Chubby Nori | Philadelphia

I’m shocked no reviews have mentioned how rushed the hand roll service is. My boyfriend and I came for a special occasion and we ordered $200 worth of food. It was over in 15 minutes. I checked with timestamps of the photos I took. They serve the hand rolls so quickly one after another I didn’t have time to savor it. I really wished I didn’t feel so rushed. It felt way too fast for such an expensive meal. The food was very tasty and the fish is fresh, but I won’t come back until they work out the timing of their service.

It was a beautiful dinner with one of the more fresh sushi options in Philly! Each roll is meant for one person and not shared, otherwise treat it as your own tapas experience, and you will definitely need 3-4 rolls to get full. My favorites would be the mango shrimp tempura and miso buttered cod rolls! The sweet potato roll is a must get also! The wasabi is freshly prepared. I would’ve loved some green tea to accompany the meal, but otherwise I can’t wait to go back to try the rest of the menu!

I had an amazing experience at this sushi restaurant! The hand rolls were incredibly fresh and flavorful, especially the uni (sea urchin) and the seared fish. Each roll was perfectly wrapped in crispy seaweed, and the flavors were balanced beautifully. The presentation was impressive, and the ingredients were clearly of high quality. The side dishes and dipping sauces added a nice touch to the meal. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic sushi experience. I’ll definitely be coming back!

I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while and I’m so glad I finally got to eat here! The spicy yellowtail was my favorite! They pack so much fish in the hand rolls, it’s delicious! Service was also very good. There was a small technical error with the orders but our server was very attentive and helped fix it immediately. Every employee I interacted with was very friendly and ready to provide me with anything I needed. The restaurant looked and felt very clean inside. I would definitely come again!

The uni handroll was a delightful surprise. It was my first time trying it, and I was impressed by how fresh the ingredients were. The uni itself was creamy and flavorful, perfectly complemented by the rice and crisp seaweed. Each bite was an experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to try something unique and delicious.

Very cool spot. So much bigger on the inside. Seating is like an omakase. The dishes are all so thoughtful and tasty. Highly recommend the miso butter cod. I could eat a whole plate of those. The mango shrimp tempura was another hidden gem too. Both are featured in pics below The staff is so friendly and attentive. Def check em out!

The atmosphere was extremely welcoming. First coming in, it has a nice classy feel even though it’s affordable for the amount you receive! The food here was tasty and aesthetically pleasing as well. The waiter was very kind and helpful. I would definitely recommend this place. Get the spicy salmon tempura roll!!

This place was such a treat. The ambiance and decor was beautiful; it really feels authentically Japanese. The service was incredible. The staff was always ready to help us out and remove things from the table. The rolls are pricey but so, so incredibly delicious and PACKED with meat. The blue crab was great, they put so much crab in the roll. I also had the eel, miso butter cod, and spicy scallops. Aside from how beautifully presented they are, the blend of flavors and textures create something so delicious in one bite. Definitely a unique sushi experience in Philly.

I've been to Chubby Nori twice since it's opened and I got to say, it's really quite great. It's not a sexy, sleek omakase by any means, but the fish is really fresh, the sushi bar is extremely comfortable, and the room feels authentic and of a place that you would want to be. My first time alone I had 5 different hand rolls, my favorite being the wagyu with uni, but I must say that each and every piece had so much taste and flavor, and was piled high! My second time I had two favorite, one was the spicy scallop and the ebi with ikura. I also like the ikura handroll, but wish they didn't have the cucumber in there. Service is kind and good enough - it's not as proactive as it could always be, but they are busy because they're so good! The price point is just stellar - I'll keep coming back!

