Review Obi - Cape Town Central

I went to this laid back restaurant with a friend on a lazy Friday evening, to see what the hype was surrounding this place. We were there during Happy Hour, but the bar was closed as they had a training session for a new bartender - I wasn't stressed because I was doing a 10km run the next day. The food didn't take too long to arrive, even though they were short staffed. Ordering during Happy Hour meant we got a nice discount on the burgers and we could splurge AND get the ribs! The ribs were smoky and well seasoned but they tasted so tough. Some of the meat was tender with a nice char while others were burnt and as chewy as liquorice. I managed what I could (was not letting my money go to waste). The burgers were juicy and had a nice basting sauce. They were much better! I always check out bathrooms, and it was pleasantly clean. The outdoor seating is great for smoking or if you would love to be closer to the bar. The bar looked well stocked, but I'm not much of a drinker. From the outskirts, you expect greasy pub grub but get so much more than that. Lefty's is very quirky and its quirk is best enjoyed with friends. *our waiter - Jeandré was a darling, and he earned Lefty's an extra star. Although he was the only one on shift, he made sure we were looked after. Thanks, doll!

I use Uber Eats for convenience. Lefty is a real great option for burgers with fries. The food standards are really high, and I am always happy with my orders. My first order at Lefty really impressed me. I was rather concerned with the pricing of a simple burger and fries, however this was soon justified as I opened my first order. I can only say, that was one damn good burger. I would say I have ordered around 10 to 15 times, all being positive experiences. I can't really complain. If the burgers were to drop in price, maybe around the R80 mark, I'm sure more people would order. I would also love to see larger portions of fries, maybe packed separately. All in all, I would recommend ordering from Lefty for that special meal, or when you want to treat yourself.

Service is rather slow but ribs and burgers are fantastic! I dare say that the ribs are probably the best I've had. Highly recommended :).

Really cool vibe. Very nice staff. Food was OK. The ribs are awesome according to other diners.

Good stop for after work drinks and a bite to eat. A relaxed atmosphere and friendly laid back vibe can come in sit down have a draft and a quick bite.

Great vibe .. enjoyed the old music classics and the food was amazing service was great to .. thank you for having me.. also had a Hyperli voucher and was used with no issues or anything

Love lefties, its the best place to bring friends and have a good time. Always have specials and they have the best ribs in town. Smoking area outside as well. Waiters/tresses is on point

My absolute favorite place! Have to try the ribs if you have the change. Don't know if I like the new amendments done to the place. But the food is still great

Love the ribs!!! Even though one time they took forever to be made and were under cooked but generally the ribs are great. I’ve heard good things about the chicken and waffles too. They also have an amazing G&T special.

A nice cozy place where the best ribs in the city can be found. Cheeseburgers and the Kentucky chicken waffle are awesome! Select craft beers on tap and a good selection of local beers too. Stop b for a quick bite or an evening enjoyed with friends. Great ambiance and friendly staff. Seriously, have the ribs, it'll change your life!

We were walking around looking for a place to eat. Ended up walking down this street that was not lit. Seen this place and came in. My first thought was it was going to be some dodge place, but it turned out to be a really cool place. Food was fantastic. Ribs were amazing with a very large portion for a single. Love the shoe string fries which have been hard to find in capetown and the double burger was excellent.

Food is reliably very good. Pulled pork is standout but almost everything else is worth a try depending on what BBQ mood you are in. Good beer. Service is earnest and generally good. Can get busy but chill and enjoy.

Since it's my birthday weekend trip and on this birthday day, its traditional for us Chinese to consume noodles as it signifies longevity.  I searched high and low and came across this stupendously good Japanese restaurant.  <br/><br/>Decor wise, it is nothing really to write home about.  But by golly, the food brought a tear to my eye and shiver up my spine.  <br/><br/>I had the agedashi tofu starter which was nicely executed but the star was the ramen.  Though on the menu's Lunch Special stated Shoyu Ramen which the waitress apologised was unavailable and offered the tonkatsu ramen instead.  Ok, call me ignorant, call me deprived, but I haven't in a long while had such good ramen noodles.  The soup was packed with umami flavouring and the pork cheek was so tender that it just melt in one's mouth.  The ramen style soft boiled eggs was perfect in the runniness of the golden orange yolk.  The ramen (which I really hope is home-made) had a nice springy texture.<br/><br/>I'm glad I had just a chocolate croissant for breakfast and saved myself for this.  Gladly if I live in Cape town, will I be there almost every week!<br/><br/>Now, readers will wonder why then did I score it a 4 not a 5 then.  Well, I didn't coddle to the idea that the waitress was wearing a very very skirt.  It is almost like it was playing to the "otaku" theme which regretfully didn't work in this case.

