Golden Gai

Golden Gai is a trendy little Japanese restaurant with really cool vibes. You sit in a long room in an area that overlooks the kitchen and bar area and the staff interact with you! It's a little hard to talk to your friends if you have a party of four as you are sitting at a bar. Let's start with the bar, they have an extensive drink menu with some unique drinks, yet you can still have a traditional mixed drink. I ordered a Byujin which was very light and refreshing. Moving on to the food, the menu is modest, but still a nice selection of tapas style Japanese plates. The sushi looked great, but I chose the fish bowl over rice. It was a nice portion size with fresh fish, an excellent choice! I also ordered the udon noodle dish that had chicken and mushrooms and shared this dish. It too was a nice portion size, but seemed quite salty. The food is definitely pricey. Overall, a wonderful place to eat, great service, friendly staff and quality food! I would definitely go back!

Golden Gai in Bakery Square was a fantastic experience. The mood was spot on—warm, dark, and just the right level of energy. The drinks were excellent. We opted to share plates as they arrived, which kept the meal flowing at a comfortable pace. It was about a two-hour experience, but we were never stuck waiting too long or without food. Everything felt natural and well-timed. The overall vibe, service, and food quality made for a great night out. Would definitely return.

Visited Golden Gai in March for my husband's birthday. While we loved the food, the service left something to be desired. We ordered the Kari Kuri, Spicy Tuna Rice Cake, Yakimeshi, Yaki Wagyu Satsumaimo, and the Yaki Udon. The helpings were generous and delicious. I loved the tuna dish and my husband loved the Udon. The wagyu dish was unbelievably flavorful. The beef was tender with a delicious sauce and perfectly crispy potatoes. Unfortunately I don't think we'll visit again. We felt very talked down to by our waiter. By the various comments he made throughout the dinner, I felt that we weren't his usual clientele and made to feel dumb. We like to splurge every few months on a nice dinner out, we're not unaccustomed to upscale dining. For the price, I would prefer not to feel unwelcome.

The food was superb as was the service. Fantastic sushi and dumplings, highly original and flavorful cocktails, and truly excellent service. Six stars! I'm sorry it took me so long to visit, I i will definitely be back!

Good energy here. Cocktails were good—we had the Foo Dog or something like that. Service was decent. Food was also decent. Nothing to write home about, not meant in a rude way, just the opinion of our group.

We had a great experience here on a Friday night! The food and cocktails were delicious and the fish was great quality. Our server was excellent, very attentive and went over the menu thoroughly. Everything in the restaurant feels super curated, down to the ceramic sake glasses. The place has a moody, intimate vibe which we loved. Since it’s bar seating it is more suited to couples. Will definitely be back!

We had a great experience here. The food was fresh, well-prepared, and beautifully presented — everything we ordered was delicious. The wait staff was friendly and attentive throughout the evening, checking in regularly and making sure we had everything we needed. Even when the sushi bar got a bit backed up, they were quick to apologize for the delay and kept us updated, which we really appreciated. It’s clear they care about both the quality of their food and the customer experience. We’ll definitely be back — this place is a new favorite!

Really enjoyed my dinner and drinks here! The service was excellent from the moment we walked into the door, the food was flavorful, and the vibes were immaculate.

Cool atmosphere, pleasant and friendly service. Food was a 10/10. Very fresh fish and get to see the cooking with the bar seating!

I'm a big fan of izakayas, and the atmosphere in Golden Gai is unmatched. Located in Bakery Square, it feels like transporting to another dimension after stepping into the golden building. Seating is mostly available at the counter, but sitting in an open kitchen is an experience in itself. It's amazing to watch the chefs prepare each dish right before your eyes. We went all out this dinner and ordered: - Kaeru and the Red Thread of Fate for drinks - Miso soup - Spicy cucumber (love the sesame flavor) - Golden Roll (hamachi, cucumber, scallion, yuzu) - Sashimi plate (with added otoro and scallop) - Potstickers (this was SOOOOO crispy) - Grilled wagyu & potatoes - Nigiri special The service was top-notch! This was our first time here, so our server took the time to explain the drink and food menu. Overall, this was an incredible experience! I thought there was good variety of raw and savory dishes. Sushi was very fresh and clean! Would recommend making reservations!

