This place has great atmosphere and good quality sushi. It's on the same level as kabooki. The fish was fresh and the service was great. Not sure why people bad mouth this place. I enjoyed it and will be back.
(5)
Ryan F.
I'm going to write this review 2 ways. One, from the viewpoint of a regular consumer and one from the viewpoint of trying to remember that this is a new restaurant. As a general consumer who did not have a bad service experience (see below), the garlic and lime edamame were amazing. They have a decent selection of wine and beer at decent prices. I ordered the Mango Tango, the Spicy Tuna, and the Blaze sushi rolls. All were good, not amazing (which is what I wanted for the price). The rolls were also pretty small so for a $14 roll, I wasn't especially impressed. The fish was definitely fresh. BF who doesn't prefer sushi liked the Spicy Tuna a lot. It was not very spicy and the Blaze was also not spicy even though the menu said it was supposed to be. BF ordered off the grill menu - skirt steak, wings, and shishito peppers. The peppers were really good, sweet and smokey and just a bit spicy. The onions and sauce under the skirt steak were really good. BF said the meat was great too - very moist which is hard to do with skirt steak. The chicken wings were underwhelming. They just tasted like grilled wings. Know that they bring things out as they get cooked (like tapas usually are served) which means you might get your vegetables (our peppers) before anything else and then they just sit there all sad because they are really a side item, not a stand alone item and should come out with the 'entrees'. The service AFTER our bad experience was fine. Maybe 4 stars, it was hard to judge because of what happened but seeing the other people get good service helps with this score. For the food - I'd say Mango Tango - 3 stars (would have been 4 if it was a bit larger) Blaze - 2.5 stars (just tasted plain) Spicy Tuna - 3.5 (if this was $1-2 cheaper for the size it would be a 4) Peppers - 5 stars Steak - 5 stars Chicken Wings - 2 stars So as a new restaurant - we walked in and were greeted immediately by a hostess. She was friendly and asked if we wanted to sit in or out. I was trying to figure out if it was too hot and she said there were misters and that they would not make my hair frizzy. Lol Once we sat, she came by and took our drink and appetizer order. Then, when our drinks were coming out, our server came by and asked if we had any questions about the menu. We didn't but she sort of explained the set up of the menu (sushi on one side, tapas and tapas grill on the other). Ok cool. Then she never came back. She served two tables that came after us but never even acknowledged us after the initial contact and this went on for maybe 15 minutes. This, combined with the table next to us that was so VERY close to us I felt like I was dining with them annoyed me. I asked the hostess to move inside and explained that the server had not been back. That same server eventually came back and apologized about a miscommunication. Ok, sure? She then became our server again. Groan. The owner or manager came up and apologized and explained she took our first drinks and appetizer off the bill. She explained they had a mixup and the server had several large tables and was overwhelmed. Ok. Sure. Good customer service for the $15 off the check and the 2 apologies. The server was ok after that. She was probably scared of us so she was sort of tentative. So overall - I can write off the bad service as a new restaurant trying to work out the kinks. And none of that changed how I felt about the food. And I saw other tables getting good service. But the overall value for the price means Umi will not be at the top of my list. I think if I enjoyed sashimi or meats I might be happier to return because those seemed like selling points but I can go to cheaper places and get better sushi rolls so that's what I'll do.
(3)
Kathy D.
I've experienced lunch and dinner here and enjoyed both occasions. For lunch, they were a bit busy so service was a bit slow if you are trying to eat within the hour. I ordered the raw bento box and I feel its probably hands down the best bento box I've had. Each component has its own special dish and its basically a tour for your stomach. It also came with miso soup. The price is a bit munch for lunch, but if you are wanting to indulge, definitely try it out. For dinner on another night, I brought my husband and we ordered a few things from the robata grill and a moriawase (chef's choice for sashimi) to split. If you love pork belly, I highly recommend getting it for one of the grill items. It's so tender and the fat just melts in your mouth. We also ordered the ribeye and squid from the grill which was also tasty. I wish there was some sort of combination platter you can order, but seems like you have to order what you want separately. It is pricey, so be aware of it. It would also be great if they can add garlic to their veggie options =) We had our moriawase next, which was amazing and sooo fresh. The colors of everything is vibrant and inviting. It has 14 items (2 of each) which was perfect for us. We didn't have to fight over anything. We ended with a green matcha panna cotta. I love each separately, but would be the first time I had it together as one! I enjoyed it very much, its really rich and decadent. I wish there was maybe some more crunch to it, but the crumble it had was pretty good. I feel like I have come a long way with eating raw sushi and having restaurants like Umi serving awesome freshness helps tremendously. I would have to come in next time and try out their rolls.
(5)
Aria S.
This is the kind of place I have been waiting for. It's about time Park Ave got a sushi restaurant of this quality! It was so fresh and authentic. The food was spot on. The sushi really had all the elements of high quality - fresh, glistening fish with correct proportion of fish to rice, slightly warm rice with mild vinegary taste; high quality taste that stands on its own - no need for fancy sauces or accoutrements. The maguro wasn't sliced exactly on the ideal grain and the grade of hamachi they use is a little on the light and lean side for me, but overall, they are serving delicious fish. One of the best things about this restaurant is the robata yaki. It was truly the heart of the restaurant. Our ribeye skewers were grilled to perfection. The shishito peppers were such a unique treat. All the ingredients looked so fresh. Ramen is good and hearty. I could've used just a tad more sour to the savory taste. But overall, when you put presentation and service in the picture, this restaurant is a real gem!!!!
(4)
Edwardo A.
This is probably the best sushi restaurant you can visit if you are in Orlando. Located in one of the best places around, Park Avenue in Winter Park. I tried the Godzilla and the C&C rolls and they were excellent! The service is exceptional, the music is great and the restaurant environment is cool. As an artist, I personally also appreciated the artwork and decoration of the place and the well-designed logo! Overall, very recommended.
(5)
Andi P.
5 Stars to a Bento Box that has changed my definition of a Bento Box. From now on I fear Umi has ruined every other bento box experience for me. I went in for lunch and after checking pics of dishes on Yelp I knew I needed to order the raw bento box. The various components are the chef's selections for the day and so they aren't listed on the menu. What came before me was a cornucopia of fresh fish, bold flavors, and daring dishes. First off, the raw fish was as fresh and clean as I've had. I was amazed by the amount of it for the $15 price tag of the bento lunch. You'll see a few other interesting dishes on my pictures including bacon-wrapped cherry tomatoes on a stick and what is surely going to become my new favorite side dish in Orlando- the kimchi croquette. Seriously, even if you don't order the bento box I implore you to order the kimchi croquette. It is at once crunchy, tart, sweet, and spicy (very mild). This is a serious winner. I also tried the mango tango roll and was blown away. Again- a perfect blend of sweet and tart with toasted coconut to take it over the edge. I'm a big fan and cannot wait to go back to try some more. This place is special, guys!
(5)
Ricky L.
Led by chefs who formerly led the sushi kitchen at Seito's Sushi in nearby Baldwin Park, Umi on Park Avenue has become one of my favorite sushi restaurants in the Winter Park area. The ambiance is chic and calm, almost like you have been transported, having traveled to some distant exotic place outside of Central Florida. The owners, who have roots in Korea, may have brought this international aesthetic with them to Winter Park. I was delightfully surprised with the sear and flavor of their ribeye steak beef from their robatayaki charcoal grill. Another highlight from their robata menu: bacon-wrapped enokitake - seared bacon-wrapped golden needle mushrooms, brushed with our house balsamic teriyaki glaze. Umi means sea or ocean in Japanese, and so of course the sushi is a must try. My wife loves tuna, so naturally we ordered the Tuna by Tuna (raw & spicy) 14, a spicy tuna roll wrapped with tuna sashimi, tobiko fish roe, scallions, and drizzled with spicy kobachi sauce - refreshing and delicious. I ordered the sashimi (raw) platter, a chef's selection - an assortment of 14 pieces, and was delighted again by the presentation and the creative cuts that were given, with lots of pieces not typical to most sashimi plates, like uni sea urchin and sweet ebi shrimp. All very fresh, and tasty, yet again. For dessert, we ordered the Mille-feuille, kind of like a deconstructed napoleon. Nice flaky puff pastry layers, crispy with chocolate ganache custard, and tangerine fruit slices, mint, and toasted shaved coconut and white chocolate. All in all, a very unexpectedly enjoyable meal at Umi, and will be returning soon!
