Yeah, get over here. I'll eat a dish with pork belly in it any day of the week, I'm somewhat of an expert on the subject.. The braised and crisped pork belly (Buta No Kakuni) here was some of the best I have ever had. One of those "Holy sh*t" bites where you have to put your head down to process what just assaulted your taste buds. Perfectly rendered fat, good meat to fat ratio, super crisp outer exterior but not too much where it gets tough, the caramelized soy glaze to top it all off.. It was just so good. Also, getting a bite with the kewpie, pickled onion, and pork belly all in one shot is chefs kiss. It doesn't even need all the supporting characters, but it makes it that much better. Slightly overshadowed by the pork, I also got an onigiri. It was filled with chicken and chives. Overall I thought the onigiri was decent. Chicken and chive wouldn't be my top filling but it was tasty nonetheless and still worth trying! I like that they griddle it slightly to help it hold its structure instead of using a piece of nori. Its a pretty relaxing feel inside the place. Staff was also attentive and pleasant. We set in the back, up a few steps right underneath an awesome Totoro poster- iykyk. read more

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Popped in here for an early dinner recently, and everything we ate was delicious and incredibly affordable for downtown Portland eats! The yaki onigiri is a must - crisped up to perfection and beautifully seasoned with fresh scallions and a chili crisp. Staff were also very knowledgeable and friendly. Great spot for yummy lunch/dinner and Japanese bites! read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Gyudon and Yaki Onigiri with garlic salmon! - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

My daughter and I had a late lunch here while vacationing in the area. We had yaki onigiri and gyudon. Both were delicious. We highly recommend. Great service and great food. read more

This place was honestly better than I thought. So much Japanese options in Portland recently and I have loved all of them including this one. Great options to choose from, service is okay, and the food we each got satisfied us very much read more

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So glad I finally got to try this place. I was super impressed with everything. Everything was so fresh and well seasoned. I got a beef bowl dish and it was fantastic. The cucumber salad was fresh as well. They don't have an hard liquor but they have sake, beer and wine. They have a few tables outside and it's cozy inside. Service was super friendly. Overall I will be back to try more dishes, cause they all looked great! read more

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An exceptional little gem on the Portland food scene! We were drawn in by the menu - Japanese street food, fun items like Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki, things that are hard to find in this neck of the woods. The space is small and modern, but they seem to make great use of the square footage. Business was quiet when we arrived on a Wednesday afternoon. I tried the hot tea - it was the one that wasn't jasmine (can't remember the name) and it was delightful. We also tried the Katsu Sando (fried chicken sandwich) and Gyudon (shaved ribeye rice bowl.) Both were large and absolutely delicious. The Katsu Sando is a beast (see photos) but the dredge is on point and seasoning so tasty and just so satisfying to dig in to. The rice bowl was equally satisfying - super thinly shaved ribeye, marinated and grilled to perfection, beautifully runny egg, pickled veg with tons of flavor, wonderfully toothsome rice. I don't think I could find a negative if I tried. As with most Portland hot spots, the service is nice but not warm. It's just something we have been getting used to. But the food alone is worth a return visit. The items that we ordered were $16 ea and I thought that was a great value for what we received. Can't wait to return to Mami for more delicious authentic Japanese noms! read more

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Possibly some of the best food we have ever had. Although first disappointed that there were no more ramen options we quickly realized that everything on the menu was amazing. I don't think I could remember or pronounce most of what was on the menu but it doesnt matter everything was amazing you cant go wrong. Mixed drinks were on pointba true pleaser and for me the fried noodles with Brussels sprouts was easily one of the best dishes I have ever had and I out right refuse to eat Brussels sprouts most of the time. The ramen bowl is not on the menu it's a daily special and although good isn't as amazing as their signature dishes read more

Great food and service. Highly recommended visiting next time you are in downtown Portland. read more

