This Philly Sushi Restaurant Has a Nightly Waitlist of Over 1,000 People
Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Queen Village is technically two restaurants: The casual, walk-in-only front room serves up izakaya-style hits; hidden behind it, eight-time James Beard-nominated chef Jesse Ito helms the omakase counter.
What to order
- The $350 omakase, Royal Sushi’s only option. It recently included highlights like bibimbap with nori butter rice and assorted pieces of fish; dry-aged fatty bluefin tuna nigiri with a dollop of Osetra caviar; and live scallop nigiri.
- A third of the tri-fold menu features optional add-ons. Yes, you do want a $32 piece of wagyu. You could get two Sweetgreen salads… or a melt-in-your-mouth piece of galbi-marinated A5 Miyazaki ribeye; you know what to do.
- Add on Itosan’s tamago. Ito’s father, a sushi chef from Japan makes the sweet egg omelet, an ideal cap on the flawless meal.
The vibe
While the izakaya is dark (sometimes “phone flashlight on to read the menu” dark) and moody, the back room — which has some izakaya seating — is brighter and quieter. The L-shaped omakase counter only seats 8, so you may walk out having made a friend or two (including chef Ito.)
Insider tip
This is the hardest reservation to book in Philly, and one of the toughest in the country. I tried every night for a year and a half, at midnight exactly, to snag a spot. Set a Resy notify — it’s rare, but occasionally, last-minute bookings open. If you do nab a seat, your waiter will even offer to make your next (pre-paid) reservation for you in another 3-4 months.
If you can’t get into the omakase, by no means are you settling for the izakaya, a dining experience in itself. Sit at the bar and order a few rolls, like the Bloc Party and Aka-Taka.