Chawabmushi $5.5 no longer comes with the ikura gel. Disappointed that we didn't get to try it with the gel. Our friends went previously and recommended this dish. They went back later and no longer recommended it without the gel. We decided to try it anyways. It was very bland to us. Something nice and warm for the tummy on a cold night but nothing special. We did ask the waiter about the gel. We were told it was too sweet for some customers. We would hope they cover the gel on the menu or inform customers when ordering in the future. They were kind enough to comp us this item. Miso Butter Cod $9.25 this was our favorite. We started with this and ended up ordering another set at the end. Scallop $9.25 was a good runner up Salmon $6.50 though simple was good Botan ebi ikura $ enjoyed this but would have been nice if the tail was removed Spicy scallop $9.25 the spicy mayo overpowered the scallop a bit for me but boyfriend liked it Toro mushroom $17 we felt this didn't taste like much. Even picking at the mushroom to try it didn't really have a taste Confused how to order. Chefs were standing around, but we didn't know if we order with them or we wave down a waiter. Waiter was very friendly when he had time to come by though. I think the wait staff was understaffed and the chefs were over staffed. This was a Tuesday evening Fair amount of ingredients in rolls for the price. We would probably come back to get the miso cod and scallop as a snack but not come for a whole meal

Service was really good! The waitress always came to check on us and made sure to help us when we needed anything Good lighting and seats, was surprised that there was hotpot upstairs, and only limited seats on the hand roll side, Overall good ambiance! The food was all really good and decently priced The uni and the miso cod was really good!

The sushi was amazing and fresh the ambience was amazing as well one of the best sushi places I have been to

Great food. Nice service, not much seat. But they forgot one of my order and let us sit there for more than 10 mins without food. Has to ask for the forgotten order. Lesson: if something is not coming, just ask for it rather than suspiciously waiting. Except that, everything is great.

One of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia! A fantastic addition to the chubby cattle restaurant. Shout-outs include: Miso Butter Cod 5/5: As the cod is marinated for 72 hrs, it's very well-balanced and flavorful KBBQ Wagyu 5/5: Very tender, and worth the price-point Everything else I've had here is good and fresh including the salmon, blue crab, truffle avocado, and scallop. Worth the visit!

Another win by the Chubby group! I found this hand roll spot by chance on Yelp and since it was only a few blocks away from my hotel, decided to give it a shot. I was seated quickly at the bar on arrival given I was a solo diner. The hostess and the waiters were all very friendly and helpful in terms of helping me gauge how much and what to order. I ordered a total of 6 rolls which filled me up more than I expected. The total for my meal was also much less than expected ($60 some without tip), but coming from SF, I guess this is comparing apples to oranges. I loved the ratio of sushi rice to toppings (perfection) and that the nori was still super crisp when it arrived table side. My favorite rolls were the specialty ones like the eel and scallop, but the regular salmon and yellowtail rolls were also superbly seasoned. I think having a house made soy sauce also helped! The sweetness of the soy married well with their wasabi. Overall, a great great meal. I wasn't surprised to find that one of my favorite hotpot spots, Mikiya, is also part of this restaurant group.

The hand rolls were fresh, tasty and enormous!! The miso cod was the best - super buttery and complemented the nori and rice well. Would also recommend the botan ebi ikura and lobster mentaiko. Avoid the chawanmushi - it was plain. Staff was 10/10!

Food was outstanding - the handrolls were unique, well priced, and SUPER fresh. The eel foie gras and miso black cod were definite standouts. But I also loved the wagyu with uni, the avocado truffle, and the classic yellowtail. The lobster could have used a bit more seasoning, spicy mayo, something to give it more flavor, but it was still a great portion of lobster meat! Since they don't take reservations, we were not able to sit at the bar, which was disappointing. I usually prefer to see the chef making the rolls and ask directly for recommendations. We were sat at one of the hot pot tables, which I think made the service extremely slow. It seemed as if we were forgotten about since the place was so busy. Also, the restaurant only serves beer, sake, and soju. There is no wine, which was again disappointing to me. When I asked what soju was, I was told it was similar to vodka. However, when I tried it (the yogurt flavor), it was sweet (12% alcohol) and similar tasting to Sprite. I think Chubby Nori has potential, but definitely needs to work out some kinks before I go back!

