Everything we ordered was excellent, and the miso soup raised our expectations for the lunch. The surfer roll with tuna sashimi on top was a fantastic yellowtail wrapped in tempura, as seen in the picture below. It's worth checking out their specially made Maki! read more

Zama, is definitely is the place to go for sushi! I went for a date night. The food was amazing!! I didn't get any drinks because I left my ID at home but it definitely was a vibe. The greeter/ manager was amazing the waitresses worked as a team no complaints from them. The food came out quickly. Only down side is it's very loud. I think it might be the way it's structured. They had some really loud guest but the greeter/manager handle it elegantly and professional. I would return for sure!! read more

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Excellent business lunch. Three of us went here on a weekday afternoon and enjoyed a delicious lunch. The place was a bit noisy when we arrived, around one PM, but got quieter as we had delicious "Bento Bite" lunches of shrimp and vegetable tempura on rice, preceded by edamame and soup. The soup is where this becomes a fusion of Japanese and European cuisine, with a broth-based tofu snd seaweed soup in a ceramic cup with a Chinese style ceramic spoon. It was all very nicely flavored, and the service was efficient and polite, so we were very happy with out lunch. read more

Zama - Shrimp tempura bento. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My family sells fresh fish for a living. I am unbeliever picky about the level of my fish and the level of sushi. I wanted to find a great Japanese owned place for dinner and man did we find it. The pricing is exceptional for the level of food and service. I did underdress, expecting more of a Japanese fusion, then rather authentic cuisine. Which was based upon the prices being so reasonable. Loved everything. The food, the drinks, the place, to the staff. read more

Amazing food, and for a great deal! The sushi tasting was totally worth it. read more

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An amazing, four and a half-star experience. I'm not kidding, a few small details landed Zama just below perfection, but high enough on my list that it will be getting another shot at glory soon enough. JJ and I arrived Saturday evening for dinner. Since it was snowing, we hoped the lack of reservation might not be a problem (hint: book a reservation). Luckily, they were able to seat us at the sushi bar quickly. Turns out, the sushi bar is a great place to sit since you get to see all the menu options come to life. A little gun shy about a recent chef tasting experience, we decided to make our own tasting experience. First up, the Kirin Ichiban Braised Short Ribs. I wondered how I might eat such a dish with chopsticks, however, the meat was so tender that was not a problem. It was probably my favorite. Next, a simple Oshinko. It helped clear our palate and prepare us for item three, the Sufer roll (yellowtail jalapeño roll topped with tuna sashimi, avocado salsa, and crispy rice cracker). I lied, this roll had to be my favorite. It was fresh and delicious with a variety of textures which really helped enhance the flavors . Item four, a refreshing Tuna Usuzukuri, to no surprise, also made its case for my favorite. It was sliced into 6 pieces for easier enjoyment which ensured eat bite delivered the chef's intentions. Our last main of the night was the Jose Garces Chirashi. It is a rice dish with various fish on top. It was good, but not the way to end our night. It just didn't seem well balanced (although the dish itself was setup nicely to split between two). We also tried three small desserts, since they have a sampler 3x$10 dessert option. While all enjoyable, none blew me away. For the complete picture, we had the Yuzu Crème Brulee, Banana Springroll, and Apple Gyoza. Make sure to ask about the desserts, as the menu is a bit nondescript. To end where I began, Yay! I'm a fan nearly Woohoo'ing. I'll be back and recommend you plan a visit as well. read more

