Zento Contemporary Japanese Cuisine + Sake Bar

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Address:
132 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Neighborhood:
Old City

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Cuisine:
Japanese

Price: $30 and under

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Zento Contemporary Japanese Cuisine + Sake Bar Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.zentocontemporary.com/2013
Email: zentocontemporary@gmail.com
Phone: (215) 925-9998
Hours of Operation: LUNCH

Monday to Friday: 11:30am - 3:00pm

Saturday: 11:30am - 5pm (Dinner menu is served)

DINNER

Sunday to Thursday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm

Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm - 12:00am

Parties Larger than 8, Please Call in to Reserve Your Table
$45 credit card minimum please
Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Japanese, Asian, Sushi
Executive Chef: Sam Ho
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Smoking Area, Takeout, Wine
Catering: Years of experience with local establishments and organizations to provide on-site and off-site sushi catering service for special events. Sushi Party trays are also available upon request.
Special Events & Promotions: The 2nd floor dining room can occupy 30 - 40 people with a full liquor and premium sake bar, overlooking the dining room on the first floor through the glass windows. This stylish room can be used for large private parties or special events.

Getting there

Cross Street: Free Validated Parking Thursday-Saturday 5:00-Close
Public Transit: Market-Frankford Line- 2nd Street Station
Parking: Street Parking
Parking Details: In the event that street parking is not available, Zento Offers FREE Validated (Indoor) parking at Sky Park located at 37 S 2nd St on the North East Corner of 2nd and Chestnut St.

A word from Zento Contemporary Japanese Cuisine + Sake Bar

*Free Validated parking located at Sky Park (Indoor Garage) 37 S 2nd St on the NE corner of 2nd and Chestnut St Thursday-Saturday 5:00-Close

Sexy and trendy two-story spacious establishment with a full liquor and premium sake bar. The main dining room welcomes you with a 10 ft long sushi… bar, attended by our talented and skilled chefs. Then few steps away is the full liquor bar fills with good selections of top shelf liquors and premium sakes for all preferences. The warm table setting welcomes our guests to enjoy a fine meal. The 2nd floor dining room is also occupied by a full liquor and premium sake bar, overlooking the dining room on the first floor. This stylish room can be used for large private parties or special events.

