PABUsummer terrace treatwhat a perfect place to spend the first warm breezy evening of a long overdue summer! as always the food was fabulous, sake, wine and cocktails too! indulgent but healthy - pabu is the perfect summer outdoors experience of extraordinary view + extraordinary food - thank you!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMHigh end sushi dining experienceA very ecclectic mix of sushi options that did not consist of just the typical list of sushi rolls. A large variety of sushi, sashimi, and nigiri plus some wonderful off menu options. We had grilled tuna collarbone that was exquisite. The toro melts in your mouth and we also appreciated the micro brewed Japanese beers. Highly recommended overall.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMBest meal in BaltimoreThe service is friendly and accommodating and the food was superb. Its hard to ask for anything else. The small eggplant, miso soup, crab cake with an egg on top, and the ribs were all phenomenal. I look forward to going back again and will recommend it to anyone who asks.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMPabu for YouHaving eating at many Izakayas in Japan, I was pretty impressed with everything about Pabu except for one thing--the noise level. When we came in they were blasting some loud rock music and it totally killed the Japanese vibe that this place went to such great lengths to achieve. That said, the food and service was incredible, and I would recommend having the 'Satori' tasting menu which gives a little sampling of the entire menu and leaves you more than satisfied at meal's end.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMNot just sushi!We wanted a special sushi dinner and tried Pabu. Located in the Four Seasons Hotel (outside entrance) in Harbor East, we were greeted by the Asst manager and seated immediately at 8 pm on a Wednesday night. The sake list was quite long and we spent 15 minutes with him trying to find the right bottle....and his recommendation was perfect. Some items of note that must be sampled...
The Happy Spoon - an oyster with uni, ikura and a Japanese seasoned (ponzu?) creme fraiche. Magnificent! The Pabu wings - yeah chicken wings!) very crispy and perfect seasonings. The edamame is roasted over Japanese white oak and was the best we've had anywhere. This is not the cheapest Japanese restaurant in town, but clearly the bast.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMROBATAYAKIWhile PABU imports some of the best fish for it's sushi in the Mid-Atlantic, you're missing out if you pass up anything from the robatayaki grill. The smell of the charred white oak hits you as you walk into the restaurant. The squid may be the best I've ever had. While I highly praise the grilled meats, there are plenty of other selections that you can't miss.
The "Happy Spoon" can't be missed, and is the best single bite of food in Baltimore. Think fois gras of the sea. The eggplant is divine. Don't miss the soft shell crab either. Lastly, the service has certainly evened out & is quite polished now that they've been open for a year. Fantastic beverage program, high energy atmosphere. PABU is a great night out.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent meal, exciting diningI had the tasting menu which was an excellent way to sample all Pabu had to offer. Ingredients were fresh and interesting, exciting preparations. Server and sommelier were great leading us through the meal. My wife ordered small plates a la carte which were great.. Atmosphere was relaxed, nice background music, view of the water. We'll be back5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and serviceWe were a large group of 10, but the service was consistent and attentive. An alarm went off in the middle of dinner, but the staff assured us all was well and continued service without missing a beat.
The food was great, we ordered almost one of everything and there were no disappointments, including desert. Highlight: great saki menu, Tonkatsu - Crispy Berkshire Pork Loin, Shaved Green Cabbage, Bulldog Sauce, and Ken's Roll.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMSushi is the best in Balltimore,Sushi is the best in Balltimore, or maybe even south of NYC.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMbest dinner we have had in years!Their cocktails are original and fun and the sushi is amazingly fresh and thoughtfully designed. Our first dish would have won a blue ribbon is a flower show and first prize in a taste off! Can't wait to go back.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMPabu is a fabulous place.Pabu is a fabulous place. Japanese food that is tasty, attractive, interesting. Sushi, while good, is kind of an afterthought because there are so many other more interesting choices. Wine list is overpriced, but this is not really wine food. Good Japanese beers and LOTS of saki choices.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMVery nice and knowledgeableVery nice and knowledgeable waiter. Great experience and would happily return to this restaurant.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe grilled items are superbThe grilled items are superb - highly recommend the chicken wings (of all things) and the happy spoons. Not a ton of variety in the sushi, but the fish was very fresh and tasty. Would like to have had the sushi rice hold together just a tiny bit more, but otherwise didn't find much fault at all. great meal. Service was excellent.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMSo many choicesThis was my first time at this restaurant. Iowa is pressed with the number of choices, the quality of the food, and the decor.
