Very average sushi spot. Still searching for quality takeout sushi in Montclair
Tyler Gamba
[Longer Detailed General Review: Repeat Customer, Not Compensated] ?TL:DR 5/5: I haven't had the pleasure of visiting the family-run and owned small business Takara Asian Bistro in Montclair for a long time, but I remember meeting Alan and the staff and always having a lovely, low-key, price-fair, gourmet night. Every tongue's palate is unique, but for what it's worth, without a recent photo, I review many seafood restaurants and try to leave 5-Stars as a Google Reviewer for specific features, so I need to be clear and direct here: Takara Bistro has some of the freshest sashimi in North Jersey. Gemstone. Like a sunny day in February. ? You can taste the difference.-----[More Experiences] One of my family members had eaten at Nobu in Manhattan and remarked that Takara could match them with the quality of some of the choice cuts of the fish. "Different. But good. Better." - was the summary of what we'd say together every night. Any business that serves fish faces the challenges of keeping it fresh and preparing it intentionally, and Takara generally plans for a complete experience every time possible. Some places are overhyped and have 4.9 reviews because it's trendy or unaffordably expensive in another state's city of three million residents or look like a nightclub, but the sushi is only okay. Takara is a local place that wants to make sure you leave full and happier.I've taken childhood friends here after work. I've ordered delivery on the apps multiple times, and if I didn't feel like waiting, I called the store directly or ordered takeout and drove to Montclair from Clifton. I'm not qualified to write for Michelin or anything fancy, but I will say if you taste the food here two separate times, you can't un-taste it by comparison if another restaurant isn't doing it as well.Health and happiness to the quiet and hardworking chefs behind the bar. It is a regular-sized interior and BYOB, so if you drink, I suggest sparkling or white wine from one of the stores in town.Some more extensive and expensive sushi venues in Montclair have lines out of the door on weekends. If you have someone you care for on an idle Saturday night, you can dine in or order out without breaking the bank.Vegetarian options: ? This lengthier review is meant to be a reference to try their sushi and sashimi.Still, locals know they are a fusion restaurant and can make you everything from General Tso's Chicken to Vegan Seaweed Salad and Hot Tea when you want to come in on a weeknight or for Sunday lunch and feel happier for an hour or two with your friends who eat meat or seafood.Dietary restrictions: ?? Yeah, you're good. How this makes me sound as a random Google User to another; I've taken a date who was dieting actively here. While I did not enter a relationship with her, we still think about the dinner when we say hi as good friends. That year, I picked her up from Newark Penn Station in person and drove back north to get to Montclair for a first date. I sat in extra parkway traffic (?) after she took a train because I was a young guy who didn't want to make a wrong impression. We didn't have a gigantic budget that year for her neighborhood in NYC, so I picked Takara on a night she'd be in Jersey. We still laugh that I thought traffic was romantic, but the sashimi is a core memory. ?????So, one TMI embarrassing story for, I guess, food science later: if you're a guy and your girlfriend or date likes Japanese food, impress her by showing her you can taste high-quality and know the difference between super expensive and what is tasty. You don't have to be Anthony Bourdain or Eric Ripert. If your boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, or first date doesn't know much about the different varieties of sashimi or even eat sushi because he's a carnivore or vegan, get him everything else. It's fusion. You can have duck or tofu or seaweed salad. If he loves you and the food is the night's creative fun
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi and Sashimi for Us, Pad Thai, Sashimi for Us, Seaweed Salad, Tuna
Tom K
Takara never fails. Our kids love the perfectly balanced pad Thai and we devoured this Sushi and Sashimi for Us platter. Be ready for your order to arrive early! They arrive about 30 minutes sooner than the Grub Hub timer.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sepehr Rizi
Do not dine in!They are extremely understaffed. On a Friday night they only had 1 server and 1 chef.There’s piles of boxes out in the open and the menus were sticky and gross.I quality of sushi was meh and it took over an hour to come out. Even our water and soda took 30 minutes to get to us.Maybe takeout is a better option here.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Richard B.
I give Takara 5 stars mainly because they serve the tastiest Lo Mein. I order a small shrimp Lo Mein. Plenty to eat at $8 is a treat.
Miss P.
Takara offers wide range Asian cuisine menu. We just tried miso soup and pad Thai noodles, both were good. Portions pretty large as well to satisfy big appetite. Service was okay . I didn't care much about the ambiance, it felt cold and oversize, nothing unique.
Mo Zaky
Takara is usually good. I was bummed when I ordered delivery last night though and much of the fish in the sashimi platter which we had paid over $70 for was very obviously not fresh. We had a few bites and tossed it because we didn’t want to get sick and it didn’t taste good.
