Second time here and the food was good but not for the price. Spent around $220 not including the tip for 2 people (with one alcoholic beverage) and was not satisfied with the portions and quality. Go to Surf instead!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Heather Satayakul
Great vibe. Great servers. If you are looking for authentic Japanese food though, this is not the place. As a vegetarian, they offered a vegetarian ramen which was way too salty. I could tell the broth was made with a powder stock and they used way too much. The edamame had a unique flavor and I did enjoy it, however they were overcooked and the pod was mush. My husband, who is Asian and has traveled to Japan numerous times, enjoyed the fresh seaweed salad but that's where his compliments stop. The A-5 wagyu nigiri was meant to be seared, but he could taste the chemical butane from the torch they used. It also appeared that they did not use a quality sushi rice, as the nigiri fell apart as soon as he tried to pick it up. He also had the signature nichinan roll, which his first comment was "this tastes like a Philly roll". He says that they hid the flavor of the blue finned tuna in way too much rice and scallion which overpower the fish. There was some kind of mayo or aioli on the side which didn't seem to compliment the roll. 5 stars for atmosphere and service, but for the prices they are charging you could find other places in the city to eat that would be tastier.Vegetarian options: They can make a vegetarian dish, but for what they charge it wasn't worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Maddie Bracher
Everything was yummy!! Got the suntory sour for a drink and it was great. Was worried about the size of the small plates being bite sized but they were a decent portion. Got the kaarage and okonomiyaki. Got the Nichinan as a roll and it was also excellent
G C
Had the worst experience. There are no vegan options and they aren’t accommodating to those with allergies. What a bummer!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
S D
The food was good, not great. Especially for the price. The staff was good, and so was the atmosphere, but for well over $100 per person the quality of the sushi was underwhelming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Frankie Dominguez
I went with two friends and we really enjoyed our full experience at Nichinan. This is a great place to share different plates. It was hard to choose what to order because everything on the food and drink menu is fun and enticing. Everything we tried was delicious! The service was perfect. There was never an empty cup, we had everything we needed, our server knew each dish really well and was excited to share about the chef's menu. The atmosphere is just about the best in town. Clean, well designed and gorgeous dining area. The same goes for the bathroom and waiting area. Looking forward to going back!Dietary restrictions: The server made sure to ask everyone at the table if there were allergies or diet restrictions in the group to be aware of.
We had a fantastic time at Nichinan! My boyfriend and I had an early valentine’s date here, the food was spectacular and the service was 10/10. The sushi was honestly some of the best I’ve ever had and the spicy crab fried rice was phenomenal. I highly recommend getting a table, it was so cozy and intimate. We will definitely be coming back again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Glass House
So friggin
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jim Bowden
Nice small place, great food, was my first time and definitely will be back!
Exceptional experience. Service started with Brendon greeting us warmly and checking in during the meal. Adrien was our server and was attentive, helpful and his suggestions were spot on. The menu was well thought out and highlighted creative and inviting choices, well designed for sharing. We shared 5 items, and the attention to detail on preparation and presentation on every one was outstanding. The scallop roll with shishito cream cheese and Asian pear was particularly amazing, although I’d be hard pressed to choose an actual favorite.Each item was brought to the table piping hot (except the sushi items, of course) provided us time to have a romantic dinner with a new creative dish to share.Well done to all of youYour attention to detail from beginning to end was noted and appreciated
Outstanding service, food, and atmosphere. Don't pass on the sake.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Wagyu
Andrew Brown
We visited for the first time on 12.15.23 and we will 100% be back again. We had amazing service from friendly and attentive staff and some of the best tasting things I've had out to eat in some time. We had the pork belly hirata buns and WOW, buns soft and delicious and the pork had a little crisp on the outside and amazing melting flavors, next we had the Oshizushi trio and enjoyed all three flavors with the Kewpie crab being my favorite with a great citrus flavor that made me wish i had more. We also had the special which was a rice ball stuffed with toro and unagi that again was flavored amazingly. The last item was the spicy crab fried rice that was a huge serving and had a great spice to it with so much crab and other ingredients.Overall great experience and would recommend to anyone.Parking: parking is a little challenging in this part of town but we did find a free street parking spot just a short walk away
I'm not sure why this place doesn't have more 5 star reviews. We had a delicious dinner here and found the food to be very balanced and flavorful. We had a mix of different things - the sushi and sashimi stood out as the highlights. The yellowtail sashimi was melt in your mouth. The ambiance was great and the restaurant was cozy. The only piece of constructive feedback I have is that they should season the edamame differently. It's pretty plain with minimal salt and some lemon zest - I think this is a missed opportunity.
shannon p
Interesting place. I really only ended up here because I was staying at the hotel it’s in. Reading through the other reviews let me know that a lot of people are saying the same thing….It’s a little bit overpriced for the food that you’re getting. It is good, but not the best…. There is room for improvement. I payed $110 without tip… I ordered a two different types of Nigri, a roll, the Wagyu Gyoza (only 3 pieces) and a 10 ounce carafe of sake. The roll that I ordered was the hotate roll, the texture really threw me off. I think that cream cheese with soft scallops needs some other kind of crunch texture to make it work. I tried eating it, but I couldn’t do it, so I sent it back and ordered the karaage. The portion size for this was much larger than expected. Chicken was a little bit dry but overall a pretty decent dish. The staff removed the scallops from my Bill which I thought was really nice since there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just didn’t like it. Overall a nice place and when I come back and stay at this hotel again, I will probably revisit the restaurant as it really was good. I just feel like the quality needs to be amped up a little bit to match the prices that are being charged.