(5)
Tony B.
Great little sushi bar/Japanese restaurant located on the beautiful Winter Park downtown strip. It has a great atmosphere and its decorated with authentic ancient Japanese art and artifacts. The service was warm, friendly, and punctual. And last but not least the food was top notch and amazing. The sushi was fresh and top grade, and we had the most amazing appetizer: A Toro Tar Tar with Avocado and Truffle Oil served w crackers. YUM. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Brock M.
Great job tonight Umi! Excellent bluefin toro, uni and a few selected Japanese rarities. Ãœber fresh. Well done basics like edamame and sunamono salad. We enjoyed both the vibe and elegant presentations. The roll eater side of the family was also happy. Excellent house warm sake ((NMT.) Interesting wine list too: I enjoyed a Perusset Macon-Village and a Chateau Tour Bayard St. Emilion. Both by the glass. (I've been pairing dryer reds with sushi with happy results.) Nice to see this space fulfill its potential once again. We'll be back.....
(5)
Jack E.
I love sushi! Umi is "by a long shot" the best in Orlando. The chefs attention to detail is noticeable in each dish served. This restaurant is located on Park Avenue in Winter Park, which is the best place to live and visit in Central Florida. It's all worth the trip.
(5)
Tiffany S.
Our food was so full of complex flavors. I ordered the kimchi croquettes and the ribeye Gorgonzola flat bread. The two small plates were delicious and satisfying. The atmosphere of the restaurant was modern, yet casual.
(5)
Joyce W.
Outstanding!. Best and most beautiful be to box I have ever had the pleasure of dining on. I will be bringing my friends and family here for sure.
(5)
Caitlin W.
Definitely one of the best sushi places in Orlando, loved the crunchy hako roll and the spicy shrimp jalapeno roll!
(4)
TC N.
Staffs are very friendly. Chef is Japanese that is a plus. This restaurant is a hidden gem in winter park. Very authentic. Coming from the big city and this is the place I can have good sushi in Orlando area.
(5)
Kate V.
Sushi is delicious and fresh! Great menu, great ambiance, & service was fantastic! Will definitely visit Umi again!
(5)
Annie R.
So so so so delicious. Very creative - what I would consider a chef-driven restaurant. Just reserved tables for my birthday party next month. Get the Crunchy Hako and Hokkaido rolls - to die for!
(5)
Chip H.
Had a fantastic lunch at Umi. Bento box was excellent and is the best sushi I have had in Orlando. Definitely worth a try. The panna cotta is a must try. Make sure to share it!
(5)
Jessica L.
From the great service and atmosphere, to the pineapple infused sake and out of this world food, this place is ah-mazing! We tried a large selection of items on the menu - sushi rolls (Godzilla, umi and tuna by tuna), sashimi (uni, salmon belly, fried oyster), kumamoto oysters, seared lobster, tuna tartare, and lots of sake, and everything was super fresh, delicious, and had a wonderful presentation. For the Winter Park area, sushi doesn't get any better than this!
(5)
Connie C.
I am on vacation in Orlando for about 2 weeks & wanted to try a bunch of YUMMY restaurants. I must say, I have no complain on the food, waiter & waitress. The food were prepared with lots of TLC & the ingredients were both amazingly fresh & tasty. I have read up on some of the other yelp reviews where people complained on the food tasting too blend? Well, if they are more familiar with "true" Japanese cuisine then they would be aware of the light seasoning & healthy eating in the Japanese culture. Such as teriyaki chicken at most of the western styled so call Japanese restaurant would be very heavy in taste, oil & super sweet which really isn't "Japanese". Its like asking for orange chicken & fortune cookies in China lol. Anyways, its obvious this is a mid-upper scale restaurant so being prepared to spend approx $40 to $50 per person is more than reasonable for a nice comfortable meal where you are not trying to stuff your face but enjoy some fine tasting & well prepared food. Not to mention the plating was very beautiful. Here is some of the items I have ordered: From the Grill: Sweet Peppers: 5 stars for the smokey and yet light tasting flavor from the grill. The peppers is slightly sweet as most veggies has a natural sweetness to them while the sweet peppers also provides a tiny bit of spiciness. Very delicious. Asparagus: 5 stars. Smokey and lightly seasoned where its just a refreshing side order or take it as appetizer along with your sake. Skirt Steak: 5 stars. Beautifully cooked while its juicy and still pink in the center. Super tender and very reasonable portion for the price. Lobster tail: 5 stars. Amazing. The seasoning is right on point. With a bit of lime or lemon flavor and hint of salt and again...the toasty smokey aroma. YUMmmmm~ From the sushi bar: Sashimi platter: 5 stars. I've just returned from Japan less than 2 weeks ago & I have had sushi EVERYDAY during the two weeks vacation. I have to say nothing will compare to the freshness & sweetness of some of the tuna that I had tasted in Japan but Umi isn't too far behind with the freshness of the ingredients & the amount of thought and care they chefs has put into each and every piece on the platter. Oysters: 5 Starts. OMG...YUM. Fresh & the house lime shavings that they serve along with the oysters just makes it taste THAT MUCH MORE fresher & brings out the original sweetness of a very FRESH oysters. Ikura Sushi w/quail egg yolk, Chef specialty sushi w/mince fish and green onions along with pieces of uni: 5 Stars. I was rather disappointed when I tried to order uni and were told they were sold out for the evening. However, I was MORE THAN pleasantly surprised when both the sashimi platter served pieces of sweet shrimp with uni on top and some of the other special pieces of sushi that we ordered on the side included uni. THAT~satisfied my uni craving :) Drinks: Pineapple Sake: 4 Stars. The hint of pineapple flavor was very mellow&light. U can taste that it's real pineapple infused w/sake to create this specialty sake. Strawberry Sake: 5 Stars. Just like the pineapple sake, this fruit infused sake is also served to u in a little pour bottle along w/a very unique glass staged over ice. The presentation is very pretty & a very good way to keep your drink cool without having to worry about it being watered down. Very good. Sparkling Sake: 3 Stars. I was in the mood for something sparkly&sweet alcoholic beverage as dessert. They do not have moscato so I decided on sparkling sake. Since I just had sparkling sake in Japan&it was simply delicious. I ordered a bottle. I am fully aware that sparkling sake is normally in a 360ml bottle which it was exactly what I had anticipated. However, after tasting it. . . it wasn't very sweet or bubbly at all. That was a little disappointment for me but not the deal breaker. Another disappointment was when I received the bill&realized the bottle of 360ml sparkling sake was pretty much the same price as the gigantic bottle of plum wine. . .I wish it tasted more like the one I had in Japan. I know its not the restaurants fault but they should really reconsider importing another brand of sparkling sake. Plum Wine: 5 Stars. UMI only carry VERY LARGE bottles of plum wine&only sold by the glass. After sampling that, it was yummy. Light, sweet&super refreshing. I like. Hence I had my waiter check if I can order the entire bottle to go. The entire bottle was only $45. :) 4 STARS: not because of the food/decor/majority of the staff. Surprisingly, it was the asian lady dressed rather too young&odd for her age who happens to be the manager? For such a nice restaurant, they can do better in selecting a manager who enjoys coming over to your table while looking very out of place but always trying to insist upon you HER favorite dish and being rather overbearing over and over again. I feel she is the only flaw in this $300+ upscale fine dinning experience for 2 people.
