Shiso Noodle and Sushi Bar

What a splendid and delicious evening out. This elegant but casual place is great for a date, or small group gathering. (There was a 25th birthday party going on in one spacious corner but interfered with our conversation not at all.)My sister was on a rare visit here from Florida so we wanted someplace special where we could chat and catch up and share great food. Shiso was the perfect choice. In the space of former restaurant Serpico, Shiso Noodle is far more creative and elegant than the name would lead you to expect. Everything on the menu sounded appealing but we settled on sharing two small plates -- the crispy rice with tuna tartar atop drizzle of spicy mayo -- cravably good! and the Toro tuna roll -- which had a lot of tuna and a thin veneer of rice. So delicious. My sister ordered a pho dish which she loved. It was beautiful but, since I have a shellfish allergy which ruled out their pho broth, the waiter suggested I try a Ramen, which had a different broth. I ordered the Vegetarian Yasai Ramen. (Though I could also have had the pork or beef ones). It was amazingly delicious. They hand make their own noodles and the taste and texture is perfect. We also shared a 1/2 carafe of cold sake which was served in a beautiful, clever blue and clear glass vessel. We were definitely too full to order dessert but the three offerings looked interesting. The menu changes somewhat now and then but I can only add I'd like to try anything they make. Everything was crafted so carefully and you can always taste that level of care. It's the added special ingredient between good and great.

This is my new MOST FAVORITE sushi place in Philadelphia by far.My boyfriend and I randomly found Shiso here on Yelp and almost didn't go in because from the outside- it didn't look like much. But WOW- we are SO happy we did. This is in what used to be Serpico- on South just west of 6th Street. Brick building you can't see in the windows but the restaurant is BEAUTIFUL. Modern, open kitchen with a wrap-around sushi bar, tables, booths, and a bar. Very upscale. Very good vibe.If there's one thing to know about Shiso- there sushi might be the freshest we've had in Philadelphia. We ordered a bunch of sushi - Toro (Tuna), Sake (Salmon), Hotate (Scallop), Hamachi (Yellowtail) and some rolls. Each bite after the next was better and better. This sushi is SO FRESH. The rice is perfectly soft and well seasoned. The overall taste is was pure enjoyment.I wish I remembered our server's name but I don't- she was excellent. Offering all kinds of info about the menu and checking back in just enough time to address our needs.While there was only one other party there on a Thursday night- I wanted to make sure to write a review to ensure this place sticks around a LONG time- please go check it out and enjoy!!!

Arriving early on a Friday evening, we almost missed the door, which looks like the entrance to a nightclub. We entered into a beautiful space that mixes industrial, modern, and traditional styles. Particularly enjoyed the open kitchen, which is surrounded by bar seating--we noted many who came in after seem to be neighborhood regulars taking up their spots by the bar.We chose a small plate to share and a specialty maki roll. The Pork Buns (2 pieces, lettuce, cucumber, namasu, spicy sansho mayo, bun bbq sauce) were some of the best I've had--great flavor, texture, and a good size. The Downtown Roll (salmon of crunch spicy tuna roll, smelt roe, shiso) was also delicious.We each got a bowl of ramen, both of which came with the thinner, straighter ramen noodles. While I tend to prefer the wavy egg-ramen noodles, these were perfectly prepared.I went with the traditional Pork Tonkotsu Ramen (super tender toroniku kakuni (craised pork jowl), Hakata style 30 hours rich and smooth tonkotsu broth, shoyu nitamago egg, menma, cabbage, negi, and chef's pork umami bomb), which benefited greatly from part of my fellow-diner's spice bomb. That said, the pork was some of the best I've had! The egg was unmarinated, but was the correct texture.My fellow diner tried the Ribeye Gyukotsu Ramen (thin slices of ribeye in our original umami gyukotsu (beef bone and marrow) broth onsen tomago, shoyu daikon, moyashi, negi, shiso, beef umami bomb), which had a wonderful flavor, though I preferred the pork in mine over the ribeye.Definitely look forward to returning to try more dishes, including the server-recommended Spicy Tuna Crackers (crispy sushi rice crackers, jalapeno, namasu with spicy mayo) and the Ribeye Sukiyaki Udon (thin slices of ribeye, onsen tomago, naruto, shoyu daikon, negi, nori, beni shoga, panko flakes, and shrimp katuo powder).

