Arrived as a walk-in customer around 6:30pm. Small venue with several open tables. Quickly rudely told us they could NOT serve us for the rest of the evening, but could put us on a wait list. The two of us would have ordered and left in 15-20 minutes; still turned away after walking a mile to get there. My first negative post in years!!! read more

WOW! I am in awe of this place. I cannot wait to go back again. My husband and I were driving around during rush hour traffic, and came across Murata in our quest for sushi. We didn't have reservations (which I didn't realize is practically a must to eat here), but they managed to get us in. There's a valet, too, but we didn't realize that when we parked on the street. This is truly authentic Japanese cuisine. We've both been to Japan, and I felt like we were transported there. There were even a couple tatami rooms! There were lots of dinner options and as a vegetarian, I found a number of rolls to suit me. My husband got Sushi Dinner A which also came with miso and fruit. There were a lot of sake options, by the glass and bottle, and a decent listing of wines by the glass, and beer. I got the house Pinot Gris. The service was incredible. The whole meal took about 1.5 hours from walking in to leaving. And I am surprised how reasonably priced it was: for a sushi meal, four veggie rolls, and a glass of wine, it was about $70 including tip. I can't wait to go again! read more

Ordered to-go here and the staff were very friendly. The sushi came out fresh and tasted great as well. More on the pricier side, however, I'd come back. read more

The sushi is top notch, environment is great, love the small setting. The service was prompt and friendly. We had the best time and can't wait to come back. read more

The blue fin Nigri was amazing. It was very buttery. The Salmon roll and rainbow roll were very fresh and the price was right for everything. Try the plum wine on ice, you won't regret it. read more

This is a nice, traditional sushi spot. The quality and service are very good, but I came here for lunch, and $25 for lunch is just crazy, unless I guess if you're a downtown Portland bigwig read more

This review is for amazing service. A friend of mine who lives in the area was having a birthday dinner that I couldn't attend. I called ahead to see if they could prepare something special. The staff was very friendly and the chef offered to put a special together from the market. The results were beautiful and I hear the meal was amazing. Thank you so much for your help in making a special birthday for my friend and his family! read more

Murata Restaurant - King crab legs - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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They do not follow their business hours. Be cautious. Walked from a hotel and was turned away even though the open sign was on and the place had several people seated inside. read more

chawanmushi was good. I had to try really hard to hold of my server when I tried to order a second around of my food. read more

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The service here is brutish and the food is average. My sushi looked sad and the cuts were small. The slice of watermelon served at the end of the meal was so roughly cut and presented it was hard to be believe this was actually Japanese owned. The unlabeled house sake tasted like dishwater. Although I had a private room (with my Japanese family) it was very loud. Still it is better than most Japanese restaurants in Portland and the fish itself was good. That's why I'm giving it 4 stars. I don't think this place could survive in Japan. read more

Very fresh sushi selection. I was at Bamboo Sushi the night before and I ordered the same exact nigiri and this place wins my belly, by far. The entire staff is Japanese and they dress up in kimono. There's a huge traditional Japanese dining area for private/large party events. They give you three small plates of appetizer (edamame, boiled squash and aged tofu) and also a slice of melon for free. Highly recommend! read more

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Mutata has been a long time favorite in downtown Portland. Heck, anywhere in Portland. It's probably more expensive than many, but it's one of the few authentic Japanese restaurants in town. read more

I've been to nearly every Japanese restaurant in Portland, and this is the most authentic dining experience I've had. The workers are actually Japanese and wear kimonos as their uniforms-I love that! It adds so much to your experience here. The restaurant isn't overdone. No glitz and glamour, no modern chic design. It's a Japanese restaurant and that's it, which is exactly how I like it. That's how you know they're not trying to distract you from the possibly not so high quality food because the fish here is AMAZING. my boyfriend and I ordered your classic salmon roll, fatty tuna roll, king salmon nigiri, and eel avocado rolls. Man they were delicious. I highly recommend the fatty tuna-this is a rare find! The fish just melts in your mouth with immense flavor. Every bite is so incredibly satisfying. I cannot wait to come back here. I alternate between coming here and bamboo. I gotta say though, I enjoy the authenticity of this place, like yes, take me to Tip: make reservations! They have limited seating and this place books out every night! Edit: here I am for the billionth time. This time, I got room seating, which was a cool experience. Shoes off just like it is traditionally. I am always amazed by the quality of service here. The ladies have so much charisma and they really bring me to Japan. Tried the origin uni nigiri and although uni isn't my favorite, this is the best I've had! read more

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Everything was so delicious and fresh. Service was excellent. They even had a Toto toilet. Reminded me so much of Japan. Loved it! read more