Have been here three times so far and have never been disappointed. The A5 wagyu nigiri is melt-in-your-mouth good and the service has always been friendly. Highly recommend.

Great service, sushi quality is great too and portions are large but there is a lot of rice in each hand roll. I ordered the mango salmon, scallop, A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, eel, and miso butter cod was by far my favorite! Also got the seaweed salad appetizer which was bland.

The ambiance was pleasant, and the hand rolls were well-crafted. They were a good size, and 5-6 rolls were enough to feel full. I preferred the Spicy Scallop over the regular Scallop, and you can't go wrong with the Toro. However, the Ikura was a bit too overpowering for my taste. Service was good, when I got there, wasn't too long of a wait before I was seated.

I've been wanting to try this place for a while and I'm so glad I finally got to eat here! The spicy yellowtail was my favorite! They pack so much fish in the hand rolls, it's delicious! Service was also very good. There was a small technical error with the orders but our server was very attentive and helped fix it immediately. Every employee I interacted with was very friendly and ready to provide me with anything I needed. The restaurant looked and felt very clean inside. I would definitely come again!

Stick with the signature rolls! Three weeks old Chubby Nori is a great new addition to the Chubby empire of elevated dining experiences. This version is collaboration with Matsunori Handroll Bar, specializing in Temaki-style sushi on the second floor right next to another Chubby enterprise. Stick with the signature rolls which are more generously filled and offer more complexity in the flavor profile. I enjoyed the Blue Crab and Spicy Scallop signatures more so than the regular Salmon or Spicy Salmon. The employees are very attentive, I got a new bowl of ginger before the original bowl was finished. Parking is terrible in the area, if you find a parking spot remotely close, don't chance it, take the spot.

The 72 hour marinated miso butter cod roll just melts in your mouth. It's soo tasty and rich in flavor. Would come back just to have it again! 9/10

Chubby Nori is a fun hand roll restaurant in Chinatown. The hand roll combinations are all appetizing and palatable, even to those who many not typically enjoy raw fish. I tried the Mango Salmon, Spicy Tuna, Miso Butter Cod, and Blue Crab hand rolls. The Miso Butter Cod was stood out the most as it was truly buttery, savory and lived up to the description of tasting marinated for 72 hours. The menu is split by "Classic" hand rolls, which come fully wrapped, "Signature" which come in a U-shape for presentation purposes, and "Specials" which include pricier ingredients such as uni or wagyu. If I had to choose, I'd opt for only Signature hand rolls as the Classic hand rolls are all normal sushi options which are available at other restaurants that would come in bigger portions. The Signature hand rolls are more unique with various tasty ingredient combinations. Price point was around $6.50-$7 for a classic handroll, $9.25 for the signature hand rolls, and $14-17 for the specials. There's both bar seating and table seating available. Service was friendly and helpful to provide suggestions. If you sit at the bar, your hand rolls are placed in front of you like a traditional sushi or omakase restaurant. This restaurant is located on the second floor so you'll have to climb up a short set of stairs to get to the restaurant.

All of the seafood was so fresh and great quality. Loved that they made their own soy sauce, it definitely tasted different than others. The service was great and quick. I only wish that the hand rolls came out a bit more staggered in time as I felt rushed to eat them. It would also be cool if they had sets on their menu that included x,y,z rolls for a certain price. Overall would come back again and bring friends here!

They've done an amazing renovation to the upstairs. Highly recommend the miso butter cod hand roll!

Great first-time experience at Chubby Nori! Food was fresh and decently sized hand roll options! Our waitress, Gillian, did such a great job attending to us and letting us know her recommendations which were super yummy! Water was always consistently filled! Great service! Will be back soon!

