On the word of a barista at the corner coffee shop I called ahead to order and made my way here for…read morelate dinner - and I have to say, the takeout did not disappoint! Had I not gotten in just before they were closing I definitely would have stayed for the super nice ambience. Surprise favorites: roasted red pepper roll (sublime) and koji Napa cabbage (sorry I ate it all before I thought to snap a pic) but it was perfection!

cannot recommend the food enough-- trusty classics as well as fun twists. unfortunately the…read morewaitstaff had an extremely off putting and testy aura.

Third time here and this place is so good! Make sure to get…read morethe mazzemen and add rice to it when you are done! I came here the first time and it was great and got chirashi mazzemen and a roll Second time I got some new items and wasn't a fan Back for a third time and stuck with my originals and loved it! Will be back sooner than later now that I love it again! Staff is kind here and I love the chill and fun atmosphere!

A little unsure how I feel about this place but here it goes. Cute little neighborhood spot with a…read moredivey hipster atmosphere. Came for HH after seeing what a large variety they had on the menu for the 2 hour special. Few hits and more misses, but maybe I was expecting more traditional than a fusion take on Japanese cuisine. Great cocktails and good selection of drinks. Service was on point and friendly. The food was just okay sadly, though we only tried a few things as we weren't too hungry, a lot of them missed the mark. The mini spicy chirashi was decent, but unfortunately everything else we had was subpar. I may have a pretty high standard for sushi as I'm from NY so maybe I'm being a little too critical but they just didn't work for me, maybe I just didn't order the right things. Anyway it's just my opinion and what do I know, maybe find out for yourself if this place is worthy of all the high ratings. Stay hip mother suckers

Zhu is a solid place for fries in Chinatown, especially if you're looking for a hangout spot after…read moremidnight. I love that they offer a variety of menu items, ranging from skewers to noodle soups and even dumplings. So far, I'm the biggest fan of their fries, but their noodle soup was also pretty good. Vegans, you might want to avoid ordering the "mushroom" order from the izakaya menu since the portion is far too small for the price point. For those who aren't fans of loud places, this isn't a spot for you. Large groups tend to hang here for some card games (each table gets a deck, I believe), so it can be pretty noisy. Service here is adequate, considering there seems to only be one dude who mans the front while the wife/woman handles all the kitchen matters.

Food was not good. Pork ribs cost 8 dollars for three tiny ribs with bones and they weren't good…read moreeither. Service was terrible even though we were the only ones, and we got served food on a takeout container LID. Will not be coming back, total waste of money. Could've spent less for more, better food.

Amazing food. Must try the edamame dumplings trust me. Everything was amazing. Shiatsu peppers were…read morevery tasty but wish it came with more of the spicy mayo. Cheesesteak bao was a bit out of place, but it is philly so gotta have it. wagyu soup dumplings were phenomenal. cod fried rice was great and their house made soy sauce was so gentle and tasty. Lovely service. Our waitress explained everything clearly and helped us pick when we couldn't decide. We sat downstairs and it was a tad bit TOO dark. I was nervous walking down there because I could not see and worried of missing a step. Other tables were using flashlights to read the menu which was valid. It was a comfy and sexy ambiance but the lighting could've been brighter and kept the same atmosphere. But I would definitely still choose to sit down there rather than any other seating options.

Double Knot is a vibe! I've visited twice and both times were great experiences. Located in the…read moreheart of Philly, on a strip with other restaurants, Double Knot is one of the "go-to" spots. It's two levels, with the lower level being more intimate. I dined on the bottom level both times. First, if you're dining on the lower level, take out your glasses. It's dimly lit...but dimly like on overdose. I had to turn on my flashlight to properly read the menu! I've tried several items -- gyoza, sushi, sashimi, oysters, and sea bass fried rice. I can't say any item was subpar. Service, on both occasions, was excellent. Overall, a really good time! Definitely try for yourself. Cheers!

