Went to Hikari on Friday night with a few friends... the meal was underwhelming at best. For what we paid the best tasting roll was the spicy shrimp roll which was also the most basic. The house specialty rolls that we ordered were very bland and lacked any punch of flavor --- one was so overly 'fishy' that it was practically inedible. I love the concept of this restaurant especially in this neighborhood but I wish they would either step up the flavor or lower the prices so my expectations were met.
(3)
Annie D.
Their Sushi is ok, (the Korean food IS 3 stars worthy though). One night I was in the mood for sushi and went in on a whim. I walked in and there was 2 employees at the host podium both stared at me and after about 40 seconds I got, "um, are you waiting for a friend?" I laughed and said no that I was hoping to sit at the bar and grab a quick bite. For the rest of the evening the entire staff fawned on me like I was the saddest little diner they've ever had. lol. Aside from how awkward it was just to grab a quick solo meal out, the sushi wasn't the best I've had so I've only been back once since.
(2)
Lindsay D.
Getting wrapped up in the wonderment of the new construction in Northern Liberties you have to force yourself to walk past the busy eating people sitting outside of Bar Ferdinand....alas....it is worth the walk down the block. The inside is humbly decorated, a little juvenile, but clean and inviting. We recently went here (my second time) with a group of friends from out of town. With all the choices of places I had to bring them to, this was on the top of my list. There were 10 of us in our party and we must have called a million times to change the reservations, add more people, make requests and the girls were nothing but super sweet and VERY accomodating. We all arrived late, but they didn't even appear annoyed. Best of all, this place is a BYO so they immediatly offered to put our packaged goods on ice. We ordered a smattering of sushi, I got the beef negimaki as an appetizer which was delicious. For dinner, the 10 of us managed to consume MORE sushi, I had the Kalbi which is amazing here, served with white rice, plum sauce and lettuce cups, the guys had the bulgogi which was also delicious. I could rave about the awesome service all night. It was awfully warm inside but they brought out a large, uninterfering fan. They were quick with all of our requests, although there was 1 or 2 slip ups they were just so damned nice it's not worth complaining about. We sat there for close to 3 hours and they were pleasant through the whole thing. Hikari? Every chance I get!
(5)
Teresa D.
Yummy. My friend and I went here for dinner. We made sure to bring our wine. I love this whole BYOB thing, it's great and makes it so much cheaper to drink while out. We shared the tempura appetizer, which came with 2 shrimp, 2 pieces of eggplant, 2 pieces of red and 2 pieces of green peppers, 2 zucchini, a piece of sweet potato and onion. It was delicious, they were perfectly fried to a crisp golden brown. The sauce was quite good as well. I also had the spicy yellowtail roll. It was very good, much better than I expected. My friend got the sashimi salad, which she said was delicious. They have white tuna, which is her favorite. I have to come back to try the lunch specials!
(4)
Thommy S.
Have finally got around to going here and loved it, look forward to going back again soon and especially look forward to sitting outside on a nice evening drinking saki and devouring large amounts of sushi! Byob so be sure to stop an get a nice big bottle of something!
(5)
Jessica E.
Hikari is a cute sushi establishment in No Libs. I have been here twice. Service is efficient and the atmosphere is nice. Both times that I have gone I have stuck to their rolls. Nothing has been "bad," but none of the rolls have blown me away either. It's not my first choice for sushi, but it does the trick.
(3)
Nik F.
We came here for the first time with a group of eight and left knowing it would be our last. There were about 3 or 4 other tables in the whole restaurant, and the service could not have been any slower. It took about 20 minutes to warm up our sake and about the same time to bring out our edamme. Our Kani Salad was perfectly spicy, however, full of mayo which took away from the taste. Sushi was average, thanks to the side of spicy mayo. Menu is way too over priced for the quality and level of service of this restaurant PRO: Sushi Chef brought out two complimentary dishes to the table. (probably to make up for their lack of attention) Overall, I would not recommend nor come back.
(1)
Caleb S.
Overpriced and forgettable. I won't be back.
(2)
nicole p.
I ate here once before and came back because my daughter wanted sushi for dinner. I know what your thinking. The miso soup was bland. The sushi tasty but not so tasty I would run out the door screaming- this sushi is the best!! The decor is cute, the service great, our waitress took my daughters chop sticks and rigged them with a rubber band and straw rapper so they were easy to use. To her this place is the best because of the chopsticks. Me on the other hand, well it is just okay.
(3)
Three R.
My first bento box and damit it was good. Great service, clean, great location. I will continue to get my bento at hikari
(4)
Christina S.
Hikari has it as far as appearance and location goes. The sushi is good, although I think it could be a bit more fresh. I'm not down with the whole BYOB movement. I'm not saying stock a full bar, but a little Sake on hand wouldn't be the worst thing ever. I have been to this location three times, based solely on location, being that I resided in No Libs. There is never a crowd, and the service is good.
(3)
PhillyRock P.
I usually default to Hikari for sushi because it's close to where I live. It's not the greatest sushi in the world, but it's pretty good and the prices are decent. I've never had any problem with service and never had to wait for a table. When you don't want to deal with the whole "dining out" thing but are too lazy to cook, they're really good about pick-up orders and delivery too. Don't go in expecting the greatest meal of your life, but it's in no way bad. I like Hikari a lot, and it's a great no-brainer spot for a quick sushi fix.
(3)
Joe A.
First off, I'm a vegetarian. So with that in mind, I only ordered vegetable sushi. I've never been to a Japanese resturant that gives you a tea bag. They don't even make any other drinks so they should at least get tea right. The vegetables did not seem fresh and they put mango in the sweet potato roll. We kept hearing the microwave going in the backround and we were the only people eating there so we were pretty sure it was for our dinner. Totally overpriced even if it was good. We didn't even finish one thing we ordered. I would have given it one star but I never tried the fish. And our server was very friendly and extremely nice.
(2)
jack j.
Umm probably the worst sushi I have ever eaten. My friends and boss have gone there about 3 times each, all with the same opinion as me. If you want good sushi try Fat Salmon in center city. The service was pretty bad too, we had a server that gave us half full glasses of luke-warm water... straight from the tap. It sucks cause this is a great location and if the sushi was even half decent, I would be there every night.
(1)
Samantha D.
I thought this was really good sushi and really reasonably priced. BYOB is good. And we didn't wait at all for a table on a Friday night. Service was excellent as well.
(4)
Eric V.
The service was great. The sushi was good... some pieces were really good... and some were just so-so.... but the green tea ice cream and banana tempura were awesome!
(4)
Melissa M.
This place is good on their time schedule??? I called for a take out order at 3:15 and the said "sorry we're on break time"? What! So if you want Sushi and it's between 3:00 & 4:30pm you're outta luck with Hikari.
