Quick Review: Great value in the late night menu, good, but expensive food at other times of the day.\n\nLong-Winded Review:\nWhen I grew up in Vegas in the 80's, there were only 1-2 Japanese restaurants in town, but they were very authentic ones that served food you could find in Tokyo. Fast forward 20 years and we have a Sushi restaurant on every corner. Teriyaki Chicken is served at Jack in the Box. You can get California Rolls at 7-11. There are hundreds of \"Japanese\" restaurants out now, but they're as close to Japanese as Olive Garden is Italian. Osaka's menu remains largely grounded in its Japanese roots, but it also features a good selection of \"custom\" sushi rolls that you'll find in other sushi restaurants. The menu is extensive, and some parts may be difficult to navigate since it is in Japanese (or the English equivalent, Romaji). Item descriptions are all too brief and unless you've been there before, you may be intimidated by ordering something new. It's probably best to ask your server or sushi chef questions before ordering. What troubles me about Osaka is that I feel it's trying to be all things to all people. It serves authentic Japanese fare, but it's also trying to be edgy, trendy, and hip by offering experimental fusion dishes and desserts. However, the fact that I still go there regularly suggests that Osaka's experimentation doesn't bother me all that much. As with older Japanese restaurants, prices are a tad higher than other places in town ($15 for chicken teriyaki dinner vs. $9.95 at other places), but the quality is much better. You're not going to get as much food, but if you're looking for quantity, I can suggest some good all-you-can-eat sushi places that will feed you for under $30.\n\nThe real value of Osaka is its late night menu (10 pm - 2 am). It features a wide variety of food for under $10. You can get rolls and appetizers for $5 or less, and entrees are available for under $10. The Japanese Style Beef Bowl is a steal at $5.80 (it's like a Yoshinoya Beef Bowl, but tastier). It's a great place to go with friends after/before clubbing since you can do a family-style meal.\n\nDesserts are hit or miss. The Tempura Ice Cream is a great value at $5.50 and it easily serves 2-4 people. Some of the other items are good, but definitely not worth the high price.
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