One of the best Omakase we've ever had in Philly. Conveniently located very close to the Convention center and within walking distances to nearby hotels. Very friendly chefs and staff. BYOB so make sure you come with something nice to pair with the fish. read more

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Came here for omakase and it was overall a pleasant experience! We were seated on the second floor and had 15 courses. Each course itself was delicious and some were very unique in their own way! I really enjoyed the uni course since it was slightly creamy but also sweet. I had no idea uni could be so good! Some of the basic nigiri also surprised me. Each piece of fish tasted premium and the rice was even seasoned so well. All of the nigiri were quite cohesive. I did feel like the experience was a bit rushed, I felt like I didn't have much time to reflect on each course like I wanted to but I'm not sure if that's the norm. I do appreciate the staff though, since they were all so kind and professional! read more

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Rating strictly based on food. Ok, but not great (relative to the price). It's a legit omakase experience, but slightly underwhelming flavors. No service issues, although sushi chef did his work in complete silence except when serving the pieces. There were 4 couples seated at the bar and he seemed to focused on preparing the fish to engage the group. read more

If you're looking for a great omakase option in center city, come to Kichi! They offer 15 courses at a price of $95pp (+ tax & tip), with a great intimate ambiance. The chef is knowledgable and you get to watch all the preparations, including torching & sprinkles of gold dust - some courses were classics while others were unique preparations. The experience was well paced between each dish, allowing time to savor each bite. Service was amazing too, and I would definitely come back again! For reservations, you have options for upstairs seating (which is more quiet and intimate) or downstairs on the main floor. I dined on both floors and the experience was equally as good. Some of the highlights include: Sea scallop w/line Sat water eel A5 wagyu beef Fatty tuna w/sea urchin caviar Tuna soy marinate Japanese makerel Fatty Salmon ...and more! read more

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- Service: Good. - Ambiance: Nice. We sit at the bar so we could see everything the chef does. The seat is comfortable. - Food: This is my very first time I've ever had omakase and it was really good. Everything is just so delicious, flavorful, and fresh. Over $100 per person but it's omakase right in Philly center so it's understandable. It's pretty easy to make a reservation and all the chef's selections are great. Would definitely come back when my wallet gets bigger and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

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$95 for 16 course omakase, BYOB, and 10% cash discount. Service was quick and attentive anytime my glass was empty. However, the fish was very underwhelming. The mini croissant was straight overpowering with butter flavor. The uni was not fresh and the worst uni I've had. read more

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It's a BYOB omakase spot in the city that requires reservations. The 15 course menu features premium ingredients like foie gras, king salmon, otoro, and A1 wagyu beef. I really like how each piece is paired with unique supporting elements that highlight its flavor. The entire experience lasts about 1.5 hours and $95/ person before tax and gratuity, they also provide an a la carte menu to add on the experience. They can accommodate some dietary restrictions, but since it's primarily a sushi focused menu, vegans may want to skip this one. A great spot to celebrate a sophisticated birthday. read more

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Very good quality omakase experience for the price. Has the standard heavy hitters such as otoro with caviar, Hokkaido scallop, uni, etc. and all of it tasted very fresh. Would definitely come back. Nothing that was wow-factor, but for the price, they did very well with the lineup. 15 courses including a cheesecake dessert. BYOB, make sure to bring some good sake and share a glass with the chef. read more

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We had a great time here the other week, and getting a reservation wasn't too hard. They take their Halloween decorations seriously, which we appreciated. It's a good date night spot because there isn't a lot of interaction with the wait staff / chefs. We came with a party of four, which was a little more difficult because of the bar seating. Each course was better than the next. Many of them melted in your mouth, and there were really fun flavors you don't normally get with sushi like yuzu. My friend's fav was the gold flakes they sprayed on one course. Also, come if you're celebrating your bday because you get an extra hand roll and a tiny gift! If you pay in cash, you get a 10% discount also :) read more