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Got a salmon don (rice bowl? poke bowl) for takeout and thought it was delicious--the ingredients were high quality and delish. However, compared to something you could get at Crunchy Poke, it was more expensive and smaller portions. I've heard the burger is great too. Can't wait to try in person! read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

i can not stress enough how disappointed in myself i am. for not stopping in this cutie place sooner. i didn't know i was missing out on something big until i stepped into this teeny den of japanese inspired deliciousness. the service was what you would expect from a new englander slogging away in a tourist town, tepid but warmed up after the order went in. and the details of the space is just something you have to come in and experience yourself. very cute with a tiny nudge towards edgy. if you're up for some authentic asian eats, have at it!! read more

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My friend and I stepped in for lunch on a Saturday. It was nice to see outdoor seating was available. The interior was cool and comfortable on a warm summer day. Service was quick and friendly. My one mild annoyance (not enough to knock the experience) was that the menu used the Japanese names for simple ingredients, like green onions. I understand that doing so gives an elevated feel so I get it. I ordered the okonomiyaki and my friend ordered one of the rice bowls (can't recall the name). I loved the many layers of flavor in my dish. It was also the perfect serving size. I'd love to come back and try something different. read more

My husband and I came to Mami for dinner to meet up with a friend and his wife, and we were all blown away. I'm from Los Angeles, CA--where great Japanese food is everywhere--and this place is 100% authentic. Everything was perfectly seasoned, tender, and full of flavor. I didn't even stop to take photos--we just started eating because it smelled and looked so good. Even the drinks were fantastic. The prices are extremely reasonable for the quality of food and service. This was hands down one of the most satisfying meals we've had in a long time. Mami is an absolute gem, and we'll definitely be back. read more

The food is authentic, the servers are knowledgeable and prompt, and the place is quaint and charming. A delightful spot with a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. read more

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We had actually intended to eat at another spot down the street, but an hour wait and a sour experience with the hostess led us there instead. Let's just say that often times, things happen for a reason because the food was amazing! We had the shishitto peppers, yaki onigiri, 2 pokedons and an order of gyudon. Our favorite was the yaki onigiri but everything was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced to boot! Don't think we'll return to Portland anytime soon but this establishment is definitely worth a visit if you're in town. OISHI!! read more

I loved this place. The food was fresh and inventive, the service was great, the price was right and it's an awesome space. When in Portland don't forget to give Mami some love. read more

I really wanted to keep liking Mami -- and don't get me wrong the atmosphere and servers are great, but I was re-thinking my experiences and just felt it wasn't up to my expectations. This last time we ordered the turkey ramen and I ordered the mami burger. We accidentally ordered a few of the same things, including the chicken karaage. I think that Mami is primarily focused on fusion foods amongst some Japanese street foods. I don't think their okonomiyaki is better than what I can make at home, and for the most part, everything is just okay. The ramen this time was pretty sub par. I was excited for the burger and wanted to like it but it was lacking any substantial flavor. I felt like I was eating ground beef and soft bread. It just felt like it was missing the mark. I think the one thing Mami does really, really well is the Chicken Karaage -- perfectly juicy and tender and slightly crispy on the outside. Everything else however, misses the target on taste and I always worry when there is too much sauce -- it feels like a compensation tactic to mask the flavors. read more

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Ding dang ding....wowza, this place was amazing!!!! My friends and I shared a bunch of different plates and everything was delicious!! My favorites were the Okonomiyaki and the nikuman. Literally could eat that every day. But everything was amazing. Service was decent too. And I enjoyed the sake. Atmosphere was nice as well. read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Excellent vibe, great food/flavor and people were nice. Great for date night and it wasn't too busy

Amazing food! When I went I only saw one worker and he forgot one of the appetizers I ordered, he was really nice though. They give you chop sticks instead of normal utensils so you have to get up to ask for a fork. Cool location read more

Incredible. Perfection & adorable ambiance inside. Was a great spot to stop at for a snack read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Yaki Onigiri Grilled rice ball, garlic beef filling, soy miso glaze, furikake, negi - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