(4)
Lola V.
Every roll I've ever had here is wonderful. Their menu is not terribly extensive, but that works well for me, because sushi menus are notoriously confusing and I'd rather have things simplified a bit anyway. Service is exceptional. :) Love this place. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Cathy R.
This restaurant is fantastic! Great atmosphere and service. They have a large selection of wines that are unique and hand selected by the owner according to our server. We have been here several times and tried many dishes. The Naked Tuna roll is one we order every time it's fresh and delicious. The Godzilla roll is also good and all of the robusta grill selections have all been good. If you like noodles the udon noodle bowl with the pesto style sauce was very good. A great addition to the Park Avenue restaurant scene!
(5)
Missy C.
This is by far one of the best sushi restaurants I have ever been to. The single reason I am giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is because they CHARGE for a side of sriracha. I'm sorry but when your sushi is already pricey, I don't feel that this is necessary or right. Again the food was delicious but I just have an issue with the sriracha charge. Never happened to me before anywhere else.
(4)
Jessica B.
Popped in for lunch today and ordered the Volcano Roll. I was not familiar with the "Osaka style" roll and was surprised to find the roll wasn't a roll at all, but pressed rice, no seaweed and some sort of noodle-like mixture included with the krab and scallops in the topping. I mentioned my surprise that it was not a traditional roll to the server, but they offered no explanation. I later went back online to read the description and found the information there. I saw "Volcano Roll" and assumed it was what I was used to... The flavor was fine, but the texture left much to be desired--very mushy. The plating was beautiful, but it felt a bit over the top. My friend ordered the Rainbow Roll. The portion was comparable to a Publix sushi roll. The space looks lovely and the staff were friendly and attentive. Overall, I think the prices are very high for what you receive. We spent $15-$20 per person on one item for lunch and did not order beverages.
(2)
Chris H.
This was my second time at Umi and far from my last. My wife and I both love the overall menu, the wine selection and the service. The sushi rolls are all innovative and fantastic. I'd give a roll by roll review but we had a large crowd and we sampled nearly all of them. Let's just say that they are not your Mom's sushi. Everyone in the group loved the tapas style and the unique preparation. Our personal favorite are the squid appetizer, the sea bass and the short rib. Simply amazing. Well worth the trip to Park Ave!!!
(5)
Sara P.
I have been waiting for a great sushi place to open up on Park Ave and I think we have found a winner! First off I love that it's at the front of Park Ave... You can park in the Rollins garage and just waltz on over. I also love more intimate sushi places, it's by no means "hole in the wall" small but it's a small enough size that you don't feel like a churn and burn type experience is going to happen. They have a really nice bar they just finished, a small sushi bar and outdoor seating as well. When we sat down we saw a familiar sight, Stanley from Seito, who from the first time myself and my boyfriend went there, we knew he was the man and that's what made our rolls so unique. On a side note I have been to seito recently not knowing he wasn't there and it was awful. Anyways we ordered all together the snapper, tuna tatake, spicy dragon, calamari from the robatu, and garlic lime edamame and it was perfect. All of it. Our server was very knowledgeable, we were so impressed. I HIGHLY recommend.
(5)
Fonda Y.
Three words. Raw bento box. The sashimi is super fresh, the portions - perfect, and the bacon-wrapped tomato a cute variation on the traditional Japanese bento box. I honestly think it's worth the price, as is the Japanese-Style Chirashi, which is reminiscent of Seito Sushi's in Baldwin Park. Definitely worth a try if you've never had chirashi before. The bowl is huge, and I promise you won't be able to finish it by yourself. Walk over to The Wine Room after to top it off. I'm definitely coming back to try to the Korean-Style Chirashi!
(5)
Hana L.
I worked in sushi restaurants and I tried so many sushi restaurants. (I AM A SUSHI MANIAC) New gem place. Everything taste amazing in this restaurant. I go there at least once a week, even for just little tapas. Favorite: Entree: Roll: Umi & mango tango rool. Umi roll- so clean taste, not heavy in my stomach since it doesn't have rice it in. i believe 3 different kinds of fish wrapped in cucumber and ponzu sauce. I love it since I can really taste how fresh those fish are. Mango Tango- when I am feeling sweet and feeling tropical, I like eating this roll. I am a huge Mango fan and it contains mango which is a plus. I love the idea of fruits and fish combo. Its very unique. Bowl: Chirashi & Udong Chirashi: when I saw the price I thought it was bit expensive, but yup I was wrong. compare to many much fish they give me and how its decorated, it its worth the money. those fish are sooo fresh, yellowtail just melts in my mouth. Dessert: MUST TRY MACHA GREEN TEA dessert, its unusual. Not too sweet (i don't like too sweet), not too salty. JUST AMAZING. it taste better when you mix it before you eat it. I also love how they have coffee press and I get to press it. Makes me feel extra special and feeling hippie. I can't wait to go back this weekend and try different food!
(5)
Jullie C.
Was really looking forward to this restaurant and I wasn't really wowed but it was good for what it was! It wasn't really unique and the waiter didn't really know the menu... he just kept saying everything was his favorite and when the food came out it wasn't anything like he had explained... hahah basically he was just making shit up. But the food was good nonetheless. Was it up to par? I would have to say no... (lobster roll, tuna by tuna, and another one that was obviously not memorable). We also got dessert which was pretty bland- green tea panna cotta with citrus syrup. It was really just like any other sushi place. One thing I disagree with the other yelpers is the price. For some reason the price range was labeled $$$ but looking at the menu it was really more $$. The only thing that seemed over priced was the sashimi/sushi. It was priced per piece while the rolls were decently priced. The decor inside could also be better. They have a half wall as a room divider which i feel is unnecessary. They could do a lot better with the interior design with the location they have.
(3)
Rebecca T.
I think I'll need to go back.. they were out of a couple of things but oh my damn - the oyster sampler was it for real - I could have those every day. We sat at the sushi bar & got assaulted by the smoke from the grill - the space is too cramped to provide a cleaner sushi bar seating solution - bummer.
(3)
N L.
Went to lunch there today. It's definitely one of the tastier lunch options on Park. The Pork Belly Robata was tender and delicious. We also had toro appetizer special that was very good. Service was swift and attentive. I will be back next time to try the donburi and the ramen options. I'm glad a high quality Japanese restaurant has come to Park Ave.
(5)
Gisela G.
Went to Umi for dinner, and left more than satisfied! The fish is some of the freshest I have found in Orlando. The Rainbow, Godzilla, and Spicy Tuna rolls were stand outs. The pork belly was flavorful and fall apart tender. The ambiance was cozy and romantic. Great experience!
(5)
Matthew C.
Wow, what a great experience. We had the garlic lime edamame, 5 sushi rolls, the calamari tapas, sashimi and the Kobe beef tapas. It was all incredible. We ordered two rolls where we let the chef do whatever he wanted and they were incredible. The Kobe beer tapas was a generous portion (my mom had it as her meal) and you cooked it yourself on a hot grill. It was amazingly tender and the marinade was delicious. All the rolls were fresh, inventive and perfectly portioned. The sashimi was beautiful and the calamari was crisp and perfect. This place is top notch.
(5)
Eileen D.