(3)
Brielle A.
Was skeptical at first, but was extremely impressed. Soo fresh. spring salad came w fresh ground ginger dressing and even avocado slices. All sushi was amazing, crazy tuna special was phenom though. Yaki Udon was also fantastic. one of the best Ive had. Definitely will be back here.
(5)
Lorraine H.
It was 6:30 on a week night when we came here, we were 2/3 people in the restaurant! I was surprised! It was very tasty and we will definitely be returning for more! The miso soup was great as well!
(5)
Annie H.
Miso Soup and Salad with Ginger Dressing were good. We got 4 special rolls and weren't very impressed with any of them. The best one had octopus and seaweed salad inside, which was pretty good and something we'd never tried before. But the remainder all had something off about them in either texture or flavor. And when a roll costs upwards of $17, I expect it to be excellent. Service was meh - waitress was pretty absent most of the time.
(3)
Elegant L.
Just tried them out for the first time, it was delicious! I'm from NY/NJ area where sushi is top notch and this place satisfied my taste buds. Kinda pricey though, but I think their quality of food justifies it. Very high quality rice and vegetables. Their fish grade was amazing too.
(5)
Rachel S.
TAKE-OUT review: Hikari is a good local spot for northern liberties - there are only 2 real sushi bars, this being one of them. Sushi is very good, but very expensive. They offer a wide variety of specialty rolls and I've never been disappointed. Parking is a challenge, but if you're just picking up an order, you can pull onto the sidewalk for 5 minutes w/ your hazards on.
(3)
Andrew H.
Better than cheap sushi lunch places, although the price matches. A great place to have a real conversation and some very good sushi.
(4)
Courtney F.
This place is small, but charming and their ingredients are super fresh. I had the shrimp tempura rolls which were delish! However I took off stars because, obviously, parking sucks also the spot is BYOB (huge hassle) and it's not even much cheaper considering that factor.
(3)
Magen S.
The speciality rolls are pretty basic compared to other places in Philly. It's also overpriced but so is everything else around Northern Liberties (speciality rolls are $15 + ) The main reason I continue to go here is it's conveniently located below my boyfriends apartment. I will say though the seafood seems to always be fresh. Seaweed salad is good. One of my favorite rolls is the sprunchy.
(3)
Andrew I.
Food was good (i had two Maki rolls), but service took a long time (we went during lunch with one other party there). Average food so I wont be craving to come back anytime soon.
(3)
Michael N.
Fantastic sushi spot hidden in the back of the Piazza area of Northern Liberties. Great custom rolls and high quality sushi. Excellent service and nice people. Did I mention BYO? Nice, simple decor with a small dining room and some outside seating if the weather permits. This is definitely my favorite sushi spot in Philadelphia. My go to meal is a spring mix salad with ginger along with a polar bear roll and a volcano roll. Clean bathrooms. This place comes highly recommended.
(5)
Lesley S.
great! and delivers to fishtown!
(5)
Sarah K.
I came here this past Saturday night with a friend and a bottle of wine. Parking took around 10 minutes as the area is in the back-ish area of Northern Liberties and cars are parked in every nook and cranny. But that's okay, since we were seated immediately! When I opened the menu, my jaw dropped. Everything here is crazy expensive. My favorite entree, Hwe Dup Bap (Korean Bibimbap with the addition of sushi pieces) is $17.00, but I think that that alone is worth the price. However, each standard roll is on average, $8.00, almost double what some other Center City sushi restaurant would charge. Hell, if you go to Vic's, you could get 3 rolls for only three dollars more. The special rolls are around $15.00 and up. If you don't mind spending the money, I'd recommend the polar bear roll! My favorite. We started off with a salad each, which was fresh and garnished with a slice of orange. The only caveat would be that I wanted more of that delicious dressing. I shared the spicy salmon, spicy white tuna, and the eel maki's this past Saturday. I loved the white tuna, and I think that not too many places in Philadelphia offer it (along with scallop). My friend loved the eel rolls and found them texturally pleasing. The rolls are pleasant, yet they weren't as substantial as I'd hope for the price. Hikari hooked it up by giving us a piece of seared tuna wrapped around kani, topped with tobiko. I'm not sure what the actual name of this thing was, but it was delightfully citrusy, fresh, briny. For dessert, we had the fried ice cream which was wrapped in a delicious cake like bread. I would give Hikari a higher rating, were it not for the inflated prices. This place would definitely be a regular go-to BYOB place if it were a tad bit more affordable. As is, I will only come here when I have money to blow and an intense craving for Hwe Dup Bap.
(3)
Kristina C.
Seaweed salad is perfect peach aloe juice is a definite must try lunch menu before 3p homemade carrot ginger dressing The server was very nice and helpful with questions that we had about the menu. For lunch there is a platter that has a large sampling of items and it was awesome, every bit of it. The place was nice and clean and I would definitely recommend it!
(4)
Scott K.
Excellent service and extremely fresh and delicious food. There is nothing more to say then you should come and check this place out ASAP.
(5)
JP G.
Their sushi is heaven. Period. Sushi is super fresh and excellent quality. Didn't expect much, but oh boy! This place rocks. Great service too. My new favorite sushi spot, other than Morimoto. Yes, that good. :)
(5)
Izabella J.
Excellent service. Staff is very friendly. It's conveniently located in Northern Liberties by the famous Piazza. I have only ordered to go as it was a Sunday night and I felt like being lazy on my couch with some delicious sushi in my hand.
(5)
Justine F.
Every time I go into this little place on the Northern Liberties walk it is dead, and I don't understand why! Hikari has the best sushi you could ask for, with all kinds of fun combinations, and their specials actually change! I prefer the sweet potato maki, which has tempura sweet potato with mango with a few other ingredients all wrapped up in rice and some pink or light green seaweed. It looks like a present for your mouth! The seaweed salad is also exceptional. I've had rolls here that include unique pairings like strawberry, avocado, eel sauce, and whitefish... incredible! The only downfall is the price, however living in that area it is not such a big shock for me as it might be for others.
(5)
Jennifer L.
I really liked this place. I'm actually surprised by the reviews being so poor, but I noticed a lot of them were from a few years ago. My friend and I split a roll, it was a special and it was pretty spectacular. I don't even remember everything that was in it but I wish I had more! We also ordered Dolsot Bibimbap which is rice and vegetables in a hot stone bowl so the rice gets a bit crispy. It is served with a hot sauce that we couldn't get enough of. For a simple vegetarian dish it was really tasty. The only thing I didn't like was the price tag. I think it was a bit too pricey especially without having alcohol, (it's a BYOB) but the food was good so I didn't mind
(4)
Alessandro N.
