Morimoto Reviews

Startled by the fact that I could actually make a same day reservation on Open table- but I did. Beautiful evening in Philadelphia. Walked into a very simple anesthetically pleasant environment Server knowledgeable and friendly. We took some recommendations ( order the A5 waygu beef carpaccio) and decided some on our own ( black cod in miso to die for!) finished with chefs choice sushi and a chocolate-coconut Ice cream dream This is a must try in PHL Celebrating a friends birthday - well worth the money and effort

Many moons ago when it had just opened, my husband took me there for my birthday. The exterior and interior haven't changed. The "omakase" course is still very fabulous. I love eating their elegantly presented and fresh ingredients meals. I wish I could afford to go there more often. It's a bit of the pricey side even for lunch but well worth it

Three of us recently had dinner here on a Saturday night. Reservations were made online and we were eagerly anticipating this meal, being Morimoto fans and having read so many positive reviews of this restaurant. It did not disappoint! We were promptly seated at our reservation time by a friendly hostess and appreciated the interesting decor with the ever changing colors and sense of waves with the architecture. As appetizers we chose the wagyu dumplings and whitefish carpaccio, both were amazing. Two of us had the duck entree and the other had the black cod. Again these were two of the better preparations of these items that we've ever had. Desserts were all on the money with the tea cake being a standout. We also had a few cocktails and those maintained the overall high quality. Service was exceptional throughout the meal. Go here, spend some money and have a fantastic memorable dinner! One tip, keep your eyes open as it's kind of hard to notice the restaurant from the street.

Restaurants that are produced by well known people in the business generally tend to be very good. Mr. Morimoto is certainly well known in the Japanese cuisine circle. But I couldn't figure out why open something in Philly? In any case, as I went into Morimoto, seeing the decor and the other visitors to the place, I was skeptical of how "genuine" the dishes would be -- not in the sense that it had to be super traditional, but whether the basic standards are recognized and practiced. I was happy to learn that they are serious about what they're doing in that kitchen (and counter), and while the more traditional items were definitely great, the more localized and experimental items were well done, too. I'd definitely visit again, but would also make sure to be seated in the counter to talk things over with Taka-san again, too.

Amazing 10 star dinner. Fresh food amazing drinks. A must. Best restaurant in town. I loved everything. Worth the price.

We really love this restaurant. The food and the staff are beyond excellent. You cannot go wrong here.

Second time here with friends will definitely not be our last. First time we ordered off menu second time we all opted for the omakse definitely worth the price. All agreed one of the best meal\service's we've experienced in a while. Only reason for -1 star was some courses took a little longer than anticipated to come out but was an extremely busy evening so completely understandable

Best Sushi Ever. As expected, a great dinner in quiet, safe, outdoor dining. What a treat a block off the main path.

We took the tasting menu (standard). Excellent variety of delicious food, based on Japanese cooking but expanded into wild fusion. Much sweeter than typical Japanese food (we had a Japanese in our group) but very delicate and interesting

What can I say - this was A M A Z I N G!! The food, the service, the atmosphere, the company... everything - what an incredible experience! We each had Morimoto Omakase which is “chef’s choice” a multi-course tasting menu designed to allow you to experience the essence of Morimoto’s cuisine. Omakase is available sun-thurs until 10 pm and fri-sat until 11 pm the cost is 100 classic and 150 seasonal. Just look at the pictures attached to this review and be jealous! I have to say that the Hot Pot, though likely the most common dish - was my absolute favorite I could have sat down with a bucket of it and consumed it till I exploded! But everything that came my way was incredible, and it was worth every single penny. We enjoyed Sake - three different "levels" yuki no bosha “cabin in the snow”, g “joy”/momokawa, takasago ginga shizuku “divine droplets”. Each one was delicious. and part of the 8-course meal was a drink to cleanse our pallets (not pictured) and true to Morimoto it has a whimsy to it with "Pop Rocks" on the rim. The service was outstanding and our host Joshua took the time to explain each dish - he was friendly and established a rapport with us immediately. He wasn't overly intrusive but he was always available, a true professional - by the time we walked out (nearly 2.5 hours later) I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend. I can't gush enough about this dinner experience, and if you are a fan of Japanese food I highly suggest you make a reservation and experience Morimoto. My daughters and I wore nice jeans, heels and a nice top - we were appropriately dressed, there were other people there that were dressed more formal and others dressed neatly but far more casual. The decor is really nice, the lighting changes color and I felt like I was inside a wave. (not in a bad way - serene) All in all - I highly recommend Morimoto for the food, the sake and the entire experience.

Great food in a pleasant ambiance and a lovely decor. Service was impressive but so was the bill! Tiny appetizers for 26$ a plate that you can eat in just a few bytes.

I’ve been coming to Philadelphia for years for work. The food scene here has continued to get better, but Morimoto has remained a power player all along. As my friend said last night “I’ve not had better sushi or Japanese steak ANYWHERE!” Its worth the price.

Nothing compares to Morimoto! If you love Sushi and the experience of excellent omakase you MUST get a table at Morimoto! The fish is fresh, prepared with great care and expertise and everyone is enjoying themselves inside the belly of this whale! There’s plenty of choices for folks who are not the biggest sushi fans, from the soups to the entrees- your entire party will be talking about this restaurant for years!

My daughter and I had a big food day last Saturday in Philadelphia. We figured we'd have a light sushi dinner at Morimoto. And it was perfect. Our waiter (Greg) was awesome, he helped us through the menu, wasn't pushy (even though we didn't want a huge meal) and guided us through a perfect meal. We started with a coctail, had the wagu dumplings (to die for) and had some of the best sushi ever! We finished off the meal with the flaming chocolate dessert! Perfection on a plate!

Simply one of the best meals I’ve eaten. Ambience nice, service super, food sublime. Was taken here on a business dinner... what a treat, thanks Ed’

Loved the restaurant, its ambience, service, food. Tried sake for the first time, the waiter was able to suggest something I enjoyed. Had the miso soup then a sushi/sashimi combination dish. The fish was very fresh and the presentation superb. Had several fish I hadn't had before, including barracuda sashimi. I would definitely return when back in Philly.

With a suggestion from our coworkers that live local, my brother and I gave this restaurant a try. Wow, what a positive experience. The menu is touch free using my own phone. Our waiter Richard was very informative and patient. We started our experience with a drink. I had the Kisetsu no. We both decided to go with the Morimoto Omakase ($125) with an add on of Wagyu beef. We also tried the whisky and sake flights. Throughout the meal we enjoyed several courses and each was explained of what it contained and how it was prepared. This was a first and rare occurrence to spend this kind of money but when it was all diminished, I would do it again. Everything was plated and presented expertly. The taste mirrored the presentation. If you find yourself in the area wanting to try something new, I highly recommend you giving Morimoto a try.

Long wait to seat. With a reservation that was confirmed 2times by phone. Wait staff could have brought out the drinks out before we had to ask for them. Very cold breeze.my wife has to eat gluten free and the only thing on the menu they couldn’t even cook right(so wife didn’t eat). Wait staff constantly reaching in front of you without saying anything. Brought my food out one minute later they pushed it out of the way to put the other food together. So maybe if you are a table of 2 it would be ok. Not 7 pushed into the table. Not what I would have expected from a restaurant like this!!!!! Should have went somewhere else or to nyc!! Mgr didn’t even talk to us until I was getting our coats On the positive side the cooks can cook a steak and some of the other food was ok

Forever and a day my girlfriend and I have been huge Iron Chef fans. We often marvel at Chef Morimoto's skill and the dishes he comes up with on the show. We never ever thought we would have the chance to actually dine at one of his restaurants. This weekend we traveled to Philadelphia and I just happened to come across this restaurants as I was trying to find a special place to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. I called and was lucky enough to make reservations. From the minute we arrived we were treated like a million dollars. Our server was Alejandra, she was tremendous. She expertly took us through the menu and she was so personable. Even suggested some sake which would pair with my food and my taste. For starters we had the Salmon carpaccio, it was out of this world. Sliced so thinly and yet packed with flavor. My girlfriend ordered the Miso soup, I am normally not a fan but I tasted it and it was good. For our entrees I had the 12 oz. American NY strip served with the Caulilini Gomaae which essentially was cauliflower fried with bread crumbs. I love cauliflower but this side was outrageously good. The best I ever had!!! My girlfriend had the Kalbi lamb chops with the Wasabi fried rice. The chops were cooked perfectly and the fried rice was so good. The Wasabi have the rice an amazing flavor. At first I thought it would be too hot but it wasn’t. She loved it. Since we were celebrating a birthday we had to get dessert and boy was I so glad we left room for dessert- we ordered the Fiery Chocolate. The Fiery Chocolate is flourless chocolate cake, raspberry ice cream, toasted meringue, sesame. Bottom line if you come here, you have to order this dessert. It was unbelievable, I could eat this every day. The dessert was served, they poured a cup of grain alcohol over the chocolate sphere and as it melted it exposed the chocolate cake. What an amazing display which tasted even better. The whole meal was perfect, if I could give 10 stars I would.