Golden Gai absolutely lived up to the hype. I tried three of the rolls (can't remember the exact names, but all were super fresh and really well made - one had toro in it), the fried chicken, the miso cod, the crispy tuna rice, and the pork belly fried rice -- and honestly, everything was kind of perfect. The chicken was insanely crispy without being greasy, and the miso cod was buttery and just fell apart in the best way. The crispy tuna rice was probably my favorite bite of the night -- such a good combo of flavor and texture. And the pork belly fried rice? Ridiculously good. I'd go back just for that. The vibe is cool and laid-back, and it actually feels like something different for Pittsburgh in the best way. Already planning my next visit.

We went to Golden Gai on a Saturday night. The space is very small with mostly bar seating and 2 tables in the back. Reservations can be hard to get so plan ahead. The restaurant is very cool. Once you get inside you no longer feel like you are in Bakery Square. The kitchen open concept behind the bar where you are seated so you can see everything being made, which is pretty cool. he food is small plates for sharing that comes out as it is ready. We had the spicy tuna rice cakes, rickroll, hamachi crudo, potstickers, Udon noodles, and coconut rice cakes for dessert. Everything was delicious, but the stand-out dishes were the tuna rice cakes, potstickers, and coconut rice cake dessert. One negative is that the restaurant adds on a 3% service fee that you do not know about until you get your check. I was highly annoyed by this. Not only is this a pretty pricey restaurant where an additional service fee to "offset rising costs" should not be necessary given the mark-up on the dishes, but it doesn't even go to the employees. It's just another fee to the restaurant/owners. One would think this type of thing was built into the prices already.

Drinks and food here were amazing!!! Do not pass up the tea cocktail. Sushi was by far the best item along with the miso soup. Most of the searing is bar and a really neat vibe! Service was also helpful and attentive! Will return

I love an izakaya, so I am glad Golden Gai opened in Bakery Square! I love the atmosphere, very dark and cool and resembles the long alleyways of izakayas in Japan. We tried a bunch of items. The fish pieces on the nigiri were huge, great value and pretty fresh. The drinks menu was gorgeous and I enjoyed the ones we tried. I loved one of the specials, which was a torched hamachi. Also enjoyed the crispy tuna rice and the cucumber. The vegetables dish was so salty it was pretty inedible to me, so I'd skip it. Service was good, though my water glass was left empty for a while and I felt like I had to beg for water, which coupled with some salty dishes was a bit disappointing. I think they could work out some kinks and if so, the atmosphere, drinks, and food could make it one of the top spots in Pittsburgh.

I've been looking forward to the opening of Golden Gai since it started renovating. It wasn't exactly how I expected it, as I was hoping for more of a traditional izakaya. The food and drinks are definitely more Asian fusion, but still not bad. The ambiance is great. I especially like the menu design for the drinks menu. Service was also friendly and fast. Their drinks are similar to gi-jin, in that there's some Asian themed flavors which I really liked. Can't go wrong with any of them but my personal pick is the ryujin. Non alcoholic drinks were also equally good. Food that I enjoyed were the maki rolls. My favorite was the golden roll. The sashimi was ok, wasn't the best fish I've had but not bad either. We didn't really like the hot dishes, such as the waygu and potatoes or the stir fried veggies. Overall wayyyyy too much sauce on it. The flavor was overwhelming and you couldn't really taste the food. The yakitori was also a bit mid, and was cold when it was served. Wouldn't really recommend.

