Back again, this time for happy hour. Awesome happy hour. However both food orders were served to the couple 3 seats down.. even though it was delicious.... Smh. Such an awesome place but so inconsistent. Maybe I'll just go to sampan and see if they are any better.(same place) FYI was in the biz for 10 years... all fine dining. read more

After a long day, we decided to venture to Double Knot for some quality sushi/sashimi. I ordered the Japanese fried chicken which was a good portion size with a hearty bite (not too crunchy.) Next came the spicy tuna roll with avocado ($2 for avocado, kind of expensive...) and the Toro/soy/wasabi ( very good, great quality fish.) The beef dumpling soup was delicious with tasty wagyu and mushrooms. Next we ordered the duck bibimbap which blew us away; this was definitely the star of the meal. Highly recommend. Mochi for dessert ( salted caramel, passion fruit, lychee, and vanilla chocolate chip) with an espresso Martini to finish. The mochi was probably the best I've ever had in a restaurant...the lychee was my favorite- vegan and made with coconut milk! I'm a big fan of espresso martinis ( my favorite drink) and this one was one of the better ones. Service was prompt and speedy. Not too crowded on a Monday night; got sat in under 3 minutes. Definitely recommend highly- will be back for happy hour!! read more

Double Knot - Duck bibimbap - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Delish pour over coffee. Barista was friendly and the atmosphere is eclectic. It's not that big so I would recommend reservations if you are planning on eating dinner here. We went in at 3pm to find out the kitchen was closed until 4. That was a bummer but we grabbed a beer and coffee and headed to the next spot... read more

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Overrated, I had heard so much about this place. Honestly, both the food and the drinks are overpriced and overrated. Good ambience and service, don't plan to go again. read more

This place is AMAZING. I mean, anything from the same people that brought us Sampan is bound to be good, but wow. I might even like this place more than its neighbor. You enter to a bar sort of area, it seems like the restaurant but don't be fooled--you must walk to the back and be sent down a mysterious stairwell. The actual restaurant is down below. Once seated, get ready for an amazing meal. PRO TIP: Vegetarians: ask for the vegan menu!! There is a whole array of options and every thing I have had thus far has been stellar. Favorites: the edamame dumplings (of course), the robataki mushrooms, the tacos (also mushroom, don't miss out on this). I don't even like mushrooms that much, but these guys take it to another level. My date also tried the eel (loved it) and tuna cracker (loved it). Everything looks delicious and i cannot wait to go back for more!! Personally, I love tapas style dining, where you can order lots of small dishes and share more/try more. Its so fun! The drink menu is also great and be aware that the cocktail menu upstairs is different than the one downstairs. They also do a happy hour, upstairs only, but good luck... we walked in for a 515pm reservation on a wednesday, and every seat at the bar and bar tables was full!! read more

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Amazing small plates and their happy hour is an absolute STEAL! Best part is happy hour is every days, 4-7pm. Honestly everything tastes great but my faves are the edamame dumplings, kimchee fried rice and the short rib robytaki. It gets packed quick for happy hour so arrive early. read more

Asian influence, hip staff and inexpensive, delicious lunch! We arrived based on a Yelp search, seeking Sushi, which they had as take-out only. They serve variations on one bowl of a starch, vegetable and choices of protein. I had rice noodles with a fish sauce, cilantro and other delicious raw morsels and a bit of chicken. Choices of a few sauces for topping and spice if preferred. Good hot green tea. Very healthy, a perfect lunch in downtown! read more

Engered the restaurant to find a bar. Later lead down the hall and downstairs to their "izakaya" style restaurant. Had the omakse, 10 course tasting menu. Everything was 10/10 and AMAZING read more

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Happy hour at bar, the food is great. Although the plate is small but it is fulfilling so you don't end up ordering a lot, so it's good price read more

Outstanding happy hour with well priced and flavorful gnashes sure to delight! Loved all the dumplings as well as the chow fun and the sushi rolls. Will be back for sure! read more