One of the best sushi place in town. Good quality fish and the food is done in the authentic Japanese way. The lunchtime bento box is a good deal.

Really great authentic Japanese restaurant <br/>Small and cosy, the service was super<br/>We ordered Tempura prawns, salmon skins and goyza leek dim sum<br/>Mains were dragon roll, udon noodles <br/>Top notch and definitely a place we will revisit

Interesting sushi, quiet a few Vegeterian options. Would recommend the plum saki🍶 veg tempura and the jalapeño popper sushi. Friendly and attentive staff are very knowledgeable regarding the menu.

I am a hardcore ramen nerd. You can trust this judgement. I have scoured Cape Town for the best ramen available and as of writing this, OBI is my champion (pls feel free to give me more options in the comments).<br/><br/>It’s only offered in the lunch menu, and they one have one option (Shoyu), but it’s the best I’ve had in CPT. I’m a bit spoiled when it comes to ramen (being from Aus where amazing Asian food is literally on every street corner), and Cape Town mostly lets me down, but OBI is the one of the two places I could recommend going to if you want ramen in this city.<br/><br/>The pork is melty and the fat is rendered perfectly, the broth is just the right amount of salty, and the noodles usually have just the right chew (although I have had some sad over cooked noodles here before). My only real issue is that the egg isn’t typically as marinated as I like.<br/><br/>I’ve heard good things about the sushi, but if you’ve read any of my other reviews you know I’m a monogamist at the restaurants I frequent so cannot speak from personal experience.

In the world of OBI the waitresses wear the shortest skirts and the reddest lips. Against the walls are framed kimonos and the low-hanging lights are glowing felt spheres. Laid on stark tables are chopsticks, Kikkoman sauce and blue floral sideplates. <br/><br/>The menu features vegetable tempura, which is why we’re here. It arrives as a carefully stacked arrangement on a beautiful stone plate. With vegetable tempura it’s sometimes a guessing game: OBI’s version includes courgette, asparagus, sweet potato and butternut. <br/><br/>Agedashi Tofu is a mound of soft tofu blocks served on brothy bed onion and ginger with bonito flakes on the side. We also had a bowl of Udon noodles with wakame, inari tofu and spring onion in dashijiru broth.<br/><br/>OBI’s menu also feaures other Japanese yummies like Fried Leek Dumplings and Nasu Miso. For meat eaters the Bento Box lunch specials would be fun. <br/>Frankly, i would return every week until i’ve tried everything on the menu, specifically the vast collection of vegetarian sushi, the best i’ve seen in CT.

A lovely lunch with top notch service. Reasonably priced. DEFINITELY worth popping in, the food is awesome. Refreshing to spend time in an inner city with the hustle and bussel around you; this adds to the atmosphere.<br/>

Intimate place with an attentive owner (Papa San). The tempura udon was a bit too sweet for my taste. Great choice of quality sushi. Not at all you can eat place

Had a delicious vegetarian dinner here. We tried edamame beans and agedashi tofu to start. Edamame tastes pretty much the same everywhere else, but the tofu was excellent. Normally people associate tofu with being bland, but this was something else. The tofu was fried and comes served in a flavorful broth. I also had the Udon noodles, which was amazing. I didn't have udon noodles before (they are like very thick noodles) but I became an instant fan. So many wonderful flavors. Very fresh ingredients. I had to try out the coconut panna cotta and matcha green tea ice cream to finish things off. Matcha still isn't my cup of tea (pun intended), and the portion size was a little on the small size, but it still tasted lovely and 'different' overall. Will definitely be back to try out their sushi!

This was the second time my husband and I have been to OBI and the food was delicious both times - and generous portions, especially considering we ordered from the lunchtime specials board. I had the pork ramen and my husband had a bento box, with pork, lettuce (at which he said: who knew lettuce could taste this good?!), rice and miso soup.

Amazing service and food! I really have nothing bad to say about this place. Cosy place that's not pretentious. Papa San is also friendly and seems to enjoy people enjoying his food.