The staff is very nice and kind. But I'm sorry to say that their sushi and sashimi is not that good. Especially if you consider their prices. Sorry guys, but my advice is to avoid this place.
(1)
Nadia M.
This was my first time at this place. We ordered the Rock Shrimp Appetizer, the Polar Bear and my usual go to- Spider Roll. The Rock Shrimp were amazing, the Polar Bear was pretty good but the Spider Roll was tough and did not taste as fresh as the other roll. I told the waitress that we did not like the Spider Roll and that I was actually still hungry since I was not going to finish that roll. She didn't offer to bring us anything else and since I was a little turned off from the taste of the roll, we just decided to take the check. When she brought over the check I was surprised to see the Spider Roll still on the check..I did not feel we should have to pay $14 for such a low quality roll. To make matters worse, another waiter overheard our discussion and came over insisting the fish was fresh and was acting very rude to us. I just couldn't believe how unprofessional he was. I worked as a server for years and I would never think to have a guest pay for something if the quality was not up to par, let alone start an argument with the guest. Needless to say, we ended up paying for the roll. As we were paying out, the original waitress (who was very nice but seemed a little unsure as to what to do) apologized and told us that there wasn't a manager on duty which is why she couldn't do anything. On a Friday night? What kind of place is this?
(1)
Nicole V.
I enjoyed the seaweed salad and gyoza soup. I didn't try their maki yet but my friend was pleased with her avacado roll. They are more expensive than other sushi places I have been to, even for their lunch specials, but it was delicious.
(4)
Walter K.
I'm not a huge fan of sushi, but I love good company and trying out new places. So when my friends Diana, Greg, and Lauren invited me out for sushi, I decided to go for it. Hikari is a small BYO on Liberties Walk. It has a clean, modern interior with an open sushi bar. It always inspires confidence when you can see everything the chefs are working on. There are about ten or so tables, so it's not a big place, but it's comfortable. We split a nice bottle of red wine and ordered edamame and fried dumplings. Both of these were nice appetizers, but I have my favorite spots for both of these dishes elsewhere in the city. We ordered six different rolls between the four of us, and it ended up being the perfect amount of food. I was impressed with the price, too. BYO helps a lot; the final check for the four of us was under $60. We ordered eel, yellowtail, Philadelphia (smoked salmon and cream cheese), shitaki, spicy tuna, and another spicy one. I wasn't blown away by the taste on any of these, but I was impressed by the variety. Eel is a unique taste, and it's one of my top recommendations here. A lot of the rolls include avocado, which was a great addition. My one grip would be that the spicy rolls could have been a few notches hotter. The service here was great. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. The menu is diverse and offers many rolls, including a few options if you're vehemently against sushi. Still, I recommend you try it regardless of your past experiences. Bottom Line: This is a nice little spot and one of the more unique and enjoyable restaurants in Northern Liberties. I recommend bringing your own alcohol and a few friends and try out all of the different options the menu has to offer. I didn't discover a new found love for sushi, but I had a nice meal.
(4)
Mike O.
Hikari is great! Big, creative sushi rolls. BYOB. Friendly staff. This is my favorite sushi place in Philly and would recommend it over the nearby Koi.
(5)
Alexandra W.
EX.PEN.SIVE. The rolls are pretty tasteless, save for the spicy rolls, which are too spicy (I think). The udon is good, but of course, expensive. Also, slow as beans.
(2)
Karen F.
Cute place with good - but not overwhelmingly good - sushi. I had one order of yellowtail sashimi (for $7.00) and a Polar Bear roll - which was basically an alaskan roll topped with white tuna. ($13.00) That's it. I didn't have much - and I was still kinda hungry - but cash has been tight. Service was great because the place was dead empty on a Wednesday night at 7:45 PM. Again - it's good - and worth a second visit - but by no means a holy grail.
(3)
Rob W.
Definitely a little pricey but I always enjoy the fresh ingredients and pleasant staff. The chefs are always willing to work with my custom orders and special requests. It's a byob so make sure you bring Sake and RedBull. Sake Bombs!
(4)
Ted C.
Sushi was on the menu and I just happen to stubble across this place with a friend. First impressions, very nice looking and a cosi place with outdoor seats. We ordered Edamame ($4), Seafood Teriyaki ($19), Polar Bear Roll ($13), Tempura Ice Cream (?) First complaint was that we order Edamame as an appetizer. It wasn't until I had 3 pods that the entrees came right out and then I wasn't hungry for my "appetizer". It was a waste of money to pay for the appetizer. Entrees: The food was good. Not amazing, but good. If there is one thing this place has it's presentation. Sushi and entree arrived looking spectacular. The nice thing about the Seafood Teriyaki is that it had a nice assortment of mussels, shrimp, and scallops mixed with green beans. Polar Bear roll was good, but far from amazing. Dessert: Tempura Ice Cream. Okay, Ive had this somewhere else 1 time before. I am no expert but I swear something was off about this dessert. My previous encounter with this dish was amazing. This Tempura Ice Cream was NOT amazing. The ice cream had the texture of freezer burned ice cream, but it did not taste bad. It just wasn't the soft ozzzing tasty Breyers ice cream. I was really looking forward to this and in the end was very disappointed. Overall, if your looking for a quick sushi fix in the area then you might want to try it. If your looking for awesome sushi then forget it, try some place else. Best things about this place was outdoor seating, atmosphere, presentations and service.
(3)
Marga T.
From a gluten-free standpoint, this meal was a disaster. There was a definite English/Japanese language barrier. The waitress was able to tell me that the spicy sauce and saucy mayonnaise didn't have soy sauce in them. But then I asked if any of the sushi we wanted to order had something breaded in it. "Bread?", the waitress asked. "What is bread? I don't know what." "Panko?", my housemate asked. She still had no clue what we were talking about. When the eel maki came, it had a brown sauce on it, even though there was no sauce listed on the menu. When I asked the waitress what it was, she said, helpfully, "eel sauce". When I asked her if there was soy sauce in it, she said yes. One of the other makis - salmon or yellowtail, I can't remember - had something crunchy and suspicious-looking on the inside. Turns out when the menu said "scallion", it meant "breaded and fried onions". Boo! I normally don't run into any problems like this when I get sushi, so I was disappointed. The free shot of cinnamon iced tea at the end of the meal made me a little happier, but I'm also a person who likes the taste of Goldschlager, so I'm not sure if you'll feel the same way. This is not a place to bring your GFGF (gluten-free girlfriend)!
(2)
Michelle H.
The food was beautiful and artfully prepared...delicious and the portion is standard for most Japanese restaurants...the prices were a little on the high side which accounts for the 4 rather than 5 star review
(4)
L N.