Great happy hour deals!…read more Prices in general are great and they even have hh on sundays! Love the interior and they even give pokemon cards when you walk in haha They also have a omekase in the back room which i have not had yet but excited to try next. As for the food and drinks, very solid food no real complaints. The steak skewer is a little tougher than i like but crispy rice is great and so is the karaage Servers are very chill and attentive

According to Google, Izakaya translates to a type of Japanese bar in which a variety of small,…read moretypically inexpensive, dishes and snacks are served to accompany the alcoholic drinks. That is a perfect representation of what we experienced on Saturday night. We stopped in during Happy Hour. Most of the small plates were discounted and a few sushi rolls were as well. The house cocktail made with Midori liquor was a popular choice among customers. I forgot to snap pics but we started off with edamame and Spicy Tuna Rice Crisps. The rice crisps were amazing. 4 pieces per order and the crunch was so satisfying. Edamame was salted and warmed up just right. The veggie dragon roll was extremely flavorful and filling. The Sriracha made it spicy but not in an overpowering way. It was hard to believe the only thing inside were veggies - that's how excellent it was. We opted for no dessert, but I believe they have fried ice cream and mochi ice cream as options. It was too cold that day for ice cream, but I'd definitely be open to it during the warmer months. The seating layout and the art on the wall was such a hit, including the Snorlax directly behind us. He was so dang cute! Service was great and our server took wonderful care of us. We loved this precious spot in Fishtown!

An absolutely incredible experience. I can see why this restaurant books up quickly as soon as the…read moredate becomes available. We were lucky to secure 2 seats via online reservation for the 2nd seating at 8pm. Arriving 5 minutes before opening, we were directed to have a seat at one of the surrounding tables. We watched both servers efficiently clean up after the first seating. Afterwards, we were shown our seats where Chef "K" arrived and quickly went to work. We watched this chef and the head chef/owner Sam create our first courses which were exquisite. Not only were they presented beautifully but were absolutely delicious as well. Next came the first courses of nigiri. Piece by piece, we watched in excitement and anticipation. Each piece was fresh, crafted perfectly with the right amount of perfectly seasoned sushi rice. Then came a break in between the first and second courses of nigiri with a seafood dashi soup which consists of scallops, tofu, seaweed and dashi. A warm and refreshing way to break up the nigiri courses. The second wave of nigiri came, and these were just as incredible as the first courses. We loved the fact the ones that came with a topping or sauce didn't take away from the natural taste of the fish, rather it enhanced it and elevated it. Finishing off our course with the signature uni bowl which consist of wagyu beef, scallops, salmon roe, Japanese Hokkaido sea urchin, yuzu jelly and squid ink foam. This was a wow-factor dish that blew us both away. Stunning presentation and tasted even better. Finally, for dessert a roasted green tea ice cream which just brings everything together. Some side notes, I loved the attention to detail from both chefs. They're right on it if they see your gari (pickled ginger) is low and will happily refill it. I loved the place wasn't too stiff and you're able to make small conversation with the chef. And the service was top notch and not overbearing. Overall, this is some of the best sushi I've ever had and if I'm back in Philadelphia, I would happily return. A 10/10 experience.

Went on a Tuesday so it was a much more intimate experience as there were only a couple of us. The…read moreomakase is 19 courses and the establishment is BYOB. The sushi chef was very friendly and chatted with everyone throughout the at course. If you get up to use the restroom he will wait until you get back before making your nigiri- just a nice subtle touch. The fish was very fresh, basically melting in your mouth. The uni was wonderfully sweet, so fkd those unsure about it, definitely give it a try!

If you're looking for really good sushi and Japanese food, I recommend this place. I saw Japanese…read morecustomers dining there. It's a good sign that that they serve legit food. Enoki and egg soup is my favorite appetizer. Light broth with umami and perfect saltiness. My second favorite appetizer is agedashi tofu. So silky like pudding with light teriyaki broth. Beef roll up with scallions: beef is tender with some kind of sweet teriyaki sauce. It's pretty good. Eggplant filled with ground chicken. It looks appealing but unfortunately a bit too greasy. The sushi here is very special. The sushi rice is silky and moist. The fish piece is bigger than the rice. The eel is a must try here. It's very big compared to the rice underneath it. It very flavorful too. Mt entree is steamed salmon with seafood broth. I recommend squirting the lemon to the broth to make it taste like yuzu sauce as it lightens the whole dish and makes it less fishy.

This restaurant is my husband's and my go to spot for Japanese food, and it never disappoints! The…read moreambiance makes you feel like you're in Japan, cozy, warm, and inviting. Our absolute favorite is the chirashi bowl, so fresh and delicious. We always eat it wrapped in nori (seaweed), which makes it even better. The shrimp tempura udon is another must: light and flavorful broth, chewy noodles, and perfectly fried shrimp that are fresh and a great size. Honestly, everything here is amazing! you really can't go wrong. The service is excellent, very attentive and friendly. It does get busy on weekends, so I recommend calling ahead for a reservation. Perfect spot for a date night or a family dinner if you're looking for something truly authentic.

