Koya, Tampa FL

The most distinctive and delectable dining experience in Tampa. Every course was a culinary masterpiece, creating a symphony of flavors rooted in authentic Japanese cuisine and expressing the artistry that is Koya.

Pay no mind to the low-rated reviews below. This is an experience to be had. Worth every last penny.

Come have the best food of your life! I cannot speak more highly of the chef and his amazing partner/ sous chef. Every dish is amazing with each detail thought out. Do the pairing it's worth it.

Quite simply, this is the finest dining available in the greater Tampa area. Price is very high and good luck getting a reservation, but if you do then count yourself very, very lucky.

Incredible Omakase experience, right here in Tampa.just as great as the best in NYC, LA, SF, et al.

We picked up Koyas takeout box for two last night for our New Years Eve dinner. It was $150 for two small boxes and we sadly weren’t very impressed. For starters, we didn’t receive chopsticks or any utensils which was a bummer. The presentation is nice but we also had no idea what we were eating. I expected maybe a menu or an explanation for what each item was but we blindly ate it not knowing what was in the box. When we ordered the takeout it really gave no explanation either so we just hoped for the best. The raw tuna was really good and buttery. That was probably the best part. The rest of it we really had no idea what we were eating and it was not exactly fun taking a bite of a mysterious meat, beans, vegetables etc. I thought one of the vegetables was a fruit and was unpleasantly surprised when it was salty.

The top box was all raw sushi and the bottom was different meats and some rice. We weren’t sure whether the bottom box was supposed to be eaten warm but it was room temperature when we brought it home. It would’ve tasted better if it had been warm i believe, but again we didn’t know if it should have been reheated or not because there was no information about what we were eating.

Honestly we just were not impressed and threw away almost half of the meal. It really was not worth $150 and definitely not enough for two people. Thankfully we bought rice, gyoza, and edamame from a different sushi place just in case the Koya meal wasn’t enough food.

The food is very special, the wine pairing offered was splendid and the delivery by Eric and Adriana is exceptional. A dinner at Koya is a memorable experience.

I have not had their omakase tasting yet, but have ordered their take out option a couple times now. You make a reservation and pay for it on their web site and pick up on your scheduled date and time. You order this one to two weeks in advance.

I ordered their salmon, tuna, and sashimi/nigiri set. The sushi here is phenomenal, real deal! It melts in your mouth and you don’t drown it in soy sauce. It comes with light and dark soy sauce that you can apply a couple drops on.

Hands down the best sushi in the Tampa Bay Area. I spoke with the owner and he told he picks up his fish at the airport since its flown in fresh.

I have been to other sushi restaurants in south Tampa, Soho, ybor and they don’t come close!

There is nothing else like this in Tampa. Incredible food, intimate atmosphere, the owner and his wife are exceedingly nice and good at what they do. This is not just food, it's an experience you must try.

This is an amazing dining experience! Eric and Adriana are wonderful and present a dining experience no better than anywhere in Tampa! The food is delicious and the expert pairing with Saki on request is top notch. I will absolutely be back.

We tried Koya for the first time a month ago and it was an absolutely fantastic meal at the restaurant. Only 8 seats all at the bar so you get tons of interaction with chef. The meal was delicious omakase style. We did not do the sake pairing because no one in our group drinks sake so I can’t comment on that. We recently did their takeout menu and that was just as delicious! I was surprised by how amazing it was even as takeout. I will absolutely go in person and do takeout again. The only problem is with only one seating of 8 guests a night it can be difficult to get reservations but I assume that’s what keeps the quality high. Can’t wait for Noble Rice to open at Sparkman.

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. The wife and I have been to Koya on multiple occasions, and hands down it's the best dining experience we've had in Tampa. It's even better than several one star Michelin restaurants we've been to. Amazing experience!

Fantastic experience. Omakase style, let the chef take you through the night. The saki collection is exquisite. On par with the finest Michelin restaurants I’ve dined in.

Oh… my…. GOD. Absolutely the most amazing meal of my life. Eric and Adriana prepared exotic dishes that I would never dream of. The 1 month wait for a reservation was worth it and I will definitely be back again!

I don't think there are enough words in the English language to accurately explain in detail how amazing this restaurant is. The food was so playful but stayed rooted in the flavors of Japan more so than any other restaurant I've visited in the US. The drink pairings were well thought out and the chef and his wife are treasures. I look forward seeing where their ventures take them. I will always remember this place

Talk about epic meal time. This was the best Japanese meal that I've had outside of Japan. Reservations are required due to Covid-19 and the fact that the restaurant only seats 8. The chefs are literally importing their fish from the auction markets in Japan. I am very happy that something like this exists in Tampa. I can't wait to go back for the next special occasion.