Great service and delicious appetizers. Went with a party of 5- food came quickly, which was really important as we brought a baby with us and babies only last so long in public places. Outdoor seating an byob two big positives!!! Will certainly go back again; excited to try their take out.
(5)
Kerry B.
The food was absolutely fantastic. Went here for a friends birthday. There's no corking fee for the BYOB which is always nice. Between four of us we split three dishes and it was a good amount. An extra dish wouldn't have been a bad idea but this place is pricey. Granted, when you figure the amount you saved on bringing your own alcohol it's actually pretty cheap. Service was fantastic. Our waiter was super sexy, and really attractive. And hot too. Because we had a birthday girl at the table we all got a free fried ball of some kind of seafood. All I know was that it was delicious.
(4)
Pete S.
First, I believe the owners of the establishment are Korean-Americans (I know that Asians may look alike, but it is ridiculous to believe the account of some of these reviews if you are going into an Asian-style restaurant and ignorantly conglomerate them all as Japanese). I went on a nice breezy Friday night and found the waitresses to be very helpful. They were quick to seat my party and gave us our time to look through the menu until we were comfortable to order. I loved the volcano roll and found the miso soup to be one of the best I've had in Philadelphia (and as an Asian, miso soup tells a lot about the quality of what's to come). The waitresses did not hesitate to clear out trays when they were empty, and they always did so politely. We lingered for a bit after finishing our food and the waitresses did not rush us although it was a a weekend night. I left a nice tip for good food and good service with good friends.
(5)
Alicia O.
the service was great. i had a few sushi rolls. they were all tasty and fresh. i had some kind of tea. i dont know what it was but it was delicious. some kind of white grape tea concoction. dessert was on the house which was a friendly gesture. some kind of banana thing. it was also flavorful. everything was served quickly and with a smile! plus it's BYOB so thats earns its own star in my book.
(4)
Seth E.
I've been a few times over the years and always enjoy the service, atmosphere, and of course, the seafood. Great okonomiyaki here as well.
(4)
Jake V.
I neither liked nor disliked this place. It just kind of seemed forgettable and generic at best. The sushi wasn't bad but wasn't worth the money paid. Meh.
(3)
Ryan C.
Green. It's very Green! Light flows through the translucent geisha motif covering the windows in what I would say is a very inviting space. Well laid out, but definitely geared for couples rather than large groups because of table-for-two setup, the modern shaped black chairs stand out. The sushi bar is very nice with barber shop style chairs. Consider that the sushi bar is the focal element of any sushi restaurant trying to differentiate themselves from the pack. In case you didn't know you were at a sushi place, S-U-S-H-I is cleverly spelled out hanging over the sushi bar. And I thought this place was a pizza joint!
(4)
jennifer F.
Small sushi place with outside seating, weather permitting. Bi Bim Bop was good especially when served in the stone bowl and the rice is just a little crunchy. Unagi maki was simple, yet good and fresh. Seaweed salad was very good (not dry or overly saturated with dressing).
(4)
Mike S.
I really like this place. I eat here about twice a month, I like it that much. It _is_ slightly generic at first, but the owners run the restaurant and they're super-friendly. The food is great, and the prices aren't that bad -- I have yet to find another place in Philly that comes close to the quality and the price. I spent $60 for two and left stuffed. True, places in Cherry Hill are cheaper, but I'm not about to go all the way there, and then spend $3 on tolls just to get back. Some people mention Koi (a sushi place down the street) as a better place, but I disagree. Koi's rolls are very good, but much smaller and more expensive. I spent $80 there for 2 and left hungry. One thing about Hikari that I appreciate is they throw in some freebies because they appreciate the business. Last time, they gave us two pieces of a maki version of "ham and cheese sandwich" -- uncooked salmon and cooked egg with cucumber wrapped in seaweed with rice on the outside to replace the bread. It was clever and delicious. I also recommend their udon. It's the best in town, even better than my mom's. I really think more people should give this place a try. For sure it's standard sushi, but I think you get your money's worth if you stick with the rolls.
(5)
Chelsea N.
This place is good. I like that it's always empty. It's fairly priced too.
(4)
Tony R.
Good sushi! I wish I knew it was a BYOB before we went. Quick table service. I'd recommend it to try. We'll go back for the sushi.
(4)
Marian R.
I don't like that two stars says meh, but three says a-ok and i wouldn't go that far. I had heard good things about this place from trustworthy friends, so I wanted to check it out. I went there recently and I have to say I have definitely experience better (which follows the meh in the two star description). I ordered the salmon combo (yes, points off from me for creativity, but the basics provide a good grounds for a sampling. and I was having a craving, so there) and it was very mediocre. The salmon roll was cut haphazardly and the rice was a little too gummy. The sashimi wasn't perfectly cut and was almost chewy and the sushi was diminished by the not quite right rice. The quality of the fish was excellent though, and that was good. I would not object to going back to Hikari if friends wanted to go (and I would of course like to try more of their menu and give them a shot at earning the third star), but given my druthers, I will choose Zento in Old City any day.
(2)
Jennifer C.
Hikari is a poor excuse for a restaurant. While the food is decent (at best), the level of service is astonishingly low. As a paying customer I never expect to be treated as an inconvenience or after-thought. However, this is standard practice at Hikari. Exhibit A: I am a concierge at a hotel in Center City, Philadelphia. Because of the Piazza many younger hotel guests inquire about dining in the Northern Liberties. I have explored most of the dining options in the area and have been extremely impressed. I went to Hikari on a Tuesday at 6:30 and decided to sit outside. I was ALONE on a TUESDAY early in the evening. The restaurant was virtually empty and service should not have been a problem. 10 minutes after my arrival I still had not seen a server. I finally went inside and it was clear the hostess had completely forgotten about me. I sat inside hoping for a bit more attention from the staff. 10 minutes later I still did not have water. I had to ask for every single item I ordered twice. Water was never refilled. Sushi came out before appetizers. This was a complete disaster...and the bill for one person exceeded $25 (keep in mind this is a byob!). One person was acting as receptionist, hostess, and server. Ridiculous. Exhibit B: While staying with a friend in the NoLibs we decided we wanted sushi. While I knew my in-house dining experience had been awful...I assumed we could not go wrong with Hikari take-out. Unfortunately, Japanese Restaurant options are limited in the area. I was told I could pick up my order in 10 minutes. 45 MINUTES LATER it was still not ready. I spoke to a manager who was completely unapologetic and unwilling to adjust the bill or throw something complimentary in the mix. I walked out hungry and angry. ...I called Mizu sushi on my way out of Hikari and my large order was ready by the time I arrived there (6 minutes later). DO NOT GO TO THIS AWFUL ESTABLISHMENT YOU WILL ONLY LEAVE FRUSTRATED!
