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A mysterious door that leads up stairs to a hip dark Japanese bar. There are many stairs leading to the restaurant. You will need a reservation, this place was packed even on a Tuesday night. We loved the crispness and juicy Kaarage. A really nice portion for $12. The nigiri plate was good. Fish was fresh, rice was soft, warm and well seasoned. For $30 this was a pretty good deal. The $75 grand meal on weekends looks so good. The $20 sushi roll seemed a bit steep but the roll was good. The rice ratio seemed like a little too much rice but the fish was flavorful with the spicy sauce. Overall would recommend for PA sushi!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
I really enjoyed my experience at Umami from the food to the drinks, everything was on point. I started with the Snow Angel sake, which was light, smooth, and very easy to sip. For sushi, we tried the fatty tuna, lean tuna sashimi, salmon, octopus, and tuna nigiri all fresh and flavorful. The miso ramen was comforting and delicious, and the market-price fish of the day, branzino, came out perfectly crispy with a house chimichurri that tied it all together beautifully. The skewers were easily a highlight the wagyu practically melted in my mouth, and the chicken skin had that perfect crispy bite. Drinks were strong and well-made, and our bartender was fantastic. The only downside was the wait. Even with a reservation, we had to wait about 30-45 minutes before being seated, which was a little confusing. Still, once we sat down, the quality of the food and drinks made the night well worth it.
For my first visit I liked it well enough. To be fair it was a rainy and cold evening and I made the last minute decision to give it a try. Finding the entrance was pretty easy - there was a sign above the doorway but when you step inside it feels like you're in an apartment building with a door to your left that's locked and a door straight ahead which I eventually found out that you walk through there and up 2 flights of stairs to the restaurant in the 3rd floor. I sat at the bar and ordered my food. Bartender very nice and helpful. The music was a bit loud for me. The food was good -- chicken thigh pieces on a skewer were really tender with great flavor (hence the empty plate in attached photo ;-), pork gyoza had the perfect chewiness with yummy filling, and udon noodle bowl was good but I should have removed some of the spicy seasoning - little too much for my tastebuds. The food was good and presented nicely but the overall experience was kind of average. I'll give it another try during better weather and sit in the dining room next time and we'll see how it goes. read more
4 years ago
So you'll have to excuse me, I don't remember the name of the dishes or drinks we tried but I enjoyed most of them while others were too salty etc (will hold harmless since I forget). I've been wanting to try here for years but always forget to reserve and you absolutely need to, space is so limited (and crammed in my opinion). It has a few floors to the place and has nice dim lighting and fun, casual atmosphere, I also love the decor! Please refer to my photos to speak for most of my review. I do want to note that their menu changes, including the drinks, so the drinks I seen on here ahead of time were long gone such as the pop rocks one etc. It is a lively place and sorta mid-age crowd which is cool. I do feel some of the items are overpriced and not met for their worth while others are. It is costly but worth a visit for special occasions. As far as "authentic" I feel maybe close as you'll get to what I had in Japan, in the area anyway, but I wouldn't say perfect. I think it's a nice place but the hype/return isn't matching entirely to what I expected. read more
2 years ago
We had a kitchen bar reservation for 7pm on a Friday and were seated exactly on time. Our waitress was super friendly & kind, patient and attentive. We loved our seat right in front of the grill as it was warm in an otherwise chilly room and we watched as they grilled, rolled and plated foods. We loved the dimly lit atmosphere and the DJ was a highlight. The music was fun without positioning itself as the focal point, but I caught myself grooving along all dinner. Now for the food -- Chirashi bowl (sub egg for scallop) - the tuna, scallop and octopi were our favorite bites Karaage - amazing crunch, tender chicken. Good size portion to share for 2! Grilled Trumpets - yummy, would likely not order again since there was so much else to try (3 pc). Salmon Skewer - Delicious! A fatty and flavorful bite of salmon (4 pc). Pork Gyoza - Comes as an amazing sand dollar- fried together dish. We loved the presentation and crispy bits between the gyoza. Sauce was flavorful and balanced the pork well. Plus- they had a great Asahi 0.0% nonalcoholic beer. One of my favorite nonalcoholic that I've tried! read more
7 months ago
7 months ago
4 years ago
