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Had a great first time at Umami with my boyfriend. We both were super happy that we were able to get last minute reservations to this place as I heard it was some of the best sushi in Pittsburgh. The food and drinks absolutely blew us away... the sushi was so fresh and delicate and the broth from the ramen was packed with flavor. The drinks were inventive and strong which I loved. Upon ordering my second drink however me and our waitress had a decent conversation on what was popular and what I should try...as soon as I ordered we were given a voucher where it was $2 dollars off drinks. Unfortunately we were not eligible for the $2 dollars off drinks because I had ordered just seconds before. I felt like the waitress should have let us know about that however I understand that it might have slipped her mind. Overall it was a really good experience and I do recommend going.
Umami has been a bi weekly rotation in my household! I've brought my family, visiting friends, and coworkers and all of them have left full and happy excited to return! I highly recommend a reservation as they do not take many walk ins, especially for big parties and definitely take advantage of their happy hour menu (5-6pm). Their HH menu allows you to try some of their most popular bites for a fraction of the cost! Items that we ALWAYS order are the karaage, stir fried udon wit shrimp tempura, at least 3 skewers, the lychee martinis, Takoyaki, and some variation of toro. We try to mix in others every time and have never had a bad bite! Servers are always so kind to us and can't wait until my next visit! Hopefully it's soon!
Umami is a great spot for happy hour, dinner, and even late night happy hour on the weekends! We had dinner there the other week and everything was so flavorful and the moody lighting was a whole vibe. We ordered basically half the food menu along with several drinks and I enjoyed everything we got, especially the shareable small plates and the robatayaki skewers! Our friends who came back from Japan earlier that week gave it their stamp of approval so you know it's good!
The vibes at the restaurant are amazing. Dry martini was absolutely 'umami,' and chirashi bowl was amazingly fresh. The service was pretty good. My only issue with the service was that the brought me the incorrect drink while we were waiting for a table, but they corrected and brought the correct drink over. What's nice is that they take drink orders for you while you wait (even if you're standing and not sitting at the bar). The hostess was extremely friendly and personable. When we were sat at our table there was cold air blowing and we asked to be sat at a different table without the air blowing constantly. They accommodated us which was great. The food was absolutely amazing and super fresh. Unfortunately, as you can see from the photos, the lighting is not that great with regard to taking photos. It is very red everywhere and I think they could soften that a little in my opinion so people can take clear photos of their amazing food.
Oh man, I'm not gonna lie, Umami is probably hands down one of my favorite spots for sushi, ramen, and gyoza. I went here with one of my good friends who came to visit me from the city and we enjoyed literally everything about this place. At first I was a little sketched out because you have to go up a couple flights of stairs. I was confused like... are we even in the right spot? But yes, you just keep walking up the stairs and eventually you pop out into the restaurant. And once you walk in you're like okay yeah this is a whole vibe. They have a DJ playing in the back and if you sit at the bar in front of the grill it's super fun. I got to watch them grill the skewers, dip the skewers, make the sushi... all of it. That alone made the experience so cool. We started with drinks and got lychee martinis and OMG we could not stop drinking them. When we order food we like to try a bunch of different things so we went in. We got edamame, gyoza, miso soup, and the fried chicken. I wasn't really a fan of the fried chicken because it tasted like chicken thigh meat and I'm just not a dark-meat girl, but the gyoza was amazing. I've never seen it made like that. It came out pan-seared and fried in a way where it was connected so you had to break it apart. The edamame was great too. We also got ramen. I wasn't a huge fan because it tasted a little burnt to me, but my friend loved hers so that might just be a me thing. Then we saw people ordering these stuffed sushi triangles, asked about them, and found out it was from the secret menu. So of course we got one. It was filled with spicy tuna and pretty good overall. We tried different skewers too - shrimp, steak, salmon, and chicken - and they were all amazing. The glaze they use is crazy good. Sweet, tangy, a little like sweet and sour but better. And shoutout to our server Dominique because she was bomb. She had us laughing the whole night and explained everything on the menu perfectly, especially the things we had no idea about. Overall this is definitely a go-to spot whether I'm with friends, by myself, or on a date night. Total vibe from start to finish.