Incredible value and the kindest staff! Omakase was fantastic, high quality, well paced, and a steal for the price. The restaurant itself is lovely and much larger than it looks from the outside. The sushi bar is comfortable and gives you a great view of the chef. I'm surprised there's not a waitlist to get in here. Ordered takeout on multiple occasions as well and the presentation is unmatched! Will continue to support Kichi! read more

Kichi omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came as a birthday dinner and enjoyed it enough. The sushi was good, and I love that it is BYOB. Unfortunately, the dinner as a whole felt a bit rushed though it was an allotted 2 hour time slot. I have been to several omakase's now and this one was definitely quick, but only once it started. It seemed to take a while to get everything prepped and then once they started they were pushing out the sushi as fast as possible. Was also on the more expensive side, $95 for 15 courses. Sadly, I didn't feel the quality was worth the price and still left hungry. Not sure if this is aimed more towards tourists, but would recommend going once to try but wouldn't return for a second time. read more

Kichi omakase - Mini pie dessert - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place is PHENOMENAL! First time doing something this intimate, and boy oh boy do I suggest it! Our sushi chef Erick was beyond informative on what he was making us and would describe the fish in great detail. I tried keeping up on each piece that was selected so here's what we got.. Shrimp w\ sea urchin butter caviar Amberjack w/sesame sauce Fluke w/umi and fluke flake Gold line fish Spanish mackerel w/ginger Japanese mackerel Salmon with goose liver Blue fin tuna Tuna soy marinate Fatty tuna w/ sea urchin caviar A5 wagyu beef Sea bass w/lime Sea scallop w/lime Sweet and blacked cod Salt water eel Dessert 10/10 read more

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This place is BYOB!! It's also 2 different sections that you need reservations at I think either way, but TOTALLY WORTH IT!!! It was such a great experience! It was our First Omakase, I believe it was 14/15 courses, all amazing read more

The sushi here was definitely fresh and delicious! The sushi chefs were friendly and service was quick. The dining area is intimate and perfect for a date night. Removed a star only because I didn't think the omakase was unique or outstanding. Typically, I look forward to enjoying fish that I normally wouldn't be able to order at standard sushi restaurants. But I definitely recommend this place to those who want to try omakase for the first time. read more

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Had a fantastic experience. Every single course of our meal was fantastic, beautifully and thoughtfully prepared. The chefs did an amazing job and it was such a great experience watching them work. We ate in the upstairs dining room and enjoyed the quiet ambiance which allowed us to focus on the meal. This restaurant is byob, so we brought a bottle of plum wine and they immediately offered to chill it for us. A perfect place for a special experience. It's the closest I've felt to being in Japan while back in the states! read more

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wow so yummy sushi omakase! it's a good number items and they have addons at the end too if you want that are also yummy. i like when they have shrimp nigiri. v good. wow! Whoa! yum. they have byob too if you want to bring your own drink. read more

Kichi omakase - cool tree branch on wall - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Had a 5:30 PM reservation, right after they opened at 5. The server was amazing--I brought lukewarm sake (because July), and she put it in an ice bucket right away. I asked if she could add water to the sake chiller to speed things up, which she did. It still wasn't cold fast enough, but I didn't want to bother her. Even so, she checked in again, asked if it was cold enough, and when I said no, she took it upon herself to make it right. That kind of attention really made the experience better, and I truly appreciated it. The sushi was good quality for the price. The 16-piece set was just right. I do wish the garnish had more flavor--it was barely more than a dot. Decor is nice, though I'd prefer chill lofi or zen music over American pop. And while I get that it was just opening time, a bit more chef interaction would've been nice. Also, small thing, but seeing one chef not in uniform made it feel a little less polished. read more

Kichi omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Love the fish and presentation.. Everything was fresh but the experience was a bit lacking. This was my first omakase and considering it being an imitate setting, I expected it to be more engaging with the chef but the chef was stoic and the dining felt a little rushed. We were also seated on the side with a poor view of the chef. Maybe that's a typical omakase experience but I expected more. read more

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Felt spoiled being served delicious morsels prepared by expert sushi masters. The wagyu beef and foie gras nigiri, the oyster in a yuzu foam, the uni, and the toro nigiri were highlights. read more

