My recent Sunday brunch at Dancerobot was excellent --- love having a unique option that's not your standard eggs and pancakes!! The space is easy to walk past --- the signage is subtle and well above eye level, but just look for the large wooden door. Once you step in, the vibes are on point: it feels like you are transported to a true Japanese izakaya. We were lucky to be seated at one of the four counter seats overlooking the kitchen, and Chef took the time to greet us. We really enjoyed watching the care put into each dish and the opportunity to see the other dishes we didn't order. My friend and I opted to share a few dishes: - The cabbage bao bun, an oversized bun (literally split in 4 pieces!) stuffed with veggies including cabbage, mushroom, and sweet potato. A delightful savory treat with a hint of sweetness from the bread and sweet potato. - The Omurice, which features fried rice with a perfectly crafted omelette that splits open to reveal soft egg inside and can be topped with either a flavorful demiglace or a cream sauce or both! We opted to have both sauces served on the side to craft our own perfect bite and found they complimented each other nicely. - The sourdough pancake, which was a hearty spin on the thick, Japanese pancakes. I would note that despite the thickness, this is NOT a souffle pancake as it is much heartier and less fluffy than a true souffle, but it was delicious nonetheless. The lemon zest and red miso maple syrup play together well. Drinkwise, I loved the citrus-forward Choshoku Martini while my friend really enjoyed the Black Sesame Espresso Martini. Overall, a big win for us. Definitely need to make it back to try the dinner menu! read more

Dancerobot - Omurice, pre-sauce additions - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Had seen so many mixed reviews of dancerobot before coming here but we were still looking forward to trying something different. Overall we had a great evening here and would say it's worth a try, though we don't feel like we have to rush back and have our favorite dishes again. Especially as a vegetarian, I was quite satisfied. We shared the cucumber & watermelon sunomono, nasu dengaku, veggie katsu curry and each got our own yamitsuki bao. In order of our faves: 1. Cucumber & Watermelon Sunomono - surprisingly our favorite dish of the night, super refreshing, texturally interesting, and the perfect summer appetizer / salad. 2. Bao - these are actually huge, and we could have easily shared one - but really tasty filling, tasty dipping sauce, and served deliciously hot. 3. Katsu Curry - one of my few times having katsu curry and it was pretty good, something about the flavor kept us going back for more. Tasted a bit like Indian curry and we looked it up and katsu does have a rooted connection to India. 4. Nasu Dengaku - not bad but texturally all-around soft and a bit sweeter than we would have liked. Service was good and the vibes were lively. Worth a one-time visit! read more

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Crab Rangoon mozz stick, Omelette and monkey bread* were The winners for us! *monkey bread was given to us on the house bc there was a terrifically drunk and loud table beside us. Staff did their best but we just had to wait it out. Shout out to them for reading the room and being apologetic. Unsure if I would return tho read more

I took my youngest daughter and her partner here and we ordered a feast. Best bite of the night, though, was the cheesesteak with house made whiz. We almost didn't order it (the server explained that there is a limited number so if we wanted one...) DELICIOUS! Meaty, cheesy and so well done! The salmon was also a stand out. I had some delicious cocktails and they also have a solid happy hour. This is a good place. read more

Dancerobot - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We went for happy hour and loved it, we went to a baseball game after and took some of our leftovers into the game so that was really fun and they traveled well! The staff was also super kind and patient. I love an onigiri, so it was nice to see this on the menu and doubly as nice that it was sooooo good, deff my favorite read more

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From presentation, Customer service to taste this place has it dialed in. Katsu curry and yamitsuki cabbage bao were AMAZING! And they have extensive sake menu. Def returning!! read more

Dancerobot - Yamitsuki cabbage bao should have ordered more than one!!! YUM - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I am so glad this place opened in the neighborhood. The food is incredibly comforting & good and the staff is always very friendly. Yes it can be a bit pricey depending on what you order but I think it's still a reasonable cost. Some dishes are better than others but I really do think there's something for everyone. Not pictured but the black sesame espresso martini was amazing as well. Volume / ambiance wise it can be a bit loud when packed especially towards the front, but the cozy booths in the back are great for an intimate group dinner. Excited to come back for their brunch & late night offerings. read more

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Dancerobot is great at special food and drinks but falls short on more common Japanese food. The nasu dengaku fried eggplant with miso glaze was absolutely delightful, I wish I had a plate to myself. The ebi chili gyoza was tasty but not as crispy as I'd expect. I wish the katsu curry didn't have extra curry poured on top as it quickly made the dish soggy. The ambiance is classy and the drinks are tasty. read more

