Came here after eating downstairs at the round corner cantina. The hostess suggested take a peak before heading home, so we took the trek up two flights of stairs. The entrance to this restaurant is hidden on the side of the building and could be easy to miss. When we got up the stairs, I was presently surprised at the atmosphere. there was a live DJ and trendy pink neon lighting and the place was packed. I decided that I would be back here on my next happy hour. Came back for happy hour on a Friday afternoon around 5pm and it was not as packed so there was plenty of seating. ordered a few appetizers to get a feel for different things. I ended up ordering the deviled eggs, Miso Soup and the smoked salmon sushi. ALL AMAZINGLY GOOD! next I ordered, broccoli and a raw salmon and raw scallop sushi (each came as one piece). Not normally my thing to eat scallop raw but it was good. drinks were excellent too. Asked the bartender to make me something that tasted like Asian pear, which normally isn't on the menu but he made something up. Great staff. All very nice. read more

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I'm really going to miss this place. For the past 2 months that I've been working in PIT, Umami has been a staple order for me through Postmates - I love the freshness of the ingredients and the sheer deliciousness of everything. Umami can perhaps be called a more fusion-y take on japanese food, but not in a tasteless or odd way that fusion food often ends up. I haven't had a bad dish at Umami. though I will say their ramen is not amazing, so maybe order another one of their many amazing dishes on the menu instead. --Yaki udon - my fave dish. I could eat this everyday. Al dente udon noodles with a perfectly cooked onsen egg, dried mushrooms, chili powder, shaved beets, and lots of cabbage. This is the type of meat less fish I could eat all the time. The mix of tastes and ingredients made this comfort food. --Chawanmushi - only truly legitimate Japanese restaurants serve chawanmushi, and I was pleasantly surprised at this. It's served with thin slices of pumpkin and scallions on top, and is so smooth and not too salty. --Temaki - I loved the salmon or the unagi ones. The unagi here is heavier and saltier than the usual types, with thick sauce covering it. I appreciate how the seaweed is crisp and the servings of rice is generous. --Okonomoyaki - ive tried this at other teppanyaki places and it's a little different here - a little saltier especially with the bacon slices and mayo on top. But so delicious, and fried to a crisp at all the right parts. I loved the crunch of the cabbages in the pancake. --others like takoyaki, nigiri etc...they've all been really good. It can get pricey if you order the small dishes, so maybe that's why it's not 5 stars yet for me. The atmosphere is also modern, young, like a hip bar, with great happy hour specials. I recommend making a trip here in person, not just ordering it online! read more

The place- I felt like a VIP, sneaking in the back door, leading myself up a staircase, following the sounds of a live DJ on a Thursday evening at 7pm. This little hot spot is full of vibes. Good vibes. Hipster and non hipsters alike unite under the dimly red lit skinny tables. The staff is well oiled and put together, the open kitchen is fun to watch from afar - the expediter being key to shipping out dishes in a timely and orderly manner. The drink- Large drink menu, limited by a night out prior, one of us had a cocktail and the other had a Lone Wolf & Cub (8 oz beer and sake pour). Both were above par delicious and creative. The food- I tend to shy away from most food on a stick, but was convinced by my dining partner to at least share his robatayaki. Boy am I glad I did, the wagyu beef tenderloin was melt in your mouth fantastic. Chicken skin, crisp and salty. And the bacon wrapped quail egg was a burst of breakfast satisfaction in my mouf. Just as we finished those, the octopus balls appeared. Highly raved about online, they were octopus fritters with large pieces of meat in them with a parade of sauces over, under, around and through. They were delicious nuggets and great to share. Next up was the savory pancake - cabbage, brussel sprouts, bacon, yam and dried tuna flake highlighted this number, cooked crispy and covered in more mystery saucy goodness. It is a large 'small plate' be aware. To finish the meal came the pork & shrimp shumai. Served at the perfect temperature, filling with a satisfying mouth feel, these may have been my top choice of the night (sans wagyu stick). They came with a dumpling sauce and each had a single edamame tucked into it's hat. The sweets- Fried ice cream, not your traditional Chi-Chi's set up. But vanilla ice cream encased in mochi then coated and fried. I didn't realize that would be the arrangement and I am not a fan of mochi in general - so I can't fairly judge the dish. But a lot of people were ordering it! What would give it 5 stars? Knock a buck off cocktails, make the smaller plates smaller and cheaper, but otherwise, nicely done! I think I found a new date night hang out! Thanks Umami! read more