My new favourite sushi restaurant! I was so impressed by this place. Our waitress was friendly and happy to give recommendations. The sushi is some of the best I’ve ever tasted. The fish is so fresh, their sushi rice is not of the usual stodgy variety, and the sushi itself is creative - their dishes are unique, but all delicious. Particular favourites were the Obi salmon, and the Sweet Kiss. Their dessert of coconut panna cotta with sesame seeds and matcha green tea ice cream was the perfect end to a lovely meal - the flavours complemented each other so well, and each component was well balanced. Portions are generous and good value for money. I will definitely be returning - this place is a true hidden gem.

The sushi is okay it used to be amazing I feel as if the quality has become subpar and it’s definitely not what it used to be however they tempura veggies are still simply amazing if you’re into tempura veggies

When you read all the reviews of this restaurant you will see mostly ratings of 4 and 5 but I was astounded to see a few (very few) below 3! Clearly you can’t please every one but I can’t believe this place can ever be rated that low...ignore them! We went to Obi last night and were blown away. The food is all excellent. The menu is extensive and it all sounds (and tastes) amazing so we asked the lovely Carmen to make recommendations all of which we accepted. We decided to order 4 starters and share so we skipped the soups. We then had a range of mains and again shared which is a great way to have a meal as you get to sample a wide range of the dishes. We had a long chat to the legendary Papa San which added something special. I could never describe all the dishes adequately so will choose to describe none....they are all great so try as many as you can. Great evening out and next time will try the Miso Soup

The setting is genuine and appreciated, with some cool Japanese music always on the go. There were 2 waitresses on shift and both were experienced and pleasant. The miso soup was delicious. The edamame beans were fresh but overpriced for the portion size. The sushi was big and fresh. Desert was excellent too (pic attached). Also a reasonable price. Recommended.

Worst sushi I've ever had. Venue doesn't look great at all and well over priced. Will never go there again and don't advise anyone to either...<br/>

I've never been here before but form what I have seen in videos I must say that this place creates a pretty authentic Japanese restaurant feel. I came here on the hunt for some ramen and toro sushi and I was not disappointed.<br/><br/>We had made a lunchtime booking which was a wise choice because a 4-seater was reserved for us - we would have had to deal with a very cramped 2-seater had we just walked in  and that would not have been able to hold all of our food. Phila Goduka and I started off with some toro and tamago sushi - we both weren't fans of the tamago sushi but the toro lived up to our expectations, it was fabulously fatty and melted in our mouths (made me regret not ordering more). We also sampled the eel sushi, this was not to my taste as I am not a fan of that particular fishy taste (fans of hake etc.. will enjoy the eel). For our mains I had my highly anticipated bowl of ramen and Phila Goduka had the lunchtime bento box. The ramen was well cooked and the pork was phenomenal but I am not a fan of ramen with a very seafood-y broth so I did not enjoy it as much as I would have - the pork was still amazing though!.<br/><br/>Our waitress was fantastic, I think I had read about her fantastic service when looking through Obi reviews and she lived up to them :)<br/><br/>I would definitely recommend this place if you're a fan of Japanese cuisine or looking to try something new.

I come here every time while I am in Cape Town. However I felt extremely uncomfortable after my ramen this past weekend and it normally caused by too much amount of MSG

The best ramen in town! Service was great, the waitress was helpful with explaining the menu. The food came fast. We are definitely going back for more!

Nom nom nom! I've been here twice now and can honestly say that this is one of the most authentic Japanese places in Cape Town, with a great menu. I adore their Bento box lunches and their sushi is in my top 3 sushi list in Cape Town.  <br/><br/>On my most recent visit I had the ramen bowl and oh my good soul - guess this is what the Japanese refer to as umami flavours. <br/><br/>Dying to work my way through the rest of the menu.

OBI impressed me hugely. I can't actually find fault with anything!<br/>It's stylish and calm, you don't even feel like you're in the city but in a world of its own.<br/>Our server was amazing - informative and efficient without being overbearing.<br/><br/>Highlights:<br/><br/>-Well thought-out menu <br/>-Great vegan options<br/>-Sake (we chose it cold at the waitress's advice) was served in bamboo boxes and was super strong!<br/>-Melt in your mouth aubergine starter...wow<br/>-My partner raved about the deep fried tuna sandwich and his eel OBI rolls.<br/><br/>Downside:<br/><br/>Pretty much nothing. OBI was great value for money, terrifically prepared food and made my palate feel like a queen for a night.

