Reviews for Bonsai in Upper Arlington, OH
Buyer beware - everything has sugar in it, even things you don't expect. We went here for dinner and got tako salad, sashimi bi... bim bap, two sushi rolls and pork bulgogi. The tako salad was first and I expected a little sweetness in the dressing but it wasso overwhelmingly sweet I had a hard time swallowing it. The tako also had a fishy aftertaste. Needless to say I didn't finishthat one. My husband didn't seem to mind it and didn't get a fishy aftertaste but my palate is more sensitive than his. The porkwas so sweet it was literally caramelized. The sushi rolls were also sweet so I didn't eat too much of that. I had a few piecesof plain sashimi from the bi bim bap and they were ok. When the waiter came by and asked how everything was I said I don't knowif it's just me, but everything tastes really sweet. He said the owner tells the chefs to put sugar in everything. I wasastonished. I will not be going back there any time soon because the sugar overwhelmed all the other flavors to the point whereit didn't even taste good ?? ETA regarding the low score for atmosphere: the music was really distracting. It was like theseweird obscure 80s power ballads and love songs I had never heard and all I kept thinking was what IS this music?? I've literallynever heard a restaurant, or anywhere else for that matter, play this kind of music before and there's probably a reason forthat... Read more
First experience was disappointing: I Doordashed two orders of katsudon to work, my favorite Japanese dish and one I also make... at home. I account for delivery time, and to their credit, both bowls were still steaming and piping hot. I expect theshiru(broth) to be soaked into the rice because it is delivered, no problem. The flavor could have been better, seemingslightly weak. The quality control was non-existent. The first bowl had almost no egg, like they were afraid to use it. Thesecond was a normal amount. Where are the onions? I know not everyone puts bamboo shoots in, so that is fine, but ONIONSplease. There could have been a bit more broth, particularly with a weaker flavor. There were no green onions, offsetting anotherwise muted visual appearance with some brightness. No sesame seeds, as displayed in their own photo of the dish. While Idon't expect food to mirror pictures, I DO expect it to include the same ingredients. To give a comparison of this dish, it waslike expecting a Burger King Whopper or Dave's Classic from Wendy's and getting a Rally's Cheese Champ. Underperforming, butthis was actually not the worst part.... No chopsticks. I received forks, like some uncultured amateur. It may seem minor,but my feelings on this are so strong because it changes the experience. Perhaps I am a bit elitist when I say "Who goes toJapanese and uses forks?" but this is Bonsai, not Pete's Teriyaki(actually a real place, good Americanized teriyaki over rice). The very name Bonsai drips so much of culture, patience and attention to detail that if I entered the establishment, I would beexpecting to hear a koto playing, with falling water in the background. Bonsai, named after a refined art that captures bothJapanese spirit and refinement, steeped in harmony, and I GET FORKS. The more I ate, stabbing at my dish, one resentfulimpalement after another, the more I realized how much it upset me. I genuinely hope that everyone has a much bett Read more
There are so few places to get grilled mackerel in Cbus and this is one! Bonsai does not disappoint. They also have a... wiiiidddee range of other items to choose from, spanning both Japan and Korean cuisine. The lady who served me (who I assume isone of the owners?) was great and offered great advice on how to enjoy the food (stirring the dumpling sauce into my ricemmmmm). Every entree seems to come with extra side dishes including kimchi, some sort of spiced cucumber, and another kind ofcold potato dish. They were all delicious and I'm so sad I couldn't finish everything! My bill came to 30 bucks, but that waswith a large beer, an appetizer, 3 tiny side dishes, rice, and of course the grilled mackerel. Please please please try thisplace! We need to keep them in business so I can try more of their food in the future! Haha Read more
Service could have been a bit more prompt especially with the bill, but staff was friendly to children and the food was... excellent. The Seaweed salad and tofu Jim were quite good. We also had the tempura veggies which were good, but when isn?t friedstuff tasty? We had a couple vegetarian sushi rolls which were great as well. Read more
What a wonderful hidden gem! I brought my sushi- hesitant friend with me. The fried dumplings were absolutely amazing and even... the sauce had a tasty kick to it. My companion ordered the earth roll (sweet potato tempura with broccoli and a yummy sauce onit). He was instantly in love! We now have this favorited on our restaurant list. The service was fantastic and the decor isnice too. I loved this little peacock tree hidden in the corner. Read more
Pad Thai was good the first time, second time the chicken tasted like it was just microwaved. Hot pot was delicious and sushi is... always great there. I don?t recommend the calamari dish but other sea food dishes are good. I?ve been there multiple times andthe owners are very sweet. Read more
Have been a couple of times, and even had take out sushi. Every time is a success. The sushi is tasty, and the main courses... always are tasty and good sized portions. The servers are always so nice and professional. The place itself is pleasant. We willbe back again :-) Read more
I have eaten at many Korean restaurants and Bonsai is the best I've ever had in Ohio. Great food, good service, charming... restaurant. Read more