Zen Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar

We had a nice experience here. Friendly staff, yummy sushi. Good location and great views. We tried "Sushi for 2" and did not regret. Recommend is you like sushi.

All the frou frou Japanese recommendations friends gave us, we tried! After all we lived in Japan and wanted the best of the bests. They were all meh. Not Zen! The Udon is PERFECTION. Getting the texture right is no joke. Having a flavourful broth is not easy! They do it! We also love the tuna rice cracker! The service is top notch! They remember er that I don’t like onions and are always kind and thoughtful. Now if you want fancy, this is not it: but we sit outside in the shade of the Athenaeum and couldn’t be happier! Best 🍜 in town, hands down!

Been there twice now, great place. Food was delicious and unique flavors you dont see at every sushi place, specials were delightful and truly special, also different both times we went. Service was spectacular, servers were very nice, friendly, funny, and provided good service. Definitely recommend

Reasonably priced but quality sushi in a fancy area. One waitress so be patient. Walk in the main entrance and go upstairs to find the main indoor dining area. There is also outdoor seating. There is an extensive drink menu with lots of sake choices. Ratings: Tuna tataki appetizer 8/10 Clean fresh thick tuna slices accompanied by onion, spices, and seaweed on the side. Volcano roll 8/10 Tons of toppings on this roll including baby scallop, kani, and sauce. I think it needs a topping of spicy mayo though.

We were visiting from out of town and I was so happy we chose this spot for dinner! It’s absolutely delicious, affordable and the service is great 😊

Our group of 3 were able to place a reservation within 2 hours of attending on a Saturday. We were sat at a nice table inside. We loved the atmosphere. We ordered the fried chicken, fried brussel sprouts, spicy edamame, alaska maki, new wave maki, and the spicy kimchi pork ramen. The sushi was very fresh and flavorful. I REALLY enjoyed the kimchi ramen. What stood out to me most was the staff’s accommodations to our gluten and egg allergy. They offered us adaptations and triple checked to make sure there was no contamination. I recommend this spot if you’re looking for some sushi or ramen in downtown.

Maybe we arrived at the wrong time, but the food did not come close to reviews others have left. The beef sukiyaki don was greasy, fatty frozen beef that seemed like it had been microwaved and tossed on a big bowl of rice with some fried onions. Totally uninspired and lacking any other veggies. The sushi and sashimi were okay but not the freshest. Service was friendly and atmosphere was nice but the food left a lot to be desired. 3/10

Updated: add some information about the service. I don’t normally care about the service because we go to a restaurant for their food. But if you do care and the person who serves you that day is the young guy at 2nd floor, then it is not a good idea for you. Food is delicious and generous portions. I would not say that it’s really authentic Japanese food but it is great enough. I’ve tried several times with their raw meals and never had any problems, that’s the key thing for me as a sushi restaurant. The service can be slow sometimes if you happened to be there with groups. The space between tables is too small for me. Recommend!

Super delicious and overlooked spot. Some of the best sushi in Boston. Our service was very kind, and the ambiance is great. The tuna special roll we got was really amazing. I'd recommend a special roll and some plain rolls to share. Give it a shot.

I visited today with a colleague for a meeting and to enjoy some fresh sushi. Given the pleasant weather, we opted to sit outside. This establishment met all our expectations. We ordered three rolls to share, each of which was excellent. The sweet potato roll with spicy crispy tuna on top was a delightful enhancement to an otherwise simple roll. The special Zen Maki Roll featured generously thick slices of salmon. My colleague thoroughly enjoyed the other roll, which I did not sample. We left satisfied, and the bill was quite reasonable. I would definitely recommend this place.

Sooo good my son ate two sets of sushi and I have zero disappointments The waitresses are so nice and caring And the scenery is beautiful

Food is descent, although parking could be difficult to find in Chinatown, but it is free after 8pm. Free hot green tea refills. They ran out of uni while here so didn't get to try their uni and ikura don. Fast service around closing time with no wait.