I highly recommend making reservations, as this place gets busy. Also, give yourself extra time to find parking, as many spaces are reserved for residents. The entrance can be a little tricky to find. Once you find the door, just keep going up a couple of flights of dark stairs. When you arrive at the top, you'll find the lively bar and a great setup. We got a table near a window and arrived just in time for happy hour. We tried almost every dish on that menu and loved it all. We then ordered a delicious mix of skewers, sushi, and torched salmon. The staff were super friendly. This place is highly recommended.
I dined here solo and ate at the bar. It was very good. I started with the Addictive Cabbage, rightly named. Then I got the Nigiri plate which had a sampling of sushi. I don't know how they do it but it was melt in your mouth good. I also tried the pork gyoza dumplings, also very tasty and served in a unique way. It was a Friday night and they had a DJ spinning tunes which created a cool vibe. The bartender was nice and helpful. I would definitely go back but be prepared to hunt for a parking space as it's in Lawrenceville. I also thought the wine pour was a little on the skimpy side. Those were my only minuses.
My buddy and I visited Umami on Friday. I highly recommend that you book a reservation. This was my first time visiting and it did not disappoint! We went during happy hour so we saved a few bucks. To get to the restaurant you have to walk up two flights of stairs, but once you're there the restaurant is awesome looking. Great bar, great kitchen, and great staff! Darelle was working behind the bar and he is top notch! Of course I had to eat as much as possible so we ordered off the happy hour menu first: suntory highball, wolf & cub, daily uramaki, and miso torched salmon nigiri. Everything on that happy hour menu was absolutely delicious! After that I moved to the main menu: skewers - I ordered four different ones: Wagyu beef, pork belly, bacon quail egg, and fried chicken skin. Every single skewer was delectable! The last two items that I ordered was the Otoro hand roll and gyudon with added pork belly. Both were absolutely excellent! The bluefin fatty belly in the hand roll just melted in my mouth. I really cannot wait to go back to Umami, the vibes, the staff, and the food were simply fantastic and amazing. Definitely worth a visit!
Where do I start? Such a unique little place! I'll admit, as I was walking up the stairs, I wondered if I was even in the right spot--but as soon as I reached the top, I was greeted by the most welcoming host. You could immediately feel the energy and liveliness in the air. Once we were seated, our server was right there with menus, ready to take our drink order. She immediately asked about allergies and knew exactly what I could eat being gluten-free. She even reminded my dinner partner that one of the dishes he ordered wouldn't be shareable with me--which I thought was incredibly kind and conscientious. The service and ambiance? Top notch. Now, the food and drinks--OMG. I didn't try any of the sake (even though they have a huge sake menu), but I could tell if I'd wanted to explore it, they would've happily walked me through each one. There was plenty of food for sharing, and every single piece of fish I tried was fresh, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. Don't sleep on the bacon-wrapped quail eggs. I really appreciated how thoughtful they were about my allergy, and between the amazing service, lively atmosphere, and incredible food, I'll definitely be back. The whole experience was so good, I'm already planning my next reservation.
My husband chose this spot for my first dinner after moving here, and... He made the right call :) Definitely make a reservation; the place was packed. The seafood is fresh, and the menu features several creative options. We tried a variety of items (Nigiri, Temaki, Takoyaki, and the daily specials) and honestly loved everything! As sushi lovers, we shared several small plates and really appreciated the quality. The fish-to-rice ratio was spot on. I loved the vibe: very hipster, complete with a DJ. Next time, we'd love to sit at the counter facing the kitchen for that authentic Japanese experience. Our server was so sweet and gave us some great recommendations. Even though it was busy, the timing of the courses was perfect. Highly recommend!