I came for their soft opening and I have to say, the hand rolls were delicious! Highly recommend the mango salmon, the eel, and the spicy scallop hand rolls. The service was exceptional! Everyone was so welcoming and friendly! They even gave a special promo handroll which was delicious! Also, the place is spacious and toddler friendly. Will definitely come again!

This is a new spot in Chinatown! We were able to get seated right away. Staff was friendly. We got the eel, crab, scallop, and miso cod hand rolls. Everything was fresh and delicious. Crab and scallop hand rolls were our favorites. Love this concept! A little pricy.

The vibes at Chubby Nori were wonderful, the service was fast, and the hand and signature rolls were delicious

Amazing experience at Chubby Nori. I'm no stranger to Japanese cuisine so when I saw there was a soft opening, I decided to check this place out. Ambiance: lighting design and space is very nice. You can peep the pictures I snagged! Service is 10/10. Thank you, Leo for your suggestions. What I got: Salmon handroll- loved the ratio so much and would definitely come back for more of this!!!! Sweet potato roll- Steamed sweet potato which is different but there's an edition of fried on top for extra texture. The miso butter REALLY shined here. miso butter cod: All of the flavors I was expecting. I've made this dish before and miso is so delicious paired with the fattiness of black cod. Would recommend if you've never had this before!! A beautiful combination. It was so creamy with the edition of the miso butter Uni- of course I had to ask and yes! It's from Hokkaido. Super fresh and creamy as uni should be. The truffle was very slight in this bite. Eat it with a generous amount soy sauce because I was craving a bit of saltiness. This came with a generous portion of ginger and wasabi. It's definitely a mixture that's more palatable for the general public. I liked that the soy sauce isn't plain old soy sauce but a mixture as well. Not too overpowering for the hand rolls. The slice of yuzu cheesecake was yummy. I would say the yuzu taste is barely there which I wanted more of. Cake to cheese ratio is perfect though! Overall, definitely a place to splurge if you want great bites. I'm still thinking about the ratio of the salmon handroll and I'm very happy about that. Next time I'll definitely try the toro mushroom! Also they have Sapporo on tap which makes me happy.

Ambiance: great ambiance and music. Not too loud so easy to converse and a good date spot Service: great professional service. No wait to get seated for two on a Saturday night. Food: I thought the steam egg was okay. Prefer the ones at KBBQ more. Their house made soy sauce was perfect and not too salty. Love the fresh wasabi and recommend adding a bit to each bite. Worth treating yourself to the A5 wagyu with uni on top. The salmon one is good and packed with fish. The lime zest in the scallop was a nice touch. Definitely get the miso cod one, came out nice and hot. Toro mushroom was just okay, not much flavor from the shiitake mushroom. If you like uni, definitely get that one. Lobster one was okay as well, did like that it wasn't super over dressed with sauce, more meat. Drinks were a bit lacking in option. Would be nice if they had cocktail options or hot tea/ lemonade. Overall worth a try or for a special occasion!

Had a great time at Chubby Nori! Got three hand rolls including the cod and spicy scallop hand rolls.

·Chawanmushi偏甜口的蒸鸡蛋羹，热乎乎的喝下去食欲大开！ ·Salmon Cups调味不重，能吃出salmon本身的鲜甜。 ·Spicy Yellowtail这个其实不辣，不爱辣口又喜欢yellowtail的朋友放心点吧。我甚至又单独加了些芥末酱油～ ·Spicy Salmon口味比上一个略重一些，相比上一个我喜欢salmon。 ·Spicy Tuna也是不错！肉的份量给的很足。 ·Eel闭眼冲不会出错，鳗鱼很大一块。 ·Miso Butter Cod黄油香气很浓，鳕鱼微微炙烤过风味更明显。 ·Snow Crab完整一个加州雪蟹腿放在里面，诚意满满。 ·Miyazaki Wagyu a5宫崎和牛炙烤过后又香又嫩。 ·Kbbq Wagyu韩式炙烤和牛和上一道差不多，多了韩式烤肉酱的风味，也很好吃。 ·Lobster Mentaiko用料实在，每口都特别满足！ ·Spicy Shrimp Tempura不辣，我个人对天妇罗这个菜品就兴趣不大，狗子说还不错。 ·Yuzu Cheese Cake因为是柚子口味的所以不会过分甜腻，用来收尾这一餐刚刚好。 餐厅入口在chubby cattle shabu左边，进楼梯后上二楼就到啦。餐厅环境服务口味都不错，人均50～70能吃到这些不比吃omakase划算多啦。