Sushi was very good. Other dishes (tempura, dumplings) good but not exciting. The Morimoto cocktail was great, and our server recommended some good sake. Setting is pretty, but it was not overly friendly or inviting - kind of snobby. Very expensive, I think you are paying for reputation more than the food.

One of the best sushi I had here.The ambience is fantastic.Food is excellent.Variety of different types of Sushis are available

A group of friends and I had dinner here for my birthday and I just loved the food. The decor is a little trendy/ weird but the food and drink selections are fabulous. One of my friends who is a vegetarian found this place to be just ok, the selections for her was limited and a little underwhelming. BUT if you have not restrictions and love seafood this is a must try. :)

Very happy I went to Morimoto. Friday night and by 7 o’clock the place was packed. Took my seat at the sushi bar, definitely the best decision to be part of the sushi theater. Teamed up with Andrew, one of the lead waiters, from the very beginning, and that was a wise decision. Andrew spend a lot of time in Japan, so he knows about many of the intricacies of Japanese cuisine. Went right to the Hamachi with jalapeño essence, and the black cod miso. Fabulous dishes. Had a great meal. The restaurant is definitely expensive but I think the quality of the food delivers value. Also, amazing sakè collection, delivered hot and cold.

As soon as you walk into the restaurant, you will be impressed with the decor and lighting. Very chic, modern and romantic! The waiter was super professional and knowledgeable on all of the foods available. Not to mention, the food was superior! Would definitely return!

Great location, extremely capable staff, impressive menu, and awesome decor. The food is truly unique and reasonably priced. Great location for a business meeting!

My hubby was excited to visit the retaurant of his favourite Iron Chef of all time, so this was his birthday present. Flew into Philly and enjoyed the weekend, and Saturday night dinner at Morimoto. Very hard to find once you are on Chestnut street - felt silly when we finally found it. Incredible food, the blacked cod was our absolute favourite - wow what a dish! I had the sashimi plate which was different and not your 'run of the mill' salmon and tuna that you find everywhere. Hubby had the 'special' menu which are all of the house specialties, and absolutely loved it. I had told them it was his birthday when I called to reserve and they brought out a cake with his name on the dish and wished him a happy birthday - I thought that was a wonderful touch!! Very dark and very loud.... we did not let it bother us. Excellent service and would certainly go back if ever we are in the area again :)

Very good sushi restaurant. Friendly and fast service. High quality of food presented in a nice way with explanation. Modern style of restaurant with clean Washrooms as well

We ate here for my son’s birthday. It was wonderful. We had the omikase. Basically, a fixed price tasting menu. We had three cold courses followed by 3 hot courses, followed by a sushi course and desert. It was excellent a surprising. It is expensive but a nice treat. You can get a good meal there without spending a lot of money. I have been to many sushi restaurants all over the country. I doubt one can find better sushi outside of Japan. The other dishes are spectacular as well. I can’t wait to go back.

This was our second visit. The first time we had a romantic date and did the chef's tasting menu - it was absolutely amazing! The second time we brought our daughter for her birthday and did a huge sushi platter - also amazing! I loved both experiences so much. It is not cheap - but, it really felt like we were getting what we paid for. The atmosphere, good service, and delicious food and drinks make this my all-time favorite restaurant experience.

Had an opportunity to dine here on the advice of a friend. First critical item is there is little to no signage or visibility. I even breezed past a very small valet parking sign so be on the lookout! Service was excellent (Brian was our waiter). Every dish was unique and tasty. An appetizer of ceviche was so good with a very generous portion besides. (Either that IR I’m just used to NY prices). The $90 combo sushi/sashimi platter had a wonderful combination of incredibly fresh fish and 2 delicious cut rolls. We finished with the “duck duck duck” which was cooked medium rare. It was wonderfully tasty although I like my meat cooked slightly less. Lastly the dessert with the chocolate cake and ice cream was good although by that point I was relatively full. Either way, I’d definitely dine there again.

This has been one of our area favorites since its opening. We used to run into Chef Morimoto in the early days, but he's never there lately. The Omakase is phenomenal. I have had business associates from Tokyo that claim it is as good as some of the best in Japan. We always find it a reliable place for family dinners and celebrations. The food and the service are consistently good and sophisticated.

My dinner here was amazing. I ended up ordering a second round of food as it was so delicious. The yellowfin tartare was incredible. Highly recommended!

Ok, was on a business trip and when I found out Iron Chef Morimoto had a restaurant here after watching the Japanese Iron Chef back in the day, I just had to come! As soon as you walk in, the wavy and slightly eccentric decor told me this was not your usual Japanese restaurant. It was going to be special, or so I hoped. Service is top notch as you'd expect at any high priced, fine dining experience. We sat at the sushi bar, which was nice to watch the sushi chef's do their thing, and hoped we had a 1 in 2000 chance Morimoto might show up ;) Here's the rub. If you watched the shows and always wondered what it would be like to be one of the super lucky judges that get to taste these amazing culinary creations, then by all mean, please order the entrees and give your "professional" critique. I had the "duck duck duck", which was just fantastic. However, we also ordered one of the sushi platters, and while really good, it wasn't anything that made me feel like I was eating something special. Maybe that because I'm from Vancouver, where you can find amazingly fresh sushi with ease, but it just didn't have that "wow" factor. All in all, if you're looking for inventive, delicious and beautifully presented plates, go the entree route. As for the sushi, while very good, I wish I used that money on something else.

We visited the original Iron Chef’s restaurant. The ambiance was nice with a modern look and changing lights around seats. The food was all excellent. From dumplings to edamame to salmon shabu shabu to chef’s choice sushi/ sashimi to surf/ turf (Wagyu beef/ hamachi). The only negative was our waiter had a distracting body odor that was noticeable from my entire party of 4, but apparently not from his manager or fellow workers.

We had the pleasure of enjoying dinner tonight at Morimoto Philadelphia. We arrived a few minutes before opening time at 5PM - we were welcomed in and told that seating would be at 5. We were brought to a great table and were immediately greeted by Andrew who was our primary server for the night. We ordered drinks and appetizers that were quickly brought over. Andrew was an expert in both the drink and food menu - all questions were knowledgeably responded to - with detail. Every part of our meal was prepared with a great attention to detail and was equally beautifully presented as well as delicious in taste. One of us enjoyed a bespoke Sushi dinner, and the other the Waygu New York Steak (please note for steak lovers - this item is well worth it). We shared the Fiery Chocolate for dessert. These days it is very hard to find a meal that delivers on service, presentation and taste - Morimoto - facilitated by Andrew did. We look forward to the opportunity to return.

Really loved the toro tartare, eel roll and the ginger ice cream dessert. The morimoto chicken ramen and the black cod are ok, but the brussel sprouts side wasn’t good. Overall great service, would return next time for the lunch menu.

The food was amazing! I sat at the sushi bar and had the seasonal sushi plate as well as some a la carte sushi, and a shrimp tempura roll. The fish was so fresh and simply prepared, the flavor was so great. I also had the daily dessert special (black currant panna cotta!). It was an excellent meal and I highly recommend it!

This place was incredibly good! The atmosphere is awesome, and the modern look is really cool. The food and drinks were great. The service we received from Fedra was perhaps the best we had in our entire trip to Philadelphia. The restaurant is extremely close to all the historical sites, so it’s well worth checking out if you are here for that purpose. The molten chocolate dessert is incredible as well!!! As I said in the subject, we are huge fans of this place! I would give this place more than five stars if that were possible!

Phenomenal all around! From Service to Food, the entire dining experience was superb! Will be back again and again!

We haven't been here in two decades. Now, we know why. With a reservation, we still had to wait outside for ten minutes, as if we didn't have a reservation or possibly to wait at the non-existant bar. What is good? Nothing. The martini in a small glass at $14 or the lack lustre pino grigio in an equally small glass? The overpriced salad and udon that were small and mediocre? They did re-serve the salmon for one of our dining companions. The food was mediocre, inadequate, and markedly over-priced. The waiter was all right, but the hostesses were yucky to say the least. I doubt that we will ever return.

Recently dined here in a private room downstairs as part of a corporate group. We had a set menu that unfortunately offered little choice. Thankfully we were permitted to order from the regular menu. But there problems that leave me wondering why this place is so well regarded. I regularly entertain clients at these types of higher end restaurants and this one falls short in several basics. The service though polite was very disorganized and confused. We ordered a bottle of wine that never came, dishes I asked for were delivered to the wrong diners at our table and because it was a family style setting people did it get what they wanted to eat. The pace was far too slow, our group had a long day and we told the staff several times we were really hungry and to please get going on the food orders but still the pace was unacceptably slow. I must agree with others who point out this place is over rated and over priced and they don't treat their guests properly for what we pay. Stick with Pod which has far better service, food quality, and presentation. They really know how to serve the business crowd there, Morimoto does not. I have already told more than a dozen corporate executives to avoid this place.

