I was on foot from my hotel and it was quite hot. It took me a while to find the restaurant. The entrance was not obvious. Lots of young staff. I sat at the sushi bar and with the sound, it was difficult to hear most staff but my server. I asked one lady who appeared to be Hispanic behind the sushi bar some questions. I don't think she knew the answers and was hard to hear. I had sushi and oysters. Very good. I had been at Morimoto's other restaurants. read more

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Finally got to try the famous Morimoto! Their interior is so cool, modern and somewhat pretty exotic, which is really cool. I came here as a big group, so got to try different dishes. Their otoro sushi literally just melted in my mouth, soba was good, and I liked my chirashi. Wagyu steak was really really good, it came with different condiments, but I didn't feel like dip my steak in any sauce as it was good as it is. Just thinking about it, I'm drooling. Their service was good, but I wasn't impressed. I felt like their service could be better for such an expensive restaurant like this! read more

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Chicken katsu curry was picturesque - the $125 sushi chef special is enough to split with a family of four, and the wagyu appetizer was very tender. To note, interior is a bit loud, wait staff is friendly, and the Al La carte is larger in size than the plate of sushi Cheers! read more

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We had a terrific experience at Morimoto for a large group and we also rented a private room downstairs of the restaurant which made our experience more intimate. We had a pre fixe family style menu where all of the dishes were shared. It was three courses and it was certainly more than enough food to go around! In fact we had so much leftovers! Some highlights include the Kani salad, sushi and sashimi, hamachi ponzu, rock shrimp, wagyu dumplings!, and the black cod miso. If you love fish and seafood, this certainly is your spot! Overall fantastic service and food, this spot made our night! read more

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What can I say..... I'd rather be speechless. Morimoto, Iron Chef, this restaurant was a life list. And it made my dream come true!!!! My fiancé surprised me here with a late night dinner reservation after a show. With it being so late (9:30pm on a Saturday), we did not for a second feel rushed or not invited to enjoy our table as long as we wanted. Walked in, was happily greeted and escorted to a high table. Ok- and the details here. Ambiance, so funky and fun! You can get hypnotized by the light changing booths. It's quite intimate in how large the restaurant is. And back to the details- I swear, this was The Most comfortable chair I've sat in for dinner. Lololol, commented on it multiple times during our meal. Beyond chairs- The meal........ THE MEAL!!!!! (I had to take a moment in memory before writing again, ahhhhhh.) Rock Shrimp appetizer first. No grease, how? So fresh, it melted and almost didn't taste fried but yet crunchy. Insane. Then we life listed again and order the Miyazaki Waygu. And shared the small chef combination sushi. The sushi was beautiful. Fresh, clean. I am obsessed with sushi, so if I have to say- was it the best I've had. No. But incredible. Let's move to the Wagyu. Let me preface this with- I DO NOT eat beef. Ok, I dabble when my fiancé eats a steak, or I make him brisket, but I would never order a beef entree for myself. I tried to steal this whole Wagyu from him!!!! It's not steak- it's heaven. Melts. You barely chew. It's another level of food. And they made it really a luxurious experience in how they brought it out and how our waitress showed us the papers to the cow we were eating. Whoa! And then they were kind enough to treat us with a birthday dessert. This restaurant is a MUST do if you love Asian food. Epic, exquisite, best of Philadelphia, iconic. read more

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The best things my husband and I had here were the Diet Coke and dessert. A little aggressive to say, but we were excited to spend our first dinner visiting Philly at Morimoto. It was disappointing on every front. To be fair, maybe we ordered wrong - we ordered the omakase, the tuna on crispy rice, and the oysters, and our meal came out to almost $400 before tip. We did enjoy looking at the curvature of the ceiling in the long waits between courses. We wanted a high quality sushi experience and Morimoto was not that, but also didn't excel on the innovative dishes that seem to be their goal. If you are looking for somewhere with a good, clubby, hip-modern vibe - this is a great spot. The interior is really interesting and stylish. They do get points for that. Unfortunately, the service didn't meet the vibe, we felt largely ignored and it seemed like some of our dishes even lagged because we didn't have the right silverware. Service was disappointingly slow all around. Morimoto feels like the restaurant that Ali Wong and Keanu Reeves go to in the movie Always Be My Maybe - there are flames, smoke, things being poured on plates, but at the end of the day the spectacle wasn't backed by flavor and the quality of the one naturally served course still fell short. The dishes were presented beautifully but weren't flavorful, and the proportions and textures lacked balance. read more