Amazing quality fish and great handroll experience! Every roll we got was phenomenal but some of our favorites were the spicy salmon, spicy scallop, and bluefin. Sitting at the sushi counter was fun and everything came out so quickly. Will definitely be back!

would definitely recommend the miso butter cod, soo soft and buttery! Cute ambience and the service was quick. Will definitely be coming back!

Went on a Friday night and was able to get a seat right away. However while we were leaving, there was a wait since seating is limited. The waiters were very nice and answered questions. Started off with the salmon cups, they were ok. The filling was good but was expecting a crispy cup but it was more flakey. Probably would not get it again. Between me and my husband, we got the: -yellow tail roll: a good amount of fish but nothing special -uni: I love uni so I'm biased and got seconds -scallop and spicy scallop: both were good and gave very generous amount of scallops -wagyu with foie gras and apple compote: it was pretty good and i thought the addition of the foie gras and apple compote was a very nice touch -miso cod: they suggested we get this one since it's marinated for 72 hours. It was really good and sweet -toro mushroom: husband thought it was just ok -ebi: thought it was mediocre, the saltiness of the ikura overpowered the shrimp and could not really taste it Overall, I would recommend people to come if you're considering it. Worth a try. Rating: 4.5/5

First time at Chubby Nori for my birthday. Quality here is too tier with the freshness. Everything from the Classic to the special was really tasty. Highly recommend the Miso Cod and Spicy Scallop.

Don't come with a party bigger than 4. You will keep at the speed. Service was cripplingly slow on a Tuesday night at 8pm. Party of 6 that showed up with a relatively light house, with maybe half the bar and one other table. We ordered 24 hand rolls at the start of the hour. They proceeded to trickle out at 2 or 3 at a time, sometimes with cold instead of warm rice, in 10 minute intervals. We were seated almost 2 hours before we received all our hand rolls. Half the time was most of our party staring at each other, we were starving by the time 9 rolled around. Portions for basic hand rolls were fine, and fish was tasty enough as well. Specialty and chef special rolls were laughable, the A5 wagyu was chewy and undercooked with no sear, the uni came out in the tiniest, meagre portion I have ever seen, Scrooge levels of filler - the handroll was basically under half filled, may as well call it a single piece of sushi - please, just raise the MP instead of serving what you currently serve for uni instead of trying to profit off the margin by severely skimping on quantity... Wasabi and ginger of good to excellent quality, with prompt attention to refills of those & water. It is the lack of haste or any apologies, warning or even any comment on how slow the rolls were coming out that dictate this review's score other than the uni portion size. For context, this is 3 hand rolls per person with EACH HAND ROLL received every 30-40 min, and at a premium cost. For this, I dock all the stars I would give ambiance and the otherwise prompt and tasty service. Disappointing, as similar spots in NJ/NY have a single person behind the bar dealing with a party of 6 in 30 minutes or less, with far more generous portions on specialty rolls.

Absolutely delicious! Generous portions, fabulous service, and inviting atmosphere. We especially loved the spicy yellowtail, spicy scallop, miso butter cod, and chawanmushi. Our server Leo knocked it out of the park. We will most definitely be back!

Stopped by around 7:30pm on a Friday night and was immediately seated. Service was very attentive and quick. The hand rolls were SO good!! There was a lot of fish, which I thought was great for the price. The stars of the meal were the spicy scallop and miso black cod. I'd say one person would need about 3-4 rolls to be full.

