Umai Umi Reviews

We loved this place. Great energy. Great food. The fusion paella was delicious and the miso soup was the best we’ve had. The chirashi was beautifully prepared and had the most wonderful flavors. A highlight of our visit to Philly!

This an unique place. The entire concept is very unique and special. There website has amazing pictures. The menu has limited dishes. It is presented and written in simple way. It has no pictures and the description is concise. Therefore, choosing was challenging. The waiter did not offer any explanation. We decided to ask other clients. The place is very small. It is not a walk in place. It is basically a restaurant for couples or group of friends of up to 4 people. Not suitable for family nor children. All we ate was delicious. The miso soup was amazing and so the sampler plate. We also tried Nemo and Eel. All was very delicate and nicely prepared. This is BYOBs place. They don’t charge for uncorking.

This fantastic BYOB Japanese restaurant just around the corner from the Art Museum is home to a lovely dining experience that will have you planning your return visit right after your meal is over. Tucked into a lovely residential neighborhood, the large windows lend an open feeling to the lively dining room. Perfect for a romantic dinner or an evening out with friends, the restaurant is simultaneously lively and intimate. The servers are always helpful, and even on a busy night, their attention to diners enhances the experience of eating at this great restaurant. The food is delicious! The cooked dishes from the kitchen, like the Rock Shrimp Tempura or the Grilled Octopus, are always delightful, but the items on the menu that come from behind the sushi bar are really what make this restaurant a must. The creative combinations of the special rolls are beautifully presented and quite delectable. The nigiri and sashimi are amazing! Everything is incredibly fresh, and if you sit at the bar, you might be lucky enough to watch the kind and talented chef/owner break down a whole fish. The inviting restaurant and the care and consideration for all aspects of a superb dining experience, make this the perfect place to go to enjoy excellent sushi in a charming atmosphere!

BYO amazing Try the specialty rolls Takes phone reservations. Soooo worth it I don't live in Philly anymore, but when I go back to visit, I will make a reservation here!!!

This is some of the best sushi my husband and I have every had. We had a variety of rolls but our favorite by far were the Poseidon and the Godzilla rolls. Will definitely be back.

My wife and I joined some of our friends last night at Umai Umai in center city Philadelphia. This small corner restaurant was buzzing with happy diners upon our arrival and we soon joined in. On the advice of our friends, who had been to the restaurant before, we ordered two salads, four specialty rolls, and two regular rolls. This was more than enough for two couples. The restaurant is BYOB and we enjoyed a nice bottle of white wine with our dinner. To start our dinner we opted for the Brussel Sprout and Mango salads. Both were excellent. We then ordered the Kraken, Poseidon, Stoplight, and Henrietta rolls along with a yellow fin and a spicy tuna roll for our main course. All of the rolls we selected were excellent and the variety gave us the chance to sample a good portion of the menu. I am not sure of the exact meaning of Umai Umai, but from now on it means Yummy Yummy to me. If you are in the mood for excellent sushi give this spot a try. You can thank me later.

The sushi here is delicious...both the spicy tuna special roll and the filet mignon roll are fabulous! The jasmine tea is also VERY good and they brew it with the loose tea leaves. The interior is very cute with pale green walls and pretty lighting. Our server was super nice and very knowledgeable. A great place for a date!! BYOB.

Great Sushi and the soups are amazing! It's BYO, but they do take credit cards. It is pricy but mostly worth it.

Decent sushi in a friendly setting.

We went to Umai Umai to celebrate our anniversary and it could not have been better. Absolutely delicious food and excellent service from our server Alice, who was managing the whole dining room but still took the time to help us choose from the menu and was so friendly and wonderful. We would particularly recommend the oyster shooters and the sea urchin! If you're not feeling particularly adventurous, all of the "basic rolls" are anything but basic. Everything here is top notch and it's so cost effective for the quality. Cannot recommend this place enough, cannot wait to return!

I was a little hesitant to like this place at first. The atmosphere is quaint, but the smell was a little off. But, we had gone on a recommendation and brought our own wine from a nearby liquor store. After an appetizer to test the waters we decided to have some rolls and the waitress made some great recommendations. The yellowtail appetizer was fantastic, as was the Spirited away roll. Try it!

I can't say enough good things about this place! My boyfriend and I won't go anywhere else for sushi. The atmosphere is great and service is always perfect. I had developed a food allergy right before trying umi out for the first time. I mentioned it to the waitress, who not only went out of her way to accommodate me, but remembered us AND my allergy the next time we came in. We kept striking out on sushi places the first year of moving to Philly from manhattan and we're so happy we found this place!

The food was superb and the service was excellent. The sushi and sashimi were very good. The sake was great. It was an excellent dining experience. We will definitely go back.

