Duck over cooked and dry. Vegetables clearly from frozen and not reheated properly. Salmon Maki bland. "Sweet potato" roll made from regular potato. Overall unimpressive. read more

This is a gem of a restaurant in the heart of Waltham. We come here for the Korean food, we never order anything else. The bulgogi is awesome, they use quality meat and the marinade is spot on. We also get the tofu stew (seafood) and it's very tasty. The bibimbap is amazing too. We are Korean, and bring our 87 year old mom and she gives it 2 thumbs up, which says a lot. Restaurant is clean, they recently renovated, but it still has a bit of a "cafe" feel not really a warm, cozy, date night kinda place but come for the food. It's worth it. read more

We've been waiting to try Ponzu since it reopened - we used to come every now and then for bibimbap or sushi. We're so glad we finally came! The restaurant looks lovely and we were warmly greeted as we walked in. The miso soup (I'm usually not really into any miso soup) was great - they've added fresh mushrooms and a few other ingredients. It really shows. We got the vegetable tempura appetizer and it's appropriately sized, light, and delicious. The yaki udon chicken was delicious, and the dolsot bibimbap is hot! (Waiting to try it haha) everything looks lovely and tastes delicious! read more

Craving some sushi/sashimi but while in the waltham area, I wasn't sure I could find a good enough place to scratch the itch, but I was pleasantly surprised - Fast, courteous, attentive service, food i give 8/10, OK pricing Decor could use a make over but overall for the money & location I really cannot complain. Will be back read more

This probably has the funkiest, most expensive vibe on all of Moody St. It's a good place to impress a business client over lunch, or possibly a cougar. The menu is adventurous enough to let you pull the wool over someone's eyes and act like you know more about Asian cuisine than you do. read more

YUMMAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is one of the few places where I can eat raw sushi and really enjoy it...it really does melt in your mouth. The little kitschy touches, like the "water feature," are neat, too. read more

Small, never too busy, and friendly staff. The sushi is great, and most of the time you get a free appetizer and dessert type thing. Never once has a bad experience here! My go-to sushi spot in Waltham, for sure. read more

Average and over priced. Fits my pet peeve of over priced small town sushi ho hum. I've had this kind of sushi in northern california. The locals maybe don't know great so good seems great. Sorry. Maybe that was rude but it was spot on food wise. This place was gushed & gushed about so it was an even bigger let down when we ate. Service was great & the decor was serviceable but with that much hype, this place should have really had better sushi. Seasoning wasn't there. The flavors were kind of bland. The worst part was there were some weird textures in the rolls which I couldn't tell if they were over prepared or overcooked. I wouldn't say it was bad but really confusing/unfocused. read more

Love this place! I eat Korean food regularly, as it's one of my favorite ethnic varieties. So when I say this is some of the best Korean food I've had in the Boston area, I know what I'm talking about. Plus the staff there is very welcoming and it's a lovely place to dine. Highly recommend. The sushi is good too, but mostly I opt for the Okdol Bibimbop. read more

Excellent food and friendly service. I've been a regular since the beginning of this year and usually go at lunch time. The Korean chigaes are fresh, authentic, and delicious. The side dishes are all homemade and are very good. Owner and servers are friendly and service is prompt. The main sushi chef selects and buys the fish for the restaurant. He is knowledgeable and the sushi is always fresh and expertly cut. The first time I had the sashimi I was thoroughly impressed. Sashimi, sushi, and chirashi are all great especially for the price. read more

I had a scallion pancake-- they're huge! and a salmon avocado roll which was delicious. I was getting some work done at the bar (they have wifi) and the waitstaff were kind enough to let me stay quite a while. Sitting at the bar I saw all the big fancy rolls come out-- they all looked amazing. I'll be back. read more

This is my favorite restaurant for sushi and Korean cuisine. Their sushi is the best sushi in town. Korean food is amazing. Very authentic!!! read more

People talk about this place as if its the be-all end-all of sushi in Waltham, and truth be told, I really wanted to love it. But after having given it a few tries, I think it its pretty average, and no better or worse than the offerings at Baan Thai for sushi. I will give a shout out to the freshness of the sashimi, but while their lunch portion was more than reasonable, some of the fish was flavorless. The tuna and salmon are decent, but the octopus was touch gummy. Their Boston Roll was simply underwhelming. A good place for lunch, but I wouldn't splurge on dinner here with the other options in the area being what they are. read more