Finally! Not a cheesesteak! Very cool atmosphere. Outstanding staff. Great menu selections. Top quality food!!

Just a great venue. Staff was fabulous. Presentations were over the top. I was the lone non sushi lover in the crowd. More than enough to choose from. The foodies in the group were taking pictures!!

Sushi, stake, salad, lemonade: all tasted so good. And the attention was awesome too! Definitely you have to try!

The restaurants is a must see and a must go to restaurants while you are in the city of Philadelphia. The food there is not only wonderful to taste but it is a delight for the eyes. Each piece is a work of art and a must have to behold. The atmosphere in the restaurant is one of comfort and peace. Mr. Moy Moto has certainly left his signature on this restaurant while bringing a piece of the orient to our city. If you desire fine dinning while you visit our fair city or if you are looking for a wonderful place to go for that special night out this is the place.

This place was amazing! Everything was great from the food to the service. I ordered the lunch special and was amazed at how much it was for the price. I got 3 rolls, soup and salad for about $12. Best deal in town. The sushi was fresh and delicious. Everything was perfect. I will order here again.

We went here for a birthday dinner and loved it. The food was excellent, there was a great selection of sake, the dessert was amazing and not too heavy. We also had great service, and the restaurant has a nice ambience. You don't feel like you're too close to the next table, and it's not loud. They also went to the extra effort of writing Happy Birthday on the dessert plate, as well as putting a candle on top. It's a little expensive, but worth it!

Our reservation was honored on time by a friendly staff. The food was absolutely delicious and presented very well. A few of the stand out dishes were the Rock shrimp app, tuna crispy rice, rolls which included Toro that melted in your mouth and the star of the dinner which was the seafood “Toban Yaki” which was in a citrus butter sauce. One of the best seafood dishes I’ve had, absolutely delicious! Our waitress Destiny was great! friendly and attentive

Overall, it satisfied our sushi/sashimi cravings, but having recently been to a Nobu in NYC, Nobu was better. My coworker/friend and I agreed that the sashimi was the best thing that we had that night. Every piece was delicious and the chef even cut each piece in half since there were two of us and we didn’t even ask for that to be done. That was a welcome surprise. The sushi was adequate and fresh, but nothing spectacular. The wagyu beef dumplings were disappointing (mushy & flavorless) — wagyu beef gyoza would have been better. The decor is interesting — it’s kind of like being in a pastel colored cave. Service was OK.

Morimoto's is a little tough to find - I saw someone ask a security guard on the street for help. It looks a little futuristic, by the way. My wife and I arrived for Friday evening dinner and were seated on the main floor. The seating space was poor. It was dark; we had trouble reading the menu and I saw another table using a phone flashlight. It was also noisy, with seemingly no sound deadening and loud music. It was a relief to exit onto the quieter street. When the street is quieter, and the Wawa on 6th and Chestnut has better eating environment, that's not a good thing. It's unfortunate that the environment is so poor, because the food is excellent. Hot crab was well prepared with a tasty dressing. The tataki wagyu nigiri was wonderful, almost as good as a first-class steak in Kyoto. Toro and hamachi and the specialty fish were all very good (with the salmon an average exception). The food is great, but since there are multiple good Japanese restaurants in Philadelphia, I would only recommend this place if you like loud and dark.

Not much into celebrity chefs but i have been a fan of Morimoto since Iron Chef was available only late at night in black and white on the Chinese language station with no subtitles and no translation. I looked forward to his cuisine after a few weeks on the road and was still surprised and stunned by the gorgeous space that transported me out of the real world of 18th century downtown Philadelphia. Had one tasting menu combined with the sake tasting and added a few a la carte items to round out dinner for two. About a dozen dishes with only one miss (wagyu beef course was overdone) and the biggest thrill of my eating life to date--- Wagyu short rib dumpling so good i can still taste it 10 days later. It replaces Lampredotto in Florence as the 'Best Bite Ever!'

This is a beautiful place if you like highly modern decor (I do). The food is first rate - especially liked the Rock Shrimp and the Uni. Bring your bank account, it is really expensive. But the food is diverse and outstanding. Tried several dishes in my group, they were all good to great.

Been to Morimoto in Orlando a few times, first time here in Philly. Very nice experience. They are consistent. Service was great. Food was delicious. Ambiance was quiet and cozy in a modern way. Menu is always exciting. For apps, we had the wagyu dumpling and the Morimoto tempura, for dinner I had the wagyu ishimbop, wife had the Chefs sushi special which was an assortment of sushi. Dessert was interesting, ginger ice cream, ginger snaps. Delicious dinner.

Would come back here again and again. Loved the beautiful simple decor and what great tasting interesting Japanese food. highly recommend for Personal or business dinner

Stopped in without a reservation in the middle of the week and very glad I did. I needed to finish an errand and said I'd be back and they said there would be a spot and there was. I was seated right away and the service was perfect. The server's recommendations were right on. I got the chef's choice and there was too much. This gave me a chance to try some sushi I had never tried before plus many of my favorites. The cocktail, White Lily, was amazing. I want to go back just for that! Pretty interior. Very impressed.

I was on foot from my hotel and it was quite hot. It took me a while to find the restaurant. The entrance was not obvious. Lots of young staff. I sat at the sushi bar and with the sound, it was difficult to hear most staff but my server. I asked one lady who appeared to be Hispanic behind the sushi bar some questions. I don't think she knew the answers and was hard to hear. I had sushi and oysters. Very good. I had been at Morimoto's other restaurants.

We went here for my wife's birthday and it was a great choice. The food was awesome and they had several vegeterian options. The rolls was great and not just the typical avocado and cucumber. Their drinks are well made and not watered down. We will look to go here for another special occasion.

We loved this place!The booths are plexiglass and are lit from inside. The colors slowly change through out the night from blue to orange to green to pink.It's fantastic and really makes you feel like you are someplace special. The staff...superb. There were 6 of us and all our meals were a surprise from the normal that you would expect in other restaurants.When I order chilean sea bass out,I am used to a big chunk of fish over top of some greens/potatos for example.Here it was served in the most delicious broth with floating vegetables...like a stew.It was awesome! My brussel sprouts came out roasted with a light asian sauce,caramelized onions and cashews.Excellent.Everyone loved their meals. If you are celebrating a birthday I would recommend the big chocolate ball that they light on fire.Inside is ice cream and it is surrounded by brownies.Plenty for people to share.Heck even if you aren't celebrating a birthday I would recommend it.I have never seen anything like it! I think it is called Matcha Matcha but check with your server.

We were at morimoto’s to have lunch. Very nice place , very good service. Nice and delicious lunch options , Japanese style. Excellent desserts

We were delighted to find the Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia. It was a high point in our trip to the city. We made reservations ahead of time online. And we decided we would get the Omakase menu while we were there. If you might only get one chance just do it. The dinner was eight courses. We also got the sake pairing. Andrew, our super waiter, said the sake pairings were half serves so a total of four. We went for it. Each dish arrived with an explanation and then a description of the sake. My only regret is that there wasn't a written menu with notes. Our first course was a small bao bun with caviar under cloche with apple wood smoke. We had scallops with sea urchin, soup, black cod and wagyu beef. We stuck with the American rather than the upcharge Japanese beef. There was nigiri sushi. Then finally a panna cotta - I know, not Japanese. Apparently, I forgot one course! Although all servings were small it was plenty of food. Service was absolutely top-notch. The food was very good. If we got the chance, we would return but not get the tasting menu. We saw some fabulous things being served at other tables. And Andrew was a wealth of knowledge that made the evening special.

Such a great atmosphere- they have you once you enter plus the food is unique and holds its own! Loved the cocktails! Recommend the Karai- vodka with cilantro & jalepeno. We also loved the yellowtail tartare. Such good flavor! And the beef carpaccio was a hit too. Our favorite sashimi was the special of the months - cherry blossom trout- wow! So fresh- almost melted in our mouths- Spicy tuna and salmon rolls were also enjoyed. For dessert we had a sorbet trio- coconut, pineapple & mandarin orange. Refreshing and tart! Will definitely be back when we return to Philly.

Second time I visited Morimoto. Food was as good as I remembered. Enjoyed a nice evening with colleagues. Great service and explanation of the different courses we ordered,

Sushi here was pretty fantastic but a bit pricy at around 20 bucks a roll. We got the chef’s choice and the fatty tuna sashimi was to die for. Rolls were creative and flavorful. The drinks were good, not great. Dessert was fantastic. The interior was super chic and service was fantastic. Server visited often and took drinks, refilled water, etc. pretty much immediately.