Authentic, stylish sushi place, with great options for Vegans as well. Love it that the ginger isn't lumo pink, and the wasabi isn't stodgy, dried paste. Amazing service as well 😊👌🏼

Cannot recommend Obi enough. The personal service from the chef was just the cherry on top! We loved every meal we ordered which was perfectly prepared. We will always go back when we are visiting CT.

We went to OBI for their bento box lunch special and YUM. The sushi is fresh, tempura veggies a mouthwatering treat and the miso soup one of the best I've had. Good service and nice ambiance! Definitely going back and highly recommendable!

The food was amazing and the owner paid such close attention to us! Recommend the tempura and sushi platter and matcha ice cream!! Such care was taken into the making of the food and it was an incredible experience. Going to try go at least once a week!

If I had wanted instant noodles I would've stopped by at the Pick 'n Pay - I wouldn't have burnt a hole in my wallet for the R90 ramen I forked out at Obi today; I wouldn't have had an almost stroke from the excess of natriumchloride in the hot broth - and that's the best thing about it: it's served piping hot. My arteries and I complained and off went the waitress with a pained, careful face. She soon returned with a watered down version, which, while slightly more palatable, still lacked the depth of flavour characteristic from hours, if not days, of slow simmering. Obi restaurant uses instant broth. I will bet my next bowl of ramen on it. To round off the review, the slice of pork would've benefitted from a slight char, if only to offset the fattiness of the rind. The eggs were well-cooked, but had no taste. The nori was old. <br/>If you decide to go to Obi you'd be better off sticking with the sushi.

After reading the Eat Out review, we experienced exactly what we expected.<br/><br/>The pleasant authentic Japanese background music and rustic Japanese style added to the ambiance to the point that after your second glass of wine you almost forget you're actually sitting at the bottom of Long Street and feel like you're somewhere on holiday.<br/><br/>The service was superb. The waitresses not only know how to serve but more importantly know how to host.<br/><br/>Edemae beans and inside out rolls: the food was great, arrived within 10 minutes and was very affordable.<br/><br/>Dinner done right 👌🏼

I always wanted to try a good Ramen, and after recommendation from a fellow foodie I gave OBI a try. From the the moment I walked into this restaurant a few months ago, I fell in love with them. <br/>An authentic Japanese owned restaurant, with a small & simple menu. Not a place where you will see "Sweet & Sour Pork" on the menu..everything but.<br/>They have two Ramen items, outstanding sushi and a few other Japanese favourites. For lunch they offer a special on either the Shoyu Ramen or the popular Bento Box. The Bento Box consists of Miso soup, Tempura veggies and good quality sushi.<br/>Over the last few months, OBI has been my "go-to" place for a quick lunch when doing business in the CBD area. You can literally walk in, order, enjoy lunch and out again within 20-30min! Add to that efficient service and you have a great combo. <br/>And the most amazing part is, once inside and having lunch, it feels like you are on holiday somewhere in the far east.<br/>If you want a taste of Japan and some good Ramen or Udon noodles, this is your place.

Hands down the best sushi in Cape Town. I went when they opened and since then they increased the quality and the offering of food. The staff is also friendly and the chef himself likes to go around tables to great the customers. Fried eggplants and Obi rolls are not to be missed. Just the tables are a bit too small and it makes it complicate to fit all the dishes. I cannot remember ever ordering desserts , maybe because we have so many maki every time that there's no space for a sweet last dish.

The food is consistently excellent everytime I've been - both authentic and modern sushi dishes are on offer, with some of the best quality fish in cape town. Service is always friendly and efficient, and dishes are prepared quickly in the kitchen. A definite favourite. Be sure to order the nuta starter and original rolls.

Decent sushi, but not quite as good as we'd come to expect from Papa San. Service is usually friendly. Lunch and early bird specials look like they might be good options.

Some of the best sushi around! There are so many options to choose from and each one sounds better than the next.<br/><br/>The sushi is super fresh and so good! The Samurai Roll was by far my favourite - lightly tempura'd with a sweet teriyaki sauce on the side. The Crying comes with a lot more wasabi than you think so it packs quite a kick! OBI is also super well price. Definitely give it a try! Bookings are a must.

