsetting us is that when we got our food there were no utensil given to us. When we tryna remind her about the silverware she seems extremely bothered. She then came and ask if we wanted to order some more, when we told her what we wanted. She took off ran and did something else without telling us. I understand when it’s busy you have many chores to do, so it’s no rush if she can just tell us give her sometime. Which seems very rude to us. We somehow just took along because we wanna to have fun. What upsets me the most is when I asked for Sashimi platter( salmon only ) for three people portion, I took her money is not a problem. If you can provide it’s fine. She just seem to be in her own wonderland and brought us the original. Which I’m gonna pay for it, I didn’t wrong to ruin my mood. Mind that there’s a lot of us. And she never read back what we order and took off. She never clarify and explain to us about anything on the menu. When we ask for uni sashimi, she told us it will be 20 for two pieces which it’s not a problem for me. She then later came and told us there were none available. My question is should’ve the server know what the business have before letting the customers know beforehand! Getting our hyped up for nothing .My friend came from Pennsylvania long way trip just so we can hang out together one time, and I had to apologize to them about this. Noted that I have treated my worker to many sushi restaurant over many states in the US! This is the worst of the worst Situation I have been in!! She was very irritating to take us and getting all our order wrong! I then told her I want the same thing after but with all salmon but she later bring out the sashimi appetizer for one person portion! Omg this is not acceptable. Am I not Clarifying enough for her to understand or something! I can go all day about the thing she did. And I have never written any bad review ever to any restaurant before because I have one myself. But this is just not acceptable! I wish to talk to...

i used to come here for a couple years for my birthday. i came here again for the first time in a while last week for my birthday this year. unfortunately they have declined in service quality as well as food quality.

we got seated in a back area without anyone else there - we got there around 7:30-7:45 and they closed at 10. i will come back to this later. i had asked the waitress for water without ice when asked for drinks. she returned with ice and did not ask if we were ready to put anything in. she did replace it with the correct request when she came by another 5 min later and i had asked her about it. then she left again for 5 min while we decided on our final order. she came back and asked us if we were ready. i said probably one more minute and she did not come back for another 10 min. i also don’t remember the menu being so confusing either. there were 4-5 different laminated menus to read through… all with different information. however once the order was placed, the food came out very quickly, and all at once. i wish the appetizers would have come out first. fish quality was also not as good as i had remembered. tempura batter also seemed very deep fried, not flakey/crumby like they should be. i don’t think overall the service and food quality are worth the price they are charging anymore. the waitress also did not come back to check on us until we were 3/4 through our meal - then she came back maybe 2 more times very quickly. like why after we are almost done? i also noticed at that point that all of the tables around us in the back had their chairs put up as we were still eating. there was plenty of seating in the main area, why were we put in the back with the stocking table as well (extra napkins/soy sauce/small dishes) that staff kept coming by for but our waitress couldn’t come back at a consistent and reasonable pace?

i hate to leave this review but unfortunately this location’s quality has declined. i may need to try the inakaya in irmo next time, although i’m not sure if they’re related. my stomach also had issues later on as well… i almost never have stomach issues after eating out, and this place gave me a hard time. unfortunately not worth the price anymore. maybe i will try again another few...