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GinGa - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
1393 Beacon StBrookline, MA 02446
Neighborhood: Coolidge Corner
(617) 278-1688
- Nearest Transit:
-
Summit Ave - Inbound (Green Line)
Summit Ave - Outbound (Green Line)
322 Harvard St (66)
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
111 reviews for GinGa
Review Highlights
"GinGa is one of my favorite Coolidge Corner secrets."
(in 18 reviews)
"Super crazy for Super crazy maki."
(in 4 reviews)
"Complimentary hot green tea is always promptly refilled."
(in 4 reviews)
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111 reviews in English
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Review from Sam D.
Somerville, MA
Updated - 2/1/2012
Honestly shattered by the loss of Ginga. Living about 200 yards from Ginga for the past year I came to love this little place, with it's FANTASTIC fresh sushi and generous, attentive staff.
I now set forth again on my trek for a friendly, reasonably priced, delicious sushi restaurant......Ginga, you will be dearly missed.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2011
This place is awesome! Very small but welcoming atmosphere, quick service, and quality sushi for… Read more »
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Review from Kristine R.
Cambridge, MA
Updated - 1/31/2012 5 Check-ins Here
So sad Ginga is gone. :(
One of my fav places especially for sushi. Sad. Sad times.
But, to the owners enjoy retirement! All the best!Listed in: My Boston food picks
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/17/2010
Yummy!
I've been here twice and have enjoyed the food both times which will keep me coming back! The… Read more »
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Review from Ben A.
Cambridge, MA
Updated - 1/26/2012
Ginga is now closed! The owners apparently decided to retire. Went there last weekend and was surprised/confused to see it was no longer there. It has been replaced by a new restaurant called 'U-Sushi' which has a similar layout but a disco-lighting theme. I didn't bother trying it due to the cheesy lighting. RIP Ginga!! you will be missed.
See here for the article describing the switch: http://bostonrestauran...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/2/2009
I had a craving for Sushi this weekend which led me here. I live on the Cambridge side of the river… Read more »
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Review from Sarah K.
Brookline, MA
Updated - 1/25/2012
I am so depressed. Ginga has officially closed and has been replaced by U Sushi! The new place does not really compare to Ginga, although the ambience is a lot nicer and more "date-like". However, it seems they increased the prices by a lot to pay for their higher electricity bill due to all the sexy lighting up in there.
I MISS YOU GINGAAAAA :(1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/14/2010
I recently moved to Brookline from Northern California and have been looking for a good sushi place… Read more »
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Review from Imran G.
Tempe, AZ
1/18/2012
I'm not a big fan of sushi. I really don't eat it unless I'm in a group that decides to get sushi. Outside of that I never venture out to get sushi on my own. As such, I always stick to the cooked, slightly cooked, and imitation stuff.
We ordered only 3 rolls between my significant other and I, and finished all of it on the spot. We got the usual California rolls and the other stuff you can find everywhere else, but we also got the Dragon roll per my friends' suggestions.
Wow. At first I was scared to try this thing because of the fact that it had all sorts of stuff I don't think I would ever eat. However, after making a bold decision to try something adventurous I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty the Dragon roll was. I should probably be more open to things like theis. I'm not a seafood fan, and I find the texture of seafood to be a little awkward, but I really enjoyed everything about this particular roll.
My friends are what you could call sushi connoisseurs, so I guess I was in pretty good hands. I've tried sushi places that were absolutely terrible, but this isn't one of them. In fact, I would say this is some of the best sushi that I've had. -
Review from Saba N.
Updated - 1/31/2012
RIP Ginga. best sushi in the area. you will be forever missed.
Listed in: Best First Date
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2010
Per Yelp's request, I checked out GinGa last night, and once again, it proved to me how Yelpers do… Read more »
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Review from Carrianne C.
Boston, MA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I tried a couple of simple rolls, the hamachi, salmon skin and avocado, to go and I really enjoyed it. The hamachi had a huge cut of fish in each roll and everything tasted very fresh.