Went for $225 Omakase which is their only option currently. This is also not the first Omakase in Tampa Bay area (Tampa Bay includes more than just Tampa).

Best toro and otoro I've ever had. Rest of the food was nothing special for the cost. Only 12 courses of small portions so you will be very hungry afterward.

Also did the $125 sake and wine pairing. It was not a new sake or wine for every course, they gave a small glass every other course. Nowhere worth the cost, though the sake was good.

The food tasted alright overall, but would not come again for $225. My friend I went with had all the same thoughts as me.

I went to Koya last night for dinner. Let's start with the good. The chef and his wife were very nice and hospitable. The restaurant itself is in an unassuming location but is nicely decorated. The "summer tasting menu" that we had was $225 a person and consisted of a variety of dishes. The presentation of the dishes was absolutely beautiful and I loved the dishware that the restaurant used.

The Bluefin Tuna (Toro) was the simplest dish and by far our favorite. The Scallop Motoyaki came in second, which was a cooked scallop and cheese dish. Our third favorite was the Pina colada dessert, which, as it sounds, was their take on a Pina Colada. That's about where the good stops.

The rest of the dishes were all over the place. The first dish, the Hanasakigani, was a king crab preparation with a little pea sauce on it. I thought it was decent but lacked flavor. I expect a pleasant saltiness with crab that wasn't there.

The second dish, the Shima Aji, was a striped horse mackerel with pear, almonds, and vinegar. This dish perfectly emphasizes the things that are wrong with this restaurant. With the overpowering flavors of the vinegar and pear, you could barely taste the amazing fish in this dish. I was very, very disappointed.

The third dish was Hamachi, which is a yellowtail with a ton of fried shallot and garlic. Again, the garlic and shallot totally overpowered any taste that I could get of the Hamachi. The bitter taste of the garlic continued to persist through the remainder of the courses. I was also very disappointed with this dish. I went to this restaurant to taste the amazing fish and all I got was garlic and shallot flavor. Sometimes, less is more.

The fifth dish was the Tenderloin and Uni. They took wagyu beef, ground it up into a tartare, slapped some uni on it, and served it on a nori crisp. The uni was great but I could barely taste the wagyu. Why anyone would take a beautiful wagyu steak and chop it up into tartare is beyond me. Plus, the entire dish lacked flavor.

The seventh dish was the Wagyu and Mochi, which was a braised snow beef neck, herbed labneh, and a yuzu koshu hot sauce. This dish was fine, but again, the overpowering flavors of the hot sauce ruined any taste that I could glean of the wagyu.

The rest of the dishes I discussed above. I commend the owners for their hospitality and for trying to put a new take on traditional omakase and tasting menus. However, they need to learn that sometimes less is more. They get all of this beautiful fish and meat flown in from Japan, and then proceed to cover up the flavors of that fish and meat with all manner of complicated toppings and garnishes. Additions to a dish should enhance the flavors of that fish and meat, not cover it up.

Furthermore, the cost of this experience is outrageous compared to what you get. I've been to many other omakase restaurants that cost less and produce food of a substantially better flavor than what I found at Koya. I honestly left the restaurant last night feeling cheated out of almost $700 (with tip and drinks for two). I was also upset because I know that the underlying quality of the ingredients is so good, but the flavor was masked by overcomplication and overpowering garnishes. When a restaurant is trying to serve an expensive tasting menu meal, the flavors should work together in harmony, there should be balance, there should be subtlety, and each flavor should elevate the other. And particularly in the omakase context, the goal should always be to highlight the taste of the fish, and every ingredient used along side the fish should be prepared and integrated to serve the fish and enhance its flavor. In that respect, it failed spectacularly.

I certainly won't be back and I truly hope that the owners rethink their menu in the future.

I gave them three stars because of the quality of the ingredients they use, but if we're talking value in terms of how tasty the food is for the price, I would give it one or two stars at best.

This is, without question, a 5-star dining experience. Chef Eric and his wife and team have created a unique and intimate experience with world-class cuisine that you would only find at top end locations around the world. Tampa is incredibly lucky to have such a location. Went for the tasting menu for my friend’s birthday. Each course was artfully crafted and carefully prepared and included ingredients flown in from all over the world. The wine/sake pairings were a real treat and exposed us to new combinations. I cannot say enough great things about this experience. If you think this is going to be a budget neighborhood sushi spot, don’t go. If you truly appreciate the art of food, then you won’t find a better place in Tampa!