"Thanks to its rundown exterior and manga covering the walls, Uni Japanese feels like a 50-year-old speakeasy izakaya that never got its liquor delivery (luckily, it’s a BYOB). While the chipped paint doesn’t exactly scream “excellent chicken katsu,” that’s what you’ll find in this easygoing Rittenhouse restaurant. There’s a sushi bar up front ideal for a comforting bowl of omurice, while in the back couples and friends split decent gyoza and sushi rolls that look like mini gardens on the plate—plastic trees included. The katsu, however, is a showstopper, doused in a generous onion gravy while still maintaining its juicy crispness. Stop in if you live nearby and you’ll see most of the neighborhood (or anyone as obsessed with ramen or tasty soy-soaked chicken as us). " - candis mclean, alison kessler