Went to Morimoto with my team to celebrate valentines day (nothing more romantic than spending valentines day with your team in a different city). I made reservations for 6 people as that was all they had available, and got the standard calls to confirm my reservation. We got to Morimoto about 5 min late for our reservation (our party was trickling in one at a time). The place has convenient valet parking, and a very modern architecture. The main dining room is on the first floor, with a pretty cool bar area on the 2nd floor and private dining / bathrooms in the basement. We sat at the bar waiting for our table to become open as well as to get some drinks. The waiter up there was very friendly and kept checking on our table, but he wasn't having much luck. The excuse the hostess gave us was that we went from 6 people to 7, so it will take longer to get the table ready. I glanced at the main dining area, and I realized that this was a blatant lie - they only have a limited variety of tables, and all the tables that seat 6 people were taken even though our reservation time were a full hour before. To make matters worse, when we were sat down, we were told it will be a crowded table (and they gave us a standard 6 seater table and squeezed 4 people on one side). So we spent an hour and a half at the bar upstairs drinking and waiting for a table to open - we were pretty much the last people to leave the restaurant that night. If the food was amazing, it might have made up for the service, but the food was only mediocre (the waitstaff were definitely friendly and helpful). Edamame - Good, but hard to screw up Rock shrimp tempura - almost like popcorn shrimp but tempura style. Not bad Seasonal mushrooms - Decent, but nothing to write home about Pork Kakuni - Delicious, best appetizer by far Yosedofu - bland, and the sauces didn't do much for me either Ramen - delicious, a little salty but holds its own to most ramen shops I got the wagyu ishi yaki bop. The flavor was great, but the meat was really chewy. I expected much better for a $40 meat and rice dish Will say the Sake we got was great. Very nice sake menu

Morimoto is a great chef who evaluated the Japanese kitchen in a modern style. I love the place in Chelsa NYC and go very often. First time I have been in Philly location, the menu is more simple, the food quality is not same with NY, the service is very very good but the worst thing is the noise... To make a modern decoration, they did not consider the acustic, I went out with headache.

The restaurant feels dated --the decor is stale and the acoustics are horrible. Great place to take someone you don't really want to talk to since it is hard to be heard - LOUD being the operative word. It took 45 minutes before we got our appetizers and another 30 minutes before our sushi arrived. I ordered a spicy salmon roll that was really badly prepared and tasted like...nothing. The rolls were unevenly cut and the quality of the salmon was poor - it had lots of sinew. I skipped dessert because the restaurant put me in a really bad mood and I just wanted to get the *&(*& out of there.

On entering the restaurant, very disappointed in the appearance.takes away your appetite. Shabby entrance, overly worn carpet, paint peeling, dirty looking. Service good, food good, but atmosphere terrible. Too many other beautiful restaurants in Philadelphia to go here.

Went with my sisters for a birthday celebration that delivered a feast fit for foodies. Nothing here disappoints: service, food selection and quality, while the unique lighting prompts entertaining dialogue and photo opps.

Dissapointed nothing new as if resting on The creativity of twenty years ago Food is good but not exciting What was different a while ago is now common Service average; one server knocked over water and a dish and did not help clean and disappeared for the night; we ended up mixing and serving tofu made at table ourselves

Food was of high quality, interesting flavors and delicious. Our waiter was a true professional and his high level of service enhanced our evening. Note - some of the posted pictures are of half eaten plates because I couldn’t get the camera out quickly enough before the food was being devoured! Highly recommended.

Walking in takes you to another dimension, the colors and the look are breath taking. Everyone is polite, professional and well trained int the front area. Our server was one of the best we have ever had. Knowledgeable about the the menu, drinks and on-point all night long. Food was outstanding to excellent.

The food is excellent and staff is very knowledgeable. The architecture is really unique inside. Lighting and colors slowly change throughout the dinner— supposed to make you feel as if you were in the ocean.

I am a big food network fan. I was so excited to try this restaurant. I sat at the sushi bar. The Torro Tuna app was so amazing. In hindsight, I wish I would have done the tasting menu.

Extremely disappointing. Once had a good reputation but has sadly gone way downhill. Even the entryway was in tattered shape. Food was the same. Very disappointing, not even etable..

Morimoto's offers a sleek atmosphere that would be terrific for a date, intimate dining or a business dinner where you want to impress. The outside is unassuming and easily overlooked, but you won't forget your meal here. Everything is beautifully prepared and a treat to eat. It's a little pricey, but worth every penny. Start with a tart Lychee martini. We shared the braised pork belly and the wagyu dumplings - both of which were fantastic. For the entree, I had the Ishi Yaki Bop with wagyu beef, which is prepared table side in a hot river stone bowl - enjoy the show. The beef is unbelievably tender and flavorful. The spectacular fiery chocolate tart is a memorable dessert, featuring brownies served with a large chocolate dome which is lit on fire, melting to reveal the miso ice cream. There's plenty to share. It's definitely a splurge, but beyond worth it.

We dined at Morimoto a few years ago, and liked it a lot, and reviewed it here,on TripAdvisor, giving the place 5 stars. Our most recent experience was an Omakase, an equivalent of our chef tasting menu, with the only difference that the entire menu selection is wholly decided upon by a chef, with no dishes listed in advance; no choices provided. Moreover, unlike any chef tasting menus, the amount of dishes is not known neither communicated in advance, nor verbally not on the restaurant's menu, but is only described as "a multi-course tasting menu designed to allow you to experience the essence of Morimoto’s cuisine". There is nothing unique about this approach which is not inherent to Morimoto's, however, we are not sure that in Morimoto's case Omakase is a superior experience compared to their regular menu. We definitely missed such Morimoto's best hits as Duck, Duck, Duck or their chilled green tea noodles. Instead we got quite good selections of tuna (toro) tartare, sushi, sashimi, wagyu, etc., or - in other words - your average Japanese "fusion'y" food, more or less available in your home town/township fusion restaurants. The quality was a bit higher that what you can get at home, but also it was much more impersonal and less exciting than what could be sampled from Morimoto's menu. Speaking of Wagyu beef. The Wagyu included in the cost of Omakase is the Australian variety. The authentic high-grade Japanese Wagyu A5 involved a surcharge (and so did sashimi tasting). We tasted both. The Japanese variety is known for its fattiness, the texture referred to as marbleness. Order that if you a fan of ribeye, otherwise go for the much leaner Australian wagyu. The restaurant's Omakase is attractively priced at $125 pp (excluding the surcharges for Japanese A5 Wagyu and Sashimi). The optional sake pairing is $75 while the regular wine pairing, which still includes some sake, is the same price. The service was good, no complaints. Morimoto's is a bit stuck in the 2000s, when the advent of the Asian fusion, and more particularly Japanese fusion, cuisine hit the nation. The lounge'y ambiance, the club multi-colored lighting, and the less authentic gastronomy were the inherent features of the trend. Much more authentic and unforgettable experiences are now coming up in NYC. Try those and then compare it with Morimoto's. Generally, however, a positive experience. Not sure about future visits.

If I could rate 10stars I would. First, staff is excellent! We sat upstairs in the bar area which was perfect for us. The soft lighting was great, seating was comfortable. The service alone gets a 10 star, there was no waiting only time waited was deciding what to order. Spicy Tuna, Salmon Suishi fresh, delicious,I had salmon,hubby had seafood bowl, son had chicken, sorry I forget the name of the dishes, trust me they were marvelous, one of my fave was the Wasabi fried rice. I will order this every time.

Overall, I would say it was a nice dining experience. The décor is nice. The service I would have to say is exceptional. In terms of food itself, We loved the lobster ceviche. The rock shrimp appetizer and the black code entre was decent. I wasn't crazy about the Chirashi. The pieces of fish were cut into really tiny pieces

Food was good but me my wife were not over whelmed. May be we have too high an expectation for the Iron Chef's first restaurant. Would not go back again.

I have not been here for 10 years and the food was great. The ambiance was very nice, service very good. It took a while to seat us even though of our reservation, but the lounge where we waited was very comfortable. We ordered the chef's selection and loved everything.

This is the 2nd time ordering the Chef's Omacase. The courses can be seen in our photos. We were provided 9 courses (versus 10 or so the first time) and the price was about $50 more per person. Food was prepared nicely and was full of flavor. I'm just a bit of a sushi snob and would have liked to try some more exotic fish. All in all, it was a good experience, just wasn't as floored as I was with our first trip.

As an avid fan of Morimoto and traveler to many of his restaurants, I was entirely disappointed in this experience. Our table was stuffed against a wall, add a bottle of pelligrino and some wine glasses and it was full. Our server seemed distracted and not concerned at all. He gave some rote recommendations after being told it was my date's first visit. Upon taking out order for 4 appetizers and two entree's to be timed and spaced, our food just piled up before we were finished. The manager noticed my discomfort with this rushed service, but did nothing. We ordered wasabi because the food was bland and it finally came at the conclusion of our meal. The food was mediocre at best, with nothing memorable at all. Truly a shame. The entire staff mailed it in, and unfortuanetly the kitchen was in lock step with it. I cannot express what a waste of 320.00 dollars. We will not be going back at all. I had better food and service at a local Ramen restaurant that totally outshined this supposed giant, MORIMOTO.

I have been to Chef Morimoto's restaurants in New York and Florida, Philadelphia is still my favorite. The design of the space is beautiful, the service is always spot on and the entrees, sushi and drinks - fresh and creative.