I came back to Umami since my friend wanted to try this place. I made reservations surprise him and to make sure that we were going to be able to get a table. As soon as we got there, we got seated to our table. The atmosphere in this place was nice and relaxing. Our waitress was nice and attentive. To our disappointment, the food was not what we expected. We ordered takoyaki, sashimi platter, spicy tuna hand roll, udon and tonkatsu ramen. The takoyaki was overcooked and the texture was harder than other takoyaki that I've had tried. The hand roll was okay but so not worth $10. I got the udon which Is my go to but the udon was so salty that it was hard eating it. The most disappointing one was the ramen which had no flavor at all. Ramen usually has a really flavorful broth. This ramen had no flavor but the chilly oil and the meat tasted like nothing. We were very disappointed in our food as it was not worth spending over $80 (including tip) for this meal. I wouldn't recommend this place as there are other restaurants that offer better quality of food for a better price but if you're more concerned with atmosphere, by any means try it. read more

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There are a few obstacles to getting into Umami, including finding the door (follow the lanterns up the stairs and keep climbing!) and getting past the frosty hosting staff, but make the effort and you're on your way to an awesome experience! The maguro was deliciously spicy and the suzuki was succulent! The yuzu deviled eggs are also a fine addition to your dining experience as is the takoyaki, with both being presented beautifully by a great wait staff. There are always fantastic specials and it's great to watch the sushi chef slice and dice at the bar with an ambience on par with the high quality of food, beer and wine! The chirashi is also a standout of mixed sushi selections! The staff does a great job of describing the sushi and fresh fish being delivered to the table and the presentations are really quite ornate! Enjoy! read more

The food here is incredible, everything I have tried over several visits has been outstanding. The service is typically very good too, educated wait staff who are great about giving recommendations etc. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars was the service from the hostess stand during my last visit. I came with a large party of 7 but it was early in the evening, we had a 5:30 reservation. The restaurant was nearly empty at that time. 5 of the 7 in my party were there for the first time and the hostess seated us and said "you know you're going to have to be out of here by 7:30, we have another reservation". Super rude and not at all welcoming to either brand new OR returning patrons. That was disappointing but the food is so amazing, I will keep coming back. read more

Very good! This places serves excellent Japanese street food, I've been back several times and the food is great! It's hard to get a reservation for a large party, however, so call ahead (at least a day) if you plan to go there with a group! read more

I was thrilled to finally have an izakaya in Pittsburgh. Overall, Umami did not disappoint. Not the most traditional, but definitely fresh and tasty. The good: RAZOR CLAMS (special) - Perfectly cooked clams in a savory sauce with garlic, pepper and chinese fermented black beans. Loved it except for the occasional sand in the clams. SCALLOP (special) - Jumbo scallop served 2 ways, grilled and sashimi. The grilled one had the perfect amount of smokiness that went so well with the ponzu sauce. The thinly sliced sashimi had a slightly softer texture than expected, but tasted fresh and went very well with the dallop of serrano pepper sauce (caution, very hot!) and the seaweed and shaved beets accompaniments. PORK BELLY, BACON QUAIL EGG, SHIITAKE MUSHROOM - Pretty tasty, no complains (maybe except for the price). SALMON AND IKURA HANDROLL, HIRAME NIGIRI - Fish was fresh and sushi rice was well done. There was some crunchy rice seasoning at the bottom of the handroll which I was not a fan of. In retrospect, for the price of one handroll and one nigiri, I should probably go for the chirashi instead. PORK & SHRIMP SHUMAI - Not sure that I could taste the shrimp, but it was porky and moist. Not so good: SHRIMP - Did not want to order this but the bf insisted. Shrimp tends to be a disappointment unless it is a live spot prawn. As expect, this was meh. TONKOTSU RAMEN - This was the biggest disappointment of the night. Instead of the rich, milky and meaty broth that we love about tonkotsu ramen, we received a sweet, shoyu-type broth instead. The noodles and char siu were nothing to write home about either. Would not order again. Overall, we had a very enjoyable meal, with delicious food, attentive service and decent drinks. Pricey, yes, but that seems to be a common problem with the exploding food scene in Pittsburgh. Will definitely return! read more