Went here on a date and it was wonderful! The restaurant is on the third floor with an unassuming entrance but it's tucked away behind the Corner Cantina. Once you get into the restaurant, it's a nice little spot. They even have floor seating in a nook but I think those you have to reserve much ahead of time. We tried a little of everything. The staff was very attentive and regularly checked on us. Skewers - the shrimp is good but there's only one piece per order which is steep. The salmon was rlly good though and we got two of them, each has 4 pieces on it. The wagyu was good but not particularly special. They are all dipped in this pork sauce so I think they're all about the same flavor and depends on what medium you prefer. Also, everything is dipped in the same sauce so the skewers aren't a good option if you have a shrimp allergy. We got the sashimi plate which came with two pieces of each fish which was perfect for us to sample a little of everything. Once we tried a bit of everything, it helped us decide what we wanted in a handroll. The handroll had a good amount of fish as well as the amount of rice was good and seasoned with furikake. Hands down our favorite one was this seared salmon with miso paste that they apparently have on their secret menu. We ordered several of these. We also got the takoyaki which was yummy with no chewy bits inside which happens sometimes and can give me the ick. But this one was gloriously absent of chewiness and was just yummy. The matcha creme brulee was good, nothing in particular to write home about just a lot of matcha cream once you break through the sugar shell. Overall, quite an enjoyable and yummy meal. We came to dinner after we already ate less than 3 hours previously so we didn't think we would get much, especially knowing that it was a pricy place. However, we did end up eating a lot more than we expected because it was so yummy. Would definitely return for the seared salmon and maybe a handroll, I think the sashimi plate was good to have the first time just to try everything but would skip on a return visit since it is so pricy and so we can just eat our faves.
We celebrated my birthday dinner at Umami, and it was absolutely perfect. They seated us in the tatami room, which is ideal for a larger dinner party and made the night feel extra special and intimate. Reservations do book out quickly, so I definitely recommend booking in advance. Every single dish and drink we ordered was outstanding, truly no misses. The atmosphere and flavors reminded me so much of restaurants in Tokyo, which made the experience even better. Everyone in our group had an amazing time, and the staff surprised us with complimentary birthday sake shots, which was such a fun and thoughtful touch. Overall, Umami is 100% worth the hype and a must-visit for a special occasion.
If I could have packed this lil spot up and taken it back to Charlotte with me I would have. Umami was the absolute highlight of my quick trip to Pittsburgh last weekend. I came off of the recommendation of a good friend and it did not disappoint. I came alone on a busy Friday and asked to sit at the bar, and it was packed in there. The host was SO kind to literally grab a stool from who knows where and squeeze me in at the bar. Truly so kind and so appreciated. I was perfectly happy to sit elbow to elbow with some really nice folks at the bar. Someone gave me some recommendations on food and the bartender was amazing too! For drinks, I ordered the "old osaka" which is their take on an old fashioned with tori whisky, china china and shiso honey. This drink was phenomenal!!! So flavor forward, but so well balanced. I also tried one of their rare liquors called "cor cor red" it's an Okinawa molasses rum and it was pretty dang strong and tasty. I had to try it because it's something I've never seen on a menu. The drinks were amazing and so was the food!!! For food I ordered spicy pickled cucumbers, and these skewers: wagyu beef, brussel sprouts and shisito peppers. They were all delicious! The absolute STAR OF THE SHOW though, was the "takoyaki" which are fried octopus balls. My goodness! These were so good I almost ordered a second helping. Seriously delicious! My entree was the gyudon which is a beef rice bowl and it was also really good!! The funny thing is I ate ALL of this food, all of it. I can't express enough how fun of a culinary experience this was. From great food and drinks to awesome service and ambiance. This was truly a dinner to remember and I'll visit this place every time I'm in Pittsburgh!!! Truly a 5 star experience!