Umami is hidden in a little corner and located upstairs. It has a nice ambiance with dim lighting and orange neon lights surrounding the windows and nice beats playing. The decor was also very nice. The place is very small but provides a variety of Japanese foods from sashimi and nigiri to roboyak and gyudon. I got the nigiri plate which came with 6 pieces. All the seafood in the nigiri plate was fresh, and the fish melted on my mouth. My only complaint is that they added a tamago nigiri, which only left us with only 5 pieces with fish/seafood on them. I also got some robatayaki, which all came with only one skewer. I got the prime strip steak, chicken skin, and king trumpet mushroom. The prime steak was a little more cooked than I liked, but it was still good and came with three cubes on a stick. The chicken skin came with two on one stick and was crispy. It went well with the the king trumpet mushroom, which came with four pieces on a stick. I also ordered a drink, the Creme on Chrome. The drink was okay, not too sweet and had a coconut taste. I tried the gyudon, which was pretty good. It had a lot of meat and an egg on top, and when mixed, it provided a creamy texture to the dish. The host was super nice, but our server forgot us halfway through. We also ordered two extra prime strop steak robatayaki, but it did not go through. Overall, I really like the ambiance of the restaurant, and I think it is one of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh. read more
4 years ago
Wow, where to start? This place is beyond fantastic. Always fresh, wonderful flavors in everything they do. Let's start with food: I highly suggest Robatayaki (skewers cooked on the grill) of any kind. My favorites are bacon wrapped quail egg, chicken skin, wagyu beef, and mushrooms. Next, any of the Yatai (food cart type appetizers and entrees) are a great choice. My favorites are pork gyoza, chawanmushi (incredible seasonal savory egg custard), tuna tataki, and shio ramen with pork short ribs. Last but not least, sushi. My favorites: bara chirashi (you get deconstructed sushi with lots of variety!), any of the nigiri, sashimi, or temaki hand rolls (imagine seaweed ice cream cone filled with sushi), and the spicy magura (tuna) onigiri (imagine a sushi meatball with rice outside and spicy tuna inside). Next up - cocktails: They never disappoint with a tiki-esque vibe but with asian ingredients like lychee, thai basil, edamame, saki, soju, and many more. Always as beautiful as they are tasty! if you're not feeling a cocktail, they have some Asian and local beers as well as plenty of wine and sake. Finally - ambiance: this place does NOT feel like you're in Pittsburgh. It's definitely a great vibe with a unique set up. Open sushi station so you can watch your food being made. Also a really cool private zashiki room where you can sit on the floor and eat in traditional style. As with any place, there are downsides. Parking is a bear in Lawrenceville. There are no lots anywhere close so it's every person for themselves. Also, it's up 2 steep flights of stairs. Watch how much you drink or you'll be playing slinky tumbling down the stairs after you're done. With that, be aware that the bathroom is on the 1st floor (restaurant on 2nd) so you'll want to plan bathroom breaks. Overall, one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh and I'm shocked after 50+ visits this is my first review! read more
3 years ago
Savory, Fresh, Fun, and Delicious Japanese Dishes I like to come her during what is perhaps, the most authentically delicious happy hour in the city. If I'm having sushi, then it's yellow fin, along with any other types, and I've had enough sushi to tell how fresh it is or not. All of the sushi I've had at Umami sports freshness. The dumplings, skewers, and other apps always feel perfectly prepared, and hit the spot for a good snack. I'd recommend getting a reservation for anything in the evening, and definitely for dinner on the weekend, as they're usually packed on weekend evenings, very packed because the food is so good. One of the entertaining things about the restaurant is that the food is brought as it's made, which makes it fun to order a number of things. The sake selection is good, and they also have a full bar, so it's possible to get what I like, and to try new things. I suggest getting a bunch of things, but definitely the yellow fin and enjoy the low-lit New York-esque, cool part of East Village atmosphere that feel's like your in a very cool film where the main characters are doing everything right, to have an amazing night after superb food and cool vibes. read more
So, I can't believe we have never been to Umami before... we've wanted to, but it's been so popular for years, we never were able to remember to reserve far in advance. When a restaurant is THAT popular years after it opens, it raises my interest even more... thankfully, my wife made a reservation for us 2 months ago, and I'm happy to report that the hype is fully merited! So, our server was a very personable young lady who treated us and the kids with the utmost care and hospitality throughout our dinner - she knew the menu top to bottom, and took our order by memory - ZERO errors, and she kept the pace of the meal in perfect time, despite the establishment being fully reserved. The music volume was perfect, although the mix of rap was something I was not expecting, but it was a cool detail for the urban setting and complimented the glow of the neon and lights from the kitchen. Personally, I would have loved to hear the XX, Digable Planets, and Guru Jazzmatazz thrown into the mix, but overall, it was super chill vibe... OK, you're not reading this for the music details, are you? Here's what we ordered: Apps - Tuna tatami - Sushi roll "special" - tuna and salmon - Pork gyoza Robata - Smoked tofu x 2 - Chicken thigh yakitori x 2 - Steak x 2 Sushi - Nigiri plate - Sashimi plate All of it was delicious, and served beautifully arranged and at the proper temperature. I will say that the surprise of the evening was the gyoza. This gyoza is simply the absolute best gyoza or dumpling I've EVER had anywhere. Seriously! It was mind blowing. The steak robatayaki were just OK, but the chicken thighs took me back to my trip to Japan and a quaint yakitori place I loved... The sushi / sashimi plate was super delicious. The high quality of the proteins is a reason to make this place a destination not to be missed. The sea bream, Hokkaido scallop, lean tuna, and ikura were spectacular. I love that they served it with shiso and daikon garnishes. Desserts are worth the calorie count, and drinks were on point. Overall, we all felt that Umami is one of our favorites in town, and will be back soon!!!! Kanpai! read more
