Small neighborhood sushi spot that is BYOB. Mostly some small tables inside but many takeout orders being picked up. The menu has mostly seafood and sushi, but there are a few entree or other small plates. Tried spicy salmon and eel uramaki sushi rolls. Good quality fish and nice cuts rolled. Most of the basic rolls only came with some kind of sauce. Also tried squid and sea bream sashimi pieces. Both quite nice cut pieces, fresh flavor. Salmon entree was a big portion on a bed of various vegetables. Thanks read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Umai Umai - Restaurant interior - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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

Umai Umai - Henrietta roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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

Umai Umai - Inside - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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. read more

Umai Umai - Seafood Paella, Spicy salmon + spicy salmon roll, pad thai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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. read more

Umai Umai - Chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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! read more

Umai Umai - Oyster Shooter, Crispy Rice Tots - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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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. read more

Umai Umai - Traffic light with old avocado, canned crab. Gross - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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. read more

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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! read more

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What a shame this place has quickly fallen off after original chef/owner alex sold it. For those that don't know the previous owner alex used to work at Morimoto and this place was a hidden gem that was basically Morimoto quality at a discount. New owners just don't have the skill and it shows in poor rice that is mushy, maki rolls that are tiny, fish quality isn't the same. The scallop carpaccio which was once delicate is off balance with an overload or toppings and crispy shallots and swimming in oil. They dropped quality and kept the prices. Shame. Now it's just another lack luster sushi spot for overpriced rolls and so so quality fish. Won't ever be back. Only positive was staff was friendly and attentive. read more

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. read more

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The smallest sushi rolls I've ever seen The sushi is so thin! Probably around half the size of standard rolls at other sushi restaurants. The rolls were also subpar, in my opinion. Scallop carpaccio - refreshing & very pretty plating! - thin slices of scallop w/ a citrus-soy sauce with ginger, chives, and olive oil Spirited Away specialty roll - tuna with crab, cucumber, avocado - very muted flavors Godzilla specialty roll - shrimp tempura with avocado, strawberry - I was a little confused by the mix of flavors in this roll, but my friend really enjoyed this one Eternal Sunshine specialty roll - escolar (similar to a white tuna according to the waitress), cucumber, avo, salmon, with a blueberry-balsamic and apricot miso - this was my favorite roll of the night - unique flavors and I liked the escolar Spicy salmon basic roll - tiny!! - just a standard spicy salmon roll - more rice than salmon Eel basic roll - I usually love eel, but the eel here was oddly fishy I wouldn't recommend coming here for sushi. I've had better sushi in the city. The prices here are pretty steep for what you get. read more

Umai Umai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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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! read more

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Not impressed by the sushi at this location. Main critique is the rice is way too wet, too mushy and sticks to your mouth. Sushi needs to be made with sushi rice and rice vinegar. This location has great ambiance and is BYOB. We got the oyster shooters. The oyster was small and not in the oyster shell. It was very small compared to others that I had. The octopus came with a nice vinaigrette salad. The octopus was smoky and taste best warm. The salad was too acidic, unfortunately we choked on it. The sushi- crispy scallop is too dry, the soft shell crab was wet and did not have a crispy crust. I do recommend the king kong as it is a good roll but the rice just made it hard to eat. The rolls were not cut evenly and way too thin. The service is good but I am not impressed by the food. read more

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BYOB, delicious sushi, and a great neighborhood spot? 5 star vibes. Saddled up at Umai Umai and tried the crispy rice tots, shishito peppers, octopus salad and 12 cuts of nigiri. Truly there's not a miss on the menu, but the sushi was the star of the evening. Prices here are reasonable and the serve staff is attentive. The space is on the smaller side so calling for a reservation on weekends is probably the move. I look forward to my next visit! read more

