My favorite restaurant in town. You feel like you're in an upscale NYC restaurant. Service is excellent and food is prepared with precision . It is expensive but worth it! Great date night spot read more

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Expectations were so high. Having been to other Morimoto properties we were expecting the same top notch experience. That's not what we got. Lively and nicely appointed venue in Montclair. Service was a little clunky but expected for a newly opened restaurant. Cocktails were ok not great and the flavors a bit off, salted foam on a Morimoto Negroni was a miss. Place is loud and it's hard to hear anyone. Again not a dealbreaker. Here's the dealbreaker the sushi/ sashimi was not high quality for the price and brand. Plenty of other choices in the region for better fish. We got the Wagyu fried rice and black cod for dinner and again mediocre to below standards. Skipped dessert. The bill was astronomical as expected but the meal didn't come close to hitting the spot. Maybe it's growing pains but wouldn't recommend. read more

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Service is excellent and so is the food! The wasabi popcorn shrimp tempura and the fall-off-the-bone ribs are a MUST! read more

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The food was delicious, top 10 meal I ever had. Ambiance is well lit and very comfortable. My server and service was excellent. I had the 12 oz Japanese A5 waygu with the 100 layer potato side dish and it was 10/10. Also had the blue fatty tuna and corn tempura appetizer, just wow. Will be coming back 100% read more

An extraordinary meal in all respects. Beautifully prepared sushi and sashimi, unctuous sticky ribs, a delightfully inventive tempura corn dish, artful tuna tartare, and melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu. Excellent, friendly service, and a cool overall atmosphere. read more

MM by Morimoto - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Good trendy restaurant in a trendy neighborhood. The vibe reminds me of Miami with its size and decor. Very modern and stylish. As for my experience, I find the tables, atleast our table for two was very poor quality. The typical furniture that's wobbly used in mom and pop places. Didn't match the caliber of the place. Nice fusion cocktails and well crafted drinks. Lots of over the top apps and dishes served with a bit of flair. But a bit light on flavor. The ingredients are good overall and the presentations are good. Service was a bit slow since some workers seems new. read more

MM By Morimoto has been open only about five months, but it is already falling apart - both literally and figuratively. My first visit there in October was overall a very good experience, but my late December visit was a major letdown from the beginning. We were seated in a booth with about a four inch section of the side laminate completely loose and flapping around at the edge of the table. This is something that should have been temporarily fixed with tape or glue but instead was left broken and dangling, where it could have snagged and damaged someone's clothing. Adding to the bad first impression, the person who seated us took away the wine and drinks lists without asking - we had to ask a passing waitress to bring them back to us. Our main server was very friendly and attentive. The kitchen however seems to be the source of the biggest problems we had. We ordered prime rib, having found it the highlight of our previous meal. After placing our order, the waitress returned and said the kitchen informed her they no longer serve prime rib on weekdays. WTF? It's the first highlighted item on the menu, prominently displayed in the upper left corner, which is the first place one's eye looks. The waitress said it was a new policy adopted three weeks ago, however the online menu makes no mention of this (we've only had the internet 30 years now people, USE IT!) nor do the printed menus. It's a drag as MM Morimoto is one of the few places I've found in north NJ that serves a properly cooked prime rib, with a rosy color from edge to edge when ordered medium rare. Now it's just a weekend special? I actually think the lazy kitchen staff just couldn't be bothered to make the effort that night. We ordered the 20 oz bone-in ribeye instead, which was a major disappointment, especially at $85. The cut itself was very thin (less than an inch thick) and I doubt it was actually 20 ounces. While it was cooked properly to medium rare temperature, the steak was so heavily salted that the only thing we could taste was the salt. It was very disappointing for a restaurant that bills itself as a steakhouse - by far the worst ribeye I've had in years (maybe it was actually good but I couldn't get past the excessive salt). I can get a much better ribeye within walking distance of where I live. Scratch that - I can and do make a better ribeye at home! The rest of the menu was fine as expected. The sushi was very good but not great (Sushi By Sea and Jugemu are both much better) - the Otoro was more like a good Chutoro, for example. Tiramisu was a major improvement over the chocolate cake we had previously. I'm now seriously debating if we'll return. There are too many other restaurants in this price range that I prefer. Now I just need to find a decent prime rib in north NJ or continue going to NYC when I want it. read more