The low star rating is purely a reflection of the bar service we received this past Friday. We were a group of three ladies and came here as our destination happy hour to celebrate the last day of a colleague. We snagged seats at the bar on the street level and eagerly ordered drinks and food. The food from Sampan was on-point, as always. High points to the shrimp dumplings, edamame dumplings, brussels, and grilled chicken skewers. The mushroom dumplings were skippable. Happy hour pricing on food is absurdly reasonable. However, they seriously have the B Team working the bar in here. Our bartender constantly ignored us, to the point he even said "sorry guys, I forgot about you." We were being really nice about it, but even after that it didn't change his approach one bit. What's mystifying is that he was getting easy tip money here. The bar wasn't packed yet and we went through 3 rounds in about an hour, most of which weren't even on special. His drinks were also really inconsistent. I watched him mis-measure a shaker when pouring into two glasses, and then just topped off the one that was significantly lower with soda. The food runners also struggled to identify food properly when they brought it it. This all made for a super disappointing experience because I consistently talk up Sampan as the best happy hour in the city, and expected the same standard at Double Knot. I will think twice before recommending this part of the business. read more

Came here Thursday night with a couple of friends for a late dinner. The place was still packed, so we sat at the bar. We got the spicy salmon, Japanese fried chicken, along with the chefs tasting for 3. With that, we got the yellow tail, pork gyoza, beef short rib, pork belly, wings, tuna rice cracker, raw tuna, sea bass, chicken yakisoba, spicy tuna roll, and the modni that it comes with for dessert. We weren't crazy about the chicken yakisoba, but everything else was fantastic. Our favorite things were probably the tuna rice cracker, the sea bass, and the mochi. We had food being constantly brought out for an hour and left stuffed. Would definitely come back to this spot read more

One of my favorite Asian spots in Center City on the tier below Morimoto. The BBQ short rib skewers are AMAZING! Don't try to split them with someone--you'll want your own order. Not a huge fan of their dumplings and some of their sushi rolls have weird sauces on them and are pricey, but other menu highlights include the Brussels sprouts, chicken yakisoba, salmon avocado roll, and Toro roll. Cool ambience inside too. read more

I popped in here over the weekend with a few friends. One was having a nosh, the rest of us just a cup of coffee and a sweet. Maybe it was the time of day, a little past 2pm, but the service was horrible- our coffees came out one at a time with a long lag, no napkins were given, I had to ask for silverware, and who doesn't have raw sugar and almond milk these days?! Even Dunkin Donuts does... To call this place a cafe, I don't think so... read more

We had a great first experience at Double Knot for their exceptional happy hour. The restaurant is cozy, happening and classily designed with a diverse menu of food and drinks at a friendly staff to match it all. The happy hour menu is amongst the most diverse and well-priced menus in Philly and the fact that it runs until 7pm explains the great crowds even on a Monday need. Kuddos to James for making us feel so welcome. We'll certainly be back! read more

They have a vegan menu, ask for it! The standout dishes to me were the Robatayaki items, Eggplant and Maitake mushroom. Hearts of Palm salad is so refreshing. Both Dumplings are great. read more

So let me preface this by saying my fiancé and I are major foodies. We go out to dinner a lot. A lot a lot. My fiancé has worked in the industry, and we understand things happen. Tonight, in an edamame dumpling, my fiancé found a staple. Thankfully, he found it before eating it and spit it out with no damage. The issue I have is that the restaurant didn't do more to amend the situation. While they comped the drinks, my fiancé doesn't even drink by the way, dinner still was not inexpensive. After the incident that occurred, I was kinda over it. Now, my fiancé and I are super cool, and the waitress Megan was very nice about it. It's not her fault. But I am super sad that this restaurant which was our new favorite is now our least. Be careful with the dumplings. read more

Wonderful. Got the double knot cocktail and the bar keep waved the smoked glass in my face. I felt like friggin rick Ross. Also bill Cosby didn't do to. read more

The sushi was delicious but not sure if it is worth the price. I would be curious to try the tasting menu or omakase. We were too full to eat too much. I will have to come back and re-review the place. The atmosphere is really really cool and the cocktails are different and delicious. read more

Double Knot - Collection of sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