After seeing so many posts on instagram, it was added to my list of places to try in Pittsburgh. I will say I am not a seafood/sushi girl. But they still had a lot of options for me. I went with my friend who loves sushi and she said it was amazing and she will be going back to try more of the sushi. For starters we got spicy cucumbers, ginger salad, and my friend got the miso soup. I was not expecting the ginger salad to come out like it did, but I absolutely loved it. Then I got the gyoza which were amazing, the dipping sauce was good. There is also Japanese spicy mustard and a little goes a long way. My friend got the fatty tube and scallop nigiri. She also got the yakimeshi-fried rice which has pork belly in it. And I got the yaki udon- fried udon noodles with chicken. We sat at the bar and I loved that we got to watch them cook! The service was good. It was small in there so I see why you need a reservation.

We took my mom to Golden Gai for her birthday. She loved it and had a great time. We were happy to find the foods that we loved so much in Japan earlier this year. The shrimp tempura was our favorite. The shrimp were huge and we loved the sauce that went with them. So flavorful! We also really enjoyed the gyoza (dumplings), spicy tuna roll and udon noodles with chicken. While we were dining, we were talking about the dishes we had and asking questions about things that were slightly different. The sushi chef heard us and told us more about the food and why it was done the way they do it. It was very interesting and he seemed like a great guy. There were so many good dishes and drinks on the menu that we'll definitely be back to try more things.

Whenever I go to a much-hyped restaurant, I always walk in a little skeptical, but Golden Gai won me over big time. We came here to celebrate my husband's birthday and decided to share several things off of the menu. We started with spicy cucumbers - a dish I order at almost any Asian restaurant that offers - and these were the best I have ever had. The sweet, sour, and spice flavors were perfectly balanced. For sushi, we tried the toro and salmon nigiri, and the rickrolld at the suggestion of the sushi chef. All were excellent - the fish was high quality and fresh, and the pickled jalapeños and wasabi on the roll rounded out the flavor without being overwhelming. Some of the best sushi in the city. We also tried the tuna on crispy rice (delicious!), fried udon noodles (the mushrooms were amaaaazing), and the tempura shrimp which was a unique but tasty take on the dish. We ended with the matcha misu - I loved that the matcha flavor was light and didn't overpower the light creaminess of the dessert. Service was very friendly and knowledgeable. Sexy and hip vibes inside - dim lighting and good hip hop playing. My only wish is that we would have had one of the higher counter seats but we already have plans to go next week, so maybe I will get lucky then!

One of the best meals I've had in a while! The vibes of Golden Gai are unmatched, it doesn't even feel like you're in Pittsburgh. It gives a really exclusive feel, I love it! It's all counter seating facing the bar & kitchen so you get to watch all of the action which was really entertaining. There are about 30 seats in total. Our server was awesome and was really knowledgeable about the menu, especially since this was only their fourth day open for dine in service. We started with steamed soybeans and cocktails. I can't remember what my cocktail was called but it was delicious. Next, my husband and I each ordered a sushi roll. I had the spicy tuna and he had the spicy scallop. We both agreed this was probably one of the sushi rolls we've had in Pittsburgh. The seasonal fried rice was incredible - I loved the pork belly and the runny yolk egg. We also had the fried chicken - amazing. Perfectly battered and fried. It comes with a gravy that I could drink LOL. We ended the evening with the soy brownie topped with miso caramel. I could smell it cooking and it smelt so amazing that I knew I had to order it. Absolutely fantastic. It's topped with freeze dried vanilla ice cream that I have never had before and it was almost like whipped cream. Overall, absolutely incredible experience at Golden Gai and cannot wait to return!!!

We went yesterday on their opening day for dine in. The space inside is primarily taken up by bar seating with two little tables for four in the back. We ordered basically half the menu and family styled it all. While the sushi was pretty good, especially the Golden Roll, the real standouts to me were the hot dishes! That miso cod was one of the best things I ate all year and that rock shrimp was delightful. We had to order all three desserts on the menu, of course. I do wish the matcha miso had a stronger matcha flavor but absolutely adored the chocolate brownie and the tropical fruit parfait tasted like summer. The service was lovely and various members of the staff stopped by to see how we were doing and how we liked everything.

