Many isakayas don't really have the dishes or flavors that I love from Japanese. This one genuinely did with a modern western approach . my top 4 dishes were the chicken karaage, braised short ribs, sweet miso glazed egg plant , and sesame panna cotta.Every dish was rich in flavors and genuinely approached with love - crispiness & melt-in-your mouth textures were all presentI was mainly most surprised about the eggplant. I could pop them in my mouth all day; I don't generally love egg plants but this one was roasted to perfection with a nice umami sweet miso glaze. Light enough to balance the flavors but not overpoweringThat was the same with the pannacotta. Super sesame nuttiness by itself but also nicely paired with fresh mango and caramel on topCan't wait to try some new items next time I'm back. Even their omakase at the back that has 8 seats (normally very hard to book and apps usually open up bookings for the following month every month)More on Instagram: @midwestmunching
I'm particularly not a big fan of the sour and bitter flavors but this place seems to serve surprisingly upscaled food from your typical bar. The atmosphere was fun with anime being projected and services were great. There isn't much signage but a Japanese lantern outside the blue door. I rideshare to the location, those who plan to park may have a challenge. If you like to sit at the sushi bar it is reserved only as well. The bar itself is very dim and is a pretty small area. There are outside sitting but limited.
The fish quality here was solid. I though it was great concept to have Izakaya, Japanese street-style bar, next to omakase counters. It made me trust all sushi and sashimi quality even before arriving there, and they were indeed all good. At the same time, they incorporated a lot of graphics from street-style Izakaya, which made the place comfortable and reachable.With Chirashi, assorted sashimis over sushi rice, I especially liked Saba, mackerel and tuna. Also, try Tuna Guac from their appetizers. Serving tuna and avocado together may not be that unique, but this dish was completely different from other usual tuna avocado combinations. I must say, this might be the best street-style Izakaya that I tried in the US.
I don't get the hype. I thought the dishes we ordered were either bland or pure salty lacking umami. Food was presented well. But I think flavor is more important. I enjoyed the ambience but not enough to come back. I am sad because I was really hoping this would be a good find.
There are two halves to this restaurant: the reservation only prix-fixe Omikase and the casual no-reservation izakaya which is casual Japanese pub food in the front. I’m reviewing the izakaya… a big menu of dozens of sakes, cocktails, tapas style dishes and sushi. Order slowly and enjoy the evening. The tapas dishes (our focus) were fantastic - diverse, decent price, delicious. 2-3 dishes per person is enough. The seaweed salad was earthy and deep, the shrimp Shumai are unlike your neighborhood dum sum - they are large and layered, the wings are good and filling but not my favorite, the makeral was the standout of the night and is a must order. The sakes are huge pours and fun to try a couple - they can get pricey but we tried several good ones at $11. The service was super attentive and helpful. So many more things I want to try - we’ll be back often…
Second time coming to Royal Izakaya and they did not disappoint.We ordered beef yakisoba, tuna guac, miso Japanese eggplant, spicy crunch tuna roll, and the spicy crab tempura roll. The yakisoba was very good and the quality of the sushi was top tier as ever. The tuna guac wasn’t a table favorite—it was a little saltier than expected. The must-have was the Japanese eggplant—delicious, sweet and salty. Definitely worth the try!P.S. Their beer pitcher deal is incredible, definitely worth it for a light lager that pairs really nicely with their menu.
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Amazing experience all around. Bar is very cool, albeit a bit crowded. That’s expected for a small place like this. We went to Omakase, there back table and it was fantastic. Each piece of sushi made was individually and intentionally crafted. Really cool experience.
This is hands down our favorite restaurant in Philly. There is not a single complaint I could ever make about the food, drinks, service or atmosphere. The food is the highest quality of sushi imaginable and the bar is full of all types of saki as well as handcrafted cocktails. It is truly a one of a kind experience whether you are dining in the front or if you are lucky enough to secure a seat for Omakase. I could not recommend Royal Sushi & Izakaya more! You will not be disappointed!!
This is a special place for Philadelphia. We’ve eaten in the front and have been fortunate enough to be seated for omakase twice before. This is my frame of reference.Jesse does a brilliant job of ensuring that guests can try authentic Japanese, Korean, New Zealand, etc. fish on the east coast of the US. It blows my mind that I can eat this fish the same day/next day that it was caught.Maybe other folks don’t fully understand the magnitude of what Jesse is giving his community, but it’s special.