Really good food! We ordered the seven course and also a teriyaki steak shared between two since I heard the size of dishes there is pretty small. Turned out this choice was perfect for two people. The fish was really fresh, and the seven course included a variety of fish (cod, sawara, salmon, fluke, and some other that I don't remember the name of) The only thing is that things are a bit pricy there, but it was for an anniversary so I guess it was worth it. read more

This place has the absolute best food I've ever eaten, not just in the sushi category. My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary and both had the omikase. We both love sushi and both agree that this was hands down the best sushi and Japanese food we ever had. BUT, the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the portion size. I was perfectly happy with the portion size but my boyfriend was not. I think the disappointment came more from his expectation of 7 courses of an American meal. I, however, was expecting portions smaller than the typical American meal. The restaurant is pricey, but if you love sushi you have to go. The sauces perfectly complement the fish. The shrimp was absolutely perfectly cooked. The food itself is to die for and worth the price, just don't go expecting American size portions. read more

Ate here for the first time, very impressed, let the chef chose and we were very pleased with the taste, selection and presentation. Will be back! read more

Mr. Shu has taken the Nobu method and made it better. This restaurant is amazing big only because of the new style sushi but also the consistency of quality. I highly recommend the omakase. read more

Best sushi in Pittsburgh that I've found so far. So what qualifies me as knowing good sushi? First off I'm Japanese American =) Not saying that other ethnic backgrounds don't know what good sushi is. By the reviews I can tell that they do. But keep in mind I have been eating sushi my WHOLE LIFE! The price of food is a little higher than one might expect so if you're a casual sushi eater, you might think twice before coming here. The restaurant setting feels pretty authentic. Be sure to make reservations. read more

After dining here on numerous occasions I decided to write a review..this place gets high marks for the quality of food.. First timers, just order the omakase and you will not be disappointed.. Mr Shu runs the show here and puts together a 7 or 11 course extravaganza. From the salmon tartar to the black cod with miso, everything is done to perfection and the quality is superb. The servers have been there for quite some time and know the dishes inside and out. We should all be so happy to have this gem of a restaurant here in the Burg! read more

Ambiance, service and food A1! The food was orgasmic and it was a very comfortable place to be able to talk with your friends, lighting was perfect and the service was exceptional. Very knowledgeable staff and had a lot of passion for what they do! read more

Best sushi ever. We got the Green Fuji and salmon avocado rolls. Best sushi I've ever had. Good service, small and not overcrowded, however the tables could be a little bit farther apart. I don't like hearing the next table's conversation. Valet parking is also free. A great dining experience and I will be back. read more

My husband and I used to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so our standards for sushi are very high. Umi exceeds those standards. It is easily the finest quality fish we've ever had, consistently, in Pittsburgh. Ask what is fresh today. The miso cod makes me weep with its awesomeness, but does take some extra time to make, so warn them if you are in a hurry. A good deal (for them) is to get rolls made into handrolls. So handrolls are about $5-7/roll, but pretty filling. Eat them as soon as you get them, because they toast the seaweed. So good! My husband gets spicy tuna handrolls and I get salmon/avocado handrolls. The downside is that it is VERY pricey and the portions are small. If I could give this place a 4.5 stars for the portion size, I would. The waitstaff are funny and attentive. At least, we seem to keep getting the same guy, and he recognizes us and laughs at us when we order a ton of handrolls. I'm not keen on the tatami area--it's neither that comfortable nor a true tatami area, and it seems like a huge pain for the waitstaff to have to bend like that--but the setting itself is tranquil and lovely. Reservations highly recommended. They do not do take-out because it ruins the quality of the food. You can get desserts off the Soba menu downstairs. They are pretty uniformly tasty, ranging from super-sweet to barely sweet. I'm particularly partial to the chocolate mousse "sushi,"--e.g., thin cantaloupe slices as ginger, green tea mousse as pretend wasabi, etc. If you want the best fresh raw fish in town, this is the place to go. read more

Best sushi in Pittsburgh. Small restaurant so definitely make reservations and try the omakase. Like the tatami mat seating as well.