This article first appeared in House & Leisure Online and is entitled “Getting Our Umami On at Obi Restaurant & Bar". Here I’ve adapted my original post slightly in order to make it blog-relevant. <br/><br/>Cult chef Papa San’s latest offering arrives in the form of a classic take on Japanese cuisine – complete with his signature sushi that has been a Cape Town institution for years. After the closing of his Kloof Street restaurant Takumi last year, Papa San joined forces with chef Ben Bettendorf to create Obi Restaurant and Bar – Long Street’s answer to the much maligned fast-food sushi joints that have besieged the city over the past few years. The result is an authentically Japanese haven of stark wooden tables, opaque paper screens and the man himself that doesn’t hesitate to offer you his favourite items off the menu to try. We opted for the Soba noodles and Papa San’s own signature sushi rolls – and since eating noodles with a pair of chopsticks for the first time can be daunting, Papa San was at hand to show us how it’s done – all while beaming his trademark smile. <br/><br/>The familiar comfort that comes from devouring a bowl full of noodles has to be experienced, whilst the addictive umami hit of the chilled hiyashi broth – redolent of fresh ginger and spring onions – is a delicious contrast to the neutrality of the dish. Fresh and lively but at the same time nourishing for both appetite and emotion, the food at Obi is meticulously prepared to promote the natural sapidity of each component used. <br/><br/>Our choice of Papa San’s signature sushi rolls were served sans rice and had an earthy and unanticipated hit of coriander that contrapositioned the familiar flavour of the fresh tuna. The lunchtime Ramen bowls and Bento boxes are another popular option and the sushi served here is unequivocally top-notch. <br/><br/>An incomparable experience in Asian eating.

Delicious gourmet sushi with great vegetarian options. Tried the shoyu ramen which is only served at lunch time but it was absolutely delicious! The ginger dipping sauce that comes with the tempura is TO DIE FOR (vegetable tempura has my heart but prawn tempura does not disappoint at all) and if you're a fan of aubergine I HIGHLY recommend trying the Nasu Miso which is fried aubergine in a sticky honey miso sauce topped with sesame seeds! So tasty. Great atmosphere too. We go at least twice a week, thick pieces of sashimi never disappoint!

A very good restaurant in Cape Town. Perfect for sharing - the seared tuna sandwich and salmon skin roll were highlights. If you can't get a booking - pop in early and leave before the next one. The staff have great suggestions and service is quick.

I have mixed feelings about Obi - the sushi really is super fresh, but the 2 we ordered had wasabi in them (not stated on the menu) I don't like wasabi flavour so that wasn't the best. <br/><br/>The Ramen, was ok, the flavours were nothing to rave home about. The egg was cooked to perfection though, but the pork was more fat than meat. <br/><br/>The waiter was ok, she got very distracted and had to constantly try get her attention near the end. <br/><br/>Papa San is awesome though! <br/><br/>I'm not sure if I will go back again.

I hope this doesn't make any of the tourist lists, because this is the best place to grab amaaaaazing sushi! Papa San and team are geniuses. It's actually worth just going for the coconut panacotta! Prices are actually on the low end if you look at the amount and quality of food that is beautifully presented to you. I will have sushi dreams for awhile.

Very impressed with OBI. This has been a bookmark for way too long, so I'm glad I finally got to go. Great sushi, freshly made. Warning, if you want their famous Ramen noodle dish, they only serve it at lunchtime due to them being too busy in the evening. It takes long to prepare. So I have to go back for lunch...oh damn! Life is tough. Waiters were "on it" and great. Loved the Asian beers and the fact that they stock plum sake. A pretty authentic feel which I really liked. A highlight for me was their chili popper style California rolls, I haven't seen this twist before and it's a MUST order. I also had prawn and tuna style California rolls to compliment that. In general I enjoyed the freshness in the concept of sushi, a bit more adventurous than the norm. Plenty vegetarian options as some of our guests don't eat meat. An enjoyable evening, will be back soon for those noodles over lunch. Finally, I have to add that it's the only place (that I know of in Cape Town) that serves Toro. This is the fatty underbelly of the Tuna. It was delicious. Go try it!

The food here is phenomenal! Really delicious sushi and great portion sizes. They serve toro, which I have not seen on another sushi menu yet in CT. Fabulous service. Sushi is great for sharing as well, and everything is super tasty. Freshest sushi I have ever had. Authentic. Special. Delicious.

