I got California rolls and I noticed that they were sour which is good because that means that they use rice vinegar and I am very happy. I would definitely go again. My dad got miso vegetable ramen. It had broccoli and mushrooms and it was really good. We got fried gyoza as an appetizer. They were nice to us by efficiently getting us our food. I got a Japanese marble soda. The plum tree is nice inside. My dad wondered why it's still around, but then understood after eating ramen and vegetable gyoza -they were really good! The music was all music that we listen to, but it was different versions of songs that we like, but not the originals, but otherwise I'll come back. read more

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Food is very overpriced but still good. The ramen is good and the sushi platter for $34 is probably the best deal on the menu (still expensive, but hey, it's sushi). The male waiter they hired last year was very nice and attentive. The owner is also pretty attentive too. Fun place for a sake bomb event. Nigori sake is the best. Good memories here. read more

Very average. Food is definitely overpriced and the quality is not there. I remember getting two sushi rolls and being hungry at the end of it because they were just so small. Only reason why this place still exists is because of sake bombing. It helps that they never ID too, so I actually recommend it for sake bombing (although four seasons is probably better). read more

I ordered the vegetarian sushi and a tuna hand roll. The tuna hand roll was pretty yummy! However, the vegetarian sushi was really really bad. It was not what I was expecting at all and just had really big chunks of half raw half cooked super salty veggies that just weren't good. Overpriced for what I got... :( read more

Good options and food. Cozy vibes, and service was attentive. Their sushi is pretty fresh for a place pretty far from the cost. Great option for Japan food in Ithaca. Will go again. read more

Decent portion for the lunch bento box price, but the flavor is what you pay for. Ordered the tempura veggie box with veggie dumplings and sushi - I think the dumplings were the most flavorful (not by far), and only the standard packaged soy sauce saved this meal. The tempura was bland and a bit mushy - I had to add a lot of sriracha from my pantry to spice things up. They provided little clear containers of suspicious dark liquid and dark viscous liquid that tasted like...water? Needless to say, I did not risk another sip of that since what you don't know won't hurt you, right? :') either way; standard college meal if you are in a pinch! read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - Tempura Box Lunsh - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Pretty mediocre sushi in the heart of Collegetown. Definitely not a place for an extravagant meal or date, but hits the spot for sake bombs and cheap dinner with a large group. At $10 per, the sake bombs are a pretty decent deal. Some favorites for dinner include the chicken katsu and the fried rice, which at under $10 each make for a cheap dinner. The dinner bento boxes are pricey but can be easily shared between two people if you aren't too hungry, and I believe they're about half price at lunch. Service is reliably average, and the restaurant is consistently clean. Typically never a problem getting a table without a reservation, but periodically there will be a date night or event at Plum Tree that makes it difficult to get in on short notice, especially with a large group. They have a sort of 'lofted' area to the restaurant where they usually seat larger parties. Can be loud on certain nights when there are large parties (usually Fridays or Saturdays at 8 ish). Splitting a check a bunch of ways can be kind of a nightmare at Plum Tree, which is surprising because of how many large parties they do. It's usually easier to just have one person pay and collect from their friends on Venmo. All in all, places like Plum Tree are a dime a dozen in more metropolitan areas, but it's one of the better places in Collegetown. read more

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I have been to this restaurant for both sushi and non sushi dishes. Overall, I would say that it warrants a solid 2.5 stars. It is very middle of the road, nothing spectacular but nothing downright awful either. The chicken teriyaki was rather dry and the vegetables had no flavor. The curry was pretty good, crispy meat and sparse vegetable amount. Come here to sake bomb not for amazing food. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - Chicken Teriyaki and Tonkatsu Curry Rice - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Lots of vegan sushi options - all fresh & tasty. Also good: miso soup, tofu teriyaki, vegetable fried rice, edamame, salad, and vegetable gyoza. Service was speedy. We'd order again! Note: Only commenting on takeout during COVID; as we've never physically been to this restaurant. read more