Golden Gai has the best sushi I've had in Pittsburgh! We ordered edamame, miso soup, salmon nigiri, California roll (real crab!), spicy tuna rice cakes, and pork belly fried rice. The spicy tuna rice cakes were the star of the show!!! We ended up ordering a second round instead of going to dessert. Although the menu isn't marked with allergens, the waitstaff were extremely knowledgeable, willing to double check, and offered to make changes to dishes to accommodate if needed. All of the sauces made in house are gluten free and they have tamari for sushi. The decor is a vibe. A pro of the layout is that you can watch the staff work while you're eating, but you will smell a bit like fried food when you leave. The inside is pretty narrow/small with mostly bar seating. There are a few tables for 4 in the back. Unless you get a table for 4, I wouldn't recommend coming with more than 2 people. Also I would highly recommend a reservation since it's a small restaurant!

I had been waiting for over a year to check out this place and I couldn't wait to go for my anniversary dinner recently. Before I dive into my review, I'd like to preface that with my experience working in top Japanese restaurants and growing up with Japanese cuisine for almost every meal, I had high expectations for a place selling itself as a high-end Japanese Restaurant. My partner and I had a great time and our service was amazing. The interior and drinks are a solid 10/10 but it was the food that fell short for me. It felt weird to have my favorite dishes growing up westernized, such as the Karaage tasting like boneless wing bites than authentic Karaage. There was way too much breading, seasoning, and it was served with a a southern gravy (?). The Wagyu was really pretty but the sauces from different Asian flavor profiles tasted off. For the price, I was expecting the fattiest cuts of Otoro and got one of the lower, leaner cuts instead. The best dish of the night was the Izakaya MP fish which was delicious. Again, I liked my experience but the gentrification of most of the dishes is what fell flat for me. It might be because I was looking forward for such a long time to try Pgh's first high end Japanese restaurant but I'll stick to the Mom and Pop shops around here instead. Also for such high prices I was expecting authentic foods but these dishes were good as American Japanese dishes. We had fantastic service thanks to our server Julie. All in all, definitely check it out but if you're looking for a Nobu style experience, I fear we are still miles from that. I would highly recommend their drinks though!

This new sushi bar is an amazing culinary experience in a small, but hip and trendy space at Bakery Square. I feel lucky that I got to experience it in their first week of indoor dining, as I'm predicting that the reservations are going to get harder to come by. The sushi here was delicious. I also tried a special of yakisoba noodles with an uni sauce that was extremely well prepared. The spicy tuna rice cakes are a delicious plate to begin with. There are a lot of unique cocktails to try here. I had a Japanese version of a piña colada (called Kappa), which was very refreshing. They also have a very large selection of sake. All in all, if you love sushi, get here soon! The prices are not the cheapest sushi in town, but I think they accurately reflect good service and everything that is made to order (and literally right in front of you) by well-trained chefs.

Very cool feel to this restaurant. Had a late night dinner that started with drinks, we got the kappa. The drink was a nice creamy rum and coconut drink. Next we sampled some of the rolls. For a main dish, we split the miso cod. It was amazing. Delicate, crispy, flaky, moist fish and excellent savory and sweet flavo. Service was a bit odd, we spent a good amount of time waiting and it seemed based on the layout (long rectangular bar and few tables) that they take orders at random rather than who got there first. Overall would return again as all of the dishes we had were delicious!

Beautiful space, incredible food, and the chance to talk to the chefs while they prepare the meal, assuming you sit at the sushi bar. I found it a little strange to have to talk to the waiter while he stood behind us, but the service was otherwise great.

Cute new sushi spot in Bakery Square! The fish is very fresh and the drinks are great! All of the workers were super nice and friendly. The restaurant is very small so definitely get reservations before you come. Most of the restaurant is also bar like seating so keep that in mind.