The last time we tried to get a table, we were unsuccessful, so were pretty happy when we finally managed to get a place to try their infamous sushi. The staff were immediately welcoming and friendly, and seated us at the table near the kitchen. To eat, we ordered salmon roses, salmon inside out rolls, and prawn tempura crunch rolls. The sushi arrived promptly, and it was delicious. The tempura was light and crispy and the salmon was generous in all portions. The only downfall about this restaurant, is that it lacks an atmosphere. Other than that, the food and service was great.Dario De Wet

Decor : Standard little restaurant with a couple of Kimono on the walls, along with some random paintings.<br/><br/>Service : Professional and friendly. You might even get a visit from Papa-san, a Japanese chef well known throughout Cape Town, who also occasionally waits the tables.<br/><br/>Food : The RAMEN. Let me tell you about this Ramen. I've been hunting for an authentic ramen in Cape Town ever since I visited Japan in July '15. Despite a small handful of places in cpt that serve it, they've all been disappointing one way or another, often simply by being too damn salty, or with low quality soggy noodles. I'm no ramen expert, but if I wanted oversalted two minute noodles, I'd just pour a bottle of soy sauce into my Maggies. But Obi's ramen is where it's at! <br/><br/>The first time I came to Obi was just after they first opened, and it was like I finally found my one true love. Unfortunately they only serve it during lunchtime these days, but we keep coming back whenever opportunity allows.<br/><br/>Also their veggie tempura is wonderful, as is their sushi.<br/><br/>Price : This isn't necessarily a cheap restaurant per say, but it IS the cheapest, most authentic Japanese ramen you'll find in Cape Town.

Terrific evening spent with friends at CT's hot new sushi spot. We went with a selection of recommended dishes to share amoung the table.. A lovely way to sample a little bit of everything. Papa San was extremely friendly and kindly presented us with some complimentary deep-fried parcels. Will definitely be back!

Fresh food every time with papa San! Fish is fresh and unique flavours. The decor is simple for the authentic sushi taste. The service was pleasant with the staff being attentive. Unfortunately the matcha dessert was too artificial in flavour.

Obi is situated in Long Street, Cape Town and the parking is metered street parking. <br/><br/>The waitress was attentive, she was able to read her clients well and she was able to make recommendations regarding drinks to compliment the meals. Papa San also made an appearance when he brought out our main dishes. His presence and personal involvement ensures each dish is up to his personal standard. <br/><br/>Initially I wanted to order the Agedashi tofu as a starter, but it was sold out. My friend suggested the Gomae which is baby spinach with toasted sesame seeds and miso dressing as a starter. I enjoyed the Gomae, because the sweet dressing gave the dish a unique twist. <br/><br/>We then ordered the Shoyu ramen to share. The pork cheek meat was tender and delicious. It literally melts in your mouth. The 6min egg with the soft egg yolk had a lovely rich texture and taste. The broth was a little on the salty side, but when paired with the soba noodles it is not too over powering. <br/><br/>We also ordered the lunch special bento box, that came with salmon and tuna nigiri, a salmon rose, prawn and avo Californian rolls, vegetable tempura and miso soup. The salmon is fresh and the soup is delicious. The tempura is perfect, crisp and light. <br/><br/>We ended off our meal with matcha ice cream. The one we had was mixed with condense milk, so it was on the sweeter side. I prefer the original matcha, because of the perfect balance between sweet and natural bitterness from the green tea. <br/><br/>I would go back to OBI to try out their other dishes. It is good quality food at an affordable price when capitalizing on the lunch specials. <br/>

My taste buds went into mourning when they heard that Takumi had closed. Obi is however an even better replacement. Undoubtedly the best sushi in Cape Town. If it was any fresher it would still be swimming.

To be greeted by Japanese elder is most astonishing - a true authentic restaurant with the most commendable dishes! The chilled spinach with sesame is to die for! The fried tuna sandwich intrigues the tongue... The sushi is great and several of them are complemented beautifully with a mild peanut dip 😱🌌

5 out of 5 - great service, awesome sushi, and good vibes everytime I eat there. Prawn Tempura was amazing and also had the Crunch roll - which you cannot leave without having. This restaurant is one to watch!

So worth a try! I have been a few times, and had the most wonderful time with friends. The sushi is unbelievable! I'm completely obsessed with the crunch rolls, super friendly service and very reasonably priced.

New venue but food is still as good as ever!!! <br/><br/>Sushi rolls/flavors are original and different. This food is exceptionally delicious. I recommend the Kamikazee rolls- seared salmon, avocado, cream cheese and chilli all tempuraed. A tasty sensation! <br/><br/>Waiters are friendly and helpful. The service is great- food arrived really quickly. Only criticism is that the restaurant is slightly noisy.

Better than your everyday sushi bar.Fresh, delicious with a good mixture  strong flavours.<br/>good traditional sushi and tempura with some interesting and tasty varieties of side dishes, starters and lets not forget the divine dessert. Pleasant and friendly service in a warm, causal setting.