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Truly appreciated the kind service by staff working one of the hottest reservations in Philly on a hot humid August day. Stepping into the cool, brick walled space was bliss. Japanese childhood comfort food....we had cocktails, the moist fluffy omelette with demi glace sauce, and the kare pan (I cannot stop thinking about the curry beef filling!) So unique. Returning at first opportunity. read more

Dancerobot - The must order Choshoku Martini (gin, yuzu marmelade, lapsang souchong tea, egg white & matcha.) Sweet, tart, spirit forward. So delicious - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jesse Ito strikes again with his new location, featuring elevated takes on common Japanese street and comfort foods. The front door looks intimidating, but behind it spotlights a welcoming indoor with bar and table seating. Reservations are relatively hot with its opening still recent, but I'd say it's worth the stop. Service was great, with our waitress providing a breakdown of the menu and how the many cocktail options complement certain items. My partner and I ordered a number of dishes to try between their veggie, meat, and fish selections. This is a location where sharing is encouraged! My favorite surprisingly was the Saba Shioyaki, I think mackerel is a criminally underrated fish and it was grilled to perfection. I'm not a ginger person, but putting it together made for an excellent (and very filling) bite. The Hamburg Steak was also a favorite between us. Detractors might call it a glorified meatball, but the quality was excellent and also great to share. Our Kanpachi also had a good kick, which was a pleasant starter along with the veggie that was served banchan-style. I had higher expectations for the Katsu Curry, where it's worth it to try but the additional $9 for the pork didn't push it to become my favorite of the evening. I'd say newer restaurants will always be under more scrutiny, but this was a definite "Yes" in terms of a visit to try. I think some dishes are much more worth the price (i.e., that mackerel will be in my mind for a while), but the overall atmosphere made for a great dinner. read more

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Decided to try this out for our anniversary dinner. We got a same day reservation but it was 5pm so it was easy. Vibes are cute but we were super casually dressed. Staff was wonderful, our server was super knowledgeable and gave us complimentary champs & ice cream for our anniversary. Kudos to our server! I wish I remembered her name. Here's everything we ordered: KOBACHI 8/10 Black sesame espresso martini 10/10 NA SU DENGAKU (fried Japanese eggplant with sweet miso glaze) 10/10 French Onion Soup 8/10 MENTAIKO CREAM PASTA 7/10 (delicious but not worth $20 IMO) Pork Katsu Curry 5/10 (I didn't like it personally) Overall, 7/10 meal. 10/10 service. read more

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Vibes were really great and the food was pretty tasty. There were some standouts, but overall I think I was a little underwhelmed. The table loved the kanpachi, the omelette, and the curry. I thought the drinks were decent enough. I liked the kosho matador, but the second one I tried, the miso boulevardier was NOT for me. I don't mind whiskey cocktails but this one was undrinkable. I thought the portion sizes were perfect for our table of 3. I was anticipating the dishes to be on the more fresh and light side, but everything was really heavy. Heavy on the Japanese COMFORT food. read more

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Came here for brunch cause the pancakes looked so good but it was only ok. The service was fantastic! We also got the cabbage bao which was so good especially the sauce that it comes with. The cinnamon roll was so good and you can control the amount of icing. The pancake was so dense and as it cooled it was tough to eat. We also got black sesame martinis but I didn't really get the black sesame flavor. read more

Dancerobot - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Super fun and super tasty option in Philadelphia. Came here while on a work trip with some coworkers. Everyone enjoyed every dish. Honestly, everything was great. Would HIGHLY recommend trying the small eggplant dish- unexpected star of the night. I also really enjoyed the katsu curry- cooked perfectly tender, very flavorful. Def check this spot out if you're in town. read more

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Instantly when you walk up to the door, it gives off an exclusive dining vibe, but walking in you're welcomed by a wall of nostalgic posters and retro tv behind the host stand (very fun!) Staff were friendly and swift to get us to our table and gave us a run through of the menu. Our server was knowledgeable and answered all our questions before giving us some time to review the menu. We went with another couple to try a wider range of items. The suggested amount to order was about 2-3 plates per person as the serving sizes are small and meant to be shared amongst your table. The 4 of us ordered kobachi, 2 kare pan, kanpachi, age takoyaki, cheesy mentaiko omlette, mentaiko cream pasta, 2 menchi katsu sando, and hamburg steak. The 4 of us have dined at Jesse Ito's Royal Izakaya and came with some high standards and were very excited to try DanceRobot. The food was delicious, but to our surprise, we felt the overall flavors were more mild than they could've been. Certain elements of each dish were packed with flavor but the rest of the dish didnt stand out quite as much. Additionally, we felt the hamburg steak could've come with something on the side considering the price we paid. And we thought the katsu sando would be more similar to traditional sando instead of a sandwich. The food was still good and worth the visit, but we weren't as wowed as we were hoping to be. We look forward to the menu options in the works and will be back to try new items. read more

