Yanaga Kappo Izakaya
Japanese restaurant · Northern Liberties
637 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Highlights
Creative cocktails and exceptional Japanese dishes, attentive staff
Creative cocktails and exceptional Japanese dishes, attentive staff
"It's exceptionally rare to get the best of both worlds, and Yanaga in Northern Liberties proves it. Up front, the Japanese a la carte experience is totally meh, but the omakase in back is worth every penny (or, in this case, $150 for 20 pieces). That's where you'll enjoy buttery scallops coated with preserved lemon and truffle soy, as well as delicate golden-eyed snapper with monkfish vinaigrette in a setting as laidback as a room full of anime collectibles. Oh wait—that's exactly where this speakeasy-style meal takes place." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"After pitstops in Fishtown and University City, Chef Yanaga has opened his namesake izakaya and sushi omakase place in Northern Liberties. The menu features duck onigiri, kappo crispy potato with yumyum sauce, and mains like fried chicken thigh sandwiches and pork tantan mazemen. We checked out Yanaga Izakaya Kappo. Read our thoughts here." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"There are dozens of sushi spots where you can get the same quality of tuna rolls or pork gyoza as Yanaga Kappo Izakaya. And you should head to them instead, if only to avoid duck onigiri that looks like an oily hockey puck. This Northern Liberties spot has a long bar but no liquor license (it’s BYOB for now), anime playing on TV, and neon signs that say things like, “sushi addict.” And yet, we found ourselves so bored at dinner that we did napkin origami to pass the time. All of this would be forgivable if the food was worthwhile. But everything ranged from flavorless (like the vegetable tantan mazeman noodles) to hideous (like a crab roll with a part-butter, part-soy sauce dip). We’ll check in later when the bar isn’t just a showpiece. But for now, it’s a place that you should use only when you’ve already eaten and want to re-watch Dragon Ball Z." - Candis R. McLean
Stephen Regent
Michelle
Michael V
Raghu Nuguri
Rebecca Cooper
Marc Abrams
Masuma Salam
Griffin Ripley