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Came here for my son's birthday and it did not disappoint. Each bite just got better and better. We sat upstairs and it was quiet. Service was good with the exception of how things came out. There were bits of long gaps and there was another party that came 30 minutes after us (we were there for our 90 minute reservation) and it seemed like we had to wait for them to catch up for us to get the next piece. The chef was nice and prepared an extra special roll for my son since we came on his bday. Overall, I'd come back again. read more

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Didn't feel like a real omakase to me.... It would be more accurately described as a "15 piece sushi meal". Every omakase I've every had in the past included a variety of dishes that, although sushi-forward, would showcase a chef's abilities to cook and prepare other traditional Japanese foods. The location is not handicap friendly, and "bar only" - if you can't handle a high-top situation, do not go there. Music playing was heavy metal and hard rock - not in keeping with a refined experience. Service was efficient, but generally poor. Other than the people making the sushi, it seemed as if nobody else actually wanted to be there - the frowns on everyone's faces was disconcerting. Expect not to be greeted when you arrive, as they have "seatings", and if you arrive 5 minutes early, the waitstaff just looks at you, makes a face, and ignores you. Sushi we were served was very high quality, but kind of ruined by everything going on around us. read more

Birthday splurge - tried the omakase with some friends. I've read a few reviews with people complaining about the cost, but the pricing is comparative to what we've paid in other cities. Our skilled chef prepared each of the 15 or 16 courses while we sat and watched. There were some very unique preparations. We enjoyed all of the selections. They kindly threw in an extra birthday course and even sang happy birthday, complete with confetti. It was a fun and intimate experience and the fact that it's a BYOB is an extra bonus. read more

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My 16-course omakase was fantastic. Each course was prepared with exceptional care and attention to detail. There was only one course I did not like and that was the chu-toro course. The chu-toro had some unchewable, stringy parts in it. The tuna parts were still melt in your mouth, but the stringy parts were not good. The o-toro course offered next made up for it. It was a nice piece of o-toro. Many of the selections were aburi-style, meaning the chef used a blowtorch to sear the outside of the fish. This was especially effective in the whitefish courses, such as sake (sea bass), where the crispy skin added a nice contrast to the tender fish, and the wagyu where the light sear brought out the flavor and aroma of the wagyu. The courses prior to the nigiri were very impressive and colorful. Flavors popped and the right amount of seasoning was added to each course. The chef smelled each seasoning before adding it to the fish. He was using his good judgement each time. Even the lime zest, typically overpowering in the omakase across town, was light enough to be meaningful in the fish he added them to here. The miso black cod with pumpkin sauce was one of my favorites. It was different yet sublime. For the price, this premium omakase cannot be beat. Larger eaters will love that the sushi pieces are a tad bigger than at other places; hence, the price difference between this and the other omakase across town. I definitely did not need any add-ons. Also, this omakase is already in premium status as this one has A5 wagyu while the other does not. And the uni gunkan... my gosh... the chef stuffs each gunkan with a lot of uni! So good! As it was my birthday, I received a special birthday handroll and it was fantastic. Go here for your birthday and you'll see what I mean. Highly recommended. read more