(1)
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Address :1040 N American St,Ste 701
Philadelphia, PA, 19123
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Katie B.
Went to Hikari on Friday night with a few friends... the meal was underwhelming at best. For what we paid the best tasting roll was the spicy shrimp roll which was also the most basic. The house specialty rolls that we ordered were very bland and lacked any punch of flavor --- one was so overly 'fishy' that it was practically inedible. I love the concept of this restaurant especially in this neighborhood but I wish they would either step up the flavor or lower the prices so my expectations were met.
(3)Annie D.
Their Sushi is ok, (the Korean food IS 3 stars worthy though). One night I was in the mood for sushi and went in on a whim. I walked in and there was 2 employees at the host podium both stared at me and after about 40 seconds I got, "um, are you waiting for a friend?" I laughed and said no that I was hoping to sit at the bar and grab a quick bite. For the rest of the evening the entire staff fawned on me like I was the saddest little diner they've ever had. lol. Aside from how awkward it was just to grab a quick solo meal out, the sushi wasn't the best I've had so I've only been back once since.
(2)Lindsay D.
Getting wrapped up in the wonderment of the new construction in Northern Liberties you have to force yourself to walk past the busy eating people sitting outside of Bar Ferdinand....alas....it is worth the walk down the block. The inside is humbly decorated, a little juvenile, but clean and inviting. We recently went here (my second time) with a group of friends from out of town. With all the choices of places I had to bring them to, this was on the top of my list. There were 10 of us in our party and we must have called a million times to change the reservations, add more people, make requests and the girls were nothing but super sweet and VERY accomodating. We all arrived late, but they didn't even appear annoyed. Best of all, this place is a BYO so they immediatly offered to put our packaged goods on ice. We ordered a smattering of sushi, I got the beef negimaki as an appetizer which was delicious. For dinner, the 10 of us managed to consume MORE sushi, I had the Kalbi which is amazing here, served with white rice, plum sauce and lettuce cups, the guys had the bulgogi which was also delicious. I could rave about the awesome service all night. It was awfully warm inside but they brought out a large, uninterfering fan. They were quick with all of our requests, although there was 1 or 2 slip ups they were just so damned nice it's not worth complaining about. We sat there for close to 3 hours and they were pleasant through the whole thing. Hikari? Every chance I get!
(5)Teresa D.
Yummy. My friend and I went here for dinner. We made sure to bring our wine. I love this whole BYOB thing, it's great and makes it so much cheaper to drink while out. We shared the tempura appetizer, which came with 2 shrimp, 2 pieces of eggplant, 2 pieces of red and 2 pieces of green peppers, 2 zucchini, a piece of sweet potato and onion. It was delicious, they were perfectly fried to a crisp golden brown. The sauce was quite good as well. I also had the spicy yellowtail roll. It was very good, much better than I expected. My friend got the sashimi salad, which she said was delicious. They have white tuna, which is her favorite. I have to come back to try the lunch specials!
(4)Thommy S.
Have finally got around to going here and loved it, look forward to going back again soon and especially look forward to sitting outside on a nice evening drinking saki and devouring large amounts of sushi! Byob so be sure to stop an get a nice big bottle of something!
(5)Jessica E.
Hikari is a cute sushi establishment in No Libs. I have been here twice. Service is efficient and the atmosphere is nice. Both times that I have gone I have stuck to their rolls. Nothing has been "bad," but none of the rolls have blown me away either. It's not my first choice for sushi, but it does the trick.
(3)Nik F.
We came here for the first time with a group of eight and left knowing it would be our last. There were about 3 or 4 other tables in the whole restaurant, and the service could not have been any slower. It took about 20 minutes to warm up our sake and about the same time to bring out our edamme. Our Kani Salad was perfectly spicy, however, full of mayo which took away from the taste. Sushi was average, thanks to the side of spicy mayo. Menu is way too over priced for the quality and level of service of this restaurant PRO: Sushi Chef brought out two complimentary dishes to the table. (probably to make up for their lack of attention) Overall, I would not recommend nor come back.
(1)Caleb S.
Overpriced and forgettable. I won't be back.
(2)nicole p.
I ate here once before and came back because my daughter wanted sushi for dinner. I know what your thinking. The miso soup was bland. The sushi tasty but not so tasty I would run out the door screaming- this sushi is the best!! The decor is cute, the service great, our waitress took my daughters chop sticks and rigged them with a rubber band and straw rapper so they were easy to use. To her this place is the best because of the chopsticks. Me on the other hand, well it is just okay.
(3)Three R.
My first bento box and damit it was good. Great service, clean, great location. I will continue to get my bento at hikari
(4)Christina S.
Hikari has it as far as appearance and location goes. The sushi is good, although I think it could be a bit more fresh. I'm not down with the whole BYOB movement. I'm not saying stock a full bar, but a little Sake on hand wouldn't be the worst thing ever. I have been to this location three times, based solely on location, being that I resided in No Libs. There is never a crowd, and the service is good.
(3)PhillyRock P.
I usually default to Hikari for sushi because it's close to where I live. It's not the greatest sushi in the world, but it's pretty good and the prices are decent. I've never had any problem with service and never had to wait for a table. When you don't want to deal with the whole "dining out" thing but are too lazy to cook, they're really good about pick-up orders and delivery too. Don't go in expecting the greatest meal of your life, but it's in no way bad. I like Hikari a lot, and it's a great no-brainer spot for a quick sushi fix.
(3)Joe A.
First off, I'm a vegetarian. So with that in mind, I only ordered vegetable sushi. I've never been to a Japanese resturant that gives you a tea bag. They don't even make any other drinks so they should at least get tea right. The vegetables did not seem fresh and they put mango in the sweet potato roll. We kept hearing the microwave going in the backround and we were the only people eating there so we were pretty sure it was for our dinner. Totally overpriced even if it was good. We didn't even finish one thing we ordered. I would have given it one star but I never tried the fish. And our server was very friendly and extremely nice.
(2)jack j.
Umm probably the worst sushi I have ever eaten. My friends and boss have gone there about 3 times each, all with the same opinion as me. If you want good sushi try Fat Salmon in center city. The service was pretty bad too, we had a server that gave us half full glasses of luke-warm water... straight from the tap. It sucks cause this is a great location and if the sushi was even half decent, I would be there every night.
(1)Samantha D.
I thought this was really good sushi and really reasonably priced. BYOB is good. And we didn't wait at all for a table on a Friday night. Service was excellent as well.
(4)Eric V.
The service was great. The sushi was good... some pieces were really good... and some were just so-so.... but the green tea ice cream and banana tempura were awesome!
(4)Melissa M.