We had. A great waiter, but like most restaurants today, the noise level was too high for me. When you have a hard time hearing the person across the table, I don't call that energetic; it's annoying.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMSince Pabu is part of theSince Pabu is part of the Four Seasons Baltimore, we assumed that it would be as upscale as the hotel's other restaurant, Wit and Wisdom. Upon arriving for our 7.30 p.m. dinner reservation, we were surprised to find tourists in jeans and children coloring in a much less fancy setting. The food, however, was unbelievable. We tried the tasting menu and ordered from the a la carte menu as well. It was phenomenal. We were thrilled to try a number of items from the tasting menu that we never would have ordered ourselves -- Japanese chicken noodle soup with ramen, for example, and crispy chicken wings with a fabulous Asian glaze. So good! The service was a little slow -- but we were celebrating a special occasion and weren't in any real hurry4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing service and exceptionalAmazing service and exceptional food. Totally wonderful experience.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food! All dishes wereAmazing food! All dishes were spectacular. Each dish was authentically Japanese but with a modern twist.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food!!! The fish isAmazing food!!! The fish is the freshest I've tasted.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMOur first and not our lastOur first and not our last visit to Pabu was wonderful. We had the Satori dinner to acquaint ourselves with the menu. At $45 it is a steal with copious amounts of dining delicacies. We enjoyed them all from the appetizers to the amazing desserts. Service was quite good and knowing. We took advantage of the $8 valet parking which is almost a must in the area. We both heartily recommend the restaurant.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMAn East Harbor Gem4th time there; I have never been disappointed. At most sushi restaurants I stick to the sushi, and it is excellent with some unusual selections at Pabu. But it is fun to mix with sushi. The Ahi tuna poke is spectacular as is the Ika Yaki (squid). Skip the wings (I could not talk my daughter out of ordering), save them for your local tavern.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFreshest Seafood on the East coastI'm a foodie. This is the best Sushi on the East Coast. By far. Make sure you sit at the sushi bar and ask them to surprise you. Creative, and extremely fresh fish. Exquisite.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing cocktails and amazingAmazing cocktails and amazing staff. They know their craft and they love the food scene.
Was not blown away by the sushi but the other non-seafood items are a must order, such as the wings, edamame (yummy, spicy and finally not too salty) and the salads.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMEXTRAORDINARY EXCEPTIONAL CHOICEPabu is a very special experience! It is principally Japanese cooking, with a bit of an American feel to some of the grilled dishes. The sushi was extraordinary -- the fish from Tokyo's fish market just melted in your mouth and was well worth the cost. There are plenty of local fish choices as well. The special appetizers, including the chopped tuna carpaccio, were excellent, as were the grilled squid, the grilled ribs, etc. And the desserts were also good. Good range of sake choices -- I preferred the northern ones, which were less sweet than the southern ones. Service was incredible -- we practically had our own waiter, who advised us well. This has got to be one of the best restaurants in Baltimore.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat sushi, great JapaneseGreat sushi, great Japanese food, great happy hour, great vibe. Good crowd, but if this were in DC the line would be out the door. Glad it is Baltimore.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMRecommendThe Sake selection process was fairly pretentious and over the top. Wait staff seemed a little overwhelmed ....still strongly recommend.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday dinner at PabuHad a nice B'day card on the table when we sat down. Get the cold and hot plates. The sushi/sashimi - good but expensive; you can get the same for less elsewhere. Winners: Ahi Tuna Poke Tobiko - really nice dish with lots of flavor; ‘‘Happy Spoons" - these are $6 per; (you need to like uni to appreciate), Michael’s ‘Chicken Noodle’ is $12 - good but would not get again. Savory Egg Custard, Maryland Crab Okonomiyaki,Tonkatsu are all very good. Robata platter - 5 skewers for $19 over rice; really good value. Having lived in Japan for many years, their Robata-yaki is very good. Nice selection of sake and unusual drinks. Valet parking excellent; car was outside when we left the restaurant.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AM