Oishii Ocean, Japanese & Cajun Seafood — Restaurant in Newark

Tucked just steps away from the University of Delaware campus, Oishii Japanese Restaurant lives up to its name—“oishii” meaning “delicious” in Japanese—by serving some of the most flavorful and authentic Japanese cuisine in the area. Whether you’re a student grabbing a quick sushi roll between classes or a local looking for a relaxed, high-quality dining experience, Oishii delivers consistently on taste, service, and value.

From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere strikes a balance between cozy and modern. It’s clean, inviting, and unpretentious—perfect for a casual dinner or a special night out. The staff are friendly, quick to greet you, and always happy to recommend dishes or explain ingredients.

Our server “Emily” was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. She checked in regularly without being intrusive and made sure our drinks were always full and our meals came out just right.

The sushi here is the real star. The fish is fresh, generously portioned, and artfully presented. Favorites include the UD Roll—spicy tuna and avocado topped with seared salmon and eel sauce—and the Volcano Roll, which is an absolute delight and packed with flavor. If you’re not into sushi, the kitchen menu is just as impressive. The chicken katsu is crisp and tender, the ramen is hearty and comforting, and the bento boxes offer great variety for the price.

Portions are generous, and everything feels thoughtfully prepared. Even the miso soup and side salads are above average—fresh, flavorful, and never an afterthought.

Prices are student-friendly, especially considering the quality of ingredients. It’s no surprise Oishii has built a loyal following in Newark. Whether you’re a sushi aficionado or a newcomer to Japanese cuisine, Oishii is...

Was planning to stop by a different place (that I love) which is located on Main Street but thought I'd give a new place a try instead. I hate to be the one to break the 5* streak but the food was only average to me. I ordered quite a few things since I'm only here for a short time for work so I likely wouldn't have another opportunity to come here. I got the Oishi Fried Rice (Cajun style) because of another review, Crab cake, Bento B box, and Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp)- which I thought would be sushi but was just sashimi, perhaps I had to specify since menu says sushi or sashimi.

Anyhow, the cajun fried rice was more like a black peppery type of spiciness and I was expecting more like a spicy Old Bay flavor profile. It tasted a little better 2hrs later when I ate more of it at room temperature then when I first ate some while it was hot. The bento was okay, the tempura didn't have much of a taste. The teriyaki beef was the second best thing of the items I ordered with the dipping sauce for the crab cake being the first. I wasn't expecting much from the crab cakes given the price point but considering that the Tatsuta-age cost the same I wish I would have tried that or the Gyoza instead. The place is clean and I had no issues with my take out order but all-in-all the food was only avg so I wouldn't feel the need to come back. Perhaps it's the sushi that everyone else is raving...

I only went here once. They did not offer tap water, which really bothered me. No cups!!! Huge omission. I don't want to buy bottled water because it's expensive and it creates unnecessary waste. Also, they only served food in disposable plates and bowls. When I'm paying to eat in a restaurant I'd rather pay a dollar more and have actual nice plates. Also, the hot soup was served in a polystyrene container. Polystyrene, although relatively safe for storing dry foods, is NOT safe for drinking hot liquids or soup out of. This really, really rubbed me the wrong way, to the point where I didn't want to come back. Seriously, why can't they at a bare minimum, serve the food in a paper cup or something? I would prefer they charge slightly more money and serve it in a proper ceramic bowl like most restaurants on main street do. And then there are the chopsticks, just those low-quality flakey disposable ones. This place is such a waste. The quality of the food was really good. I wish they would just serve it with real utensils and charge a little more and pay someone to wash dishes. I would happily come back if they did this, and served tap water in glasses the way virtually every other restaurant does. Please respond to this review if you've addressed these concerns because I want to come back and give you another...