Amazing food. Must try the edamame dumplings trust me. Everything was amazing. Shiatsu peppers were…read morevery tasty but wish it came with more of the spicy mayo. Cheesesteak bao was a bit out of place, but it is philly so gotta have it. wagyu soup dumplings were phenomenal. cod fried rice was great and their house made soy sauce was so gentle and tasty. Lovely service. Our waitress explained everything clearly and helped us pick when we couldn't decide. We sat downstairs and it was a tad bit TOO dark. I was nervous walking down there because I could not see and worried of missing a step. Other tables were using flashlights to read the menu which was valid. It was a comfy and sexy ambiance but the lighting could've been brighter and kept the same atmosphere. But I would definitely still choose to sit down there rather than any other seating options.

Double Knot is a vibe! I've visited twice and both times were great experiences. Located in the…read moreheart of Philly, on a strip with other restaurants, Double Knot is one of the "go-to" spots. It's two levels, with the lower level being more intimate. I dined on the bottom level both times. First, if you're dining on the lower level, take out your glasses. It's dimly lit...but dimly like on overdose. I had to turn on my flashlight to properly read the menu! I've tried several items -- gyoza, sushi, sashimi, oysters, and sea bass fried rice. I can't say any item was subpar. Service, on both occasions, was excellent. Overall, a really good time! Definitely try for yourself. Cheers!

Really incredible all you can eat deal!! The fish is fresh and rolls are really yummy. Service is…read moregreat and straight to the point. We ordered in two big batches for our group of 6. Ambiance is pretty casual. Definitely planning on coming back!

Service was terrible. The lady taking our order was extremely rude and would constantly quip back…read morewhenever we asked for anything. The service was also very slow. The food itself was disappointing. The rice was dry, the fish did not taste good with it, and the overall meal just felt low quality. The restaurant also had a sticky, unpleasant atmosphere that made the experience even worse. Tip was also included so make sure you watch out for that. Overall, the combination of rude service, slow wait times, dry food, and poor ambiance made this a very disappointing experience.

We came here as a surprise for my fiancé's birthday, and the entire experience was phenomenal! It…read morewas hands down the best birthday dinner we've ever had. We had so much fun, and every course was incredible and truly memorable. A special shoutout to Jo and Mario for being such amazing hosts and making the evening unforgettable! The restaurant is also BYOB, and there's a wine store just a block away, so you can easily stop there before your reservation. Definitely arrive on time! I would not recommend missing a single course! We absolutely love this place and cannot recommend it enough. If you're thinking about trying omakase, this is your spot. We can't wait to come back! Cheers!

Clean, intimate, fresh, very good value omakase…read more I did leave a little hungry but that may just be the nature of small plates

Very friendly staff, temperature controlled dining area and great menu/specials to choose from…read more Highly recommend for lunch OR dinner

I was arriving here after I received bad news from a hospital. I was a wreck but I desperately…read moreneeded something to eat, so i stopped by Bleu Sushi with my dad. The atmosphere is magical in here, from the themed lighting to the wall decor. Despite myself being a wreck, the staff treated me kindly despite me being in tears while ordering. I got the 2 roll special and had the lancaster roll and the philadelphia roll, and both were delicious with amazing fluffy rice and good quality fish. I got some ice cream as well. My day was made so much better after this, it felt like a blessing to stumble upon this restaurant that day.

Great Happy Hour Tuesday - Sunday! I stumbled across this place wandering around Sansom street and…read moreI'm glad that I did! They have really great options to choose from on Happy Hour and their regular menu! The Bao Buns & Steamed Dumplings did not disappoint! I was full after those two options but the HH menu had plenty to choose from. Fresh sushi is also prepared as you walk in! Beautiful dim lighting right at the entrance. That was my first time having that beer, not bad. I switched over to a special cocktail made my the bartender; great customer service! The host was also incredible with his greeting and recommendations. The place is clean, spacious and cozy. I say the bar, much space and many TVs. Check it out!

FOOD We ordered their spicy tuna roll, pork belly sumo buns,…read moremushroom sumo tacos, spicy citrus sumo wings, and fries. All of them were tasty and filling, and for happy hour, decently priced. It's a good place to try and to meet up with friends. DRINKS We had their yuzu paloma and one of their specialty cocktails. Both were good but VERY strong, so if you're looking for something sweeter or something that doesn't pack too strong of a punch, then they might not be for you. SERVICE The staff are kind and friendly. AMBIANCE It's a great place to catch up with friends over some finger foods and drinks. Located at the heart of Center City, it's also nearby a variety of other establishments if you want to hop around. PARKING Paid street parking is available at a limited capacity. Parking garages are also located nearby at a fee.

If you are craving sushi but don't want to sit down for long and feel overwhelmed by options, go to…read moreMari Mari. It's super casual and especially great for beginners. Items are on display which is super helpful. Prices are fantastic! Sushi comes out pretty quickly, the piece sizes are perfect, they're not overstuffed with rice. I loved the furfake that came with it too! The inaris were a bit overwhelming and heavy on the respective sauces. I don't know if it is just a personal preference but I personally will be sticking to the sushi when I go back.

Service: you buy your food at the counter and they serve it to your table if you wanna dine in…read more The inari was pretty worth it given the size. Tho I do see how it is a little overly sweet which overpower the flavor of the topping. Least favorite that I got was the shrimp. It is a nice cute little store with free water. The area also looks and feels clean.