Came in to Umami totally spur of the moment on a Saturday night with 3 friends. The hopes of getting a table looked grim until the host so kindly offered us an hour long time slot at a high top table. I sipped on the umeshu mezcal white negroni cocktail which consisted of the perfect blend of sake and mezcal. For my meal, I was tempted to order a bunch of different a la cart dishes, but felt super indecisive and ultimately settled on the shoyu ramen. Although brief, my overall dining experience was extremely satisfying. read more
4 years ago
I am actually a little bit disappointed by my latest experience here. I brought eight people total (most of whom were visiting from out of town) and while it was cool that we got the separate room to the left of the host stand, our experience was overall good, but not excellent. For almost $100 a person I expected all of the food to be amazing and for the experience to be top-notch. Our server explained to us the specials but didn't tell us that three small pieces of blue fin would be $45. We could have asked, but none of us expected it to be that much given the quality. It was just alright - nothing special, a bit plain tasting and definitely not worth the price. The udon noodles with crab (another special) were really not up to par. I think I took two bites and told my server it wasn't for me and she said "that happens" and took the bowl away. There was no conversation about it which was a bit frustrating. The broth was bland, the crab had no flavor and the only part of the soup I enjoyed was the smoked carrots. I've never felt I wasted money at Umami before but with these two dishes I did. I had a highball drink which wasn't my favorite but they are now serving Maggie's rum drinks which I ended up getting instead and it was delicious. We had some other food that was great - the fried octopus balls and rice bowls were delicious and I loved the skewers. The two desserts were yummy. We were there for birthdays and they were good sizes for people to each get a bite or two. The private room was a huge plus for our group but as we were 8, we had to sit at two separate tables which wouldn't have been ideal for some parties. I'm not sure I'd come back with a big group on a holiday weekend. I think this place is great for happy hour or when you already know what you like and are comfortable paying those prices, but not for entertaining guests from out of town when the price is so high for a hit or miss experience. read more
2 years ago
Attentive staff, live DJ, great food. Walked in and it was bit warm on a spring evening, but temperature quickly changed to cooler/more comfortable. Noise increases as more people filtered in on a Thursday night around 7. read more
3 years ago
Upon a recommendation from a bartender at another restaurant, we snagged a last minute reservation as my son wanted sushi. Everything was absolutely delicious. We ordered: - chicken karaage - tempura plate - perfectly battered, airy crisp - agedashi tofu - robatayaki: wagyu beef, chicken thigh, chicken skin - whole flying squid (must get) - sashimi plate - handrolls - otoro, madai, hamachi, hotate nigiri - gyudon- beef rice bowl - taiyaki- waffles with red bean and coconut ube (loved the tart yuzu curd) We'll be back! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
They got it right! Both the food and vibe complement each other perfectly making each individual part better, down to the sumo wrestlers glasses. The menu is encompassing without being overwhelming, similar to how the live DJ adds to the enjoyment while still allowing for conversation. When trying to find any negative, initially not have lunch hours seemed odd but I now understand why. The evening experience allows the staff to give an outstanding level of service with timely tasty food and drinks. A note of personal taste, the rice of the Chirashi had a seasoning on that also coated the fresh fish and detracted from the taste of a high quality ingredient. I would simply ask for that to be omitted in the future. Overall, I will be returning, bringing family and friends, and recommending this place to coworkers and strangers on Yelp! read more
1 year ago
This was my second time going to Umami. The first time I had an amazing experience -- the ambiance is dark and cool, drinks were great, food was great. This time was unfortunately a let down. Our server was super nice, but the food fell short. I ordered the Cream on Chrome cocktail. Very unusual for me to order a cocktail that is sweet, but this one was so unique and delicious. The star of the night for food was the spicy cucumbers. The pork belly skewers were fine, and a little dry. The sashimi plate was so sparse it was almost laughable (picture has the sashimi plate plus a bunch of extras we ordered), and the fish wasn't overly fresh. I didn't love the hand roll either. This was way too expensive for the quality and quantity of the food. I'm disappointed after having a lovely first experience. read more
We had a fantastic dinner and it was more than I had hoped! We tired something off each section of the menu except the sushi! We had to leave something to come back for. The udon was one of the best things I've ever tasted! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Great service, great food, awesome staff. Ambiance is ok; they sat us in a dark corner with music so loud we couldn't hear or speak to one another (couldn't even hear the waitress) Young vibe, swanky and hip. Hard to get in so make a reservation in advance. Collegial crowd. Request sunken room for quiet space? Food makes up for short falls in accessibility. read more