MM by Morimoto - Perfect prime rib from a previous visit - now apparently no longer offered on weekdays? WTF? - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Great service! Good was phenomenal! They give you a fire show with the Surf and Turf roll, and give you wet toilettes with the sticky ribs! Just one heads up: egg allergy people beware, not all items are on menu for drinks! Egg whites are in most drinks, ask before ordering!!!! Other than that great experience! read more

MM by Morimoto - Bar view from lounge - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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If I could give this restaurant another star I would! The service was absolutely phenomenal, we had the pleasure of having Fernando for the night. He was extremely attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He gave us the best recommendation, which was everything here is delicious lol. The restaurant is gorgeous, we didn't get to sit in the main dining area but the down stairs was okay. Would recommend staying in the main dining area next time. To the more important part of this review the food! We had the surf and turf sushi roll, California roll, skirt steak, NY Strip, potatoes and broccoli. The steak was cooked to the perfection, the rolls were absolutely delicious. The only downside to me was the broccoli. I would have preferred mine to be a little softer to eat. Outside of just preference of broccoli, this restaurant is definitely a must try. Be prepared to spend a car payment but it's definitely worth trying!!!!!! read more

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Restaurant is great. Nice decor and ambiance. The toro tartar was impeccable, but really small so not really a shareable dish. The uni was phenomenal and the sushi rolls were good as well. read more

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After an amazing experience at Momosan Waikiki and Morimoto Asia Waikiki 4 years ago, I knew I had to check out this new spot. The vibes are amazing. The service was top notch. And the food was amazing. For appetizers, we started with a tuna pizza which came on a crispy tortilla and the textures just went together and then also the tuna tartare which came with different toppings including sour cream, wasabi, and avocado sauce. I could never forget Morimoto Junmai Ginjo sake which was a great accompaniment to the food. For my main, I had to go back to the Ishiyaki Buri bap that I had in Waikiki cause it's just that good. And then the tiramisu which everyone needs to get because it comes tableside served from a huge Pyrex which had to be one of the best tiramisu, I've had to date. We even got to meet Iron Chef Morimoto and have a lovely conversation with him which was crazy cause I grew up watching Iron Chef America. Definitely check this place out, it's definitely the new IT place in Montclair. read more

MM by Morimoto - Toro Tartare - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Interior was amazing Food was excellent Drinks were tasty Staff and service exceptional read more

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I went on a Friday night for light apps/ drinks and sat at the bar. The bartender, Seth, was truly impeccable and super attentive! He went above and beyond making sure all my questions were answered and that I was truly satisfied with my order. While the bar was packed, he made sure to continue to provide top tier service. Highly recommended him as your Bartender as well as this restaurant for extremely fresh food and strong drinks. Side note- i ordered the spicy tuna & spicy yellow tail roll, melted in my mouth. My bf got a California roll. No dipping sauce is needed tbh, that's how fresh this was. read more

MM by Morimoto - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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We sat at the bar. From others experience as well the bar service is still catching up. I hear the table service is impeccable. Excellent sparkling sake and great mixed drinks. The morimoto sushi platter had an excellent yuzu sauce on it my favorite cut was the tuna least favorite was the salmon but that's personal preference 3rd fish was yellowtail. Sticky short ribs were excellent . Order comes with 2. One of ours had very little meat but the other had a good amount. Surf and turf tacos with excellent a5 beef. Again personal preference I'd probably preferred the meat light seared rather than torched but the presentation is excellent and quality of the food top notch. Great Saturday night vibes with dj playing great tunes . Bar menu for food available which isn't the full menu which is very appropriate . Can't beat when morimoto himself is there and comes to great all the tables ! read more