Overpriced Unknowledgeable staff taking orders Warm raw fish Only positive is takeout order processed quickly. My california roll actually tasted the best out of all 3 rolls I ordered and usually california is the blandest, wtf? Bathroom unclean, door hardly locks. Overall, extremely underwhelmed. read more

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Japanese options are more plentiful in Collegetown than ever before. I would rate Plumb Tree in my top 2 go-to places for Japanese cuisine. Their sushi offerings are fine. As a New York sushi snob, I would acknowledge that I've had better. But this is Ithaca and the sushi quality is not the best but it's acceptable. Where I find the greatest value is in their bento boxes. At $24, they are pricey, yes... BUT, there is a LOT of food there! I could (and have) gorged and ate everything but one order could have stretched over two meals or shared between two people for a "normal" sized meal. From that perspective, $24 is reasonable. Their takeout process is very efficient. The latest few times I've ordered, it was ready in less than 30 minutes. The few times I've eaten in, service was fine. No complaints there. They always seem to have space. Maybe most of their business is take out. Or others are scared off by the price? Fine by me...that means I can always find a table there! I would eat at Plumb Tree anytime. read more

I came here right after they reopened for the summer, since I figured I'd have the best chance of getting fresh (safe) fish, a real concern in Ithaca. The menu had a lot of appealing maki combos, so I was optimistic, but everything I got tasted... weird. The soy sauce was off, smelled vaguely of cheap alcohol, and tasted like it was mixed with some kind of marinade. The tempura had an alternately meaty and lemony flavor, despite what had to be fresh fryer oil. The rich toro and avocado roll, which should have come alive with a hit of salt, was instead ruined by the odd soy sauce, and woefully tasteless without it. Tamago is hard to perfect, but also fairly easy to execute passably; instead, my two pieces had a sad grey pallor. Service was slow since they seemed understaffed, but that's forgiveable in the slow summertime. Ithaca isn't the place for sushi, but if you really need a sushi fix, I'd recommend Pokeland instead. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Good low key sushi spot in collegetown - especially perfect for a big group to share a lot of sushi for a good price & for sake bombs! Not necessarily the best fish I've ever had but it's decent for Ithaca and their menu has plenty of other options if you don't eat or don't want fish. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - sushi platter with various types of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

love this restaurant!!! Food is tasty and all the employees are so nice. Overall, reliable and consistent.

This Japanese restaurant is supposedly the best around here. Why? Not sure. The service was good and the speed of the food coming out was decent. I ordered the vegetable naruto and it was decent. How can it get bad? It's just sliced vegetables wrapped into a circle. But I do taste a difference btwn very good vegetable narutos and decent ones. What's the diff? Flavor. I guess it's how ripe their veggies are and how they decide to balance each veggie in the roll. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - Vegetable Naturo - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Mermaid roll is my all time favorite! Highly recommended! California sunrise and sukiyaki are also perfect for a chilly day. Plum tree is definitely the best Japanese restaurant at ctown. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - Mermaid roll, California sunrise, sukiyaki, and oyakudon. - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

-Food Alright. It really depends on what you order. I don't think there is anything extraordinary or something that you must try at this place, but at the same time, nothing's especially bad. Yet the price is pretty high for this particular quality of food. Overall, I wouldn't particularly recommend this place for anyone, but also not discouraging people from going. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - Oyako don - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I've been to plum tree a few times and overall, the quality is decent but a little overpriced. Appetizers: The sake kama (grilled salmon collar) is really good, grilled perfectly with nice char and cooked through, but small and overpriced. The takoyaki are fantastic! You're definitely going to burn your mouth on the inside. A little overpriced but super tasty The soft shell crab is 2 crabs cut in half; kinda fried until it barely tastes like crab. I would not really recommend this. There's an appetizer with squid in a ginger sauce that was really fairly priced and large; the squid was cooked perfectly too, tender but still tasted like squid. Mains: The tonkatsu curry is decent, the cutlet feels thin but it's fried well and not greasy. Not much to say about the curry. All of the sushi entrees are pretty good quality, taste good, tastefully presented, but generally overpriced. I've had the sashimi dinner and sashimi lovers dinner. All the fish were cut well and tasted fresh; nothing too fishy or tough. The hwe dup bap was quite good; heavy on the small fish eggs and a little light on the fish chunks but can probably serve two people who aren't super hunger. Probably a better deal in terms of filling you up than the sashimi entrees. Dessert: The fried ice cream was downright terrible. Super thick coating, very greasy. Icy crystals in the ice cream. The chocolate sauce completely overwhelmed the taste of the green tea ice cream of which there wasn't much to begin with. Overall though, decent quality sushi and sashimi, tastes pretty authentic. A little on the pricey side, can get loud so think twice before coming here on a date. read more