food - most things were really good robatayaki - all of them were really good. the pork belly was literally melt in your mouth. the prime strip steak was cooked perfectly and had good flavor. the chicken skin was unexpectedly good -- sweet and crunchy. the whole squid was pretty standard, cooked well, and drizzled with unagi sauce. takoyaki - this was sooo good. it was cooked so that the outside was perfectly crisp and the inside wasn't dry or hard. the flavor was also there. highly recommend yaki udon - really good and I liked how you could actually taste the mushroom in the dish. stay away though if you don't like mushroom hamachi collarbone thing - this was one of their specials or something it wasn't on the menu. it was alright, was a bit too dry but the flavor was kinda there drinks - there were good ones and bad ones cream on chrome - I really liked it, it was coconutty and I usually don't like coconut but somehow liked this one. this one is kinda like a slushy so it was hard to drink thru the straw. overall not too strong mermaid tears - someone said it tastes like gatorade, I kinda agree. slightly stronger than the cream on chrome but still good and really pretty better than the parlors - this one was really good, definitely had lychee flavor in it. I also liked eating the drink-infused lychee at the end. probably just as strong as mermaid tears. this was probably my favorite one suntory x red bull highball - this was really strong we had to dilute it with more red bull hahaha... umeshu nezcal white negroni - strong tequila taste which I don't like, but the umeshu flavor was definitely there. pretty strong but not as strong as the highball. price - a bit pricey, our our bill for 4 people came up to be $350 (granted each of us got 2 rounds of drinks). I think the price makes sense though for the ambiance and quality of the food and restaurant ambiance - the whole restaurant is so red it makes it kinda hard to see anything. but other than that it has good vibes service - really good, our waitress was super nice and made conversation with us. she also knew the menu really well and explained everything in a really nice sounding way which was very impressive! read more
4 years ago
Best sushi in Pittsburgh. The atmosphere feels like Brooklyn NY! Awesome service every time. Easily my favorite restaurant in all of Pittsburgh. read more
5 years ago
If you have more than 2 or 3 people, you definitely want to make a reservation in advance. Usually it's only me and a friend so we can get away with sitting at the bar and ordering drinks and dinner :) My favorite go to's would include: the pork and shrimp shumai, the whole squid and any of their sakes. Next on my list to try are the noodle soups - especially the ramens! Definitely check Umami out! read more
Once you reach the building that Umami resides in, going up the stairs to the top floor is like an experience. With each flight of stairs that you climb, the wallpaper pattern changes and each design is beautiful. The staircase is a bit narrow and the steps are rather steep but it takes less than 5 minutes to reach the 3 flights of stairs. Once you emerge, the set up is small and cozy with a bar on your left and the kitchen along the length of the restaurant. I really liked the aesthetics of the restaurant and it even translates to the presentation of the food. Food and Drink Ordered: * worth trying - [Suppai Shoga] : Beautifully presented. Tasted very refreshing and has a strong ginger taste which could be a hit or miss for some people. The foam on top had a lemony taste but I missed some of the other flavors in the drink. - [Karaage] : Tastes like the description: fried chicken. The meat was not dry, which was a plus but I've definitely had better. I actually preferred dipping it in the takoyaki sauce rather than the sauce that it was provided with. - [Takoyaki*] : Tasted like good classic takoyaki. - [Robatayaki] : Because we couldn't decide on which robatayaki to order, my friends and I ordered one skewer of the bacon quail egg, chicken heart, and Wagyu beef tenderloin. This appetizer was a bit disappointing because there wasn't any flavor for the chicken heart and Wagyu beef tenderloin. The Wagyu beef was also a bit tough. The bacon quail egg was delicious but it's usually pretty difficult to have a flavorless bacon quail egg. - [Chirashi bowl*] : Overall, the taste was good. My friend said that this chirashi bowl was better than the one at Chaya Japanese Cuisine. Some of the fish tasted very fresh but others did not. Not to say that the fish tasted bad but it wasn't phenomenal. I did like the addition of the pipette; it controlled the amount of soy sauce necessary for the fish so that the flavors of the fish weren't smothered. - [Tonkotsu Ramen*] : The ramen was very delicious, especially the broth which had a very strong sesame taste if you're into that. The only downside is that the pork ribs were a bit dry. Would I go back? : Of course! I believe that food should look as good as it tastes and for the most part, Umami hits that mark. I like all the options that Umami provides. Even after ordering five items, excluding the drink, there are so many other items that I wanted to try. This place is really nice to good with friends so that you can try a little bit of everything for a reasonable cost. The only reason I did not give a 5 star rating was because not everything that I ate hit the mark but if I could on Yelp, I would give Umami a 4.5 rating because it was pretty darn good. read more
