The Most Scrumptious Japanese in Philadelphia

Fat Salmon

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1219) • $$

"Had a great girls dinner last night at Fat Salmon. What I like about Fat Salmon is that there is a large vegan selection while also having a good selection for the meat eaters. Service was a little slow but we didn't mind cause we were yapping. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful.We ordered a few appetizers and two rolls each. I thought the crispy rice app was delicious but a little hard to eat cause each piece was so big. It had the yam and kimchi (which is vegan) and it was crunchy and tasty. We also had seaweed salad which was big enough to split between all of us. Nothing to write home about but decent enough.Our rolls took some time to come out so we worked our way through a bottle of sujo. They had a couple flavors, we tried the strawberry and peach and both were tasty. When our rolls arrived we all got out our phones cause they were so cute. I got the tofu roll and the caulimflower (???) roll. They were both delicious and came with a side of ginger and wasabi. I can't wait to come back and try more rolls because there were so many options. Loved this place for a girls night but also would be great for a date. Our bill ended up being $65 each tip which is expensive but I was full and tipsy which was just right for me. See you soon Fat Salmon!"

Bleu Sushi

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1131) • $$

"Bleu Sushi is an absolute gem tucked away in the city! Walking in, you'll feel like you've stumbled upon a cozy hideaway, even though it's more like a delightful surprise than a hole in the wall. The ambiance is charmingly quaint, making you feel right at home the moment you step inside.Now, let's talk about the food. Oh, the food! It's like a flavor fiesta on your taste buds. The fish is so fresh it practically swims to your plate, and the dishes are as vibrant as a work of art. Each bite is a delightful dance of flavors that leaves you eagerly anticipating the next.And let's not forget the service - it's as good as the sushi! The staff is attentive without being overbearing, and the food arrives at lightning speed, ensuring you don't have to wait long before diving into sushi bliss.Bleu Sushi is the kind of place that deserves every bit of hype it gets. Whether you're a sushi aficionado or just dipping your toes into the sushi sea, this spot is a must-visit. I'm already planning my next trip back for another round of their incredible rolls. Highly recommend!"

Vic Sushi Bar

★★★★☆ 4.1 (940)

"This is a real neighborhood dive not a destination restaurant but WHAT a neighborhood dive! If I lived here I'd be at Vic once a week, easy. Fast, good food, quick service, great price. The three roll special is a screaming deal. I'm a fan!"

Umai Umai

★★★★☆ 4.2 (548)

"BYOB, delicious sushi, and a great neighborhood spot? 5 star vibes. Saddled up at Umai Umai and tried the crispy rice tots, shishito peppers, octopus salad and 12 cuts of nigiri. Truly there's not a miss on the menu, but the sushi was the star of the evening. Prices here are reasonable and the serve staff is attentive.The space is on the smaller side so calling for a reservation on weekends is probably the move. I look forward to my next visit!"

Zama

★★★★☆ 3.8 (644) • $$$

"OK, so yelp came to the rescue again for me last night. I'm in Philly for a business trip, and staying in the Rittenhouse Square area, which I know can be somewhat pricey, and I'm always skeptical about higher end sushi places when I'm not in my home city.So I did what I usually do and pulled out my phone and did a search - even though I really like Yelp, a lot, nothing could've prepared me for what a great experience I would have at Zama. The reviews were mostly positive, but overall, I feel that this place is even better than many of them make it out to be. I can sum it up with these two statements:1) The quality of fish at Zama is SUPERB. It's not just "super fresh" like you'll read and other generic reviews, but the quality of fish at this restaurant is outstanding - that is the epicenter of what a great sushi place must be and Zama knocks it out of the park. To me, I think their Nigiri was particularly awesome. The only thing that I would change would be to possibly have freshly grated wasabi on the side, I know how hard it is to come by these days. I do not mean that as a criticism, but more as an illustration of just how wonderful the quality of fish was. If you're picking on a place because of their wasabi in the USA, you pretty much have nothing else left to critique on! If you are interested in what I chose to have, here you go:- Kurobuta dumplings- Nigiri - king yellowtail, salmon, ikura, bluefin tuna, and chutoro.- Philadelphia roll and dragon roll- Draft Asahi "Super Dry"2) Their service is SUPERB!!!! I was astounded that I could even find a wonderful sushi place on a Sunday night to enjoy, and the staff at Zama, provided, flawless, friendly, and knowledgeable service. Everyone knew how to help each other out, and I genuinely felt that they cared about each and every diner throughout the evening. This highlighted the pleasant ambience and made my evening extremely enjoyable, and set me in a great mood for the work I have to do this week. The nice young lady, who was bartending, and helping out with Service was very kind to all of the customers, and really made my evening an enjoyable dining experience.I will most certainly return the next time I come to Philadelphia and look forward to trying out more dishes and experience their restaurant even fuller!!!どうもありがとうございます!!とても美味しいです!!!"