We were quite excited to eat at this highly rate place. We reserved online for 7:30 for a table with 2 seats. Upon arrival at 715, the hosts seemed overwhelmed and we ended up being seated at 8:30! If it weren't for this detail, I would be giving this hotel 5 stars because the food is delicious! It almost appeared as artwork. And when you combine the amazing offerings with the cozy, intimate feel of the restaurants, it leads to one fabulous meal. Will definately return here.

A wonderful end to our trip to Philly. Funky décor. Wonderful drinks. Amazing Wagyu dumplings. The ramen was delicious.

We arrived, got a prime table, (made res super in advanced). Food was amazing, service was amazing, Sam was our server, really accommodating! We were a bunch of college friends, in the end we spilt bill (evenly) 6 ways, not a problem. I will be back!

Obviously this restaurant came highly recommended by Tripadvisor as well as many friends who have eaten here before. I was not disappointed. Service was friendly and efficient. The sushi was fantastic. The atmosphere and the Decor was really good. The next time I visit Philly I will definitely eat here again!

Fantastic restaurant for sushi and many other very tasty Japanese cuisine offerings. My companion and I had wonderful looking and great tasting sushi dishes. Great desserts too. Great ambience with excellent service. One of the top sushi restaurants I have eaten at in the U.S.

I've had food and then I've had FOOD! This place is amazing. Tucked away piece of heaven. You will not be disappointed with the wagyu steak. It literally melts in your mouth. I would suggest ordering a few things and sharing so you get to try everything.

This is the place to go if you want to taste authentic Japanese food. My son and I ordered the chef's combination for dinner, enough for the two of us. It had sushi and sashimi, the quality of which I had never eaten. The modern style decor may appeal to you, it was ok with me. I really went to Morimoto for the food. Check the menu prices, it's pricey, and this is not an understatement, but it's worth going to experience what really Japanese food tastes like.

Morimoto in Philadelphia is changing. The food is still relatively expensive and good, but there is hardly any feel of a true Japanese restaurant. It was always Japanese/ fusion, but without the Japanese it is just a nice restaurant. Anything we had that had been Japanese in the past is now Thai or Polynesian looking - too much plate decoration. The food is almost lost in the decoration, whereas in Japanese restaurants the food is the beauty and star of the plate. Also, there is garlic in almost everything. The Japanese generally only use garlic occasionally, but I would say it is rarely found in a Japanese restaurant. That makes it seem more Korean or Italian. So it’s now fusion but without the Japanese. Nevertheless, there were a few hits that made us happy. One was the foie gras on braised eel. Eel can taste dirty/earthy, and I wasn't sure about poultry with eel, but it was wonderful. The plate was decorated with Asian pear and dollops of refreshing yuzu sauce. Although the sashimi plate looked Polynesian, the fish was delicious. Finally, there was "duck, duck, duck.” It included duck breast done perfectly, comfit duck mixed in with some rice and topped off with a duck egg.

Amazing experience and great service. Andrea made great recommendations and we enjoyed ourselves so much. Beautiful place.

Great place to start an evening. We were doing an “Iron Chef” happy hour tour of the area. The staff were friendly, making suggestions that were spot on. Even when crowded the area was quiet.

Visited Morimoto during a birthday weekend girls' trip. The atmosphere was modern and upscale. My dinner consisted of wagyu dumplings - that melted in my mouth, a California roll which was average and my favorite dish, the seafood toban yaki, which contained the best scallops that I have ever eaten in life! I would have paid a king's ransom for a carry out container of those scallops. I will definitely return!

We had some Wagyu filet at the Morimoto and it was definitely the best piece of meat, that I ever had. The side was the fried wasabi rice, also an excellent choice, fits good to the steak. Service was excellent, very friendly, very fast. Fancy place and very modern. I would definitely recommend going here, even though I paid around 100$ for steak, side and a drink.

I did the lunch tasting menu, remembering the outstanding experience I had here several years ago with the then lunch tasting menu. While the overall experience was also outstanding this time, it wasn't quite as good as last time. Last time each and every course was very creative, with (to me) surprising combinations of ingredients combining for an amazing experience. But this time, while some of the courses were similarly excellent, there were also some (disappointingly) more "normal" courses, such as the sushi course. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the sushi course; in fact, it was absolutely superb. But it lacked creativity: I do not come to Morimoto's to eat sushi, no matter how excellent the preparation is; rather I come to taste the extremely creative dishes that this amazing Iron Chef has invented.

Amazing food, amazing service. The highest level of food I’ve seen in philly. The tuna salad was to die for.

Food was decent and GM tried his best to provide good dining experience for my family. That was it. Good service was extremely slow(took over 2 and half hours for simple meal), we had to wait 25mins for our seating.

Asian fusion food in modern surroundings. Duck x3 is great. Good range of beers. Tables for couples, as well as for larger parties.

We had a nice evening in Morimoto and enjoyed the sashimi, duck and the snapper. As always, great value for money with experienced and well trained staff .. only downside - too load to have a conversation...

Disclaimer: must like unusual food, if you come, better come prepared. The flavors are mostly understated, refined, difficult to capture, require attention and even deliberation, as mist over the cold pond in April, in first, gentle rays of sunshine. The quality and freshness are legendary - the greatest sashimi awaits you. Very refined wine list.

I tried my first Wagyu steak ever and it was already my favorite food ever. The rice was great, liked the crab roll, and loved the chocolate mousse cake.

We visited when we were dating ten years ago. Back for a business meeting and chose to meet here. Morimoto has gotten better. Had Omakase and it was superior. Every bite was meticulously planned with incredible choices of fish. Needlefish? Barracuda? And yes to the oysters. Highly recommend

Our food was amazing and the service was exceptional! Would definitely come back. I highly recommend.

My wife and I dined at this Philly flagship standard on Saturday night. Once we entered we were immediately greeted by the host who asked to take our coats. We were then escorted to our table. The restaurant is vibrant with a sleek white decor. Our waiter Kevin approached shortly after being seated and thoroughly described the menu and told us the night's specials. He was very knowledgeable and made suggestions. Besides the food being very good, the service was even better. We will return.

This place is so good. The salmon carpaccio is phenomenal. The sea bass is amazing as well. This was my second visit and it was even better than the first time. Food never disappoints. The environment is lively. Not too loud. We went on a Friday and the service was subpar. Took a little while to get served drinks but I would still come here regardless because the sushi and fish are delicious.

The restaurant is very high end, we ordered the special sushi cath, it was really good but expensive , 1 piece 12 usd? Very weird they did not have many liquor options, Befeater gin was the best gin they had ?! Food was very good although

I was recently in Philadelphia and stopped by Morimoto’s restaurant for lunch. My mom and I both decided to do the omakase with the alcohol pairing. The omakase is $65 and you enjoy seven courses chosen by the chef. For the beverage pairing you also get seven cocktails. I am not a huge fan of sake so I asked to limit this. I had five wines (one rosé and the rest were whites), one glass of champagne to begin the meal, and a sweeter sake with dessert. I truly enjoyed all the beverage pairings and this was $35 to add this option. Course one was Yellowfin tuna tartar with a soy Ummami broth. Inside the tartar were also crispy wontons. The broth was rich and flavorful and the wonton strips in the tartar gave a great texture contrast. Course two was one of my favorites. It was a lightly cooked tile fish with garlic and hot chili oil. The hot chili oil was poured on right at the end and that is what lightly cooked the fish. This dish was so flavorful, I just absolutely loved it. Course three was carpaccio and micro green. It was good but not a standout. I honestly don’t really remember much about this dish. Course four was my ABSOLUTE favorite dish of the day. It was crispy skin black cod with mustard sauce and sweet black beans. Now, honestly, I think that the sweet black beans didn’t need to be on the plate and I didn’t particularly like them. However, there is such a minuscule part of this dish that it’s no worry. The black cod was cooked to perfection and the skin was deliciously cross bay. What really stood out to me was the mustard sauce I wish I could bottle it and take it home. Course five was a lightly seared white fish. Pretty good, but also don’t remember too much about it. Course six were five different selections of sashimi. The quality of the fish was great. I was getting full at this point so only ate three of the pieces. Course seven, dessert, was disappointing. The cake was dry and not very flavorful but honestly I didn’t care that much. I didn’t come here for dessert, I came for the six dishes prior. I think this was a great value and would recommend anyone who likes seafood to stop by for the omakase lunch tasting. You also leave feeling full and satisfied, but not gross and stuffed.

Wonderful sushi in an even more amazing space. Large room with wonderful colour changing booths. The sushi plates were large and tasty.

"MORIMOTO is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is excellent and the service is outstanding. I would recommend every dish on the menu except for the ones that are cooked on the hot stone in the dining room. These dishes are a big disappointment because of the strong smell they produce. The smell lingers in the general dining area and your clothes will smell like food, so be prepared to take them to the cleaners after your meal. While I love the food, I'm very disappointed with the effect it has on my clothes. Next time, I'll wear something that I can immediately put in the laundry basket after dinner."