To be honest, I haven't eaten here yet; my first visit was with a date for drinks, and it was a really enjoyable experience. You may not realize that Double Knot is rather unpretentious by looking in from the outside doors, but it has just the right touch of class to make it such the popular, interesting place that it obviously is judging by all the people there up through at least 10pm at night. Located in the former Sansom Cinema cesspool (if only those walls could talk; but then again, you probably wouldn't want them to!), they spent a lot of time rebuilding the brick and wood interior into a gorgeous place. The entrance floor has the velvet-like Hollywood-style seating on one side, and the classy bar on the other side. My date informed me that the 2 coffee machines located on the bar are not found anywhere else in the world outside of Japan. I don't drink coffee, so sorry that I can't inform you of the surely exquisite liquids that so many people surely enjoy. But the atmosphere here really makes you feel like a million bucks! This place is big! We took a tour of the downstairs restaurant and bar, and it's breathtaking. From the faux cavernous rock look of the overflowed candle wax on the corner of the LED-lit sushi bar that look like jewelry cases, to the brick and hard wood walls and maze of oodles of tables in the dining section, you will be in awe when you visit and have the full experience. All the staff were so cool and more than willing to take any requests you may have. I'm a very modest kind of guy, and typically these places are not my cup of tea; but I can't wait to go back again, especially to sample some of their food and to more properly, completely document the establishment that it is. I'm not a sushi fan, and I hope that it's not just the sushi bar that it is labeled to be; but regardless of Double Knot's heart being a sushi bar or not, there is certainly something here for everyone! UPDATE: Apparently Double Knot is tied pretty closely into Sampan; my receipt here even said it was Sampan. They share the same kitchen, from what I gather. read more

double knot is an amazing addition to the current 13th street line-up of restaurants. we started off our meal with some drinks at the bar (get the two lovers knot if you're craving something sweet and fruity) and then walked downstairs through an unassuming door in the back to get to our seats at the counter. if you're thinking about coming here for a date, i would highly recommend sitting side by side at the counter. the set up is really nice and intimate! we were feeling a bit indulgent, so we decided to go for the tasting menu. it's $55/person and gets you 1 dish from each section of the menu (e.g. small, cold, crispy, specialty sashimi, sushi/sashimi, meat, fish, sides) and 2 selections from the robatayaki - so 10 separate items total. small // pastrami bao bun a little unusual to put pastrami in a bao, but this dish was actually one of our favorites. instead of the traditional pork belly, double knot offers pastrami - which pairs well with the japanese mustard and brussel slaw. cold // toro baguette tiny in portion size... but tasty! i guess i was expecting something the size of a baguette. it's more like 4 little crouton crackers with toro, pickled mushroom, wasabi and green onion piled on top. crispy // karaage with daikon and kewpie mayo karaage is really classic izakaya food. it's basically fried chicken with a spritz of lemon to cut the grease. you then get a little smear of the kewpie mayo (a super popular mayo brand in japan) on your chicken before each bite and somehow it still tastes pretty light. mayo on fried chicken sounds like a heart attack in the making, but karaage with kewpie works. specialty sashimi // yellowtail fresh yellowtail with ponzu, soy-ginger and finger lime as a garnish - once again, on the small side as a portion (keep this in mind, if you order it a la carte). sushi/sashimi // double knot big eye tuna we inhaled these... bite-sized rolls wrapped in green soy paper topped with tuna and avocado. so good! robatayaki // kobe beef it's beef on a stick slow-grilled over hot coals - can't get more simple than that. robatayaki // swordfish i feel like swordfish is the steak of the sea. it has a really meaty texture for a fish - not flaky at all. meat // rib eye hearty slices of rib eye with hon shimeji mushrooms, ponzu and herbs. this was the "heaviest" dish of the night for me - definitely felt like my belly was getting full by this point. fish // soy glazed salmon i preferred this over the rib eye. the salmon was cooked to perfection (not even a little bit dry) and the onion ponzu and jalapeno oil kept the flavors really light and fresh. sides // black cod fried rice my absolute favorite dish of the night. i was feeling a bit hesitant about the black cod at first when we ordered it (fish? in fried rice? is that a thing?) but i was so, so pleasantly surprised by how yummy it was. definitely order this as a side if you're ordering a la carte. there's plenty to share or you could even eat it solo as an entree. dessert // yuzu cheesecake we didn't get to pick a dessert off the menu, but we still got something sweet to end our meal! we really enjoyed the clean, citrus flavors of this cheesecake. it's like an asian twist on a key lime or lemon cheesecake. read more

Double Knot - Some of our tasting menu selections - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Excellent tasting food from a variety of menu options to choose from. Service is fast and very knowledgeable. Ample seating on multiple levels read more

My review is based purely on the cafe/bar experience. I've heard their sushi restaurant is top notch but I've not had the chance to try it. Their baristas do a great job making lattes and their elixir coffee drip is great. They often have a large selection of snacks available as well until about 4pm ( I think they transition it more to a restaurant at that point). They are friendly and the place is very cool to have a meeting or just enjoy your drink in the dark. Love it. read more