Had a great time here! Unfortunately I did have to wait for the rest of the people booked for my same time slot to show up... So I waited like 25+ mins. I get it because it makes sense for the dishes to be served in sequence rather than skipping around but at that point I wish they would've just moved their time if it was possible to the next slot at least chef started prepping fish while we waited but it was agonizing to watch while I was hungry. Overall the service was very polite and they were quick to clear away plates and between courses and refill my water. Chef Eric was great and made sure we knew what each piece was (altho I agree with others that with the music that wasnt tooooo loud it was still a little hard for me to hear him sometimes). I think they might overdo some of the showy additions and flavors when the fish quality should show for itself, but maybe it's just geared that way so people feel like they got their money's worth. Foie gras on like two of the pieces just felt like an odd add on, I liked it but I don't think it goes together with eel that well personally and I can't remember the other piece that had it. The gold dust on one of the pieces was a little silly since it doesn't have any flavor, but it does make for a neat video. The bar lighting is def set up for photos. They torch a decent amount of the fish and sauce it. I do think this is still a good omakase deal and was appropriately balanced between an intimate experience and entertaining. I imagine if the bar was full of people though that it might feel too crowded, it was only four of us total for the time slot I was in and I had come alone. They do some fun stuff for people's birthdays, the guys next to me got a special second hand roll from our chef and singing and they even set off a little popper. I thought the pacing was good once we got started and it went by pretty quickly, I think the experience ended up being about an hour in the end but we were a small ish group for the timeslot. It seems like they do two chefs per bar with staggered seatings? And there's the upstairs in addition to the downstairs. I'd probably come again, as a treat. Ive only been to one other sushi omakase in the city (it was cheaper and I ended up leaving hungry, it has since shut down), otherwise my other experience was in Japan proper. I was comfortably full at the end of this but I am a fairly small woman with not a hugeee appetite so keep that in mind. They don't do any upsell at the end of the meal if you want more pieces, but they do say you can chill out and finish your BYOB drinks it seems. If I was hungry afterwards I'd get ice cream down the street after or something haha. read more

My boyfriend and I came for valentines. The seating area was a little crammed upstairs but overall was very intimate and quiet. The food was very good. Good quality fish for the price we paid. They also gave us a cute valentines goody bag with a rose and chocolate. Would definitely come back again. read more

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The sea urchins here are divine. Exact same taste that I've missed for 12 yrs as the ones in Hakodate morning market. And when I asked, they did import their fish from Hokkaido. Unbelievable experience and Chef Alex definitely loves his job. The waitress offered some in-house sake, which was super kind! 10 out of 10 :-0 read more

Kichi omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We really liked this variety of food served throughout the meal. GREAT service. And ambiance.

What an experience. My boyfriend and I made a reservation for 5:00 on a Friday for the omakase and had ended up having a whole private session as nobody else had reserved the time slot. The staff was beyond friendly and accommodating and the chef was clearly passionate. He helped educate us on each course and kindly informed us on how to properly enjoy an omakase as this was our first time. The sushi was so fresh and perfectly seasoned. So many courses were too almost too beautiful to eat. An experience I will never forget! read more

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I loved the omasake so much I went back the next day. I order the wagyu and toro a la carte for take out. They must have forgotten to torch it, because it did not look seared at all. The color was different than when I had the omakase. For 2 pieces of toro and 5 wagyu it was $90. To be fair, she did show it to me before she handed it to me, but I didn't notice it until I went home and realized it did not taste as good. I don't understand how they can forget such an important detail. I'll go to another restaurant now, because I don't have the confidence they will not mess up again. read more

Kichi omakase - The takeout of the toro and wagyu. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We came here for our anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint! They welcomed us with a thoughtful anniversary gift, which we so appreciated. Each bite was delicious but the toro with caviar was the standout! The only feedback is that it was a little difficult to hear the chef when he'd explain what details of the fish it was but it didn't take away from our very positive experience. Being a BYO is the huge cherry on top! Would definitely return and highly recommend this omakase restaurant. read more

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We got still water to drink. One staff came by and asked if we wanted another bottle/ refill a couple times. We kept denying it, our cups were still filled anyways. Then another waiter came by and just filled our cups w/o asking. We were unsure if there was a charge for the water or not because he did this. We ended being charged $13 x2 for two bottles of still water. Didn't appreciate that a 2nd bottle was added unbeknownst to us. Otherwise good experience, I enjoyed the food. Everything was quality and the courses were paced well. Experience took nearly the whole 90 minutes. If you were wondering, because I know I was, "omakase upstairs" is their more intimate, secluded, quieter seating option. Vs. the regular "omakase" where you're seated on the main floor. Food is same just different seating. read more