Underwhelming sushi experience! Their rolls are VERY smalls. I was very disappointed ... maybe I'm just used to sushi rolls in Texas being huge in general? But then again the rolls here were around $10 each so maybe that's why they were smaller rolls. My favorite sushi roll ingredient is eel so I usually get the dragon roll. I was very excited to see their Designer roll menu has many eels rolls. However, when I clarified with the staff which rolls had eels, she told me "oh yeah the ones that says eels actually just means eel sauce" and pointed out only one roll (Poseidon) had actual eel. I though that was misleading because they also had labeled eel sauce under other designer rolls too so not sure why they decided to opt out "sauce" for the rest. We ended up ordering Poseidon, Ping Pong, and the Seafood Paella. The sushi was good, but nothing special. I couldn't really taste the pineapple salsa on the ping pong. The paella was very strange - it was an Asian fusion paella with green curry on top and cheese. The taste of the seafood and paella itself was overpowered by the curry and cheese. None of the rice had the classic "paella crisp" at the bottom because it was so soggy. It tasted more like a green curry seafood risotto with lots of cheese. Overall it's a cute date night place with very small sitting area indoor. The food wasn't very impressive. read more

Umai Umai - Poseidon, Ping Pong designer rolls ... look how tiny they are! Although each rolls were around $10 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Updated Review: We finally got the oyster shooters and they are THE BEST Oyster Shooters in the area!! It is so flavorful and amazing. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! We also tried the scallop carpaccio and crispy calamari salad this time, and they were both amazing. The flavor gets more flavorful as you bite into them! As always, the waiter and waitress were so friendly and nice. Definitely going to save this place as my go-to!! read more

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BYOB, great sushi, and amazing vibes for outdoor seating! Really enjoyed dinner here with friends on a beautiful summer night. Surrounding residential area read more

Umai Umai - Ice bucket for our drinks complementary - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Not sure what happened to this place, but it's definitely not what it used to be. The sushi portions were small and cut super thin. The fish did not taste fresh. The "tuna tartar" on the tot appetizer was a weird paste. Super disappointing after coming here for so many years. read more

In a city full of sushi spots this one definitely holds its own. Great vibes and lots of good energy. Sushi rolls were impressive (ping pong, poseidon, eternal sunshine) and unique. Also really liked the pink shrimp tempura we got as an appetizer, and will make a point to try the entrees next time. Helps that it's in fairmount, a convenient location for me. Will be back! read more

Umai Umai - Pink Shrimp Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Umai Umai was not great and I wouldn't recommend it. The restaurant itself was small and cramped, so my party of 2 was sat at a super tiny table although there were unsat four tops the entire time we were there. Luckily though our server did a fantastic job of timing the dishes so our table wasn't ridiculously crowded. For apps, we had the Shishito Peppers (average and could not taste the yuzu at all), Scallop Carpaccio (scallop was completely overpowered by the piquillo salsa and drowning in oil), and Chilean Sea Bass Tacos (bland and came out cold). We got four rolls. The Traffic Light roll was eye catching and the wasabi tobikko was bomb, but the soft shell crab was definitely not fresh and was super fishy. We didn't eat much of it. The spicy tuna and spicy yellowtail rolls were actually really good! I dug the chunks of fish and the mayo had an appropriate kick. The Vegetable roll was definitely the worst one I've had (and I always get a veg roll, it's once of my favorites)! It was leafy lettuce, chunks of bell pepper and carrot like a sad salad in rice. Just didn't work for me. We got the lava cake for dessert, but it was over cooked and didn't lava. The berry sauce it came with saved it from being completely dry. Hate to say it but I also thought the restaurant had a less than fresh smell. The patio outside was cute though and it was quaint and nice enough inside for a date night - just don't expect great food. read more

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High end sushi spot with creative rolls. Service, food and atmosphere is great! Pricing not terrible for the quality you get. Go-to sushi spot for a nice dinner. read more