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerJapanese

Diner Reviews

"The decor is really cute and even on the romantic side. I am not sure what the second floor looked like, but the dining area on the first floor was tight (perfect for dates, but not groups). Our waitress seemed abrupt and rushed us through The ordering process, but once our food started coming out the service improved. We all ordered a sushi roll and an entree. I thought it was a little odd that the entree came before the sushi, didn't bother us (if you have prefernces on timing you may want to a let the wait staff know). The food was good, and I would come again if back in town and in need of a sushi fix."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"Clearly worst table (immed. behind host/silverware/linens station) when asked, hostesses said no other tables, or diners walking past to get seated were@the bar, but very unconvincing&insincere +said while looking down her nose@me from behind as I craned my neck to hear.Had 2 if not 3 servers…Had to repeatedly wave/flag down for any attention, from ordering drinks, food&check.Extremely slow bar service–isn’t it a cardinal rule to get drinks out quickly?Didn’t even have a “special” martini which comes w/ disclaimer on extra time…Bland food (multiple appetizers & rolls).Ordered an app which never came, but charged for-when asked to have removed, it was but w/o even acknowledging mistake,any form of “Sorry” vs. plopping down new check&leaving."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"The resturant was very busy, and the food showed why. Very well prepared sushi dishes, and a strong list of beers and wines. The staff seemed a bit overwhelmed at times and we had to wait about twenty minutes for a table even with our reservation. That being said I would still recommend this resturant for its good food and interesting atmosphere, you may just need a little patience"
Dined on 2/22/2014
"My boyfriend and I went here as a pick for something "nice" for Valentine's day and my main feeling was that it definitely met our expectations. We were running late because of car trouble and they were able to push our reservation back with no problem. Couples got a rose when they were greeted at the door. The service/water refills were slightly slow but the food was good and the prices were very reasonable for what we got."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Our waitress was kinda rude but other than that the food and atmosphere were great."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Service was slow, but it was mainly because our waitress had a huge party plus a couple other small tables. Food was excellent"
Dined on 2/8/2014
"The fish portions were meager on a too large portion of rice."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"I have gone to Zento multiple times in the past, I consider myself a foodie and very particular about my experience at a restaurant especially how the food tastes. It's a great place for sushi but also specializes in great entre options and the appetizers are amazing. This place is very energetic and with an enjoyable ambiance. Would and have recommended to many."
Dined on 1/25/2014
"To date, Zento is the best all around sushi joint I've sampled, in Philadelphia (and one of the best anywhere). They offer a number of usual favourites, which they execute flawlessly, as well as a vast array of contemporary fare. Every section of the menu has something tempting and I can't help but over-order every time I'm faced with the menu. It's not the cheapest, but it is the best. It is far from overpriced, though. I suggest checking out their menu."
Dined on 1/20/2014
"My boyfriend and I went to this restaurant because there was a living social for this place. The design of the inside of the restaurant was nice but the tables were REALLY close to each other that it somewhat made it great for people watching but also could be socially awkward. The best dish that we had there was the rainbox ceviche and vegetable&shrimp tempura. I was not highly impressed with the specialty rolls because mostly all of them were cooked fish. The service was irregular bringing my boyfriend and I drinks at different times and seemed that the tables were just hailing down the waitress. It was overall not worth it for the price of it, thought it had great potential from online, but would not return at all."
Dined on 1/10/2014
"We are avid sushi eaters and Zento had some interesting rolls to try especially the soy wrapped ones. The rolls we ordered were good but nothing like a flavor explosion. The inside is fairly small so a party of four or more wouldn't fit comfortably or will be able to keep their conversations to themselves. Ok for a quaint night out in Old City. We had the calamari and mussel miso soup and four of their specialty rolls."
Dined on 1/9/2014
"We went here on NYE, since we had a party and didn't want to do a pri fixe menu. The place is small and not alot of table room so you are sitting very close to other people. The service was ok, we ordered our drinks and they took about 15 min for the waitress to being them over, even though the place was not crowded. The food (including our apps) were then rushed out pretty much all at once and the waitress kept asking if wanted our check even though we were still eating. So all in all the food was really good, probably a better spot for lunch then dinner since they want to rush you out the door."
Dined on 12/31/2013
"Our group of 6 enjoyed a variety of dishes, with every single one of the items of top quality. From the sushi & sashimi platter, to calamari, tuna tartar...all a taste delight. Service was very good. We were seated upstairs which is a little quieter and intimate."
Dined on 12/28/2013
"The sushi was worth going back for. We tried several different rolls. The volcano roll was delicious and fun! The chicken teriyaki and the udon soup was good, but wouldn't be worth a return trip."
Dined on 12/26/2013
"First time eating here since Zento moved to this location. The place is bigger than the original location, but it is still a small space. We ordered soups, and a sushi and sashimi platter. Everything was very good and tasty."
Dined on 12/26/2013
"This little gem in Old City is a great place for two people or a small group. Great sushi and sake, as well as friendly and attentive staff. Overall had a great experience and will definitely be back there again soon."
Dined on 12/26/2013
"Sushi was very fresh and clean tasting, Rolls were so-so. Too ambitious with too much "stuff" in them. Prices are a bit steep but the ambiance was good and it was, refreshingly, quite quiet. Would we go back? Probably not because of the prices."
Dined on 12/21/2013
"Too noisy. Tables too close. Servers can't move around. Cocktails are small & weak. Food is overpriced compared to comparable Sushi restaurants in the area."
Dined on 12/20/2013