Paid $1100 for the required course - party of 6 - and unfortunately did not come close to feeling satisfied in any regard - sorry guys - not a fan and way overpriced read more

Best Japanese restaurant in town. Freshest sushi and sashimi. To those who are bold, savor the Uni, which is among the best you'll have at par with similar restaurants in San Francisco or New York. To those who prefer cooked food, there is a wide selection of noodles, and meat/fish dishes. The miso soups are simple but elegant, great appetizer or as savory refresher of one's palate between sashimi and main hot dish. read more

Well food is good but not impressive. I gave it three stars because everything is overpriced. I would rather go to little Tokyo at the south side for better price and taste read more

Went to Umi last night, and it was tough to get a reservation, which is usually a good sign. But actually, in retrospect, its just a sign that people are not aware of the quality of sushi that can be found elsewhere in Pittsburgh. It was sad, really. We began with the miso soup, which was some of the best we have had. Nice and hot, and perfectly seasoned. But it was downhill from there. The salad was just ok. Mixed greens were wilted, but the dressing was tasty. We then moved on to the "good stuff," or so we thought... We began with the highly-recommended "yellowtail sashimi with yuzu jalapeño sauce" -- it was overly ceviche'd, and lost its freshness, replaced by a tough, dried-out quality. While a small sliver of jalapeno was a nice touch for sharpness, it didn't compensate for the poor quality preparation of the fish itself. We next had a spicy tuna roll (which, I think, is a barometer for sushi quality in any restaurant). It was dry and average, at best. Nothing special, but no egregious mistakes either. We moved on to the "sushi entree (assorted)", which had 8 pieces of assorted sushi, each consisting of a piece of fish: yellowtail prepared exactly like the previous dish but with rice this time; two pieces of salmon topped with (of all things) cream cheese and a cherry tomato (come on, this was so disappointingly reminiscent of brunch -- where's the caper and english muffin?; mackarel which was less-than-tasty, again topped with a dollup of something indistinct and non-complementary; tuna (average); red snapper maybe; and a paper-thin piece of mild whitefish, which tasted like rice, owing to its diminutive portioning; and a tuna maki roll, which was dry and shriveled and appeared limp, like it was prepared earlier that day. I was expecting an artful presentation, but was shocked at the lack of playful creativity that I, at that point, assumed might account for the inflated prices compared to other restaurants in the area (since the quality of flavor was actually MUCH poorer than other local places). Next to us was seated a couple on a date, where the man was clearly trying to impress his lady (both dressed very nicely and timidly fascinated by each other's every word and expression). I felt sorry for him, because he was either going to be disappointed with the meal itself, or oblivious to the fresh japanese seafood delights he could be exposing her to just a short drive away. THIS IS NOT A PLACE TO TAKE YOUR LOVE INTEREST, unless she is impressed simply by the magnitude of a check and a mere patina of fine dining. Our waitress was sweet, patient, and knowledgeable, and I couldn't help but wonder if she would recommend Umi to her family. I doubt it. We concluded with a dessert that was simply delicious, playful and contemporary -- and weren't surprised to find that the desserts are actually part of the menu of their "sister-restaurant," Soba (which is a WONDERFUL place). It was the Soba Banana Split - an unusual and tantalizing update of the original (which, I believe, was originally invented in Pittsburgh). Overall, the portions were small and unsatisfying, which would've been ok if the flavors were outstanding, but they were not. Not at all! I was shocked, and realized that a restaurant that should be credited with exposing the local eaters to fine Japanese cuisine years ago, has fallen from its lofty perch atop Pittsburgh's international dining choices. And fallen far. So insular a chef can become when his cuisine is lauded for so long, that he can become ignorant of the ever-rising quality of his competition. I suggest Umi's chefs explore other restaurants and realize that they no longer have a monopoly on daily freshness, and that their creativity, like their salad, has become stale. To people seeking high-quality sushi in the area, I must strongly recommend Ichiban (in Aspinwall), and before you question my credibility in recommending a restaurant nestled in a strip mall, think about what makes sushi wonderful. If unwavering freshness, playful inventiveness and sense of fun mixed with elegant presentation and even nice wine pairings, exactness in execution and preparation, thoughtful proportions as well as portions are qualities that not only enhance experience but even define Japanese cuisine, then Ichiban gets it right. Umi, I'm afraid, is way past its prime. It's not that Umi is so bad. It's just not that good. Nothing special. I can say I have tried several other places in Pittsburgh, trying to find a suitable place to satisfy my frequent cravings for fresh raw seafood with a characteristically Japanese seriousness in its execution and levity of presentation and flavor combinations. Ichiban is the place that is consistently able to capture this "essence" of Japanese cuisine. But there are others that are also better than Umi, which should no longer, by any means, be considered a standard. read more