Murata Restaurant - Toro hand roll. Scallop, yellowtail, salmon, Chu toro, shrimp and Uni. Deeeelicious! - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is mostly a takeout review. We tried to walk in without reservations on a night there was a musical playing across the street. The restaurant was packed and all tables were reserved. We ordered a Chirashi special with uni and unagi. My wife has a tuna allergy so we ordered no tuna, but it came with tuna as we found out back at the hotel. The fish was fresh and everything tasted good. I ordered the (bento) dinner with beef rib and sashimi. The ponzu beef was excellent as were the fish. It came with salad and a bite of smoke eggplant and a bite a (kabocha?) My daughter got California roll with added tobiko. Good. All in all the food tasted good . Back home, we'd pay $50 for this meal and our bill was $90 ( with one small Sapporo) read more

I must say I am disappointed in myself for not finding Murata sooner. I have eaten 3 meals there in the last month or so and have been absolutely delighted with this wonderful restaurant and it's exquisite food. Not only is Murata by far my favorite sushi spot in town, it may very well be my favorite Portland restaurant overall. Firstly, I love the simplicity of the restaurant itself. There is a very comfortable and understated decor and ambiance that really feels authentically Japanese. The staff is warm and hospitable and the sushi and kitchen chefs are talented and extremely knowledgeable. Murata sources what is hands down the highest quality fish I've found in the Portland area. They consistently feature bluefin tuna as well as bluefin chutoro and otoro. The quality of these cuts are always excellent and I frequently find myself daydreaming about my next serving of these heavenly delicacies. In addition to the incredible high grade sushi, all of the kitchen dishes I have tried have been top notch. My particular favorite item was a delicate and extraordinarily flavorful Matsutake soup special they featured a month or so ago. This stands as my favorite Matsutake mushroom dish I've ever tried. Bottom line is that Murata is basically the end all be all of Portland sushi restaurants. I can't believe it took me so long to discover this gem and will look forward to many meals here in the future. read more

Excellent service along with excellent sushi and sashimi. Also really like their decor and settings and their seasonal fruit plates are awesome. Me and my wife go there every opportunity that we get! read more

This place was highly recommended by friends and with good reviews on yelp so I had to try it. It's a small space and you pretty much need a reservation to dine here. it must be good since it's so popular so I can only guess that we came on an off night. I liked their small appetizer sampler as part of the meal. I ordered a nigiri meal and tried a spicy tuna roll. The nigiri was disappointing as it was so overpowered with wasabi that it was hard to taste fish and rice. I hope this is not the case, but it definitely made me wonder if the fish wasn't the best quality that day. The spicy tuna roll was ok. Overall wasn't a bad experience but considering the price and advance planning needed for reservations, it just wasn't worth it for me. read more

We've been taking out of towners to Murata for years but recently, I had one of the best meals I've had there. I ordered the chirashi dinner set and it was more than enough food.. i was stuffed but I couldn't stop eating. The chirashi bowl has always been and will always be my favorite no matter where I go. I've been able to compare a couple place's chirashis and Murata is definitely in the top 2. The location is great and they have free valet as well (make sure to tip!!) the prices may be a bit steep but when it comes to sushi, you get what you pay for. You can really taste the difference in fish quality. Would 10/10 recommend read more

Murata Restaurant - Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great dinner experience. Welcome vibes. We sat on the sushi bar with a view of chefs making sushi. Friendly chefs and servers make sure we are good with the food. We were really impressed how good the quality of the sashimi and sushi! We ordered tempura set; sashimi set; 10oz of cold sake; sushi set; octopus set and some nigiri set to end the night. Very satisfied! Clean bathroom even it's tiny. Extremely sweet fruits to warp up the meal! Free parking with validation. read more

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Visited this restaurant with a few friends and we were blown away! As someone who loves authentic Japanese cuisine, I can't believe that I have not tried this place yet. The friendly staff, the delicious and carefully prepared food and the whole vibe made this an unforgettable experience. The establishment us in the heart of downtown Portland. The place is very small and cute, the whole interior is very cozy and Japanese like. How Japanese like you ask? When you walk in and you see all the staffs are Japanese, the Japanese written menu on the wall and a Tatami section, you'll know. If that don't convince you, the bidet in the restroom should let you in the know. As someone who visited Japan, can confirmed this place is 100% legit. We ordered veggie tempura, sushi rolls, grilled salmon and I had the Ootoro sushi, Chirashizushi and sake. It only took about 10 minutes or so to get our food. During which time, we were served with pickled dishes, hot tea and hot towel to clean our hands. Love the sushi, pleasant to look and taste delicious. All the fishes were prepared fresh in room temperature, unlike some places where you bite into the fish and it's half frozen. Took a piece of my friend's veggie tempura, and it was cooked to perfection, golden crispy color with a slight taste of oil in the tempura batter. Love it! Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants a authentic Japanese cuisine experience. Their items are a bit pricey so be prepared to spent some $$, and make sure to book your reservation before visiting. p.s. you can park in the parking garage right next to the restaurant, just tell the guard that you have a reservation and you're good to go! read more