Phyllis Lazares
Unfortunetly we did not get to eat the foodParty of 8 , with a reservationWas seated in from of restaurant , with no lightingWe were there for over 35 mins without a glass of water . There was 1 server taking care of everything he kept walking by our table ,and he did not communicate anything, so we called another restaurant and got up and left .I would not try this place again
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Michele Lofrano
I have only had food delivered from here. But I do not recommend this business.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Thomas R. Ortiz
Simple, high-quality Asian fusion food. I go for the food, great chef. Service and atmosphere OK.
Just got immediately cursed out by one of their drivers. We pulled into a tenant only spot but- My wife was just dropping me off and 1) we didn’t even have a chance to put the car in park 2) he immediately starting honking and cursing. I understand the issue he had but all he needed to do was, even just firmly ask that we move. But it was honking and cursing right away. And again in broad daylight with children around.Several families saw it and couldn’t believe how crazy the driver was. Owner said it was a “mistake” and refused to ask the driver to apologize. Would never order from here
Service: 1
宮平ジェフリー
Came here for the first time. The food was ok. The service was…meh. A bit pricey. So many boxes on the top of the tables at the back area. Maybe if you try their lunch menu it might be worth it.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
mr beans
This is my favorite restaurant in Montclair, as someone who works from home and orders food for lunch. Takara is consistently delicious, consistently well-packaged, and provides consistently good service with a friendly delivery person as well.It can be challenging to find a dependable place to get food you cannot make yourself, and I am so thankful that I am privileged enough to be able to get food from this restaurant often. Although an expectation of any restaurant, Takara's consistency is a standout for me in terms of NJ sushi, of which I have had plenty. It is a joy to eat their food, and I hope they're able to continue far into the future. I wish them the best of success as I eat my lunch today.Pictured is the "Montclair Roll", which is shrimp tempura, spicy crab, topped with avocado and crab salad, with some tempura crunch. It's awesome. Please try it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
shawn hamilton
Haven't been in person but ordered online. Sushi is on point for what we ordered and the Lo mein is seasoned. By this is mean I usually gotta throw. Lil soy or duck sauce to add some love..but I'm eating this straight like I never had noodz before. Will try in person for another review but we'll done!!
Food: 4
Ava L.
DO NOT GO HERE!! There are so many great sushi places in Montclair/Bloomfield, do not give this place your business. My boyfriend got a beef teriyaki bento box and it looked like the beef was sitting in a freezer for 7 years, the place was empty (should of been the first red flag) we were the ONLY people there and when we got our bill we looked at each other SHOCKED. We have been to high end sushi restaurants and paid less than that. AND, they added a 20% tip onto the bill and it was only me and my boyfriend, did not disclose that at all prior, I ALWAYS give 20% or more on tip but the man who was waiting our table was beyond rude and it was absolute SHIT!
Very average sushi spot. Still searching for quality takeout sushi in Montclair
[Longer Detailed General Review: Repeat Customer, Not Compensated] ?TL:DR 5/5: I haven't had the pleasure of visiting the family-run and owned small business Takara Asian Bistro in Montclair for a long time, but I remember meeting Alan and the staff and always having a lovely, low-key, price-fair, gourmet night. Every tongue's palate is unique, but for what it's worth, without a recent photo, I review many seafood restaurants and try to leave 5-Stars as a Google Reviewer for specific features, so I need to be clear and direct here: Takara Bistro has some of the freshest sashimi in North Jersey. Gemstone. Like a sunny day in February. ? You can taste the difference.-----[More Experiences] One of my family members had eaten at Nobu in Manhattan and remarked that Takara could match them with the quality of some of the choice cuts of the fish. "Different. But good. Better." - was the summary of what we'd say together every night. Any business that serves fish faces the challenges of keeping it fresh and preparing it intentionally, and Takara generally plans for a complete experience every time possible. Some places are overhyped and have 4.9 reviews because it's trendy or unaffordably expensive in another state's city of three million residents or look like a nightclub, but the sushi is only okay. Takara is a local place that wants to make sure you leave full and happier.I've taken childhood friends here after work. I've ordered delivery on the apps multiple times, and if I didn't feel like waiting, I called the store directly or ordered takeout and drove to Montclair from Clifton. I'm not qualified to write for Michelin or anything fancy, but I will say if you taste the food here two separate times, you can't un-taste it by comparison if another restaurant isn't doing it as well.Health and happiness to the quiet and hardworking chefs behind the bar. It is a regular-sized interior and BYOB, so if you drink, I suggest sparkling or white wine from one of the stores in town.Some more extensive and expensive sushi venues in Montclair have lines out of the door on weekends. If you have someone you care for on an idle Saturday night, you can dine in or order out without breaking the bank.Vegetarian options: ? This lengthier review is meant to be a reference to try their sushi and sashimi.Still, locals know they are a fusion restaurant and can make you everything from General Tso's Chicken to Vegan Seaweed Salad and Hot Tea when you want to come in on a weeknight or for Sunday lunch and feel happier for an hour or two with your friends who eat meat or seafood.Dietary restrictions: ?? Yeah, you're good. How this makes me sound as a random