Do not go here if you are on a budget and/or really hungry. However, if you have an expense account or are a guest of someone with an expense account (as I was last night) than this is a good option. In fact, this is the best sushi I've had in Pittsburgh. Umi is a part of the admirable big burrito group. It's located above Soba. It's up two long sets of stairs, so if you are bringing someone handicapable or elderly they'll have trouble navigating the double staircases. As I was walking up the stairs last night I noticed the painted large waves on the walls. I believe Umi is japanese for big wave (maybe?). Our reservation was for 6:30 and initially they only had the tatami tables where you sit on the ground and your feet dangle in a hole in the floor. These tables are probably okay for date night, but would have been weird with two business associates. Luckily, a table opened up. If it's this busy on a Tuesday I suggest a reservations. Anyways, the rest of the space is very nice with a sushi bar with about 5 seats as soon as you enter and very warm colors with a few scuptures and a waterfall in the middle of the dining room. The service was pretty good. There was nothing particularly memorable. I started with a Mark West Chardonnay, which was okay and priced under $10. They also have a good selection of warm and cold sake'. I started with the white tuna sashimi which was a few slices of super fresh melt in your mouth tuna with a nice soy sauce and just the right amount of wasabi. Matt tried the shrimp tempura which was perfectly breaded quickly fried light shrimp with veggies. This was a good deal at $12. Keith had the lobster soup which had a few big chunks of lobster and a nice broth. I ordered the toro tartar with caviar, which was probably a teaspoon of super creamy fatty tuna and a touch of caviar. This was really rich and one of the most expensive teaspoon serving I've ever had at $21 for such a small amount. Keith had some noodle dish which he said was good and actually was pretty reasonable, but again it's noodles. Matt ordered the strip steak tataki, which was about 1 1/2 ounces of prime steak served with a sweet soy sauce. It was delicious, but again $20 for less than a 2 oz. serving. I stuck with sashimi. The lobster sashimi was great and had some type of flavored sauce instead of just soy. The salmon and tuna were also amazing. They were cut perfectly and tasted like they were just pulled from the sea. Overall a really good sashimi "dinner", however I have to admit I did stop for pizza a few hours later. read more

I used to go to Chaya in Squirrel Hill at least once a week, but since I've moved this past summer, it's been difficult to enjoy sushi as frequently. Thus, I decided to test out Umi based on the good reviews I found on the web. Sadly, I was grossly disappointed. The interior decor is pretentious (large water fountain in the middle of the dining room and "Japanese style" paintings and decorations throughout) and dark (who likes eating in a place where you can barely see your food?). The sushi was okay at best, but the quality of the fish certainly does not even come close to Chaya's. The dishes were overpriced for the quality of the food, basically you'd be paying for the fake ambiance. I guess the waiter was nice in that he tried to explain our dishes, but frankly he does not know too much. This is one of those Americanized versions of an Asian restaurant and not authentic (key indicator: most of the patrons were not Asian). It was nothing that would make me want to come back. read more

My daughter and I ate dinner at Umi last night and we both had the 7 course omakase. It was outstanding. It comprised 7 of the chef's specialities (5 sashimi or nigiri, plus 2 courses that were cooked) plus dessert. Platings were simple and courses came at good intervals- neither rushed nor too far apart. The whole experience took about 90 minutes. The yellowtail sashimi and rock shrimp courses (the cooked ones coincidentally) were our favorites, but it was really hard to choose any one over the others. The flavors were astonishing in some cases - rich and buttery, or citrusy and fresh, or sweet and spicy combinations. The worst I could say is some were just "very good." All in all - extremely fresh as you would expect, and superb. Unlike other reviewers who complained of small portions for the cost, we were more than satisfied. I would never equate quality with the size of the portions. Neither of us has what I'd describe are small appetites - we like food. While the portions looked small, they were extremely flavorful, rich and satisfying. Dessert was a trio of one-bite items, including a cookie with 5 spices and a truffle. Very yummy and a nice treat after all that protein. The coffee was strong and excellent. I cannot say enough good things about the service (which in Pittsburgh is a unique experience.) Umi is certainly expensive, but the quality is worth it. read more

There isn't a day that goes by that I think of what we could have done with that $400 we spent. Went for my birthday, got the 11 course tasting. Were so amped up for it, and then.......... course after course we were disappointed. It wasn't as if it tasted bad (although one course did) it was that 3 pieces of sashimi prepared with a different ponzu sauce for about 5 out of 11 courses is not gonna get the job done if you expect it to be worth it. We honest to god didn't see what the big deal is. Believe me, we LOVE sushi!!! If Little Tokyo in Mt Lebo would just spice up their menu a bit with some different applications, they would be the best place to go. For the price we paid, we were let down hard. OH! plus I love kids, but on a Saturday night there were kids everywhere! I counted 12 little kids running around the place. I am sorry, but it just didn't fit the atmosphere. I have gotten chefs tastings all around this city, New York, France, Italy... None were ever this expensive. Most, had wine included with each, and left me excited, full and not upset that I just spent a fortune on it. I do not think I will return here again. read more

Fabulous 11-course Omakase. I've had many across the USA, you must visit this hidden gem. Pittsburgh knows its food, watch out NYC!