I love how the inside is shaped and the food is so good definitely make sure you try it whenever you get a chance

Came here last week with my husband and left feeling like it was a hidden gem. Ambiance: Small, casual, two floors. We sat at the bar upstairs and it was nice intimate outing without too many bells and whistles. Super busy with delivery orders too. Food: The sushi was well made, perfect balance of rice, and the yellowtail nigiri was also delicious. We enjoyed the pork gyoza as well and that was super yummy/juicy. Will totally come back! It's a great escape when you're craving sushi and don't want to get it delivered but also don't want to dress up to go out. Comfy outing with simply well done food, at a reasonable price.

Got the special which comes with sushi, miso soup and a salad. The sushi was part chefs special and part California roll, and it was all very good. Washing it down with the house sake and chasing that down with edamame were both added benefits to this mostly pleasurable experience. The only downside was the ginger for the sushi was not fresh. Thus, 4 instead of 5 stars.

Came in to this spot this past week while visiting Boston. The sushi was great and fresh- they had tons of options and it wasn't overpriced. The service was quick and friendly and seemed like a family owned spot. We loved the cozy vibe of this place and the overall location.

This one is now a used to be. Sushi was mediocre, spring rolls were good and the gyoza was lukewarm at best. The disappointment was that the place was empty and still no service or any attention when those are the moments to shine in detail. Sad but for me the last time I went there.

After some searches for "gluten-free food" on Yelp, Zen was one of the places that popped up by our hotel. I noticed they offered GF soy sauce, and my husband was in the mood for sushi. We walked a few blocks over and noticed this tiny (but charming) restaurant. There were a few vacant tables when we got there, but within the hour, it was PACKED. Our waitress kept our water glasses full and understood my need for gluten free (it's a bad intolerance where I'll get very sick - not a choice). Our sushi arrived exactly how we ordered, and she ensured we were pleased with everything. Next time we're in the area, we'll be back!

Stopped by after the museum, had the fried chicken and the chirashi. It was so good and fresh. Mom had the miso soup and my dad had a seafood soup. Everything was delicious. My nephew loved the eal rolls. The waitress was so attentive. Definitely recommend this place

A cozy place tucked away in a quiet part of town. We went for lunch and we were able to get right in. Friendly patient service. Serviced us drinks and apps while waiting for the balance of our party. Menu has more than enough and something for everyone. Sushi came out quickly and perfectly. Very impressed with the freshness and the variety of taste. Each roll was totally different. The only problem will be when I go back. What do order now?

Zen is a solid sushi place. We ate at Zen twice on a trip, and it was good both times. It was also pretty easy to get a table, although on Saturday we arrived at 6:00, and when we left it was filling up. Service was fast and friendly each time. The first visit we started with a shrimp tempura appetizer. It arrived sizzling hot - like right out of the fryer. Delicious. Not greasy at all. Wonderful tempura, and the shrimp were large. Both visits we had maki. Pretty basic stuff: salmon, Philadelphia, shrimp tempura, California - but it was all great. My second visit I had the baked scallop maki, and there was too much mayonnaise for my taste, but it was still good. Definitely check it out.

my friend and i stopped by for a late dinner and it wasn't too busy. zen japanese grill has yummy sushi and noodle selections. their sushi wasn't the best i've had, but still pretty decent. their rolls range from about $6-$15 and in general, the items on the menu are affordable and decently priced, considering that it is located in downtown boston. the arrangement of the food was aesthetically pleasing and it was prepared quickly. the servers were nice and friendly. there are two floors with a decent amount of seating, but the restaurant as a whole is quite small. parking may be hard to find, but there are garages nearby. overall rating: 8/10

I was craving some good sushi and stumbled upon this place via Yelp. Overall, the food was great. When I walked into this place to order to go for takeout, I could see how popular this restaurant was on a regular weekday. The quality of the food was pretty solid. I enjoyed the sushi albeit the portions were a bit smaller than expected. The chicken was pretty good but nothing out of this world. If you're looking for a place that has sushi and you want to fulfill that craving this is a great spot to check out!