We were looking for a quick bite for lunch while in Portland. Weren't too hungry, plus have a 3 month old child with us, so casual convenience was key. Mami totally delivered! Small bites, great prices (many under $10, nothing over $20), and delicious food. I'd recommend trying everything, but the takoyaki stole the show (note there were 6, we just ate 2 before I could get a photo). Waitstaff was super friendly and helpful, great spot, highly recommend! read more

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It is evident that the chef does not have training in Asian cuisine. The yaki soba was almost inedible. They are so heavy-handed with ingredients that it was a chore to eat each bite. I've never had it so bad, and, there was absolutely no spice but there was an excess of salt....lots of salt! The steamed pork buns were soggy and tasted like bland pork. These were very disappointing. We tried the croquettes and they were passable. The service was excellent and the ambiance is quite nice. There is limited outdoor seating read more

MAMI PORTLAND - 4 dishes - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Wife wanted to try something different since all we have been having are seafood. Well, unfortunately we never got to try any of their dishes after reading the rave reviews. When we walked in, the waitress or whoever was working there was in a deep conversation with a party at a table for awhile. Meanwhile, a father and son walked in and stood behind us as we all were waiting to be seated/served. The lady continue to press on with her conversation and then later ignored my wife and I and greeted the father who stood behind us telling she would be with him shortly. She walked off and disappeared, while another worker came out with her apron halfway on. She didn't greet us or asked if we were helped, but stood there staring off into space. She reached under her shirt and started scratching. Immediately I was put off since if she's serving food, I wouldn't want her hands touching my plate she used to scratch her bare back on. There was an Asian couple who was seated by the doorway who did not look very enthused about any of their dishes we were eating. We just left due to a lack of service and attention, standing there as if our business was not needed. It wasn't even busy as there were only 2 parties that were seated and it was quiet -- it being 6pm Thursday. Fine with us. read more

There was some outdoor seating area, which was a great alternative especially for a sunny summer day. My friend got the yaki soba (which is vegan) and I got the katsu sando. The katsu saando was stacked with ingredients, had a great crunch, and the bread was structured enough to hold the heftiness of the katsu inside but soft enough to make for some nice pillowy bites. I'd recommend getting that one, if you are looking for a satisfying sandwich. read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Yakisoba and Katsu Sando - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Rating solely on food review and unrelated to the service. Service is great. Unfortunately I can't say the same to their miso pork broth ramen. Portion size is superb but the broth has too much miso in it and also the chasiu is huge but has no flavor. Definitely need flavor. So less flavour on the broth and perhaps more flavour on the chasiu. They have sparking non alcoholic ume juice. Not sweet at all, I really like it read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Miso ramen - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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WOW! Just wow. The food here is so well done. The meat is tender, the flavors explode in your mouth. We got a trio of snacks and they each were so flavorful. They had a special of pork belly that we dared to try and it didn't disappoint. The pork belly was perfectly cooked and had a great sear on the outside, the pickled onions balanced the sweetness of the sauce. The rice ball had an amazing, salty, crunchy topping, and the pork buns brought similar aspects of the other two together in a nice handheld bun. AMAZING! read more

Food was pretty tasty but portions are small for what you pay, considering the bowls are mostly white rice.

