A variety of dishes that need work, but overall made for a good experience. The agedashi tofu was decent, if sometimes the batter was a bit thick. The sashimi salad was a bit of a miss, as there were only four slices of fish, and then some iceberg lettuce (!) that was underwhelming for the price paid. The beef negima, beef rolls, were decent, though sometimes the beef was a bit tough. The mains were a hit and miss; the tofu soondubu was the better of the two, with tofu that retained its heat well, nicely diced vegetables in the interior, and a decent flavoring in the hot soup. The rice was a good texture. The Nabe Yaki Udon had a soup that I didn't find super compelling; it seemed a bit artificial, but not enough complexity at the same time). read more

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a mediocre experience. Ponzu is a Japanese/Korean restaurant in downtown Waltham with seating indoors exclusively. Started off with the tempura appetizer and it was ok. There were a couple pieces of shrimp along with a few pieces of fried vegetables. The batter was different than what I'm typically used to in Japan... The miso black cod was tiny and more of an appetizer. It was nicely seared on the side and I found the sauce a touch too overpowering... Staff was courteous and sweet. She checked up with us throughout the evening. read more

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I definitely think the food is very overpriced for the quality. The sushi was just okay but is very expensive. We got three separate rolls the pink lady roll, the kiss of fire and just a Philly roll and it was very similar quality to any other sushi place but the rolls were much more expensive. The waitress warned us that the fried rice had a lot of turmeric and they really meant it, it's a lot. All in all I don't think the quality matches the price. read more

Ponzu - Pink Lady, fried rice, Kiss of Fire Maki, Pork Gyoza 5 Pcs - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Cute family owned restaurant with one sushi chef and one Korean food chef, and I think the owner is the waitress. We just got sushi rather than the Korean food. Crab rangoons were not great (tasted like frozen Sysco food), and not a fan of the salmon skin roll (too salty). But the mango salad with salmon was great, and so were the other specialty rolls (pink lady, and another one with salmon and eel sauce). read more

Ponzu - Crab Rangoon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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I came here on a rainy summer day and ordered the soft tofu stew with pork for $16. The soup was hearty and slightly spicy, while the rice had a comforting texture that paired nicely with the steaming soup. I finished about 3/4 of the stew then tapped out. Leaving feeling full but satiated, this restaurant is a cozy Japanese/Korean restaurant but because it's called Ponzu Izakaya I expected more Japanese small dishes like pub foods in Japan. Otherwise, the food was decent, fast, and comforting. read more

Ponzu - Soft Tofu Chigae Lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Pleasantly surprised with the quality of Korean food! Was great in comparison to regular korean restaurants. Came on a Friday for lunch, not to busy so service was quick they do offer some outdoor seating, but do so at your own risk because it is Moody St. Pricing is pretty average for a sit down restaurant, not super cheap but not too expensive. Place was clean. read more

Ponzu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I wish I had photographed my partner's bibimbap- that was actually my favorite dish. I love the skinny flavorful bulgogi, and they serve it authentically in that special pot/bowl that keeps cooking it, and makes the rice all crispy at the bottom. The waitress was very kind, and made the whole experience homey. The sushi was really good, and I would have ordered more if I was hungrier. Was in the mood for a shrimp sushi roll. Tried a kind of stew/soup with tofu and zucchini as well, that my partner liked more than me. Overall really fun experience, and no wait. Love that they offer Korean and Japanese food. read more

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I LOVE THIS PLACE. Such a comfort food for me. The owner is always so kind. The soju cocktails ($10) are delicious and HIT DIFFERENT. My friends and I would always come here after a long day at university. They always have a sports game playing on the wall nearby if you run out of things to say to each other or you'd just like to eat in silence. I love getting their kimchi jjigae and the American beef roll. read more

Always get take out lunch from ponzu and I've always thought the food was awesome, I went there to dine in for the first time this weekend and was not disappointed, the food was just as good if not better with the presentation. The staff were very friendly and attentive, I couldn't help but compliment the chef on his work. The day I went, the restaurant was pretty quiet which made it feel very personal. read more