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Finally checked this place out, and it did not disappoint! I came without a reservation and easily found a seat at the bar around 6pm -- by 7pm, it was packed with no seats left! The bartender, Athan, was super friendly and patient as I was being indecisive. Loved the overall vibe here and can't wait to return next month. The head chef even came out to greet us and offered a taste of their simple yet refreshing and delicious salad. Jaida, one of the waitresses, was also exceptional and really made the experience even more memorable. We ordered the kobachi, cheesy mentaiko omelette, kissaten green salad, hamburg steak, and the black sesame brownie with vanilla ice cream and miso caramel. Everything was delicious, but my favorite was definitely the omelette -- cooked to perfection! Pro tip: order a side of rice and enjoy the omelette with the hamburg steak for the perfect bite. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Unfortunately a bit of a letdown! Service was amazing and I have no complaints about that but the food was really average. Apologies for the low quality pictures but the food quality didn't warrant flash photography. Tsukemono (3x pickled veg)- for $10 I expected a lot more food. For the amount you get it should just be complimentary or offer free refills. I did enjoy the flavors but it was impossible to split between two people. It's basically one piece of celery, MAYBE 1/4 of a pear, and 3 shishito peppers. Gyoza - I enjoyed the shrimp filling but it was nothing outstanding. I didn't like that the gyoza was basically marinating in chili oil, I wanted a paper towel to dry off my gyoza. The oil should be served on the side. Kare pan - this was a highlight for me, would order again. It's decadent and rich in flavor and very crispy on the outside. Takoyaki - they were good but not better than any other takoyaki I've had. If you have more than 2 people you'll want 2 orders of this. Cabbage Bao - this one was a miss for me but my husband's favorite dish. The texture was weird and I wasn't a huge fan of the fried bao bun. Wagyu roast beef - this really solidified my disappointment in the meal. It could've been what redeemed our experience but it was so bad. It's literally 2 bites of meat each and our mashed potatoes were so runny I thought it was a sauce on the side. I can't believe it was $34 because it was less food than some of the appetizers. Do not order this. Cocktails - matcha spritz is refreshing but not much matcha flavor in my opinion. The Negroni sour and espresso martini are both great. Our waitress recommended 2-3 dishes each and if we had ordered 2 each we would've been starving. Ambiance was fine but didn't feel like it matched the vibe of the menu or description of what the restaurant is supposed to be. My husband agreed that it was a bit all over the place. $200 for this meal was very frustrating!! read more