Second time here and the food was good but not for the price. Spent around $220 not including the tip for 2 people (with one alcoholic beverage) and was not satisfied with the portions and quality. Go to Surf instead!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Great vibe. Great servers. If you are looking for authentic Japanese food though, this is not the place. As a vegetarian, they offered a vegetarian ramen which was way too salty. I could tell the broth was made with a powder stock and they used way too much. The edamame had a unique flavor and I did enjoy it, however they were overcooked and the pod was mush. My husband, who is Asian and has traveled to Japan numerous times, enjoyed the fresh seaweed salad but that's where his compliments stop. The A-5 wagyu nigiri was meant to be seared, but he could taste the chemical butane from the torch they used. It also appeared that they did not use a quality sushi rice, as the nigiri fell apart as soon as he tried to pick it up. He also had the signature nichinan roll, which his first comment was "this tastes like a Philly roll". He says that they hid the flavor of the blue finned tuna in way too much rice and scallion which overpower the fish. There was some kind of mayo or aioli on the side which didn't seem to compliment the roll. 5 stars for atmosphere and service, but for the prices they are charging you could find other places in the city to eat that would be tastier.Vegetarian options: They can make a vegetarian dish, but for what they charge it wasn't worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Everything was yummy!! Got the suntory sour for a drink and it was great. Was worried about the size of the small plates being bite sized but they were a decent portion. Got the kaarage and okonomiyaki. Got the Nichinan as a roll and it was also excellent
Had the worst experience. There are no vegan options and they aren’t accommodating to those with allergies. What a bummer!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The food was good, not great. Especially for the price. The staff was good, and so was the atmosphere, but for well over $100 per person the quality of the sushi was underwhelming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
I went with two friends and we really enjoyed our full experience at Nichinan. This is a great place to share different plates. It was hard to choose what to order because everything on the food and drink menu is fun and enticing. Everything we tried was delicious! The service was perfect. There was never an empty cup, we had everything we needed, our server knew each dish really well and was excited to share about the chef's menu. The atmosphere is just about the best in town. Clean, well designed and gorgeous dining area. The same goes for the bathroom and waiting area. Looking forward to going back!Dietary restrictions: The server made sure to ask everyone at the table if there were allergies or diet restrictions in the group to be aware of.
Recommended dishes: Karaage Chicken, Kani, Sushi, Edamame
We had a fantastic time at Nichinan! My boyfriend and I had an early valentine’s date here, the food was spectacular and the service was 10/10. The sushi was honestly some of the best I’ve ever had and the spicy crab fried rice was phenomenal. I highly recommend getting a table, it was so cozy and intimate. We will definitely be coming back again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So friggin
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice small place, great food, was my first time and definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Belly Hirata Buns, Maguro Tartare
Probably the best sushi in Portsmouth. Caviar appetizer needs a magnifying glass tho.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Exceptional experience. Service started with Brendon greeting us warmly and checking in during the meal. Adrien was our server and was attentive, helpful and his suggestions were spot on. The menu was well thought out and highlighted creative and inviting choices, well designed for sharing. We shared 5 items, and the attention to detail on preparation and presentation on every one was outstanding. The scallop roll with shishito cream cheese and Asian pear was particularly amazing, although I’d be hard pressed to choose an actual favorite.Each item was brought to the table piping hot (except the sushi items, of course) provided us time to have a romantic dinner with a new creative dish to share.Well done to all of youYour attention to detail from beginning to end was noted and appreciated
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wok Fried Eggplant, Spicy Crab Fried Rice, Sushi, Hotate, Pork Belly Hirata Buns
Outstanding service, food, and atmosphere. Don't pass on the sake.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Wagyu
We visited for the first time on 12.15.23 and we will 100% be back again. We had amazing service from friendly and attentive staff and some of the best tasting things I've had out to eat in some time. We had the pork belly hirata buns and WOW, buns soft and delicious and the pork had a little crisp on the outside and amazing melting flavors, next we had the Oshizushi trio and enjoyed all three flavors with the Kewpie crab being my favorite with a great citrus flavor that made me wish i had more. We also had the special which was a rice ball stuffed with toro and unagi that again was flavored amazingly. The last item was the spicy crab fried rice that was a huge serving and had a great spice to it with so much crab and other ingredients.Overall great experience and would recommend to anyone.Parking: parking is a little challenging in this part of town but we did find a free street parking spot just a short walk away
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Crab Fried Rice, Pork Belly Hirata Buns
I'm not sure why this place doesn't have more 5 star reviews. We had a delicious dinner here and found the food to be very balanced and flavorful. We had a mix of different things - the sushi and sashimi stood out as the highlights. The yellowtail sashimi was melt in your mouth. The ambiance was great and the restaurant was cozy. The only piece of constructive feedback I have is that they should season the edamame differently. It's pretty plain with minimal salt and some lemon zest - I think this is a missed opportunity.
Interesting place. I really only ended up here because I was staying at the hotel it’s in. Reading through the other reviews let me know that a lot of people are saying the same thing….It’s a little bit overpriced for the food that you’re getting. It is good, but not the best…. There is room for improvement. I payed $110 without tip… I ordered a two different types of Nigri, a roll, the Wagyu Gyoza (only 3 pieces) and a 10 ounce carafe of sake. The roll that I ordered was the hotate roll, the texture really threw me off. I think that cream cheese with soft scallops needs some other kind of crunch texture to make it work. I tried eating it, but I couldn’t do it, so I sent it back and ordered the karaage. The portion size for this was much larger than expected. Chicken was a little bit dry but overall a pretty decent dish. The staff removed the scallops from my Bill which I thought was really nice since there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just didn’t like it. Overall a nice place and when I come back and stay at this hotel again, I will probably revisit the restaurant as it really was good. I just feel like the quality needs to be amped up a little bit to match the prices that are being charged.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Uni, Toro