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This was our first time at Umami: first impression: Loved it! We went there on a Friday evening at 6pm. We made reservations, as recommended. The outside of the restaurant wasn't clearly marked, which was slightly strange to me, but upon entering, the vibe was immediately cool. I immediately noticed the smell of sushi, not fishy, but fresh and lemony. You climb 2 flights of stairs and enter a really chill atmosphere. We sat at a table, but the best part was the bar area where you could watch the kitchen. Well sit there next time. We got drinks, very reasonably priced for Happy Hour. Some food items we got, the mushroom custard: this was my favorite thing! The flavor and texture was AMAZING! Get it! Also, the Scottish Salmon skewer: delicious and tender, the Wagyu tenderloin skewer: my boyfriend says this was his favorite taste. He got the sushi bowl, which was well worth the $18, boasting a wonderful assortment of fish, rice, sauces, and ginger. I got the pancake, which was super flavorful and huge. We can't wait to go back! Definitely would recommend trying some of the more unique items on the menu, the skewers, and that custard. I've never had anything like it. read more

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slowest shit ever. ordered nigiri plate, tnt roll, gyudon, matcha creme brulee and had to cancel the gyudon cause it took over 30 minutes to make. they gave us some silly ass sauteed cucumber to compensate for taking too long but im allergic to cucumbers lol. food was overpriced too, sushi tasted pretty mid. read more

This was easily the best restaurant I have ever been to. Sushi was unbelievable, unique, and delicious. Drinks were strong and delicious. All of the food was genuinely cooked the way it should be too. The ambiance is absolutely perfect, service delightful. We will be returning. read more

Joy was a excellent hostess for the 5th time. Instantly found seating for my group. Bartenders Nathaniel and Dakota we're amazingly helpful with details about sake and whiskeys. Food was some of the best I've ever had. Please keep the sushi part open till 2am. It's worth it. read more

This space is awesome. It's a hidden gem of you're looking for great music, awesome vibe, and the best spicy scallops roll in pgh. Great drink selection. Prices are fair. Will be my new spot when I crave sushi. read more

Disclaimer: this review is almost purely about the aesthetic and ambiance at Umami. When I went there around 10p on a Friday night, I wasn't hungry, but my friends got some fantastic looking (and smelling!) dishes and cocktails. They definitely have some gimmicks (such as a syringe to inject soy sauce into a rice ball), but honestly those only added to the experience! Walking up the stairs to this place, you get a sense of the artistic vision of the owners. The walls are covered in this paper with beautifully intricately detailed designs, but there are modern twists. When you get to the top and turn the corner, you immediately take in an intimate bar with tasteful neon signs and more of this traditionally styled Japanese art with a modern flair. You keep moving further into the room and you notice to your right are a few more tables and a sushi counter, which still all feels very intimate and cozy. On Friday nights they have an incredible DJ who makes seamless blends between different genres and beats--I would go back just to hear more of his stuff! I also can't wait to go back to actually try the food and more fully experience what Umami offers. If you are looking for a cool new place to try or want to impress your out of town friends with something a little different that feels high end, this is your spot! read more

Everything was amazingly good! The ramen bowls were excellent as well as the Japanese inspired cocktails and beers. read more

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By far one of the coolest places and experiences I've ever been to! So unique! Will be back soon for sure! read more

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Liz was amazing. I can't compliment her enough. Coming from someone thats been in the industry, well, forever that says a lot. The food was great, drinks delicious, and a great atmosphere. Start from the first page of the menu, and work your way through trying everything. read more

This place was awesome. Not gonna lie, it definitely felt like we needed a password to get in. But after ascending two flights of steep steps, we were greeted with a really bright and fun restaurant! My friends and I went on a Saturday early evening around 445pm and sat bar side. From what the hostess said (dinner tables were reserved up until 1130pm) you def need a reservation on busy nights. Rookie mistake but we got lucky and beat most of the dinner traffic. The music was GREAT. The bartenders were fun and super helpful. I throughly enjoyed my dinner. My friends got the Ramen, fried chicken and sushi. I grabbed the deviled eggs () open faced dumplings and the salmon collar special. All of which, I'd most definitely get again! read more

