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Umai Umai

4.2 (566 reviews)
ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
Closed • Closed
Updated over 3 months ago

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Umai Umai Photos

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UMAI UMAI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Intimate
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Umai Umai

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Crispy Brussel Spout & Crispy Rice
Nicole C.

So happy to dine back at my favorite sushi spot after taking a pregnant sushi break. As always ; their sushi is fairly inexpensive for Philadelphia City pricing and fresh/delicious! Their crispy brussel sprout is my favorite shareable appetizer. The crispy rice tot is my favorite (non-shareable) appetizer. I tried the Krakken roll (without almonds) for the first time since I always opt out of this roll since I have an almond allergy but I was glad to sub out the almond and try this roll! Already can't wait to come back.

Funnel Cake fries and Vanilla ice cream

I went to Umai Umai yesterday evening and it was hands down the best sushi I've had in Philly so far. Such a great experience from start to finish. Our server, Krystina was amazing! She asked what kinds of flavors we like and gave us recommendations based on that and she was spot on. Let me start by saying they have the best miso soup. My friend got the Henrietta Roll and the Pingu Roll. I had the Krakken Roll and the Spirited Away Roll. I also had the vegetable gyoza (dumplings), which were really good. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and so good. We also had a rice "potato-style" appetizer topped with tuna that was sooooo good. For dessert we had funnel cake fries with vanilla ice ice cream... 10/10. It's a small corner spot with a really good vibe. Not too loud, not too quiet just a fun, lively atmosphere. Krystina checked on us consistently and had such a friendly, upbeat personality that made us feel really welcome. Food was a 10/10, service was a 10/10, and I'll definitely be back.

Restaurant interior

We arrived early after a whole day looking at art. The wind was blowing a chill so we began with miso soups, just right. Our waitress was attentive, friendly, helpful, and cool. We had the Henrietta and the Eternal Sunshine chef specials and they both played off each other wonderfully. Our waitress suggested a dessert, the banana wrapped and fried, with bean paste and vanilla ice cream, delicious! The atmosphere was warm and relaxed. Definitely would return, and if we lived here, we would be regulars. Highly recommended.

Henrietta roll
Riley C.

Delish BYOB spot with fun rolls and fresh fish. Waitress suggested the Henrietta roll and she nailed it- so good.

Chirashi
Clare D.

A nice Chirashi bowl filled with many delicately sliced cuts of fish atop seasoned rice. I'm hoping to see a different set of fish next time I go. The portion size is on the smaller side so those with larger appetites should order an appetizer as well.

Oyster Shooter, Crispy Rice Tots
Alyson S.

We loved our dinner here. A BYOB sushi place with creative rolls and a warm ambiance. Highly recommend the Tots to start with- these were amazing. Another highlight was the shrimp tempura. On to the entree, I got the Traffic Light and the Lost roll. Look how beautiful the Traffic Light is! Tasted delicious too. I will definitely be returning- think I found my go-to sushi joint!

Inside

Good food, very cute aesthetic and great service. Also byob so that's always amazing .

Seafood Paella, Spicy salmon + spicy salmon roll, pad thai
Andrea Q.

Gone here a few times and haven't been disappointed! I got the Seafood Paella, and my friend got the pad thai, and we split a spicy tuna and spicy salmon roll. The seafood paella was an interesting take on a spanish classic that included green curry and mozzerella but I enjoyed their spin on it. My friend enjoyed the pad thai but it wasn't my particular taste when I had tried it. The sushi was fresh tasting and yummy. The ambience: Its super intimate and quiet which is great for conversation! Service was extremely nice and attentive. BYOB which is always a plus.

Spirited Away roll
Natalie C.

Heard fantastic things and was so excited to finally get to come to Umai Umai. Quaint inside to this Japanese BYOB. Few outdoor tables. Fantastic food quality. I'm still giving it 5-stars despite the terribly slow service, but there was one server for 15+ tables and we weren't in a rush. Here were the highlights - Half dozen oysters: three different sauces on top of these small oysters Scallop carpaccio: this was fricken AMAZING. Beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Crispy rice tot: also amazing. So much so we ordered them a second time. The crispy rice, spicy tuna and avocado mousse...a party in your mouth. Henrietta roll: larger roll; absolutely fantastic and delicious Spirited Away roll: too much rice but overall decent flavor Ping Pong roll: slow flavorful profile that develops in your mouth as you chew. Yummyyyy Such an enjoyable meal. Can't wait to come back!

Shishito Pepper & Edamame
Khalil M.

Definitely my favorite sushi spot. At some point in the last year or so, our favorite servers have left (or been replaced?). However, the sushi is still great. I'd say Umai Umai is a great sushi spot for folx on the fence about sushi. The Speciality rolls are DELICIOUS. My favorite of all time is Pingu, but decent runner ups include Krakken,Poseidon, Eternal Sunshine (like Ariana Grandes new album). Also LOVE the crispy rice tot and Brussels sprouts for apps! Small inside, but typically no wait to be seated during the week. Very nice outdoor seating in the warmer months.

Spirited Away
Phylicia H.

Food 3/5 Service 3/5 Atmosphere 5/5 This restaurant has been on my list for awhile and I finally checked it out last night. It sadly wasn't the best experience :( Very cute neighborhood restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating available. My bf and I dined outside and brought a few drinks with us. Nice quiet area in the neighborhood. Service was just okay. Our waiter took forever to place our orders, never refilled our waters, forgot to give us utensils so we grabbed it ourselves, and the entrees took a while to come out. Food wasn't bad, but it also didn't stand out. For apps, we ordered the seaweed salad and tapas for two. All of the tapas were just okay. For entrees, we shared the crispy spicy scallop roand spirited away roll. We were shocked at how small the portion size was when it came out. I thought the sushi was good, but my bf didn't like it at all. Kept mentioning it was too much rice on the rolls. We were still hungry and wanted to order another roll but decided not to because it took forever for our food to come out and we didn't want to wait a long time. So we left and picked up a slice of pizza to fill our hunger.

Traffic light with old avocado, canned crab. Gross
David M.

Have been coming to this place for years. Moved to another neighborhood (Fishtown ironically) and decided to revisit after several years absence. Just picked up NYE sushi for a quiet night at home with my wife and I can't express how poor the fish quality was. Poorly cut. Mushy rice. The lowest priced whitefish in the mixed Nigiri/Sashimi combo. The traffic light, a fixture of this place, seemed day-old. There is no talent left in this place outside the service staff. But that is not enough to ever bring me back here. Same prices, bad sushi.

Oyster Shooters
Monica T.

Yummy BYO sushi spot in Fairmount! Our service was quick, friendly, and knowledgable. Food was. served quickly and tasted delicious and fresh. The restaurant is walking distance from Whole Foods where you can grab some stuff to bring for the BYO aspect. It's not a massive space I recommend a reservation for Thurs, Fri, and Saturday. I'm not sure about the other nights and their availability but a reservation never hurts!

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Reviews are largely positive. Diners highlight the creative sushi rolls, friendly service, and inviting atmosphere. The BYOB policy is also appreciated.

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