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Let me first say that NYC misses Morimoto!!! We were very excited to dine in the Philly Morimoto and even happier to see that the menu was very similar to the one in Manhattan (RIP). The space is smaller and less club like but still has the same modern lines. The staff was very friendly. We had: - Miso Soup - my kids loved - Tuna Pizza - always a favorite - Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice - delicious and not too hot - Black Miso Cod - delicious - Assorted Sushi & Sashimi - all delicious and fresh Next time we are in Philly, we will be back. read more

DO NOT GET THE SUSHI-- the rice was poorly seasoned. I am pretty surprised. I recommend you get the omakase, which we did not get, or order à la carte items from the hot and cold menus. He's an iron chef, so the creations are very special. They should be ashamed for serving such rice for their Nigiri. We got the $125 chefs choice sushi set plus some appetizers. The desert was also amazing but---I would avoid the sorbet, even though it was great, and homemade, the dessert creations were great. I am incredibly disappointed as the server should have done a better job, telling us to stay away from the sushi to actually taste the chef 's masterpieces. I came from DC so that's quiet a loss. read more

Morimoto - Poorly seasoned rice was an insult to the fish. - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We were impressed w all the food and drinks. Sierra took great care of us but also helped us relax and enjoy our evening. Truly delicious and lovely for our Seattle based family. read more

Ambiance is nice but food is trash. Way overpriced for mediocre food. Don't get the wagyu, it's frozen and it can taste the iron. Service was good though read more

We visited Morimoto in Philadelphia for a special occasion, and to have a light dinner after eating heavy foods all day during our travels around the city. The exterior is a little unassuming as just a white building, but when you enter the restaurant, you are instantly overcome with color, as the entire interior is made up of color-changing walls and booths, etc. It was super neat to watch the whole place change color constantly while we ate. The servers were excellent and recommend the perfect items for our palates and how hungry we were (not very!) We had the Waygu Dumplings which were to DIE for. They were served in a broth of kanzuri-miso, which paired so well with the rich wagyu. Next we had the ramen with salmon. It was super interesting because the ramen came in a hotpot, with the cooking noodles and veggies. And the salmon came in small raw slices on the side. You took the pieces of salmon and added them to the ramen broth and it cooked right there in the hotpot bowl. It was so delicious and flavorful! We ended our meal with the Fiery Chocolate dessert. It was a handful of small flourless chocolate cakes, adorned with ice cream dollops and graham cracker crumbs. Alongside the little cakes was literally a ball of chocolate that our server lit it on fire until it melted enough for the gooey chocolate to come running out! The cake, ice cream, and hot chocolate all mixed together was heavenly. Morimoto has a few very high dollar item things on the menu, but we did not try any of those on this particular visit. So for the price we paid and items we enjoyed, I definitely recommend a stop! read more

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Morimoto was really good!! The vibes were awesome. Loved the modern feel and the color changing seating. Even though I had made a reservation for the counter, the hosts were able to accommodate us at a table which was awesome. We ordered a ton of food. The apps came out really fast and I felt really rushed, but dinner was reasonably paced. Fav apps: wagyu dumplings, miso soup, the cold special (some kind of tuna tartare). The tuna and crispy rice was underwhelming. Loved the spicy salmon sushi. The soft shell crab sushi was average. The star of the show was the Sukiyaki Udon. Order this and trust me on it. Service was super attentive and I would go back for some select items! read more

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Always a wonderful experience. Our server was Johnson and he was knowledgeable in navigating the menu with a gluten allergy. The restaurant is loud, but that doesn't take away from your dining experience. Need I talk about the food other than to say it will never ever disappoint. The fish is fresh, the wagyu is wondrous and the desserts are divine! read more