Fantastic sushi specials, helpful staff, and reasonable prices. Met a friend here on his idea, and was very happy at his selection. They even omitted a fish I don't like from my special. The interior is beautiful and not overwhelming. I'll definitely come back. read more

Ponzu - Interior - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Would not recommend Ponzu. The appetizers really varied in quality, from an extremely small, bland portion of calamari, to a delicious Hotate Hokkaiyaki (the star of the entire meal). Not pictured is sashimi, which is the worst I have ever tasted. It was warm, the salmon was falling apart, and both dinner guests felt sick afterward. The maki is average, and generally smothered in sauces. Although the food came out quickly, and waitstaff was courteous, it is not enough to make it worth your while. read more

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We decided to have dinner here, we ordered bibimbap and rolls. and if the rolls could still be eaten but here bibimbap was impossible to eat. they served it on a special plate that was heated, served it burned, everything was disgusting. the girl was officially unpleasant, she stood over the table, did not take the order long, did not give food, and went just so. I will not go there again! It is the most uncomfortable place. There were two of us, and the roll set was served for one, we asked in the end did not wait I suggest learning from others! read more

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My friend and I were just looking for a sushi restaurant and this was the only one open for sit-down dining. We were pleasantly surprised that this was both a Korean and Japanese restaurant since we both love Korean food, but have limited options in Waltham. The service was good and the staff were super friendly. The food came out quickly and was pretty good! We ordered tteokbokki and a couple of sushi combos. The tteokbokki came with some mozzarella cheese with it which was nice, and the dish in general was great for cool summer day. The sushi combos were also great. The cooked one was really filling and the other included fresh tasting yellowtail, tuna, and salmon (all spicy). I would say that the general spice level for everything was pretty mild, so you don't have to worry too much if you've got some spice intolerances and wanted to try these dishes. It's definitely a good restaurant with excellent service, but not a stand out Korean/Japanese restaurant (in my opinion). Since it's the only option in Waltham that's not Bonchon, you can't really beat it. Overall I give it a 4.5/5 stars. read more

Ponzu - Tteokbokki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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Bibimbap, sushi, late-night food and soju, what more could you want? Very kind family owners who treat their staff and customers well.

Ordered the volcano roll, seafood avocado salad and a couple other rolls. Fast service, fresh food and clean restaurant, will be back! read more

Ponzu - Volcano roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Another great place to escape from the work grind and grab some good eatin' on Moody if you're craving sushi and/or Korean. The front of the restaurant was just a plane Jane looking regular restaurant but as soon as you step in, it was pretty nice, roomy, and clean. My coworker had the beef bimpibap lunch special and I had the spicy maki lunch special. The sushi here was great--sushi rice was very moist and the spicy tuna was on point. No complaints. The bimbibap came out sizzzzzzling which made the meal so inviting. With the egg on top as well. My sushi maki just had no trade value. It was a tootsie roll going against the butterfinger bar on Halloween. I'll have to try the bimbibap next time! Restaurant had plenty of space to host their guest. Of course on Moody, bring your parallel parking chops with you or park in the city parking lots off streets. Cheers read more

Ponzu - Spicy Maki combo lunch special and bimbibap lunch special. Simple great choices. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

PLACE IS AMAZING !! Sushi is always spot on and lunch hour box's are the BEST highly recommend if ypu are local or loo PLACE IS AMAZING !! Sushi is always spot on and lunch hour box's are the BEST highly recommend if ypu are local or looking for a sushi spot this is the spot 10 stars read more

Everything from service to food quality was excellent. Noodles were delicious as was the sushi. The restaurant is very clean and we will definitely be back. Even if you don't live close by make the trip...it's worth it. read more

Fantastic! First time here. Impressed about the place glancing at the open kitchen area and taking a peek at the bathroom-sparkling clean. Good service, food served promptly on a Saturday night. Polite staff. We ordered one appetizer- fried veggie gyoza, Pink lady, and a dolsot bibimbap. All were tasty. Pink lady is the favorite. It's a really nice maki. Overall, had a great experience. We had enough portions for two and took some home. Highly recommend. read more