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The tenderloin and chicken heart skewers are delicious. Our favorites were the shumai and spicy scallop hand roll. Our salmon sashimi was very good and fresh. I wish had our servers name, he was very informative, attebtive, and nice! We'll be back for more! read more

Food was excellent, especially the miso ramen. Nice sake selection. DJ was just getting set up as we left, so I presume they spin some tunes into the night. You lose one star for your pretentious hipster bartenders. I don't like being looked down on while I try to enjoy my dinner; puts my appetite off! read more

Super cool and hip joint. Ive been here a few different times and I've never been disappointed with anything I've ordered. Their food and drinks are both super tasty and unique! It's a place I always keep in my back pocket for when friends or family visit from out of town. I highly recommend it!! read more

I LOVE THIS SPOT!! We've been here over a handful of times and the food was delicious. Their saki bottles aren't extremely over priced and their food is more tapas style. If you make reservations you might be able to sit in the traditional Japanese room. But Overall the vibes and food exceeded my expectations. read more

I'm so happy my friend invited me to this special place. The food is delicious, fresh and beautiful. Love the atmosphere and open kitchen.

Amazing atmosphere and food! Don't miss the amber jack sashimi and the pork gyoza! Service was awesome and we've been telling all our friends about it ever since. Cannot wait to go back! read more

This place is so trendy it makes me anxious but it's well worth the visit if you are in town or you're a local. I decided to take my boyfriend there since I was craving quality sushi, particularly chirashi. It's hard to find good quality sushi in any city, and I was still feeling a bit bummed that the Izakaya place I used to go to in Shadyside changed over to a ramen shop. (I heard it's still pretty good though, but no sushi at the new place.) So I ended up trying to make a reservation here, and probably a mistake to try to do it the night before Thanksgiving, but oh well. I was craving chirashi like nobody's business! We ended up just walking in and sitting at the bar. We arrived right when happy hour started so there were plenty of seats. They have two different house sakes. I recall trying both and feeling pretty meh about one, but loving the other. I wish I had remembered the name of the one I liked because I would totally try to buy some at a liquor store if possible! That's how good it was. The chirashi was truly amazing here. I wish they had had uni in stock but they didn't have any because it wasn't available or fresh enough, and I can respect that. I love how they serve the soy sauce in a pipette sticking out of the rice, though I had to ask for a second one. Everything about it was amazing... the quality and freshness of the fish, the presentation, etc. Service was friendly but not overly friendly or fast. It seems kind everyone has a kind of laid back attitude there. It was pretty chill. Very limited seating so be sure to book several days in advance especially if it's a busy time of year. Otherwise, if you want a seat, be prepared to arrive early for happy hour. The entrance to this place is kind of hard to find at first also. And you have to walk up like 3 flights of stairs to get there. I did not mind this (plus they have epic wallpaper on your way up) but I am confused as to how handicapped folks would get up there as I did not see an elevator anywhere? Definitely not an accessible friendly place, also b/c they seemed to have multiple high top tables and high bar stools but no lower tables, so not sure how someone in a wheelchair would be able to eat here, unfortunately. The bathrooms are also down 1 level, accessible via the staircase which is somewhat inconvenient. I can only imagine how many drunken hipsters have taken a tumble down there on their way to the loo, haha. I loved the decor in this place more than anything, and that includes the stairwell wallpaper and the AMAZING dragon head faucet in the bathroom. I must try to find where they bought that so I can get one for my house, cause it is just that cool. Anyway, I would totally come back here again (actually did one more time before I went back home.) My BF also enjoyed it even though he does not eat fish or seafood of any kind, but he loves Japanese food otherwise. Some of the stuff here is more traditional and some is more fusion-y, but I really love that they have options! 10/10 would return again! read more

Small plates combined with sushi choices made for a fun evening of trying the variety of Umami. All so full of flavor! So glad we stumbled upon this unique Eatery! read more

I did not know what to expect walking in but I was beyond impressed with the ambiance, the service, and the FOOD. I appreciated that the vegetarian options were highlighted in green on the menu. I'm not a vegetarian but I'm not a big fish person. Japanese cuisine is mostly seafood but Umami offers a lot of other options. The food isn't something that you could make on its own, my tofu rice bowl was LEGIT. I will definitely be returning soon :) read more

