Not many people upon arrival so service was really quick. The food came quickly and the waitress…read morewas polite. Had ramen along with sushi rolls. Food was really good and fresh

Vibes: modern sleek ambiance featuring pop remixes, surprisingly spacious, bring a friend or a few…read moreto sit at the sushi bar or booths Tasting notes: - Tuna Tasting Crackers: higher ratio of rice to tuna; rice has a nice crispy crust; pieces are generous (takes more than one bite) - Kyuri: decent chunks pleasantly dressed up with a creamy green sauce and sesame oil with a dusting of spice - Chef's Special: thick pieces of scallop on top; pieces tended to fall apart - Tiger Roll: light crunch from the tempura, a touch spicy, excellent flavor from the chili crisp; - Chirashi: thick, large slices of fresh fish - Mazemen with Pork: meat was incredibly tender and buttery; noodles were perfectly chewy with a touch of sweetness; loved all the vegetables adding to the texture and flavor Other thoughts: - fast, friendly service, waited maybe 10 minutes for most dishes to land on the table - had a reservation but plenty of open seating on a weekday night - above items were more than satisfying given the portions Impression: would love to come back and try the rest of the menu especially the ramen!

Went on a Tuesday so it was a much more intimate experience as there were only a couple of us. The…read moreomakase is 19 courses and the establishment is BYOB. The sushi chef was very friendly and chatted with everyone throughout the at course. If you get up to use the restroom he will wait until you get back before making your nigiri- just a nice subtle touch. The fish was very fresh, basically melting in your mouth. The uni was wonderfully sweet, so fkd those unsure about it, definitely give it a try!

Surprise from my son for Mother's Day. We went the Friday night before Mother's Day. We arrived…read moreat this restaurant which the lights were focus all in the middle where the chefs were preparing each sushi. I loved this restaurant. Yes! It is pricey. Each piece of sushi had it own texture and taste. This place is BYOB. We had good seating neighbors. They shared their bottles of liquor. We had Rum, white wine, red wine, and 3 different kinds of saki. The drinks were good with our sushi.

Experienced the Omakase here and it was excellent. Was a slower night, there were only 2 other…read moreguests for a 6P Sunday evening seating. Chef Zen was so personably and gave lots of information about each cut of fish. Quality was excellent and the sake pairing went very well with the meal. Omakase was 18 courses, with both sushi and small cooked dishes throughout. My favorite bites were the Hokkaido scallop and the Barracuda.

Came for my birthday for omakase and it was divine! Super cool back room downstairs where they do…read morethe tasting and it's very intimate with both the sushi chefs and the other guests. Would be cool to come with a group of 10! Everything was divine but I definitely did not capture everything. The cocktails were also crafted with such love and attention. Service was great though even if a bit slow at times. It made the experience more enjoyable and relaxing. Couldn't capture every bite (I was living) but tried my best.

Fat Salmon is one of the best sushi spots I've been to. We shared a boat with two rolls and nigiri,…read moreand everything was super fresh. The fish was amazing and the rice was perfect. My son loved the beef gyoza and salmon avocado rolls. The lychee cocktail was amazing, cucumber was good too but I preferred the lychee. Service was great, and the interior is really nice with a cool blue wave feature on the wall. Would definitely go back

Fun sushi spot. Great vibe and interesting murals on the walls…read more Our server was very nice and gave us all the time we needed. We ordered several rolls that were all very good, but the tempura cauliflower might have been the favorite just because of its originality. Don't think I'll be back in Philadelphia any time soon, but would absolutely go back to Fat Salmon if I do. Only bummer was I left my credit card there after dinner on a Sunday night and they are closed on Monday. We left Philly Tuesday before they opened. Unfortunately, no way to get in touch with them, but when I did, they agreed to shred the card.

We have been met with perfection. I can leave this planet…read moreone day happy in knowing I have had The...Best. Royal's announcement on they starting to take reservations, a few months ago, immediately had me in stalker mode. I set a calendar reminder, waited for the day, hopped on & bang- success!! Another Philly weekend awaited, Yea! We arrived at Royal (apologies on review delay, circa April 11), for our 8:30pm high top table reservation. We were greeted and seated immediately- right side corner table ready. It's very dim in Royal, small but mobile and a bit noisy. Nothing unexpected. Skating over service, but they are so noteworthy. Our server was attentive, kind and helpful. They HUSSLE here to bus and clear tables. Timing for patrons arriving and being sat was like it was scripted, it was so flawless. No one waiting at the entrance corridor on arrival. Machine precision. Now, our meal- I'm drooling in my daydreams over it. We tried many plates & loved the portion size to be able to do so. The chicken wings- crisp, thick golden fried and tender. The toro with caviar- silk. A touch of brine, a melt in your mouth pleasure. The grilled octopus had an unassuming spice, mellow char and just the right consistency of chew. My husband ordered a surprise- I was scared. Fish heads. WTF, ok here we go. The plate came- heads on heads, quite the portion. This fish- first bite down, intimidation gone. This is one of the best things we've ever eaten. Succulent, moist fall apart whitefish. Didn't even taste like it was battered, no thickness to the breading. It tasted fried but so clean it didn't make sense how good it was. I don't have words. And now we get to the sushi- and I go completely mute.... There is no description worthy here. We had the Dragon Roll and the Spicy Crab Tempura roll. Can we call them the "Die and gone to heaven rolls". Fall apart fresh. Quality. Restrained, but pronounced. Pure. Insane. How can you describe food you will always remember. Except in having passion and a simple happy heart. This is what Royal gave us- in a sushi roll and a fish head. Thanks Jesse and team- simply the best!