While I was waiting for my order, the woman at the front offered me hot tea and water, which I thought was really sweet of her.
Overall a really good take-out joint for good sushi. -
Review from Ryan G.
Boston, MA
12/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
GinGa definitely has better sushi than entrees so if you come here, I would just order a lot of sushi than ordering entrees.
FIrst off, the place is really small, probably fits a max of 10 people. Its a cute quaint place though, good for a date or something like that. The servers here are extremely friendly and helpful. And even though its a small place, they do not rush you or pressure you to hurry up.
As for the food, the sushi was awesome. Fresh, delicately made and the presentation was fabulous. I had the dragon roll, which is one of my favorites because I love Unagi. If you are an unagi lover like I am, you can't go wrong with this roll.
As for the entree, I got the pork katsu. I would only say it was mediocre; definitely have had better. It wasn't bad though, just a little dry but still a three star rating.
Overall, I will definitely be coming back, for the sushi and the service. Definitely a place where you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Patrick P.
North Waltham, MA
Updated - 1/22/2012
GinGa has changed its name. The lovely couple who used to own it have retired and they are now operating as U Sushi. Let's hope things don't change much. Always enjoyed the wonderful treatment received there.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/31/2009
We found ourselves at GinGa at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon. The place is small and we had the place… Read more »
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Review from Mike K.
Allston-Brighton, MA
12/5/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is one of my favorite go-to place for Sushi in Brookline. I have been here at least 3 or 4 times now and it's been nothing but good experience.
The place is very small and cozy. Everything is very fresh and tastes great. I've had both sushi and entrees here. It's not the best sushi I've tried but that's on account of sophistication, not quality.
The prices are very reasonable and I would say on the low end compared to other places in the area.
The service is excellent - very helpful, always there when needed yet they stay out of the way otherwise and don't interrupt the meal with unnecessary questions.
Overall, this is a great mid-range sushi place. If you just want to get some really good sushi with friends or family and don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it - this is a good choice. -
Review from Jacob G.
Brookline, MA
12/3/2011
Cute little hole in the wall place and anyone who's been in there and seen their sushi chefs know that these guys take it seriously.
I would recommend it for a small party (def not more than 4, 2 is best though). But takeout is my choice overall. Their soup and salad is awesome and they usually offer free edamame with an order over $20 so it's a pretty good deal.
The rolls are great and delicious, as for the sashimi, it isn't up to grade to Fugakyu but still very good especially if it's last minute or takeout. Their takeout boxes are great and good quality too.
Highly recommended. -
Review from Kris N.
Brookline, MA
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good sushi starts at good fish. After that, other things can or don't happen.
I personally avoid rich, complicated rolls, as I prefer the simpler, more subtle sushi experiences. So I can't tell you about the super tempura fried cream cheese thing or whatever at any sushi place.
I've been here three times, now, and had excellent sashimi, nigiri, and maki. I even had a special preparation of a whole, small fish when I asked the chef for "some good sashimi" to start. He pulled the fish out, whole and fresh, asked if it looked good, then worked magic before my eyes. That was fantastic.
Simple, friendly decor in a smallish space. -
Review from Ella P.
Boston, MA
9/27/2011
I love sushi and am always on the prowl for a good sushi place. This one definitely makes the list.
The place is small, and was a bit crowded on a Friday evening for dinner (no surprise there). So, we sat at the bar with no wait. The chef prepared a complimentary salad with some fish in it which was very good.
We ordered gyoza, a few rolls and an assortment of nigiri. The sushi was fresh and very good. The appetizer was great as well. We still had room for dessert, so we ordered a tempura ice cream. I love tempura ice cream, and this one was good but nothing to rave about.
Our orders came out very quickly, a bit too quickly in fact. We had a space crunch for a few minutes because we hadn't had time to finish the gyoza before the sushi came out. Not a big deal, especially at a table, but a few extra minutes would have been helpful since we were a bit crowded at the bar.