This restaurant is absolutely excellent, I cannot say enough good things about Umi. My boyfriend and I have been visiting Umi for months now and have always left happy and never been disappointed! The food is INCREDIBLE. I cannot say enough good things about the sushi at this restaurant. The chef is truly amazing. Our favorites are the Tuna by Tuna, Spitfire, Sake Don and Godzilla roll. For appetizers, the cured snapper. The Nigiri platter will also blow you away, the chef prepares it personally every time. The food is consistently delicious and always fresh and beautifully prepared. The desserts are amazing too, particularly the lemon semi freido. I also recommend the Very Berry drink, it's delicious. The interior is very a classic and clean style (the bar is beautiful), and pulls a both relaxed and high end ambience at the same time. The entire staff is excellent, Yenni is so helpful and charming and our waiter David is always friendly, funny, and knowledgable about the food. This is by far the best restaurant in the area, I'm so glad it opened- 5 stars on all counts!
(5)
Negar S.
We found this place just walking down Park Avenue. We tried the unfiltered cold sake which was delicious! I do not remember the names of the sushi rolls we had ordered last week but they were also delicious! They have a nice variety of rolls although the majority do include tuna. They have some outdoor seating which is also nice.
(4)
Julie B.
Great service, great atmosphere and the best food!
(5)
James F.
I went here for dinner and ordered nigiri moriawasee, seabass with premium sake. It was very delightful experience and will come visit again soon.
(5)
Patrick L.
Great food..had a few things from the robata grill and ordered some sashimi and it was awesome
(5)
Joseph T.
Very enjoyable meal for a larger group. Interesting ambiance easy to talk and hear without having to yell across the table. The music playing didn't seem to match the overall feel of the restaurant. Both the robata and sushi items were delicious. Their menu doesn't really stray far from a traditional american sushi restaurant. Menu is definitely accommodating for the less adventurous sushi eaters as well. This is definitely not a budget sushi location, but what else would you expect for Park Avenue? Expect to spend 30+ dollars to feel pleasantly full. Rolls are on the smaller side for the price, but the chirashi bowl is always a safe bet. While not as unique or fresh as Kappo, it was certainly one of the better ones I've had in recent memory, although the omelette could have used more mirin / sweetness. Only complain food-wise was the edamame was almost inedible due to the amount of salt. My guests and i found ourselves whipping off some of the salt before we ate them. Panna cotta was fantastic as mentioned in a previous review. Perfect texture and perfect amount of sweetness. It would be great for them to have a cocktail menu / happy hour / specials to keep the menu more interesting. Service was attentive and very personable, but sometimes they couldn't really explain the menu if we had some questions. But being a fairly new restaurant, I expect this will resolve over time.
(4)
Chris D.
Excellent...a creative gem for WP
(5)
Chad M.
The owners of this place understand good food, and the word on the street is that this is the best sushi in Florida. Art is love.
(5)
David R.
The signature rolls I tried were outstanding, as was everything from the robota grill! I've frequented countless sushi restaurants from San Francisco, New York, and Paris and my meal at Umi was on par with or better than any of them! In Orlando! Also, an elegant yet understated interior and a very friendly staff add to this unpretentious jewel that would be a unique and welcome addition to ANY city.
(5)
Melanie N.
I want here for lunch and dinner, and both were a little more expensive for what it was. I probably won't come here again, but it's good and worth a try. I've gotten the Godzilla roll, Mango Tango roll, and a Rainbow roll, all were great! For lunch, I got the cooked bento box, which was pretty big for what I was expecting. My mom got the sashimi combo and the presentation was really pretty. The Gyoza and fried calamari appetizers are delicious too.
(4)
Steve P.
This place is officially on my rotation. The grill and sushi creations from Chef Stanley will keep me coming back. Try the Mango Tango roll for dessert!
(5)
Jay B.
Awesome new Japanese restaurant on central Florida's finest street: Park Ave in Winter Park! Freshest ingredients guarantee excellent taste and indulgence.
(5)
P O.
The best sushi in Otown! Fresh ingredients, new and delicious menu, friendly staff. My new fave sushi place.
(5)
Stephen Y.
Nice atmosphere, good location, and great food. The kimchi croquettes were amazing and the sushi is one of the best I've had in Orlando. One thing unique about the restaurant is that they feature a Robata grill which is a definite must try, the skirt steak had a very wonderful texture and the pork belly was delicious.
(5)
Frank W.
This place is fantastic. The food is delicious and inventive, and the presentation is far above what you expect from a sushi restaurant. The tapas style for dinner is especially refreshing. It allows you and your dining mates to sample all of the delicious creations from the chef. Save room for dessert -- the mascarpone cheesecake is outrageous. I have been 3 times this week already!
(5)
Amy S.
Great sushi! Very attentive service! Will look forward to eating here again.
(4)
Tom S.
I am in no way a sophisticated diner. I like simple and good food. This space was formerly a pleasant place to sit down for a nice plate of pad thai or a curry. I always walked out feeling I had received value for the money I spent. The space is now morphed into pretentious "fusion" foodie haven. When I first walked in I was greeted by one of the servers. She proceeded to tell me there were no tables readily available. Her face was turned into the room as she spoke ... while I looked at the back of her head. I had to ask her to repeat herself. Strike one. So we waited at the bar for a few minutes. The beer (an IPA) was good. We were seated in a few minutes. My gf ordered a teri yaki chicken and vegetable dish. The vegetables were nicely cooked. The chicken tasted odd to me. Not like any teri yaki I've ever eaten. I ordered the rib eye steak dish. I was a little taken aback when I was served 8 small chunks of steak grilled on 2 skewers and served on some vegetable matter resembling clover. The steak was reasonably tender. The flavor was just "okay" at best. Strike two. I walked out still hungry. Strike three. My new rule ... if the restaurant has fusion displayed on the window ... keep walking.
(2)
Molly B.
Umi is a true find in winter park , it's best described as sushi/grills restaurant . The grilled appetizers are amazing. My favorite is the shishito peppers and short rib is delicious. Definitely worth a visit..
(5)
Nofe K.
The restaurant was clean; HOWEVER, the food is less than average I couldn't even force myself to finish the sushi. I don't recommend this restaurant, you have a lot of good choices on park ave.
(1)
Geeky G.
Maybe it's a thing where you have to order SUSHI -- as opposed to any of the rest of the items on the menu (they're a "side line?") in order to experience a "wow factor" here. Alas, we didn't order sushi. I had chicken teriyaki. A very small portion and not very teriyakied compared to other teriyaki I've had over the years. Bland. Two tiny tomatoes, 4 chunks of yellow squash and a few pieces of onion. $12. My companion's dish from the "grill" was incredibly tiny. We sort of laughed, actually. It was tiny like an appetizer, with a spritz of sprouts or something on top. Sort of a Chia Pet look. Neither of us is overweight, BTW. But damn, not much food here for the money. Atmosphere a bit hipster-snooty -- as might be expected given the Park Ave. address -- and yet the aisle was blocked by a boisterous group of diners taking selfies for five minutes. A couple of the old-enough-to-know-better boys were punching-each-other-in-the-arm, inappropriate given the atmosphere. That's not the restaurant's fault, of course, but I found it odd that the server was too timid to say "Excuse me I have to deliver food to this table because you're not the only people in the restaurant, please move." She stood and waited for the loud people to wander on out of the restaurant. I'm sorry, but I won't be back. Tiny portions, nothing special at all. Miss the Thai place that used to be here. :(
(2)
Kimberly S.
I went there for lunch recently and got the cooked bento book, it's quite different from the bento boxes at other places I've been to locally. I would suggest trying it if you're looking for something different. The staff is extremely friendly and they have excellent customer service. To me customer service is so important, and they go above and beyond here. When I ordered my lunch, part of it was missing but they reached out to me personally to apologize which I thought was amazing and I did not expect that. I have not tried their sushi but I will definitely go back now and see what else they have to offer.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Leighton L.