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Most incredible meal I've had in years. From the cocktails to the execution of every dish, perfection. Wait staff was incredible. Bar is a little slow to get a drink but once you're at the table it's white glove experience. We got the steak tartar which was to die for. Best I've ever had. Tuna sushi, unbelievably fresh with homemade soy sauce. Sticky shrimp, incredible and packed with flavor. And then topped it off with the Ribeye... unforgettably flawless with dimension and flavor. The green Heat drink is amazing! We will be back to try more! read more

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Decor and overall vibe was excellent. We ordered the steak tartare and it was one of the best we have had, and the morimoto sashimi. Then we ordered the surf and turf roll, the negitoro maki, and the negihamachi maki. All were fresh and tasted great. read more

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What an amazing dinner experience. We came to celebrate our son going to college with a beautiful meal. The atmosphere for a restaurant in Montclair made us feel we were in NYC, without having to travel far. We started with the Tuna pizza and the Popcorn shrimp. Both delicious. For our dinner we ordered the Marinated Skirt Steak with Mushroom sauce, Ishiyaki Buri Bap and A5 Baps. Over the top with flavor. We had sides of the potatoes and the Roasted Broccoli. Yummy. And ended the night with a Chocolate cake. We sat near the kitchen where Morimoto himself was working. Service was great. What a great night. I highly recommend. read more

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Obviously they are not doing well. Plenty of reservations on Resy available, and when I accidentally made reservation for tonight and had to cancel it 20 minutes later because I want to make a reservation for tomorrow, the restaurant hit me with a cancelled reservation charge. Nice classy touch. And now I won't be going tomorrow or back ever again. When a supposedly big fancy restaurant has to charge reservation cancel fees to customers who make honest mistakes, well they are hurting for money. A lot of great Montclair restaurants run by great folks and I will take my sushi business elsewhere. Losing a repeat customer who spent over $800 on last two visits over a $30 cancellation fee when the restaurant was empty. Now that's good business sense!! read more

Tremendous experience with food that exceeded expectations. Everything was cooked (or not) to perfection and the cocktails were light, refreshing, and flavorful. Morimoto visited every table to talk about the restaurant. "I wanted a chop house, but nobody would come to my restaurant if it didn't have sushi." I'm not so sure about that. We basically followed our waiter's suggestions, and couldn't be happier. The sticky ribs were fall-off-the-bone and outstanding. The surf 'n' turn roll -- shrimp Tempora wrapped in torched A5 wagyu -- was amazing. The Ishiyaki A5 Bop was delicious. Obviously needed to try one of the Wagyu steaks as well, which was cooked to perfection and softer than any steak I've ever had. We opted for the Australian Wagyu over the Japanese and were not disappointed. The tiramisu was also outstanding, but was the most "traditional" of anything we ate. read more

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A little noisy and could use some acoustic products in the ceiling as it was difficult to hear my husband across from me. Also, if they're going to text you to tell you your table is ready when you sit at the bar, they should tell you they're going to text you. Luckily I looked at my phone. The beef and sushi dishes were excellent and aligned with Morimoto's level of excellence. However, this is supposed to be a Caesar salad. I'm not convinced that the person who made this has ever had an actual Caesar salad because there was nothing about this salad even remotely resembling or tasting like a Caesar salad except the Romaine. The dressing was basically water downed mayonnaise. No flavor whatsoever. Who puts tomatoes in a Caesar? There was also some kind of puffed rice crisps and a large crostini. No umami flavor. No bold minced anchovy & garlic with lots of cracked pepper. No: parmesan, egg, olive oil, Dijon or lemon juice. All of those ingredients need to coat the Romaine with bold bursts of flavor. We really liked the rest of our meal but please, do something about this salad. It made us sad. read more

MM by Morimoto - "Caesar" Salad with a water downed mayonnaise dressing. - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Had a pretty good birthday dinner here yesterday. Sushi tasted good, wagyu tasted good. Unfortunately, took leftovers home.. reheated and found Mr. nematode in the cod. Yum. If you want to save your intestinal and digestive health... stay away from the sushi. Luckily, the cod was cooked and likely flash frozen. I wouldn't trust the sashimi... which I ate. If I start abnormally losing weight.. I'll know I probably ate a nematode. I found the worm right on top... so they aren't checking the fish carefully. Sigh... this is a hard avoid restaurant read more

