Morimoto Restaurant

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723 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19106

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(215) 413-9070
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Morimoto Restaurant - Philadelphia, PA
Reviews
( 76 )
( 42 )
( 17 )
( 9 )
( 4 )

Best

This restaurant is one of the finest. They serve among the most delicious Japanese cuisine in Philly. Great staff and affordable as well.

Worst

this is a fun place. after all, it is a steven starr experience. however, it's not all that. long waits, decent, but not extraordinary food, and the worst seats i have ever sat it...

Good food, should be a better overall experience! 6/15/2006

My husband and I dined for our anniversary and had the $100 Omakase, which is a chef's choice tasting menu with 8 courses. (You can choose the price from $60-$120 with dish selections increasing as price increase.) We also got the matching beverages for $65. We must say that every course was well presented and tasted fabulous but there are several details they are missing for this price point! Cheap wooden chop sticks that you have to break apart - like fast food take out chines was really a turn off to eat should high quality entre's. They should also get a sommelier at this because the wines did not match the dish on several dishes. The portions were very small, fine for me but my husbanded was tempted to stop for a burger on the way home after 8 courses! Finally, although the waitress was very nice and responsive, she did not have any knowledge of what she was serving food, nor wine other than what she read off some sheet in the kitchen. For this price you expect more than just good food! more
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Worth the money if you're willing to spend it 6/13/2006

Morimoto absolutely lived up to my high hopes. I took my boyfriend there to celebrate and we both ordered the omakase ($120/person) and the beverage omakase ($65/person). We had 8 excellent courses and each was paired with a beverage (red wine, white wine, sake, and a gin martini). I can't imagine going to Morimoto and getting anything else. It was very expensive but absolutely worth every penny. Every drink was great and there was such a diverse mix of food (raw fish, beef, shellfish). It had something for everyone. The best part? I wasn't over-stuffed or tipsy when I left. It was the perfect amount of food and I ate everything and the perfect amount of alcohol over the time it took to eat. Not romantic, but an amazing dining experience. Pros: Food, wine, service Cons: A little loud more
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superb and great 6/9/2006

This is a sensational restaurant. The decor is amazing and the menu is fantastic as is the food as well as the great service.\r I enjoy the variety of the food and the helpful attitude of the staff more
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noisy chic 4/28/2006

Morimoto - good side - well prepared food, delicate flavors. Portions small. Prices Very high. While the chopsticks are carefully placed with pebble and napkin, your silverware drops on your table at random from your waiter's hand - a little like a diner counter. No table cloth. Three at our table - food arrived at different times. Noisier than the loudest bar - is this some kind of ""I'm in the middle of the fast lane chic"". For the same price you eat at ease at Perrier or Deux Cheminees. Pros: visually interesting, good food Cons: noisy, expensive, small portions more
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Phenomenal 4/15/2006

Reservations are a must. We hadn't done our homework and just walked in at 5:30 pm on a Saturday and had incredible luck to get seated. 15 minutes later the place filled completely. The ambiance and the food are phenomenal, but save it for a very special occasion. $50/person is the absolute minimum that you will spend. Omikase is a good option if you are choice averse, otherwise you'll get a much better deal if you actively manage your order and pry the waiters for information. The waiters are very polite and professional, although some (new trainees?) not very knowledgeable about the food. For example, the specials spiel was well practised, but this one guy couldn't tell the white fish sushi from red snapper. Otherwise the attention to detail is impeccable, and the sushi was probably the best I ever tried. Needle fish, giant clam and kinmedai highly recommended. more
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A small escape to Eden 2/10/2006

What can I say that has not already been said? From the design of the dining area and bathrooms, to the amazing variety and taste of the dishes and wine pairings, Morimoto's should be a ""must-go"" on anyone's list. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, and there is nothing better than just sitting back and letting the perfectly paired courses come out one by one while you unwind, chat, and take in the light show! Pros: Amazing food, Atmosphere more
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A Night to Remember! 12/12/2005

I planned a night of wining and dining for my boyfriend's birthday, bringing along two other couples, and boy(!) was it a night to remember. Service was impeccible - courteous, helpful, on the ball! Our table wasn't quite ready yet (I think we were also a couple minutes early), so we went upstairs for drinks at the bar. Cocktails were amazing, and Morimoto's has their own bottled beer! The table was an average size, the room was very trendy, and definitely loud, which made it difficult to talk, and a little harder for our waitress to hear us. Regardless, she answered all of our questions and had great pairing suggestions. Everyone walked away stuffed and satisfied. And I didn't find the bill to be astronomical for the everything that we received - service, ambience, food. ($330/couple, including cocktails, apps, entrees, dessert, and a few bottles of wine) Pros: Food, Drinks, Service Cons: Noise more
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Expensive as Hell, but worth it 11/14/2005