I got some spicy tuna sushi from here for takeout, it was alright. There wasn't anything else in the roll, like no cucumber or anything it was just tuna. Usually at other places there's some other filling, so I thought that was weird. It was good but definitely smaller than I thought it would be. I didn't know it came with wasabi so I ordered extra on accident...I couldn't find on the menu whether or not it came with. -- the rolls come with wasabi, ginger and soy (just for anyone looking to order) -- Idk it's nice for when u want sushi and don't want to go far (as it's close to me) but honestly I would rather go to sushi Fuku, pay the extra $1/$2 and get a bigger roll with more filling. I just overall wasn't that impressed. They also left my pickup order on a table and not in a fridge before I came to pick it up, so idk how long it was sitting at room temp, that's concerning for a sushi place when raw fish needs to be kept cold. They are only available for pickup so I'm not sure how the ambiance and service will be when they get everything settled. I'll probably go back then and maybe try something else. I will say their prices are pretty reasonable and they are generous with sauces and such. I also appreciated that when I ordered it asked off the bat about shellfish allergies, which is nice.

Food was amazing and quality of the fish is very fresh. The ambiance is very fancy and aesthetic. However, there is only seating at the bar is available and we had to wait longer because they forgot about one of our orders.

An absolute must visit. Secured a spot in my top. What really did it for me is not only the great food, but the unique and beyond delicious cocktails that were given so much thought. The standout dishes for me were the rickroll and wagyu and potatoes. I will be back the moment I can secure another reservation!!!

The experience here was amazing start to finish. We sat at the bar and it was amazing to see the chefs preparing all of the meals. It actually made us want to try things we normally wouldn't have when we saw them! Our server Julia was amazing she gave us helpful tips and helped us pair some cocktails to each course! We ordered a little of everything and split them all it's the only way to do it! The stand outs of the night were the waygu and potatoes, fried udon noodles, and the crispy rice!

Wow, the highlight of my business trip. Happened to walk in when they opened and so glad they were able to fit me in. Chic ambience, bar/kitchen-facing seating so I didn't mind dining alone. Drinks are beautiful but the highlight is the sushi for sure. Some of the best I've had anywhere. Wow. I'm not a salmon person but the salmon was melt in your mouth. And the otoro scallion roll is a must. I also got lamb lollipops, a special of the night. Beautiful and delicious Slightly oversalted for my taste but balanced by the beet purée and shiso leaf. Highly highly recommend. Get a reservation.

This is exactly what Pittsburgh needs, we had a great night out. The food, service and ambiance were all perfect. We started with the edamame, potstickers, and salmon/fatty tuna sashimi. We also had the seasonal fried rice and brownie for dessert. Everything tasted fresh and it's been awhile since we had a positive dining experience in Pittsburgh. We will definitely come back and I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. Service was also spot on and went above and beyond. Highly recommend!

This place is a gem located in Bakery Square. I found the pricing to be very reasonable for the quality and craftsmanship put into every plate ordered. We started with the Kappa and Kasa Obake cocktails. The ice cube in the Kasa Obake was perfectly designed. The nigiri tasted like butter and the flavor of the fried rice was unique. It did not taste like traditional fried rice to me which I enjoyed. My absolute favorite dish of the night was the Spicy Tuna Rice Cake. We ended up ordering a second round. My boyfriend's favorite dish was the RickRoll'd. Service was spectacular and the staff were very friendly. The place is very small so it is mostly bar seating, but very spacious and comfortable. We cannot wait to come back.

This is an incredible addition to the Japanese food scene in Pittsburgh and I am so happy I finally got to try it out. First off- definitely make that reservation. We booked almost a month in advance and there were slim pickings for this tiny restaurant. They had two standard tables in the back, but everything else was bar seating. Once we got seated and ordered, it did take about 30-40 minutes for our food to arrive (8pm resy on a Friday night). I got the nigiri plate and added toro and scallop. Well worth it! The fish was surprisingly fresh. The Rick roll'd sushi roll was incredible too. It had salmon, ikura, and pickled jalapeno. Dinner was rounded out by the wagyu potatoes entree. The wagyu was decent and the crispy mushrooms were an excellent choice, but it was much too salty for my taste. I think a lot of the saltiness came from the sauce it was drenched in. Would probably skip this dish in the future. The drinks were amazing - the fu dog is a must! It's topped with a banana passion fruit foam which was unlike anything I've ever tried before. I will definitely be back at Golden Gai to try more of their sushi options!