This place is good on their time schedule??? I called for a take out order at 3:15 and the said "sorry we're on break time"? What! So if you want Sushi and it's between 3:00 & 4:30pm you're outta luck with Hikari.
(3)Brielle A.
Was skeptical at first, but was extremely impressed. Soo fresh. spring salad came w fresh ground ginger dressing and even avocado slices. All sushi was amazing, crazy tuna special was phenom though. Yaki Udon was also fantastic. one of the best Ive had. Definitely will be back here.
(5)Lorraine H.
It was 6:30 on a week night when we came here, we were 2/3 people in the restaurant! I was surprised! It was very tasty and we will definitely be returning for more! The miso soup was great as well!
(5)Annie H.
Miso Soup and Salad with Ginger Dressing were good. We got 4 special rolls and weren't very impressed with any of them. The best one had octopus and seaweed salad inside, which was pretty good and something we'd never tried before. But the remainder all had something off about them in either texture or flavor. And when a roll costs upwards of $17, I expect it to be excellent. Service was meh - waitress was pretty absent most of the time.
(3)Elegant L.
Just tried them out for the first time, it was delicious! I'm from NY/NJ area where sushi is top notch and this place satisfied my taste buds. Kinda pricey though, but I think their quality of food justifies it. Very high quality rice and vegetables. Their fish grade was amazing too.
(5)Rachel S.
TAKE-OUT review: Hikari is a good local spot for northern liberties - there are only 2 real sushi bars, this being one of them. Sushi is very good, but very expensive. They offer a wide variety of specialty rolls and I've never been disappointed. Parking is a challenge, but if you're just picking up an order, you can pull onto the sidewalk for 5 minutes w/ your hazards on.
(3)Andrew H.
Better than cheap sushi lunch places, although the price matches. A great place to have a real conversation and some very good sushi.
(4)Courtney F.
This place is small, but charming and their ingredients are super fresh. I had the shrimp tempura rolls which were delish! However I took off stars because, obviously, parking sucks also the spot is BYOB (huge hassle) and it's not even much cheaper considering that factor.
(3)Magen S.
The speciality rolls are pretty basic compared to other places in Philly. It's also overpriced but so is everything else around Northern Liberties (speciality rolls are $15 + ) The main reason I continue to go here is it's conveniently located below my boyfriends apartment. I will say though the seafood seems to always be fresh. Seaweed salad is good. One of my favorite rolls is the sprunchy.
(3)Andrew I.
Food was good (i had two Maki rolls), but service took a long time (we went during lunch with one other party there). Average food so I wont be craving to come back anytime soon.
(3)Michael N.
Fantastic sushi spot hidden in the back of the Piazza area of Northern Liberties. Great custom rolls and high quality sushi. Excellent service and nice people. Did I mention BYO? Nice, simple decor with a small dining room and some outside seating if the weather permits. This is definitely my favorite sushi spot in Philadelphia. My go to meal is a spring mix salad with ginger along with a polar bear roll and a volcano roll. Clean bathrooms. This place comes highly recommended.
(5)Lesley S.
great! and delivers to fishtown!
(5)Sarah K.
I came here this past Saturday night with a friend and a bottle of wine. Parking took around 10 minutes as the area is in the back-ish area of Northern Liberties and cars are parked in every nook and cranny. But that's okay, since we were seated immediately! When I opened the menu, my jaw dropped. Everything here is crazy expensive. My favorite entree, Hwe Dup Bap (Korean Bibimbap with the addition of sushi pieces) is $17.00, but I think that that alone is worth the price. However, each standard roll is on average, $8.00, almost double what some other Center City sushi restaurant would charge. Hell, if you go to Vic's, you could get 3 rolls for only three dollars more. The special rolls are around $15.00 and up. If you don't mind spending the money, I'd recommend the polar bear roll! My favorite. We started off with a salad each, which was fresh and garnished with a slice of orange. The only caveat would be that I wanted more of that delicious dressing. I shared the spicy salmon, spicy white tuna, and the eel maki's this past Saturday. I loved the white tuna, and I think that not too many places in Philadelphia offer it (along with scallop). My friend loved the eel rolls and found them texturally pleasing. The rolls are pleasant, yet they weren't as substantial as I'd hope for the price. Hikari hooked it up by giving us a piece of seared tuna wrapped around kani, topped with tobiko. I'm not sure what the actual name of this thing was, but it was delightfully citrusy, fresh, briny. For dessert, we had the fried ice cream which was wrapped in a delicious cake like bread. I would give Hikari a higher rating, were it not for the inflated prices. This place would definitely be a regular go-to BYOB place if it were a tad bit more affordable. As is, I will only come here when I have money to blow and an intense craving for Hwe Dup Bap.
(3)Kristina C.
Seaweed salad is perfect peach aloe juice is a definite must try lunch menu before 3p homemade carrot ginger dressing The server was very nice and helpful with questions that we had about the menu. For lunch there is a platter that has a large sampling of items and it was awesome, every bit of it. The place was nice and clean and I would definitely recommend it!
(4)Scott K.
Excellent service and extremely fresh and delicious food. There is nothing more to say then you should come and check this place out ASAP.
(5)JP G.
Their sushi is heaven. Period. Sushi is super fresh and excellent quality. Didn't expect much, but oh boy! This place rocks. Great service too. My new favorite sushi spot, other than Morimoto. Yes, that good. :)
(5)Izabella J.
Excellent service. Staff is very friendly. It's conveniently located in Northern Liberties by the famous Piazza. I have only ordered to go as it was a Sunday night and I felt like being lazy on my couch with some delicious sushi in my hand.
(5)Justine F.
Every time I go into this little place on the Northern Liberties walk it is dead, and I don't understand why! Hikari has the best sushi you could ask for, with all kinds of fun combinations, and their specials actually change! I prefer the sweet potato maki, which has tempura sweet potato with mango with a few other ingredients all wrapped up in rice and some pink or light green seaweed. It looks like a present for your mouth! The seaweed salad is also exceptional. I've had rolls here that include unique pairings like strawberry, avocado, eel sauce, and whitefish... incredible! The only downfall is the price, however living in that area it is not such a big shock for me as it might be for others.
(5)Jennifer L.
I really liked this place. I'm actually surprised by the reviews being so poor, but I noticed a lot of them were from a few years ago. My friend and I split a roll, it was a special and it was pretty spectacular. I don't even remember everything that was in it but I wish I had more! We also ordered Dolsot Bibimbap which is rice and vegetables in a hot stone bowl so the rice gets a bit crispy. It is served with a hot sauce that we couldn't get enough of. For a simple vegetarian dish it was really tasty. The only thing I didn't like was the price tag. I think it was a bit too pricey especially without having alcohol, (it's a BYOB) but the food was good so I didn't mind
(4)Alessandro N.
