Nichinan

“The place is gorgeous and it feels like you discovered a secret little pocket of Portsmouth. Cocktails were delicious and bartender was fun to chat with. The food... just, yes. It was superb.. we had sushi, top notch. Presentation, freshness, and color were brilliant. We had a special appetizer...it was like a schnitzel and was amazing. The money spent felt worth while.”

“Nichinan was recommended to us by a friend, and although we arrived without knowing much about the restaurant or its menu, the meal was exceptional. Each dish was unique, thoughtfully prepared, and absolutely delicious. We couldn’t have been happier with the food, and our server was both pleasant and knowledgeable. We also enjoyed a mocktail that was excellent, and finished the meal by sharing a dessert, which was incredibly tasty. The ambience was pleasant, and while the restaurant is not inexpensive, at about $75 per person including tip, we felt it was well worth it. I highly recommend this restaurant.”

“Phenomenal service! We made a reservation online a noted a fish allergy at our table. Our host and server both took the time to clarify the nature and severity of the allergy and were understanding. Our server Sydney was friendly and knowledgeable. The food was fantastic. Generous portion sizes for the share plates and everything was delicious. I would come back to New Hampshire just for this restaurant.”

“This is the best Japanese food I have ever had. All of the food came out hot and perfectly garnished and tasted amazing!! I highly recommend the Miso Eggplant, Spicy Crab Fried Rice, and Karaage! All of the meat was perfectly cooked and basically melts in your mouth. Even though the items are a bit pricey, they are more than worth it! The staff here is incredible as well! They are prompt, helpful, and courteous. Our waiter did excellent in recommending the best dishes on the menu! Even though it is attached to the hotel, this restaurant is open to anyone. It's very beautiful and organized on the inside and was an extremely pleasant atmosphere for a slow meal.”

“The dishes were all pretty good, and for the area, I’d say this is high on the list of Japanese food we have found. The scallop Nigiri was some of the best I’ve ever had and I appreciated the fact that the karaage wasn’t over breaded. The server (Sydney) was great, the menu items were interesting, and the cocktails were well balanced (it seems like so many in the area are overly sweet!). The only issue we had was there was a major slowdown with the bar. I ordered a second drink as we finished our first round of plates and it did not arrive until we had finished our second and final round of dishes. I had ordered it with the intent of being able to pair it against the sushi that was coming in our second round of plates. Having worked in restaurants in large cities before, I’d say that the place wasn’t so busy that it would have slowed down the bar that much. Some dishes seem a bit over priced compared to others, given the portions. Apart from that, I’d have given 5 stars and we will return soon!”