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First, the overall atmosphere for the restaurant other than the entry way did not match the theme nor the vibes that the menu and the name and the entry way convey. This in itself didn't bother me and did not factor into my review. Perhaps I expected to much from this restaurant after hearing that it's supposedly from someone who is behind the supposedly best Japanese restaurant in Philadelphia. I expected it to not be the standard they have in Japan, but not meh, bad, or uninspiring with tiny portion especially for the price they are charging. We got there early for our 9:15 reservation and they were out of two things (Hamburg and the pork katsu for the curry were out. We knew the portion wasn't enough after a couple of dish, something we were worried about and communicated with our server about. She was great and let us know that she can do one last call for us so we ended up getting two curry b/c the menchi katsu was out. Overall we tried 11 items and I got the Kosho Matador which was very middle of the road. Kobachi ($20) & Tsukemono ($10) - ordered at the recommendation of the server and it was a bunch of small plates. For the price I just expected bigger portion or better or just more interesting. I felt like these were pretty standard taste wise. I've have much better kobachi at chain restaurant (albeit famous chains). The Great Cheesey Mentaiko Omelette - Actually excellent! Egg was super soft and the cheesey sauce was original and went well with it Kanpachi - Good crudo esque dish, acidity and salinity is well balanced The Good Kare pan - crispy, filling on the sweeter side but not offensively so. The Solid Menchi Katsu Sando (best portion wise) - didn't stand out for me but left a good impression overall. Bread was good. The Meh Kobachi - meh Tsukemono - meh Nasu Dengaku - so unassuming. I forgot we had this dish at all until I was going through photos. Bad Age Takoyaki - literally I've had better at takoyaki parties Pizza Toast - can make at home but I wouldn't, taste like frozen pizza but on shokupan. Wagyu Roast Beef - $34 for six slices of meat that does not taste like wagyu (which is fine) but is tasteless and bad. Offensive Katsu Curry - the dish that dropped this restaurant to 1 star for me They ran out of the tonkatsu which honestly I was fine with by the end because i don't expect that to be good at all so there's no more disappointment there. It is also the item that is highlighted on the menu. The portion of the curry is smaller than JAPAN, which is insane to me especially considering how there is absolutely nothing special or good about the sauce. I don't understand how you can serve a curry sauce that is watery, tasteless other than sourness that had neither richness, freshness, complexity that is literally worse than box curry and chain curry (and completely incomparable to actually curry speciality restaurant in Japan). The rice was so bad it was offensive. I use koshihikari rice for my own cooking and the rice here was so undercooked and that's literally the basics. I can taste the uncooked hardened bit in every grain of the rice and rice is literally the most basic thing. Seriously a waste of koshihikari rice. You're literally charging $26 (base price not including protein) FOR FLAVORLESS WATERY CURRY AND UNDERCOOKED RICE. Coming from the people behind supposedly one of the best Japanese restaurant in Philadelphia is insane when literally any random store in Japan has better rice because at least it was cooked PROPERLY. read more

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Dance Robot just opened at Rittenhouse Square and is part of Royal Sushi & Izakaya, my favorite Japanese spot in Philly. I walked in right after they opened and only waited about 10 minutes for a bar seat (walk-ins only, tables need a reservation). The food is fresh and high quality, though portions are a bit small and prices on the higher side. I loved the dark, cozy vibes and the bar area. Staff are friendly and helpful, and their cocktail selection is amazing! my favorite is the Black Sesame Espresso Martini, so good. Drinks are reasonably priced. Overall, food was great but not mind-blowing. I'll definitely be back for the drinks and atmosphere! read more

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I was really looking forward to trying this place because of the rep that royal izakaya has. The service was super attentive and I like what they did to the interior (altho I'm not really sure it screams izakaya at least in the dining room close to the entrance). It's nice but it's like a lot of restaurants in the city and if you told me this place served American, Italian, or other European food I would believe you. My server, Emma, was knowledgeable on the menu and I overheard her saying it was her first "real" day of service so that's good. She was super nice and attentive. One runner explained what the dish was that came, another did not altho I would say my first dish (kare pan) is probably much more unfamiliar to Americans so that's fair. I liked the Kare pan and the beef curry inside was good. The outside flavors were a bit subtler. It was a good size considering its 15$. I didn't think it was that spicy tho typically Japanese curry isn't anyway. The Hamburg steak had good reviews and was recommended to me, and the portion was good altho I prefer to have it with some rice typically. Might not be a problem if you order the recommended veggies on the menu but yeah. I thought the demiglace wasn't that flavorful and the ratio was lacking (very thin amount on the plate). The matcha spritz was refreshing altho not very matcha-y and more light and the yuzu stood out more. I still enjoyed it but wouldn't consider "matcha" as the highlight. Everything came out in a reasonable amount of time but I was there around open. I will give this place another shot once it's established itself a bit and try maybe some other dishes. I liked the karepan so I'd recommend sharing it between two people as an app and ordering other items. read more

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Brand new to Rittenhouse, I went on night 2 of opening. Reservations booked up within two hours of going live so we got bar seats, which were perfect! Great environment, nice staff! FOOD - French onion a la japonaise: 5/10, has a smokey flavor, the mushrooms were very chewy inside - Cabbage bao: 5.5/10 came out cold which was a little disappointing, the bao bun itself was delicious, as was the sauce that it came with though - Katsu sando: 9/10 absolutely ginormous portion, it didn't fit the rest of our food for size. Flavor was perfect and it came out right as it was done cooking. DRINKS - Matcha spritz: my favorite drink of the night, not too strong but very flavorful - Tasted chi-hai: has almost a nutty flavor, very delicious - Green negroni sour: 10/10, great drink, the melon added great flavor overall - Kosho Matador: very strong, overpowering, has a licorice aftertaste DESSERT - Black sesame espresso martini: very good but it was less black sesame and way more espresso martini, it didn't taste any different to me Overall, had higher expectations given the success of the sister restaurant. However, it was still good. Just not sure Id rush to go back read more