Like most Starr restaurants, Morimoto is a blast if you've got the cash. The food is actually hit or miss here. I've been here a couple of times and my meals have ranged from solidly above average to sublime. I highly recommend the rock shrimp tempura or any of the sushi. Be warned though, sushi in Philadelphia is never as good as LA or NYC. For the best experience, I recommend coming on a weekday with some friends, sitting upstairs, ordering several appetizers, and drinking your face off. If you want to go all out, or impress your dinner guests, order the omakase. It's expensive, but worth it. Pros: Food, Atmosphere Cons: Really Pricey, Loud more
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At least once in your lifetime... 10/30/2005

You have to go here if you're one to appreciate fine dining and a culinary experience. Our meal was exquisite, service was impeccable, and Morimoto shaking our hand was the icing on our cake. This is not just fine dining--it is an experience. I would not come here just for the sushi. Everytime we come we order the specials--and they never dissappoint. more
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Philly = Morimoto, AI, Will Smith, Rocky 9/6/2005

The place is great!! Both really good food, but GREAT Service for a trendy restaurant. To start the evening, we had to make changes to our party size..usually to add more people at a packed restaurant is troublesome, but the staff at Morimoto accomodated us immediately. Also, due to Philadelphia Law, corkage is only allowed if accompanied by a reciept. Unfortunately, coming from California, we were not aware of this, and the staff had not informed us of this. The hostess Christine and the Manager came to our table and sincerely apologized and gave each person four complimentary rounds of sake to apologize..HOW NICE!! not to get away from the food, which is very solid Sushi..definately recommend this place!! Pros: Service, Food, Atmosphere Cons: Parking more
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Glitz good for frenemies 7/17/2005

Upon entering, I was arrested by the decor: sparse walls, glass booths with multicolored, changing lights, etc. After waiting for half-an-hour (the bar upstairs was too crowded to wait in), we were seated at a side table with a complete view of the restaurant. Our waiter was attentivebringing a new napkin even before I had noticed mine had fallenand impeccably polite. The food, particularly the fresh tofu, was divinerich and delicate flavors. The major flaw with my dining experience was that I like conversing without shouting, near impossible because of the sterility of the furnishings which made everything echo (you could hear peoples conversations who were sitting at the opposite end of the restaurantalthough not with a clarity that would make eavesdropping easy). My suggestion: dine with someone you dont like so you can concentrate on the food and not worry about conversation. Pros: Food, Service Cons: Noise, Parking more
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Deserves his title of Iron Chef !!! 6/26/2005

One of the best dining experience, with absolutely superb service and a perfectly balanced meal, all while sitting in a neo-Japanese decor with color changing tables and chairs. My girlfriend and I had the $120 Omakase, which included 9 courses of the chef's choice. Some of the best dishes were the tuna toro tartar, Chilean sea bass, spicy king crab legs, trio of oysters, and the freshest sushi plate imaginable... but nothing beats the seared foie gras over kobe beef. To top it off, the bread pudding dessert was oh so divine. Picture that meal with spot on service from everyone involed, especially the waitress who was knowledgeable, helpful, and accomodating. Bottom line, most restaurants of this caliber will cost you around $150 or more per person, but Morimoto is definitely well worth the money. Pros: food, service, decor more
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Excellent tasting menu 5/10/2005

The omakase is memorable. Nice helpful staff. Will definitely go again. Pros: FRESH more
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I LOVE THIS PLACE! 3/23/2005

I'm a NY-er and I've been to a ton of great sushi restaurants in NYC but Morimoto tops them all. The minute I walked in, my boyfriend and I were given 5-star treatment from the hostess, manager, and Morimoto himself! Our reservation was at 10:30 on a weekend. We were seated at 10:35 and the hostess apologized profusely for seating us late even though neither of us complained. She then sent over a delicious complimentary rock shrimp appetizer! Later the manager came by to make sure we were enjoying dinner. The seafood toban yaki is so good, my mouth waters just thinking about it. To top it all off Morimoto walked around, greeted everyone, and took pictures! You could NEVER get that kind of service in NY unless you were a celebrity or the like. As much as I love NYC sushi restaurants, they can't compare to the lovely Morimoto. Pros: Great service, Delicious food, Beautiful decor Cons: Expensive more
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Our Favorite Restaurant! 1/6/2005