I came here for the first time with a friend. I live in the neighborhood and I've been meaning to come here. We made a reservation, which I recommend as they place tends to get crowded quick and also it's a very small space. We ordered the brussel sprouts, grilled octopus, sea bass taco and krakken designer roll. The best dish for me was the grilled octopus, which was very tender and flavorful. You can taste the charred. The salad that came with the octopus was just okay. The rest of the food was alright. Nothing stands out. Presentation was appealing. The brussel sprouts was too sweet. The taco could of been better. I couldn't taste the fish. And the roll was too saucy. All I tasted was mayo. What I like most about this place is ambient. I also like the attractiveness of the menu options. Almost everything seems good to order. I like the idea of sharing food and tapas, small dishes that you can munch while you talk. However, due to the small size in space when everyone is talking at the same time; it gets loud fast and hard to hear when you're trying in engage in conversation. I would give this place another try. It definitely has potential to be a great restaurant. read more

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I ordered the Eternal Sunshine, Uni, and Ping Pong roll. I thought the fatty salmon on top of the Eternal Sunshine balanced it out but the escolar was a bit dry. The uni was good and tasted rich. I was a bit surprised the mp was $8/piece. I wouldn't get the ping pong roll again. Even though the pineapple salsa gave it a unique taste, sweet and a little spicy, the inside was flavorless. Overall, the service was okay. They were friendly but at the end, I was given the check instead of being asked if I wanted any dessert, even though my server asked another table if they wanted dessert at the end of their meal. Also, all of the workers were standing together near the entrance when I left but no one said goodbye or wished me a good night. read more

Umai Umai - Eternal Sunshine (left), Uni (center), and Ping Pong (right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It's so sad when you spend nearly $100 on a meal and feel so disappointed afterwards. I get that sushi is not cheap and I have no issues paying for good quality sushi, but this place totally misses the mark. To preface, this review is based on a takeout order. I had the chirashi tonight and the rice was incredibly mushy (sticky rice texture) and each piece of fish was obnoxiously small and paper thin (not exaggerating - any thinner will make the piece transparent). My husband ordered a few nigiris and the King Kong roll and could not get over the mushy texture of the rice, reminiscent of supermarket sushi. Our search for a decent quality, casual sushi restaurant in this city continues. read more

Umai Umai - Tiny, paper thin sushi in the chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really great quality sushi with amazing flavors!! All the food was absolutely delicious. For starters, we got the oyster shooters with sea urchin, quail egg and salmon. They were absolutely delicious! For entrees, we got the chirashi bowl with fish and sushi rice and the spirited away and lost rolls. They were delicious! The chirashi bowl is something I've never had before and it was very unique. I would give the food at this restaurant a solid 5 stars; however, the service unfortunately was very very slow the night we were here. Our server was really sweet and engaging, but we didn't even get our order taken until 45 minutes after we were seated. We had to keep flagging down all the servers too or else we would've been sitting there for an hour unattended. Overall, the food was awesome! read more

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Not sushi worth ordering again unfortunately. Their signature rolls taste good but are very small. The second photo attached shows how THIN their 6 piece spirited away roll was- this is just absolutely annoying and not worth the money. Also forgot our edamame in our pick up order. I've seen previous reviews about the small portion sizes- pick up on the hint. Your customers will return if your portion sizes are at least reasonable for cost. read more

Umai Umai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Been looking forward to trying this place for a little bit and was honestly a little underwhelmed by the food the night we went. We started with some soup and the oyster shooters. I think the oyster shooters might have been my favorite dish of the whole night. We ordered 5 different rolls, 3 specialty and 2 regular. I thought some of the specialty rolls were just too different and some of the ingredients felt really out of place and took away from what more traditional sushi is like. The portions I felt were also very small. Overall it was ok and I feel there are a lot of other sushi places I would prefer to go to. read more

Umai Umai - Oyster Shooters - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I had high hopes for umai umai because I visited few years ago and I remembered being good. I'm gonna cut to the chase. Overpriced mediocre sushi. Yes their special roles are $12-$16 which is low compared to other places but you also get 6 thing pieces. The scallop appetizer was basically 80% sauce. There were 5 thin scallop slices and we couldn't even taste them because the sauce was so overpowering and the fish quantity was EXTREMELY small. The oyster shooters were my favorite part of the meal (in addition to the company) After $80 before tip, I wasn't that full. But hey it's BYOB. It is nice and cozy inside which I like. I wouldn't say avoid this place because that's solely my opinion. read more