Umami-you're doing it right. Excellent experience on a Saturday night at Umami. Loved sitting with a view of the kitchen where the magic happens. Food came out super speedily: shrimp tempura ($10, huge shrimp! different breading than expected but still pretty tasty), chirashi ($18, so fresh! loved the roe and flower decoration and especially the quail egg), miso deviled eggs ($6, tasty but nothing to write home about), and...drumroll please...nasu shigiyaki ($10). It was the surprise highlight of our meal. Delicately spiced minced chicken filled it and paired wonderfully with the softness of the cooked eggplant. It was sweet and savory and once; my dining partner and I both agreeed we would get it again. All cocktails we tried were well-balanced! The vibe was high-end/classy without being pretentious. You could definitely bring a date here. It would set the mood well. We will definitely be back another time to try more items on the outstanding menu! read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
**Reservations in advance is highly recommended!!** I have heard so many good things about Umami from friends so I couldn't wait to try the place out on my trip back to Pittsburgh. In a city where Japanese cuisine never really stood out to me, this restaurant really stands out. The lighting and the atmosphere are really great. The walls are decorated with different wallpapers that represent different cultural aspects of Japan which makes me very excited about my trip there. Dinner: Takoyaki: Nice and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The spicy mayo is a perfect compliment. It is a fun and playful dish that's great for sharing with friends and family Yaki Udon: These stir-fried udon noodles are vegetarian-friendly and it is a very interactive dish. My favorite part was breaking the egg yolk and mixing all the veggies together. I can't wait to be back! read more
4 years ago
I love the smaller size of the restaurant. My noodle bowl was the BEST dish I've had ever. Top 5 dishes! So flavorful, so delicious! I cannot wait to go back already. * you do have to walk up a few flights of stairs to reach the top but it's so worth it!! The dimmer lights makes for a moody romantic vibe! read more
4 years ago
A very unique and cozy find in the Lawrenceville area. I dined here for a birthday dinner for a friend in their private dining room. Our server was very kind and truly made our evening special. On top of the beautiful interior design, Umami has a fabulous menu to select from. I got their ramen and was throughly impressed with the cuisine. read more
9 years ago
Hmmm.... maybe I had an off night but was incredibly disappointed. Myself and 2 friends sat at the bar on a Thursday night. We ordered drinks first, they were fine. Ordered the deviled eggs and the pancake. Both were good, interesting flavors, close to 4 stars. I ordered the udon and my both ordered the tonkatsu ramen, add chili. The udon was pretty good, 3 stars. Knife cuts on the veg were very small so difficult to eat with a chopstick with the thick/heavier udon noodle. One of my friends got the unagi hand roll and thought that was the best hung we ate ("bomb.com"). The ramen deserves its own paragraph. To levelset, we just got back from Japan and that is my standard. Regardless, I am beyond confused why some think this ramen is the best ramen in Pittsburgh. The ramen broth was inedible. Basically drinking ocean water. I guess some are considering that flavor? The meat on the bone is difficult to incorporate into the ramen with chopsticks. It is nothing like the tonkatsu ramen we had in Tokyo and I will never be back for it. Negative stars. Overall giving 3 stars because appetizers were ok and our bartender did end up taking the ramen off of the menu. read more
4 years ago
We love this place we get something different every time we go. Recommend making reservations read more
4 years ago
This is the best Sushi I have had in Pittsburgh. We also loved the robatayaki and pancake too. The vibe inside was so fun and the service was great. I loved the open air kitchen also. We did not have a dinner reservation, but did not have to wait as we were okay sitting at the bar. If you don't have a reservation, you definitely need to get there early! read more
7 years ago
The food here is top notch! Which must be why it's so hard to get a reservation! It is truly the best sushi I've had in Pittsburgh. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because we made a 10:30 reservation and the rap music was so loud we couldn't hear each other talk. I don't mind loud music but I felt like I was walking into a club and standing next to the speaker. It took everything in me not to ask them to turn it down. I'd recommend making an earlier reservation if that's not the environment you're looking for. Food was AMAZING!!! The yellowtail was my personal favorite. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
Hands down my favorite restaurant in all of Pittsburgh. Atmosphere, food, and music all on point. Top that off with extremely friendly staff and you've struck gold. I Love Umami. read more