Finally got sushi in Portland! Murata's is so worth it. I went there shortly after they opened (5:30PM) thinking I'd be able to snag a spot without a reservation as a solo diner...nope. I, along with 8 or so other groups of people found out that they were fully booked out with reservations until 7:10 PM. I remember the time because I was the only who stayed after beIng told that to order takeout and heard the same spiel 8 times within the span of 20 minutes... Ordered nigiri - hotate (scallop), amaebi (sweet shrimp), chutoro (medium fatty tuna), Saba (mackerel) - and a kanpyo (gourd) roll. She asked if I wanted the fried shrimp heads and never actually having tried the amaebi head, I said sure. So glad I did! It's coated in potato starch and deep fried - a little oily but so juicy, crunchy and full of shrimp flavor! Just don't look at the head - I ate it while driving home and it did the trick. The nigiri I waited til I got home to devour. Ugh, it was heavenly. I could eat that every meal for the rest of my life. So worth the $37. Nigiri was expertly packed, the rice was seasoned just right and topped with fresh, succulent sweet fish. Just. Perfection. They also validate for the parking structure next to them. It's a small joint on a popular street, so make reservations or call in your order! Wait time for my take out order wasn't too bad and they gave me a glass of water while I was waiting. read more

Murata Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My SO and I walked a mile to get dinner here today as the reviews and pictures looked really good. I should've done my research beforehand because we were basically (almost) turned away for not having a reservation. And that is my shortcoming, but to be fair, I'm not a local and I didn't see any online reservation systems that most restaurants have nowadays, so I thought it'd be fine to walk in. We walked in around 6:30pm. It was a small, cute restaurant with half of the tables filled. However, when the hostess greeted us and found that we had no reservation, she basically said we're full, sorry. No other explanation needed I guess. But what really bothered me was that she didn't offer to make a reservation on another day, didn't offer to-go menu, didn't really offer anything other than turning us away. Since we already walked a mile to get here, we asked if we can place a to-go order and she was fine with it then. The food was really good, loved the sushi. But I'm still a bit taken back by how we were greeted. I get that you're a popular restaurant, but maybe try to be a little more welcoming to people who might not know that your restaurant is that popular. read more

RESERVE EARLY! There is a reason this place is always busy! The food is fresh and absolutely delicious. Staff has always been very helpful with descriptions and suggestions. For special occasions and larger parties, I would recommend asking for the private room. It's definitely a great experience read more

Very delicious and authentic. You can even hear the staff talking in Japanese, and dressed in their cultural kimono and wooden sandals. Worth the price and had a great experience. Amaebi is on point, hotate is delicious, chirashi bowl is very filling. And red bean ice cream was so good! If I lived here in this state I'd definitely come back here often! read more

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The sushi here is really stand out, absolutely delicious. I meet a friend for lunch and we had a delightful assortment of Nigiri and rolls, along with Miso soup. This was my first visit so I can't comment on the kitchen items as I did not try any. The restaurant itself is relatively small and located on SW 2nd and Market in an area with very limited parking. I parked in the garage, which ended up being quite expensive, $10 for a less than 2 hours. The dining room has a sushi bar as well as several tables and Tatami seating. It would be difficult to eat here with a group of more than 6 people, better for 2 to 4 people. We were seated at table. The service was very good, they were attentive, but not overbearing, and quickly removed any plates or bowls after we finished. I can not think of a better sushi restaurant in Portland that has the same flavor and portion size. It is reminiscent of how the original Bamboo location was before they went local chain and severely limited their per roll fish serving. The real drawback is parking, and I would highly recommend reservations since the dining area is very limited. Probably not the best place for a walk in. But the sushi is certainly worth it, I will be planning a return. read more

Murata is hands down one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in Portland. We're pretty picky about our Japanese food since we're from Hawaii, but Murata was nothing short of amazing. I really liked the authentic atmosphere and the service was great. I'd highly highly recommend!! read more

Murata Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Super authentic menu! Their sushi is of course very good and fresh featuring local seafood and great sushi chefs. Their entire menu is good with some very authentic and traditional items that are hard to find in the states. The hakata age chicken, salmon cheeks and zosui are great alternative menu choices besides sushi. read more

i have been going to murata since the early 2000's. LOVE THEIR FOOD! the staff is so friendly and welcoming. i highly recommend dining here.