We came here as a surprise for my fiancé's birthday, and the entire experience was phenomenal! It…read morewas hands down the best birthday dinner we've ever had. We had so much fun, and every course was incredible and truly memorable. A special shoutout to Jo and Mario for being such amazing hosts and making the evening unforgettable! The restaurant is also BYOB, and there's a wine store just a block away, so you can easily stop there before your reservation. Definitely arrive on time! I would not recommend missing a single course! We absolutely love this place and cannot recommend it enough. If you're thinking about trying omakase, this is your spot. We can't wait to come back! Cheers!

Clean, intimate, fresh, very good value omakase…read more I did leave a little hungry but that may just be the nature of small plates

We chose it because it's one of Chef Morimoto's restaurants, and as an Iron Chef fan, it was worth…read morechecking out. We were seated at the sushi bar, which ended up being one of the best parts of the night. We got to watch the sushi chefs prepare dishes up close and even chat with them a bit, which made the experience feel more personal and fun. I would recommend requesting this if you are a party of one or two. The restaurant itself has a very clean, sleek look, with mostly white decor. It feels modern and upscale without being cold. The space is large enough that it doesn't feel crowded, but still intimate enough for a nice dinner. Our server was fantastic and gave great recommendations for cocktails, sake, and dishes. I tried a sake flight and ended up not enjoying it, and he kindly brought me something else with no issue and didn't charge for the flight, which I really appreciated. The sushi was fresh, and every dish we had was seasoned perfectly. They have seasonal tasting menus if you are more adventurous. The dishes are beautifully plated. Overall, this was a great experience and I'd definitely recommend Morimoto for a higher-end dinner in Philly, especially if you're a fan of TV chefs or just want a memorable sushi experience.

What happened to the real Morimoto?…read more I came here years ago and had an exciting, innovative meal. Today the menu still has those classic old Nobu-inspired dishes from the 1990s - crispy rice with spicy tuna, hamachi carpaccio, miso cod - but there's not much of anything novel. Worse, we made the mistake of ordering a sushi assortment. There were five kinds of fish: cooked shrimp, fluke, salmon, tuna, and yellowtail, just like at any corner sushi joint. The server called the yellowtail kampachi, but it lacked the usual springiness of amberjack; it was just regular hamachi as far as I could tell. And apart from a tiny unidentifiable topping on the fluke, there was nothing special about this fish at all, nor was the rice particularly good. Apart from an inside-out spicy salmon roll, nothing about this said Morimoto. The service was okay (though our main dishes took forever to arrive), and the prices weren't over the top. The decor is a time capsule, just like the menu. Morimoto is phoning it in - could the chef answer the call himself?

We had omakase experience at this spot one day. Every nice…read moreexperience. All dishes were delicious and all in all it's firm 4 stars

My first omakase experience at Ogawa was both memorable and flavorful. Located in the heart of Old…read moreCity, you're welcomed into an intimate 12-person counter with a small seating area in the front. While there isn't a formal coat check, there are designated racks where you can store clothing and belongings. The restaurant shares a space with Almanac, its upstairs cocktail bar. Despite being catered as a social atmosphere, I never felt that its presence (or playlist) disrupted my dining experience. There's service staff moving about the stairwell behind the Ogawa counter, but I felt you can still clearly hear and immerse yourself with the chefs during the meal. I visited with my partner for their Midweek Omakase Experience, which provides an abridged four set, 16-course meal perfect for a date night. This particularly stood out to me, since it's a $250-per couple offering that makes it more affordable and welcoming for veteran diners or first-time omakase enjoyers. The Food Breakdown: First Set (4.5/5) - The appetizer dishes were a great start to our meal. I thoroughly enjoyed the selections of cuts with the pickles on the second plate. The scallop was also seasoned incredibly well, and the brush of soy helped elevate each bite. Second Set (5/5) - Flavors from the chawanmushi helped warm the palette, especially with the chutoro of the bluefin tuna presented in this course. I felt that this set had the greater diversity of textures between bites, which made savoring it more worthwhile. Third Set (4/5) - Miso soup was a great start before we were served delicious otoro cuts of fish. The portion sizes were also excellent, and Chef Andy did a fantastic job describing each bite in full detail. My only note was that I felt the handroll sizes were very slightly inconsistent in their filling. Fourth Set (5/5) - All of the desserts were delicious and light, which made for an excellent closer to the meal. While traditionally omakase ends with a tamago-style dessert, we were also provided a vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate to round out our experience. Chef Andy was welcoming, knowledgeable at every step of our meal, and demonstrated a clear passion in his preparation of each bite. It was a great and affordable experience for an omakase!