15 Unmissable Seafood Dishes In Philly Right Now - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"Royal Sushi in Queen Village lives at the center of this Venn diagram: excellent seafood, rowdy bar, and pristine omakase. Despite the front of the house feeling like a fun party, there’s nothing casual about this $160 indulgent plate of seafood. It includes an assortment of Japanese fish from Toyosu Market—think salmon, squid, fatty tuna—plus buttery, umami-rich uni, Japanese scallop, ikura, osetra caviar, and tamago. It’s a delightfully salty and refreshing seafood revelation that’s as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. Royal's sushi omakase is the single hardest reservation to book in Philadelphia. (At the end of the meal, diners can rebook for the following month, and many do—thus creating a defacto club of omakase regulars.) Open slots become available 30 days in advance, so we suggest setting an alarm or 10 and signing up for the waitlist notifications. It's rare, but not unheard of, to get a last-minute reservation. Alternatively, you could dine in the walk-in-only izakaya portion of the restaurant, get “lost” heading to the bathroom, and try to blend in with the Eagles player gulping toro." - alison kessler, candis mclean