A great little spot, right in the middle of town. <br/><br/>Well know for quality sushi, a real following in Cape Town and it's easy to see why. All the meals were extremely well prepared and the menu had a great selection that can accommodate most preferences.<br/><br/>The wine list is a bit limited and the table layout not the most comfortable. A little bit of a "speed dating" format. <br/><br/>I don't think it'll be my preferred Japanese restaurant but certainly worth trying.

It is good to have him back, the legendary character, you can see that PapaSan is more chilled and relaxed now.<br/><br/>Food is good as always and sushi is always fresh and on point. We had steamed mussels as starter, such a simple dish just because of fresh ingredients, so nice I think I drank the soup from the steamed mussels. <br/><br/>Still haven't tried the ramen because they inky have it during lunch time >.<<br/>

The lunchtime bento box special is an absolute bargain at R70. Great flavours too, from the veg tempura to the sushi and miso soup. Obi also feels like a sanctuary amid the hustle and bustle of downtown Cape Town. Nice and peaceful with friendly staff.

Papa San do not have a reputation for nothing. His new restaurant Obi does not disappoint and Papa San has once again given me a reason to come back for more. Not only is the sushi really delicious, the portions are generous and so are the price. There is also Sake on tap (if you are into that) and Japanese beer to try out with your sushi. We had an excellent Russian waitress that kept our table happy and smiling.

Wow delicious sushi at Obi tonight! Everything was fresh and great, right down to the presentation. We ordered quite a bit tonight so we left feeling extremely satisfied. My favorites would definitely be the prawn tempura, the dynamite roll and the fighting roll. <br/>Ps. Be sure to book a table as they're super busy always!

Wanted to give the ramen a go but not sure it was the best choice for my own personal taste, however everyone else at the table enjoyed theirs. The sushi looked amazing so can't wait to go back and try that. Service was great!

After months and months of threatening to do so, I FINALLY came here for dinner this evening. A meal at Obi truly is about the quality of the food and the freshness of the ingredients. Andrew 'Skate' Calothi and I shared the mussels steamed in sake which were incredibly light yet full of flavour, the nasu miso (aubergine in a honey soy dressing), and their Kamikaze, Dynamite and Crunch Rolls. Out of the sushi rolls - the Kamikaze was our favourite: a decadent blend of salmon and avo with an unusual but winning addition of fresh chilli! We were sadly too full by the end of it all to have dessert - of which there are two options (the table next to us was raving about the panna cotta with sesame seeds @and matcha ice cream).

I visited Obi on a Friday evening for a casual dinner. At first when trying to make a reservation, I was told they were fully booked. Shortly after they called me back and made a plan to accommodate me. The two seater tables are very small which makes ordering more than two dishes at a time quite difficult. We ended up having to put our wine bucket on the floor. The prices are reasonable and the portions are large. As far as sushi goes, it was tasty but nothing spectacular. The service was good but also nothing out of the ordinary. Be careful not to miss the mandatory 10% gratuity that is added onto your bill. It was not pointed out by our waiter and hence we almost paid a 20% tip for average service.

High quality sushi and Japanese traditional meals, including ramen soup, various tempura.<br/>Better suited for a lunch, you do not come for the decoration or a warm atmosphere here, it's all about fresh quality Asian food.<br/>I bet you will forget and avoid the commercial sushi places you used to frequent after experiencing this genuine one!

If you're looking for authentic, tasty Japanese cuisine, Obi is definitely a place you need to check out. You even get the full Obi experience with Papa San greeting you on arrival and escorting you to your table. <br/>We arrived slightly early but our table was ready and we were seated immediately. <br/><br/>We ordered sushi which was fresh and well presented and we were impressed by the large portions. They also offer rice free sushi which was enjoyable but I found the wasabi slightly overpowering for my taste. <br/><br/>The only underwhelming thing about the restaurant is the decor which is quite minimalistic as I would've appreciated a little splash of Japanese culture. <br/><br/>The sushi will definitely have me coming back for more as I put Obi on the top of my list as the freshest sushi at an affordable price. <br/>

Full marks to this bright new restaurant in Cape Town's city centre! I was super curious about Obi, the menu is amazing and it always looks very busy. They have a fun, yet simple menu. What makes it more exciting than most sushi restaurants is the addition of ramen noodles! (I have to try this next time)! The sushi is delicious, fresh and light. The sake is divine and the service is attentive and friendly! An all round amazing experience.

