Matsunori Handroll Bar — Restaurant in Boston

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Matsunori recently, and I can honestly say it's one of the best culinary experiences I've had in Boston.

From the moment I walked in, I was struck by the sleek, modern interior. The space is intimate and stylish without feeling pretentious—dim lighting, a beautiful bar setup, and subtle Japanese touches that create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. You can tell they’ve paid attention to every detail, and it really sets the tone for what’s to come.

I opted to sit at the bar so I could watch the chefs prepare each hand roll right in front of me, and that was absolutely the right call. There's something special about seeing your food made to order, especially with the level of care and precision they bring to each roll.

Now let’s talk about the food—unreal. Every hand roll I tried was perfectly crafted, with the seaweed crisp and fresh, the rice warm and seasoned just right, and the fish incredibly fresh. Highlights for me were the A5 Wagyu, Hokkaido uni, and the botan ebi ikura. The flavor combinations were spot on, and nothing felt overly complicated—just clean, high-quality ingredients that speak for themselves. The service was just as impressive as the food.

The staff was super knowledgeable and friendly, explaining the menu and offering suggestions without being pushy. They paced everything perfectly so each roll could be enjoyed at the ideal temperature and texture. I also appreciated the little touches, like how they made sure my water was always full and checked in at the right times.

Overall, Matsunori is the kind of place that makes you want to come back the next day. Whether you’re a sushi aficionado or just looking for a unique dining experience, this place delivers on every level—atmosphere, service, and most importantly, the food.

Highly recommend sitting at the bar for the full experience. Can’t...

Absolutely appalling experience. Save yourself the disappointment. We live within blocks of this establishment and have heard decent things about Matsunori and wanted to give it a try. From the moment we walked in the door it was extremely unpleasant. The demeanor of the hostess was absolutely the most ridiculous behavior we’ve been met with in quite some time, she rolled her eyes several times when we asked about the wait time and made it very clear that she was not enjoying her job in the slightest. My wife wasn’t comfortable with the atmosphere (felt like a regular hole in the wall, not the cleanest), so we asked if we could order a selection “to go”, we got a very hard no and was told it would be about 1 hour if we wanted to be seated. Mind you it was 8:10pm and the restaurant was only half full. Blatantly being lied to about wait times at such a late time with only half your restaurant seated is a bit pompous. We have extensive dining experience at an array of restaurants internationally, so we know how this should work. We will definitely be sharing our experience with our circle, we would 100% recommend against dining here. It truly doesn’t matter how wonderful your food is if you are going to treat others in such an offensive way. Now that I’ve had time to read more reviews it looks like there is an incredible amount of guests who’ve had experiences similar to ours or worse. Crossing this one off our list...

High quality hand rolls crafted to perfection.

After hearing about this new sushi sensation in town, my friends and I visited this past week to try their soft opening menu. We arrived 30 minutes after their opening time but had to wait nearly 2 hours to get seated at the bar. Although there weren't a lot of people standing in front of the restaurant, they were taking people on the waitlist via phone. Without a reservation system, it seemed a bit unfair that some people can still bypass the wait by calling in advance. Nevertheless, we were glad that we didn't give up the opportunity to try their hand rolls.

Served like an omakase style, the hand rolls were simply phenomenal. I ordered 8 pieces including the uni and the unagi which weren't on the menu and enjoyed most of them. Everything from the texture of the rice to topping combinations were on point. Standout pieces included the unagi, uni, and the miso black cod, and the buttery texture of the black cod combined with a subtle miso flavor was especially satisfying. The only piece that I wouldn't get on my next visit would be the wagyu as it lacked concentrated wagyu flavors.

There are still things that need to be ironed out before the full opening, but overall, this place is definitely a welcomed addition to Boston's sushi scene. Highly recommend giving them a try if you're looking for good quality sushi without the...