Crazy Sushi

★★★★☆ 3.8 (591) • $$

"My co-workers and I were in the mood for sushi/Japanese cuisine and it is my co-workers' go-to spot, so I decided to give it a try. I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki. It was a decent portion size and I loved the floral packaging! The food was pretty good, but I was comparing it to the Chicken Teriyaki at a restaurant near my house that I prefer a little bit better. Underneath the chicken and rice, there were (what I assume) is vegetables I didn't recognize (It looked like a squid tentacle), which threw me off. Otherwise, it was still very good, just filling!"

Doma

★★★★☆ 4.1 (495) • $$

"Great ambiance. Wonderful food. Superb service. We really enjoyed the okonomyaki and bibimbap. Sushi was great and the platters were reasonably priced. I had never had tempura fried banana before and we really enjoyed it with green tea ice cream.Our server was lovely and very attentive. I would definitely recommend this cute little spot."

Fuji Mountain

★★★★☆ 3.8 (519)

"Pretty good. Group shared the large box Good hangout spot -- plenty of space and chill workers"

BlueFin Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.3 (369) • $$

"My wife and I went here for dinner and had a great experience. Two things right off the bat - one, you should make a reservation because this place is packed for dinner, and rightfully so. And two, it's BYOB, so if you're looking to have a few drinks with dinner bring whatever you'd like. My wife and I didn't know either of these until we walked in. The staff was very friendly and explained that they were fully booked for the night but they might be able to squeeze us in if we didn't mind waiting. We were in no rush so we went to grab some beer and came back and waited until two seats opened up at the sushi counter. As we were waiting, we struck up conversation with a few people who were either leaving or waiting to pick up take out, and every single person said "wait it out, trust me it'll be worth it". They were right; I'm glad we waited it out, it was indeed well worth it. We ordered the chefs pork dumplings and the tako carpaccio right away, and followed it up with three or four delicious rolls of sushi - each with their own signature taste and texture. The chefs on the other side of the counter offered great recommendations and general conversation without missing a beat on preparing the next dish in front of them. 10/10, fantastic experience. BlueFin will become part of our regularly scheduled rotation."

Kabuki Sushi

★★★★☆ 3.8 (435) • $$

"How cute is this sashimi meal? There's a tree on the plate!!! So pretty AND more importantly so delicious!!! It came with a soup and a salad and it was quite a good meal.Also ordered a seaweed salad, a tuna avocado roll, and a sweet potato roll (my first time eating a sweet potato roll!). All delicious. I've come by this sushi place several times but never popped in til today and I'm glad I did!!"