Stopped in for a late lunch and was very pleasantly surprised by the food! I got the cold soba noodles with uni which came with a simple soy sauce broth for dipping, green onions, wasabi and nori. The uni was a pretty generous amount and so sweet and not briny at all - I really really loved it! The soba itself was simple, but enjoyable overall! Service was also lovely

I went here around 5pm ET on a Monday and there was no wait. I was in a party of two and we were sat upstairs. For appetizers, we ordered the baby hamachi usuzukuri and the karaage chicken wings. I loved the baby hamachi! I would absolutely recommend. The chicken wings were okay, it felt a bit soft. I wish they were crunchier. I got a seaweed salad as well and it had a good amount. Huge fan, can never go wrong! For sushi, we got the salmon torch maki and the alligator maki. I liked both! Of the two, the salmon torch maki was my favorite. Service was reasonably paced and very nice. I would come back again!

Just moved to boston with my boyfriend. I used to work at a Japanese restaurant in college and since moving here I have yet to find a sushi spot that isn't overpriced and/or overrated - Until we came across this spot yesterday! We sat outside and ordered 4 sushi rolls (one not pictured). Really cool date spot. Can't remember all the names but the one on the left (my personal fav) was the princess maki. The roll on the right is the volcano (my boyfriend's fav). Service was nice and friendly. We just ordered from Zen again on doordash lol Big fans!

There's not a lot of casual sushi in the area so for hanging out with friends, families, and (maybe second dates), this could fit the bill. The menu is pretty expansive but the roll descriptions, if Im being honest nearly all sounded the same. Anywhere between $14-16 for a specialty roll. The food itself was good, nothing spectacular but again, you get what you pay for - especially in this part of town. They also had a separate lunch menu (looks worth it!) Anyway, I would recommend if you're in the area. ALSO, this place is LIGHT on the AC. We got here after a long walk on a hot summer day- I couldnt tell it there was AC- but there were definitely fans blowing.

The service was spot on. We ordered some ramen, sushi and appetizers. The food tasted great. The ambience was very nice.

I had one of their rice bowls and it was excellent. Service was good and ambiance was fine. Good bang for buck delicious food.

My daughter-in-law and I were in the mood for sushi and dropped into Zen. The service was excellent, the variety of offerings was large and the quality of the food was terrific. We left with a great feeling after paying a very reasonable amount. I will be back again soon.

Been searching for a great sushi place while on travel frequently in Boston. Super pleased with this find today! Casual, authentic sushi bar with great service and offerings. The deluxe sashimi platter was DELICIOUS and VERY FRESH. Comes with salad and traditional ginger dressing amd miso soup (which the soup would be my only critical feedback for change- a little week on miso though well proportioned tofu and seaweed). That won't stop me from coming back though! Not much seating. By my estimation, 30 seats in the quaint upstairs and perhaps 12-16 downstairs. I liked the upstairs. They have both carry out and take out in addition to indoor seating options. Can't wait to come back!

We got 4 great sushi rolls to go from here! It was really good! I want to get one of their specialty rolls to really explain how this sushi stands apart but those are total eat in items. The best way to describe their common rolls is that they get get the job done. Very fresh and very tasty.

Excellent sushi and pretty good wine. Would go again. Would I do a 30+ min detour just to dine here? Probably not, hence 4 of 5 stars. So if you are in the area: good choice.

We came here twice during our 5 Nights stay in Boston. The prices are fair and the sushi are excellent! We ordered the alligator roll both times (definitely order this every time!), shrimp tempura maki, deep fried oysters ($8 for 4 large pieces?! Big and Good!!), spider roll, caterpillar roll, crazy maki, shrimp yaki udon (has the wok-hei flavor!!), and etc. Services were friendly and quick. The first time we came, my mother accidentally spilled water all over the table. So embarrassing but the server was not at all disgruntled, she kept on telling us to not apologize and that it's ok. She quickly cleaned up the area and was still friendly! Excellent food and even more exceptional service!