Umai Umai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Everything was delicious, the servers were great Bathroom smelled terrible and portions were very much on the small side for the price Restaurant itself is cozy. Had a good time overall read more

I found myself falling in love with the Japanese green curry paella, what do ya know? Must get: paella, ?nigiri platter (has one of each - but thin cuts) Meh: specialty sushi, this little crispy rice w/avocado thing, oyster shooters Missed out: larger dishes There was a lot of hype for this restaurant, being a hole-in-the-wall joint with byob status. While my experience may be limited due to intense heat, loud patrons, and very uncomfortably sticky floor, overly mayo'd specialty sushi, and overhyped oyster shooters (a bit too much bitterness and not enough umami) all of that discomfort melted away after our impulsive purchase of the seafood paella. This dish is perfect in every way. It's cheesy, it's spicy, it has generous portions of (slightly overcooked) seafood, and it's filling. The curry worked so well with the cheese and all the notes just worked in harmony. I don't know how this dish could be ordered to go, but if possible, I strongly recommend it. Food: 2-5 stars (paella) Service: 2 stars (our first waitress was quite...busy and seemed to be annoyed when we asked for soy sauce, utensils, or a seating that was not crammed at the entrance with the soggy mats Ambiance: 1 star Price: 2-3 stars read more

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We usually come here every year But this time omg Are you kidding me?? we Came here on 08/07/21 and I don't know what happens to this place New owner or what !?? The foods was not good AT ALL We ordered oysters shooters,sashimi bowls,another sashimi , and 4 more rolls They were very very very tiny also The sashimi cut very THIN . All the dish were smaller if you compare to another picture that I have a couple year ago definitely gonna be last time for me and my husband. Bye bye Umai Umai . Very disappointed!!! read more

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I visited this sushi BYOB recently with my sister and we had a delicious meal and a great time! One of our favorite aspects of this restaurant was its ambiance. It's a very cute, quaint spot that feels intimate and gives a comforting, neighborhood feel. The space is small inside but we actually loved that. It's what brings a lot of charm! Our server was sweet and attentive. Their miso soup was one of our favorite misos that we've had, and we love a good miso before our sushi! It tasted uniquely healthy and herbal. It felt like an experience having the soup itself as it provided a refreshing feeling throughout the body. We really enjoyed that alone. For appetizers, we did the crispy rice, the pink shrimp tempura and the shrimp shumai. All of the appetizers we tried were delicious. The crispy rice tots only come with 1 per order, so keep that in mind when you're ordering. We got 2; 1 for each of us. Though all of the apps were close, I'd say the crispy rice tot was probably the favorite so I definitely recommend trying at least one if you enjoy crispy rice. The pink shrimp tempura was flavorful and just what we'd hoped it'd be. The shrimp shumai tasted fancy compared to other shumai we've had (good fancy!) Still had the classic, yummy qualities of shrimp shumai but felt a tad more special! Now, for the sushi. We went for signature rolls because there are quite a few on the menu and we were excited to try something new. Though they were yummy, we didn't love the signature rolls as much as we love some of our favorite classic rolls that we'd typically order elsewhere or as much as other signature rolls we've had elsewhere. However, we would come back to give their classic rolls a try. The traffic light is fun in presentation but we were underwhelmed by the taste of the colored coating as the flavor was kind of lackluster. The fish itself was tasty enough and tasted healthy. Similarly, the spirited away roll didn't impress us as much as we'd hoped. Giving a 4/5 because of all the factors we loved about this place including ambiance, service, soup and appetizers and because even the sushi that didn't impress was decent. I imagine their classic rolls have a lot of potential so will likely be back! I can provide insight on that in another review when I return. read more