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Really enjoyed our dining in experience here. Wanted tteokbokki again, so here we were. I decided to order a Japanese dish as my entree (Chicken Katsu), and my husband ordered soondubu jigae. When I came out of the bathroom (yay clean bathrooms!), bon chon was waiting for us. I ate the kimchi, which could have been a touch spicier, but it was still good. Our wonderful server brought me out more. Tteokbokki was delicious. My husband wished it had cheese on it, but I found it the perfect combination of spice/flavors. The Katsu was delicious and not greasy at all for a fried dish. My husband liked his dish too. I thought it was a good value and will definitely come back again. read more

My go to sushi spot for dine in or takeout. Staff is nice and my order is always ready on time. Their online ordering is easy to use. Staff was very helpful for my gluten free friend who was trying to find a safe food to eat. Fish is good quality and rolls are great. read more

Biggest ripped off in the whole Moody street. So I ordered Mala pot take out and was waiting there for almost an hour. During my waiting no check up was given and I guess they just don't care. My Malapot cost $59.92, and it turned out it is THE BIGGEST RIPPED OFF in the whole Moody street. One example is the beef tender that costs $6 - see my pciture here: 5 tiny pieces and smaller than a tennis ball. Note, we didn't eat any! I'm not going anymore and I am issuing a dispute from my bank. Ratings way down! read more

Ponzu - Beef tender - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I came here with a friend for sushi buffet lunch on a weekday. The bar section of the restaurant doubled as the buffet line with the spread being laid out there, which was fine. Service was okay, though not exactly showing much of a pulse. The miso soup starter was acceptable, but not warm. The fish was generally fine and there was a diverse assortment of nigiri sushi and rolls. I mostly went for the tuna nigiri but there was salmon and yellowtail as well. Their spicy tuna roll was decent as well as their other rolls. Overall, the rice for the sushi was at the right temperature and not clumpy. Having seaweed salad was a nice touch and I went for that heavily. There were some typical Asian-esque hot entrees and appetizers (like crab rangoon), but I only went for a couple of crab rangoons for sake of variety. If you can pound nigiri sushi like a champ, this lunch buffet might be worthwhile for you. Just note: I'm not sure if they have lunch buffet all the time, so you might have to inquire before going. (arigato, Mai) read more

Ponzu - Miso soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Dined here last night with a friend and all I can say is, AMAZING. The wait staff are so friendly, the place is incredibly clean and the ambience is very nice and relaxed. We ordered Crab Rangoon, The Goldfish roll, Crispy Yellowtail Maki (my personal favorite), The Alligator Roll and Maureen's Sandwich. Quality of the food was fresh, rolls were delicious and the place was memorable. I'm so glad we stumbled upon this gem and we will definitely be returning. This is my first Yelp review, so that alone speaks for itself! Can't wait to dive deeper into the menu for future visits. read more

The best sushi I've ever had compared to the places in Chinatown, and Allston/Brookline. The staff was extremely friendly and everything was very clean. I would highly recommend you try this place! The food was so amazing I had to leave a review! read more

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My wife and I try to come here every week. It's our favorite local sushi and Korean spot. The food is good (and cheap!), the beer is refreshing and staff are friendly. It has a chill friendly vibe. For food, I would particular recommend the bibimbap which is served in a big iron bowl and gives lots of crispy rice. I would also recommend the makkoli drink... Unfiltered rice wine served in what is basically a soup bowl. Surprising the first time it comes out, fun new drink to try and it's delicious! I'm not a huge sushi fan but my wife loves it. Its fairly quiet weeknights and while Moody street is closed has a nice outdoor area. read more