Gonna keep it short since you really gotta come here to experience it yourself. Morimoto lives up to the reputation and provides the opportunity to try exclusive dishes that you'll be pressed to find anywhere else in the city. Definitely worth it if you have extra cash to spend. read more

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*Note: this review has been sitting in my drafts for literal years and I'm not sure why I never published it. I will be returning to Morimoto in February 2023 and will update this review from that point. So please, enjoy a review of Morimoto circa 2016.* Winter 2016; Is there really anything to add to the hundreds of reviews here? The food itself goes above and beyond in the taste and freshness department. My only issue with this place is that the acoustics are annoying (the curved ceiling makes noise bounce around quite easily). Let's break it down by course. The drinks were great. My fiancé got the Bajiru (a cocktail) which tasted like a more citrusy gin and tonic. I decided on some sake, and got the rihaku nigori. Typically nigori sakes are very sweet, which was what I was expecting, but instead it was a lot more subdued. I definitely enjoyed it, it's just that it was not a typical sweet cloudy sake. We also tried one of Morimoto's own beers, which are brewed by Rogue. The black obi soba ale was good, it tasted a bit like a Dunkelweissen except it had a unique after taste. As an appetizer we just got two painfully average sushi rolls; a tuna roll and a California roll. That being said, they were without a doubt the best version of those rolls I'd ever had. Completely fresh tasting and with crisp nori, they were everything I'd hoped for. After much deliberation I decided to try the uni carbonara. I'd never had uni, let alone uni sashimi, so I figured that having it with a cheese laden pasta dish was a good way to ease into it. Honestly, I did not care for the uni sashimi on it's own. Uni is a bit too oceanic for my taste, as well as having an odd texture reminiscent of mushy brains. However, the taste of the uni blended beautifully into the carbonara dish. I was genuinely surprised by this, but the mixture of uni, pancetta and cheese was perfect. I finished off my entire plate, which is quite rare for me. My husband got the Duck Duck Duck, and I got to sample a bit of his meal. The duck was cooked well, with a thick and flavorful layer of skin and fat on it. Don't be turned off, it's very tasty. The duck fried rice was good, and a lot more subtle than you would be led to believe. Atop the rice was a duck egg, which is slightly more 'gamey' tasting than a chicken egg but almost identical in texture. The drippy egg yolk tasted divine when combined with the fried rice. For dessert I decided on the sorbet trio. Typically the flavors change by the day, but the day I was here it consisted of raspberry-blood orange, coconut and chocolate licorice. The fruit flavored sorbets were fine, though nothing about them really wowed me. However the chocolate licorice sorbet was very unique, and though I'm not the biggest fan of licorice, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. It had the consistency almost of ice milk as opposed to a true sorbet, but the texture oddly fit the flavor. Overall, I would say a meal at Morimoto is well worth the money. I enjoyed everything they placed in front of me and would eat it again in a heartbeat. Now I'm dreaming of the next time I can come back. read more

This restaurant has been on my list for years since I moved to Philly. I just hadn't had the budget to make my way there until now. I am a huge iron chef fan and Morimoto is one of my favorite chefs so you can imagine I was excited to try this place. Tbh I have sat on the corner west of this location waiting for the bus many a time and had no idea that is where it was - similar to other starr restaurants in the area, it's an unassuming entrance and you're transported somewhere different you may not have expected. The ambience was cool - I wish the music was quieter as I couldn't hear our server. Food was a little slow to come out but my god was everything great so it was worth it. Food we loved: everything! But we had Miso black cod 5/5 Wagyu filet 10/5 my partner called it a "religious experience" Wagyu dumplings 5/5 Tuna crispy rice 5/5 Wagyu udon 5/5 Hoku hoku 4/5 and least favorite Mushrooms 5/5 Wasabi fried rice 4/5 Would 100% dine here again. Food was delicious and I hope next time to try the omakase! read more