Great new addition to the Pittsburgh food scene! The waiter described their portions as Japanese tapas, which I would agree with! We went opening week, and they were just doing an absolutely amazing job with fast service, a really well thought out menu, and a great drink selection! Not to mention how aesthetically gorgeous the restaurant itself was! It looks like they had about three tables for a party of four, but the rest of the seating is all bar seat style. The food was perfectly seasoned, tasted absolutely delicious! And they had really nice chopsticks too, I really think that attention to detail is super important. One comment, and piece of feedback that I would give to them though, is while it's so cool to watch watch chefs prepare some of the dishes in front of you, we really felt overwhelmed by the smoke that came with all the cooking! It was rather distracting when trying to enjoy the atmosphere and food. Of course our clothes smelled like cooking smoke when we left too. I'm sure it's an easy fix, perhaps adjusting the fan setting or something like that... But it does give me pause on a decision whether to come back or not until they resolve the issue.

Pittsburgh having its own omakase type take out is a dream come true. The cuts of fish are fresh and thick. My friend and I ordered the maki boxes and got two different types of rolls as a surprise. I like that it changes up from person to person but I'd love the option to choose one of the rolls for certain (because I'd order the toro every time). They're only doing takeout at the moment which is fine because there's plenty of seating around bakery square. It took ~16 min for the food to be ready on a busy Friday night.

Wonderful place to enjoy some Japanese real food in Pittsburgh. Nice ambiance great customer service and unique options for Japanese Sake by the glass. Great dinner menu a definitely a come back... C.

The service was wonderful. Very attentive staff that elevated the overall experience. The restaurant itself is mostly bar seating. So keep that in mind when planning a meal. The drinks were very creative and unique. The food was tasty and full of flavor. My only complaint is it's quite pricy for the portion size. I would go back, but I would probably plan for drinks and small plates. Not a full dinner.

Golden Gai.....hmmmm.... great spot, dark and busy.... drink menus are historically informative in addition to being comprehensive... take it in. Try something Suntory and Japanese. Food menu is relatively short (in a good way) and reasonably priced for its ambitious tier. California roll is a minefield to make good but they make a great one.... fresh crab. Salmon nigiri was conspicuously delicious. Service was on par. A place you'd like to go back to. DeShantz does it again. A nice addition to his portfolio.

This spot is right in bakery square and I love that we finally have a good sushi option there since I definitely think it's missing one! They are currently only doing take out and have those trendy sushi boxes you see in cities like New York and LA. They have a pickup window you can order at the kiosk and get your food at which is really cute. It is a bit pricey for the big box but the quality is really good. The fish is fresh and not fishy at all. We loved the nigiri pieces with the seasoned rice. They give you a good amount of sauces to try too. I liked the wasabi they use too. I like the assortment of drinks they have since you don't normally see ume or yuzu seltzer. We loved their toro, it was melt in your mouth. The yellowtail scallion was really good too and they give you a lot of scallion which is awesome and rare. Their California roll uses real crab! It is so good. Overall, loving that there's another decent sushi spot in PGH.

I personally love places that make me feel like I've traveled out of Pittsburgh for a brief evening. Golden Gai reminds me of spots you'd find in NYC, probably due to the long shotgun style layout, dim lighting, and limited seating. Not to mention the cocktails and dishes were reminiscent of those you'd find in NYC or a bigger metro. Leave it to Deshantz to have another home run! Great for a late night friend gathering or date spot! My favorite was the Golden Girl roll, the proportion of salmon was amazing and one of the best sushi places I've had in the city!