After returning back to Mass from college I was taken to Ponzu by a friend who was shocked when I told her I hadn't had 'real' sushi before. Well I am so glad that she brought me here! We started out our meal with miso soup. It was fantastic! a good amount of tofu and seaweed. We then ordered one of each the four seasons maki, tempura shrimp roll, philadelphia roll and the caterpillar. I discover that I don't like eel but everything else was amazing! The four seasons and shrimp are my favorite. we paid $26 a person and walked away full. I've also tried the California roll which is fantastic as well! since that first time I have been back at least three more times in the past month. read more

Ponzu isn't a cheap place to get sushi, but it is really good and they have some unique rolls that are worth getting. The caterpillar and snow white rolls are two of our favorites. The sashimi roses and carpaccio are also good appetizers. We also ask for a table by the window so we can watch people walking by. This is a very cute place for a nice date night that isn't too expensive. They also usually have a free dessert of fruit or pudding, which is a nice touch and way to end the meal. read more

Best dumplings I have ever had. The rest of the $60 bill was terrible. Bought the groupon and spent well over the $30 without even ordering drinks. Service was good but food was not. The two stars are only because of the dumplings (veggie). I'd avoid. read more

The sushi is fine, but dine in only - don't bother with takeout. I live right down the street (so yes, admittedly, I could have walked down to get it)...but the last two times I've ordered it's taken over 90 minutes to be delivered - meaning the sushi is no longer fresh. The restaurant doesn't seem to care when I call (I was hung up on when I called to check where my delivery was) and they refused to make a new order and deliver me a fresh one. Sushi is good - service, not so much. read more

I'm not a sushi person, so this place was just OK for me. As with any type of Asian food, I wish they would specify which of their chicken dishes are breast meat. I hate digging in to find they've served me dark me, which makes me sick. I had the red chicken curry, which was half white, so half of it was really good. My husband had a variety of sushi - goldfish, octopus and spicy tuna - and he enjoyed them all. The service was good and the atmosphere was interesting, so we'll likely go back again. read more

I agree with another reviewer - what's up with the waiter and waitress. They are always in a hurry to remove the plates or the drinks. They hurry up once you signed the check to see how much tip you have paid. Extremely unprofessional ! Food is pretty decent - sushi and entrees. I hope the owner reads these reviews and takes control of the freaky waiter(s). read more

I heard that Ponzu was great, but having been, it is pretty much the definition of standard sushi quality. It was okay, but definitely not anything special. The decor is strange, I'm not really sure what they're trying to go for. The miso soup was wayyy too salty and some of the fish didn't taste as fresh as I had hoped it would from the praise I had heard. Overall, decent sushi but not worth the price with so many other options nearby. read more

So I went there a couple of days ago after the gym for a healthy lunch. They did a custom sushi order for me which was cool and they have some interesting special rolls there. I had a roll with avocado and spicy tuna and then another with Fried sweet potatoes and salmon. Overall I was pleased the staff is nice enough but seems kind of distant. But the sushi there is good, I didn't have any entrees or cooked food so I cant comment on that. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. It's been a few months but I still remember how good the food was. My favorite dish is their appetizer with tuna on a wonton crisp. They also often have groupon deals. Good food at a steal! read more

Such delicious food! Tried small plates (sushi pizza, wasabi crab rangoons), dinner entre (general tso chicken), sushi rolls (Idaho, black widow, crazy maki, and house maki), and Bob's special (jalapeño stuffed with lots of spicy tuna). All were amazing and I highly recommend. read more

The dish is just stunning, especially the sushi ad hand rolls. I heard the chef was originally from Oishi and started his own business half a year ago. Anyway, great service with awesome food. read more

Very good food, freshest sushi I ever tried. thumb up on the Dolsot bibimbap with beef, they made the rice very crispy, pot was still very hot after we finished the food. Will definitely go back again read more

I have been here a couple of times now. Not outstanding, but there are some things they do very well. the calamari is excellent, the spicy pork dumplings are outstanding, the sushi is good but overall for the price it is a good find read more

Ponzu is a great place to go for lunch on a weekend. I haven't tried their dinner menu but their lunches are reasonably priced and tasty. The lunch specials include miso soup, rice (they have a few flavors to choose from-- including "chicken flavored brown rice" which I never order because the only thing I want to be chicken flavored is chicken) an entree, and a small mango salad. I ordered the General Gau and it I wasn't super impressed but I also was not disappointed. Sure, it was tasty, but the beautiful presentation of the food heightened my expectations for the flavor. I enjoy their sushi more than any other sushi I've had in the greater Boston area. Your sushi order will always come out fresh and beautifully presented. It's really a delight to eat the sushi at Ponzu. I'm not all that picky when it comes to service at a restaurant. My one strict requirement is that the food arrives at the same time for everyone I'm eating with. This didn't happen at Ponzu, and the place was not busy at all. The waitress also seemed like she wanted us out of there as soon as possible despite their being at least five empty tables. I'd recommend this place for a quick lunch but I wouldn't go there for dinner or with a date. read more

The sushi plates were sizeable and tasty. Drink prices weren't that bad. We had a decent meal for 4 people without breaking the bank!