I really loved it in here. Small, quiet, clean, beautiful restaurant. I had the peppers and vegan noodles, and both had flavor out of this world. Couldn't believe we got in on a busy summer Saturday night! So excited we did. Truly amazing food, amazing staff (love you Chris!), and amazing ambience. 10/10 read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We were walking around Portland on a Monday morning and the menu from Mami caught our eye. They're closed Sundays and Mondays so we told ourselves we'd come back and check it out. It didn't look like they had a set up for outdoor dining, so we called ahead on a Wednesday to pick up some takeout. We arrived ten minutes after the call and they said the food was almost ready. Their patio also happened to be set up and it was pretty empty (around 2 pm) so we asked if we could dine in instead. Tables are socially distanced, and they sanitize the table and even the chairs before you're seated. Our food came out almost as soon as we sat down. We had: Pokedon (Maine Salmon rice bowl, cucumbers, seaweed salad, pickled onion, benishoga, citrus sesame soy dressing, spicy mayo, negi, toasted sesame, tobikko, nori) - for $15, I don't think it was really worth it. There also didn't seem to be that much salmon. It's definitely something you could make at home Gyudon (shaved, marinated, grilled ribeye rice bowl, pickled onions, benishoga, fried egg, negi, toasted sesame) - this was way better than the pokedon and more worth it, in my opinion ($13). The beef was perfectly marinated, not too salty, and it was tender Chicken Katsu Sando (chicken thigh katsu, toasted house shokupan, lettuce, pickles, spicy mayo, tonkatsu sauce, 7 min egg.) - this was our favorite. It's huge so it's a bit difficult to eat, but totally worth the effort. The chicken is perfectly fried and tender, and the egg was a nice addition to the sando. I would definitely order this again. Judging from this sandwich, I'm guessing their karaage would be good too The Big Mami, which is a cheeseburger on a squid ink brioche sounded amazing as well, but that would have been way too much food for two people. The three things we ordered was already a bit much but those were the top three things we wanted to try. Guess I'll have to come back for that burger the next time I'm in Portland! read more

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Went here with my wife for some food. We got the katsu sando, the buta no kakuni, and the pokedon. The katsu sando was pretty serviceable - I wouldn't say it was spectacular, but it was decent. I'd say it was lacking a lot of the crispiness and the flavor punch from other katsu sandos I've had in the past. I agree with past reviews of the -don dishes lacking flavor. I would probably take the pokedon off the menu - in lieu of sauce, there was more or less a plain mayo. After asking for some soy sauce (doesn't really matter, but was surprised to get it as little takeout packets at a Japanese place), it was a bit better. Compared to the Hawaiian poke I've had, there also wasn't really enough fish in my opinion. The two stars off are for the poke. Staff and ambiance was great. read more

Hidden gem in a very cool part of town. The servers are knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. The vibe is spot on and the food is out of this world good. I drive 2 hours to eat here!! Gluten free options are available and there are fun non-alcoholic drinks. If you're intimidated by the language on the menu ask questions - the servers are happy to guide you through this stunning culinary journey!! read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Pancake (Okonomiyaki) - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

On a busy Portland night, a group of 5 couldn't get in at any of the hot spots. One popular restaurant told me--very seriously--"there's a 3 to 3.5 hour wait." ha! Luckily, we ended up here at MAMI! We walked in and slide two tables together. The place was full but not packed. It still felt lively. There's a bar with local beer, cider and wine as well as a tasty Asian food menu. The table started with some of the rice balls as an app. They were rice, so (for me) they didn't blow my mind. What I ate next did. The takoyaki (octopus balls) were phenomenal. Probably could have shared but why would I? I also enjoyed the bowl with beef. It came with an egg on top and some veggies. I mixed it all together and chowed down. The bowls don't look big, but they are jam packed and delicious. Get off the beaten patch and try this tasty spot while you're in Portland! read more

MAMI PORTLAND - Takoyaki and Gyudon - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Limited menu, but a good cross-section of Japanese food - snacks, bigger plates like okonomiyaki, rice bowls (domburi) and a few veggie small plates. There is also a nice selection of beers - mostly local except for Kirin, Sapporo and PBR - as well as hard ciders, kombucha, sake and wines. The decor is typical Portland- brick walls, wood, big windows. The space is pretty chill and the music is a great mix of new and old and styles. I had the takoyaki - grilled octopus balls, benishoga, scallions, katsuobushi, okonomi sauce & kewpie - and shishito peppers tossed in citrus sesame soy. The peppers were perfectly cooked and the citrus sauce was a nice compliment to the char. The takoyaki also had a good flavor, but I ate 4 before I finally tasted the octopus. I would've preferred to taste more octopus. I would not order that again. I did like that the server asked if I'd had the takoyaki before. When I said "no", he explained that they were like stuffed donut balls, which I wouldn't have gotten from the description on the menu, so I was glad to have the description. Overall a decent option for lovers of Japanese food, but with all of the awesome restaurants in Portland, I think it will be quite some time before I return. read more