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15 course omakase for under 100 bucks. I had to try this place especially since Royal Izakaya is now like $300 a person. While I liked where we were sitting, the food didn't match up to Royal Izakaya (although I don't like the experimental pieces Ito is putting out right now). I still however enjoyed my experience trying out this place. The place is byob which was really nice. We brought a nice bottle of sake and the staff graciously helped to heat up our sake. There were 2 chefs with 12 people at the table. With regard to byob I thought it was really nice that the staff would chill your bottle for you and serve it to you when you ran out. I am unsure why all the cups/tea pots were so small. The sushi quality was pretty good and I liked some of the pieces. I did feel like some of the sushi pieces had way too much wasabi which overpowered the whole dish. To be honest I think there were only like 5 pieces of sushi that wowed me. I liked the use of the blowtorch to give a bit of flavor to the pieces without overpowering the dish. The use of gold flakes was interesting as well. My favorite dish was dessert which was this amazing cheesecake but I wish they would have given a bigger slice. At the end of the meal, they did ask about add ons. They should probably not add a dessert that isn't like egg sushi piece if they wanted to do add ons that are savory. I was expecting some dessert add ons to be on the list and was disappointed to only see savory options. read more

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I went to their birthday anniversary and it was quite fun a delicious. They gave out swag bags with sake in it and a coupon! Very generous. Pros- the quality of the fish and the number of sushi and plates is delicious. Never can go wrong with Uni! Also pro tip is to pay in cash for a discount. Cash is king. You can watch the sushi being made for you up close. Here are my thoughts: Wakame seaweed 5/5 refreshing flavor blast Crab cucumber dish + Oyster that was sweet and citrusy 4.5/5 Madai was really good and soft and melted 5/5 Shima aji yummy too 4/5 Saba fire!! Toasty And lime handed to you 4/5 Kinmadai solid 4.5/5 Salmon lightly smoked with truffle salt on top 4.5/5 Uni rice w/ toro was wonderful 5/5 Toro was very very yum 5/5 A5 wagyu was my favorite 5/5 Uni can't go wrong 4.5/5 Ebi yum 4.5/5 Toro with caviar and gold spray was so pretty, fun and delicious 5/5 Baked Eel was scrumptious 4.5/5 Sake ice cream 3/5 (mine was ice Chippy) Cons-they focus on speed rather than perfection in each bite. With their model they are trying to get you in and out. The fish are cut in various slices and I saw that our chef actually miscounted and so the last person got a double chubby piece. They have a menu but there was no predictable order. My sake ice cream was a weird consistency. It's like when you have melted ice cream and then it freezes weird so you get ice chips. My partners ice cream was a normal consistency and was better. The taste is very unique and overall fun. Another con is the wait. I got there on time but had to wait around 15-20 mins to get seated Overall I had a fun time and would stop by again. The ambiance was fun but stressful because you can tell the chefs were pressed. The staff/chefs were getting stressed because the next group of people arrived and had to wait clumped in the front because everyone was wrapping up. It's not the perfect omakase but it's definitely a solid price. Worth trying. read more

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Service was good, fish was fresh and easy to get to from our hotel. Called to make last minute reservations and they were able to squeeze us in. My fav was the king salmon from New Zealand read more

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****4.5 rounded down**** Wow, a decent omakase spot in the heart of Philly! They offer a 15-course omakase for around $100 (before tax and tip). My fiancé and I reserved for 5pm on a Wednesday, and we were the only people during that seating. First off, I just want to say that these sushi pieces are actually normal sized (YAY)! Not the dinky little pieces you get at value omakase spots. I found it interesting to see how each piece of sushi was dressed. It was done very tastefully. There were a surprising number of uni courses which made the price a steal! My favorites of the evening were the ikura bowl and chutoro :) So why did I take off a star? Because there is a 1 hour time limit and I felt some pressure to quickly finish my courses. Also, the ambiance was a little too casual for me. I like a more exclusive atmosphere for omakase, but that's just my personal preference! To summarize, this is a great low-key omakase! I think it would be ideal to eat here solo because you can just focus on eating. Would gladly come back again. read more

