Royal Sushi & Izakaya

The pasta was WAY too salty. Some things had no taste while the others had too many salt. Not worth the price and it’s def over hyped also we did walk in as the third party in line and they tried to seat us by the door when the entire dining room was empty. like why do we need to ask to sit further away from the door so we don't freeze...

Royal Izakaya is a fun dining experience for sharing and trying many cool dishes. The Tuna guacamole was super fresh and their Chicken Katsu Sando was my favorite of the meal. The Duck was good, kinda like a cold cut platter but imo the Mustard was extremely overpowering. All affordable and inside a nice dining space, this spot is very legit and is worth the try.

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.

Royal Sushi has been a raved about place for as long as I’ve been in Philly, just got around to trying it. This review is for the main dining room and not the omakase tasting. Walk-ins only, there’s about 10 tables with 3-4 of those being for large parties. Bar fits 15 or so people. Tight space and pretty dim lighting. Hostess was nice, bartenders weren’t the most attentive but nothing negative. For drinks, we got the kappa punch and ginger mint smash. The kappa punch was outstanding. Fresh, sweet but not too sweet and so well balanced. I could’ve drank several. My mom enjoy the n/a ginger mint smash as well. We started with the edamame. Hard to go wrong with that - cooked well and not stringy. The ebi (shrimp) shumai was a let down. The presentation was beautiful, but there was no flavor other than an overload of salt when I bit into it. I didn’t taste any spicy mustard. I wouldn’t reorder. Then, we had the nasu dengaku. Japanese eggplant, miso glaze and pickled cauliflower. These were delicious. Savory and warm, they felt like a hug. Lastly, the sushi we got was the spicy crab tempura. The presentation was extremely underwhelming, it looked like sushi that we get from a grocery store. It also was so bland… there wasn’t anything spicy about it as advertised. It did taste fresh, but that was all it had going for it. Overall, we left feeling underwhelmed considering the rave reviews this place receives. I am considering coming back in the future after doing more research about some of the stand out dishes.

We’ve been to Royal Sushi & Izakaya more times than we can count and not once have we had anything less than an incredible experience. This place has become a personal favorite for my wife and I, and honestly, it might just be our favorite Japanese restaurant ever. The vibe are always spot-on; lively and fun on the izakaya side, with incredible energy, yet still intimate enough to enjoy a thoughtful meal. Every dish we’ve ordered, from small plates to sushi, is packed with bold flavors and precise execution. The fish is consistently fresh and expertly prepared, and even the cooked dishes never feel like filler — everything has intention. We’ve even ordered takeout multiple times, and the quality never slips. Pickup is a breeze, there’s a small window on the side of the restaurant where you just give them your name, and within seconds, the staff brings out your order. My wife is completely obsessed with this place and especially with Chef Jesse Ito. She follows his every move on social media, and it’s become a bit of a tradition for us to talk about one day finally scoring seats at his legendary omakase. It’s at the top of our culinary bucket list, and until then, the izakaya keeps us more than satisfied. Royal Sushi & Izakaya isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a temple of culinary excellence. Every meal here is a reminder that food can be art, ritual, and joy all at once. The precision, the passion, and the soul that go into every bite put Royal in a league of its own. If you have the chance to go, don’t hesitate. Just go. Again and again.