Dancerobot - black sesame espresso martini - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came for happy hour on Friday. We were surprised to see it relatively slow but it could have been that it's a summer Friday. The decor was cool and it gave the feeling of being underground without actually being underground. For drinks, I got the passion fruit calpico zero proof option. I didn't love it and I didn't taste much like calpico. Food was pretty disappointing. To eat we had the robochiki nuggets. They were fried chicken thigh chunks. Cooked well but lacked seasoning and the dipping sauce tasted like franks red hot sauce. We also had the spicy salmon onigiri. It was fine but didn't rock the boat either. The addictive broccoli was not very addictive and literally 4 florets of broccoli. The shrimp gyoza were advertised as crispy but came out pretty limp and soggy. My husband had the cheesesteak special and it was probably the only thing we moderately enjoyed. Service was kind and attentive. I am unlikely to return as I didn't enjoy most of the food. Such a shame! read more

Walked into this upscale 80s themed Japanese restaurant with high expectations. Did not have a reservation, but we were able to be seated quickly. The restaurant has fantastic decor and ambience. Servers were very kind and attentive. However, the restaurants seem to fall flat on the food. Vegetarian options were limited, which is not unexpected in a Japanese restaurant. Ordered a few appetizers, including their eggplant with miso and sesame, as well as their cabbage bao. Both seemed to be lacking and seasoning. The bao was also very thick and tough. Overall, while I loved the decor, not sure that this is a restaurant I would be returning to quickly unless the food is elevated. read more

Dancerobot - Nasu dengaku and cabbage bao. - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We landed a 7:15 PM reservation on a Friday evening. Reviews for this place are mixed so we didn't know what to expect. We had just completed a cheese class at the Philly Cheese School, so we weren't starving but we were definitely snackish. Everything is tapas-style and encouraged for sharing. We ordered the pickled vegetables, the fried eggplant, the creamy pasta, the gyoza, and the Katsu Curry (vegetable). I must say, we selected well! Our server was efficient and didn't try to force us to order more than appropriate. We truly appreciated that! The Katsu Curry was our favorite. We were expecting a more eclectic atmosphere, but it was pretty generic. Not a bad thing though! I am still thinking about that curry... read more

Best dinner in ages. So unique and flavorful. Late to make a reservation we chose, on purpose, 4pm on a Saturday and it was perfect. Service was impeccable and helpful. Drinks were tasty goodness. Ordered the amberjack - OMG, the flavors were unbelievable. I wrapped the fish around the spices to create a flavor bomb. Next up the Beef Cheek doughnut. Like nothing I have eaten before. The curry is creamy and cannot be described. It is a perfect accompaniment. Next up the shrimp gyoza, very well done. We experimented with the Octopus balls, wow, fried together with some creamy sauce and flavors. My wife doe not like octopus but had three of these balls. The soft serve run raisin was like none I had before with plump raisins and nuts, perfection. And our waitress brought us a free monkey ball as well for dessert as it was my bday. Need to come back to try more on the menu. read more

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Relatively new restaurant in center city and you should try to reserve in advanced. They serve japanese fusion small dish. The egg w mentaiko sauce is good for the first few bites. As you get toward the middle, it has too much cheese inside so I recommend ordering a side of rice to balance out that cheesy-ness. The kare pan has a nice crunchy cover. The filling is meat w curry sauce. I don't really like the texture of the filling, kinda mushy, bc all the meat is shredded and cooked to super tender so no meat texture left. The katsu curry is very normal and they charge quite a lot. read more

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This place is a vibe, in the best way. I enjoyed my time here from the minute I walked in until I left. I did not have a reservation but was able to easily get a drink in the bar area and then a seat at the bar to order food a few minutes later Both drinks and apps I had tasted exactly as I imagined they would. The bartenders were super attentive and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this spot to anyone in the Rittenhouse area. read more

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The vibes are immaculate here! The decor and layout of the restaurant are great, allowing quite an intimate environment without feeling like you need to whisper. Walking in, you are greeted with a waiting area that feels like nostalgia crossed with city punk. The drinks are made with a heavy hand, but with cool selections including matcha and yuzu inspired options, as well as some for our non-alcoholic friends. Maybe I am just big back, but the portions felt child sized. I understand they were going for a japanese tapas vibe, so just plan for small plates to graze over instead of a full dinner. The kobachi felt the most worth it to us, with a smattering of different textures and tastes. The hamburg steak was about the size of a small hand's fist, but very tender and well seasoned. The unfortunately most disappointing dish was the katsu curry, which seems inappropriately named as there is no Katsu without adding a protein add-on (we got the conbini chicken which while well-cooked, was nothing to write home about). Visiting on a weekend, make sure you have a reservation and good luck securing a parking spot nearby. The storefront is also easy to miss, so make sure you are looking out for the neon pink. If you are looking for a spot for some drinks, catch up with friends, this is definitely a great option! For a catchup dinner meal? Maybe look elsewhere. read more