Kichi omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My 3 girlfriends and I went for omakase for a birthday dinner and had the best time! Two of my friends aren't even big fish fans but they also loved it! What I appreciated especially was how intimate it felt even with other people ( requested "upstairs" which was a back room, more intimate than the main area) , as well as the fact that the staff wrote a *handwritten* card to my friend and brought out poppers and a candle for her birthday! I will definitely return. Well worth the price. read more

Kichi omakase - I requested "upstairs" which was a back room, more intimate than the main area - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10 out of 5 stars!!!!!!! Didn't have high expectations since this was a lower priced omakase right smack dab in center city and considering it's a one hour time block I had low expectations. Plus side it was BYOB so we splurged with bringing our own nicer bottle of sake. This changed my whole perception of not to judge a book by its cover. First off, there are not many reviews since they had a soft opening in May 2023. It's a new kid on the block. Give this place a chance and you won't be disappointed!!!! The place is a small, simply decorated place that was unpretentious yet comfortable. Small detail but the back had a coat rack and the bathroom had Q-tips, mouthwash and teeth picks. The chef's table was a nice L shape. It was intimate and had two chefs to cover for 12 seats. My partner said the flavor was on point and seafood was fresh - he is more sensitive to seafood. Our favorite was the bluefin tuna (toro). The flavors were so interestingly different - smoky, citrus, salty. Our tastebuds had a party! I booked with a note in the reservation that it was for a birthday and boy did they deliver to it and beyond! I thought they may have forgotten since they didn't mention it until the end of the meal and as we were wrapping up they said something about a birthday and to wait awhile for something. I also appreciated the fact that they didn't make it awkward or feel pressured of tipping because of the timing of it. We had already decided to tip cash and gave above 20% of how nice they delivered the surprises. They sang with a candle and cake, had some party confetti poppers, and a small personalized card. They also moved us to a side table so we can stay longer to drink our sake to turn to the next round of omakase customers. My partner was so excited and happy from this!! Plus the chef (Alex) serving us came out with some extra something for us to try at the end. read more

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This is my fourth time here and it was the best experience! Soft opening was a bit rough and we didn't mind coming back and giving them another try since it's so close to home. We used to drive to nyc for omakase. We loveeee omakase for the experience and exotic fish. The second and third time we came was for my birthday then my husbands' birthday. We had a good experience too. You seriously can't beat the price and service especially in this area. Will come back read more

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**fresh, quality food but service is bit lackluster I did really enjoy most of the courses! The fish is very fresh. The pairings with wasabi, lemon zest, and other toppings also add nuance. We had uni, king salmon, bluefin tuna, etc. Some cons: the service leaves more to be desired. Our chef did not engage in much conversation. Besides saying the name of the course, he added no other introduction or information. I don't need to have full conversations with the chef, but I would've appreciated more explanation of the food! Also, no paper menus or any other way to know what we were getting served. The restaurant is in the process of getting a liquor license, so it is BYOB for the moment (September 2023). Decor is minimalistic and nice. I saw that many reviews mention feeling rushed. Personally, I did not find this to be the case. I've had omakase in nyc before and it was 45 minutes! So the 60 minutes here is reasonable. Overall, I think the price is reasonable, but I would not return unless the service changed for the better. read more

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$95 for a 15-course omakase! WOW! What a freaking deal. This is what we have been missing in Philly. Unfortunately, I will never feel justified in paying over $200 for omakase in Philly. Everything we ate at Kichi Omakase was so delicious and soooo fresh. Sea bream, sweet shrimp, scallop, salmon roe, Spanish mackerel, salmon, A5 wagyu, Chutoro, Otoro sprinkled with GOLD FLAKES!, and sea urchin sushi are just the ones I can remember. The chefs even threw in a tuna hand roll on the house at the end of the meal, which was super cool of them. This was already so much food. I can easily say I walked out of here super full. Of course, even with a full belly, we had to order some extra pieces of the sweet shrimp and Otoro out of indulgence. Keep in mind that this is a get-in-and-get-out type of place. You are allocated an hour to eat and leave. Personally, I think it's reasonable. Neither my husband nor I felt rushed. And it's BYOB (for now). What more can you ask for??? Overall, Kichi is such good value. We will certainly be coming back for more. read more

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