The staff is very nice and kind. But I'm sorry to say that their sushi and sashimi is not that good. Especially if you consider their prices. Sorry guys, but my advice is to avoid this place.
(1)Nadia M.
This was my first time at this place. We ordered the Rock Shrimp Appetizer, the Polar Bear and my usual go to- Spider Roll. The Rock Shrimp were amazing, the Polar Bear was pretty good but the Spider Roll was tough and did not taste as fresh as the other roll. I told the waitress that we did not like the Spider Roll and that I was actually still hungry since I was not going to finish that roll. She didn't offer to bring us anything else and since I was a little turned off from the taste of the roll, we just decided to take the check. When she brought over the check I was surprised to see the Spider Roll still on the check..I did not feel we should have to pay $14 for such a low quality roll. To make matters worse, another waiter overheard our discussion and came over insisting the fish was fresh and was acting very rude to us. I just couldn't believe how unprofessional he was. I worked as a server for years and I would never think to have a guest pay for something if the quality was not up to par, let alone start an argument with the guest. Needless to say, we ended up paying for the roll. As we were paying out, the original waitress (who was very nice but seemed a little unsure as to what to do) apologized and told us that there wasn't a manager on duty which is why she couldn't do anything. On a Friday night? What kind of place is this?
(1)Nicole V.
I enjoyed the seaweed salad and gyoza soup. I didn't try their maki yet but my friend was pleased with her avacado roll. They are more expensive than other sushi places I have been to, even for their lunch specials, but it was delicious.
(4)Walter K.
I'm not a huge fan of sushi, but I love good company and trying out new places. So when my friends Diana, Greg, and Lauren invited me out for sushi, I decided to go for it. Hikari is a small BYO on Liberties Walk. It has a clean, modern interior with an open sushi bar. It always inspires confidence when you can see everything the chefs are working on. There are about ten or so tables, so it's not a big place, but it's comfortable. We split a nice bottle of red wine and ordered edamame and fried dumplings. Both of these were nice appetizers, but I have my favorite spots for both of these dishes elsewhere in the city. We ordered six different rolls between the four of us, and it ended up being the perfect amount of food. I was impressed with the price, too. BYO helps a lot; the final check for the four of us was under $60. We ordered eel, yellowtail, Philadelphia (smoked salmon and cream cheese), shitaki, spicy tuna, and another spicy one. I wasn't blown away by the taste on any of these, but I was impressed by the variety. Eel is a unique taste, and it's one of my top recommendations here. A lot of the rolls include avocado, which was a great addition. My one grip would be that the spicy rolls could have been a few notches hotter. The service here was great. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. The menu is diverse and offers many rolls, including a few options if you're vehemently against sushi. Still, I recommend you try it regardless of your past experiences. Bottom Line: This is a nice little spot and one of the more unique and enjoyable restaurants in Northern Liberties. I recommend bringing your own alcohol and a few friends and try out all of the different options the menu has to offer. I didn't discover a new found love for sushi, but I had a nice meal.
(4)Mike O.
Hikari is great! Big, creative sushi rolls. BYOB. Friendly staff. This is my favorite sushi place in Philly and would recommend it over the nearby Koi.
(5)Alexandra W.
EX.PEN.SIVE. The rolls are pretty tasteless, save for the spicy rolls, which are too spicy (I think). The udon is good, but of course, expensive. Also, slow as beans.
(2)Karen F.
Cute place with good - but not overwhelmingly good - sushi. I had one order of yellowtail sashimi (for $7.00) and a Polar Bear roll - which was basically an alaskan roll topped with white tuna. ($13.00) That's it. I didn't have much - and I was still kinda hungry - but cash has been tight. Service was great because the place was dead empty on a Wednesday night at 7:45 PM. Again - it's good - and worth a second visit - but by no means a holy grail.
(3)Rob W.
Definitely a little pricey but I always enjoy the fresh ingredients and pleasant staff. The chefs are always willing to work with my custom orders and special requests. It's a byob so make sure you bring Sake and RedBull. Sake Bombs!
(4)Ted C.
Sushi was on the menu and I just happen to stubble across this place with a friend. First impressions, very nice looking and a cosi place with outdoor seats. We ordered Edamame ($4), Seafood Teriyaki ($19), Polar Bear Roll ($13), Tempura Ice Cream (?) First complaint was that we order Edamame as an appetizer. It wasn't until I had 3 pods that the entrees came right out and then I wasn't hungry for my "appetizer". It was a waste of money to pay for the appetizer. Entrees: The food was good. Not amazing, but good. If there is one thing this place has it's presentation. Sushi and entree arrived looking spectacular. The nice thing about the Seafood Teriyaki is that it had a nice assortment of mussels, shrimp, and scallops mixed with green beans. Polar Bear roll was good, but far from amazing. Dessert: Tempura Ice Cream. Okay, Ive had this somewhere else 1 time before. I am no expert but I swear something was off about this dessert. My previous encounter with this dish was amazing. This Tempura Ice Cream was NOT amazing. The ice cream had the texture of freezer burned ice cream, but it did not taste bad. It just wasn't the soft ozzzing tasty Breyers ice cream. I was really looking forward to this and in the end was very disappointed. Overall, if your looking for a quick sushi fix in the area then you might want to try it. If your looking for awesome sushi then forget it, try some place else. Best things about this place was outdoor seating, atmosphere, presentations and service.
(3)Marga T.
From a gluten-free standpoint, this meal was a disaster. There was a definite English/Japanese language barrier. The waitress was able to tell me that the spicy sauce and saucy mayonnaise didn't have soy sauce in them. But then I asked if any of the sushi we wanted to order had something breaded in it. "Bread?", the waitress asked. "What is bread? I don't know what." "Panko?", my housemate asked. She still had no clue what we were talking about. When the eel maki came, it had a brown sauce on it, even though there was no sauce listed on the menu. When I asked the waitress what it was, she said, helpfully, "eel sauce". When I asked her if there was soy sauce in it, she said yes. One of the other makis - salmon or yellowtail, I can't remember - had something crunchy and suspicious-looking on the inside. Turns out when the menu said "scallion", it meant "breaded and fried onions". Boo! I normally don't run into any problems like this when I get sushi, so I was disappointed. The free shot of cinnamon iced tea at the end of the meal made me a little happier, but I'm also a person who likes the taste of Goldschlager, so I'm not sure if you'll feel the same way. This is not a place to bring your GFGF (gluten-free girlfriend)!
(2)Michelle H.
The food was beautiful and artfully prepared...delicious and the portion is standard for most Japanese restaurants...the prices were a little on the high side which accounts for the 4 rather than 5 star review
(4)L N.