Located somewhat obscurely on the third floor of Soba, Umi's sister restaurant, this is the finest upscale place in Pittsburgh for sushi. All of parent company Big Burrito's restaurants have a high standard, but at Umi one quickly forgets that it's part of a larger entity, as it's so chef-driven. It's my understanding that Umi is only open when Mr. Shu is there, which explains why it's only open five days a week and closes for a summer vacation. The Omakase option is simply awesome. There's an 11-course and seven-course option. I've only had the 11 and it's excellent. Some of the courses look similar to one another with two or three pieces of fish, but the tastes and preparations definitely differ. My only complaint about it is that I wish it would change more from time to time. As it is, many courses are the same each time (even many months apart), including the chef's spoons (lobster and kobe beef), rock shrimp tempura and miso cod, with some of the other course with pieces of fish varying. I've been told that the seven-course options is only the same, but that the 11 varies, presumably in those additional four courses. More frequent and drastic changes would certainly keep me coming back. The service is always totally on-point, regardless of servers, though Larry, who has worked there a long time tends to be popular. There's a great sake list as well. Make sure your wallet is full. Good things like this don't come cheap! read more

While the food is delicious, portions are extremely small. You will need to buy many dishes to feel somewhat full. Even their sushi is smaller then what you will find anywhere else, including high end restaurants in NYC. read more

Quality ingredients prepared perfectly. Excellent service, as well. Favorite sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh.

Just a great experience all around. There were 4 of us, and we decided to all go with the 11 course omakase tasting menu. There is also an 8 course version of it...neither are inexpensive by any means, but for a special occasion or treat, I would say it's hard to beat. It really is a refined but fun culinary experience. Included a combination of sashimi, sushi, samples of entrees and other "bites." Good atmosphere, great service, and nice cocktail/wine lists all helped round out what I would say is one of Pittsburgh's top restaurants. read more

Hands down best sushi in Pittsburgh. It's pricey, but worth it, the chef even uses the same fish supplier as Nobu, which explains how Pittsburgh can get a big city taste on our very own Ellsworth avenue. read more

Best sushi in Pittsburgh (but I wouldn't compare it to the best places in CA). Good service, ambiance. Pricey for Pittsburgh though.

Simply the best fish cooked to perfection. Seven course was unbelievably delicious. Also the spicy spider roll is fantastic.

Excellent cocktail menu first of all, followed by an excting dinner menu that has not failed yet. Sushi has always been fresh and perfectly presented. I've made this a regular on my dining rotation. read more

Best sushi you'll find in western PA. I read the lesser rated reviews and I believe the writers are dolts. Typical Pittsburghers who probably rant and rave about a greasy slime fat laden chipped chopped ham BBQ has to be from Isley's or is sucks. They probably like sushi from Giant Eagle's Market District and Sunoco gas stations. read more

Food was good but way overpriced and not much quantity, there was such little food on the plates, I thought someone was playing a joke on us. service is superb, drinks were good, but the only plate that had a sufficient serving size was the dessert. I went home and had a rotisserie chicken. Would only go back for drinks and dessert, and if I wasn't hungry. read more

Easily the best sushi I have had in Pittsburgh. The sushi is incredibly fresh, flown in daily from New York City, and the inverted tables make it a fun place to eat. The staff was incredibly friendly and understanding when I wasn't sure what to do with the warm napkin upon sitting down. Although it is pricey, if you are looking for a special night out I would highly recommend Umi. read more

I mean what can i say....Iv'e been to many fancy sushi joints across the country. YES ITS PRICEY but its the best food you could possibly eat. You cannot put a price on perfection. My recommendations would be to order every sashimi dish on the right side of the menu and the rock shrimp tempura is incomparable. Nobu is AVERAGE compared to Umi. Best food in the western hemisphere. If you're on a budget than eat at Mickey D's. read more

may be the freshest sushi in pgh. must try chefs tasting menu $70 a person.

this place never lets me down. pricey for sushi in pgh, but worth it. the omakase (sp?) is a party.

This used to be our favorite place when we first moved to Pittsburgh two years ago. It had good quality fish and a nice atmosphere/cool staff. As of our last visit, about two months, ago, the menu still had not changed, the portions of fish were smaller while prices stayed the same, and the atmosphere was on par with that of a Hofbrauhaus. A drunken man knocked into our table on his way storming out of the restaurant which was immediately proceeded by the members of two different large tables rising from their chairs and yelling obscenities at each other. It literally looked like there was going to be a brawl. The members of these tables fairly quickly left the restaurant; however, the staff and manager simply acted as if nothing had happened. No one came by to see if things had spilled on our table which was run into. It was absolutely not the experience we expected to have, and it is a disappointment that this place has gone downhill. read more