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tl;dr a tiny Japanese BYOB offering a contemporary take on the traditional sushi bar Looking to step up from your favorite hole-in-the-wall, takeout sushi joint? Want to experience an ambitious take on sushi classics without sacrificing quality. Umai Umai aims to fill that niche. The tiny dining area falls somewhere between cramped and cozy but definitely could use some TLC. The ceiling and walls are decked with stained lumber slats, contrasting the faux granite floor tiles. Surprisingly heavy chairs are paired with meticulously arranged chipped linoleum tables. The incandescent bulbs starkly contrast the blue-LED fixture across the back wall. Electronic instrumental music reverb and patron chatter fill the air. My partner and I arrived at Umai Umai for an early weekend dinner, equipped with a bottle of white wine. We were promptly seated and given an ice bucket to chill our bottle as we perused the menu. We opted for 2 Oster Shooters, 2 Crispy Rice Tots, the Chirashi bowl, the Godzilla roll, the Spartan roll, and the Krakken roll. (The latter roll was an add-on; we were still a bit peckish after the other items). The shooter was an exciting way to kick off the evening, blending an eclectic mix of flavors and textures. Definitely chew it a few times to maximize the savoriness of the quail egg and the saltiness of the salmon roe. The rice tots were coated with a sweet, sticky glaze that reminded me fondly of a toasted marshmallow, then topped with a creamy tuna tartare. My only gripe was that the size of each tot awkwardly fell between one and two bites. The Chirashi bowl was an affordable option to maximize your variety, consisting of two slices of each sashimi offering. (My favorites were the scallop and uni.) While everything was pleasant up to this point, the designer rolls reached another level. Armed with strawberry and honey, the Godzilla tasted abundantly (and, very nearly, overwhelmingly) sweet -- definitely save this roll for last, as it will serve as a de facto dessert. Meanwhile, the Spartan was the embodiment of umami, hitting savory notes from every angle with the tenderloin, tempura, and paprika-infused aioli. Finally (and probably my favorite item of the night), the Krakken featured the most complete flavor profile, from the subtle sweetness of cherry, to the savory saltiness of the crispy of soft-shelled crab, to the piquancy of the Worchester-based cream sauce. At a hair over $100 (after tax and tip), dinner at Umai Umai may prove to be pricier than the average neighborhood sushi joint. But the experience was decidedly positive in nearly all regards. As a self-proclaimed sushi-traditionalist, I walked into Umai Umai as a skeptic. Yet, I left a believer. The specialty items felt creative rather than gimmicky. Our table neighbors were raving about the Scallop Carpaccio they ordered -- I may have to swing by again to give that a try, sooner rather than later. read more

Umai Umai - Spartan (left) and Godzilla (right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I had really high hopes for Umai Umai. But after going for the first time, I was slightly underwhelmed. It was good and creative sushi, but it wasn't amazing and it was not the best sushi I've had in Philly. They take reservations but the restaurant itself is very small. It was also really hot the day I went, and they didn't turn on the air conditioning, which may have affected my experience. For two people, we ordered the tapas for two, the chirashi, and two rolls--the henrietta and godzilla rolls. The service was pretty slow. It took a while to order because our waitress had a lot of other tables to serve and she eventually came over to us to get our orders about 30 minutes after we sat down. The actual food itself also took a really long time to come out, given that it's sushi...we ended up having a 2.5 hour dinner when really, it could have been about 1.5 hours. I enjoyed all the food, and the chirashi was really pretty/good, but we left feeling hungry still. They were not the biggest portion sizes, and I probably would have just ordered rolls and not the chirashi/apps if I had known ahead of time it was not going to be as filling. I liked the concept of the sushi there, but it was just not overwhelmingly good. read more

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I love it here. Hidden gem for sure! Best sushi in Philly. Indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Umai Umai - Rainbow roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A local favorite. Creative and unique specialty rolls that do not disappoint. Crispy Brussels are another go-to for when we visit. Pretty small establishment so reservations have always been made in advance. read more

Umai Umai - Three specialty rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania