The food, service, attention to detail, drinks pairing and atmosphere were outstanding.A huge surprise in Kennebunk Port and worth the extra money for sure.The chef team behind the counter and what I gather are the owners pulling the strings front of house were attentive and highly professional.I’m still thinking about the “Laska,” fatty tuna and the fermented rice dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Chris G.
Amazing sushi, professional staff, great wine and sake list. Will definitely be back.
GRB4Me
Second time visiting, loved the omakase the first time right when they opened, but 2nd time around, we got very little fish or proper sushi for that matter. For such an expensive price tag, 3 people splitting every thing three ways (I'm talking one roll for 3 people or a small salad) it's just not worth the price. Got an avocado roll and a philly roll as part of omakase which was extremely disappointing. White wine at 16 a glass was also served lukewarm. Would have expected more attention to detail at such a high price point and the fact that gratuity was automatically added. Unlikely we'll visit again.
GraniteMonkey
Everything was amazing. We would highly recommend starting off with a warm mug of miso soup. Sitting at the bar allowed us to get suggestions from Chef on additional items to try. Staff helped us celebrate our new house purchase with a complementary house orange sparkling wine toast. There is no doubt reservations will the scarce during the summer, so plan ahead!
Peter From Maine
The atmosphere was the best thing about Rosella. The staff was the second best. I know you don't go to Lower Village Kennebunk expecting a deal, but this was one of the most expensive places I have gone for sushi, and it was just good. If this was 1/2 the price I would consider going back. Also, be sure to read the smallest print on the menu, yvat is where the tell you ghat a 20% gratuity is added to the prices "so we can pay our staff a good wage." We would have left that much in tip for the level of service we received. They were good and attentive. Again, nothing was bad, but there are so many options for great food at a similar or lower price.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Sophie Connolly
Delicious food, hip atmosphere. Some of the best sushi we’ve ever had. Awesome flavors. Service was good, but we were surprised that they added an automatic 20% gratuity to the check. In the end this doesn’t matter, we are 20%+ tippers anyway and had no complaints about the service, but it seemed unusual to do for a party of 3 people. Maybe it was because it was a slow night for them? Or maybe our age triggered it (we’re in our 30s)? Since I didn’t see that policy written anywhere on the menu it felt targeted to us, and left a bit of a sour note on an otherwise excellent evening. Just a heads up to future customers who might care about that.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
SophieC
Food was delicious, ambiance is lovely. Service was good, but at the end of the meal they automatically added 20% gratuity to the check. In the end it doesn't matter, we were going to tip 20%+ anyway, but it felt strange. There were only 3 of us in the party, not a big group. Is this standard practice there? It felt like we were a little targeted, maybe because of our age (30s), or they were a little slow that night? Either way, we're generous tippers at baseline, but heads up if this is something that bothers you. Otherwise great evening.
Robin W.
Our first visit was a birthday special occasion so we had the $150/pp omikase. Even while devouring the 13 courses (plus dessert) we were planning to make it a regular stop and figuring out we could eat well for a third the cost. (But the omikase is a great splurge.) Exquisite food - and we eat a lot of sushi. Not traditional but impeccable.
RobinW
OMG omikase. That was a special occasion splurge for our first visit here. But we were already planning a return visit for some of our favorites (the fatty tuna kimchi roll and 3 fish slider were mine). Impeccable and creative.
donfromwestborough
There are a couple of seating options. Tables or the counter. Sitting at counter allows for interaction with the 3 chefs and the ability to watch them prepare the food. Very interesting to watch. Went on a Sunday night and restaurant was not too crowded so had plenty of interaction with one of the chefs and more limited conversations with the other two. The sushi was made from sustainably harvested fish. Most was quite local. Some were familiar, a few I hadn't heard of. My wife and I had multiple dishes which ranged from very good to excellent. It is not an inexpensive restaurant but feel that the prices were fair for the quality of the food and service. The wine list had many wines that we were not familiar with, so some study in advance might be helpful.
Outstanding! Everything was just perfect, the staff elevated our gastronomical adventure, the food was out of this world! When we revisit Kennebunkport this will be the first place we eat.