This is the worst example of sushi I have had the displeasure of trying. Shabby decor ill mannered staff and the food were atrocious. The food was over embellished masking the flavor and actual quality and making a mockery of Japanese cuisine known for its artful display using less allowing the tastes and quality to speak for themselves. If boiler plate sushi is your thing with no respect to tradition or formal training as is evident here, then by all means enjoy. But if you seek sushi prepared by a chef with knife skills, presentation skills, and an understanding of what his role is then run! This is not the place. Thankfully a lifetime in Japan has given me the cultural experience to make the distinction. I would give less than a zero if I could but it seems I am forced to give at least one star read more

It was hot and loud. Almost ok food. Small portions and took a long time to come back with a small less than satisfying plate of expensive, bland cold noodles. Never again. read more

Delicious beautifully displayed matcha cheesecake a bit small for $12. Feels like you walk up 2 flights right into Japan. Will have to return for the food. read more

Umami - Sushi Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I will start out this review like many others, walking up to the restaurant is a bit confusing to new comers. Follow the yellow brick road (the narrow black steps) all the way to the tippy top and you enter a small but unique restaurant. We went on a Thursday evening and were pleasantly surprised they had a DJ playing music but man the place was packed for a Thursday! We had reservations and still waited about 10 minutes for our table to get cleared up. The crowd didn't disperse either throughout our dinner. Our waitress was very nice and went over the menu for us, very helpful! They had everything from chicken heart skewers to bowls of ramen and maki. I like that the menu says, "order as you go." The plates are smaller and if you are looking to get filled up, you need to order more than one plate. We started with the beef tenderloin and chicken heart skewers to share. The waitress was right, you definitely need to order more than one! Each skewer has 3 small pieces on it but they are also prices from $2-$4 so can't expect too much. Second, we had the pork and shrimp shumai..OH MY.. delicious. The plate came with six pieces, again, maybe good for one person but for two- order more:-) Lastly, we both had ramen bowls. I got the miso ramen and if you like miso soup then you must try this! It's literally miso soup with a bit more spice and noodles so the goodness never ends! I would definitely recommend checking this place out the vibe and decor is worth seeing , not to mention the food! read more

This place is very nice and the service was super quick. We had a hard time finding the place since the name isn't out in the front but rather when you walk inside. You go up these stairs to this small little hidden restaurant and bar and there's super good music playing. We ordered a beef and shrimp robatayaki(both very good with flavors from the charcoal) just as a small bite before we got our entrees at the sushi/grill bar. I got myself a tekkadon and my date got the zaru soba. The tekkadon was super filling and the spicy tuna was gave quite some heat, considering I'm used to spicy foods. The zaru soba has a beautiful presentation of the salmon, soba, egg, and broth/sauce and it definitely reminded me of the soba my mom would make at home. Our waitress was super patient with us since we took a while to order lol but was super attentive to everyone she was serving. Definitely would recommend going here if you want some more upscale japanese food, nice date night, or for some of the great songs they were playing. read more

First of all, the food was superb.  So no complaints there.  However, BEWARE that there is a 1.5 hour table limit and they will kick you out when your time's up!!!  Our party of 4 had a reservation at 7 p.m. that was made online and we arrived promptly.  It was our first visit, but we were never advised of a table time limitation until towards the end of our meal when the waitress informed us that we would need to leave the table by 8:30 p.m. to make space for the next party.  We were incredulous at this news and asked to speak with the manager.  I had just received my desert and my friends decided that they wanted to order one as well.  But the waitress told us that it would take time to prepare and that there was not enough time.  The manager came over with a surly attitude.  He told us that we were advised of this policy by the hostess when we arrived.  That was a bold outright LIE.  I had to scarf down my desert and didn't even have a chance to enjoy it.  Had I known that, I would not have ordered it.  The manager was totally unyielding and did not care one bit.  We were totally outraged that we were not informed the policy in advance and it was not stated anywhere when the reservation was made.  Had we known, we could have studied the menu in advance and managed our time at the table accordingly.  It was extra aggravating that the manager continued to insist that we were informed of the policy thereby implying that we were liars.  If this is their policy, then it needs to be advised in writing in advance when making the reservation. There should also be a notice placed on the table as well. Due to this upset, we advised that we won't be returning, but the manager did not care one bit. read more

NAILED IT!!! Quality, service, taste, knowledge of product... this place totally gets how a restaurant should work.