This place has great atmosphere and good quality sushi. It's on the same level as kabooki. The fish was fresh and the service was great. Not sure why people bad mouth this place. I enjoyed it and will be back.
(5)Ryan F.
I'm going to write this review 2 ways. One, from the viewpoint of a regular consumer and one from the viewpoint of trying to remember that this is a new restaurant. As a general consumer who did not have a bad service experience (see below), the garlic and lime edamame were amazing. They have a decent selection of wine and beer at decent prices. I ordered the Mango Tango, the Spicy Tuna, and the Blaze sushi rolls. All were good, not amazing (which is what I wanted for the price). The rolls were also pretty small so for a $14 roll, I wasn't especially impressed. The fish was definitely fresh. BF who doesn't prefer sushi liked the Spicy Tuna a lot. It was not very spicy and the Blaze was also not spicy even though the menu said it was supposed to be. BF ordered off the grill menu - skirt steak, wings, and shishito peppers. The peppers were really good, sweet and smokey and just a bit spicy. The onions and sauce under the skirt steak were really good. BF said the meat was great too - very moist which is hard to do with skirt steak. The chicken wings were underwhelming. They just tasted like grilled wings. Know that they bring things out as they get cooked (like tapas usually are served) which means you might get your vegetables (our peppers) before anything else and then they just sit there all sad because they are really a side item, not a stand alone item and should come out with the 'entrees'. The service AFTER our bad experience was fine. Maybe 4 stars, it was hard to judge because of what happened but seeing the other people get good service helps with this score. For the food - I'd say Mango Tango - 3 stars (would have been 4 if it was a bit larger) Blaze - 2.5 stars (just tasted plain) Spicy Tuna - 3.5 (if this was $1-2 cheaper for the size it would be a 4) Peppers - 5 stars Steak - 5 stars Chicken Wings - 2 stars So as a new restaurant - we walked in and were greeted immediately by a hostess. She was friendly and asked if we wanted to sit in or out. I was trying to figure out if it was too hot and she said there were misters and that they would not make my hair frizzy. Lol Once we sat, she came by and took our drink and appetizer order. Then, when our drinks were coming out, our server came by and asked if we had any questions about the menu. We didn't but she sort of explained the set up of the menu (sushi on one side, tapas and tapas grill on the other). Ok cool. Then she never came back. She served two tables that came after us but never even acknowledged us after the initial contact and this went on for maybe 15 minutes. This, combined with the table next to us that was so VERY close to us I felt like I was dining with them annoyed me. I asked the hostess to move inside and explained that the server had not been back. That same server eventually came back and apologized about a miscommunication. Ok, sure? She then became our server again. Groan. The owner or manager came up and apologized and explained she took our first drinks and appetizer off the bill. She explained they had a mixup and the server had several large tables and was overwhelmed. Ok. Sure. Good customer service for the $15 off the check and the 2 apologies. The server was ok after that. She was probably scared of us so she was sort of tentative. So overall - I can write off the bad service as a new restaurant trying to work out the kinks. And none of that changed how I felt about the food. And I saw other tables getting good service. But the overall value for the price means Umi will not be at the top of my list. I think if I enjoyed sashimi or meats I might be happier to return because those seemed like selling points but I can go to cheaper places and get better sushi rolls so that's what I'll do.
(3)Kathy D.
I've experienced lunch and dinner here and enjoyed both occasions. For lunch, they were a bit busy so service was a bit slow if you are trying to eat within the hour. I ordered the raw bento box and I feel its probably hands down the best bento box I've had. Each component has its own special dish and its basically a tour for your stomach. It also came with miso soup. The price is a bit munch for lunch, but if you are wanting to indulge, definitely try it out. For dinner on another night, I brought my husband and we ordered a few things from the robata grill and a moriawase (chef's choice for sashimi) to split. If you love pork belly, I highly recommend getting it for one of the grill items. It's so tender and the fat just melts in your mouth. We also ordered the ribeye and squid from the grill which was also tasty. I wish there was some sort of combination platter you can order, but seems like you have to order what you want separately. It is pricey, so be aware of it. It would also be great if they can add garlic to their veggie options =) We had our moriawase next, which was amazing and sooo fresh. The colors of everything is vibrant and inviting. It has 14 items (2 of each) which was perfect for us. We didn't have to fight over anything. We ended with a green matcha panna cotta. I love each separately, but would be the first time I had it together as one! I enjoyed it very much, its really rich and decadent. I wish there was maybe some more crunch to it, but the crumble it had was pretty good. I feel like I have come a long way with eating raw sushi and having restaurants like Umi serving awesome freshness helps tremendously. I would have to come in next time and try out their rolls.
(5)Aria S.
This is the kind of place I have been waiting for. It's about time Park Ave got a sushi restaurant of this quality! It was so fresh and authentic. The food was spot on. The sushi really had all the elements of high quality - fresh, glistening fish with correct proportion of fish to rice, slightly warm rice with mild vinegary taste; high quality taste that stands on its own - no need for fancy sauces or accoutrements. The maguro wasn't sliced exactly on the ideal grain and the grade of hamachi they use is a little on the light and lean side for me, but overall, they are serving delicious fish. One of the best things about this restaurant is the robata yaki. It was truly the heart of the restaurant. Our ribeye skewers were grilled to perfection. The shishito peppers were such a unique treat. All the ingredients looked so fresh. Ramen is good and hearty. I could've used just a tad more sour to the savory taste. But overall, when you put presentation and service in the picture, this restaurant is a real gem!!!!
(4)Edwardo A.
This is probably the best sushi restaurant you can visit if you are in Orlando. Located in one of the best places around, Park Avenue in Winter Park. I tried the Godzilla and the C&C rolls and they were excellent! The service is exceptional, the music is great and the restaurant environment is cool. As an artist, I personally also appreciated the artwork and decoration of the place and the well-designed logo! Overall, very recommended.
(5)Andi P.
5 Stars to a Bento Box that has changed my definition of a Bento Box. From now on I fear Umi has ruined every other bento box experience for me. I went in for lunch and after checking pics of dishes on Yelp I knew I needed to order the raw bento box. The various components are the chef's selections for the day and so they aren't listed on the menu. What came before me was a cornucopia of fresh fish, bold flavors, and daring dishes. First off, the raw fish was as fresh and clean as I've had. I was amazed by the amount of it for the $15 price tag of the bento lunch. You'll see a few other interesting dishes on my pictures including bacon-wrapped cherry tomatoes on a stick and what is surely going to become my new favorite side dish in Orlando- the kimchi croquette. Seriously, even if you don't order the bento box I implore you to order the kimchi croquette. It is at once crunchy, tart, sweet, and spicy (very mild). This is a serious winner. I also tried the mango tango roll and was blown away. Again- a perfect blend of sweet and tart with toasted coconut to take it over the edge. I'm a big fan and cannot wait to go back to try some more. This place is special, guys!
(5)Ricky L.