Google User to another; I've taken a date who was dieting actively here. While I did not enter a relationship with her, we still think about the dinner when we say hi as good friends. That year, I picked her up from Newark Penn Station in person and drove back north to get to Montclair for a first date. I sat in extra parkway traffic (?) after she took a train because I was a young guy who didn't want to make a wrong impression. We didn't have a gigantic budget that year for her neighborhood in NYC, so I picked Takara on a night she'd be in Jersey. We still laugh that I thought traffic was romantic, but the sashimi is a core memory. ?????So, one TMI embarrassing story for, I guess, food science later: if you're a guy and your girlfriend or date likes Japanese food, impress her by showing her you can taste high-quality and know the difference between super expensive and what is tasty. You don't have to be Anthony Bourdain or Eric Ripert. If your boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, or first date doesn't know much about the different varieties of sashimi or even eat sushi because he's a carnivore or vegan, get him everything else. It's fusion. You can have duck or tofu or seaweed salad. If he loves you and the food is the night's creative fun
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi and Sashimi for Us, Pad Thai, Sashimi for Us, Seaweed Salad, Tuna
Takara never fails. Our kids love the perfectly balanced pad Thai and we devoured this Sushi and Sashimi for Us platter. Be ready for your order to arrive early! They arrive about 30 minutes sooner than the Grub Hub timer.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Do not dine in!They are extremely understaffed. On a Friday night they only had 1 server and 1 chef.There’s piles of boxes out in the open and the menus were sticky and gross.I quality of sushi was meh and it took over an hour to come out. Even our water and soda took 30 minutes to get to us.Maybe takeout is a better option here.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
I give Takara 5 stars mainly because they serve the tastiest Lo Mein. I order a small shrimp Lo Mein. Plenty to eat at $8 is a treat.
Takara offers wide range Asian cuisine menu. We just tried miso soup and pad Thai noodles, both were good. Portions pretty large as well to satisfy big appetite. Service was okay . I didn't care much about the ambiance, it felt cold and oversize, nothing unique.
Takara is usually good. I was bummed when I ordered delivery last night though and much of the fish in the sashimi platter which we had paid over $70 for was very obviously not fresh. We had a few bites and tossed it because we didn’t want to get sick and it didn’t taste good.
Unfortunetly we did not get to eat the foodParty of 8 , with a reservationWas seated in from of restaurant , with no lightingWe were there for over 35 mins without a glass of water . There was 1 server taking care of everything he kept walking by our table ,and he did not communicate anything, so we called another restaurant and got up and left .I would not try this place again
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
I have only had food delivered from here. But I do not recommend this business.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Simple, high-quality Asian fusion food. I go for the food, great chef. Service and atmosphere OK.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Avocado Roll, Spicy Tuna, Gyoza
Restaurantji Recommends
Just got immediately cursed out by one of their drivers. We pulled into a tenant only spot but- My wife was just dropping me off and 1) we didn’t even have a chance to put the car in park 2) he immediately starting honking and cursing. I understand the issue he had but all he needed to do was, even just firmly ask that we move. But it was honking and cursing right away. And again in broad daylight with children around.Several families saw it and couldn’t believe how crazy the driver was. Owner said it was a “mistake” and refused to ask the driver to apologize. Would never order from here
Service: 1
Came here for the first time. The food was ok. The service was…meh. A bit pricey. So many boxes on the top of the tables at the back area. Maybe if you try their lunch menu it might be worth it.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
This is my favorite restaurant in Montclair, as someone who works from home and orders food for lunch. Takara is consistently delicious, consistently well-packaged, and provides consistently good service with a friendly delivery person as well.It can be challenging to find a dependable place to get food you cannot make yourself, and I am so thankful that I am privileged enough to be able to get food from this restaurant often. Although an expectation of any restaurant, Takara's consistency is a standout for me in terms of NJ sushi, of which I have had plenty. It is a joy to eat their food, and I hope they're able to continue far into the future. I wish them the best of success as I eat my lunch today.Pictured is the "Montclair Roll", which is shrimp tempura, spicy crab, topped with avocado and crab salad, with some tempura crunch. It's awesome. Please try it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Haven't been in person but ordered online. Sushi is on point for what we ordered and the Lo mein is seasoned. By this is mean I usually gotta throw. Lil soy or duck sauce to add some love..but I'm eating this straight like I never had noodz before. Will try in person for another review but we'll done!!
Food: 4
DO NOT GO HERE!! There are so many great sushi places in Montclair/Bloomfield, do not give this place your business. My boyfriend got a beef teriyaki bento box and it looked like the beef was sitting in a freezer for 7 years, the place was empty (should of been the first red flag) we were the ONLY people there and when we got our bill we looked at each other SHOCKED. We have been to high end sushi restaurants and paid less than that. AND, they added a 20% tip onto the bill and it was only me and my boyfriend, did not disclose that at all prior, I ALWAYS give 20% or more on tip but the man who was waiting our table was beyond rude and it was absolute SHIT!