"Quiet little intimate restaurant. They have a great sake selection by the carafe. The appetizer mussels steamed in beer were a pleasant unusual surprise; very spicy broth, tasty. The sushi selection on the sushi platter was the best I've had: 8 totally different fish, really fresh. The server pointed to each and told me what each one was. It included bronzino and escolar, which don't usually appear on sushi platter selections. The only complaint was that the spicy tuna roll wasn't really spicy at all. It was still good, just not spicy. The broiled sea bass was delicious. I would definitely go back."
Dined on 12/9/2013
"The restaurant is small, but very artfully decorated and such a creative use of space. Beyond the bar/entry area, the small dining room opens up with a vaulted ceiling, where bare brick walls from adjacent buildings are visible on each side. You can see a piece of Philadelphia's history by looking at these walls. The food was excellent. 99.9% of the time that I visit a sushi restaurant, I eat sushi - but on this occasion, I wanted hot food. I had a bowl of the tofu miso soup, which was warm and comforting, followed by the miso-marinated Chilean Seabass, served with mixed green tossed in an onion dressing. The seabass was AMAZING - it was delicate, buttery, and flavorful. I'm salivating just thinking about it! I highly recommend this place."
Dined on 11/13/2013
"My husband and I went to Sent I mainly for my obsession over ramen tonkotsu soup. The app were great. My husband LOVED the kung fu flicks playing while we dined. Drinks were hit or miss and although the tables are not big enough for two people plus the plates of food, we enjoyed ourselves. Hubby didn't enjoy his meal (waygu kobi beef with wild rice) but I would return with or without him."
Dined on 10/26/2013
"We picked this restaurant without knowing what to expect. We were very happy with the food and service we received. We had shrimp dumplings that were exquisite. Along with others apps and sushi rolls. The food came out quickly and our server was great. Highly recommend checking this place out."
Dined on 11/9/2013
"Slowest service I think I've ever had anywhere and food was good, but not as good as I thought it would be"
Dined on 11/8/2013
"Unusual combinations with great flavor and freshness. Now my favorite sushi spot!"
Dined on 11/8/2013
"If you are looking for fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced sushi this is your spot. All the sushi was very flavorful and tasty. They have a full bar, but you can bring your own bottle of wine for a $10 corkage fee. I will definitely be back to visit this intimate spot in old city!"
Dined on 11/4/2013
"Food and service was great. I would definitely go again. I love their variety of sushi choices."
Dined on 11/2/2013
"Been in love with this place ever since it was a tiny restaurant just up the street from it's current location. If you love sushi this is a place you have to try. Two words...branzino roll!"
Dined on 10/22/2013
"We arrived early but they accommodated us quickly (although we were happy to wait). Service was outstanding. Just the best - and the food, for me, was very good. I am not a Sushi person but my husband is and he said the eel was fantastic. Very enjoyable evening all around."
Dined on 10/27/2013
"The food was delicious! Loved the flavors, textures, and presentation of the dishes! The service was awesome! Loved the atmosphere and we will definitely be going back!"
Dined on 10/19/2013
"...otherwise, you will be sitting on high stools, sandwiched against the bar. I haven't sat upstairs, though, so I don't know how that is. The food at Zento is good; the layout is a little bizarre. But don't let that stop you from checking it out!"
Dined on 10/13/2013
"Zento was a great night out for 6 of us. I don't know if it was my most favorite Japanese place ever, but it was certainly very good. The restaurant is beautiful and there is a nice selection, if not exotic. The restaurant worked perfectly with my mostly meat & potatoes husband and my vegan friends. My husband did say his chicken teriyaki was a little dried out and they were out of the beef. However, everything else that the rest of us ordered was very good. Take note: You can't park on Chestnut Street near the restaurant after 10pm or the city will tow your car."
Dined on 9/29/2013
"food was average, prices were a bit steep for what I got. I ordered the calamari salad and had 5 pieces of calamari...for 10$, I think not. If you want a good (GREAT) calamari salad do yourself a favor and go to Buddakan"
Dined on 9/18/2013
"We went during restaurant week... other sushi places that we had been before were booked so checked the open table website for reviews. Zento was very highly recommended.... but my husband and I couldn't figure out why. It was a rainy/muggy night and there wasn't air conditioning (my first thoughts were about eating sushi... raw fish... hot....) ... we were sat at a table in the back completely crammed next to another couple. We asked to switch tables which didn't seem to be a problem. Drinks were pretty good... the lychee mojito was particularly good. The food was okay but as I expected... you don't want to be hot while eating sushi. The hostess was very unfriendly... and actually yelled at a customer while we were there."
Dined on 9/22/2013
"Very fresh sushi, awesome waiters, except they sat us on the second floor which I didn't like. We sat right by a sink and ice machine, which was odd and unwelcoming. I sat downstairs before which I liked way more. Besides that...great experience."
Dined on 9/21/2013
"We are Zento regulars and the service was its usual spectacular. But our favorite menu item, Yellowtail tartare is now off the menu. We substituted the Tuna TarTare, it was just not the same. We ordered several rolls and the scallop avocado was wonderful. However, my usual favorite, the Flaming Dragon, fizzled. I am hoping it was an off night for the chef but it was a disappointing date night for us. The service was unparalleled though. We love the servers."
Dined on 9/22/2013
"The service and the food were impeccable. I took my fiancee there for her birthday and I was very pleased at the decision to choose this restaurant. It was one of the most memorable moments in her life to this point. She wants to go back for more than just special occasions."
Dined on 9/18/2013
"We celebrated a friends birthday here with 8 people service was amazing and fast the food was fresh and solo good I recommend the volcano sushi we even had to order another one it was soo good !! Will definitely be back again !!"
Dined on 8/25/2013
"The atmosphere was incredible. I are there before outside... But this time we decided on goin inside due to the hot weather. Glad I did. It was very cozy and quiet. Outside its noisey because it is on a busy street. I recommend eating inside. And the food was great, as usual. Very tasty and beautiful. The server did not offer us something to drink, he just gave us ice water. I thought that was a bit weird but it did save us on the check. Overall I had an excellent time and I would recommend Zento to anyone who loves Japanese!"
Dined on 8/22/2013
"great décor and ambience really liked the candle wax dripping down the walls"
Dined on 8/23/2013
"Aside from not having a few of my favorite items (Uni,ikura) everything was outstanding. Selection of chilled sake was very well done."
Dined on 8/21/2013

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