If you like a wonderfully noisy, active vibe with a cool pulse this place is great. Music on, lights low and a great commotion of people. Enjoyed some great appetizers and some drinks from a solid cocktail menu. Unfortunately we didn't have very much time so could only stay for an hour, but I would have stayed the evening if we could have. read more

5 stars for happy hour! From 4-7PM Double Knot serves the same tasty HH dishes as Sampan and Graffiti Bar, and at only $3-4 a plate, the portions were larger than expected. We ordered a smorgasbord to feast on, but these were the stand-out faves: the Pork Bao Buns - two to and order and contained perfectly glazed and crispy pork belly slices wrapped in a fluffy steamed bun, & the Short Rib Chow Fun - those flat, wide noodles had just the right amount of kick from the chili, and the short rib was perfectly cooked and seasoned (insert grinning face emoji + knife & fork). Paired with the featured saké of the day, I was a happy camper. The atmosphere on the main floor is warm and thoughtfully decorated. There's a downstairs seating area as well, although we didn't venture down there. I love the idea that DK also operates as an Elixr coffee bar / restaurant by day, looking forward to checking them out in the AM hours. read more

4.5 stars for food - 1 star for service. First few times I've had food here it was excellent as was the service. I'm not sure if they underwent staff changes in the kitchen but next time I had gotten lunch it was completely cold - I'm talking about ice cold barely cooked so I've had to throw it out. When I stopped by to simply notify them of this, not expecting anything free, I was passed off from one employee to another until the third or fourth one I was speaking - supposedly some sort of manager - said "okay I'll be right back" and disappeared. I waited for a bit and just decided to leave. Not sure where he ran off to but I specifically stated that all I wanted to do is let ya know about the food. Anywho, today I wanted to give them another go because I love the food and haven't had their small plates dinner yet. So we came in 3:55 and their dinner starts at 4, but the very nice and gracious bartender said we can have a seat at any open table - basically all of them. My girlfriend and I had ordered two simple beers with the waiter - fast forward to 4:20 and the place is packed, everyone around us is ordering food and I've not a beer, nor any sign of the waiter...good bye. Never again. read more

I would give this place more than 5 stars if I could. Amazing. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and we opted for the Chef's tasting menu. We also decided to let them pick each of the 10 courses since we both enjoy trying new things. Every single dish was delicious. Tuna rice cracker, yellowtail and salmon sashimi, Japanese fried chicken, edamame dumplings, swordfish robatayaki, flank steak robatayaki, ramen, Japanese scallops, and hanger steak (cooked to perfection). Definitely come hungry though if you're doing the tasting menu, some of the dishes are smaller but some are pretty filling. You even get mochi at the end for dessert. The wait staff was very attentive and the manager was walking around checking in on everyone. Perfect date spot, can't wait to go back! read more

Love the food here! They have a great sharing menu as the plates a small but to go with a group or date would be the best idea!

Awesome happy hour! Great prices, delicious food, lively, modern atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Every time I eat here I'm just like wow this is the best food I have ever tasted in my life

Normally with joints like this everything's delicious but tiny portions and you're still hungry when you leave. Here we have kaiseki-level cuisine that leaves you barely able to waddle up the stairs to the exit. read more

Happy hour deal is amazing-- also, the hostess here was so sweet, so good at her job and accommodating the large crowd that accumulates during happy hour as well as making sure my sister was taken care of with her gluten allergy!! Haven't given 5 stars in a while but I loved this place! read more

Came here for happy hour. The Edamame dumplings with truffle are maybe the best on the happy hour menu. You get 4 small dumplings in a light tasty broth for $4 which I could/should of had more of tho I was coming from Sampan next door. The robatayaki short rib was a little chewy but ok. Think this may have been $5. Had the Chapter 2 drink which was a bit too sweet for me and not very strong. Service at the bar is good and the food comes out pretty quickly. Good ambience. Will need to go back to check out the downstairs tasting menu maybe with a few more bowls of the edamame dumplings read more