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Disappointing. I've been to the Morimoto in New York and Hawaii years ago. Both times were great. The food wasn't great this time. The oysters were so fishy tasting and the things they put on top didn't really go with the oysters. The hamachi ponzu was delicious! Tuna pizza lacked flavor. The toro tartare was so bad! It tasted extremely fishy. The spicy tuna roll was delicious as well. I would say half the things we ordered were good but the other half was not. I was so excited to come here too.. read more

Me and my friend are visiting from out of town and decided to give Morimoto a try. Everything from the service, atmosphere, food and drinks was a 10 out of 10. read more

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It has taken me YEARS, but I finally made it to Morimoto. Went with the omakase to really get a sense of the place. I hadn't eaten at his eponymous restaurant before, but Chef Morimoto has influenced my dining over the years. I was a fan of him on Iron Chef, of course. And I heard him speak at a Free Library event many years ago, and his words about cultural differences between Japanese and US diners really had an effect on how I approach restaurant meals. That story belongs in a blog, not a restaurant review. But I mention this to set the scene for how important this meal was to me. The place looks like a time capsule of early 2000s upscale dining. It's sleek and modern and makes for a great photo shoot. My seat gave me a view of the lobby, so I saw several groups taking lots of photos by the art wall while they waited for their table--or even while they were supposed to be seated at their table. But on to the food. We each had a non-alcoholic drink before we ate. No alcohol so that we could really focus on enjoying the meal. My favorite courses were hamachi in a "sakura broth" that was bright, sweet, and delightful; tender halibut with finger limes and maybe some yuzu and other bright flavors; a wagyu beef supplement (we shared one) that The service was excellent. Our server Christine was friendly and approachable and quite knowledgeable about the menu. She even reviewed the omakase course before we decided on it--not something I've ever been offered before. She was truly our guide throughout the experience, stopping in with tips on how to best enjoy it or what to consider while eating. Other staff who brought out our courses were also knowledgeable and made sure we knew what we were about to enjoy. Highlights were hamachi in sakura broth. It was bright and unlike anything I've ever eaten. Halibut with herbs and finger limes and yuzu was another favorite. One of the pieces of sushi was especially delicious, but I couldn't remember which fish our server told me it was (second from the bottom in my photo). We shared a wagyu beef "supplemental" course. It came with mushrooms and a light sauce that were rich and flavorful and delicious. Definitely a great special-occasion spot. I might try to return soon for drinks and light bites in the upstairs lounge. read more

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My husband and I dined here for his birthday for the first time and I will say we will definitely love to come back! Such a beautiful and spacious atmosphere. The whole place just lights up! Our server HANA was so nice and friendly top notch service, she made the whole experience there a 10/10! Thank you again! Food and drinks were delicious! Would definitely come back for sure! read more

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I have been here twice now, once for a work event and once with my fiance. The food is incredible, the vibes are impeccable, and the service was great. We sat at the bar and had a lot of fun watching the chefs make the sushi. So entertaining to watch! We ate only vegetarian dishes and loved the food. Highly recommend! read more

I was excited to come back to Morimoto. WAS had this far been the key word. We arrived for a 7:30pm reservation. Our table was still taken. We were sent up to the lounge for drinks. People that came after us have already been helped. We're still waiting. Can't wait for the rest of the evening... so far, staff needs improvement... The rest of dinner was uneventful. We went for the tasting menu and all was well balanced and tasty. Our waiter was very nice and competent (at long last!!!), and that's why I'm editing my initial review to give him a star. That initial impression left a sour taste in my mouth to be honest... such a a fancy place, no customer care... read more

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Came here for my mom's 60th birthday recently and it was an amazing experience!!! I want to start off by saying that our server was truly professional with the recommendations of the food and cocktails and was also checking up on our party to see if we needed anything else! Let's start off with the food 1. Rock shrimp- so good that we ended up getting 2 plates!! 2. The stone wagyu beef- amazing presentation!! 3. Beef carpaccio- anything with yuzu is fantastic! Love love this place for a special occasion! read more