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Vibes: retro, casual, minimalistic; bring a friend or a few to sit at the bar, a table, or the chef's counter Tasting notes: - Tsukemono: a refreshing, light, crunchy trio; my personal favorite was the shishito and garlic - Ebi chili gyoza: crispy on one side, saucy on the other; loved that the shrimp were chopped to a medium size allowing for flavor and chew; surprisingly not a lot of heat in this dish - Takoyaki: slight caramelized, crispy exterior with an airy chew; appreciate the topping to ball ratio - Kanpachi: the thickest cut sashimi I've seen; fresh and clean even with the accompanying sauce - Mentaiko pasta: textured, al-dente strands pick up the cream and roe for a salty, slightly doughy bite - Saba shioyaki: perfect execution of a classic dish - skin was crispy, fish was flaky - Koji-marinated squash: on the firmer side but with an excellent char and a slightly sweet, funky mayo to pair - Menchi katsu sando: a tall burger setup with a satisfying, savory crunch to every bite with a touch of tang from accompanying vegetables - Soft serve (taiyaki edition): creamy and not too thick; accompanying taiyaki were fluffy and fragrant with the lemon curd Other thoughts: - The plate ware is eye catching and simple at the same time - Service is well-paced and friendly - Chef's counter is a unique peek at the action in the kitchen - Above meal (along with a chicken katsu curry) was satisfying for 3 adults Impression: incredibly solid meal and dining experience, cannot wait to come back and try the rest of the menu and brunch! read more

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Considering this was the Foodery a few years ago, it's mind-altering what it looks like now. It has transformed into a really fun, dark but colorful space with cute Japanese touches (check out the Pokémon everywhere). They have a very large bar, and it's walk-in only. What's nice is that there is a standing rail just behind the bar where you can stalk seats while ordering food and drinks that are then transferred to your bar tab. The bar tenders we had were very lovely and were fun to watch interact with other guests. We ordered 3 plates for our party of two, and that was enough food. Any less, and we might have been hungry, as they are on the smaller side. Our favorite dish was the omelette, which came with an amazing sauce we couldn't get enough of, and we loved the curry as well, which was a sizable portion; don't forget to add the cheese on top. The gyoza were tasty, but we liked the takoyaki more since it's not as common. The eggplant was also tasty but a small serving. We also tried the bao, which we would skip next time. We also sampled four cocktails, and despite loving a fancy cocktail, I loved the matcha spritz the best. All of them were really fun and good, though. The bill was $200+ so save this for a special occasion. I think we'll be back at the bar sometime before a late dinner in Rittenhouse. read more

Another dinner at dancerobot a month or so later to end the work week. This time we came with friends so we could try more of the menu. As before, service was kind, attentive, and well-paced and our dinner mates remarked on the pretty ceiling (though there was a spirited debate about whether it was "blue" or "green" or some combination of the two). Our foursome tried a number of dishes, in order of listing on the menu: - Tsukemono (pickled cucumbers, celery, and pears): the pears were the table favorite with their slightly sweet, slightly tart, and slightly pickled flavor. - Ebi Chili Gyoza (spicy pan fried shrimp dumplings, vinegar soy, chili oil): gyoza is always a crowd pleaser. - Nikumiso Stuffed Bell Bepper (ground chicken, karashi, tama miso, beni shoga): a fun mix of flavors. - Kare Pan (braised beef cheek, spicy Japanese curry, aonori): the mixture felt richer than last time. One diner noted it reminded him of a soft pretzel. - Age Takoyaki (fried octopus balls, brown butter, fish sauce, caramelized shallot): perfect texture on these (and I write that as someone who doesn't usually enjoy takoyaki because of the texture!). - Pizza Toast (Shokupan, Japanese style pizza sauce, roasted vegetables, black olives, prosciutto, mentaiko cream, mozzarella): surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish--the toast was crunchy and soft at the same time and the flavors were great. - Yamitsuki Cabbage Bao (fried steamed bun stuffed with braised cabbage, shiitake mushroom, Japanese sweet potato, kanpyo, and served with a creamy chili sauce): first of my two favorite savory dishes of the night for its well-balanced umami. - Menchi Katsu Sando (breaded pork and beef cutlet sandwich, shokupan bun, Japanese style tartar sauce, red cabbage, shibazuke pickles): second of my two favorite savory dishes of the night--would have loved a play of fries on the side. - Wagyu Roast Beef (Koji rosemary marinated Wagyu eye round, miso mashed potatoes, dashi gravy, rakkyo zuke): while not the prettiest, this was a solid dish--wrapped the beef around the onion for a great mouthful! - Hokkaido Soft Serve over a chocolate brownie, drizzled with salted caramel: soft serve was great--would've liked a more chocolate-y, softer brownie. read more

