Bubblefish — Restaurant in Philadelphia

We had an AMAZING time at Bubblefish! Our group booked the back party room, which is separate from the front of the restaurant. Be mindful that the seating is low and not ADA accessible, you walk into the room and step down to the table-- this also makes it a lot easier for the server to pass food over/between partiers so they're not running around and bumping into you!

We ordered tons of dishes: our guests ordered sushi rolls that were packed perfectly. They were tightly rolled but not too firm and allowed each ingredients' texture to shine. the menu lists many different options with some unique varieties and many classic US style rolls. I am very satisfied with the quality and price of the rolls combined with our partying atmosphere.

We all shared plenty of appetizers. The appetizers arrived quickly: taiwanese salt baked chicken (the highlight), spicy garlic edemame, and shrimp tempura. The salt baked chicken was the MVP if you love crispy, fried little nuggets. There was notable a smaller amount of chicken to breading but the flavor made up for it. Spicy garlic edamame came in second as they are perfectly cooked with a firm texture and not too mushy or under. The shrimp tempura, though perfectly fried, was a bit of a let down-- We did not realize it only gave us two shrimp hidden by a bunch of tempura vegetables (also fried well and seasoned gently).

My table in our group mostly ordered don. Due to the size of our massive group, entrees did not come out at the same time but nobody wasleft waiting too long and we still had appetizers and plenty of water in pitchers. Our don entrees: unagi don, salmon bang don, and chirashi. Each arrived in a wide, deep stoneware bowl which allowed for decorative plating. The fish on the chirashi was perfect: fresh, subtly flavorful, cut to the perfect size. I really enjoyed the rice as it was generously seasoned with vinegar and furikake. There were small dollops of infused oils like ginger, scallion, and small pinches of tobiko and masego. The unagi don also had lovely, strongly seasoned rice and tons of grilled unagi on top which was cooked and seasoned well. The salmon BANG don (i can't believe they ordered this on another person's dollar lol) was wild to see: covered in salmon slices, uni, ikura, and a quail egg yolk... plus GOLD LEAF! This bowl is a punch of luxurious umami. It's so rich that the guest didn't finish it, so the table took the rest.

Can't wait to go back to Bubblefish! The owner is a great dude that supports the city, Chinatown, and our community. I want to check out his spot in South Philly:...

If you're looking to roll into happy hour with something a little more playful than your typical sashimi set, Bubblefish in Philly delivers a fun, casual sushi experience with a side of creativity - and just a splash of chaos.

The vibe is spot-on for post-work bites or a casual night out, with good service and a solid lineup of food and drinks that won't break the bank. We dove into the Sashimi Deluxe, which was the clear standout of the night. The chef’s selection of ten pieces was beautifully cut, fresh, and full of flavor, paired with a special roll that was anything but an afterthought. It’s the kind of dish that reminds you why raw fish has earned such a cult following.

We couldn’t resist trying something a little more unconventional with the Soft Shell Crab Burger and Spicy Salmon Burger. Both were creative, flavorful, and visually impressive - but here’s the rub: they’re a total handful. Literally. Messy and difficult to manage, these sushi burgers are more of a “fun once” kind of order. Great flavor profiles (special shout-out to the perfectly fried Soft Shell Crab), but next time we’ll opt for rolls over wrestling.

Speaking of rolls, the happy hour selection did not disappoint. The Spicy Tuna, Spicy Crab, and Cajun Salmon Avocado were solid... flavorful, well-balanced, and well-crafted small bites. At happy hour prices at 4-pieces to an order (half the standard), they’re a great way to sample a bit of everything without committing to one big roll.

Overall, Bubblefish brings a strong sushi game with a playful edge. While the sushi burgers were a bit of a slippery situation, the rest of the menu proves this spot isn’t just about gimmicks, it’s got the fish to back it up. Come for the rolls, stay for the sashimi, and maybe bring a napkin or two if you dare go...

I am absolutely sad as the first time I was here it was amazing but this second time made me and my girlfriend not want to return. We decided to go here for an early Christmas date and I raved to my girlfriend about this place and now I’m embarrassed to even mention this place. Our waiter had no idea what is going on as she would always do whatever she please. We ask about certain things on the special menu she provided us but when we tried to choose certain things she would tried to tell us it’s sold out and we only have each thing separately which made no sense.

We decided to order sashimi heaven while we think about what to order next. When the waiter came back she said the combination platter on the special menu is available so we opt to order that right away. As we wait until the order came out she brought this random item we did not order and said sorry it’s sold out here take this instead trying to force us to take whatever she had in her hand. Me and my girlfriend was absolutely furious about this. We asked if we can speak to another waiter because no matter what we tell her we could tell there’s a language barrier. Another waiter came out and spoke with us and we told her what was going on but all she said did was apologize but never try to fix the situation.

The worst is not even yet mentioned....when we paid for our food it came out to 30 dollars and I gave the waiter a 50 dollar bill. The waiter goes and ask if I want my change. Of course I want my change that’s 20 dollars and I am not going to give 20 dollar tip that would be outrageous. We tried to ask for the manager and the manager refused to come out and talk to us but instead sends another worker to talk to us.

The food was good but the service is...