I went here with 5 friends on a Thursday night around 7pm and was expecting to be in and out of there real quick since the place was not packed but i felt like we waited a while for our food. I only ordered 3 rolls (spicy tuna, scallop and A5 waygu with uni) from each category, which ended up costing around $40. In my opinion, I thought it rolls were okay. The tuna in the spicy tuna was too mushy for my liking and the A5 waygu wasn't worth the $24. I would say that scallop was the best out of the 3. I would only come here again if I was around the area and was craving for rolls

Service and timing was efficient! I ordered 4 hand rolls & the portions were filling. Excited to finally have a hand roll bar in Philly!

Service was attentive, and the staff was knowledgeable about the menu, making great recommendations. Overall, Chubby Nori is a must-visit for sushi lovers. I can't wait to return and explore more of their offerings!

I REALLY enjoyed this place. This is my first time going to a handroll spot and I was not disappointed. The service was great and they explained things well. I got the wagyu, spicy yellowtail, miso butter cod, toro, spicy scallop, and mango salmon. Everything was great, but I think my favorite was the miso butter cod. Their house soy sauce is great too. This is exactly what Chinatown needed!

A good amount of fish to rice ratio. The vibes are pretty chill. Service was good. Overall great experience!

Came from LA to Philly for a vacation trip, and I found out about Chubby Nori and definitely had to try and they did not disappoint whatsoever, from The Ambiance To Customer Service To the fresh sushi hand rolls they provide right in front of you , man I will definitely be back with friends.

I loved their partner restaurant, Matsunori, in Boston and was delighted to see that they have basically the same menu here in Philly and it's cheaper too! The service is great and the space is nicely decorated. The miso butter cod is excellent and the sweet potato roll is delicious. I love the miso butter that they use. The salmon roll was a little too salty for my liking though. Would come back here again :)

Second time here and it's pretty good! Standout would be the spicy salmon. The service was nice as they checked in periodically.

Very good sushi for it's price. Highly recommend. This is my 2nd time. It taste like omekase for the price it is really good.

Amazing food, great paring of flavors! I would highly recommend this place for fusion sushi. Food came out fast and the waitress gave us some great recommendations!

Fantastic service and unbeatable value for handroll sushi! The miso cod, scallop, blue crab, and spicy salmon are my absolute favorites.

Great quality, great service and honestly, a gem in Chinatown! Highly recommend for any date night!

Chubby Cattle is continuing their very tasty Chinatown legacy with this new handroll spot located over their hotpot/shabu location! We popped in on a wet, snowy evening and were so surprised it was relatively empty! This place is tucked up a staircase off 10th street and is walk-in only. The restaurabt offers hotpot in the front and their handroll menu at their modern, light wood sushi bar. This would be a great first-date spot. The handroll service is quick, and served directly from the chef over the bar. Most importantly- wow is the food great. This is some seriously fresh, beautifully prepared fish. We ordered a selection of handrolls, each a work of art. The signature rolls are pictured while the more classic options are rolled like a long maki. While the cod seems to be the most popular roll, I would have gladly given a 5 star review after just the Botan Ebi Ikura- luciously soft and rich. The eel was delicately cooked, and the scallops fresh and buttery. Uni was an absolute steal at $18.50 market price for the freshest uni bite I've had in Philly. Make this one your next date spot, and don't be shy, you'll want 4-5 rolls each and they are worth the price. This dining room is going to be packed before long.

Amazing food! My friend and I tried several hand roll across the menu and each one was amazing including the A5 waygu which was melt in your mouth delicious. Service was top notch I cannot wait to come back and try the full menu.

service is so amazing. The food is good, all the things are so fresh. Eel is my favorite one!

Food was amazing, I already can't wait to come back! Staff were friendly and service was very quick. Chill ambiance and very relaxed atmosphere.