Dancerobot - Clockwise from top: Age Takoyaki, Nikumiso Stuffed Bell Pepper, Menchi Katsu Sando, Hokkaido Soft Serve, Pizza Toast, Yamitsuki Cabbage Bao - Japanese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Trying a new restaurant means eating dinner at 4. lol It's a nice spot with a unique menu. I especially enjoyed their Green Negroni Sour as well as their Kanpachi, Age Takoyaki and Cabbage Bao. The frozen aperol spritz was a little too bitter for my taste? Service was great and the vibe there was nice. Thanks for a lovely meal! read more

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Service was outstanding All of the food was delicious and pricing felt fair for quality of food Portions are on the smaller size for all dishes so recommend family style ordering Bathrooms were pretty clean and the restaurant had fun decor and good vibes Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu read more

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Great food for not a fancy feeling but still a night out and good food and service. Everything came out hot and tasted outstanding read more

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Love this restaurant from its unique decor to its delicious food. I got age takoyaki and cheesy omelet. Both of these got me super full. For drinks I got a matcha spritz. This drink tasted refreshing and light. Our bartender was helpful with the menu options which I appreciated. Would definitely come back. read more

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Realistically this is a 3.5 star review. I made the reservation as soon as books opened - unsure really of what to expect, we avoided reading any pr about the place and went in mostly blind. Royal being one of our favorite spots in the city - this new place brings back one of the dishes we have missed for a long time, the takoyaki. 10/10 on pricing - we left pretty satisfied for 2 people and the bill was $97 before tip. We are pescatarian though, so avoided some of the more expensive menu options that include things like wagyu beef. There is no coursing here so expect a cadence through your meal. To be expected because they just opened, the pacing of our meal for a tuesday night (they are fully booked) was a bit slow. Service was great. No complaints :) Now the food: The server recommended 3 dishes per person to share, we ordered 5 plates total. #1: Braised cabbage Bao - this was really so yummy! The cabbage and mushroom filling is hearty and has deep flavor (the mushrooms worth mentioning twice whatever the marinade is is perfect) - made me want to be walking around with it handheld. It was crispy on the bottom, bao tasted amazing. Little spicy sauce on the side was very good. Forgot to take a photo. #2: the tsukemono. We love pickles - especially tsukemono because it's a surprise and were delighted that they weren't "boring" vegetables. Celery and Dates, shishito peppers, and chunks of pickled cantaloupe! wish the portion was a little more. These also came out a solid 10 minutes after the Bao (which confused us because they are cold and presumably made the day before) forgot to take a photo until we had already started picking at them haha. #3 the takoyaki - my partners favorite food arguably. They loved the octopus and we believe it is smoked which is a unique flavor for takoyaki in the city. 5 per plate and appreciate the topping to ball ratio. Only thing we noted was that they were maybe a bit over-cooked. #4 saba. Arguably what we came for - we are freaks for mackerel and this was soooo good. Its an unapologetic fish. While we noted it was maybe a tad over-salted on its own, if you couple with the grated daikon they're very harmonious. No bones so you don't need to be careful digging in. #5 grilled delicata squash. This was okay, we were torn between trying this and the shrimp dumplings. One piece of squash was undercooked and hard in the center. It was also pretty dry - recommend to up the sauce to squash ratio. but a nice portion size to help fill us up! We will be back again to try the curry and the omelette (and dessert) (: thanks for a great meal! read more