This restaurant is UMAI UMAI. Look at website. Anyway, We ordered from doordash. Lets start with the ok food. The udon soup was good but the shrimp tempura it came with was a ball of fired tempura batter. The salad with ginger dressing ok.Can't believe it was $13.50! It was not that big! The avocado roll was fine. Now the rest. The sesame crusted Tuna was so fishy. The tempura had chunks of flour in the batter. The yellow tail tot was black and greasy. It looked like a spoonful of rice that was fried in oil. The Godzilla roll and Henrietta roll was spoiled by being drenched in honey. My son could only eat 2 pieces of each. $132 in the garbage

After a 3 yr search...we finally found the best sushi in Philly! Try the Pingu, Krakken, Ping Pong, and the Spirited Way...a-mazing! The brussels sprouts are great, too! Seafood Paella is darn good, too! We went 3 weeks in a row!

First visit & we had several different "designer" rolls and all were made with high quality and fresh ingredients. Everyone had a different favorite but all were great! Fast service. Nice & clean. Compared to other sushi places this is a good value for money. Difficult finding parking but we will definitely return.

We arrived to our Best West just behind the Robin Museum in downtown Philadelphia. We ate at a restaurant a block away, as we walked and didn't want to see the inside of a car again that day. The restaurant was a sushi bar named Umai Umai. When we walked in as a family of 5 their jaws dropped. A bit snobby to say the least, the courses were of about average price, but portions were small and they unjustly charged me twice for a refill of the Jasmine tea. Little did they know Sharon and I have had sushi from coast to coast, so looking down their noses at us was unappreciated. Additionally they announced the soy sauce as "low in sodium" when the really important information would have been weather it was naturally brewed versus that stuff cooked with hydrochloric acid. Their special was a Wa-snobby flavored Traffic Light Roll, indeed good and our pick for others. Bill came to $88 for 5 folks, so not too bad. Just NOT a kid friendly place although the kids loved the veggie Goyza and the spring roll purses. Had to order two orders to satisfy their hunger.

I came here, from Seattle, while visiting family and this place is delish! My whole family, who are big time sushi lovers, think the food at Umai Umai is fantastic. If you go, I recommend the papaya salad, scallop carpaccio and traffic light sushi roll. But honestly... I doubt you could go wrong with any of the items on the menu! FYI... this is a BYOB restaurant so make sure to come prepared with your own wine and/or beer.

Very nice place! Great food and service and nice decor. I highly recommend it!

Dinner for 4 on a Friday night, outside with a rez. We have been fortunate to sample sushi in many a state and a few different continents and Umai Umai is a respectable finisher. Very tasty and creative rolls with fresh and attractive fish. Only criticism would be the fish portion sizes, which were ok but certainly not substantial. Still, we’d definitely go back.

We're eating sushis weekly. This restaurant really surprised me with quality and variety. The poke as an appetizer was really good, better than many eaten in Hawai. The grilled brussels sprouts appetizer was even better, good even for those who dont like sprouts as it was not bitter but tender inside and tasty. We ate outside by the street on a quiet evening, didnt try inside. Would definitely go there next visit

Went here for dinner on Valentine's Day and was extremely pleased. They had our reservation ready for us at 9:15 on the dot and were very accommodating. Since it is BYO we brought a bottle of Pinot noir and a few Sapporos to complement the sushi. We started with the udon and miso soup, both being nice portions and then the tapas starter which was amazing. For our entrees we split the Godzilla roll, the Nemo roll, and a yellowtail roll as well as a side of seaweed salad. The Godzilla roll was 10 gargantuan pieces of deliciousness while the Nemo roll was 6 wrapped pieces in a cucumber style and was delectable as well. We couldn't finish everything because the size of the rolls were very large and filling. Overall I will most certainly be back to Umai Umai and thought that for the amount of food we received, it was extremely affordable. Definitely worth a visit!

I've heard alot recently about this BYO sushi place and was excited to give it a try. I don't consider myself a "sushi snob", but i do appreciate great sushi, recognize the chefs efforts to both stand out and do something creative while respecting the traditional methods and methods. At the very least, I expect it to taste better than the prepackaged trays at the local supermarket... I've been told if you can't say anythibg nice, to not say anything at all....but I feel its my responsibility to speak up and warn other diners so they don't waste a night out at this disaster! The sushi sucks. No other way around it. Rice isnt flavore right, its serve cold, tastes too starchy and the fish was cut wrong leaving silvery fat lines through the pieces of fish. Oysters were overpowered hy mediocre sauces, rolls were loosly formed and falling apart. Sushi pieces were formed like long logs and too long to actually fit in your mouth. Its rare I say I'd rather eat supermarket sushi but i'd rather eat day old leftover supermarket sushi than eat here

Umai Umai is only a couple blocks from my house, luckily for me, because I might not have found it otherwise. My wife and I have eaten there many times, sometimes with friends who never heard of it, and it's always a delightful time. It's a BYOB so we usually take a couple bottles of sake or a light wine and the staff nice glassware to fit the beverage. There are longstanding but unique items on the regular menu, plus specials all the time. The soups and salads are very good but the high point for us is always the sushi. Prices are reasonable and the service is always great. As with most of the better restaurants in Philly, make reservations early because their reservation list fills up fast. Unless it's changed recently, they aren't on Open Table so you have to call the restaurant.