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We came here with a group of 4 on a Sunday night but wasn't expect it to end horribly. Very nice and fancy inside but don't let that fool you. Everything we had was very salty and it was not edible. My friend call salmon and her salmon wasn't cook inside. So we had to tell the waitress she bring it back inside. Wasn't expecting them to bring the old salmon that was uncooked burnt and still cold inside. We would expect them to bring a new fish out. So unprofessional. We pay over 400 for our meal and didn't turn out well. Will never return. Don't let the presentation fool you. read more

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Excellent!! Every course was incredible, the ingredients were fresh and the drinks were well crafted. Our server was very professional and had great recommendations. read more

Decent Japanese food. We visited Morimoto on a Saturday night, and it was busy but there were tables available. The space is styled with white chairs, glass tables, and waveform decorations on the walls. The space is also backlit with neon colors that change periodically throughout the night. A mixture of pop and house music played over the speakers. I tried the soroban to drink, and we split the spicy tuna crispy rice, rock shrimp tempura, and the chef's sushi combination. The soroban was excellent, and I would be happy to receive this drink anywhere. The spicy tuna crispy rice was phenomenal with a great combination of flavors. The rock shrimp tempura was tasty and coated in a lovely sweet and sour sauce. The sushi combination was a bit hit-or-miss. I was a fan of one of the rolls, but the other roll was pretty bland, and the sashimi was not the most exciting that I have tried. Overall, I had a decent experience at Morimoto, but you can find better Japanese food in Philly. read more

Amazing service . Interesting food . The amassed was well worth the money . Truly a great experience.

Great food, service, and ambiance! It was a great find while traveling for work. If I'm back in the area, I would return! read more

Morimoto - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Husband and I came here to celebrate my birthday. He got the tasting menu and I got one of the wagyu steaks and soft shell rolls. Very noisy inside but I like how the place is decorated. Food overall was good but nothing was exceptionally good. It is one of the few places in philly that offers a asian tasting menu (that doesnt just consist of all sushi). Service was good! read more

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Couldn't have chosen a better place to spend my birthday dinner at for 3 reasons: - atmosphere 10/10 and the design/decor of the restaurant is elite - the food and drinks were to die for, fresh fresh fish (which gets more and more rare these days), reasonably priced for the echelon ! - the staff was so nice! Shoutout my girl Christine you rock read more

Morimoto - Spicy Salmon Roll + crispy tuna rice + lychee martinis - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Large well lit restaurant with interesting curving architecture. Great service and even better food and drinks. And...they have a coat check, which is pretty unusual in Philly restaurants, given space needs, yet comes in handy in the winter. read more

SO and I were in Philly over the weekend and had the opportunity to have dinner here on Sunday. Although the reservation system showed that they were all booked, when we called to inquire they were able to find a table for us. The ambience was dynamic with the dining area changing colors intermittently along with techno playing at a medium cadence in the background. The rock shrimp was tasty, but the gochujang was barely detectable...tasty nonetheless! The toro tartare was extra special. All the ingredients blended well and the nori chips were thick and savory! The sashimi of fatty tuna, king salmon and japanese snapper were spot on! The black cod miso had a nice crust and the meat was moist and flaky! The seafood toban yaki was an eclectic dish and did not disappoint. We topped off the dinner with an apricot panna cotta, which was light and sweet! The entire experience was perfect and did not render us bloated. We felt energized and satisfied at the end, as opposed to feeling like being in a food coma. Overall, the service was on point and the food comprised of ingredients and combinations that were perfect! Michelin judges take notice! read more

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The food was amazing and good service! We definitely will be back to trying other dishes. read more

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Morimoto definitely is up there in terms of ambiance and service, however, the quality of fish keeps going down. For a family of four, our meal costed $600+ but the meal didn't taste worth it at all. Wouldn't order again: laksa, yellowtail table side hotstone rice, individual orders of nigiri. Would order again: hamachi/tuna tacos, black miso cod, sashimi large platter. read more