Tuna Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (328) • $$

"Tuna Bar is my favorite sushi I have had in all of Philly, dunking on other sushi heavyweights like Double Knot and Royal Sushi.I was initially skeptical upon entering, as the interior is hella contemporary and it's just kinda sceney in here. Like are we trying to be a trendy hotel bar or are we here to slang good sushi?My doubt was fed to the canvas when our feast began to roll in. All in all, we got the creamy rock shrimp, brussel sprouts, crispy rice spicy tuna, wagyu spring rolls, a yellowtail roll, a spicy salmon roll, the fishtown roll, and a liberty roll.Everything was fantastic and the quality of fish was top notch. The rock shrimp and wagyu spring rolls were the standouts until the Liberty Roll came and flipped the game on its head. The Liberty Roll came to PLAY.My taste buds had never experienced anything like it: Spicy crab & cucumber topped with torched salmon, spicy aioli, and some rice pearls. It melted in your mouth. It made you feel things you hadn't felt in years..After torching everything, we were full af but I left it up to God and asked the waiter if they had any mochi for dessert, because my soul is incapable of passing up on good mochi. "Of course!" He responded. GOD STEPPED IN! They had green tea, strawberry, and vanilla and we got one of each and cleaned the plate. Mochi all-stars.IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews"

Teikoku

★★★★☆ 3.9 (337) • $$

"A friend and I had dinner there and it was excellent. We started with the Peking Duck and Lobster tempura fondue. The tempura came on skewers with lobster, shrimp, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, zucchini and a dip of melted gorgonzola. The Peking duck came with steamed tortillas and had hoisin, scallions, cucumbers and plum sauce. The duck was quite delicious. The tempura was good and the dip was good as well. For dinner we both had the Hoban yak seafood that included lobster tail, scallops, shrimp and white fish with season vegetables and a ginger garlic truffle butter soy sauce. It was excellent. The waitress was quite exceptional, noticing that the table was uneven and placing something to level it as well as cleaning the table in between dishes. She was very attentive and knowledgeable about the dishes. We both really enjoyed the meal and would love to go back again."

Nagomi

★★★★☆ 4.2 (266) • $$

"Although this place is in a small shop it has a big quality and is always packed! They have a great all you can eat sushi service! And their sushi is top of the line, along with the presence! I will forever take the drive to Glenside to have some of this awesome sushi!"

QU JAPAN BISTRO & BAR

★★★★☆ 4.4 (241) • $$

"Pretty solid spot for Happy Hour in Center City!Everything is six dollars 5-7pm, including HH-sized starters, maki rolls, drinks, and even desserts. My go-to maki rolls are Salmon Avocado, Tuna, White Tuna Avocado, and the Yellowtail Scallion. I also love to get the White Tuna Jalapeno starter and a glass of cold sake. For dessert, the fried cheesecake with ice cream is worth trying, though just a warning that it is quite heavy!I've also had the chance to come in for regular dinner service a couple times and their specialty rolls are fresh. They are usually consistent -- I was only served much smaller rolls for HH once, and there is one server there who is less friendly than the rest, but usually everything goes pretty smoothly."

Yanako

★★★★☆ 3.9 (302) • $$

"Went here today during the Manayunk Arts Festival and sat in their sister restaurant's dining room. I love that they combined for indoor dining - plus, we got to order off of two different menus! He was feeling Thai and I was craving some veggie sushi, so it worked out perfectly. I included a picture of the sweet potato roll and avocado roll I ordered. They tasted fresh, and the sweet potato roll had some really nice crunch from the tempura and sesame seeds. The staff members were attentive and kind, and the prices were fair.What more can you ask for? :)"

Azie in Media

★★★★☆ 3.6 (348) • $$$

"I wanted to love this place as there's not many great sushi spots around, but this really fell short. Majority of the food was quite bland. The only thing that was very flavorful was the Tempura sweet potatoes. Kobe beef nachos - hard fail. Beef was so hard and the entire dish was bland. There was also barely any beefSashimi platter - this dish was fresh but the pieces were small compared to other places.Calamari - this would actually be a hit if they used some seasoning. The Calamari was big pieces and lightly battered (which I love), but not even the sauces they gave made it taste betterUdon soup - this was actually pretty decent. Broth was actually seasoned.HH sushi - these were OK too. Pretty standard"

Sakura Japanese Sushi Restaurant in Elsmere

★★★★☆ 4.4 (223) • $$

"This restaurant is on the smaller side but in the best way. You are immediately greeted with a warm welcome as you enter, truly feels like home! The service is so fast but they give you plenty of time to look things over, there is no rushed feeling what so ever. The menu is pretty big but I've never disliked a roll here! The garlic roll was so different and delicious! The vegetable fried rice had a Smokey taste which I liked but it was surprising! Overall such a great place to dine or take out!"