We just ordered for the first time from Ponzu in Waltham and it was a great experience. It is very clean and everyone is wearing masks (the correct way - not under the nose like some people do). The staff was so nice and helpful. The sushi was very good. We ordered some basics like spicy tuna and california roll and some more interesting maki rolls. The spicy tuna was not my favorite as it was chopped up and mixed with sauce and I like a small piece of tuna with sauce on top - but that is a personal preference. It was tasty and very fresh. We also ordered some Korean and Japanese entree items. The sauteed chili calamari was spicy and delicious. The katsu was crispy and favorful. I would definitely come back and order more of their interesting Korean options. The in-side dining was nicely spread out. This was a keeper for sushi options. read more

Lunch Takeout Review Miso soup was ok, I liked the mushrooms. Four seasons was okay (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, crabmeat and avocado tempura). The yellowtail was cooked so it was a bit odd as I was expecting it raw, but overall had a good taste. I liked the spicy mayo. The lady at the counter was very nice and helpful when paying for multiple people. read more

Ponzu - Miso to go - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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My go-to sushi place in Waltham is still Sakura but my boyfriend doesn't eat seafood and prefers the Kitchen entrees at Ponzu so I made sacrifices in the name of love. Ponzu has a great variety of maki and special rolls and fresh sashimi. I was disappointed they don't offer Chirashi. If you get the sashimi lunch special, it comes with rice - that's the closest you can get. Ponzu would probably be my go-to but i find it a little pricey. I don't know if they still do the AYCE lunch buffet but save your money on that. Not really worth it. Barely a real buffet. Just a line of plates with random sushi that the chef makes and some hot dishes placed on the sushi bar. read more

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Seafood is always fresh and the waitstaff is great. Very inexpensive for the quality and presentation is done well. Very good Korean options, as well. read more

The food at Ponzu was excellent! Service was amazing, and as a wheelchair user with motor issues, the place was very accessible and the staff were accommodating with my limitations (such as needing a plastic fork and spoon.) We got the scallion pancake, the dolsot bimbipap with pork, and the soft tofu chigae. The pancake and the chigae were delicious. The bimbibap would have been better with some more pork, but it was still quite good. Highly recommend. read more

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After my last review the owner reached out directly and offered to show his appreciation and apologize for our last visit. The gesture really meant a lot and I hope my last review helped them realize ways they can make things better for their customers. The sushi from here really is the best we've had within newton, Watertown and Waltham (My son is picky and we've tried them all!), and the owner and everyone who works there is extremely nice. read more

My experience here was awesome! A couple of co-workers and I were able to sneak out for a well deserved lunch! As soon as we stepped foot in the place it was all about us! We sat at the sushi bar and chatted it up with the Chef's and waitresses. We asked for a suggestion and just told him "WE ARE NOT PICKY EATERS" and he said "THEN PUT YOUR MENU AWAY" lol It was awesome he just free styled and made us sushi roll after sushi roll until we told him to stop! Each roll was catered to us and you can tell he had fun making it as much as we had fun eating it! Creative rolls are on the menu but I can always appreciate a sushi chef who can make their own roll right on the spot! I'll be back again and again... until they know my mother's name! read more

Ponzu - Show them this roll and ask for it! DO IT! You can thank me on here later - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

This spot was ok. Definitely low frills - only beer wine and sake on the menu. We started with pan fried gyoza and vegetable spring rolls. The spring rolls came with a sort of citrus aioli which wasn't bad just different. We didn't share food so I can only comment on my two makis; Goldfinger and Maureen's Sandwich. The Goldfinger was interesting - I typically love mango or other fruits in a sushi roll but with the mango, they also did a sweet citrusy aioli sort of sauce so the roll in full ended up being very sweet. Wouldn't be terrible if you were having a couple pieces but the whole roll was a lot for that flavor profile. Next I ordered Maureen's Sandwich which I didn't know what to expect and it was cut into these large triangles as if it was a quarter sandwich. For some of us less strong with chop sticks (cough, me) I'm not sure the best approach to eat this. I really had to manhandle it with my chopsticks as best as possible. This roll had sort of a mush my texture with a lot of rice and a macerated spicy salmon. I would go back potentially and maybe just try a few other options. read more

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Clean restaurant offering various type of Korean cuisine. Whether you like sushi or more traditional korean food this place is for you!