Great service and delicious appetizers. Went with a party of 5- food came quickly, which was really important as we brought a baby with us and babies only last so long in public places. Outdoor seating an byob two big positives!!! Will certainly go back again; excited to try their take out.
(5)Kerry B.
The food was absolutely fantastic. Went here for a friends birthday. There's no corking fee for the BYOB which is always nice. Between four of us we split three dishes and it was a good amount. An extra dish wouldn't have been a bad idea but this place is pricey. Granted, when you figure the amount you saved on bringing your own alcohol it's actually pretty cheap. Service was fantastic. Our waiter was super sexy, and really attractive. And hot too. Because we had a birthday girl at the table we all got a free fried ball of some kind of seafood. All I know was that it was delicious.
(4)Pete S.
First, I believe the owners of the establishment are Korean-Americans (I know that Asians may look alike, but it is ridiculous to believe the account of some of these reviews if you are going into an Asian-style restaurant and ignorantly conglomerate them all as Japanese). I went on a nice breezy Friday night and found the waitresses to be very helpful. They were quick to seat my party and gave us our time to look through the menu until we were comfortable to order. I loved the volcano roll and found the miso soup to be one of the best I've had in Philadelphia (and as an Asian, miso soup tells a lot about the quality of what's to come). The waitresses did not hesitate to clear out trays when they were empty, and they always did so politely. We lingered for a bit after finishing our food and the waitresses did not rush us although it was a a weekend night. I left a nice tip for good food and good service with good friends.
(5)Alicia O.
the service was great. i had a few sushi rolls. they were all tasty and fresh. i had some kind of tea. i dont know what it was but it was delicious. some kind of white grape tea concoction. dessert was on the house which was a friendly gesture. some kind of banana thing. it was also flavorful. everything was served quickly and with a smile! plus it's BYOB so thats earns its own star in my book.
(4)Seth E.
I've been a few times over the years and always enjoy the service, atmosphere, and of course, the seafood. Great okonomiyaki here as well.
(4)Jake V.
I neither liked nor disliked this place. It just kind of seemed forgettable and generic at best. The sushi wasn't bad but wasn't worth the money paid. Meh.
(3)Ryan C.
Green. It's very Green! Light flows through the translucent geisha motif covering the windows in what I would say is a very inviting space. Well laid out, but definitely geared for couples rather than large groups because of table-for-two setup, the modern shaped black chairs stand out. The sushi bar is very nice with barber shop style chairs. Consider that the sushi bar is the focal element of any sushi restaurant trying to differentiate themselves from the pack. In case you didn't know you were at a sushi place, S-U-S-H-I is cleverly spelled out hanging over the sushi bar. And I thought this place was a pizza joint!
(4)jennifer F.
Small sushi place with outside seating, weather permitting. Bi Bim Bop was good especially when served in the stone bowl and the rice is just a little crunchy. Unagi maki was simple, yet good and fresh. Seaweed salad was very good (not dry or overly saturated with dressing).
(4)Mike S.
I really like this place. I eat here about twice a month, I like it that much. It _is_ slightly generic at first, but the owners run the restaurant and they're super-friendly. The food is great, and the prices aren't that bad -- I have yet to find another place in Philly that comes close to the quality and the price. I spent $60 for two and left stuffed. True, places in Cherry Hill are cheaper, but I'm not about to go all the way there, and then spend $3 on tolls just to get back. Some people mention Koi (a sushi place down the street) as a better place, but I disagree. Koi's rolls are very good, but much smaller and more expensive. I spent $80 there for 2 and left hungry. One thing about Hikari that I appreciate is they throw in some freebies because they appreciate the business. Last time, they gave us two pieces of a maki version of "ham and cheese sandwich" -- uncooked salmon and cooked egg with cucumber wrapped in seaweed with rice on the outside to replace the bread. It was clever and delicious. I also recommend their udon. It's the best in town, even better than my mom's. I really think more people should give this place a try. For sure it's standard sushi, but I think you get your money's worth if you stick with the rolls.
(5)Chelsea N.
This place is good. I like that it's always empty. It's fairly priced too.
(4)Tony R.
Good sushi! I wish I knew it was a BYOB before we went. Quick table service. I'd recommend it to try. We'll go back for the sushi.
(4)Marian R.
I don't like that two stars says meh, but three says a-ok and i wouldn't go that far. I had heard good things about this place from trustworthy friends, so I wanted to check it out. I went there recently and I have to say I have definitely experience better (which follows the meh in the two star description). I ordered the salmon combo (yes, points off from me for creativity, but the basics provide a good grounds for a sampling. and I was having a craving, so there) and it was very mediocre. The salmon roll was cut haphazardly and the rice was a little too gummy. The sashimi wasn't perfectly cut and was almost chewy and the sushi was diminished by the not quite right rice. The quality of the fish was excellent though, and that was good. I would not object to going back to Hikari if friends wanted to go (and I would of course like to try more of their menu and give them a shot at earning the third star), but given my druthers, I will choose Zento in Old City any day.
(2)Jennifer C.
Hikari is a poor excuse for a restaurant. While the food is decent (at best), the level of service is astonishingly low. As a paying customer I never expect to be treated as an inconvenience or after-thought. However, this is standard practice at Hikari. Exhibit A: I am a concierge at a hotel in Center City, Philadelphia. Because of the Piazza many younger hotel guests inquire about dining in the Northern Liberties. I have explored most of the dining options in the area and have been extremely impressed. I went to Hikari on a Tuesday at 6:30 and decided to sit outside. I was ALONE on a TUESDAY early in the evening. The restaurant was virtually empty and service should not have been a problem. 10 minutes after my arrival I still had not seen a server. I finally went inside and it was clear the hostess had completely forgotten about me. I sat inside hoping for a bit more attention from the staff. 10 minutes later I still did not have water. I had to ask for every single item I ordered twice. Water was never refilled. Sushi came out before appetizers. This was a complete disaster...and the bill for one person exceeded $25 (keep in mind this is a byob!). One person was acting as receptionist, hostess, and server. Ridiculous. Exhibit B: While staying with a friend in the NoLibs we decided we wanted sushi. While I knew my in-house dining experience had been awful...I assumed we could not go wrong with Hikari take-out. Unfortunately, Japanese Restaurant options are limited in the area. I was told I could pick up my order in 10 minutes. 45 MINUTES LATER it was still not ready. I spoke to a manager who was completely unapologetic and unwilling to adjust the bill or throw something complimentary in the mix. I walked out hungry and angry. ...I called Mizu sushi on my way out of Hikari and my large order was ready by the time I arrived there (6 minutes later). DO NOT GO TO THIS AWFUL ESTABLISHMENT YOU WILL ONLY LEAVE FRUSTRATED!
(1)