Led by chefs who formerly led the sushi kitchen at Seito's Sushi in nearby Baldwin Park, Umi on Park Avenue has become one of my favorite sushi restaurants in the Winter Park area. The ambiance is chic and calm, almost like you have been transported, having traveled to some distant exotic place outside of Central Florida. The owners, who have roots in Korea, may have brought this international aesthetic with them to Winter Park. I was delightfully surprised with the sear and flavor of their ribeye steak beef from their robatayaki charcoal grill. Another highlight from their robata menu: bacon-wrapped enokitake - seared bacon-wrapped golden needle mushrooms, brushed with our house balsamic teriyaki glaze. Umi means sea or ocean in Japanese, and so of course the sushi is a must try. My wife loves tuna, so naturally we ordered the Tuna by Tuna (raw & spicy) 14, a spicy tuna roll wrapped with tuna sashimi, tobiko fish roe, scallions, and drizzled with spicy kobachi sauce - refreshing and delicious. I ordered the sashimi (raw) platter, a chef's selection - an assortment of 14 pieces, and was delighted again by the presentation and the creative cuts that were given, with lots of pieces not typical to most sashimi plates, like uni sea urchin and sweet ebi shrimp. All very fresh, and tasty, yet again. For dessert, we ordered the Mille-feuille, kind of like a deconstructed napoleon. Nice flaky puff pastry layers, crispy with chocolate ganache custard, and tangerine fruit slices, mint, and toasted shaved coconut and white chocolate. All in all, a very unexpectedly enjoyable meal at Umi, and will be returning soon!
(5)Tony B.
Great little sushi bar/Japanese restaurant located on the beautiful Winter Park downtown strip. It has a great atmosphere and its decorated with authentic ancient Japanese art and artifacts. The service was warm, friendly, and punctual. And last but not least the food was top notch and amazing. The sushi was fresh and top grade, and we had the most amazing appetizer: A Toro Tar Tar with Avocado and Truffle Oil served w crackers. YUM. Highly recommend this place!
(5)Brock M.
Great job tonight Umi! Excellent bluefin toro, uni and a few selected Japanese rarities. Ãœber fresh. Well done basics like edamame and sunamono salad. We enjoyed both the vibe and elegant presentations. The roll eater side of the family was also happy. Excellent house warm sake ((NMT.) Interesting wine list too: I enjoyed a Perusset Macon-Village and a Chateau Tour Bayard St. Emilion. Both by the glass. (I've been pairing dryer reds with sushi with happy results.) Nice to see this space fulfill its potential once again. We'll be back.....
(5)Jack E.
I love sushi! Umi is "by a long shot" the best in Orlando. The chefs attention to detail is noticeable in each dish served. This restaurant is located on Park Avenue in Winter Park, which is the best place to live and visit in Central Florida. It's all worth the trip.
(5)Tiffany S.
Our food was so full of complex flavors. I ordered the kimchi croquettes and the ribeye Gorgonzola flat bread. The two small plates were delicious and satisfying. The atmosphere of the restaurant was modern, yet casual.
(5)Joyce W.
Outstanding!. Best and most beautiful be to box I have ever had the pleasure of dining on. I will be bringing my friends and family here for sure.
(5)Caitlin W.
Definitely one of the best sushi places in Orlando, loved the crunchy hako roll and the spicy shrimp jalapeno roll!
(4)TC N.
Staffs are very friendly. Chef is Japanese that is a plus. This restaurant is a hidden gem in winter park. Very authentic. Coming from the big city and this is the place I can have good sushi in Orlando area.
(5)Kate V.
Sushi is delicious and fresh! Great menu, great ambiance, & service was fantastic! Will definitely visit Umi again!
(5)Annie R.
So so so so delicious. Very creative - what I would consider a chef-driven restaurant. Just reserved tables for my birthday party next month. Get the Crunchy Hako and Hokkaido rolls - to die for!
(5)Chip H.
Had a fantastic lunch at Umi. Bento box was excellent and is the best sushi I have had in Orlando. Definitely worth a try. The panna cotta is a must try. Make sure to share it!
(5)Jessica L.
From the great service and atmosphere, to the pineapple infused sake and out of this world food, this place is ah-mazing! We tried a large selection of items on the menu - sushi rolls (Godzilla, umi and tuna by tuna), sashimi (uni, salmon belly, fried oyster), kumamoto oysters, seared lobster, tuna tartare, and lots of sake, and everything was super fresh, delicious, and had a wonderful presentation. For the Winter Park area, sushi doesn't get any better than this!
(5)Connie C.
I am on vacation in Orlando for about 2 weeks & wanted to try a bunch of YUMMY restaurants. I must say, I have no complain on the food, waiter & waitress. The food were prepared with lots of TLC & the ingredients were both amazingly fresh & tasty. I have read up on some of the other yelp reviews where people complained on the food tasting too blend? Well, if they are more familiar with "true" Japanese cuisine then they would be aware of the light seasoning & healthy eating in the Japanese culture. Such as teriyaki chicken at most of the western styled so call Japanese restaurant would be very heavy in taste, oil & super sweet which really isn't "Japanese". Its like asking for orange chicken & fortune cookies in China lol. Anyways, its obvious this is a mid-upper scale restaurant so being prepared to spend approx $40 to $50 per person is more than reasonable for a nice comfortable meal where you are not trying to stuff your face but enjoy some fine tasting & well prepared food. Not to mention the plating was very beautiful. Here is some of the items I have ordered: From the Grill: Sweet Peppers: 5 stars for the smokey and yet light tasting flavor from the grill. The peppers is slightly sweet as most veggies has a natural sweetness to them while the sweet peppers also provides a tiny bit of spiciness. Very delicious. Asparagus: 5 stars. Smokey and lightly seasoned where its just a refreshing side order or take it as appetizer along with your sake. Skirt Steak: 5 stars. Beautifully cooked while its juicy and still pink in the center. Super tender and very reasonable portion for the price. Lobster tail: 5 stars. Amazing. The seasoning is right on point. With a bit of lime or lemon flavor and hint of salt and again...the toasty smokey aroma. YUMmmmm~ From the sushi bar: Sashimi platter: 5 stars. I've just returned from Japan less than 2 weeks ago & I have had sushi EVERYDAY during the two weeks vacation. I have to say nothing will compare to the freshness & sweetness of some of the tuna that I had tasted in Japan but Umi isn't too far behind with the freshness of the ingredients & the amount of thought and care they chefs has put into each and every piece on the platter. Oysters: 5 Starts. OMG...YUM. Fresh & the house lime shavings that they serve along with the oysters just makes it taste THAT MUCH MORE fresher & brings out the original sweetness of a very FRESH oysters. Ikura Sushi w/quail egg yolk, Chef specialty sushi w/mince fish and green onions along with pieces of uni: 5 Stars. I was rather disappointed when I tried to order uni and were told they were sold out for the evening. However, I was MORE THAN pleasantly surprised when both the sashimi platter served pieces of sweet shrimp with uni on top and some of the other special pieces of sushi that we ordered on the side included uni. THAT~satisfied my uni craving :) Drinks: Pineapple Sake: 4 Stars. The hint of pineapple flavor was very mellow&light. U can taste that it's real pineapple infused w/sake to create this specialty sake. Strawberry Sake: 5 Stars. Just like the pineapple sake, this fruit infused sake is also served to u in a little pour bottle along w/a very unique glass staged over ice. The presentation is very pretty & a very good way to keep your drink cool without having to worry about it being watered down. Very good. Sparkling Sake: 3 Stars. I was in the mood for something sparkly&sweet alcoholic beverage as dessert. They do not have moscato so I decided on sparkling sake. Since I just had sparkling sake in Japan&it was simply delicious. I ordered a bottle. I am fully aware that sparkling sake is normally in a 360ml bottle which it was exactly what I had anticipated. However, after tasting it. . . it wasn't very sweet or bubbly at all. That was a little disappointment for me but not the deal breaker. Another disappointment was when I received the bill&realized the bottle of 360ml sparkling sake was pretty much the same price as the gigantic bottle of plum wine. . .I wish it tasted more like the one I had in Japan. I know its not the restaurants fault but they should really reconsider importing another brand of sparkling sake. Plum Wine: 5 Stars. UMI only carry VERY LARGE bottles of plum wine&only sold by the glass. After sampling that, it was yummy. Light, sweet&super refreshing. I like. Hence I had my waiter check if I can order the entire bottle to go. The entire bottle was only $45. :) 4 STARS: not because of the food/decor/majority of the staff. Surprisingly, it was the asian lady dressed rather too young&odd for her age who happens to be the manager? For such a nice restaurant, they can do better in selecting a manager who enjoys coming over to your table while looking very out of place but always trying to insist upon you HER favorite dish and being rather overbearing over and over again. I feel she is the only flaw in this $300+ upscale fine dinning experience for 2 people.