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With all the great things I heard about Zama, I really wanted to LOVE it. And while I did enjoy the food, it's not a place I'm rushing back to. The food was good, but the service and environment left a lot to be desired. With so many sushi places around town, and this one having higher prices, it's not going to become my new go-to. The small restaurant is divided into two parts: the front part of the restaurant with seating around the sushi bar, and a back room secluded with a curtain, and a few tables inside. Unfortunately, we were seated in this back room which was a dud and lacked any livelyness you might hope for from a restaurant. Besides the table location, we also felt that the service was all over the place, and not what you expect from this type of establishment. Each time we ordered drinks, at least one was forgotten each time, or the incorrect order was brought. Drinks were also talking far too long to arrive at our table. The timing of the food was off-kilter as well, with the starting salads and soups arriving the same time as the sushi and other entrees. Besides the environment and service, the food itself was good! We absolutely loved the FRIED BRUSSEL SRPOUTS, which were super crispy on the edges. We also enjoyed the NASU DENGAKU LETTUCE WRAPS with TOFU - a great vegetarian option and unique starter for the meal. The sushi was fresh! While the food was good, the entire experience definitely needed some improvement. With many more Japanese and sushi options to try, this won't be my first choice next time. read more

Zama - Nasu Dengaku lettuce wraps with tofu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Everything from this restaurant was amazing. My friend and i started with the spicy rock shrimp tempura. It was a bit overpriced for what you get (mostly cauliflower and broccoli, not much shrimp, but it was amazing. I got the spicy super crunchy tuna roll and california roll for my entree. The quality of both rolls was amazing. I don't even really like tuna that much, but i would definitely get that again. For dessert, they offer a 3 for $12 mini dessert plate that has a lot of options. I got the pistachio cheesecake, tofu beignets (came with caramel sauce and chocolate sauce), and passion fruit creme brûlée. It was truly a phenomenal meal with amazing service. We will definitely be back! read more

Out.fucking.standing had the tasting menu. Server was in her game-Saki lit me up Well Great dining experience read more

I've been here many times and like it most for lunch due to the bento boxes. Both the chicken and steak are quite good - though yesterday I found myself trimming fat off the tips of the cooked steak. The only downside of the bento box is the lack of a substitute for the miso soup which is made with fish broth. I realize that fish broth and oyster sauce are often key ingredients of many Asian dishes but if you are going to offer for example a vegetarian bento box, then there should be a vegetable broth soup or some type of an accommodation such as extra salad or edamame in place of the soup. I'm actually not a vegetarian but 3 out of 4 of us specified no soup and in summary, our waiter indicated that there was nothing he could do - though he didn't even ask or pretend to care. All of this said, I find the food and sake to taste great and I've never had trouble being seated sans reservations. read more

Zama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The food here is pretty good (I'd rate it 4-stars), but the service from the hostess and manager on duty were a bit off-putting when I came in for lunch recently. During Restaurant Week, we visited a number of restaurants near our offices during lunch. This was one of them. Restaurants in this area tend to be understandably busy during lunch, but this was the only place where we found absolutely no sense of urgency in taking care of customers. When we came in, a lot of tables were filled, but they were definitely not jam-packed the way other places were. There was no one at the host stand, which was fine for the first 5 minutes, but after that, we were confused as to whether we should just seat ourselves at the bar. It seemed staff working near the entrance were actively avoiding our glance. The restaurant is pretty small, so I could clearly see the hostess walking slowly back and forth between the tables. When she saw us, she continued to slowly walk back and forth between tables around the room. The manager, who was standing at the food window closer to the entrance, also saw us, but he stood perfectly still, looked away, and did not tell any member of his staff to go greet us. These folks really take the Zen concept to the next level!!! Once we finally got seated at the sushi bar, the service was okay (it existed, but was not particularly remarkable). The RW lunch options were pretty decent, except for dessert. We got edamame, udon noodle soup (very tasty!), salads, and bento boxes containing shrimp/veggie tempura and simple selections of maki rolls and sashimi, which tasted very fresh. For dessert, we had a piece of black sesame mochi ice cream and 2 small pieces of rice crispy treat rolled up like sushi, which can either be found in the frozen section of an Asian supermarket or be created cheaply at home. I had been here before during HH, and I remember the food being tasty, but underwhelming when factoring in the price. In general, I like the concept, food quality, and atmosphere, but in order to justify the pricing, there has to be more than just good (but tiny) sushi and decent udon noodle soup. read more