TLDR; Don't buy the hype, this place is pretty mediocre. It might be 4-stars by Pittsburgh standards but it would probably be 3 or 3.5 max in a bigger city with more competition for Asian food. My boyfriend and I ordered the chicken heart, chicken thigh + green onion, bacon + quail egg, and whole squid robatayaki. We also got the takoyaki, nasu shigiyaki (Japanese eggplant with ground chicken and miso), Hokkaido scallop special, and the sponge cake dessert. I'll go through each of these one by one: The chicken heart was mostly OK. The texture could have been better, but mainly it was just slathered with too much sauce, which is a criticism that applies to many of these dishes. The chicken thigh and green onion skewer was just sad. The chicken wasn't as juicy as at other places where I've had this dish, but the worst part was the green onion. It was so sad, thin, dry, and tasteless! It's supposed to come from the lower, round parts of the onion so that it's more substantial and flavorful, but all the pieces of green onion were from the flat, flimsy part at the top. This one was also slathered with too much sauce to let the natural flavors shine through. I want to *taste* the green onion, but instead it was reduced to a paper-thin vessel for sauce. The bacon and quail egg skewer was acceptable. The squid was okay, but it was served to us at room temperature, which made it a lot less appealing. The takoyaki was again just okay. It didn't have the same kind of contrast between a slightly crispy exterior and soft, moist interior that I've come to expect from good takoyaki (though I'm spoiled since I recently came back from a trip to Osaka). I will call it a fine introduction if you've never had takoyaki before. The eggplant was definitely the highlight of the meal. The eggplant had a nice texture and the chicken was tasty, though the flavors were too strong and salty, which pushed it towards feeling more like Asian fusion than authentic food. The Hokkaido scallop dish was nice too. It was just raw scallop presented with some garnish. The sponge cake dessert was awful. The so-called "sponge cake" was dense and hard as a rock. I suspect they just bought frozen sponge cake and dumped it on a plate. But even beyond that, the flavors of this dish were incredibly incohesive. It's as if they just tossed as many vaguely Asian dessert-y elements together on a plate as they could without thinking about how to make them talk to each other. I will say that the presentation of the dishes was quite pretty and that the restaurant has a pretty cool ambiance. Still, in the end you have to look past appearances and judge the taste of its food. It just isn't good enough. Don't buy the hype. read more

This place is good...for Pittsburgh. The quality and the quantity left me wanting more.

Really solid place. Expect small portions and not the massive rolls you typically see. It's very good and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Great cocktails, too. read more

Overall score: 3.5/5 - ambience: 4/5 - food: 3.5/5 - service: good We came to Umami on a Friday night, around 9:30pm, for late supper and drinks. The service was prompt and attentive, and the interior was tastefully decorated with an modern feel. There was a sushi bar as well as individual small tables scattered around the periphery of the restaurant. The food was a hit-or-miss, hence the 3.5 overall rating. We ordered: - Salmon Handroll: my favorite dish of the night. A single hand roll with a generous portion of salmon and salmon eggs. It came with a pipette of soy sauce. - Spicy Tuna Onigiri: my other favorite dish of the night. It was rather small, and also came with a pipette of soy sauce. - Karaage (fried chicken): I had high hopes but it didn't cut it. The texture of the fried chicken was good; however, the flavor was unidimensional and didn't have much flavor apart from being salty. It came with a tonkotsu gravy which was okay. - Tonkotsu Ramen with extra noodles (to share): my least favorite dish of the night. The noodles were bland, and the broth lacked richness and dimensionality. - Panda Panda Panda drink: I liked the drink. It was very fruity, and came in a interesting fish-shaped vessel. Not too strong. I'll probably come back to Umami and only stick to the sushi dishes the next time I'm there. It seems like a good late-night spot. read more

Very flavorful vegan ramen, much better than Ramen Bar's. The fact that they have fresh made real wasabi is fantastic. The tableside tofu was a nifty little demonstration, and the flavor was much better than your average tofu. read more

I get that people love this place. It's hip and dark. The food was fresh and really good. The service wasn't great.