(4)Lola V.
Every roll I've ever had here is wonderful. Their menu is not terribly extensive, but that works well for me, because sushi menus are notoriously confusing and I'd rather have things simplified a bit anyway. Service is exceptional. :) Love this place. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Cathy R.
This restaurant is fantastic! Great atmosphere and service. They have a large selection of wines that are unique and hand selected by the owner according to our server. We have been here several times and tried many dishes. The Naked Tuna roll is one we order every time it's fresh and delicious. The Godzilla roll is also good and all of the robusta grill selections have all been good. If you like noodles the udon noodle bowl with the pesto style sauce was very good. A great addition to the Park Avenue restaurant scene!
(5)Missy C.
This is by far one of the best sushi restaurants I have ever been to. The single reason I am giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is because they CHARGE for a side of sriracha. I'm sorry but when your sushi is already pricey, I don't feel that this is necessary or right. Again the food was delicious but I just have an issue with the sriracha charge. Never happened to me before anywhere else.
(4)Jessica B.
Popped in for lunch today and ordered the Volcano Roll. I was not familiar with the "Osaka style" roll and was surprised to find the roll wasn't a roll at all, but pressed rice, no seaweed and some sort of noodle-like mixture included with the krab and scallops in the topping. I mentioned my surprise that it was not a traditional roll to the server, but they offered no explanation. I later went back online to read the description and found the information there. I saw "Volcano Roll" and assumed it was what I was used to... The flavor was fine, but the texture left much to be desired--very mushy. The plating was beautiful, but it felt a bit over the top. My friend ordered the Rainbow Roll. The portion was comparable to a Publix sushi roll. The space looks lovely and the staff were friendly and attentive. Overall, I think the prices are very high for what you receive. We spent $15-$20 per person on one item for lunch and did not order beverages.
(2)Chris H.
This was my second time at Umi and far from my last. My wife and I both love the overall menu, the wine selection and the service. The sushi rolls are all innovative and fantastic. I'd give a roll by roll review but we had a large crowd and we sampled nearly all of them. Let's just say that they are not your Mom's sushi. Everyone in the group loved the tapas style and the unique preparation. Our personal favorite are the squid appetizer, the sea bass and the short rib. Simply amazing. Well worth the trip to Park Ave!!!
(5)Sara P.
I have been waiting for a great sushi place to open up on Park Ave and I think we have found a winner! First off I love that it's at the front of Park Ave... You can park in the Rollins garage and just waltz on over. I also love more intimate sushi places, it's by no means "hole in the wall" small but it's a small enough size that you don't feel like a churn and burn type experience is going to happen. They have a really nice bar they just finished, a small sushi bar and outdoor seating as well. When we sat down we saw a familiar sight, Stanley from Seito, who from the first time myself and my boyfriend went there, we knew he was the man and that's what made our rolls so unique. On a side note I have been to seito recently not knowing he wasn't there and it was awful. Anyways we ordered all together the snapper, tuna tatake, spicy dragon, calamari from the robatu, and garlic lime edamame and it was perfect. All of it. Our server was very knowledgeable, we were so impressed. I HIGHLY recommend.
(5)Fonda Y.
Three words. Raw bento box. The sashimi is super fresh, the portions - perfect, and the bacon-wrapped tomato a cute variation on the traditional Japanese bento box. I honestly think it's worth the price, as is the Japanese-Style Chirashi, which is reminiscent of Seito Sushi's in Baldwin Park. Definitely worth a try if you've never had chirashi before. The bowl is huge, and I promise you won't be able to finish it by yourself. Walk over to The Wine Room after to top it off. I'm definitely coming back to try to the Korean-Style Chirashi!
(5)Hana L.
I worked in sushi restaurants and I tried so many sushi restaurants. (I AM A SUSHI MANIAC) New gem place. Everything taste amazing in this restaurant. I go there at least once a week, even for just little tapas. Favorite: Entree: Roll: Umi & mango tango rool. Umi roll- so clean taste, not heavy in my stomach since it doesn't have rice it in. i believe 3 different kinds of fish wrapped in cucumber and ponzu sauce. I love it since I can really taste how fresh those fish are. Mango Tango- when I am feeling sweet and feeling tropical, I like eating this roll. I am a huge Mango fan and it contains mango which is a plus. I love the idea of fruits and fish combo. Its very unique. Bowl: Chirashi & Udong Chirashi: when I saw the price I thought it was bit expensive, but yup I was wrong. compare to many much fish they give me and how its decorated, it its worth the money. those fish are sooo fresh, yellowtail just melts in my mouth. Dessert: MUST TRY MACHA GREEN TEA dessert, its unusual. Not too sweet (i don't like too sweet), not too salty. JUST AMAZING. it taste better when you mix it before you eat it. I also love how they have coffee press and I get to press it. Makes me feel extra special and feeling hippie. I can't wait to go back this weekend and try different food!
(5)Jullie C.
Was really looking forward to this restaurant and I wasn't really wowed but it was good for what it was! It wasn't really unique and the waiter didn't really know the menu... he just kept saying everything was his favorite and when the food came out it wasn't anything like he had explained... hahah basically he was just making shit up. But the food was good nonetheless. Was it up to par? I would have to say no... (lobster roll, tuna by tuna, and another one that was obviously not memorable). We also got dessert which was pretty bland- green tea panna cotta with citrus syrup. It was really just like any other sushi place. One thing I disagree with the other yelpers is the price. For some reason the price range was labeled $$$ but looking at the menu it was really more $$. The only thing that seemed over priced was the sashimi/sushi. It was priced per piece while the rolls were decently priced. The decor inside could also be better. They have a half wall as a room divider which i feel is unnecessary. They could do a lot better with the interior design with the location they have.
(3)Rebecca T.
I think I'll need to go back.. they were out of a couple of things but oh my damn - the oyster sampler was it for real - I could have those every day. We sat at the sushi bar & got assaulted by the smoke from the grill - the space is too cramped to provide a cleaner sushi bar seating solution - bummer.
(3)N L.
Went to lunch there today. It's definitely one of the tastier lunch options on Park. The Pork Belly Robata was tender and delicious. We also had toro appetizer special that was very good. Service was swift and attentive. I will be back next time to try the donburi and the ramen options. I'm glad a high quality Japanese restaurant has come to Park Ave.
(5)Gisela G.
Went to Umi for dinner, and left more than satisfied! The fish is some of the freshest I have found in Orlando. The Rainbow, Godzilla, and Spicy Tuna rolls were stand outs. The pork belly was flavorful and fall apart tender. The ambiance was cozy and romantic. Great experience!
(5)Matthew C.
Wow, what a great experience. We had the garlic lime edamame, 5 sushi rolls, the calamari tapas, sashimi and the Kobe beef tapas. It was all incredible. We ordered two rolls where we let the chef do whatever he wanted and they were incredible. The Kobe beer tapas was a generous portion (my mom had it as her meal) and you cooked it yourself on a hot grill. It was amazingly tender and the marinade was delicious. All the rolls were fresh, inventive and perfectly portioned. The sashimi was beautiful and the calamari was crisp and perfect. This place is top notch.
(5)Eileen D.