Was visiting the area with my brothers. We decided to grab a drink or a snack to munch on before hitting the road again. While walking we saw this place MAMI. We decided to go since we were tired and a little hungry as well. While we were looking at the menu we just decided to grab a few appetizers and a large hot sake to share. Everything was great. I really like the idea of stir fry edamame. Usually other restaurants they just do the basic edamame, which is boil them and add some salt on the top. It was really good when they add a little touch to it. The karage was great too. Large piece and it was crispy as well. Lastly the shitake mushroom skewer was alright. I wasn't a big fan of mushroom so you know! Overall, I would like to try more of their food but prolly next time when I visit the area again. I might stop by for a drink or two. :) read more

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I guess due to having been a food truck, the menu is limited. You can still find delicious things on it. However, we probably will be heading for a more traditional Japanese menu from now on. The rice was crispy, almost burnt on the bottom, in my poke bowl with salmon. Any Japanese housewife knows you stir the rice again if you don't use it up within an hour. I told the waitress about it and she said the kitchen told her yeah they just got a new rice cooker and this is the result. It wouldn't be the result of they stirred the rice properly and frequently. A lovely quality of the Japanese culture is its perfectionism and one would really hope that a restaurant serving a Japanese menu would have that sense of perfectionism, but unfortunately, no. The salmon was really fresh and good. But no Wasabi in the mixture. And when I asked for soy sauce, I was brought a couple of packets. What Japanese restaurant doesn't have bottles of soy sauce on the tables? my husband got the Mami burger, which had a bun with squid in it, so it was kind of black. But very small. He had to take the hamburger apart to eat it because the bun didn't hold the filling in. It was too small. Uncomfortable. Delicious cocktail as well but kept feeling irritated. I'm gonna have to say this is a pretty good restaurant. But... Onward and upward. read more

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Wow!!! Oh my gosh it's been so long since I have been this blown away by a restaurant! Such nice staff and area and amazing food it's great! Visiting and can happily say I would go back again in a heartbeat read more

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My fiance & daughter took me to Mami for my Birthday dinner. It was our first visit to this spot, as we love good ramen! The cold night was perfect for a big bowl of noodles. Of note, very limited seating but cute inside with a few tables h a small bar. There was only one ramen dish offered on this day and it was simply average, however - I was very impressed with the Okonomiyaki ($14) this was certainly the highlight of the evening and I would return to Mami simply for this dish alone. Highly recommended!! read more

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We were visiting in town and found this spot on yelp and really wanted to try. You order at the counter and the food is brought to your table. The person taking our order was friendly and helped us out with the menu. Service was ok- I don't remember getting checked up on at all while we were eating and didn't get any water refills but watched other people at other tables get theirs refilled. I tried to call for the server cause my cup was empty but she didn't seem to hear me as she was walking away hastily. I also noticed spider webs on the window we were seated next to and a dead spider in the corner. Not the greatest view while eating lol. The food was good though overall. The pork buns were fantastic. The bun was so fluffy and perfect lol. There were a lot of other things we wanted to try on the menu but unfortunately we only had this one visit to eat here. I'd definitely recommend checking this place out! read more

Little Japanese street food eatery with a relatively small menu - handful of snack plates and a few full-sized portions. Compared to similar Boston area restaurants, prices were about the same or perhaps a little higher for some of the small plates than I would expect. Overall the food was solid though not standout - I did enjoy the hake katsu sando special, but some other dishes our table got like the Mami burger were underwhelming. The radish on the takoyaki was also a little weird. Brussel sprouts were an interesting addition to yaki soba although I would not combine the two if I were making it at home. Extra points for the Studio Ghibli decor inside though :) read more

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Kara-age chicken and pork buns were good. The don bowls are not that great and needed more flavor.