I have ordered from Golden Gai twice. First was during one of their limited drops prior to opening. This box was not my favorite of the two as I am not a fan of eel or scallop. But the other items were delicious. The second box consisted of my favorites and we got some rolls Let's just say I was stuffed with this second order! For the first box I took it home and for the second order we sat at Tako Torta and were able to get some drinks to enjoy while eating. I am excited for the restaurant to open to have some more items in the menu to choose from. Chef Michael has done it again!

After finally getting a reservation I went to Golden Gai for the first time last night. Phenomenal meal! First the interior is beautiful. I would not suggest a large group going since they only have 2 real tables in the back, the rest is bar seating. The only downfall of the evening was the old fashioned which was the most expensive cocktail on their menu at $25. I love old fashioneds too, this one was just strange. The sake we had though was delicious! The ginger salad was delicious. The sushi we got was delicious, the fatty tuna, California rolls, and spicy scallop rolls. Then we got the special last night which was the fried oysters. Delicious. The noodles and mussel dish was great as well. Then my favorite tempura shrimp. Very light breading but then delicious pickled onions on top. Overall a phenomenal meal and would go back in a heartbeat.

A great dining experience! Such a great place to come and eat good food. The food comes out in a timely manor and the staff is all friendly. I love the open kitchen concept! The sushi was all fresh and delicious. The cucumbers were such a great appetizer to start. I personally did not care for the edamame.

This place is amazing! Great food, great service and a nice atmosphere. Everything I had was top notch. I went two days in a row because it was that good. Go see for yourself.

Service was great, everyone was very friendly and attentive. The ambiance was really chic and cool, it was really nice to be able to watch the chef's cook and plate in front of you. Drinks were fun, the banana foam was really nice. The food was good our favorite was the karaage and tuna rice cakes which the perfect crunchy exterior and soft interior and a very unique flavor. The nigiri and sushi rice was a bit hard and kinda cold, the rice fell apart with every nigiri piece and crumbled but the fish was good. Cod was good but would skip next time as it was a touch salty. Overall would come back

Hands down the best quality sushi I have had in Pittsburgh. I'd take my West Coast friends here.

We got sushi to go. Presentation was beautiful and we were excited to try, but all pieces lacked flavor and some had a strong fishy taste. Not the freshest sushi you can get in the area, especially for the price.

We've tried Golden Gai twice now. The first time was during one of the pre-opening sushi bento box drops. The second was more recently for lunch using the Toast app to order takeout. Initially we weren't impressed with the sushi box. Given the price we found the execution lacking, especially since the bento boxes are paper with no lining. The pieces of nigiri and cut maki rolls are placed directly onto that surface, leading to the rice sticking badly to the paper. Nearly all of the nigiri fell apart when we tried to eat it. We waited a few weeks for the opening hype to die down and tried them again for lunch. We got one of the rice bowls as well as a couple maki rolls and some miso soup. Our experience was much better the second time around, since everything was packed in plastic containers better suited for sushi rice. The quality of the fish was excellent both times, we just couldn't get past the rice sticking like glue to that paper box the first time! I love the little details like including a container for dipping and offering soy sauce packets with the tear-open perforation oriented diagonally to the corner rather than straight across. (If you've ever tried to tear open and pour a soy sauce packet straight across and gotten it everywhere you understand how nice being able to neatly tear off the corner is in a takeout context.) Long story short, Golden Gai is well worth the try for lunch or an early dinner. I can't wait to see what they do with the rest of the menu when they finally open for indoor dining.

Hands down the best sushi in Pittsburgh. Feels like we are back eating sushi in Japan! Freshest melt-in-your-mouth fish and you can tell the chef really cares about the quality and taste of his food on the menu. We were long time customers of Gi Jin previously and are so glad to have a more casual version of it with a take-out option!

Far better quality sushi than other spots in Pittsburgh for sure (except for maybe Gi-Jin by the same people). Fish quality in the toro, salmon and spicy tuna were all on point.