Sampan is probably my favorite spot in Philly for happy hour. The restaurant itself has such a cool…read moreatmosphere, with dimly lit seating, two bars inside, and a back graffiti bar that has a completely different vibe with a more open and lively feel. I come here for happy hour every now and then because the prices are really great, and both the food and drinks are delicious. We started with the specialty cocktail and the Thai Punch, and both were really good. They had fruity undertones, and the alcohol wasn't overpowering at all -- I could easily have a few of these. For food, we got a few orders of the kung pao chicken wings. They were perfectly crispy with a really flavorful glaze. The portion size was also very generous, especially for the happy hour price. These are a great example of Asian-style fried chicken wings done right. I definitely want to come back and try their full dinner menu since I've only been here for happy hour so far. Luckily, it's not too far from where I live in the city, so I'll definitely be back!

TLDR: mediocre food and dessert. You will be rushed out and treated like a nuisance. Go if you…read moredeliberately want a short basic, salty meal and don't mind feeling rushed. The details: This place is WAY overrated online. It's amazing what a little publicity can do for a place... Honestly, I wish I had something good to say about it, but all I can say is that a couple of the dishes (mushroom shumai and salmon skewers) were just "okay". The fried items (spicy chicken bao, cauliflower) were greasy and tasted half burnt; they were clearly fried in old grease, which leaves burnt crumbs on the batter and also doesn't drain from the food as well. The short rib dumplings were salty and the meat was overcooked and mushy. Besides the poor quality food, I strongly disliked that (at a regular table with a dinner reservation) they asked for a card up front to "open a tab". Really?? That seems so weird and tacky. Very few people "dine and dash", so what would be the reason behind this? It felt especially "interesting" given the diversity of the patrons, if you get my drift. I've never been to a restaurant that does that, unless you're at the bar. Speaking of the bar...FYI They only honor the happy hour menu at the bar. The last thing I'll say is this isn't a place where you can eat comfortably and relax socially. They are literally at your table every 5-10 mins trying to get you out. It's sort of "tapas" style but they don't allow you to finish a bite before they bring the next item. We felt like we had to rush to taste everything before it got cold. To top it off, we ordered the $56pp meal thing and the dessert was 4 tiny, tiny finger-sized ice cream cones. They brought them out without warning, so they were melting right away...again, forcing us to eat or lose out. And of course the waitress brought the check out shortly thereafter. When I made it clear that we wouldn't be rushed out, she kindly gave us more water. I questioned her about rushing us, and she said they "run a high volume model". Lol doesn't every restaurant want high volume (I.e., more money)? But at the expense of service? I guess they found the sweet spot of mediocrity and profit that keeps the doors open. Maybe 10 mins later, the manager came over and picked up drink glasses and asked us how things went (another "hurry up") signal. It was truly bizarre. Unfortunately, I didn't get to finish telling him how terrible the food was because he had a nose bleed and had to run off, and didn't return right away. We just left because it was no longer worth staying around somewhere that made it uncomfortable for us to have a leisurely dinner. I definitely would never go again. I didn't take any food pics because none of it was appealing enough to make me take my camera out, and again, we had to eat fast.

​I recently dined at Aki Nom Nom for lunch on a Tuesday, and it has easily become my new favorite…read moresushi spot! We were a party of two and the experience was fantastic from start to finish. ​The Highlights: ​Quality: This is hands-down the best quality "all-you-can-eat" (AYCE) sushi I've had. Unlike other places where the fish can sometimes taste frozen, everything here tasted fresh and high-quality. ​Service: Our server, Jordan, was incredibly attentive and made our lunch even better. ​Menu: The miso soup was delicious, and the salad portion was generous. The fried calamari was also great, though the pieces were on the smaller side. While the chicken teriyaki was a bit disappointing, the rest of the meal more than made up for it. ​Value: At approximately $33.85, the AYCE price is a great value for the quality you receive. They also have an extensive ramen menu--while it's not included in the AYCE price, it looked delicious and is something I'm excited to try next time. ​Overall Thoughts: The restaurant was very quiet during our lunch visit, which made for a relaxing meal, though I imagine it gets lively during happy hour. I highly recommend checking this place out if you're looking for fresh sushi and great service!

A very popular place, but not staffed appropriately. The bartender was used to fill in a lot of…read morewhat was lacking, which impacted the very full bar. There were only 2 guys rolling sushi which was insufficient. I had some delicious chicken gyoza, very nice. My cocktail was sweet but tasty. My sushi wasn't rolled tightly enough and frankly they were a little skimpy, particularly the shrimp tempura roll. When I went to pay, the bartender was crying. No idea what, but super awkward. Just not a great experience.

Never a bad experience with Sumo Sushi. This time I ordered 2 orders of the Philadelphia Roll & an…read moreorder of Spring Rolls. Sushi was fresh. Spring Rolls were hot & crispy. My stomach & my mood were very happy! 10/10! And fast delivery too! My favorite sushi spot in the city for sure!

My go to takeout sushi spot. Quality is always amazing and they're super fast. Be sure to check out…read moretheir 3 roll lunch special--such a good deal!!

Amazing sushi!! Our server was so sweet and attentive and it created a super relaxing atmosphere…read morewith their smooth jazz and warm lighting. Great spot for family dinner or even a date night! 10/10!!

The food was alright and the service was decent. I love the style and design of the place but I was…read moreexpecting the quality of the food to match the high-end look; it wasn't bad, just not memorable. The location is right downtown, so I would recommend taking a rideshare to the spot. I believe we just missed the rush, but it was not crowded and it was a pleasant experience.