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Yesterday's devours come all the way from the small yet mighty ZAMA Sushi Bar. This small yet dope establishment is located right in the right of the Rittenhouse area of Philadelphia. This place has a really nice vibe to it. It's definitely a family vibe. The bathrooms are really clean. The host Daniel was really nice and very welcoming. Upon letting him know it was my first time, he insisted that I try the Tuna Usuvukuri so i ordered the Tuna from my super dope waitress Giana "G", as well as, the soft shell shrimp . The shrimp was absolutely my favorite it was so delicious and tasteful. The tuna was absolutely bomb! Super flavorful and super good . To finish off my dinner, i ordered one raw oyster , Zama created like a oyster shooter but with not alcohol . Listen when i say this oyster was absolutely phenomenal . I can't wait to revisit this place and get nothing but oysters . If you ever find yourself wanting some bomb sushi and some dope vibes please check out ZAMA, ask for Daniel and Giana! Tell'em Shimmy sent you! #shimmyeats #oyster #water #tuna #fish #sushi #philly #philadelphia #food #foodporn #foodphotography #foodie read more

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Terrible service, my friends ordered 2 dishes both of which had hairs in both dishes. There's way better sushi options in center city in my opinion. Also took so long for our food to come out. read more

Zama is 5 stars for atmosphere and presentation. The narrow restaurant has a dark and swanky decor with a sushi bar present in view. Each dish came out uniquely platted as well. Even the Philly roll came wrapped in paper to mimic a Japanese newspaper. The food is a 4. The quality was there, but it lacked the wow and excitement. I miss the guest chef specialty rolls from yonder. The price is a 3. It's not unexpected of a restaurant so close to the square. The prices aren't out of control but a little above market, in my opinion. Pared with the food lacking the wow, this combo is keeping me from frequenting Zama on the regular. With that said, this is a great spot for a business lunch. See above about decor and disregard any pricing notes. The place is packed at lunch time, so don't forget that reservation. read more

Zama - Spicy Chirashi (black belt) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I love Zama! This is probably my favorite sushi spot in the city. It's a little pricey but it's worth it! Quality rolls. Anything you get will be good. I love that they have mini deserts and you can get like a desert sampler. So good! read more

Zama - Wasabi Tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My FAVORITE spot in Philly! I am obsessed with their brussel sprouts, tofu lettuce wraps and all the veggie rolls. I am gluten-free and dairy-free and the staff has been so helpful in assisting me through the menu. A MUST go. read more

Boring, wildly overpriced sushi. We had the black belt sushi / sashimi selection and each piece was as boring as the next. Not horribly bad, just not the least bit memorable. Yeah: I'm very spoiled from my trips to San Francisco where sushi is a competitive art form but still, especially given the prices, I expected a lot better (tastier, fresher, more interesting) in the raw fish dept. Ironically, the desserts were terrific for the most part. Forget the sushi and just come for the sweets and you'll be a lot happier. read more

Zama - Too bad this wasn't the sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pretty good, very pricey. Service was above average. The food was good but not worth the price. We shared a lot of food and that seems like the way to go. The sushi was good and we got multiple roles. The fried shrimp was awesome and my steak was very good as well. read more