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Plum. The first place i ever had sushi... I was very happy I dared to. Delicious! everything was good, even the seaweed salad. Good service and good food. College town, sake bombs Enough said read more

Having come here a little too early last week (they don't open until noon on Saturday's), a couple of friends and I decided to eat at Plum Tree for lunch this weekend. The Grub -- * Chicken Katsu Box ($9.95) - All lunch boxes come w/ rice, house salad, dumplings, edamame & California roll or vegetable roll Venue Review -- Tucked into a corner of Dryden Road, Plum Tree is a cozy restaurant with the majority of seating being booths and comfy red couches. They feature a sushi bar near the front of the restaurant and larger group seating in the "second level". The location is convenient for Ithaca's student population being right below Collegetown Plaza, across the street from Eddygate, and half a block down from Collegetown Center. It doesn't have much of an authentically Asian vibe to it. Food Review -- Plum Tree has a great selection of rolls, sashimi, and warm udon dishes. I have previously tried the 007 roll and a couple others here for dinner, so this time I decided to try my luck with the lunch boxes (served between 11:30am and 2:30pm). At the low price of $9.95, I assumed that if it turned out badly, not too much harm could come of it. From a long list of lunch specials I ordered the chicken katsu, lightly breaded and fried chicken. It came with rice, a small salad, two fried dumplings, a handful of edamame beans, and four pieces of an avocado roll. It was already looking like a got a bang for my buck! The breading on the katsu was a little overcooked, resulting in slightly dry and overly crispy chicken. A friend of mine got the spicy tuna & salmon roll combo and she was kind enough to let me swipe a couple off her plate. I was pleasantly surprised by the ratio of rice to fish in each bite. Plum Tree doesn't skimp on the sushi filling. The spicy tuna also had a nice kick to it. Service Review -- Our waiter was very quick with taking our order and then he vanished. Luckily, one of the guys I've seen working there is always cheerful enough and he gave us a big smile and cheerful "hello" and "goodbye" in Japanese (I'm assuming) as we left. Overall Impression -- Competing with Miyake for the best sushi in town, I'd have to say that Plum Tree is my favorite of the two. Although a little pricey with some of their items, Plum Tree's lunch special will not make a dent in your wallet and still leave you feeling pretty full. Although Miyake does have a tasty signature dish, their Super Bowl, it goes for an outrageous $17.95 and with tax & tip you end up forking over a ridiculous $20+. It's been hit and miss for me at Plum Tree when it comes to food, but if you're looking for a good place to Sake Bomb, this is the spot. SAKE SAKE BOMB! read more

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3.5 stars. I feel a little bad about giving 3 stars. I enjoyed my meal here, it's just the food really didn't quite make the 4 star standard. First of all, overpriced for what they offer. Prices are comparable to similar joints in NYC but not quite as up to par in terms of quality. Some tables were not set and there is the occasional fly. Service is polite and food comes out pretty quickly. The special rolls here are delicious. There are many creative choices to choose from and most of them are illustrated in the menu. They're not loaded with rice and are generously filled with fish and veggies-very satisfying. Now the raw fish: not very fresh. Though subtle, the sashimi all had a slightly fishy and unpleasant aftertaste. All were soft and flimsy to the touch instead of firm, so texture was also not amazing. Good news: they do give you pretty big slices, but in this case I'd rather pay more for fresher sushi. I'd recommend coming here for lunch as their lunch special bento boxes are a great value at 9.95. Their cooked food (teriyaki, skewers) are actually pretty good. Definitely a fun place to go sake bombing with friends- very crowded and loud at night. read more