Kei Sushi Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.5 (193) • $$

"I absolutely adore Kei for many reasons! Their takeout game cannot be beat. I've ordered rolls, appetizers, and more for takeout and it always comes quickly and well packaged. They don't play with their service and quality.I also love that I can pop in as a solo diner and sit at the sushi bar even on a Friday night. Because their takeout business is thriving, they often have seats available in house if you'd like a casual dine in experience. It is a BYOB and the team here is SO kind. I decided to dine in this past weekend and felt so well taken care of. I like the sushi bar because it is like dinner and a show. They have three sushi chefs working tirelessly to churn out classic and specialty rolls, sashimi platters, sushi boats, nigiri, and all of the other items you'd expect to see at a top tier sushi restaurant.I love how near this is to my house and that they pride themselves on their high quality fish. They don't skimp on portions either and the prices are the best in the city. I got three rolls and an app for ~$37. I can't wait for my next takeout order and it's great to have Kei as a go-to!"

Lily Asian Cuisine Sushi & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (220) • $$

"Doesn't look like much when you walk past, but I was practically starving and really wanted sushi. This is definitely the definition of a hole in the wall, but when you walk in it is all of the energy that you need. Everybody is really nice and the menu is very clear. I ordered a few things that were new to me, but there are no words to describe how good these photos tasted. Ha ha. We truly cannot wait to come back to visit again.Y'all definitely come here, check it out and enjoy!!"

Sakana Omakasè Sushi

★★★★☆ 4.4 (196) • $$$$

"We found our PHL spot for omakase! After being on the hunt after moving here last year, we finally found omakase that rivals our favorite places in NYC and BOS. The food is incredible - every bit of it - and the service outstanding. It's BYOB, which keeps it on the more affordable end of things. A few tips...- Try everything, it's all amazing - Do not be late. They will start without you - Pick up a bottle of sake to go with your meal- Bring cash for a discount off your bill I would put Sakana up against any other omakase in the city, including the super fancy, pricey places. Highly recommended."

Kabuto Hibachi, Sushi & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (221) • $$

"Party of 2 dined in sunday evening... huge space inside - sushi and bar in front and hibachi&bbq in the back. we were escorted in the back as we reserved for ayce ; they just started(i made reservations over facebook business account chat) We were escorted in the back promptly. We were pretty starving. Ordered miso soup, house salad and Takoyaki for appetizers (so many tempting choices makes me greedy but I managed to keep it down to 3) and 3 rolls (not all of their regular menu is included in the ayce options and no sashimi) and bbq meats. Salad did not look that pretty (?) but the dressing was banging! 3 rolls were pretty appetizing appealing. Be aware bbq meats come in smaller portion so if you can eat alot (?) mark quantity accordingly on the order sheet. They have so many good options for meats; porks, beef, duck breast, lamb, prime rib eye (very thin slices) scallops...I instantly regretted ordering too much (?) rolls since rice was pretty filling and I couldn't really dig in bbq.. Only downside was there was no proper sauce for bbq as they were new probably... and serving was bit slow in between providing meats so order plenty and ahead! Seems like 30 mins before closing time is their last call, the server informed us to order for the last time but we were full... The manager (?) was very attentive, smiley and nicely kept checking on us Bill came with (25% promo this month -$9 from 35.99... $26.99 per person) and $7 for 2 Soda.. pretty decent price for ayce I can totally see myself revisiting here but hopefully they had more sauce options!"

Ninja Sushi Hibachi

★★★★☆ 3.7 (256) • $$

"typically im not a huge hibachi fan but... i must say, best tuna rolls i ever had... so fresh.. the pigment, the flavor. No roughage parts, just 100% fresh everything nd perfected...best chicken, loved the sauce, best shrimp.. best rice... overall just great food. a 9.8pt hibachi restaurant, nd like i said im a hard critic when it comes to hibachi grills."