This restaurant is absolutely excellent, I cannot say enough good things about Umi. My boyfriend and I have been visiting Umi for months now and have always left happy and never been disappointed! The food is INCREDIBLE. I cannot say enough good things about the sushi at this restaurant. The chef is truly amazing. Our favorites are the Tuna by Tuna, Spitfire, Sake Don and Godzilla roll. For appetizers, the cured snapper. The Nigiri platter will also blow you away, the chef prepares it personally every time. The food is consistently delicious and always fresh and beautifully prepared. The desserts are amazing too, particularly the lemon semi freido. I also recommend the Very Berry drink, it's delicious. The interior is very a classic and clean style (the bar is beautiful), and pulls a both relaxed and high end ambience at the same time. The entire staff is excellent, Yenni is so helpful and charming and our waiter David is always friendly, funny, and knowledgable about the food. This is by far the best restaurant in the area, I'm so glad it opened- 5 stars on all counts!
(5)Negar S.
We found this place just walking down Park Avenue. We tried the unfiltered cold sake which was delicious! I do not remember the names of the sushi rolls we had ordered last week but they were also delicious! They have a nice variety of rolls although the majority do include tuna. They have some outdoor seating which is also nice.
(4)Julie B.
Great service, great atmosphere and the best food!
(5)James F.
I went here for dinner and ordered nigiri moriawasee, seabass with premium sake. It was very delightful experience and will come visit again soon.
(5)Patrick L.
Great food..had a few things from the robata grill and ordered some sashimi and it was awesome
(5)Joseph T.
Very enjoyable meal for a larger group. Interesting ambiance easy to talk and hear without having to yell across the table. The music playing didn't seem to match the overall feel of the restaurant. Both the robata and sushi items were delicious. Their menu doesn't really stray far from a traditional american sushi restaurant. Menu is definitely accommodating for the less adventurous sushi eaters as well. This is definitely not a budget sushi location, but what else would you expect for Park Avenue? Expect to spend 30+ dollars to feel pleasantly full. Rolls are on the smaller side for the price, but the chirashi bowl is always a safe bet. While not as unique or fresh as Kappo, it was certainly one of the better ones I've had in recent memory, although the omelette could have used more mirin / sweetness. Only complain food-wise was the edamame was almost inedible due to the amount of salt. My guests and i found ourselves whipping off some of the salt before we ate them. Panna cotta was fantastic as mentioned in a previous review. Perfect texture and perfect amount of sweetness. It would be great for them to have a cocktail menu / happy hour / specials to keep the menu more interesting. Service was attentive and very personable, but sometimes they couldn't really explain the menu if we had some questions. But being a fairly new restaurant, I expect this will resolve over time.
(4)Chris D.
Excellent...a creative gem for WP
(5)Chad M.
The owners of this place understand good food, and the word on the street is that this is the best sushi in Florida. Art is love.
(5)David R.
The signature rolls I tried were outstanding, as was everything from the robota grill! I've frequented countless sushi restaurants from San Francisco, New York, and Paris and my meal at Umi was on par with or better than any of them! In Orlando! Also, an elegant yet understated interior and a very friendly staff add to this unpretentious jewel that would be a unique and welcome addition to ANY city.
(5)Melanie N.
I want here for lunch and dinner, and both were a little more expensive for what it was. I probably won't come here again, but it's good and worth a try. I've gotten the Godzilla roll, Mango Tango roll, and a Rainbow roll, all were great! For lunch, I got the cooked bento box, which was pretty big for what I was expecting. My mom got the sashimi combo and the presentation was really pretty. The Gyoza and fried calamari appetizers are delicious too.
(4)Steve P.
This place is officially on my rotation. The grill and sushi creations from Chef Stanley will keep me coming back. Try the Mango Tango roll for dessert!
(5)Jay B.
Awesome new Japanese restaurant on central Florida's finest street: Park Ave in Winter Park! Freshest ingredients guarantee excellent taste and indulgence.
(5)P O.
The best sushi in Otown! Fresh ingredients, new and delicious menu, friendly staff. My new fave sushi place.
(5)Stephen Y.
Nice atmosphere, good location, and great food. The kimchi croquettes were amazing and the sushi is one of the best I've had in Orlando. One thing unique about the restaurant is that they feature a Robata grill which is a definite must try, the skirt steak had a very wonderful texture and the pork belly was delicious.
(5)Frank W.
This place is fantastic. The food is delicious and inventive, and the presentation is far above what you expect from a sushi restaurant. The tapas style for dinner is especially refreshing. It allows you and your dining mates to sample all of the delicious creations from the chef. Save room for dessert -- the mascarpone cheesecake is outrageous. I have been 3 times this week already!
(5)Amy S.
Great sushi! Very attentive service! Will look forward to eating here again.
(4)Tom S.
I am in no way a sophisticated diner. I like simple and good food. This space was formerly a pleasant place to sit down for a nice plate of pad thai or a curry. I always walked out feeling I had received value for the money I spent. The space is now morphed into pretentious "fusion" foodie haven. When I first walked in I was greeted by one of the servers. She proceeded to tell me there were no tables readily available. Her face was turned into the room as she spoke ... while I looked at the back of her head. I had to ask her to repeat herself. Strike one. So we waited at the bar for a few minutes. The beer (an IPA) was good. We were seated in a few minutes. My gf ordered a teri yaki chicken and vegetable dish. The vegetables were nicely cooked. The chicken tasted odd to me. Not like any teri yaki I've ever eaten. I ordered the rib eye steak dish. I was a little taken aback when I was served 8 small chunks of steak grilled on 2 skewers and served on some vegetable matter resembling clover. The steak was reasonably tender. The flavor was just "okay" at best. Strike two. I walked out still hungry. Strike three. My new rule ... if the restaurant has fusion displayed on the window ... keep walking.
(2)Molly B.
Umi is a true find in winter park , it's best described as sushi/grills restaurant . The grilled appetizers are amazing. My favorite is the shishito peppers and short rib is delicious. Definitely worth a visit..
(5)Nofe K.
The restaurant was clean; HOWEVER, the food is less than average I couldn't even force myself to finish the sushi. I don't recommend this restaurant, you have a lot of good choices on park ave.
(1)Geeky G.
Maybe it's a thing where you have to order SUSHI -- as opposed to any of the rest of the items on the menu (they're a "side line?") in order to experience a "wow factor" here. Alas, we didn't order sushi. I had chicken teriyaki. A very small portion and not very teriyakied compared to other teriyaki I've had over the years. Bland. Two tiny tomatoes, 4 chunks of yellow squash and a few pieces of onion. $12. My companion's dish from the "grill" was incredibly tiny. We sort of laughed, actually. It was tiny like an appetizer, with a spritz of sprouts or something on top. Sort of a Chia Pet look. Neither of us is overweight, BTW. But damn, not much food here for the money. Atmosphere a bit hipster-snooty -- as might be expected given the Park Ave. address -- and yet the aisle was blocked by a boisterous group of diners taking selfies for five minutes. A couple of the old-enough-to-know-better boys were punching-each-other-in-the-arm, inappropriate given the atmosphere. That's not the restaurant's fault, of course, but I found it odd that the server was too timid to say "Excuse me I have to deliver food to this table because you're not the only people in the restaurant, please move." She stood and waited for the loud people to wander on out of the restaurant. I'm sorry, but I won't be back. Tiny portions, nothing special at all. Miss the Thai place that used to be here. :(
(2)Kimberly S.
I went there for lunch recently and got the cooked bento book, it's quite different from the bento boxes at other places I've been to locally. I would suggest trying it if you're looking for something different. The staff is extremely friendly and they have excellent customer service. To me customer service is so important, and they go above and beyond here. When I ordered my lunch, part of it was missing but they reached out to me personally to apologize which I thought was amazing and I did not expect that. I have not tried their sushi but I will definitely go back now and see what else they have to offer.
(5)