Ogawa Sushi & Kappo — Restaurant in Philadelphia

We had a wonderful experience.  I read an article about its opening  in December and was intrigued, so I made reservations for my birthday in March. We arrived about 20 minutes early for our seating (minimum required is 10 minutes early).  When we entered we were greeted very warmly.  The space is very serene and inviting, soft lights and very intimate. We were invited to have a seat in the lounge area and were each given a lovely complimentary mocktail and encouraged to relax for the short wait until our 8pm seating.

We are new to Omakase. The concept and flow was explained to us in detail as well as how certain types of sushi are meant to be enjoyed (i.e., nigiri is a single bite of balanced flavors and you pick it up with your fingers).  The education ahead of time was super helpful. I did not know this. The evening was a beautiful presentation of courses, carefully prepared and explained. Each piece of sushi had a unique flavor, which I believe is due to the high quality of fish and the perfect balance of wasabi and sushi rice.  The fish was so fresh and flavorful and not what you typically experience when you go for sushi, even in upscale establishments. Most of the fish I was trying for the first time  - some from Japan, some from Spain and other regions.  All wonderful!

We ordered the sake and whiskey pairing, each drink chosen to match the specific dish. We were given the origin and tasting notes of each, which really helped educate us for the future.  I thought I didn't like sake, but now I have three bottles on my "to purchase" list.

The service was very attentive without being intrusive. The front of house staff was knowledgeable and you could tell they truly wanted you to have a wonderful experience.  It was very, genuine - kind people generous in sharing their knowledge.  The chef interacts with you throughout the meal, explaining the ingredients and the preparation process, making the experience educational as well.

For us, this experience was about more than just food; it gave us an appreciation for art, tradition, and craftsmanship.  There was a ceremonial aspect to it and I came away feeling like I learned something valuable as well.  We are definitely coming back.  The value for what you receive...

Holy (insert profanity here)

I could sit here all day to write this review, no seriously I could, and I know I’m still going to leave out things I would like to highlight. Two friends and myself have been trying to find the perfect Omakase experience in the city and we settled on Ogawa after reading the reviews. To say I am glad we did is an understatement. From the moment we walked in, to the moment we left, we weren’t treated like customers; we were treated like family.

We were welcomed by Vy with a delicious mocktail welcome drink and shown to our seats. We decided to do the complete beverage pairing with our experience which was the sake and whiskey pairing. If you enjoy both drinks, I strongly recommend you do this as every beverage is explained in great detail and they are all absolutely perfect. Our chef Carlos was phenomenal. He was an expert and in my opinion, an artist. Every bite was built to perfection, every dish crafted to the highest caliber. If you are sushi lover, but are unsure about if you’ll like the wide array of fish and seafood, I promise you, you will enjoy every dish you are served. For a little over two hours, our taste buds went on a culinary ride, a ride that we wanted to go on over and over again. Just when you thought the last bite was the best, the next bite came out and blew your mind again…. And again….. and again. I often looked to my left and right to see expressions on other guests faces just to see their reactions. People were closing their eyes as the delicate items melted in their mouths and they were left speechless. Its funny how when food is so good, you don’t need words to express how good something is, simply look at someone’s face and you will know everything you need to know. The entire team at Ogawa did everything they could to make sure everything was perfect from start to finish. If you are trying to figure out the perfect omakase experience for a date night, a girls night, a guys night, look no further than Ogawa. The experience was worth every penny.

After we left around 10:30 the text messages went back and forth raving about our experience until 1am. From the three guys at the corner of the bar, words cannot express how grateful we were to everyone...

Usually I remember to take all the pictures of my omakase courses but Ogawa exceeded all the places I've been to with a mouth watering 23 course that I lost track of picture taking - which is probably for the better!

Ogawa is perfect for those who enjoy traditional and minimalism with their sushi, which is right up my alley. It reminded me of Japan immediately where the emphasis is on enjoying the notes and flavor of each fish and course, and no overpowering sauces or mixture of other fish and meat. For omakase, rice is also essential for me in terms of marination with the flavor, texture, and temperature which Ogawa nailed perfectly and proves to show professionalism in their skill. A handful of affordable omakase places I've been to tend to be inconsistent with the texture being too hard, too cold, or overly sweet or sour.

Each course was extremely fresh, straight from Japan and hand selected from Ogawa-san himself. It was great conversing with the chef and owners to hear the dedication Ogawa-san puts into his restaurant including flying to Japan himself daily to search for the freshest fish of the season almost 2 or 3 times a month!

As for pricing, with tip and tax, it is on the higher end of omakase in Philly but not by far for it's quality and quantity with 23 course with 29 pieces. It says clearly $200 per person with 20% service charge added to the final bill when making reservations, so depending if alcohol is added or not, it can range. Just in comparison, the famous Roya Izakaya is currently 300 per person for 16-17 piece course. I felt extremely full by the end of Ogawa and my belly was super happy!

Again, I recommend Ogawa for sushi enthusiasts who purely enjoy japanese tradition sushi on the minimalism side and is aware that Ogawa is on the higher end of Omakase offered in Philly - but in my opinion, I'd go back in a heart beat for special occasions or an excuse with any friend to eat amazing...