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Food is alright but you gotta know what to order to make it worth it and not overpriced. The cold udon on the side of your sushi makes a good meal. read more

Overpriced sushi. Got one of the special rolls and it was ok, but I only got 5 pieces for $14. Taste wasn't anything special at all. Server also rushed everything and kept mixing up checks. read more

Went back after Covid and it's just as before ... good food, usually good service

Everything was just not tasty. The food was not fresh and tasted awful. It's hard to find sushi that tastes bad (even the not so good ones). I felt really nauseous after eating their sushi. Food was unreasonably priced. Overall I felt like I wasted my stomach and money dining here. read more

The best sushi in town. Plz go here and get anything. You won't be disappointed. Slow but worth the wait even with college students all around chanting sake bomb read more

Plum Tree is a restaurant I go to often because of its convenient location in Collegetown. I usually find myself ordering rolls and their delicious fried green tea tempura ice cream. Because of its proximity to Cornell University the restaurant manages to charge prices slightly higher than what their food may actually be comparably worth. Unfortunately, because of that same proximity, you may find yourself trying to have a quiet dinner while a loud crowd is banging on tables and Sake-Bombing right next to you. In the end, Plum Tree gets the job done and satisfies my late evening sushi cravings. As a tip for first timers, I would suggest going to their more reasonably priced lunch hour times. read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - A picture of their lunch hour "Sushi Sashimi Combo" with 8 pieces of Chef-choice sashimi, 4 pieces of sushi, and a California roll. - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Let me start this by saying that Ithaca's definitely not the best place for high-quality sushi options. Having said that, Plum Tree is as good as it gets for a quick lunch fix! Highly recommend the Bento Boxes for lunch - it's great value and very filling. The lunch sushi options are good as well. This is also a good place for dinner if you're coming with a large group (e.g. students). Service is quick and efficient - they are very good about splitting checks and accommodating any way that you may want to split the bill among a big group. read more

Large place staffed mostly by Cornell students who actually (according to our waiter) have the freedom to create their own rolls. Ours had concocted what he called "Salamander" which was a vegetarian option and also delicious. Stuffed with carrots, asparagus, some other stuff wrapped in avocado and topped with a slighty spicy red sauce. Ordered up some sake and a "boat for 2" which wow. The menu says it's for two, but we fed four on it and had leftovers. Good variety and all very tasty rolls - I liked the rock and roll best. Everything tasted very fresh and I left quite satisfied. read more

If you wanna eat some good food, this is the place to be. I enjoy the specialty rolls at every japanese restaurant I go to, but without a doubt, the rolls here are on a whole another level. You can't get rolls like these anywhere but here. Get the Spicy Tuna Bruschetta, the Mermaid Roll and the 007 Roll, along with some warm sake. After that, you're set... I call it the King's Meal. read more

We had take away here twice! Super fresh. Delivery was early and charges reasonable. Salmon sushi was excellent. Rice was perfect. read more

I was shocked by the prices at Plum Tree--several dollars more than I'm used to paying for the same menu items in NYC. I understand the Collegetown area is always going to be a little price inflated, and if you want authentic Japanese food you've only got a couple of choices, but even so. . . . That being said, the food was pretty much what you would get at a nice-ish Japanese restaurant in the city, and the portions were big--I had the salmon bento dinner and was full by the time I was done. The service could certainly have been better--the waiter mostly disappeared once he dropped off the food, but was quick to bring the check when I was done. Unlike the staff in most Japanese restaurants, he never came by to refill my cup of green tea. It couldn't have been because he was busy--I was there on a slow night and at one point was actually the only customer in the place. If you're charging Manhattan prices in upstate New York, you'd better try a little harder than that. For an experience that includes authentic Japanese hospitality as well as good food, I would actually recommend Miyake, around the corner on Eddy Street. Their prices are the same if not a little lower, and the woman there is much more cheerful and attentive. read more

