Morimoto Restaurant Review

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 friend 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

We ve dined here three times. The first was kind of a bust because we didn t know the best stuff to order. Then an employee of mine, who used to waitress here, told me what the best things on the menu were. The next two times were lovely and the food enjoyable. I recommend asking the server what they think are the best items to try if you have never been. The decor is very cool as well. Also, it was quiet enough that a somewhat hearing impaired patron like me could converse comfortably.

The seven course sampler blew my mind wide open with flavors I had never known before

Fantastic food and service. Reccomend the omakase menu!

The very best. Wasabi fried rice. Sushi is on point.

This was my first time back in years. I am still blown away. I went to celebrate a promotion. I went with a family member and we both went omakase. Each dish was perfection. My server even surprised me by bringing me a celebratory dessert, a coconut sorbet. It was so good. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

One of the best places I've ever been to. I highly recommend it.

AMAZING SUSHI! WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!!!! WOULD EAT HERE EVERYDAY IF I COULD!!!!

The sushi is absolutely amazing at Morimoto! This was actually the first place I have ever tried sushi because it just looked so appetizing!

Super modern with great food e.g sushi, nice little bar upstairs

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.

The food was marvelous. We decided to sit upstairs in the bar area and it was a better choice for us. The bartender (Alexandra) was extremely friendly, nice and helpful. I would recommend this place for a small private event. The upstairs is very intimate. Did I mentioned that the food was amazing...

The worst dining experience of my life. Last night, 6 of my college girlfriends and I went to dinner celebrating a 50th birthday. We were seated at about 6:15pm, ordered our meal by 6:45pm, and walked out of the restaurant at 8:40pm due to non-receipt of our meal.

Simple is best. The morimoto chicken noodle is s must. Sushi tops

This place blew my mind! First time going, I went with the classic omakase menu to sample all their strong dishes. The food was exquisite. The presentation, taste and scent were all amazing. And unbelievably, the price is actually quite reasonable! Literally half the cost I expected. Morimoto should bring his restaurant to Canada - he'd be backlogged for years.

Omg omg get the Wagyu Filet! It will change your life

Overall, OK. I will say that the Sushi is too small, no true visuals to say that it is gorgeous and different from a normal japenese restaurant.

Did the tasting menu, half raw and half cooked. Accompanied with great beverages

Good food good atmosphere a little pricey but still a good time

Let's me try to be as clear and concise as possible. You should come here for your special occasions. This is one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Just order the Omikase. Be prepared to pay a bunch but also enjoy it just as much. The atmosphere inside is fun and floaty with lots of wood. It's very open and beautiful inside. All of the food was incredible. There was not a single dish that I thought was "just ok". I cannot tell you enough to go.

The service was fantastic and I had the best sushi I've ever had in my life. Morimoto has fantastic quality.

I am not a big fan of Starr which is lot of hype but poor food. However I have to admit that the sushi were extremely good. They had a few Japanese import too and they were delicious. Shuts are fresh, soft, and smooth. Pricey but definitely worth it.
Going with the hype, the music was too loud and it doesn t convey for a good convo. So go for the food not conversation.

I m not a seafood lover and definitely never eat sashimi but the tuna here is so amazing I actually look forward to it. The tuna pizza is beyond delicious. It is more expensive than your average sushi place but worth every penny. You get what you pay for here.

Among the best food I have ever eaten. Wagyu is extremely flavorful. Anything I tasted literally put a smile on my face. Additionally, Morimoto Philadelphia has one of the coolest restaurant interiors I have ever seen. Overall amazing expirience!

Overwhelmingly incredible. While it is a pricey restaurant, you absolutely get what you pay for and what you pay for is incredible food, flavor, and service. Already looking forward to going back!

two days ago was the first time we visited this good restaurant. But It is no doubt not the last. We enjoyed the evening very much with the good service, with the finest cuisine and fine drinks and with the modest cost. We will absolutely return there in a short time.

Fabulous and unique restaurant in Center City Philly. The menu is full of creative riffs on Aisian fusion dishes, with well-composed flavor profiles. The multiple servers were all very attentive and knowledgeable. And the interior design was both interesting and soothing at the same time, with organically flowing walls and ceiling and subtly color changing back lighting.

The only negative... which the staff will acknowledge... are the phallic light fixtures permanently attached to the center of the small tables. They make it difficult for the servers to place multiple dishes and get in the way if sharing.

Delicious food fun experience. The rockfish I believe it was, delicious!