Mediocre. Beef tataki was delicious but got some chewy fat...I guess it's ok, but I just didn't like chewing raw fat. Curried pork dumpling was...interesting: dumpling was fine, curry broth was kinda weird. It tasted...grainy, instead of smooth. Uni shooter had good ingredients combination, but the uni itself could be fresher. I have no real complaint, but I also have no memorable food to recommend. Overall, mediocre. read more

Ponzu has the best sushi in the Newton/Waltham area for sure! I try to swing by once a week to get my sushi fix. Now, their sushi could be deemed a little Americanized, as the menu lacks the traditional rolls, but it works for me regardless. I love their spring rolls... the gyoza (get them steamed - better for your health and they're just sooo delish). I've tried many of their maki rolls, but the stand out is the X-Max Maki. It's shrimp tempura topped with spicy tuna mixed with roe & tempura. Their spicy salmon and tuna are pretty tasty too. The Dragon maki is also worth a try! My boyfriend has had the sesame beef and it was a surprise hit. Very tasty. Another great bonus to Ponzu is the prices on their wines and beers. 3.95 for bottles of craft beer... unheard of! Can't wait to go back this weekend! read more

I have gotten very lucky at this place every time! And the atmosphere is very pleasant:)

Quick bite to eat needed and wanted to keep it healthy. Saw the Yelp reviews and thought to give it a try. Service seated me near the portable heater after I said how cold it was outside. Nice touch. Quickly took my order and just as quick brought it out. Got to people watch, listen to the waterfall and sit by a nice heater while having some sushi. Doesn't get much better than that. read more

A wonderful time at ponzu! They serve Korean foods there which is very fabulous. I love the soup and the teriyaki! Serves are very nice and kind, they gave us small dishes for Korean dishes. I heard that their boss are from Korea, it's a wonderful experience at ponzu! They will be my first choice of restaurant for Korean food and Japanese food. Eat two different countries food at one time read more

Actually more of a 4.5 star restaurant in my opinon. Go for the sushi and appetizers. They are awesome. I particularly love the special rolls here. I normally will just get sushi as an appetizer, and then get a main course, but the sushi at ponzu is so good that I just have to order more of it. They have one roll with eel and tuna that they tempura fry that is out of this world. Also high marks for the sea urchin shooters and the ponzu hot ribs. The entree's themselves are more hit or miss. The duck was very tasty, but the beef with Asian sausages was boring. In summary, make a meal of sushi and appetizers and you will love this place as much as I do. read more

This was great sushi and there were some very unusual items on the menu. The choices for nigiri are somewhat limited (only 9-10 types) but the ones they do offer are fantastic. It is a little more expensive than the other sushi places in the area, but the quality of the rice and the fish is much, much better. read more

No need to look at a menu if you can get a seat at the Sushi Bar and let "Billy" the owner know your favorite fish and preference, from there let him take you and your taste buds on a fabulous journey. I have had sushi all over the world and this was truly a great experience. read more

I come here every chance i get, i have never ordered something i didnt like. Their menu is fantastic, their quality of fish is fantastic, everything about this place is great, If you like sushi this place is comparable to the big shot sushi restaurants like Oishi, and Fugakyu. Service is ok, but that doesnt matter when you get the type of meal they have. read more

Always fresh here! I love the lunch menu (more food for less $) Makimono lunch is a great start if your new to sushi :) They have a great delivery service usually less then 30 min wait and just as fresh as eating in restaurant. read more

This place has never disappointed. The staff is super friendly and helpful, the food is always good, their dumplings and fried calamari are fantastic. highly recommended. read more

The food and service is of the highest quality. We are regulars and the owner always greets us. Samples of dishes we have not yet tried are brought to our table to entice and broaden our future selections. I have always been hesitant to try sushi and here it is the best quality, fresh and delicious and the presentation is fantastic. read more