My mouth is watering just writing this review. Loved, loved, loved Obi Restaurant. Calvin Duffus and myself shared the following:<br/><br/>- Kamikaze Roll (8 piece)<br/>- Crunch Roll (8 piece)<br/>- Obi Salmon Roll (8 piece)<br/>- Salmon Roses (4 piece)<br/><br/>My absolute favourite dish of the night was the kamikaze roll. It has chili in it, and I have often found that when a sushi roll lists chili as one of the ingredients, you can rarely taste it. The kamikaze roll was to die for. I almost swapped our other three dishes for other 3 portions of the kamikaze, but I had to be adventurous. Granted the salmon roses were not a very adventurous choice, and honestly I thought they would have an original twist to them, but they were the same as you would get anywhere.<br/><br/>The sushi pieces themselves are huge, and you get full quickly. Great quality food. When I read the reviews of this restaurant because our experience, a lot of people have said that it is not as good as Takumi. I did not go to Takumi ever, so my experience was unspoiled.<br/><br/>The service was awesome. We were greeted at the door, and our waitress was friendly and helpful in her recommendations.<br/><br/>We met Papa San towards the end of our meal and once again at the end. I want to add that I didn't realize how fully booked Obi gets, and we only ended up calling at 5.30pm to get a 6.30pm booking. It was fully booked of course, but the restaurant took our number and promised to call back if a slot opened up, which it did and they gave us a reservation for 8.30pm.<br/><br/>I love the vibe of the restaurant. I love the Japanese style. The sushi is SO good, seriously. That's all they offer though (except for a few starters and some noodles/ramen) so if you're looking for a range of food options, it's the wrong place to go to. That wasn't a problem for us though, as we went specifically for sushi and we will always choose sushi over anything 😃. <br/><br/>I can't wait to go back to Obi, and to take my family there when they visit me in Cape Town.

From the minute you arrive you feel that you are about to be served exquisite Japanese realness. Its going to be hard to eat sushi anywhere else. all hail Papa San.

In the week, friends and I made a point of visiting the newly opened obi as Takumi was a much loved favourite. Decor wise, there is a big difference from Takumi, where previously it felt warm and inviting, to obi feeling more minimal and almost not nearly as 'pretty'. <br/><br/>Sitting down to read the menu, it is much of a muchness from the previous, which was slightly disappointing as the hope was that all the sushi favourites would stay with an addition of a lot more Japanese inspired dishes - less the starters and 1 noodle dish on offer, all you have is a selection of sushi to pick from. <br/><br/>While the menu is much of a muchness, what is fantastic is the sushi is still right up there! Fresh, tasty and something different as always. Across the table a variety of starters was ordered, from the miso soup right through to the tuna - everything was delicious! We ended off with some sake as well which was throughly enjoyed. <br/><br/>While the evening was enjoyed and the sushi was just as enjoyable as always, Takumi will still be missed.

Best sushi in town. The quality is great and there are many cool options to choose from. They even have several vegetarian options which I loved. I'm just sad they took off the chilli popper sushi, which was my ultimate favourite. We also tried the saki which was really nice. <br/>Remember to book in advance, especially for a larger table. I phoned in the early afternoon and they were already full and just managed to squeeze us in. We'll come back at lunch to try the ramen

As I walked through the doors i was immediately welcomed by Papa San himself, who made my friends and I feel very welcome. The menu is similar to the former 'Takumi' restaurant and we decided to try similar specialities that were offered at Papa Sans previous restaurant. Out of five friends, three of us had what I think is called the "Obi Special" which is salmon and tuna rice-free sushi that has been deep fried. My other two friends tried the Inside-out roll with salmon and mayo on top. The sushi was 'okay' with nothing special about it. I feel the rice lacked it's soft and sticky texture that the Takumi restaurant had and the tempura batter had no substance to it. It is however very reasonably priced with large portion sizes and has friendly staff. <br/><br/>Overall, we had a very enjoyable evening however I do feel there was something missing in comparison to Takumi. The sushi was decent and everyone was left feeling satisfied however there was no 'wow factor' i was hoping for.

The same menu and top quality sushi we've become accustomed to from Papa San in a cool new location. In fact, I lie, I think the sushi is even better now than it used to be at Takumi. They say a change is as good as a holiday, I think Obi is a prime example. I'm going back for the ramen at lunch as soon as I can (it's not served for dinner).