On a whim, a friend and I popped in for dinner. Though billed as a sushi restaurant, I was surprised and excited to see there were Malaysian dishes on the menu. I should have known better but it had been a long while since I'd had mee goreng or roti canai. My friend ordered some rolls and sake which were a lot better than what I got. We shared an order of edamame and a tuna roll. Those were good but it's hard to mess up steamed edamame and a simple roll. I expected my roti canai to be big, light, and chewy served with a delicious chicken and potato curry. What I got was a greasy, thick, cooked-from-frozen roti in an unusually sweet and un-curry like dipping sauce. There may have been a small piece of chicken and potato in there but definitely not what is expected of a good roti canai. The mee goreng is supposed to be a spicy seafood noodle dish with some sour notes. Ponzu's mee goreng has potential to be good but it just falls short. The noodles were the yellow lo mein noodles served in Chinese fast food joints, the seafood was tasty but they threw in fake crab meat which was off putting, and the seasoning was off. It was a little spicy and much too sweet. It didn't taste like ketchup but it didn't taste great either. Overall, I was disappointed with my meal. Service was good and the food mediocre at best. The sushi options are limited and feature mostly rolls that are heavily fried or covered in sauces. Generally overpriced and the food quality was not up to snuff. read more

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Ponzu is actually one of the few restaurants in the area with Korean food, although they also serve Japanese food. I came here with friends and we got the maki combos and nigiri combo, both of which are great if you can't decide what you want or if you want to try a selection of different sushi. We also got tteokbokki as an appetizer, which was delicious and very spicy. Our food did take a little while to come out even though the restaurant wasn't very busy, but overall, pretty good service. read more

Ponzu - Spicy Korean rice cakes (tteokbokki) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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Best place to eat Japanese and Korean food. The place is clean and they have complied to COVID-19 Pandemic rules and regulations very well. The food here is outstanding and the owner is very friendly and helpful. Bottom line if you are looking for a good food and safe environment this is the place to be! read more

I tried out Ponzu last night per all the fantastic Yelp reviews- plus it's in Waltham near where I live so that was a plus. I haven't had a chance to try out any of the local Waltham restaurants so this was a great place to start. Location wise, eh. I know it's "downtown Waltham" - but Moody St is honestly nothing to get excited about. Parking isn't that readily available either. Inside, service was great. The decor was a little lacking- it wasn't completely bare or simple but something about the ambiance for me was a little off. We ordered standard green tea- and my only gripe was that it was served in a metal pot with matching cups, and the hot tea was so hot that it hurt to even touch the cups- there was really no barrier blocking the heat. However, the food was fantastic! We strayed from our standard miso soup order and tried the spicy seafood kimchi soup which was amazing. It was just the right amount of spice and so flavorful- a great balance of sour and spicy at the same time. We also ordered the seafood salad to start which was also equally flavorful and delicious. For sushi, we ordered 4 rolls- the godzilla, crazy maki, x-max and the softshell crab maki (I forget the exact name). My favorite was the x-max! It was shrimp tempura topped with spicy tuna... my new favorite sushi. Probably the best kind I've had. We ended the meal with green tea mochi (Japanese ice cream) that was the best mochi I've had so far- they drizzled it with chocolate and whipped cream and it was just the right amount of dessert. A nice surprise was the fancily cut orange that they serve you with your check- it was so fresh and delicious and the perfect end to our meal. I'll definitely come here again. I wouldn't say it's the best place to go with large groups- as it is lacking that certain liveliness I find necessary for having large parties of people- but it's great for a date or a night out with a friend or two. read more

My last visit to this Asian fusion restaurant was not gastronomically mind-blowing, but it was pleasant. The agreeable staff and nice decor made up for the average, unmemorable food. I had the Four Seasons, which was a comfortable portion for a light summer dinner, but I can't remember what the rest of my table had. While this is a nice addition to Moody St, I'd probably make the commute to Boston for better sushi. read more