And am I ever glad I did. Got dragged here by my sons cuz they are sushi lovers. We had an excellently prepared dinner. I had Seafood Paella which was outstanding. My boys had sushi and LOTS of it. I have NO idea what it was but if it tasted half as good as it looked (which I was told it did) it should have been superb. Every plate was a work of art. The location was central to where one of my sons lives, and close to other attractions. The BYOB policy allows you to bring your own favorite beverages. The staff is very accommodating and knowledgeable. Go here even if you aren't a sushi aficionado.

This is a great place for sushi in Fairmount - it's BYO, has an intimate atmosphere, and spectacular sushi. My fiance and I have been here several times, and it is always an enjoyable meal. I recommend the Traffic Light roll. Excellent service as well!

Date night with hubby to celebrate my birthday. Overall a good meal. We sat outside & the weather was perfect! Started with the Tapas for Two appetizer-- it was meh. Edamame were edamame, Shumai were flavorless & served in a buttery sauce. The gyoza (fried) dumplings were a little greasy & covered in a salty citrusy sauce. I wouldn't order it again. Next we had the seaweed salad, which was excellent, as were the sushi rolls. The sushi was excellent, very fresh & presentation was good. Cost was reasonable, too. Service: was a little slow (excusable, as it was Saturday night). When a bird pooped on my menu (hello, outside dining!) the server handed me a napkin to clean it off myself instead of getting me a new menu. Tacky & kinda gross...

After a visit to the Philadelphia Art Museum we tried Umai Umai because it was in close proximity to the museum. What a pleasant surprise. We had the Tapas for Two, the Eternal Sunshine Sushi, and the Pan Seared Salmon. All tasted wonderful. The presentation and combinations of food were excellent and original and the sauces were the best. Even the dessert, a lava Bundt cake, not a Japanese specialty, was among the best that I have had. I would just recommend getting reservations since the restaurant was full even though it was just a Tuesday evening.

With a menu that changes periodically and a variety of Japanese foods, Umai always provides a fine dining experience. The designer rolls will tempt you with great variety. Scallop carpaccio for appetizer is terrific. BYOB - they'll chill it for you.

Very good quality. Wonderful Sushi. Every plate we tried was well prepared, with high quality and fresh ingredients. Great appetizers. Fast service. I like the idea of bring your own alcohol. Makes this place also good value for money. Will definitely come again.

My husband and I decided to have his bday celebration in Umai Umai as the designer rolls looked very intriguing and they were delicious! We had such a great time and left so happy! The service was great and our waitress was very attentive and gave us great suggestions. We will definitely be back!

Globetrotter with extensive first hand experience in Asian food, based out of Philly. We've been coming for last 4-5 years at lest twice a year - it's almost became a tradition. Hidden jewel, which needs to stay so if you ask me - so we locals prefer if not too many people out of town know about it =))). Personally I have never been to Morimoto's as Umai Umai is the number one.

lovely and helpful staff, great variety of food, beautifully presented, BYO, delicious, and original offerings. been here many times always a treat. not one bad experience.

Enjoyed the octopus and salmon! The waiter on Saturday night, 9/21 around 9pm was a delight, great personality!

If you plan on going to Umai Umai, make sure you make reservations because its not a very large place. There sushi rolls are Alex's(chef/owner) own creation and they are to die for!! If you are lucky enough, you want to sit right at the sushi bar and enjoy watching the sushi be prepared. After eating one delicious roll, you will be anxious for the next roll to see if it can get any better!! Its a BYOB so you can bring your favorite adult beverage of your choice.

Lots of fun options but the best is just how AMAZINGLY fresh the fish is!! Can't wait to go back. Fun atmosphere- bring your own drinks and make a reservation. Small restaurant- don't recommend for groups larger than 4.

Tasty sushi, unique flavors and cuts. Very nice, and friendly service. Convenient location. Walking distance from the Philadelphia art museum.

My family and I had an early dinner on Friday night. The sushi was delicious. We had the traffic light, which was a gorgeous presentation, the spirited away, the nemo and the pingpong rolls. For an appetizer we had the shishito peppers, crispy brussel sprout dish and fish tacos. I loved the peppers, served with a home made salt and lemon wedges. The restaurant filled up quickly. Servers were helpful and welcoming.We will be back!

Love this place. The Sashimi platter is to die for!

Excellent food and service. Haven't had a bad meal there in 4 years. Intimate atmosphere with light jazz playing as background. Sit at the bar to watch meal preparation or get a table. BYOB. Prices may seem a bit high but the quality matches the price.

I've been many times, and the food is always top notch. This is even a place for people who think they don't like sushi - they will change their minds. For the quality and experience it is an excellent value

This restaurant is a cosy place with good food in a nice neighbourhood. The selection of dishes has variety and, in particular, the sushi were very tasty.

I've been many times, taken guests, and have always been very happy with the excellent quality of food, and the pleasant neighborhood atmosphere. Great value for high quality food. Great service.

This place has probably the best sushi in philadelphia. My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's Day, and knowing my love for sushi, picked this resturant on the great reviews. We wound up seating at the sushi bar which I really liked because I was able to watch the sushi being made. our waitress and the sushi chef were both really nice. The only thing negative I would have to say is that it easy to miss when driving down n 22nd and parking is hard to come by. Make sure you make a reservation though because there are only a hand full of tables.