Absolutely amazing. My partner and I both had the Omasake menu and were blown away by the quality of the food. The waiter was very helpful in explaining items on the menu, as well as the differences in the sake selection as we were trying it for the first time.
The entire staff was quick to refill water glasses and remove finished plates, and all were very courteous.
(I had reserved the table and the entire staff wished my partner and I a happy anniversary when they interacted with us)
The atmosphere is unique, eclectic even, and although the music was somewhat loud early on (we were there at 5pm), as business picked up it was no longer noticeable.
We will most certainly be returning here again to try more of the menu.

Would definitely recommend eating here if you're in Philadelphia. Unique environment, fantastic sushi. The omakase is fantastic and certainly worth the price.

Service was excellent. Food was good. A bit pricey. To be honest i was told that during the covid crisis things are a little different than normal. Will come back.

Great tasting menu, wonderful blend of flavors.. Not just sushi. Attentive and efficient staff.

Food was very good. But, I think that the decoration is most attractive part of this restaurant.

My coworkers and I went in the first week of October 2014 and had a fantastic experience. We had a large group of 12 people. The staff and service was excellent from all points of view from my recollection. The food was delicious and the presentation was spectacular. As I recall we had just about covered everything on the menu that evening. From the appetizers to the dessert I was impressed all around. I live in Napa,Ca and had never tried Morimoto in Napa until I had gotten home that weekend from my business trip. Both restaurants have similar items on the menu accept for tempura prawn skewers they had in Philadelphia which were delicious with three different dipping sauces. Overall a fantastic experience and would definitely go there again. I loved the interior lighting color changes. It was hip. Save room for dessert!

Service was excellent. Loved everything on the seasonal tasting experience

Food here was well worth the price I paid. Lighting was very easy on the eyes, pleasing atmosphere. Wait staff knew everything they had to about the food and could answer any questions we had. I thoroughly enjoy the upstairs couch/bar area as well; friendly bartender.

Fancy place to go for delicious food with good service!

Food was adequate for the price, but not exceptional. Safe choices and a relatively uninspired tasting menu make this an unexciting but predicably good meal.

Morimoto's is top notch. Scott is awesome!! Thank you for a great birthday dinner!!

I am torn between 3 and 4 stars.

The atmosphere and service were top notch. The food was tasty, and the chicken soup had chicken that was extremely tender. It was very soft chicken, but not too soft.

The downside was that the price was 50% higher on things than it should have been by market standards. The soup had only three medium/small sized pieces of chicken. It also had flavored broth and thing noodles, but no other vegetables. So that felt like either a rip off at $14, too plain, or both. The sushi was good, but still comparable to what you could get elsewhere, and at $9 it was a bit higher. Seafood entrees are $26-48 IIRC.

The portion size was only normal or slightly below, but I was strangely filled up, so maybe some meals inadvertently have MSG.

I think that the quality is excellent, but for me, high prices and small portions do not equal great food - although many high end restaurants seem to think this. It has a good reputation because of the IRON CHEF, but it is probably overrated, although definitely not bad.

I've dined here a few times and it's always been excellent.

Except for the bill, a very underwhelming experience. Sure, they have a wide sushi selection that earned them the third star. But the rice on the nagiri fell apart, which has never happened at a high-end sushi place. The room felt like a cafeteria and there are these weird, lit up dildos in the middle of all the tables. But hey, sometimes you just want to drop a lot of money...

Had Valentines dinner here. It was amazing. The pork belly appetizer was my ultimate favorite. The whole staff was great but our waiter was just on top of it. Didn't need to ask for anything as soon as he saw we needed a drink or done a course he was there. And really can't knock the price totally worth ever penny. Great occasion restaurant. Wish I ate like this all the time.

Great food and service. A great place to take someone. Wild decor. A little pricey, but well worth it!

I love this chief, but so disappointed and didn't expect the food to be that bland and not flavorable. Bad experience for sure, never going back again. I really had way better seafood than this place. Anyway staff and service was great.

The price is high, but the quality is absolutely unmatched. It would be hard to find a better sushi experience. I suggest that everyone try the omakase at least once. They do a great job of combining the raw and cooked courses, and the wine and sake pairings add another element of surprise. It's important to note that Morimoto isn't all sushi; they have excellent hot dishes, and I especially recommend the wagyu.

I've waited almost 20 years to check this place out and although I wish I would have gotten here sooner, I was not disappointed. My GF called in advance and told them I was vegan which I'm not but they were prepared and catered my meal towards my preference. Since I was at the Iron Chef's restaurant, I'll eat anything on the menu. I'm going back for the EXPERIENCE meal then again for the seasonal sashimi. It's somewhat pricy but worth every penny. Parking is valet or a lot around the corner but once you solve that puzzle you're in for a great meal.

Great atmosphere _ very knowledgeable staff _ phenomenal food

Amazing dark restaurant.
Well, the taste was okay, but let's do some $ 100.
Eventually, I went to the hotel with my son.