JamesNH
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Rosella. We had the omakase menu which was curated by Chef Edgar. Highlights included the miso soup, NY smoked trout sushi, scallop ceviche and spicy cucumber salad. Monk fish liver course served as the perfect palate cleanser for the surprisingly delightful coconut milk sorbet. The sushi chefs exhibited a real passion and joy for their craft and provided an impromptu lecture on how they age their locally sourced fish in the Thermador. In no rush on a wintry weekend night, we appreciated the careful pace of the offerings. Except for a repeated need to request water glass refills, service otherwise was spot-on. Overall, a fabulous evening out.
MARYS
As always, we had a fabulous meal at Rosella! We went with two other couples to celebrate the birthdays of our husbands. We had a grand time. The atmosphere was delightful, the service top-notch, and the food was sublime. Never disappointed - always looking ahead to the next visit.
Ray N.
Absolutely amazing! The care that Matt put into each offering was amazing. Surprisingly loved the seafood sausage slider he suggested. No hesitation either when we asked if he would create a few vegan rolls for one of our part. 100% am going back.
Grace K.
I loved the service. Everyone was friendly and made me feel welcome. My server was top notch in explaining the menu to me. Listening to another nearby server, I felt it didn't matter who was serving you, the server knew his/her stuff. Kudos to the staff. The orange wine was a treat, though, all the wines/sake are on the high side. Paying $17 for the least expensive wine/sake is a stretch for many people, though, the quality of the wine and sake were excellent. The dragonfly salad was perfectly dressed as was the cucumber salad. I loved the miso soup with farro, and the wagyu was so softly delicious. But I was disappointed in the large roll which had little taste and in most of the fresh fish. Yes, the fish was fresh but not as tasty as I am used to except for the fatty tuna. Though, the pomfret and scallop were pretty good, too. Also, the fish served was warm; I prefer it cooler. Also, the menu is rather limited. I wish there were more choices. If you are a vegetarian, there isn't enough choice in the rolls. Also, I don't object to including a 20% service charge, but it would be nice if the print on the menu telling the customer of that fact was readable. It is in much smaller print than the menu items. I, did, however, add to the 20% tip because of the terrific service. The carrot cake dessert had too much cream cheese dressing for the amount of carrot cake. The wait between courses was too long. They could use more help. I was there for two hours and didn't even have time for dessert. Caveat for those who like to eat: After having salad, soup, and a good sample of their fish, when I came home I was still hungry, so I ate my own food to fill up. I would recommend the place, but I think some items are better than others.
The food, service, attention to detail, drinks pairing and atmosphere were outstanding.A huge surprise in Kennebunk Port and worth the extra money for sure.The chef team behind the counter and what I gather are the owners pulling the strings front of house were attentive and highly professional.I’m still thinking about the “Laska,” fatty tuna and the fermented rice dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Amazing sushi, professional staff, great wine and sake list. Will definitely be back.
Second time visiting, loved the omakase the first time right when they opened, but 2nd time around, we got very little fish or proper sushi for that matter. For such an expensive price tag, 3 people splitting every thing three ways (I'm talking one roll for 3 people or a small salad) it's just not worth the price. Got an avocado roll and a philly roll as part of omakase which was extremely disappointing. White wine at 16 a glass was also served lukewarm. Would have expected more attention to detail at such a high price point and the fact that gratuity was automatically added. Unlikely we'll visit again.
Everything was amazing. We would highly recommend starting off with a warm mug of miso soup. Sitting at the bar allowed us to get suggestions from Chef on additional items to try. Staff helped us celebrate our new house purchase with a complementary house orange sparkling wine toast. There is no doubt reservations will the scarce during the summer, so plan ahead!
The atmosphere was the best thing about Rosella. The staff was the second best. I know you don't go to Lower Village Kennebunk expecting a deal, but this was one of the most expensive places I have gone for sushi, and it was just good. If this was 1/2 the price I would consider going back. Also, be sure to read the smallest print on the menu, yvat is where the tell you ghat a 20% gratuity is added to the prices "so we can pay our staff a good wage." We would have left that much in tip for the level of service we received. They were good and attentive. Again, nothing was bad, but there are so many options for great food at a similar or lower price.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Delicious food, hip atmosphere. Some of the best sushi we’ve ever had. Awesome flavors. Service was good, but we were surprised that they added an automatic 20% gratuity to the check. In the end this doesn’t matter, we are 20%+ tippers anyway and had no complaints about the service, but it seemed unusual to do for a party of 3 people. Maybe it was because it was a slow night for them? Or maybe our age triggered it (we’re in our 30s)? Since I didn’t see that policy written anywhere on the menu it felt targeted to us, and left a bit of a sour note on an otherwise excellent evening. Just a heads up to future customers who might care about that.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Food was delicious, ambiance is lovely. Service was good, but at the end of the meal they automatically added 20% gratuity to the check. In the end it doesn't matter, we were going to tip 20%+ anyway, but it felt strange. There were only 3 of us in the party, not a big group. Is this standard practice there? It felt like we were a little targeted, maybe because of our age (30s), or they were a little slow that night? Either way, we're generous tippers at baseline, but heads up if this is something that bothers you. Otherwise great evening.