Chef's chirashi was a treat! And the miso black cod is as tasty as the reviews describe. Service in here was fast but a bit too attentive at times-- maybe that's the counter experience or just the fact that it's a newly-opened spot? Regardless, we loved getting to watch our food being made. The lighting is low, the music is cool, and I'm really pleased with how high quality the food tasted. Will definitely have to return to try more things off the menu (the noodles!!). Note: this is NOT a BYO establishment, despite what some articles say online. They have a liquor license and a full bar.

Loved our experience at Shiso. We ate there earlier this summer and had their cold soba noodles and it was so good. Will be back

Shiso might be our favorite new restaurant! Staff were so attentive and nice, especially our server, I don't remember her name but she was our server 4/5, very genuine and recommended great dishes, I can't remember her name but she loves German Riesling! We got few sushi making and tamaki, and we had oysters to start, everything was amazing! I look forward to coming back!

I had an amazing night here at Shiso. We sat at the sushi bar right in front of Chef Yonten to see his work and have a great conversation with him. I had the Pork Toroniku Tonkotsu Ramen, Negi Toro U-Temaki, and a taste of the Monkfish Liver appetizer. My group ordered some other things and they all enjoyed their food as well. Usually I'm skeptical trying ramen outside of my favorites, but I was pleasantly surprised with my tonkotsu ramen. I was happy with the portion as there were plenty of noodles and tender pork jowl. The broth had the perfect richness and depth. I forgot to order a spicy bomb for my ramen, but the ramen was perfect as is. Something different about this ramen was the onsen egg it came with, which is nice for a change compared to your typical marinated soft boiled egg. The quality of everything especially the fish was so fresh. The monkfish liver was so clean-tasting that you would probably never guess you were eating liver. The restaurant has a modernly intimate vibe in addition to the open kitchen and sushi bar. They're currently working on their liquor license so I can't wait to see what cocktails they may offer. Chef Yonten is not only very skilled but knowledgeable in his work as he was educating us on what was being served and where everything was from. The attention to detail and service topped off the amazing food. Thank you and Chef Yonten and Peter!

Really nice ambiance! We need more restaurants with an upscale vibe on South street. The Wasabi cocktail (Tokyo Fire) was the highlight of our dinner - too bad it was coming off the next day from the menu per the server. The Lychee cocktail (Lychee luxury drop) was okay, have had better. The Kyuri roll was OK and so was the Ribeye Gyukotsu Ramen - flavor was underwhelming while the black pepper was quite overwhelming. I see a lot of great reviews so maybe it just doesn't fit my personal taste.

Finally! Top notch sushi and noodles on south street!! Can't wait to come back and try the ramen because the sushi was some of the freshest and most flavorful that I have had in a while. The space is very cool as well! That scallop roll was incredible. Rooting for this spot!

New noodle and sushi restaurant in town and I had to try it out! The crafted fresh ramen is what got my attention, yum! There were 4 of us and we all got the ramen - it did not disappoint! Love how the ramen was so al dente and broth was so tasty. We saw that there was monkfish liver on the menu and that was a must try. It's not often we get to eat monkfish liver. If you're into something different, get it! There was uni on top too ~We got a couple of appetizers since everything looked so delicious. We liked how the menu was simple and easy to read. Prices were reasonable too. The service was great! Once you walk into the restaurant, everyone welcomes you. The server was super friendly and answered all our questions. The interior and ambiance was very modern. I like how it's spacious and the bar area is an awesome piece to the restaurant. Will go back again to try the sushi and sit at the bar area.