Zama

My favorite sushi spot of all time! I always pass by here but never had the chance to try. And damn I wish I had gone here earlier. Atmosphere is giving traditional Japanese sheek. The service is impeccable—waiter regularly checking in and I appreciate the food runners explaining each dish without asking to. The yuzu salt endamame was flavorful but a little too salty for my liking (and I love salt). The agadashi salad was great. The king crab roll topped with scallop was amazing! And to think there couldn't be a better roll the crunchy truffle eel wrapped in daikon was THE BEST maki roll I've ever had! It surprisingly blew my expectations. I'm definitely returning to see what the lunch service has to offer.

Working in Center City provides its lunch challenges that Zama solves. And by challenge, I mean, the $20 lunch. Either you’re eating a quick bite from a food truck and have to take the lunch somewhere to eat it or you’re paying for a very overpriced lunch that might not be as filling. Or, you’re stuck with the fastest of fast food that may still be $20 once you check out but what are you really eating? Zama is my hidden gem, go-to lunch that solves all of these problems. Tucked away before Rittenhouse Square, this Japanese restaurant has it what you’re looking for. It’s sleek, with wood slats and accents throughout to warm up the dining area. Bar seating by their storefront window is my typical place to sit since I’m normally alone but the bar staff is always nice and attentive. Although I have tried other items in the menu, the Maki Lunch Set has made it quite difficult to move to other items on the menu. I’m a sucker for a colorful plate and this dish has all the color from the house salad to the edamame. But you also get texture and contrast from the tempura vegetables and udon noodle soup. Lastly, you get to choose a 6 piece maki that comes with a mushroom maki. I typically go back and forth between the spicy tuna and the spicy salmon. Can’t go wrong either way! Zama provides an incredible lunch for an excellent price. It’s my favorite center city lunch spot!

Overall quality of fish was good. The chef tasting menu rellied a bit more than I would have preferred on tempura foods as filler. The wasabi used was overpowering either by the amount or the type (western not real wasabi) drowned out the fragile taste of the fish when used. Normally would have been a 3 for me rather than a 4 but server was good and overall ambiance was ok so I rounded up a 3.5 to a 4.

Great food and friendly service! The fish was very fresh. I would definitely go back!

Zama is an unassuming restaurant right off Rittenhouse Square that has some incredible Japanese cuisine. I came for the first time and had such a great experience! Started with the lychee cocktail, it wasn’t overly sweet and was strong enough to give me a buzz off one. For an appetizer, I had the udon noodle soup with was salty and rich with umami flavor. It was excellent and I’m going to crave it in the fall & winter! I also got the salmon and eel fiesta roll. The avocado salsa on top was fresh, the eel bbq sauce added a nice sweetness. Difference textures and flavors all worked together to create a perfect roll. Peter was our server and he was great. So attentive and helpful with the menu. The restaurant was incredibly clean and well kept, loved the decor. I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about this place - I’ll definitely be back!

We definitely enjoyed dinner at Zama. The food was fresh and high quality. I do wish the seating arrangement was less cluttered. But the food was worth the try. We made a reservation but they let us sit 15 min early.

Opted for the $100 tasting menu and was not disappointed. Each course generally felt worth experiencing, with Chilean sea bass dice being the star for my partner and I along with the sushi and sashimi. Will definitely return but likely lean more into sushi next visit based upon the quality of those options during the current visit.

This has definitely been one of our favorite sushi places during our first time in Philly! The resturant was a little compact, but nicely decorated and had a great ambiance. The salmon on salmon was by far one of favorites! It had a great texture and the salmon ball on top was amazing!

It had been a good while since I returned to this stalwart center city restaurant and everything was as good as I remembered. The lunch specials still are an amazing deal, with a well-made udon noodle soup, salad, the standard bowl of edamame, and a generous plate of sushi or nigiri. The atmosphere, with lots of warm wood, is lovely, especially in the back of the restaurant. Small selection of sake, as well as a couple good local craft beers.

First time at Zama and I would definitely go back. My husband and I did the chefs tasting menu. Price wise it’s totally worth it. Much less expensive than other tasting menus you’d find in the city. Dishes tasted great and were of decent size. We did order 2 other things on the menu so we were a good stuffed. Our waitress was nice and knowledgeable and plates came out at a good pace. Didn’t have to wait long between dishes. All in all I’d definitely go back. It’s the day after and I’m already craving it again.

Came here for my birthday. Ordered the tasting menu and it was great. Had to order 2 extra rolls tho because we were still hungry! Nice atmosphere and service too.

Just great! Got the oh toro sashimi, wasabi lobster, tuna & avocado roll with 3 dessert: daily mochi, yuzu crème brûlée & chocolate mousse. Everything was great! Our server Brian did a great job. Highly recommend the black dragonfly sake & the more expensive dessert sake, it was like a chocolate sake! So good!

After living in Japan it’s safe to say I felt the food was delicious and authentic. I have been trying to find authentic Japanese food that reminds me of my time in Japan and this place takes the cake. I loved the service, the decor, and the ambiance. I recommend getting the vegetable and shrimp tempura as well as the dessert set. The tempura was light and crispy, the miso soup was delicious and beautifully presented and the chocolate mousse was to die for! The server was so kind and gave me bread pudding on the house to celebrate! I can’t wait to come again!

We had the Chef's tasting menu. You get a paper what comes with it, and it was a nice experience. We also ordered the escargot, Brussel sprout and bacon, and the short rib appetizers. The overall experience was great. We also ordered oysters which were good, but I was not a fan of the shot sauce that it comes with. I would definitely recommend this place on the chef's tasting menu.

Stumbled upon Zama randomly exploring near our hotel and it did not disappoint. The spicy lump crab roll may have been the best sushi I’ve ever had. Appetizers to dessert were delicious. I appreciated and atmosphere and service. Definitely recommend.

The tasting menu was incredible. Small portions but over 7 courses it’s definitely filling enough. Best dining experience for Japanese food so far in Philly, better than double knot. Also if you’re looking for a more affordable option, they are actually pretty reasonable for lunch, close to $20/person rather than $50.