Whenever I’m in Philadelphia a visit to Morimoto’s is mandatory. The restaurant is without question the best in Philadelphia. It hasn’t lost a step over the many years it has been open. Normally I go with a la carte sashimi selections, by the “seasonal Japanese selection” of nine different fish sounded tempting so we started there. Actually it was eight fish from Japan and Arctic Char from Canada, but why nitpick? The Char, which looks and tastes quite a bit like salmon was quite good. The seasonal fish from Japanese waters were: shark skin flounder (same garei from Hokkaido); black fish (kuromutsu from Nagasaki); grunt fish (isaki from Miyazaki); barracuda (kamasu from Chiba); sweet scallop (kobashira from Mie); golden amberjack (hiramasa from Kagoshima); Japanese bass (hirasuzuki from Oita). Also included was some amazing O-toro, but I’m not sure if that was part of the deal or included because we enquired about it. The pieces are not gigantic; they are the correct one-bite sizes. A bargain at $60. We still wanted more sashimi, so, of course, we had to have seconds on the O-toro, which was possibly the best I can remember. We also had abalone (awabi from Chiba) which the chef recommended and was not the typically chewy stuff you usually get from California. We also had an order of Hotate, also a chef recommendation, which was a succulent large scallop. Next we switched to a course of silver skinned fish, which tend to be salty and very strongly “fishy” flavored. We had aji, kohada, and saba. Finally, it was time for some sushi. We had anago nigiri sushi. Anago is the seafaring version of the more common unagi. Both are smoked eel but the anago is drier and the version I prefer. Next came Hamachi (yellowtail) We ended with two courses of uni, one from Japan and one from California. The California at $9 each was actually better than the Japanese at $16 each. Actually the Japanese uni was the disappointment of the night, starting to take on a bit of iodine quality, not ready to toss but not the A+ fare we had gotten throughout the night. Since our last visit Morimoto’s has switched to the new trend of selling freshly grated wasabi as an upcharge ($9) which I would highly recommend. I’m working on a blog post dedicated to wasabi so I won’t say much, other than that the vast majority of “wasabi” consumed is actually horseradish with green food color. Beer, wine and sake selections are exceptional, including Morimoto’s own sakes, and are available in prices ranging from modest to top shelf. Our server Austin was great and we did get into a conversation with the sushi chef, but I would much prefer a set-up in which the relationship with the chef was more interactive. I think the servers start with the assumption that you don’t know much about sushi and need to be convinced otherwise. I should note that there is an Omakase option but it features all of the various styles of Japanese cooking for which Morimoto is famous; it is not just about sashimi and sushi. I can’t get enough of the fish, so I always pass on the Omakase option. Dinner for two with great sakes and wines and the best sashimi and sushi came to $354 plus tip, which I thought was reasonable, considering the exquisite quality. One could get by for a lot less.

Our entire meal was so fabulous! We had a great server, cocktails were delicious, and the food was sublime. Also, the interior of the restaurant was super chic and really interesting. Can’t recommend this place enough!!

My husband and I dined here for our anniversary. This was my first time, and I was pleasantly surprised at how modern and unique both interior & exterior of the building was. They have a huge sake selection if that is your thing. We had both a cold & hot appetizer. The scallops were unlike anything I ever ate. The flavors were great. The current special hot appetizer was a pork bao bun. Amazing! My husband enjoyed a chef choice sushi board, and I had a surf & turf dish. The wagyu filet and hamachi ribbons had a superb flavor profile. Our waiter was attentive and pleasant, and it was clear that the staff moved quickly and efficiently. We will definitely recommend and return when we are in the city again!

Great food and service. Hard to go wrong with most things on the menu. Staff is very helpful. If you have questions about the menu or need help deciding, be sure to ask and they will help.

Had an amazing birthday dinner tonight! The atmosphere is exceptional, truly beautiful- like eating inside a work of art. The service is perfect. Our waiter explained the menu and gave excellent recommendations. He was attentive and professional and very pleasant. The food is absolutely delicious. Creative dishes with lots of unique flavors, beautifully plated. We loved the wagyu carpaccio and wagyu dumplings, the calamari salad, and the hamachi. The entrees were delicious as well, but the topper was the fiery chocolate torte. Their elegant take on chocolate s’mores in a flaming chocolate bowl. There is nothing better!! We will return!

I had the sashimi and it was really good and fresh. The miso soup had plenty of my fave, ie tofu, and salad was tasty. The tempura was average. Service staffs from greeter to server were attentive and gave excellent service. Even took the initiative to top up my hot green tea. Nice! The main/head chef was very much like the ones in Japan who would look at your reaction to their food and kept their stations clean and tidy. A very communicative establishment.

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at this food establishment. We have very high expectations on sushi since we have lived in Vancouver, BC for years and this place definitely lives up to its expectations from its renown iron chef morimoto. We had the lunch special sushi combination and black cod with wasabi fried rice. Both entrees were scrumptious but the black cod was the best I've ever had! And I've ordered it any many izakaya restaurants in Vancouver before. The service is most excellent and they are so attentive. Be sure to leave room for dessert as the cheesecake and strawberry eclair will not disappoint!

Fantastic meal at Morimoto's, enhanced by the knowledgable and professional staff. Good drinks menu with several unique cocktails, and a wide selection of sake for paring with your food. We had a variety of appetizers, sashimi, sushi and rolls, and each piece was both elegantly constructed and delicious. Don't forget to round off your meal with dessert the fiery chocolate tart is a fun choice!

My son has been wanting to go experience the amazing Morimoto dinning experience. When we went to Philadelphia we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity. We enjoyed the chefs choice nine course meal and it was absolutely amazing.

Talk about a nice surprise...my wife got us a weekend in Philadelphia for two reasons...the Army-Navy game and my birthday. For dinner, she reserved a spot at Morimoto's, because she knows I love sushi and don't get a chance to eat it all too often. I was not disappointed. Our table was ready when we arrived, and we were seated promptly. The restaurant itself is not all that large, at least the main floor, but very comfortable. We never felt crowded. Service was attentive, from our primary server to management, even to the bussers. I was impressed by the fact that everybody knew the menu, and could answer any question about the food or the preparation. We started off with a pork belly appetizer..and did it taste good. Sticky, sweet, a little spicy... perfect for two. We then went to a bit of sushi. I had a Hamachi roll as well as a few pieces of nigiri. The fish was exceptional... nice and firm, a little wasabi, and great rice. It really didn't need soy sauce, which is, of course, house brewed. Have it anyway... it's fantastic. My wife had the duck duck duck for her entrée, which is duck served with duck fried rice, covered with duck egg. I'm not a huge duck fan but I'll have to try this if I ever get back here. My entrée was a signature dish, Hamachi served over fried rice prepared tableside. It's served in a hot stone bowl. The fish was a perfect medium rare, and the fried rice may well be the best I've ever eaten. For dessert, I had a strawberry éclair, which was wonderful... light, creamy, and sweet cut by pickled fruit and pomegranate. And yes... it had a birthday candle. Service was exceptional throughout the meal, there when needed and never obtrusive. Food was fantastic. Might be the best birthday meal ever.

Creative dishes just like what you would expect from the Iron Chef. We got the classic omikase and it was excellent. All the dishes were delicious. The service was excellent. Reservations were not too hard to get for a Friday night. Great experience.

Amazing place! Food is consitently superb, staff is very attenttive and hospitable, and the ambiance is very cool. We usually go up to the cozy lounge on the second floor. Shout out to Dave Katz who always makes us feel like family and treats us well.

Quite a journey... knowledgeable and engaged service staff. Savorous food. I chose two courses both prepared at the table (Tofu and rice/wagu beef meal). Will definitely recommend

We recently tried the well reviewed Morimoto restaurant in center city philly. We were pleasantly greeted by the hostess and seated quickly. The dining room is very modern with odd table anchored lights on the table. The wine list is high end and very expensive. The cocktails were large but odd in flavor. We tried the 2 tasting menus: the signature and seasonal. The signature was better and cheaper. The signature featured Hamachi collar, miso glazed bass and duck. We were totally happy and pleased with this menu. The seasonal menu highlight was the lobster but there was a vegetable course that missed the mark. We also tried the rock shrimp and spicy tuna roll. One other point: the sushi course on the tasting menus were unremarkable. Overall, it was very good. There are so many original and tasting items, try to avoid the mundane.

The food is outstanding, no doubt. That is the attraction here. Nicely lit, modern surroundings. Mind, the lacquered wooden floor is so slippery, you can break your neck. Wide selection of food. Service doesn't meet the food standards. You could send any college kid and one wouldn't notice the difference. Bring the big wallet. It is seriously expensive.