Murasaki

★★★★☆ 4.2 (196) • $$

"We did take out, and it was good - not the fanciest, but tasty and hit the spot. Think of it as "everyday sushi" and not "special occasion sushi""

Herosame

★★★★☆ 4 (216) • $$

"Another great meal!! The duck is amazing with crispy skin and moist meat love the mushroom sauce. Will be ordering this again and again. I wasn't a fan of the wonton soup with spinach. It almost tasted fishy to me. Not something I would order again."

I Tea

★★★★☆ 4.2 (178)

"I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. I-Tea is a solid place for when I have a craving for anything from a good fruity tea to a hearty Chinese dish. But above all else, this place has AH-mazing fried chicken wings. Holy cow...after a long search for some crunch-worthy fried chicken, I finally found it. I love love love that each wing is a hefty size and that their soy garlic sauce has the right mix of sweet and tangy flavor that makes each bite oh-so-good. I can't believe it took me this long to finally give this dish a try. For only ~$13 for 10 pieces, I consider it a really good deal considering the value-packed quality of what you get. Can't wait until I try their spicy sauce next!"

Bonjung Sushi & Korean BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.2 (178) • $$

"It's a very good Korean/Japanese restaurant with sushi bar. I felt the price was generally more expensive, but they're probably just reflecting where it's located. Oh yeah, I was asked if I had a reservation...server went back and came back to tell us she'll get a table ready in a minute. There was only another table occupied, so I felt a little funny. I'd recommend to make reservation if you're eating here. Also, dining-in, take out and curveside pick-up are available. Atmosphere was very good with quiet ambiance and subtle decorations. It was not too crowded when we had our dinner on Tuesday evening. I think we heard some drum beats coming through from neighboring brew house that was totally out of place, though. Service was generally good. Our glasses didn't go empty. The young server repeatedly called us "you guys." I felt it was somewhat out of place especially addressing seniors like us. Oh well, I'm getting old.Food--was very good. My katsudon had a nice flavor with a generous portion of pork cutlet. It was a good cut of meat and cooked well. Scallions could've been cut in to thinner slices. The rest of the table really enjoyed dolsot (hot stone bowl) bibimbap. They said individual ingredient was flavored well and put together very well. You can control the heat with the amount of gochujang sauce you put on. There was another sauce without any heat for those who don't want any spiciness. It was altogether very enjoyable dining experience, and everyone was happy we came here."

Kansai Japanese Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.8 (215)

"Sushi craving hit hard this weekend and I took to Yelp for some speedy delivery - and Kansai really said SPEEDY? Say less. I placed my order at like 6p and it was delivered at 6:20. I live quite nearby and know this will be a frequent order for me, especially given the super reasonable prices and the great menu options.I went with a sweet potato roll, gyoza, and 5 pieces of sushi, all of which was super tasty. The sweet potato roll was a little lacking in...sweet potato for me to give that the highest praise, so I think in the future I'll stick to some of their basics, since the fish was the highlight of my order and clearly what they do best (at a sushi restaurant, Megan? Groundbreaking).Looking so forward to trying more of the menu and grateful to have this spot close to home."

Kuma Sushi & Asian Fusion

★★★★★ 4.6 (145) • $$

"I love this sushi restaurant and I'm so glad that I live so close to this place! While there's not a ton of seating and I don't believe I've seen online the opportunity to make reservations, I have gone here in groups of 7 to 8 people and have been seated pretty immediately on a Saturday night at prime dinner time (6 PM). I love this place for how delicious the food is, the affordability of the menu, and it just hits the spot every time! Whenever my partner travels for work, I always call over the phone to order for pick up I know they're gonna be ready in 10 to 15 minutes and the consistency and freshness is greatly appreciated"

Kinme

★★★★★ 4.5 (151) • $$

"A smaller restaurant, we were seated in the corner booth which gave us some extra space. For a Friday night at 8 ish, there were maybe 5 groups there so there was no wait. The service was a little slow, (slow to order and slow for things to come out) but it seemed like the owner or manager was moving around to each table and interacting with patrons. It was a very nice touch.We ordered the dumpling sampler (pan fried). Not sure what each one was but they were tasty. Then for my main meal, I ordered a Three Musketeers Roll and the Salmon Sampler. They brought out the meal staggered. The fish tasted very fresh and each piece had nice proportions of rice. We splurged a little in going here but it was quality food. Also, it looked like there were some decent weekday lunch specials that we'll keep in mind if we are in the area."