3 years ago
Loved this place! The sushi is really fresh and so amazing. Ordering is pretty much a La carte (nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls). I tried the spicy scallop hand roll, yellowtail hand roll, salmon nigiri, and pork belly skewer. Everything was so delicious! The service was great and it the ambiance was nice inside! They had a dj playing. There was a also a small room where the tables are low to the ground and you sit on the floor (which is where we were seated) and it made for a great experience. read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
Came here for dinner for 3 without reservation and was seated by the bar. We ordered the sashimi plate, nigiri plate, unagi don, and the savory pancake. This place is overpriced for the food being ok. Service was excellent though. read more
2 years ago
We went during our girl's weekend to Pittsburgh aka "the Paris of the Appalachia". Our server Phillip was delightful. Our favorites were the Hamachi Kama (yellow tuna "cheek" special), karaage (fried chicken), and okonomiyaki (savory pancake). Drinks were delicious. It felt like we were entering a speakeasy. There is not a sign that we could find. Memorable time!!! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
The cutest hidden gem tucked away on a side street in Lawrence with low beautiful low lighting. It gives cool, calm vibes with a romantic feel and plays the best music on any given night! I sat at the bar and was greeted by the greatest bartender I cannot recall his name but he had braids in his and was super helpful in guiding our cocktails for the night and even helped with transitioning over to wine before the night ended. The food was great just appetizers this particular evening but will be back to sample more off this fabulous menu. read more
2 years ago
Cool atmosphere, you walk up two sets of stairs and it's very on theme. The service was fast. The pork gyoza was fantastic and the sauce it came with matched it great. The karaage was delicious with the sauce. I recommend squeezing the lemon into the sauce. The shoyu ramen only comes with 4 pieces of pork, but it was so tasty. Would definitely recommend this place. read more
Went back for my friends' birthday and ordered the OKONOMIYAKI and TAKOYAKI. We were excited because we knew we liked those when we were in Japan. But we were disappointed because both were extremely salty. We also had a cake since it was our friend's birthday but they didn't communicate with us about their cake cutting policy until much later. It was a very confusing and uncomfortable situation with how the one staff interacted with us about that. Thankfully later our server clearly communicated with us about the policy. But this was much later and was so uncomfortable in the couple minutes between that. Last time I came, we ordered the KARAAGE and it was also very salty. But we also ordered sushi and that helped clear our palate. The CHIRASHI BOWL was pretty good but was not very noteworthy. For my friend's birthday, we were seated in the side room because we had a large party. The interior felt kinda disorienting because of the dim lighting contrasted with the bright neon light and loud music. Another note about the interior, it is a very inaccessible space. Not just with the disorienting environment, but also all the stairs, no elevator, narrow spaces, and only high tables. tldr; Food 3.5/5 Service 3.5/5 Interior 3/5 read more
2 years ago
Great food, vibe, and service! Definitely will go back again. A little more expensive though it's worth it. read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
Impeccable performance of asian delectables. There are 2 restaurants that compete at this level and Umami is one of them. *Incredible sake menu: Snow Angel, The Gentleman, Moon Ring are excellent selections. *Robotayaki selection: best in show Quail Egg wrapped in Bacon. *Whole Branzino took the Main The scene: Hip Hop spins on the 1's & 2's, #femaleDJ NYC vibe, Is Brooklyn in the house? Kind of feels, if you know.... Get a reservation, we were lucky enough to get in without one. read more
2 years ago
My girlfriend and I came for dinner on a Friday night. I've heard such good things from so many people so we decided to make a reservation and finally check it out. We both love Japanese food but with me being vegan that sometimes makes it tough. The menu clearly had vegan options labeled which made it easy for me to order. We both got ramen and appetizers and everything we had was amazing! The ramen was seriously delicious and the vegan onigiri that I had reminded me of a place I used to go when I lived in New York City. We really loved the food and the ambiance of Umami. You have to check it out! read more
More info about Umami
202 38th St
(Above Round Corner Cantina)
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Lawrenceville
Directions
(412) 224-2354
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http://www.umamipgh.com
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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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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
20 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
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Umami - sushi - Updated August 2026
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