Good place to hang and eat some good food. I had a cousin come into town and asked me to take him back here. Prices are decent.

2 stars is for the food. 0 star for the environment. Our table is next to a large party of 10 people and the party are drunk and so loud that I have to scream to my friend at same table the whole time. After 8 courses tasting menu, me and my friend both lost our voice. I told the waiter by suggesting to assign big group to a private party room, the waiter told me they charge a fee for a party room and customers are unwilling to pay for that premium. We do not pay $400 dinner for losing-voice type of service.

A dream come true. Wonderful food and atmosphere. Very pricey, but worth it!!

Excelent Restaurant, Absolutely fresh and delicious food... Would definitely come back.

Amazing space with even more amazing food. Morimoto Ramen will make you a believer!

Wow this might be some of the more expensive dining, it is a great place to have dinner. It is especially good if you love Seafood as I do. Sushi is their main food however. Make sure to plan an hour or two for your stay as it takes a lengthy amount of time to dine

As close as one can get to California! Beautiful wine selection for sushi pairings. Great atmosphere and dynamic tasting sushi.

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

Sat at the sushi bar. Amazing sushi and service. A little pricey but worth it if you want the best Japanese food, sushi, and special fun night out. Best sushi in the Philadelphia region.

It's not often you get to eat at a famous iron chef restaurant.

Growing up, Iron Chef was one of my favorite shows, and I was so excited to visit one of Morimoto s restaurants during my Philly trip! We tried the omakase with the beer flight and yuzu wine. The experience was fun, the menu consisted of a variety of dishes (nigiri, sushi, wagyu, tartare, cod, etc.). Most were fine but not superb. A good place to stop by, but we probably won t return.

WOW! Wow, WOW! Superb. Beautiful ambiance, impeccable service (thanks Joe!) and the food was heavenly. I had some magical-fatty-buttery, melt in your mouth TORO to start. For the entree I tried the Seafood toban yaki- prawns, scallops, king crab, bok choy, Manila clams, oyster mushrooms all united in a huge bowl swimming in citrus butter. Divine. Cheesecake and lattes for dessert didn t disappoint. Very pricey but to be expected from an Iron Chef. Worth it.

It had been more than 15 years since dining here. My side salad and Japanese Uni Sea Urchin was fabulous. But the Pork Belly Ramen was less than desirable. I requested rich pork broth. It was salty and egg was overcooked. Very disappointing end to my lunch.

Service and food were the best I've ever had. The 8 course chefs choice option was a little pricey but well worth it. Not one dish let me down.

Morimoto is my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia, and having been there 4 times now it's always my first recommendation for anyone looking for a place to go to celebrate. Get the hot stone bowl dish with wagyu beef. Hands down. I've gotten it twice now and it's so hard not to order it every time I go back. Expensive, but it's a place that is actually worth the cost.

The decoration is very fantastic, but food is not as good as decoration. And price is kind of expensive

High on price but also on class. Excellent drinks, food, service. Greatly appreciated the vegan options on the menu and the server's knowledge of those options

Great service &delicious food! Duck duck duck was very good &a popular order! Kusuri drink was amazing and refreshing , made right in front of you! Will make a trip back!

Beautiful space. Great cocktails. Lobster was fantastic.

Food was so fresh. The staff was very sociable and kind. The bill won't break you.

Delicious high end restaurant specializing in modern Japanese cuisine. We did the chef s tasting menu which offered a bit of everything and we felt was worth it for our first time. The sushi and sashimi was out of this world and we would probably definitely make a meal out of that when we go back. The interior is very swanky and modern. Service was impeccable and food comes out right when it is ready. The cocktails are masterfully created and interesting.

What a culinary experience... clean,friendly staff and of course the food was exceptional. The family and I happened to be in Philadelphia on an excursion and dropped in for a bite, we were completely satisfied with the quality of each dish and the attentiveness of the staff.

The original omikase meal was perfect. Be warned, it is almost too much food

Standard Philly fare. Excellent. But not surprising.

The best sushi/sashimi around, but comes at the cost.

My wife and I had dinner here on a Saturday night and it was certainly one of our best dinners ever. The tasting menu provided a wide range of incredible flavors and textures. We enjoyed shared the drink pairing so we'd not be impaired by the final course; good choice since it would have been a waste to miss even one bite. The Black Cod was both of our favorites. Picking the worst dish came down to the one we loved less than all the others. The service was impeccable and unobtrusive.

I've wanted to eat here since it opened, and I was not disappointed. We had the Omakase, which that night included black cod, Australian wagyu beef, fatty tuna, and a tuna tartare, among others. The sake (Joto) was delightful, with a strong pear flavor. Atmosphere was great, and the music was bangin'. Would definitely go again.