If you're looking for a unique dining experience in Pittsburgh, Umami is it! Situated up two flights of stairs and using primarily red lighting, it has a different atmosphere than any other restaurant I've been to in the city. If you want a table, definitely make a reservation, otherwise the bar seating is first come first served. We went at 11:45pm on a Friday night, and I was a little worried that the quality of the food wouldn't be as good so late at night. I couldn't be more wrong! Everything came out fresh and delicious. Since it was our first time, we ordered a wide variety of items, and I appreciated the pace and order that everything came out in. It's really hard to pick, but my favorites from our meal have to be the chirashi bowl (so fresh and such a great opportunity to try fish that I would never pick on their own!) and the spicy tuna onigiri (it was ACTUALLY spicy, unlike the spicy tuna at a lot of other restaurants). The prices for everything seemed really fair given the quality of the ingredients. We tried 9 different dishes between the two of us, and those plus a 24oz beer came out to about $80. Our waitress was super friendly and helpful which is always a good thing. If you're looking to have some really cool Japanese food in the city or impress a guest from out of town, Umami is definitely the place to go. read more
4 years ago
Had an amazing experience at Umami the other night. Atmosphere was nice with the neon lights and live dj that played some modern music. Great vibes for our later dinner reservation. Everything we ordered was excellent, but I'm sure anything on the menu would've been. Cocktails were all super different, but tasty. At the end of the night, I asked the bartender to make me his drink of choice, and Idk what it was, but it was out of this world. Will definitely be back 10/10 read more
5 years ago
Love this place! The decor and the whole vibe is perfect! They have amazing skewers and the best Brussels sprouts I've ever had in my life and I've had a lot of Brussels sprouts! The sushi is also great and super fresh and I usually don't like sushi read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
We came here for a belated birthday celebration. The service was very good and our server was very knowledgeable. My friend had talked up the food, especially the ribs, and we were just a little bit underwhelmed. My two favorite things were the Japanese pancake and the Ramen. They both had very deep flavor and were very satisfying. The old-fashioned was delicious and unique! read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
After coming to Umami three times and not being able to get a seat, I finally learned my lesson and reserved a table -- this spot is popular! The atmosphere for this place is everything a millennial dreams of. The DJ is always playing amazing music, while the interior is decorated oh so "Instagram worthy." I was pleasantly surprised by the price of this place. It's also very affordable during happy hour! The sashimi was fresh and cut into pieces that weren't too thin or too thick. This was my first time trying scallop sushi. Where has this been all my life?! The Hokkaido scallops was a huge mouthful of soft buttery goodness. One of my favorites! Besides sushi, we got the okonomiyaki and wagyu beef. It was also my first time trying okonomiyaki and it was DELICIOUS. Very filling topped off with okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayo. The wagyu beef was a disappointment however. We were surprised by the price when we saw it on the menu, but it turned out to be four pieces on a skewer and burnt. Honestly tasted like something my dad would burn at a church barbecue. Lastly, we got the fried matcha ice cream for dessert. It was very interesting and would be great for someone with a huge sweet tooth. The toppings were very mysterious to me and was basically sugar styrofoam. Besides the wagyu and the ice cream, everything was delicious. The drinks were also strong yet bet drinkable and pretty! read more
5 years ago
This has to be one of my new favorite places in Pittsburgh! The food was delicious, he drinks were phenomenal and the environment was incredible. Despite being a mainly sushi focused menu, there were plenty of vegetarian and vegan options that I loved. My personal favorite was the chawanmushi (so flavorful my jaw dropped) read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Wonderful spot for a birthday celebration, great food, exceptional service, loved the music. Emily took great care in explaining all the dishes. Thank you Derrick read more
2 years ago
amazing food and so fun! we sat at the bar and got great drinks too! such good service and ambience with the dj! read more
4 years ago
Great place to hang for parties less than 4. Great decorations and bar, but the food is not authentic Japanese. The sashimi was fresh, but pricey. Grill skewers looks great, but sub-par. We had the pork belly - nice texture, but cold in the middle (hope it was fully cooked). Also ordered a short rib Raman, but the soy milk broth was way too salty to drink. The Raman noodles had good texture. The ribs were deep fried, but lack flavor. The place is likely good for a drink with some appetizers. Not a place for an authentic Japanese dinner. Cannot recommend for dinner or a meal. read more
3 years ago
fresh seafood and pretty good cocktails. it's a bit pricey but worth it if you want to get good japanese food in pittsburgh. read more
8 years ago