Double Knot - Must try edamame dumplings - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Here is the deal, in the morning, as early as 7am, you can enjoy coffee and pastries at the bar or 2 tops, along side the carefully curated shelves of knick knacks and wooden accents. Happy Hour begins at that same space at 4pm with just a sample of the food offered downstairs. After 5pm, you can head down the stairs for a loooong menu of skewers and sushi. But for lunch (and that's 10pm-3pm), the menu is pleasantly streamlined: pick a protein (steak, shrimp, pork, chicken, tofu, meatball) and what form you would like it in (salad, banh mi, rice, noodles) in exchange for $7. I do like a salad with minimal leaves and lots of herbs. South East Asia gets it. The Double Knot lunch salad is mostly citrusy cabbage, daikon, mint and cilantro. Four lightly fried, plump shrimp came with it. It could work as a light lunch or shareable lunch appetizer. I remember a few years ago when Sampan offered lunch, specifically the high quality banh mi they served. Double Knot brings it on back with a fresh baguette that doesn't hurt the jaw (some banh mi bread does!) and nicely marinated steak that steals the show. The daily punch was a light melon drink that worked so well with both the salad and the banh mi. That's the thing with this menu, since everything is mix and match, it all has to make sense together, and it does. read more

I am also a big fan of Sampan and Graffiti Bar, so I was not surprised that Double Knot was also great. I'm really intrigued by their multiple-format dining plan, and so far have only been for lunch and happy hour. I'm not sure I'd do dinner there because it's a little $$$ for my budget. Although of course, when you keep adding more dumplings to your order... that adds up too...... The great stuff - HH menu is a good deal and includes many Sampan favorites. The dumplings are are A+, edamame dumplings ESPECIALLY. I appreciate that lunch is the set $7 menu-- it was fast and a way better deal than (bafflingly popular ripoffs) Honeygrow and Sweetgreen. The meh - HH does fill up. I don't like waiting or being squished, so venue popularity is a drawback for me. I went with 2 friends on a Tuesday at 5:30 and we had no problem getting seats, but it did fill up later and we were really happy to have a good spot. It would definitely depend on the day/time you go. read more

Great happy hour menu! Food was fabulous and drinks were great! We sat at the bar and the ambience was perfect.

Just had an amazing meal tonight! My girlfriend got the chefs special and it was delicious aworth the 55 a person. The staff was friendly and on point . The manager came over to ask us about our current dish (we had 10 dishes from the tasting menu)- I stated that it was good but not our favorite of the many we already received and he sent us extra desert! Overall the experience was great and the food was wonderful- minus the short rib which was a little overcooked--but 9 out of 10 dishes were Amazing!!! Will be going back and highly recommended the tasting menu so you can experience the menu! read more

So I went here on a date and I have to say that although I knew it was going to be basically the same menu as Graffiti bar/Sampan, I was still pleasantly surprised. My date had never been to any of the Sampan family restaurants, so I basically ordered my staple favorites: the edamame dumplings, the chicken bao buns, the kimchee fried rice, and the korean bbq beef satay. All delicious as usual; however, since double knot is supposed to be the sushi sister of the restaurants, we decided to try something off of the sushi menu. Not sure if we just ignored the description, but whatever we ordered was just not what we were expecting... it was a ceviche and I have to say it was extremely disappointing taste wise. Wouldn't recommend that dish off of the sushi options. For drinks, I got the ming mule and that was tasty per usual as well. All in all I was pleased with my food experience and the service at this place. Even though it was crowded on a Saturday night, we were able to get the last seats in the house and our waitress was great and super attentive. I definitely recommend this spot, but I'd encourage getting a reservation as it was pretty packed at 9:30 on a Saturday night! read more

I'm only giving 2 stars because the service was so poor! Not only did she forget half the food we ordered, at one point we sat there for an hour before we asked someone else for our check. Then to make matters worst we asked for a manager and no one came. The food was delicious ( what we could get ) the place is amazing! If only the service was better I would have given 5 stars. My last attempt I emailed the restaurant and again no response. First impressions last a life time and we won't be going back again. read more

Double Knot - Small plates - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Excellent all around. Food, service and atmosphere. Husband and I were excited to be able to get a last minute reservation. It was great to see Toby who we know from his previous employment. He fits the atmosphere as if it was built around him We went full on with the robatayaki. Each one was better then the first. We even went back for double and triple of some. Favorites: Short Rib, lobster tail. Swordfish and kobe beef. Drew was our waiter and was very helpful walking us through the menu. I was panicking while waiting for the bill, then blown away with how inexpensive when I saw how much we ate. I am shocked to see people complain about price. It's 2016 and Philadelphia is a hot restaurant scene right now. Good food well worth the price. read more