Kai Japanese Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.3 (163) • $$

"What a nice surprise to come across this restaurant! The place is small but warm and the service was very friendly and quick! Delicious sushi at a decent price."

Poseidon Asian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.5 (148) • $$

"Very yummy! Nice ambiance and the service was great. Very fresh vegetables and well cooked meat!! Sushi delicious"

Oki Sushi

★★★★☆ 3.8 (206) • $$

"Memorial Day Sunday was my first visit to this AYCE buffet, recommended to us by a coworker. Minado's closing has left an empty hole in both my heart and my stomach. Weekend prices are $30.99/pp. We had an average experience at Oki, but nothing special that would draw us to drive from Philly in the future. What we loved about Minado was the style of sushi buffet - where everything is made bulk and you can go up to serve yourself as much or as little as you want. What I enjoyed about this style, was the ability to try just 1 piece of a special roll before committing your entire palate and stomach to a sushi roll you may not enjoy. Oki's AYCE is the same as all the other AYCE in Philly that I've been to - which is made to order. Some would argue that made to order is better because it's more fresh - but if the restaurant experiences the same turnover, my argument is that the freshness of the fish is the same. Overall, I enjoyed the special rolls we got here - especially the Passion and Nikkou were my favorites. The fried rolls are a bit more filling FYI, we also enjoyed the Dynamite roll, the Tuna Amazing and Pina colada. As for the freshness of the fish - it's about what you would expect from a buffet. The sushi I get from my local spot is definitely more fresh - but none of the fish here were "scary" - nor did we experience any stomach bug issues after consuming here. A couple notes- agedashi was surprisingly fried well, but the sauce that goes with it is not agedashi- the chicken skewer is not "satay", just a chicken skewery, no peanut sauce-sesame mochi ball is more of a dessert (like the sesame balls in Chinatown but smaller)I would return if I was in the neighborhood or once in a while like once a year type thing - but without the other style of buffet I would likely just frequent the same style of AYCE locally here in Philly"

Ochatto

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (240)

"Above average fresh sushi. But, portions are small. Not many gluten free options. If you order a meal with choice of miso soup or salad, both contain gluten. It would be great if the restaurant could afford a gluten free option, for those who are allergic to gluten. Rolls in the Any 3 Dinner are 6 slices each, as opposed to 8. It comes with miso soup or salad. I ordered two of the Any 3 Dinner. They could've substituted 1 edamame for two soups. If I opted for the salad, which there's no gluten free dressing option, it would've been $1 more for each. However, they didn't. Shortsighted? There's many rolls to choose from. All refreshing and healthy."

Engimono Sushi

★★★★☆ 4.1 (155) • $$

"My 1st review was 3 years ago and this place is just consistently good. I'm so glad it stayed open through the pandemic. In the last few weeks, we've ordered the shrimp fried rice, shrimp tempura roll, fantastic roll, beef teriyaki bento box, shrimp shumai, Cali roll. Everything is affordable and tasty. Would still recommend!"

Sushi Land

★★★★☆ 3.6 (200) • $$

"Sushi land, or for me, Teriyaki land, as I do not do seafood willingly, has a solid teriyaki dish. This is one of my rotating teriyaki places in the area. I don't have a regular place near home as none of my local places have ginger dressing that floats my boat. All of them do a good Teriyaki tho. The dressing here is actually my least favorite, which makes sense because it isn't even ginger dressing, I'm not sure what it is just that I don't like it on my salad. I'm sure YMMV. The chicken is always tender and juicy. I do wish it was served on more vegetables like onions\snap peas vs a bed of lettuce, but it is well packaged to go with a nice portion of rice\salad and chicken of course. Everyone is masked up and they have hand sanitizer on the counter."