Great food, great service, great atmosphere!! We had a party of 6 and made a reservation through Reso. If you go to Umami's website there is a link to make reservations. I would recommend making a reservation as many days in advance as you can as this place fills up fast! One member of our party was gluten free and our server was able to make great menu recommendations to accommodate (the zucchini dengaku app was the best). We ordered four apps to share then each ordered our own entree. We were full but not disgustingly so. Every dish we ordered was very good and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. I highly recommend the Okonomiyaki. It is like a potato pancake appetizer with bacon, broccoli and delicious sauces on top. To enter the restaurant you must walk up several flights of stairs so keep that in mind if needed! read more
So good and such a cool spot!! We arrived right before 5, and there were a few others. No regular seating available, but we got two seats at the bar, which IMO is always a bummer, but in a small spot like this, you settle for the bar seats because it's actually interesting to watch them cook. We literally purchased one thing per section on the menu because me and my mom DO. NOT. MESS. AROUND. lol but actually we don't. We are pigs. Yolo. A list of the foods we ordered, rated hahah: - beef tenderloin (9/10) sooo flavorful - salmon robata (9/10) perfectly cooked, so much flavor - sashimi maguro (7/10) just plain tuna. Nothing overly exciting - sake nigiri (10/10) my favorite kind of sushi so duh it's 10/10 - temaki hamachi (8/10) interesting; first time trying raw yellow fish and I liked it - edamame (8/10) a little undercooked but tasty - pork & shrimp shumai (8/10) I liked it. Mom didn't. Idk how you wanna take that. Personal preference I guess bc they're not like normal dumplings. My mom said it's like a meatball hahahah - yaki udon (10/10) SO GOOOOOD ORDER THIS! Such a cool take on ramen. No broth I recommend ordering one of each if you're feeling like absolutely balling out. It's worth it. You deserve it, tbh. Do it. read more
I'll start by saying I lived in walking distance of Umami and also I was in the habit of grabbing a late night bite when I was eating there frequently. There aren't many kitchens open as late but out of the few there are, Umami was by far my go-to in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. They had a DJ on the nights I was there making it feel lively and the red lighting makes it feel like club atmosphere. I think you might have to have a man-bun to be a server there. My favorite spot to sit is at the sushi bar where it's like watching art being made one order after another. The small plate options make it easy to try different items until you reach your fill. Reservations are recommended at prime times. read more
7 years ago
Very nice atmosphere,makes me feel like I'm in NYC. Tried the whole squid which was fantastic,not too much sauce on top that you can taste the squid flavor. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful,the sashimi was fresh. read more
4 years ago
This has got to be one of the top sushi/sashimi spots in Pittsburgh, the environment inside is chill and they have dj's on occasion - great for a night out with friends. My favorite things about this place are the less than common and creative menu choices for sharing and the option to order smaller portions so you can try more bites off the menu. Definitely tried the beer and saki shot combos a few times to make sure they were all good! read more
10 years ago
Cool ambiance and an open kitchen, but calling this a sushi place is a bit of a misnomer in my opinion. They only offer rudimentary nigiri/sashami at fairly high prices. The cooked selections - like the octopus balls are quite good and more resoanbly priced. Drinlk list not bad, but somewhat weak/small for my tastes. Overall this is far more of a $$$ than a $$ place IMHO. The reason for 3 versus 4 stars is the level of service - while our server was friendly, we went 20 minutes waiting for our first drink order. The food came out in a rush, then another long wait to order second round. when it gets to the point that i'm annoyed, its worth mentioning. I can't lay this at the establishments feet, but i found the clientele offputting somewhat. Neither my son nor i felt comfortable - and i'm the gregarious sort. Just not our kind of crowd i guess - not really hipster, but a vibe i can't put my finger on. read more
I have to say I'm underwhelmed. It's s nice place don't get me wrong but it's more hype than anything. The drinks are pricey and the food is ok. It's not awful but it's just nothing to write home about. It's packed with millennials in a cramped space. The floor plan is well laid out considering the small space. I'll probably give it another shot but if I do I won't rush out to do so. read more
8 years ago
More info about Umami
Ask the Community - Umami
Can this place host for 7 peole?
Yes! I believe they have a private room that can be booked that you see when you get to the top of the steps.
Is it inappropriate to bring a kid (13) for an early dinner to this restaurant?
Just get a table or sit by the sushi making. I think a teenager would have fun.
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18 reviews that are not currently recommended
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