MM by Morimoto - Cod with a nematode worm - extra protein? - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Very nice place and the service was really good definitely make a reservation. We had one and still waited. Our waiter was so attentive and friendly. The steak was really really good and the fish was so fresh not fishy at all. The wagu dumplings were not bad but wouldn't get them again. The lobster bisque was good but the fish and steak was my favorite. The potato gratin was not good honestly it was bland I'd skip it. read more

Beautiful space, lively vibe, and Iron Chef Morimoto personally greeted each table -- a nice touch. Unfortunately, the service and food missed the mark. We waited 20 minutes before our waitress appeared (only after asking the busboy), while the table next to us received a warm welcome and menu walkthrough from the maître d'.....we did NOT get this attention. My son's salmon sashimi had multiple bones. The waitress said the kitchen told her "this is normal," which is not acceptable for sashimi at this level. The second piece also had bones. After requesting to speak to the manager, she took the plate, comped the entrée, and offered dessert, but the experience was already ruined. For the price and the name behind it, service consistency and preparation quality need major improvement. read more

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I typically don't bother to write these reviews but the visit to this restaurant really deserved a contribution. There was a lot of hype involved with MM by Morimoto coming to Montclair NJ but candidly it was UNDESERVED! The night started with being seated in a back corner of the restaurant with the servers having to get plates and utensils right behind us then Jessica who seated us showed a very rudimentary understanding of the menu and she was the one who asked if we had any questions about it. We ordered drinks after learning they were out of ingredients for the Sakura Highball. Will the GM came over and plopped the drinks down on the table barely saying a word. They were also out of the Kushiage appetizer. Then the highlight of the evening was my wife finding a paper barcode at the bottom of her calamari salad (pic attached). We informed our waitress Emily (who was great by the way) and she reacted immediately and we were not charged for the salad. Then the same GM Will came over and tried to insincerely apologize and say that he will be in close contact with us throughout the night to make up for the unsanitary mishap with my wife's salad, we never saw him again BTW! He seems to be good at delivering empty rhetoric. I will say that the food was quite good even though one of the servers was visibly annoyed when I asked to be able to see the table side preparation of the Ishiaki Buri Bop I ordered. If you are going to advertise table side prep then at least make it visible. There are too many other great restaurants in Montclair that offer much more value for your $$$! Needless to say, DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE! read more

MM by Morimoto - Unsanitary issues! - Japanese Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Food and wait staff were great, but the front of house needs to learn how to take... and read... reservations. My wife booked a night out for us a month in advance to celebrate my birthday. She booked the dining room but we were instead seated in the lounge up against the bar and next to a group of 15+ Montclair hipsters taking flash-photography for their photo diaries that no one gives a damn about. When my wife approached the hostess about the mix up, she was basically told there was nothing that could be done by the 20-something year old with no people skills. My wife was also told the materie d would speak to us before we left, but that never happened. I expected a lot better for the amount of money this meal cost. read more