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YELP FAM!!! This review is extra special , this dining experience was one of the most high level situations I've been in! My fiancée & I had the Morimoto Omakase* "Chef's Choice" a multi-course tasting menu designed to allow you to experience the essence of Morimoto's cuisine. Omakase is available mon-thurs and sun until 9pm and fri-sat until 10pm This tasting menu was out of this world! I had classics & tried new things. The presentation of each dish was elegant & it was almost a shame to eat them. They were all delicious and it was a true culinary journey. This being a bucket list item, I would say it was worth the cost, for the atmosphere, service & food. It was truly an experience!! Thank you Morimoto!! I'll def return! read more

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This is my bar as far as Japanese cuisine quality is concerned in the States. Just supreme presentation, freshness, and ambience. Chef Morimoto is amazing. Five stars read more

I'd say the service of this restaurant is on par with the standard I'd hold for these high end morimoto restaurants. This place gets marks for their service for sure. The guys at the sushi bar gave me great nigiri recommendations and after trying a mezcal cocktail that I felt a bit bland and watered down, they surprised me by removing it from the bill. I think the sushi is better than most but their sushi combination dinner was just regular. I wouldn't get that again. The a la crate nigiris were what I enjoyed the most: the firefly squid and the seared barracuda. I'd recommend you get those for sure! 5 stars for service and accommodations. Food is not too special unless you order something you normally can't find at your regular sushi restaurants. read more

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I've been to Morimoto in Maui, Hawaii several times and personally, I think the food is better and fresher there and you can't beat the views and experience. The one in Philly still has good food but some dishes were a little underwhelming such as the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice and Chirashi bowl as I think it was lacking flavours. The shark fin flounder sashimi was something I've never tried before, it was on their seasonal menu. The fish was very fresh and clean, usually I don't like the smell and taste of raw fish but it didn't have much flavour nor a fishy smell/taste so it was really interesting and personally better for me. The thick cut of it was very soft, smooth, fatty and was a good palette cle My favourite of the night was the 15 hr braised pork with congee. The congee was sweet and smooth and the pork was just tender enough and loved the glaze sauce on it. The wagyu beef udon was also another favourite here as the sauteed wagyu sauce was not too heavy or strong flavoured and was just the right palette for the boiled unseasoned udon noodles. My best dish I loved here though was the thick juicy meaty king crab with a nice spicy sauce on the top. The king yellowtail buribop was good too. I've tried this in Maui and both tasted similar to each other. We also ordered the side dishes - spinach gomaee and potato dumplings - they were good but nothing spectacular. The spinach had a nice sautee on it, felt a little pickled but light. The crunchy potato dumplings on the outside and the soft mushy creamy mashed potato inside was a nice side dish that's filling and had an orange zesty creamy sauce that paired well with. We were given a complimentary dessert - coconut ice cream and mango raspberry sorbet. I'm not usually a coconut ice cream fan but this one didn't taste too much like coconut and had some sort of chocolatey or hazelnutty side to it which was a surprise; this was probably my favourite type of coconut ice cream I've ever had. The sorbet was not overly sweet and refreshing so a nice combination to clean the palette at the end of the night. read more

A little pricey but the sushi is really good. The restaurant has a really futuristic feel as well which I appreciated. I went for my wife's bday last week and once I mentioned it was her bday they drew "Happy Birthday" in chocolate on a plate for dessert for her! My server also brought us ice cream on the house simply because I said it sounded good. I had a really good experience and would go back. read more

Morimoto - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

+ Best cooked fish I've ever had + Omakase - Didn't have Sushi Omakase - Omakase didn't feel immersive - Only Chutoro, no Otoro - $uper Expen$ive Yeah, the Omakase I had in SF was better. Morimoto was good, but not worth the exorbitant price imo. This place definitely has the Celebrity Chef tax. The day we went, they didn't have sushi Omakase, instead they were running a "cooked seafood" Omakase. Also, the experience was not as immersive and personal as usual. Since you're in a big restaurant, you don't get to sit in front of the sushi chef where he gets to introduce the sushi courses one by one. It's just not as interactive here. I would still recommend this place if you're a Morimoto stan because the food quality was still great here. Enough talk. read more

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