One of the better Japanese restaurants in town. Food is fresh and aesthetically pleasing. The customer service here is superb. Everybody is super attentive and friendly. For Japanese restaurants, it usually take a long time for food to arrive but they are very efficient and quick but you'll never feel rushed to leave. I tried their udon noodle soup and I was thoroughly impressed with the broth and how everything was paired perfectly. I've noticed that their Hamachi Yama tasted better than the other ones I've been to. The texture was more moist and softer. The owner kindly explained that some restaurants will order those in bulk and in vacuum sealed packages but they don't. At that moment, I knew that Zen takes pride and committed to providing high quality food and customer service to their patrons. Highly recommend!

what a gem!! i pass by here every day on my way home from work and finally had the chance to check it out! they have 3-4 patio tables and they're amazing. loved sitting outside to enjoy the weather. such great ambiance. the prices are so reasonable and the quality is even better. my friend comes here often and always tries different maki rolls. i got the veggie yaki udon and it was phenomenal. very happy i can get this delivered lol! if you're looking for a fantastic Japanese meal, look no further!!!

Crisp to chicken ratio on the chicken katsu don was delicious and the sushi was top tier. Good vibes in there with great service!

Zen is my go to for sushi when I'm at work. It's downtown and the parking is shit. I love the sushi and the soups! The spicy salmon and the crazy maki are my favors but I'm honestly not picky. Tbh, I've only done take out here but it's a cute date night spot. Not too many people, service is speedy.

Yes please! We went there for dinner this week for dine-in and the food was delicious! The restaurant itself is extremely modest and not luxe by any means, but we knew that ahead of time so it didn't affect our dining experience. There's bamboo decor and plants around the seating area to amp up the visuals. The waiter was very sweet and attentive to our needs. We ordered several specialty rolls, sashimi, and appetizers and sake. The sake selection is small but has a variety. The sashimi was the best - we ordered toro off the menu and it was melt in your mouth good. I've paid 5x the price for the same quality toro and it was only ~15 for 3 pieces here! Overall, a great sushi spot and I can't think of one thing I didn't like here! (:

This sushi restaurant is great! Quick and great service and the fish was good quality. The only reason i'm not giving a 5 stars is because my soup wasnt as hot as i'd like and the salad portion is small. However the deal you get with a platter of sushi soup and salad for $22 is good, just wish the salad was a tad bit bigger. I would definitely come back!

Friendly staff, quick service. Good location especially for small parties. We didn't try the sushi, but we ordered a few starters and ramen + udon soup. Sadly, the taste was average, and the egg in the soup rather plain. I'd like to come back and try the sushi though!

I came here with seven other people to try the place. The place was not opened at 12 on Sunday even though it said it will on yelp page and on site. We had to wait 10 ~ 20 minutes more due to their understaffing. I ordered their Chirashi don and I was disappointed to realize my rice was not cooked properly. I heard from others their rolls were great so I am willing to give it another try but I am reluctant to recommend this place to others.

A 2 star only because the food was decent. The service was bad. I requested a double order of sushi. When it came, there was only a single order. I asked where the rest of my food was and the waiter told me "You finish that first and then if you want more, we'll make it." WTF??? I ate it, paid and left. I'm a paying adult and was starving. I will not be treated like a 4 year old by some 20-something waiter. Unbelievable!

I ordered from the Yelp app and popped in to pick it up. It's a nice looking restaurant. A little dark and maybe romantic for that. It's located right near the Capitol, too. The dinner was ready when I arrived, which was right at the time that they said it would be delivered. When I unboxed it back on my dining table, it was just as I ordered. Packaged appropriately and I liked the way they put the soy sauce in a small bag with the dipping bowl. Cute. The sushi was fresh and rolled nicely. Delicious. Totally would return to Zen and eat in.

3 1/2 STARS After seeing fabulous reviews for this place, i had to place a visit! I do not recommend however to order the Hotate- it was very oily and I actually struggled to finish it with my friend and I love this dish at other restaurants! We got a few rolls to share (3) and it was just too much sushi so next time I won't order so many as we apparently couldn't finish it. We sat on the patio as everyone was sitting out there. I'm not going to be flocking back cause it's kind of pricey and not the BEST sushi I've had. The bathroom is located upstairs and it's a unisex single bathroom. I wouldn't rush to come back but if I wanted sushi while I'm in the area I'll consider. By the way, our uni sushi was disgusting- not fresh at all and very bitter. My friend and I struggled to eat it.

Order takeout. It was delivered on time and tasted great. I had dumplings, spicy scallops and shrimp tempura. It was good. Was it the best sushi I've ever had, probably not. But it was solid and I would definitely recommend it.