The restaurant is absolutely stunning. This location has changed hands over the years, and while the layout, including the central bar area has remained the same, the decor has been overhauled. They've put up what I can best describe as nouveau privacy partitions to give the illusion of a much smaller restaurant, though it is a large space cleverly divided. The bar is vibrant. Gone are the TVs/sports bar feel. It is a large area, though much more intimate and trendy. In fact in our area of seating there were two large LCD displays that kept playing some type of clip of Morimoto on a loop, and that was possibly the only thing about the decor that I found odd and just off. There is another large LCD display in the back of the restaurant that had an ever changing ambient display that seemed to add to the overall theme of the restaurant itself. Multiple comments about our service. Our server was on point with recommendations and communication with the kitchen. We explained the gluten-free accommodations needed by one of us, and he could not have done a better job with communicating to us what was safe to order and demanding that the kitchen staff do their very best to adjust to our needs. On that respect, the service was outstanding. We did have to wait about 15 minutes past our reservation time to be seated. Not terrible, but with no seating area, I can see that being a bit of a struggle for some. The pacing and waiting was a bit slow. We had a 6:30 reservation and were not out of there until close to 9. We ordered a combination of sushi and the braised cod as entrees. The cod did not arrive until 5-10 minutes after the sushi. As for the food itself, extraordinary. We went with the calamari salad and toro tartar. The calamari was delicate and the salad perfectly dressed. I loved how the radishes seemed to be shaved with a razor blade and served perfectly thin. The tuna was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Delicious, fresh as could be sushi. Spicy tuna roll, salmon avocado roll, both pretty pedestrian choices, were simply spot-on. The lobster temaki rivalled the finest lobster rolls I've ever sampled. As much as I enjoyed the sushi, the star was the braised cod. It simply melted on my tongue. What a treat. Undercover star was the roasted broccoli. The aioli and garlic, along with the crunch. A huge serving, we wound up taking some home with us. The only thing missing that would have been helpful was a knife. As we did not go with steaks, we did not have a steak knife. The broccoli is served as the whole crown, and cutting it into servable pieces proved more challenging than necessary. I observed adjacent tables ordering steaks, and while I did not get to try one, the scent was intoxicating, and they were cooked to absolute perfection. Tables are a little tight, and we could easily here the conversations of adjacent tables, despite, not really wanting to, as you couldn't help but overhear. The overall vibe is that of a trendy NYC club, complete with DJ. I did not find the music to be too loud as some had mentioned in other reviews. However, they are definitely going for a trendy atmosphere. As for dress, while I did see a few patrons in caps, shorts, sweat jackets, etc, those people seemed to be inappropriately underdressed in relation to the majority. Smart casual. Jeans or khakis with collared shirts for most men, with dresses or jeans and stylish tops for the ladies. There is a parking garage directly across the street, as well as street parking, and there is available valet parking right in front. Some service issues that I expect to be worked out as they find their footing. Our bill was quite reasonable, but you'll pay steakhouse prices should you go in that direction, or higher if you go in the Wagyu direction. We skipped out on dessert, as by that point, I simply needed to leave, having felt like I was there too long. read more

So had high expectations but wasn't overly impressed. The food was good but not great. Very noisy and service was just ok. Didn't seem to know the menu read more

Disappointed in this power Chefs standards ..Food was a ..what I expected ..have eaten in his restaurants plenty of times but service and respect were awful Our server spoke 20 minutes about the menu with a tongue ring mumbling and taking our buzz we spent $300 on at the bar before we were seated ( party of 4) We shared some outstanding dishes but some disappointed plates as well We were also seated in the corner where the service station was so servers were talking and putting orders in the computer and hitting our chairs every time they passed which was the whole time we sat .. Come on MM you're a seasoned pro ... READ THE ROOM ... read more

Tried MM By Morimoto and the experience was okay overall. The food looked good but some dishes felt a bit underseasoned, and a few items arrived cooler than expected. read more

Food was amazing -- from the steak side of the menu and the sushi side. Delicious cocktails. Top-notch service. Beautiful space. Valet parking. If you can go, do it. It's worth it. read more

When I first entered the restaurant, I thought it had a cool vibe, nice ambience. The host and waitresses were very nice. We ordered the Sticky Ribs, Aburi Sushi Apps, Ishiyaki A5 Wagyu Bap, and Black Cod. While people raved about the sticky ribs, I thought it was salty. I would not order it again. The Aburi Sushi was AMAZING! The fish and Wagyu steak were buttery soft and just melted in your mouth. The bap was too salty for me, the waitress must have added too much of the sauce but the wagyu steak was just amazing! When I return next, I won't be ordering the bap but the sushi dishes and steak. read more

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Food was great (except the Maki rolls which were just so so). Service is friendly and prompt. However, super expensive and the dining room was very loud. I couldn't hear what my dining companions were saying. read more