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Natalie (bartender) is amazing. It has been a while since I got service this awesome where I leave over 20% on a dinner bill. She was just so nice and helpful and kind and just the sweetest thing on earth. I did not like the drink that I got, and she insisted on taking it away and taking it off the bill.... even though there was nothing wrong with the drink itself (which was yuzu gimpchi). I just didn't like it due to personal preference. Oh, yuzu is this powerful citrus fruit - just FYI . And no, I do not know her personally, so this is completely unbiased - pinky swear. One of the top services I have ever experienced. Very rarely do I leave 25%. Bill was 86 but was split half and half. That's how good she was. New things I tried today: Avocado salad was amazing. We were each going to get one, but Natalie told us that they were big so one would be enough for us to share. See, she was honest too on top of that. Anyway, the veggies were fresh and crisp and the slice of avocado were just great. There were about 6 generous slices of fresh avocado. And by fresh I mean pretty much perfect: Not mushy like supermarket California rolls avocado, not too hard like the unripe ones, but was juuuust right like baby bear's. Not too much ginger dressing where it drenches the salad and makes it soggy, but tossed perfectly where it coats every leafy green evenly. The Braised Short Ribs and Tuna Usuzukuri still did not fail to satisfy. The Bronzizzle (specialty maki) was soooooo tasty. Even with the cilantro/parsley topped on it, which I hate. So I just picked t off. It was nice and crisp with the fresh cucumber and a sooth texture from the avocado The rolls were topped with generous slices of Bronzino, a Mediterranean white fish. Give it a go. Yes, that was an imperative statement. Hamachi ponzu? Great! Thick slices of yellowtail tuna marinated in soy pickled jalapeno ponzu. It was so good. And it wasn't too spicy either. My friend can't eat spicy stuff, but the kick was just right for her. The green tea and strawberry ice cream cake (though I forget the official name) was amazing. It was solid as a rock so it was hard for my buddy and I to dig in to it to share. It's also more of a bite size kinda thing, But it was so good. The yuzu creme brulee did not fail to impress, once again. And the chocolate cake with white sake was amazing as well and I am not a chocolate fan. It's not too chocolatie, which is perfect for me. I just wish the 3 for 10 desserts weren't so tiny - it's such a tease. I think I found a new one-of-my- favorite places. read more

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Great service and food. Not cheap but worth the trip to the city. Try a bit of everything. Outstanding

Sushi is great , perfect for a date, has a romantic touch. I was impressed with the specialty rolls... unique combinations. Only complaint was that the waitress was very rude. read more

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Food is EXCELLENT, best sushi I've ever had. My waiter was really cute too. His mustache was superb. I think his name was Brendan.

Hostess greeted us with a smile and wished my husband and i a happy anniversary = PLUS. Waitress was as happy as can be.. smiled, knew what she was talking about.. explained the menu in detail, didn't rush us at all = SUPER PLUS... I was really worried about this place not being authentic and given some reviews about customer service, I wondered if I wanted to risk my anniversary here... Glad we did... The food is incredible.. Get the Black Belt selection.. It's a must! The types of fish they serve are AMAZING... Everything came out in perfection, can't really find anything negative to say.. read more

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Good tasting sushi options, excellent unique cocktails, friendly staff, and a very nice ambiance

We called an hour before and reserved a table for 2. The place was very nice. The miso soup was AMAZING! Great quality sushi... I think everything was priced fairly given the location. I forgot to take a picture of the cod and rice dish but it was delicious! read more

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Came here on a Friday night for Philadelphia Restaurant Week 2019 with two other people, and the service was a little underwhelming. While the food was good, the service and environment were a little bit too subpar to make my experience that enjoyable. The location was decent, located in Rittenhouse Square, and easy to find, and the interior was a little crowded and a little bit sparse in the front of the restaurant (where my party was seated, despite there being plenty of room in the back). Two of us ordered the 4-course Restaurant Week prix fixe menu, while we also ordered à la carte a Wasabi Truffle Escargot and Scallops. For the price, the à la carte menu was not worth its value. At $18 and $28 respectively, neither of these dishes were as fresh nor as high quality as we were expecting... hardly worth their value. The prix fixe menu was closer to what we were expecting, with a clean presentation of each course and very good sushi. I would say to definitely stick with the sushi offerings; the hot dishes are not worth the value unless you are looking to drop thirty bucks on three average scallops. While the price was not worth the value of the food, the interior was okay. The service was prompt with bringing out dishes and collecting finished courses, as well as refilling waters, but the hostess seemed intent on rushing us... despite it being 9 PM on a Friday night. The ambiance was not as lively as I would have expected it to be on nights like these, so I am quite disappointed with my experience. The high prices, average quality, and subpar service is really what prevented me from ever recommending Zama to a friend. Try another sushi place in Philadelphia... even Crazy Sushi is worth more for its price. read more