My boyfriend and I LOVE Sushi, so we were saving up for the Iron Chef's divine restaurant. We sat at the Sushi Bar and ordered the Omakase (definitely worth the $$$ if you are a real fan of Sushi/Japanese cuisine.) Morimoto himself was actually there that night! He was mainly back and forth between the kitchen and behind the Sushi Bar. We loved it so much we made reservations for Valentine's Day 2005 (but had to make them in the end of Jan. and needed a $70 deposit per person). Yeah, ouch. But worth it. We went all out and cost us $300 for two (including the tip and 4 drinks). And the Ambience is my FAVE of any restaurant! The booths change color!! I strongly recommend it!!! Enjoy! more
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What a let down! 12/16/2004

Perhaps I'm jaded, having just moved back from NYC, but I remember the Philly restaurant scene much better than this. I was so excited about Mori, having heard so much in the press. I went there twice, and found the place to be highly overrated. The food is fine, but far from great. There are some disappointments on the menu. Yes, this is the place to see and be seen, but that's about it. Pros: Swanky Cons: , Unimaginative more
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worth the trip and the cash 12/5/2004

I went this past Saturday with a party of 6 who all decided on the $120 omakase. My friend had a cracked glass and notified the waiter who gave us a complimentary bottle of Fiji water; a nice gesture. Every dish was absolutely amazing, but the toro tartare, kobe beef, and lobster epice was beyond amazing. Other reviews say the lobster is overpowered by the spice, but I thought it worked perfectly. I'm not too large a fan of sashimi so the second to last didn't wow me as much as it did the others. We also got the buribop which was on par with everything else. They cook the yellowtail right in front of you. It came out to 150 a person, not including drinks. Only thing that could have made it better was if Morimoto was there himself. It seems he's around before and after prime dining times. Pros: Food, Service Cons: , expensive, a bit loud more
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Worth the occasional indulgence 9/10/2004

The moment we walked through the door, the senses were ignited by the expansive dining room with neon lighting emerging through the floor panels. We started with the Morimoto sashimi which proved to be excellent, but the appetizer that sticks out in my mind was the Spicy King Crab, whose sauce will prove to be too spicy and powerful for some, but for me perfectly highlighted the great taste of the crab and left me wanting more. I had the Chilean Sea Bass, the perfectly cooked meat disintegrated to the touch and proved to be an exquisite delicacy. My girlfriend enjoyed the Spiced Lobster with the minor complaints of it being a tad small, though the spices strongly appealed to the senses without overpowering the taste of the lobster. It is clear that Chef Morimoto does not wield culinary clout because of television stardom, but rather the other way around. Pros: quality seafood, use of spices more
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Memorable and fun. 8/17/2004

If you're going to go and spend the big bucks at Morimoto's, go for the chef's omakase tasting extravaganza and you won't be disappointed. Chose the level to match your indulgence and savor delicate courses and tastes of sushi, beef, fish, sobet, salad...everything so fresh and unique you'll want to savor every last bite slowly. An experience all Philly diners should enjoy at least once, and you won't regret paying the bill. Pros: sushi, atmosphere, uniqueness Cons: , trendy more
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Finally, real Japanese food! 7/28/2004

Bar none, the best Japanese restaurant on the East Coast. Everything from the Foie Gras to the soba noodles to the Wasabi Tiramisu was fantastic! Unlike the typical California type sushi restaurants who serve nothing but elaborate rolls, this place has worked it sushi items like you'd expect to find in Japan...simple, but fresh and oh so appetizing! This place rocks! Pros: Food, Patrons, Food more
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Menu for Morimoto Restaurant


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Editorial

  • In Short
    Just beyond neon-chartreuse glass doors, Chef Morimoto's elongated culinary theater welcomes diners with undulating bamboo ceilings, color-changing booths and the Iron Chef,...

  • 7/6/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Sat: 5pm-12am, 5pm-10pm, Sun: 5pm-10pm, Thu: 5pm-10pm, 11:30am-2pm, Mon-Wed: 11:30am-2pm, Fri: 5pm-12am, 5pm-10pm, 11:30am-2pm
  • Payments: American Express, Diner's Club, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Center City East, Center City
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