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The food is spectacular! So fresh and delicious, and so artistically arranged! We had a glorious anniversary dinner! The service is prompt and helpful. We will definitely be back again. read more

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Chef Morimoto has opened a gem of a restaurant in a prime location. I am not sure who is leaving this fine establishment such subpar reviews, but I don't think they know how to properly dine at a Japanese restaurant....every single sushi appetizer and dish we got was beyond fresh and was some of the best our party has had in their lives. All of their seafood is freshly imported from Japan. Even though they don't heavily advertise their oysters, they were by far the creamiest tasting oysters we've had. All of their raw dishes were phenomenal. Even the cooked dishes were perfect, including the gyoza, wagyu, and sticky pork ribs. The service was also top notch. Each individual attended to our needs and explained each dish as it arrived. Lastly, the ambiance is fun chique. Long story short, this restaurant is must visit for Japanese food lovers. read more

Atmosphere over food here. The menu is definitely catered to "fusion crowds" (take that however you want to) which is not surprising given that the restaurant is in Montclair, NJ. If you frequent NYC Japanese / sushi restaurants, you will be fairly disappointed in the food quality. But, if you are looking for Nobu vibes, this may be a good little date spot. Food was overly salty. Sushi quality was disappointing. Cocktails and atmosphere were pretty good. There were a few kinks that need ironing out in regards to service. Super friendly wait staff, but not very attentive. But, I'll chalk that up to it being a new restaurant. Overall, the price tag is not justifiable and if we were to return, it would be only for the bar/drinks. read more

The wait staff was excellent at fixing things. But I am over 55 and I've sent back a drink 1 time, and I've sent back a steak 1 time , and both were at MM tonight. Once things were right they were great. Whole place might be all set in a few weeks. read more

Food is decent though nothing to rave about, but overall experience is just OK given heavy price points. Most menu items are replicas of dishes you can get in any reasonable good Asian restaurant. Is the sushi the very best quality? No. Is it good enough? Yes. Would you pay double them? Not if there are other options for real sushi fans. Is the 32oz porterhouse worth the $145 tag? Not really, when one can get much better value and quality at reputable steakhouses. The knockoff bibimbap was interesting as a carb base but just middling as a standalone entree, and that's before it being absurdly overpriced. Desserts were a tad disappointing. Cocktails and sake are NYC premium-priced but fortunately beer on tap is more modest. Food portions are not on the generous side, so diners are likely to have to order extra dishes than would seem, especially to share. Service was friendly and enthusiastic which is a plus, and there's a convenient small parking lot across the quiet street which is helpful. Overall one is definitely paying a big premium for the brand rather than for anything compelling about the food or drinks. There's a slick-ish vibe as a new spot that's novel and may be interesting to some, but could get tired with time. Happy to have tried but not a repeat visit type place. MM seems positioned more for a novel, showy experience or for local corporate group expense account dining. read more

I went in high expectations and came out feeling a little underwhelmed. The cocktails were the highlight of our night. Despite the hype and pricier menu, the food was just ok. The entrees also came out almost 15 minutes apart (my wife had finished her meal before my sushi came out), and the sushi was just ok. read more

Loved the atmosphere and food! Going back for birthday dinner!! Not sure if I would bring children- on the expensive side.

I was really looking forward to celebrating my anniversary here--and I was not disappointed! First, a big thank you to our server Marla for helping make the night truly special. Her recommendations were spot on, and the drinks (especially the Paloma) were excellent. We started with the tuna pizza and Wagyu carpaccio--both dishes were beautifully presented and tasted even better. For sushi, we ordered the spicy yellowfin roll and shrimp tempura roll. Absolutely delicious--some of the best sushi I've ever had. Our final dish was the black cod, which was light, flaky, and amazing. Even the broccoli side dish was next-level--this place somehow made broccoli exciting! Every dish was a 10/10. Morimoto is a must. From the execution to the food presentation to the service, everything about MM Morimoto was excellent. read more