Impressed by the decor after a few doubts on the street (from Convention Center), we had cocktails in a nice mezzanine area. The drink with Chartreuse was both innovative and superb. Then in a main room, great service, good atmosphere where you can speak (and actually have a business meeting). Menu was original to me and even crabcakes were not standard but very special and delicious. WE loved all the appetizers as well as all the main dishes. Our choice of wine was not the best but no fault of the restaurant. A bit expensive but we would definitely return

Absolutely terrible except the service. I ordered the $165 omakase 7 course dinner. It is not even close to an award winning experience. Two of the courses were literally basic tuna and basic beef carpaccio dishes. Both were poor quality and obviously not dishes you would expect in a $165 meal and again, award winning restaurant. I could go on as there were 5 other courses, that didn’t come close to the expectations of a……I’ll conclude, only one dish of the 7 was actual sushi or sashimi, only one and it was 4 tiny slivers of upscale grocery store quality sushi, with zero chef artistry added. Service was excellent, server could tell I wasn’t happy, gave a fair discount.

Hadn't been to Morimoto in 14 years so I was excited about returning ! However the experience was less than memorable! Food was excellent however the service was horrible. There is nothing worse than the next course arriving when they haven't collected the dirty dishes from the previous course! However the worst situation was when my husband's $18 a glass of dessert wine slid off the Wet Glass table top spilling and the waiter came over and said "were you drinking the Sauterne" ($12 per glass) suggesting he would replace the glass, when my husband said no I was drinking the ice wine, the waiter responded " oh sorry man" and they never gave him a new glass of wine. After spending $300 for dinner, it was quite a slap in the face. Needless to say there are plenty of great choices in Philadelphia, no need to spend big bucks for lousy service!

We ordered the lunch omakase and for $60 it was ineffable. The contrast of textures was perfect. The flavors were bold, yet perfectly in balance. The presentation and wait staff were superb. Overall it was perfect. Interestingly, we primarily went for the sushi and sashimi, but looking back, they were very good, but not OMG... The chef is a true master of his craft. Just go!!

We came here for our anniversary dinner. The service was exemplary. The servers all knew their food intimately well and before each course was served, each server advised us how to cook the food < shabu shabu > and how to maximize the eating experience. We had sushi and wagyu carpaccio, shabu shabu, and duck duck duck entrees.

This was as good as it gets! Three of us went here for a birthday dinner and had the most pleasurable experience. From the moment the door opened we were welcomed by Michelle B and taken to our table. She came back to check on us numerous times. Our server, JD, was the most knowledgeable server I have ever met, especially on Saki! The food just coming and coming until we could not eat anymore. The decor is warm and interesting. Very popular place so get a reservation. Handicapped accessible and valet parking. You must go here for a special evening sometime. Thank you Michelle and JD for making our evening so exquisite.

I had a set lunch a few days ago whilst visiting from NYC. I really enjoyed my meal, the service was friendly and I loved the décor. Very easy to find, just a few minutes from the Liberty Bell. Would go back if I were ever in Philly again.

I had a chance to go to The original Morimoto in Philly. It was a sublime dinner at a very upscale and relaxed atmosphere. My wife had the shabu-shabu and I had several specialty sushi rolls and small plates. Everything was superb, very tasty and exquisitely crafted; all the sushi was amazingly fresh. Service was impeccable. I even tried some of the special Japanese beers and they were very delicious. It is a place that should be on everybody's bucket list; somewhat pricey, but worth every penny

Aside from the rock shrimp tempura, everything was average or not good. The toro tartar was almost inedible. The drinks were overly sweet and a bit watery. I switched to Prosecco and it was very basic. The sushi was ok but the rolls were very bad and had no flavor. Very disappointing as we have had many great meals here in the past.

Excellent food with wonderful wait staff and unique atmosphere. Would go again. It was our first time there and we had a lot of question for the wait staff. Our waitress was thoughtful in her responses to us and mad good recommendations. We under ordered and it was no problem to add some additional food onto our order. Sushi is so quick to prepare.

We had a two-course dinner. We took warm cooked dishes, which were quickly served and tasted perfect. As an entrée we had a cod and sea-bass. Both dishes were above expectations, and deserved at least one Michelin star. Moreover, the interior is just superb.

My only regret is not finding Morimoto sooner on my trips to Philly. The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly. The service was on point. The food was amazing. The yellowtail appetizer and the rolls I ordered told me everything about how fresh and amazing they present their cuisine. Add all of this with the incredibly cool interior of the restaurant, it’s a must experience.

My husband and I had dinner here on a Tuesday night when we were in the city overnight on business. Our server J.D. was wonderful - very knowledgeable of the menu, helpful, and personally engaging. We ordered a variety of appetizers including the wagyu dumplings, rock shrimp tempura, and the spicy tuna rolls. All were quite good but more food than we needed for two people. I ordered the Ishi Yaki Bop and my husband got the Seafood Tobian Yaki. We enjoyed both though I am never a fan of having to pick my seafood out of its shell when I am in a nice dress (I know that is how it is supposed to be served). We had a really enjoyable evening at Morimoto.

This is the 5th or 6th time we visit Morimoto in Philadelphia. The first experience was exceptional. Second was good but not great; each visit has declined. However, this last visit was horrible. Our waitress, Alejandra, seems to have an issue with men. She never once looked at me or addressed me, except to ask what I wanted to eat. I should have known the experience wasn’t going to be a good one when she told my wife to order for the table because she is in charge. We all (wife, myself and our 2 kids) found the comment weird, but thought nothing of it. We all thought it was just a bad joke. Then of course, she ignored me the entire service, and it became evident to me to she has an issue with men. She came over with the check and even though I put my hand out to take the check, she extended across the table and gave the check to my wife instead, who had to tell her to hand it to me. She of course did not; she put the check on the table instead. The food is mediocre at best and very overpriced. Alejandra was awful. I WILL NEVER EAT THERE AGAIN.

Pretty good service at a 2-person lunch in October. The sushi was excellent. Had a great combo of sushi and sashimi. The soup and salad were good too.

We had some sushi and cocktails at the lounge upstairs. Tried few different cocktails and all were very good.

A very nice restaurant with a super service, but more importantely: excellent food. Not cheap, but really worth a visit! We took the 8–course surprise menue, which was great. Each course was even better as the previous one. Nice atmosphere, nice location, just perfect!

One of our favorite asian restaurant spots in Philadelphia. The table side preparation of some of the dishes has to be a stand-out experience.

I had no clue this was the original Morimoto until I arrived with some friends (we were attending a conference in Philly). Fun, modern vibe with delicious food! Service was top notch. Our server was very kind to explain the various dishes on the menu...it allowed me to venture out of the ordinary and get something unique to Morimoto (and something I had not had before). Great evening!

Our family has been going here for special occasions ever since our son was a tyke and watched iron chef. So for his 30th we all went and had a blast. He and I had the tasting menu and upgraded to include the waygu beef. Delicious and fun time for all ten of us.

The menu is creative, full of well constructed fusion dishes. I have tried almost everything on the menu and it is always wonderful!

I have always wanted to try a Morimoto restaurant and happened to get lucky with a last minute work trip to Philadelphia. This meal far exceeded my expectations. We did the Omakase tasting with the beverage pairings. The first course, the tuna tartare should have been served by the gallon...it was that good. The sushi was amazing and noticeably fresh. The beef course was fantastic. Need I say more? The décor was gorgeous. Relaxing, cool tones. My only teeny-weeny draw back would be the lamps in the center of the table that could not be moved. Service was amazing. Attentive, knowledgeable, friendly and not stuffy. Expensive? Oh yes. And totally worth it.

I've never been so disappointed in a restaurant. I am a sushi fanatic and seek out the best. The first time I went to Morimotos many years ago it was fantastic. The chef's choice (omakase) was full of exotic fish. Last night I ordered the $75 chef choice. I received your basic grocery store sushi - tamago (egg)!, shrimp, tuna, salmon, yellowtail, a basic tuna roll, a yellowtail roll and I had specifically requested kanpachi - the only decent thing there. Morimotos has declined with each visit, but this takes the cake. $75 for that! You've got to be kidding me! See my attached picture! They just rest on their laurels and cool ambiance, but continue to decline horribly. I hate to give one star only because our server, Alejandra, was terrific, but the chef and the meal deserve the one star. I didn't complain because we had a show to go to and I didn't want to deal with it. But, I will never go again. If you are a true sushi fan, I would recommend Blue Fin in East Norriton. In the meanwhile, I will look for other places in Philly.

We visited in January for my birthday and the entire experience was amazing. I waited too long to make reservations and could only get a spot at the sushi bar (no big deal, really. I enjoy watching that kind of thing). When we got there, I was pleasantly surprised that they seated us at a regular table. The waiter was very helpful in explaining the food and the service was excellent. The food was phenomenal. Beer flight, sashimi, 10 Hour Pork ‘Kakuni’ Braised Pork Belly, Duck Duck Duck (roasted duck breast, duck confit fried rice, duck egg, mandarin oolong reduction), Morimoto Surf and Turf (wagyu filet, hamachi ribbons and avocado salad, herbed potatoes). I highly recommend this place and we will definitely be back. It's expensive, but SO worth it!