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We came by here for a birthday dinner. The restaurant was a little pricy, but the food was exceptional. We had the philly style sushi - although it wasn't much of sushi type it was delicious. Also had the Rittenhouse three, and the spicy jumbo lump crab sushi. Definitely recommend all these options, as we were thinking about ordering another roll but were too stuffed and saving the little room left for dessert. They also had a dessert option to choose 3 items. We had the mango sorbet, tofu beignets, and vanilla ice cream with brownie bits. The beignets had a bit of an after taste, but you can't go wrong with the mango and vanilla ice cream. Our waitress was also very pleasant and explained the tasting menus and made some food recommendations as well! read more

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The small sushi place in Philadelphia produces terrific food. My well traveled foodie friend recommended this restaurant because it's her "favorite sushi place". I was a little surprised because the restaurant does not have a fancy or decorative atmosphere. It was basically a pretty straightforward small sushi restaurant. Until we started eating all of the delicious bites of perfect food one might think this place is just a regular old sushi joint. Nope! It's special! We tried all sorts of fantastic rolls and entrées. We really liked the individual King Crab Oshizushi-The description from the menu as follows- King Crab tossed with scallions, crispy shallots and masago mayo over sushi rice with soy butter. The portion is tiny but fantastically delicious. We also had some sort of a scallop hand roll that was out of this world. Honestly, every single thing we tasted it was top notch! I can't wait to go back. In the end I would say that this restaurant is pretty pricey but absolutely worth it. They have a big sake menu. Turns out the one thing I don't like in life is sake. Luckily they have plenty of great wines by the glass. read more

(From a food allergy parent point of view.) Daughters with Peanut, tree nut, dairy, egg and shellfish allergies. Have always wanted to try sushi but never found a restaurant we were comfortable with. We found Zama on allergy eats but still called before going and were told they could absolutely cater to the allergies. Upon arrival we talked with the waiter (Earl) who did not flinch at the allergies. One daughter had cooked salmon that he wanted to check with the chefs on. Other daughter had salmon and tuna rolls which he said was not an issue. Earl came back and said with some modifications of sauce the cooked salmon was good to go. We liked how calm and confident Earl was. It's important to us that the waiter not only understands the allergies but also makes my kids feel that they are going to be safe. They loved all the food and even ordered more sushi after round 1. They are eager to try new types of sushi down the road. Thanks to Zama and Earl for letting them gain this new eating experience. To add, all the food we had in our party of 7 was excellent. Great variety of drinks, rolls and appetizers. The sampler dessert was a great way to end! Looking forward to going back. read more

My boyfriend and I came here yesterday as a last resort but glad we did. We've never heard of this place and was going somewhere else for sushi. Turns out, 1 place does not open on Mondays and another does is closed from 2:30PM - 5:00PM. It was about 4:00PM and we were already in the area so he Yelped some sushi places and this was the one he chose. There was only 1 other table eating when we got there but from the looks of it, I am sure this place is probably pretty busy at night. My boyfriend ordered the Chicken Katsu from the lunch menu and we also got the Rittenhouse Three, the Dragon Roll, and the Double Shrimp Dragon. The Chicken Katsu came out in a cute 2 layer box and also came with soup. I didn't try these so I can't comment on them but the boyfriend said it was really good. The Dragon Roll and Double Shrimp Dragon I tried and totally approve of. I've had Dragon Rolls at other places before so I wasn't expecting anything new. It was good. The Double Shrimp Dragon was new. It came with Cocktail Sauce that you would dip with shrimp anywhere else too. The Rittenhouse Three was something I did not expect. I thought it was going to be three rolls for sushi which it kind of was but in a wrap looking form. But it doesn't matter what form it was in because it was still yummy! Our waiter was nice. The boyfriend asked for lemonade that they did not have so our waiter made him one. We also asked if we were hungry cause we ordered that much for just the 2 of us. And I like their ceiling art. read more