Food was great. The wait staff was rude...not all, just the server lady. Didn't catch her name, but she was short tempered with my group and was upset for asking to split the check. read more

This place is a very nice hole in the wall? We stumbled in here somewhat accidentally when the dough zone was overflowing, apparently this place mostly works on reservations sooo if you go on a Fri/sat def make one. We were able to get a table just because they had some cancellations. There's about 8 or so tables in the place. I'm no expert but this place did seem pretty authentic between the kimono wearing waitresses and the language being spoken among them (I'm not gonna try to assume it was Japanese although I'd hope it was). We ordered miso soup, salmon sashimi, horse salmon sashimi, seaweed salad, salmon roll and a fried crab leg roll. Everything was so amazing, I was surprised the salmon melted in my mouth and felt so fresh even being pretty far inland. The crab was not too oily and nothing tasted fishy at all. Service was spot on and they provided warm rags before dinner. Will def be coming here whenever I'm in the mood for sushi. They also had hot pot which looked amazing- maybe next time! read more

Incredible Japanese food and service! Ordered takeout and it did not disappoint. My grandpa used to come here every day 20 years ago and he was so happy to hear this restaurant is still in business. This is authentic real Japanese food - the kind of food my grandma would make for me. The quality was fantastic! Do not hesitate and come here! read more

Murata Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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It was a bit tough to write this review. I had to consider a lot of things. But before I proceed, please note that I feel that this place deserves a 3.5 instead of a 3. However, I chose a 3 because it really didn't deserve a 4 in my opinion. Alright, onto the review. We came here for the first time because of the high reviews and because we were craving sushi. This was our experience: we walked in but it took a while before the lady even looked at us. We asked her to write our name down on the waitlist and she nodded. After about 20 minutes, she finally asked us for our name so that she could write it down. I believe we waited almost an hour before we were seated and during that hour, we watched her run around flustered and confused. It seemed like she wasn't used to multi-tasking or working fast at all. After one of the tables left, it was left there for the longest time before the staff actually started cleaning it. After what felt like ages, we were finally seated! The moment we were seated, there were no more hiccups. Our server was extremely pleasant and friendly. She also smiled a lot and made us feel welcomed. We ordered Sushi A, Sushi B, and two rolls. The food was pretty good. We felt like the Salmon tasted a bit off but other than that, the sushi was tasty. The eel was REALLY delicious. However, we felt that the price was slightly high for what we got. Regardless, the food was good enough to satisfy us even with that horribly long wait! This was our first experience here and I am torn because I feel like I would give this place another try but I don't know whether or not I should recommend it... I suppose you could stop by here if you are okay with a long wait. read more

Murata Restaurant - Sushi B - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Best we have had in Portland and we have been around. Usually you can tell quality by salmon nigiri and theres is perfect. We had a variety of rolls and the saki chazuki was delicious. Authentic spot, make a reservation read more

Decent food but nothing special, the service is good and food came out fairly quick. Fairly noise and not so private as the restaurant is a bit tight. Not sure if I would come back again. read more

My husband and I love Murata restaurant for the wonderful quality, service, and authenticity. It's our go to whenever we go to the Keller.

Fabulous, best we've had anytime in our lives. Better make reservations, as there were only four tables that weren't already reserved at lunch read more

I realized the secret. Their food is great. But the service matters on Friday. When I visit Murata on weekday dinner, there was no problem at all. We made a reservation for Friday dinner because it was good, and the problem happens. The servers basically want you dine as soon as possible and get out. They come too frequently to ask if there is more items to order, and picks up dishes even if I was not finished the dish. They ask a lot about "may I take this dish out?", and it was eminent that even I was working on the dish. Moreover, they ask to bring dessert even before we finish the main dish. At that time, we were there for only 25 mins. For a Friday dinner that we expect to enjoy the atmosphere and having a talk in a good mood. Yes, the food quality is excellent, and the location and interior design is great, but what they want is us to finish dine as soon as possible (less than 30 min) even if we reserved the table more than a week ago. We intentionally did not have last two pieces of nigiri to talk more each other, and left the place in 40min of total dining. What a shame. Expect $50 per person dinner must be finished in 30min if you do not intentionally leave food on the table (they keep ask even if we have food left and slowly working on that). Go there on weekdays. That might be much better. They better to enlarge the space (yes, move to other location) if they want to get more customers in a given time, not like kicking out those who dining quietly. read more

First, I called to place an order. They directed me to online. So I went online and the site repeatedly said it didn't have a connection to the restaurant and to try back later. I think not. read more

Murata Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Quality fish and great service. Would make a reservation. Parking may be tough as well.