I've always loved the Queen Village area, so I already liked the location of Royal Izakaya going…read morein. One thing though, the restaurant was surprisingly hard to find because there really isn't much signage on the entrance/door. But there's a paper lantern outside, so if you see that, you're in the right place. I had really high expectations coming here and thankfully I wasn't disappointed, although nothing completely blew me away except for the Aka Taka roll. The chirashi bowl was solid overall and had good quality cuts of fish for $52. Everything tasted fresh and balanced, but next time I think I'd personally just order the sakedon instead. The chasu bao also wasn't really worth the $14 in my opinion. It was still good, just not something memorable or mind blowing. Same with the wagyu steak, for $38, it honestly just tasted like a really good steak, and the portion was a little smaller than I expected. My favorite appetizer was definitely the miso eggplant. Such a unique combination of flavors and the eggplant was cooked incredibly soft and well. It almost tasted like a sweet potato with the miso on top, and I would absolutely order it again. But the standout of the night was easily the Aka Taka roll. For a $27 roll, I had very high expectations and somehow they were all met. The roll was stuffed with different cuts of tuna that were unbelievably soft and buttery, and there was this crunch in the middle, maybe daikon? Whatever it was, it added the perfect texture. Honestly, it's something I'd go back just for.

This is the best place I've been to for sushi and ramen. The restaurant is small and cozy, and I've…read morebeen coming here for years, the food has always been consistently FRESH n delicious. One thing to keep in mind is that they only accept cash. The service is very good and fast, which makes the experience even better. It's also BYOB, which is great, and there's a Di Bruno Bros. liquor store right across the street, making it super convenient.

Another great option around the city if you're craving sushi or other Japanese food…read more The service is friendly and fast, and the ambience is cozy (though it feels a little bit dark). One thing to keep in mind: this place is cash only.

Been multiple times. Hands down our favorite ramen in the city…read more It's easier to get a seat for one or two at the bar. But if you go with a bigger group you can always sign onto the waitlist and walk around Chinatown until your table is ready. I like the spicy ramen with shredded pork. But all are really good. I usually get the takoyaki balls but their buns are good too. Service is usually pretty timely and you're in and out. Stomach full. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Been here twice while in Philly...first time was looking for a place to eat for dinner...and came…read moreacross this gem of place. There was luckily no line for both times we came but seated by the counter. Menus are online, so need to scan the barcode to read it on your phone. Plenty to choose from... Appetizers, main dishes and beverages. Drinks: had cold green tea and hot green tea Appetizers: fried gyoza and potato croquette which were good. Pork buns if you are hungry are filling and good. the chicken katsu don - definitely enough to share...rice with chicken and egg and sauce inside.. you can add additional spices and sauce to flavor as needed. Highly recommend the charsu don which we got the most recent tried - very flavorful with the sauce it comes with and we finished it up. Best dish I had the entire trip in Philly! Thank you!!! Friendly staff and service. Common restroom for customers. Will definitely come back we're back in town!

My fiancé and I love sushi and, while I have ordered from here in the past, she had never been. She…read morehas a gluten allergy (not celiac) but I can attest that she didn't have a reaction. The food here isn't competing for a top sushi spot in the city but it's priced accordingly and I have always been happy with my food. Fish is good quality and the waitstaff is knowledgeable on allergies. Cute window seating makes for a good place to have dinner or lunch.

I checked out Ginza in South Philly, and overall it was a really good experience…read more Parking: mostly residential, but there's at Riverview plaza parking lot at 48 Reed St. I found street parking pretty quickly, which was a plus. The restaurant itself is super cute small, cozy, and BYOB (definitely bringing a bottle next time). It was pretty empty when we went, which we didn't mind at all. It gave a relaxed vibe, though the service was a little slow. That said, it worked out since we ordered a variety of dishes and weren't in a rush. Linda was our server--very nice and attentive. What we ordered: Spicy edamame: really good, great flavor to start Miso black cod two pieces, but thick, flaky, and buttery with a slightly sweet sauce and shredded carrots. Taste a piece of the fish with the carrots. Yummmm Oyster uni spoon: a standout. The roe bursts in your mouth and the flavor melted together! Made my taste buds happy! sooooo good!!! Fried oysters: nice and crunchy, really good. The sauce drizzled over the cabbage pulled it all together Tuna Tango roll - looked nice, but just okay. Didn't do much for my taste buds Sushi burger - delicious!!! Everything worked together and it looked really cool too! Drinks: Yuzu citrus sparkling drink - refreshing but just okay Green tea - very light, not bold at all, more like lightly flavored water We really enjoyed the experience and will definitely be back. Next time I'll try a different specialty roll since the Tuna Tango didn't hit for me. I'm also curious how it is on a busy weekend we actually loved how quiet it was, but I imagine it gets more lively. Final thought: Great food overall, cozy vibe, and a perfect BYOB spot to try a variety of dishes.