Went here last night and it was wonderful, cute upstairs, staff was nice and sushi was amazing. There was 4 of us and we ended up getting the boat and we even had some left over to bring home. Prices are good will recommend coming here

This had the two absolute worst version of two dishes I've ever had: - The nigiri combo. Two of the nigri's were separated from the rice, the rest just fall apart as soon as you grab them. No, by the nature of the packaging, it was not a fault of delivery. They just seem to have the worst sushi chef of all time. - Shrimp tempura. Confused by what others reviewed, but was by the far the most disgusting shrimp tempera I had. There's a solid 0.5 inch thick later of oil soaked tempura, and inside you can find a shrimp as big as an anchovy. Please do a better job

The worst sushi in Boston. Sushi was very dry. I stayed at hotel and need utensils. I asked them for utensils and chopsticks. One staff said everything is inside and not even looked in the bag. Guess what? I paid $70+. I got one small cup of soy sauce and no utensils and chopsticks. Very disappointed.

Japanese restaurants are usually gluten free friendly. I called ahead to ask about gf options and was told they can accommodate gluten sensitivities which was encouraging. Sushi was delicious and they had gf soy sauce. I also ordered a donburi bowl with chicken. The waiter said the sauce had gluten so I said it would be ok without the sauce expecting to still have the other items listed in the menu: chicken, pickled vegetables, scallions. What they served was white rice with dry over cooked chicken and none of the other items listed. When I asked for the other items they said there was gluten in the other items. They should have been up front about what they were going to serve or propose other options. My husband had a ramen soup which was average. Two stars because the sushi was ok.

We ordered a lobster roll which had a lot of lobster on top. We also ordered the $20 sushi and nigiri platter which was pretty good. That platter came with miso soup and salad. I wished the takoyaki was more authentic with the toppings. Service was great, very accomodating to split bills for large group.

Teeny tiny portions and mediocre flavor. Yelp reviews have misled me yet again! I ordered the Salmon Poke Bowl and was astounded how little there was of it. A handful amount of salad was topped by probably what was one spoonful of salmon sashimi. Ingredients were simple and underwhelming - but at least it was fresh. Definitely DO NOT RECOMMEND THE POKE BOWL. It is totally not worth it. My friend ordered the Shrimp Yaki Udon. Portion sizes were more generous but presentation was seriously lacking. It was just one mass of brown saucy noodles. Overall, the service was fine, the food was not.

Ordered take out on a whim and was so impressed by the quality of the sushi. They had a great set up inside for take out, very organized and CLEAN even though they seemed inundated with orders. Honestly I'm upset that I haven't known about this spot until now. The sushi was SO good, great portions to price and quality. Highly recommend!

I recently ate there for the first time with my family. The service was quick, the sushi was good and the location could not be beat.

Had the Philadelphia roll, pan fried pork gyoza, and the shrimp yaki udon. Everything was prepared perfectly (the noodles were especially good), and our server was so helpful. We forgot to ask for separate checks, and he was able to go back and get new bills for us without any complaints. Can't wait to go back!

Located at a convenient distance from Boston Common with decent prices. 3 stars for food and the extra star for location. We ordered the pork ramen, Boston maki roll, unagi maki, and the volcano roll. The ramen was pretty basic (noodles were alright, broth not very rich) but there are so many better ramen places in the area that's about the same price. The sushi rolls are a good price and were fine. Just very basic and can't go wrong with them. The volcano roll was great except for the excessive amount tempura(?) flakes which made it taste kinda dry.

I ordered the miso soup, spicy fried calamari and dumplings. I spent $25 and the only thing i liked were the dumplings. The spicy calamari was so burnt i couldn't even eat half of them, not to mention it only came with about 15 pieces total, and that's being generous it was probably less. The miso soup was jit good at all couldn't even get through half of it. Wish i could get my money back. will not be going back.

We ate dinner here tonight. Great high quality sushi! We got several of the chefs specials and an order of noodles. Service was great - we were waited on by two people and had everything we needed. Outdoor seating is nice but ambience could use a little improvement. Took one star off for noise of AC unit on roof of overhang and lack of good low lighting outside. We will definitely come back if we are in the area again!