One of my favorite places in college town. I like the soba noodle, Kalbi lunch box, dragon roll, etc when I'm eating alone. And it's always more fun with a group. The sushi boat and saki bomb are amazing when you have a group. It's good for a lunch alone and a group dinner on Friday night. Besides, all the food on the menu are tasty. It's not first class but you'll never get anything taste wrong. =) read more

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this is a collegetown favorite and a place you would come to have a quality meal. By college standards, this place is considered expensive. I have been here on multiple occasions. My family treated me to a nice dinner here freshmen year and I still enjoy it today as a Big Red alum. You can't go wrong with any item at this place. If you are hungry, get the Bento Box. You will not be disappointed. I am not a big sushi person, but the rolls here seem to be very good and fresh. Plus, they can accommodate large groups! Treat yourself well college peeps! read more

My boyfriend heard that this was the "go-to" spot around the campus area. Gamed, we decided to come here during our first night for dinner. From the looks of it, it is a fairly popular restaurant for university students who either come here to get a quick bite or to hang out with friends. We were seated quickly and were not bothered until we decided what we wanted to eat, which, for me, is something I prefer over people breathing down my neck. We ordered the kaarage chicken (lightly fried chunks of chicken with a touch of lemon), the agedashi tofu, kimchi & pork soup, and a spicy tuna maki, caterpillar maki, and two pieces of unagi nigiri. I would say that these dishes were decently good but not something to rave over. The fried chicken was good, but not something to write home about. The agedashi tofu was lukewarm in the inside, which I was not happy about. The kimchi and pork soup, my boyfriend's choice, was way too salty. As for the sushi, they were good, although I was skeptical about how light the spicy tuna was (too much mayonnaise perhaps?). I wouldn't say the dishes were ridiculously overpriced, but I must say that there are some dishes that aren't worth the price. Overall, however, the food and dining was fine and I would go here if I have a craving for Japanese food. read more

Whatever you do, do not order the uni. Sure it's supposed to look like poop but not taste like it too! It did not taste fresh, despite them telling me it was. I've had uni often in the past, and never has it tasted this way. With that said, the other sushis are okay. Don't try to be adventurous here, stick with the safe stuff. read more

I love Plum Tree, such a fun ambiance and great food. Quick service and since they have so many selections I never get bored with the menu! read more

Plum Tree Restaurant - I love this place, it's amazing. Great food, great environment, lovely location. - Japanese Near Me - Ithaca, New York

If you want something fancy with top notch sushi, yeah, this isn't the place for you. If you want very very solid japanese food and a nice ambiance to chill with friends? Go for it. I love the salmon lover's roll, karaage (nice and bite sized with a delightful white sauce with a kick), and their takoyaki. The takoyaki I admit is not spherical and a little overpriced, but it's a great treat when you want a mini splurge. ^_^ By ordering ahead of time for pick up, there is only a 15 min wait when it's not peak hours and everything is nicely packaged to go. read more

SAKE SAKE BOMB! In the spirit of complete honesty, I have very little idea of what the food is actually like. I've only EATEN at the Plum Tree a handful of times. Every time I had the Teriyaki Chicken, which is not hard to make. I've even successfully completed it. Plum Tree is most known for its Sake Bombs. Cornell is one of those places so that if you get ANY visitor... inevitably, you will take them Sake Bombing. What can I say about Sake Bombing... It's a ton of fun, but be cautious... it can sneak up on you. And if you go way too overboard, it could result in your getting naked and running around your house. Trust me. Plum Tree is the gold standard in Ithaca sake bombing. read more

Unfortunately am basing this on ambiance, service, and their miso soup. I wasn't too hungry but my friend was so we thought we'd stop in for a bit. He got a salad that he enjoyed, it had rice, tons of fishes in it. I got to try the miso and it was nicely flavored but barely any seaweed or tofu. The atmosphere was fun, it was huge! Lots of college students there being rambunctious. The music was top 40. It was decorated like a sushi place but the vibe was definitely American. read more