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Enjoyed the atmosphere at Zama and the service was good. The starters were nothing mind-blowing but they were decent. The sushi was very good, especially the truffle eel daikon. Zama is a nice place for sushi, but not sure if I would return since I have other Philly favorites. read more

Got take out during covid and an overall positive experience! Very nice ordering experience over the phone. Pick up experience was also good and safe. Had the akadashi soup which was nice but not anything super different from the regular miso soup. Edemame was edemame, and a good helping of it. Had the pistachio salmon skin salad which was actually my favorite item! Salmon skin was nice and crispy and was a nice salty item to balance the salad dressing. Pistachios were also a nice addition. There wasn't even cheese and I liked it! Had a Tuna maki roll which was fine but nothing special. Also had a surfer roll which was different but not great. I really liked the lime and avacado topping and the tuna on top, but the fried sushi on bottom became kind of chewy. A fine experience, and always happy to support our local restaurants! Better sushi for better prices (Servings were so small!) in Philly for sure though. read more

This was my second lunch visit to Zama and I can't for the life of me understand why 3.5 stars as a rating. The sushi, dumplings, and shashimi I had today we're all outstanding! Maybe it's me? read more

If you're looking for high quality sushi, Zama is the place to go. It's one of my favorite sushi restaurants that offers an extensive variety of fish you won't find at your typical sushi restaurant. Everything from sea urchin to your standard salmon. I've ordered the lower tiered tasting menu and everything was amazing but left hungry. The chirashi is beautifully presented with a unique variety of sashimi. The price is very justifiable given the amount and various types of sashimi. I felt bad I couldn't finish! My fiance ordered the sushi combination and opted for the black belt. Entirely worth it as the chef picks better cuts of fish and fish from the daily specials. One impressive thing about Zama is the timeless decor. Whoever did the interior design was very thoughtful in ensuring it did not become outdated. Highly recommend! read more

Zama - Beautiful Chirashi! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I've had lunch here a few times and dinner for the first time about two weeks ago. At the outset, I prefer it for lunch. The service is quick, which generally suits lunch better than a leisurely do dinner, and the prices are significantly better at lunch for the same food. I wish I remembered our server's name, because he had a sort of dry sense of humor that my friends and I appreciated. He helped us choose a few rolls and appetizers for the table, and when we needed to order more after a first round, he was happy to accommodate and offer additional suggestions. He also steered us toward a different wine than we were originally expecting, which was only mediocre (though perhaps that might have been true of the one we originally were going to choose, too!). Atmosphere is pleasant enough but noisy on a Friday night -- ask for a table closer to the back/away from the bar. In my mind, Zama is an upscale sushi restaurant on the edge of Rittenhouse Square that delivers exactly what you'd expect for such a place. It's not mind-blowing, but it's a safe pick for any upscale sushi meal (particularly lunch). read more

The food was good. The ambiance nice. The waiter was friendly, but the manager was a jackass.

I typically suggest this to travelers looking to experience the best quality sushi Philly has to offer with a splash of decent and unique rolls to go with. The Philly cheesesteak roll is an experience worth having at least once albeit not being real sushi. They have more uncommon fish available on rotation per seasonal availability which keeps things interesting. If you gravitate towards sushi and sashimi over rolls but are with company wanting both this is the option downtown. Competitors that either nail rolls or sashimi don't encompass both nor have a sashimi lean-in quite like Zama accomplishes. read more

Outstanding food and service. Waitress was very kind and gave great recommendations. All the food tastes super fresh and high quality. read more

Zama - Bronzizzle - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I love this place! Great food and great service, esp the waitress name Lindsey who knows (ASL) American Sign Language since I use ASL. I wash with my parents and my son for dinner out. Excellent steak and sushi! Come and be pleased! read more

New best sushi place in Philly. The quality is incomparable. Sagami has been dethroned! Totally worth it. NYC quality with Philly prices. Amazing read more