Our first visit was a birthday special occasion so we had the $150/pp omikase. Even while devouring the 13 courses (plus dessert) we were planning to make it a regular stop and figuring out we could eat well for a third the cost. (But the omikase is a great splurge.) Exquisite food - and we eat a lot of sushi. Not traditional but impeccable.
OMG omikase. That was a special occasion splurge for our first visit here. But we were already planning a return visit for some of our favorites (the fatty tuna kimchi roll and 3 fish slider were mine). Impeccable and creative.
There are a couple of seating options. Tables or the counter. Sitting at counter allows for interaction with the 3 chefs and the ability to watch them prepare the food. Very interesting to watch. Went on a Sunday night and restaurant was not too crowded so had plenty of interaction with one of the chefs and more limited conversations with the other two. The sushi was made from sustainably harvested fish. Most was quite local. Some were familiar, a few I hadn't heard of. My wife and I had multiple dishes which ranged from very good to excellent. It is not an inexpensive restaurant but feel that the prices were fair for the quality of the food and service. The wine list had many wines that we were not familiar with, so some study in advance might be helpful.
Restaurantji Recommends
Outstanding! Everything was just perfect, the staff elevated our gastronomical adventure, the food was out of this world! When we revisit Kennebunkport this will be the first place we eat.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Rosella. We had the omakase menu which was curated by Chef Edgar. Highlights included the miso soup, NY smoked trout sushi, scallop ceviche and spicy cucumber salad. Monk fish liver course served as the perfect palate cleanser for the surprisingly delightful coconut milk sorbet. The sushi chefs exhibited a real passion and joy for their craft and provided an impromptu lecture on how they age their locally sourced fish in the Thermador. In no rush on a wintry weekend night, we appreciated the careful pace of the offerings. Except for a repeated need to request water glass refills, service otherwise was spot-on. Overall, a fabulous evening out.
As always, we had a fabulous meal at Rosella! We went with two other couples to celebrate the birthdays of our husbands. We had a grand time. The atmosphere was delightful, the service top-notch, and the food was sublime. Never disappointed - always looking ahead to the next visit.
Absolutely amazing! The care that Matt put into each offering was amazing. Surprisingly loved the seafood sausage slider he suggested. No hesitation either when we asked if he would create a few vegan rolls for one of our part. 100% am going back.
I loved the service. Everyone was friendly and made me feel welcome. My server was top notch in explaining the menu to me. Listening to another nearby server, I felt it didn't matter who was serving you, the server knew his/her stuff. Kudos to the staff. The orange wine was a treat, though, all the wines/sake are on the high side. Paying $17 for the least expensive wine/sake is a stretch for many people, though, the quality of the wine and sake were excellent. The dragonfly salad was perfectly dressed as was the cucumber salad. I loved the miso soup with farro, and the wagyu was so softly delicious. But I was disappointed in the large roll which had little taste and in most of the fresh fish. Yes, the fish was fresh but not as tasty as I am used to except for the fatty tuna. Though, the pomfret and scallop were pretty good, too. Also, the fish served was warm; I prefer it cooler. Also, the menu is rather limited. I wish there were more choices. If you are a vegetarian, there isn't enough choice in the rolls. Also, I don't object to including a 20% service charge, but it would be nice if the print on the menu telling the customer of that fact was readable. It is in much smaller print than the menu items. I, did, however, add to the 20% tip because of the terrific service. The carrot cake dessert had too much cream cheese dressing for the amount of carrot cake. The wait between courses was too long. They could use more help. I was there for two hours and didn't even have time for dessert. Caveat for those who like to eat: After having salad, soup, and a good sample of their fish, when I came home I was still hungry, so I ate my own food to fill up. I would recommend the place, but I think some items are better than others.