Royal Sushi Omakase

“I visited a while ago, but it’s still one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had in Philadelphia. The omakase was outstanding from start to finish, with incredibly fresh fish and thoughtful preparation throughout. Chef Jessie was not only highly skilled but also warm and engaging, making the experience feel even more special. It was already difficult to get a reservation back then, and it seems even harder now. Looking back, it was absolutely worth the effort.”

“On my trip to Philly, I had to check out the sushi scene. Royal Izakaya didn't disappoint. I unfortunately wasn't able to get a reservation for the omakase. It is one of the hottest seats in town. Instead I went to the walk in only front side of the restaurant. I recommend getting there at open as there was already a line at 4:30pm when I arrived. The place opens at 5pm and I was easily able to get a seat at the bar. The food and service was excellent. I always order the chirashi bowl when I try a new sushi place. The selection and freshness of fish was on point. The dish itself was well balanced. I especially enjoyed the Hokkaido uni. I could tell it was flown in fresh. Overall, I would come here again. Hopefully next time to try their critically acclaimed omakase”

“My honest review of Royal Sushi and Izakaya in Old City. I was eager to try some of their a La carte items because getting a reservation for their omakase seems almost impossible to get one of their limited 8 seats! My friend and I were happy to find that there was only a 15 minute wait before we were seated. Our waitress recommended 3-4 items per person, and including our tasty dessert, we left feeling cozy and pleasantly full! We ordered the spinach gomaee (first photo & second photo, top-right) which was amazing - black sesame is such a decadent flavor and paired so well with the spinach. We also got their tuna guac (second picture, bottom) and the tuna was so fresh and soft, it practically melted in my mouth and meshed so well with the tasty guacamole. We also ordered one of their kitchen specials, grilled trumpet mushrooms (second picture, top-left). The mushrooms were tender, but we needed a knife to make bite-sized pieces because it just wasn’t easy to bite into, but they were marinated in this savory sauce and it was absolutely delicious! We got their uni cream pasta (photos 3 & 4) which was incredible. The sauce had this Parmesan mascarpone taste with a hint of some kind of acidic lemon flavor; and it was such a perfect blend of flavors. Best of all, to our total surprise, it was topped with gold leaves! First time eating gold and it was a bougie and magnificent treat 💅 Their agedashi nasu tofu (photo 5) came in a very tasty but simple broth. It almost tasted like chicken broth but it was a perfect balance for the tofu and all the green onion-type garnishes. I’ve also never had saba shioyaki (salt-broiled mackerel, photo 6) and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I kept coming back for more. The fish was so fresh and perfectly salted. With a bite of rice in between every few mackerel bites, you just can’t go wrong. Their karaage wings (photo 7) were cooked to actual perfection. The skin was super crispy with the meat being so tender and juicy inside. Sadly, not pictured was one of the stars of the evening which was the kamo rosu (duck breast). This was another first for me and it was incredible. The duck was so soft and the tare sauce had an umami element to it that really elevated the dish. It also came with karashi which is a Japanese hot mustard and was such an excellent dipping sauce, it tasted like a well-balanced blend of mustard and horseradish. To finish things off, for dessert, we got their royal sundae (photo 8) which was a super tasty sweet corn ice cream with actual corn throughout, and topped with a salty caramel sauce and dollops of mascarpone. It also had these really tasty cookie bites that seemed familiar but we just couldn’t place the flavor. We also ordered their yuzu cake (photo 9) that came with the most amazing sauce that had a slight taste reminiscent to lemon curd. The spongy cake was baked just right and the light sauce was the perfect touch to a delectable treat.”

“Best Japanese food I’ve had in Philadelphia. The food came out quick, everything was well portioned and brought out at a good pace- especially for sharing for four people. Duck was easily the best thing on the menu. Best Gyoza around! My only note is the service was pretty slow and not super attentive. We made a note that there was a shellfish allergy at the table, with one person still ordering shrimp (bc why not), and the shrimp sushi came out right touching the salmon sushi. It’s surprising that a restaurant of this caliber would note a shellfish allergy but plate the shellfish sushi on the same plate as the all the others? The person is OK with cross-contamination, but still. Would have ordered more to drink, but service was slow. Other than that, it was a great dinner.”

“we went again for walk in — no wait on a thurs night at 8pm. overall at about $170 total for us two felt reasonable! service: megan was our bartender and server and she was great! really personable and helpful with offering recommendations food: - chirashi ($52) 4/5 - sashimi ($48) 4/5 - okonomiyaki ($18) 4/5 - black sesame panna cotta ($15) 1/5 we got fished out by the end 🥴 both fish dishes had overlap which was helpful so we didn’t have to split any pieces — we actually had trouble finishing them all. okonomiyaki was nice, crispy, smokey from the bacon very impressed! for dessert they changed their menu and took the tiramisu off 💔 instead we got their black sesame panna cotta with mango puree and caramel - 1/5 I couldn’t even finish it. atmosphere: intimate, moody, dark, like a dark gothic church (since there are pews). the low lighting is vibey which makes it feel a little more cozy otherwise everything feels pretty heavy. the projected anime medley and small pokémon figures everywhere are cute and quirky. good for a date night or small group”