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trendy new restaurant by the royal sushi team! cute, but definitely overhyped. i was very excited to try this new spot as i love royal sushi izakaya. dance robot focuses on japanese comfort food, and unfortunately, i was not impressed. the decor is eclectic. when you walk in, you're greeted by loud anime wallpaper, but the inside is dark, moody, and classic. i don't mind either vibe on its own, but together they clashed. the tables were rather close together/cramped. it felt like we were invading our neighbor's space, we could easily hear the conversations of the people next to us. i started the night with the melon yuzu drop, a frozen drink. the drink wasn't very frozen, but it was still refreshing and delicious. my date and i snagged a last minute opening around 8p, so the both of us had actually already eaten beforehand. we shared the kobachi and the kare pan. the kare pan was rich and decadent, i enjoyed it. the curry filling was warm and homey, the buns were crisp and generously filled. the kobachi was... confusing. it was a selection of six seasonal vegetable small plates, and frankly was underwhelming. none of the plated were particularly memorable in a good way. one of the dishes was a single pickled tomato... it was awful, probably one of the worst things i've eaten. none of the vegetable small plates were particularly good, we had quite a bit of leftovers left. we didn't want to bring the leftovers home, but were pressured by our waitress into doing so. they were not eaten. our waitress was friendly, but our table was a little neglected. maybe it was because we weren't eating our kobachi, but our waitress never came back to check in on us. we eventually had to flag her down for the check. i would be willing to come back for a drink or to try something different, but it would be a tough sell. definitely avoiding the kobachi. read more

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After taking a hiatus from writing reviews I felt jumping on defending Jesse Ito's new restaurant and yoshoku cuisine. We popped in for an impromptu Friday night late dinner and got two seats at the bar which serves the full dinner menu. The ambiance is a bigger louder version of Royal Izakaya with the familiar anime on a brick wall accompanied by a storied wooden bar. The music is indie, hip, and millennial digestible. I thought the food was actually quite lovely. Royal Izakaya is one of our favorite joint in the city, but we had heard a lot of mixed reviewed about Dancerobot so wanted to give it a whirl. The criticisms I have heard include 'it's so heavy' and 'it's focused on comfort food...emphasis COMFORT' or 'Royal Sushi has more variety and it's lighter'. I think this is a misunderstanding. Patrons assumed Dancerobot would be a franchise of Royal Sushi. It's not. It's a restaurant focused on yoshoku cuisine -- or the blend of western dishes with Japanese ingredients and flare. The criticisms are akin to going to a restaurant known for big greasy burgers and then saying the salad options were subpar. I've heard people complain they thought the Hamburgu Steak was an actual steak when in reality it's a hamburger. Again this is a dish in yoshoku cuisine with a name that's a bit confusing. So knowing this we purposefully tried to diversify our ordering to give us some fresh options with the heavy. We ordered the Kissaten Green Salad, Kanpachi with amberjack sashimi, Yamitsuki cabbage bao, kare pan, and Katsu Curry with chicken and american cheese. We also did drinks -- Green Negroni Sour and Miso Boulevardier. Drinks I thought were good, but not great in a city with great cocktail bars. They have an good selection of wine, beer, sake, and NA so that shouldn't dissuade anyone. The bartenders are friendly. Dinner wise I thought the salad was great -- dressing tasty and a good a balance of crunchy bits. Plus who even buys iceberg lettuce anymore -- what a throw back. The Kanpachi was a favorite. Fat slices of tuna in a very tasty and somewhat spicy broth. Very light for those people who require a comfort food intermission. The bao was good, but not great. Mostly it would be better if it was steamed to order and then pan friend. The dough was a little tough and for the amount of filling I think it needs to be fresh to really sing. Also a little light on the salt. The hot sauce it comes with is dope. I love Kane pan and I love beef cheeks. Think a savory curry stuffed doughnut. I could eat like 20 of these. An item commonly found in Japanese 7/11s too. The katsu curry was also dope. Salty, savory, filling and also had a bit of a kick -- unexpected. The steamed spinach and pickled onion help to brighten it up. This is what I want on a cold day when I'm feeling hung over and want to just watch a movie. Overall we will be back and I recommend this restaurant. For those looking for lighter fare I recommend Sweet Green. read more

I loved the vibe at Dancerobot and have gone a few times to hang out at the bar but the food didn't wow me as much as I would have liked. We had the Katsu Curry with fried chicken, the French Onion Soup Japonaise,, Tsukemono (pickled vegetables) and Menitaiko Pasta. I loved the pasta and pickled veggies the most. There's a lot more options to choose from and I'm looking forward to giving Dancerobot another go. read more

Food was only OK and quite expensive for small portions. Good vibes. Overall not excellent.