Recently came here on a business trip and was not disappointed! I was apprehensive abt eating alone but had a great experience. I started with a tuna roll which had a surprising amount of wasabi in it. If overpowered the roll at times but overall was great. For dinner I had the duck, duck, duck which was fantastic. The duck was cooked perfectly! The evening was topped off with fantastic service from Joshua who gave great wine recommendations. Definitely will be back!

This is one of the best Japanese restaurant you won’t want to miss it! The technical of cooking and the best quality of seafood was amazing! The only thing it needs to improve is the training of they services. Maybe because they so busy.

Super experience, amazing customer service, legendary visit! The staff was imaging from when I stepped in the door from the two women at the front desk to the waiters who are more like food connoisseurs versus just waiters. They were so knowledgeable about each glass of sake and food course that I was served it was amazing. Certainly an experience I will forever remember. Omakase with the A5 option and sake pairing was amazing I can’t wait to visit again.

Chef Morimoto is by far my favorite Iron Chef. Watching the series, I am constantly amazed by the complexity of the dishes he prepares, ingenuity of his creations, and the art-like plating. My first visit to Philadelphia was the opportunity to experience this in person. Unfortunately, what followed was a multi-level disappointment, one of the biggest I had in culinary travels. Let's start with the place itself. Don't expect to find yourself in the middle of the Kitchen Stadium, with Chef Morimoto cooking for you. "He very rarely comes here," I was told. The place is also not a quiet, high-end-cuisine one; it is more of a very upscale version of Wagamama. Nothing wrong with that for me, just mentioning so that you wouldn't plan a quiet romantic dinner there. I started with a Karai cocktail - tasty and daring in flavors (cilantro, jalapeno, vodka), just as I was expecting from Morimoto. I chose the omakase menu (with a 10$ upgrade of the sashimi plate) - this should be the best way to get a personal insight into chef's philosophy and taste his creativeness. The first plate was very standard - toro tartare with a bit of caviar, soy sauce, and fried shallots. Tasty but nothing I hadn't have before. The next plate was a bit more promising - seabass carpaccio with yuzu, garlic, ginger, herbs, and olive oil. Still, nothing I wouldn't get in a regular (not star-chef) sushi place. The sashimi plate was even more standard. Four types of fish (because of the upgrade). That was it! I am not saying that it was bad, but this is a very plain dish. Does Morimoto ever serve just sashimi when he is on the Iron Chef? Next was the first main fish dish. I know that Chef Morimoto was on the original Nobu team and that the black miso cod is one of Nobu's signature dishes. But I had it at Nobu more than 15 years ago! I like it, but I guess he could think of something new to put on a tasting menu. If it were a single "old" dish among plenty new, daring ones, I would get it as a hint of nostalgia, but that night, it was only one of many safe plays done. The next dish was a tiny hope that not everything is lost. Poached lobster tail, grilled on a binchotan grill afterwards, accompanied with chive oil and some algae, was a classy ingredient (can't do without them, right?), prepared with tiny twists that added to complexity of the overall flavor. The presentation was not stellar, but certainly the nicest of the evening. The meat main dish returned the dinner to a crash course and was even more disappointing. How can wagyu beef be dissapointing, you may ask? By being on the plate just so that the magic word "wagyu" could be used. I cannot imagine the Iron Chef dialogue "Chef Morimoto, please tell us what have you prepared for us as the next dish." "Well, it is a slice of wagyu tagliata. I put a bit of creamed spinach alongside it and a few pieces of vegetables, so that the plate doesn't look too empty." I always say that in most restaurants, the quality level of the dessert is one level below the quality of the rest of the food - if the food is phenomenal, the dessert is excellent and so on. Morimoto played along. For the grande finale of the omakase menu, there was a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese filling, an orange touille, few drops of whipped cream and julienne raw apple. The overall feeling was as if I would go (and pay!) for a test ride of a Mustang, and then get a ride in a Taurus instead. It was a comfy ride, right? And it was a Ford after all. I don't know where Chef Morimoto actually cooks. I would love to visit that place and see what he is really capable of. The restaurant under his name brand in Philadelphia certainly isn't that place.

When I found out I was coming to Philadelphia for a business trip, I knew I had to make it a must to eat at Morimoto. I ordered the Morimoto Omakase, which is a 7 course of goodness. Everything was delicious, my only disappointment was it didn’t have any of the Australian Wagyu beef in one of the course.

I have nothing but amazing things to say about my experience. Dan the manager was honestly so hospitable, kind and made our experience amazing. Definitely recommend

It's not the first time for us at Morimoto restaurant. The restaurant is designed differently than others that's for sure although I wish it would have some Japanese elements . The food is very fresh you can feel that the ingredients that are being used are high quality! The way the food is presented is like an art work .the taste is amazing ! The service is the best ! Prices are high but it's ok as it is not simple regular food . I had the Chilean sea bass which was melting in my mouth ! Great dish !!! The reason I gave it 4 this time is because the restrooms were not in good shape ( smell and fodder function) If you have any special event do not hesitate .

My guests and I had a great experience at Morimoto this week for lunch. Wow. Very unique menu in a visually stunning dining room. We started with some excellent sushi rolls for the table. We all ordered their special. Ishi Yaki Bop. A rice dish prepared tableside in a hot river stone bowl with yellowtail tuna. Just awesome and different. I need to try dinner here

Decided to see how much difference an Iron Chef restaurant really makes. It gets 10/10. Flavors, presentation, service, wine selection, variety of dishes on menu, all top quality. The standout is the flavors and textures of the food. Exquisite. I has the fois gras and eel, and the duck duck duck, my daughter had Morimoto tempura and sushi. For dessert we enjoyed the strawberry eclair. Two dishes and dessert (shared) was the perfect amount of food. Recommendation is to make this a must if you are visiting or living in the area. If you can, save your pennies and treat yourselves. The interior adds atmosphere and adds to the enjoyment of the food, without a doubt.

At first glance the decor looks cold and uninviting to quiet conversations. Wrong. Don't know why, but it works marvelously. Your private table space is private. And the food and service-delicious and impeccable. So worth the cost. I'd definitely go back.

The reason we decided to dine at Morimoto while in Philadelphia was because this was the first restaurant opened by the celebrity chef. The interesting contemporary setting created a curiously pleasant atmosphere, but the food fell short of our expectations. There was an interesting twist in the tempura ingredient, which I liked. Although, there was one vegetable I could not identify and asked the server who wasn't able to explain me what was it. My husband chose the Omakase course and was not impressed, didn't finish some of the dishes. I chose Seasonal Chef's Nigiri Combo and was disappointed. The nigiri seemed to be sitting for a while before it was served. The neta was already building a skin, it was far from something freshly prepared, which would have had an appetizingly shiny and moist appearance. I had a higher expectation for the quality of food and service.

It's quite noisy, but the food makes up for it. Fantastic sake with 15 piece sushi/2 roll combo. Swordfish, hamachi, cuttlefish, juvenile and adult amberjack, a few Japanese fish, tuna, salmon, egg, etc., and the best single piece of sushi I've ever tasted: a fatty tuna that not only melted in my mouth, it melted my mouth. Succulent simplicity. The other meal was a salmon that was cooked perfectly on a xo sauce with baby bok choy

The design is unbelievable and part of the wonderful meal I shared with a good friend a few nights ago. I would post pictures but as I looked at what I have taken, I want to protect the other diner's privacy. But the colors and style are wonderful. We went all out on the sushi and it was excellent. The green noodle appetizer was outstanding. We ordered a large sushi platter and enjoyed what the chef prepared for us. As a treat we each got a piece of the super fatty tuna. Not something you can afford to make a meal out of but the idea is to first eat the regular tuna, then the fatty tuna, then the super fatty tuna..... it is a great taste sensation. I would come back her in an instant.

We decided to splurge on the omikase dinner and it was one of the best Japanese meals we have ever had (ranking right up their with some of our all time favorite meals in Kyoto and Tokyo). The ambiance is entrancing with changing colors, the service was professional, helpful and impeccable, and the fish was artful, fresh, and amazingly delicious. This was a truly memorable meal.

OK, you know him, he sweeps Iron Chef with ease. We made reservations knowing that some said this place was resting on his laurels, but found the food to be subline and incredible. I had the traditional tasting menu and my wife the seasonal; we both agreed that much of the traditional was better; however, her higher end beverage package was a bit better, although both were superbly paired. Staff is superb as well. The two tasting menus and two beverage pairings were a total of $435-- it may sound like a bit but this is probably the best meal I've had, and I've ate at a lot of high-end places around the world and on high-end cruses. I'd do this again in a heartbeat.

My boyfriend and I both ordered the 8 course chef tasting menu. everything was such a treat and amazing flavors. I wish my stomach were bigger though because I was stuffed by the time dessert came. Atmosphere and the modern look and feel was fun and set the mood. Only regret was that I didn't order the mantis shrimp to try.