The service was friendly, and prices reasonable. I will definitely come back. -
Review from Chris V.
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was my first meal in Boston and it didn't disappoint. Like other Yelpers mentioned, you really do get a bang for your buck here + I believe you can place your order online.
I opted for the Crazy Maki Combo which was more than enough food for 1 person. If you're into wine, they are very generous with their pours here. 1 glass felt like 2! And for dessert, try the fried green tea ice cream. I thought they did a great job with the tempura. -
Review from Judy R.
Columbia, MD
1/10/2012
This restaurant is currently closed. A sign on the door says that it is being renovated. Their website is still up. No one answers the phone.
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Review from Holly S.
7/25/2011
Overall, Ginga is a good sushi restaurant. Walking in, an enormous wave of fishy-fish smell made me nervous, but the sushi was actually pretty good. Prices are really reasonable too, and service was great. I also had sake which wasn't as great, and the seaweed salad, which was below par for me. I think it might have made me sick, on top of it tasting weird.
Hi, my name is Holly and I keep on eatin' even if my food sometimes tastes weird.
Really small restaurant, which I think is nice. There is a cute sushi bar too that seats 4-5... in my opinion it would be a pretty nice date place, rather than a big group situation. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Brookline, MA
2/10/2011
GinGa is the epitome of Brookline sushi, and the restaurant to which I compare all other Brookline sushi joint wannabes.
-high quality sushi
-middle of the road prices
-average sized seating area
-decent location
-friendly service
-bottomless green tea
GinGa is a nice alternative to Fugakyu, when you really want to sit somewhere and eat sushi, right away, and pay a little less.Listed in: Sushi Crack
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Review from Christopher J.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2011
==GinGa==
Freshness. Need I say more? Everything was so fresh and tasty here. The decor was very nice and comfortable inside and the service was great. The sushi was very fresh and a party in your mouth. I had a chicken bento box and also ordered some sashimi pcs. I love spicy tuna rolls and the rolls here were very good as well.
Next time I'm in the area, I will be sure to come here again! -
Review from Tom G.
Brighton, MA
4/8/2011
Slow delivery but the sushi was decent. I tried a bunch of rolls and
everything was fresh, if not overly creative. It's Boston sushi, through and through: good, not great, slightly overpriced, and you probably will get your sushi craving sated. -
Review from Peter B.
IL
9/23/2011
Awesome sushi! Fresh fish, freshly prepared, decent price. I stopped by for a quick dinner, and dang - fast fresh Japanese food in no time. And well priced too. My Spicy Tuna Combo (a giant roll, plus 4 pieces, plus miso soup and salad) was just $12.95. I'm stuffed!
It's a tiny place, not much to look at but fine for eating in if you're solo or hanging with a good friend; definitely not a date night place. -
Review from Brian N.
Philadelphia, PA
11/6/2010
Given that I work in Coolidge Corner, I have many options for sushi. I really like Ginga's lunch specials, where they take 20% off any entree. As their prices are competitive to begin with, I think I'm getting a pretty good deal. I especially love the fact that their fish are extremely fresh. I particularly like their specialty rolls, including the Spicy Scallop and Spider.
In addition to the stellar food, the service is absolutely phenomenal. I think it's worth coming here over Fugakyu and Genki-ya, which seem to be the main sushi joints in good ol' Brookline. Of course, Shiki has a special place in my heart for true Japanese cuisine! :) -
Review from Timothy H.
Phoenix, AZ
7/18/2011
Great little hole in the sushi place with extremely friendly and attentive staff. Very "Mom and pop shop"-like. Can't wait to make it a regular!
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Review from Calvin F.
Auburndale, MA
2/15/2011
Went here with my girlfriend last night for valentines day dinner, and it just doesnt get any better than this. Excellent atmosphere, Excellent looking food, Excellent tasting food, Excellent service, Excellent prices...you get the picture. My girlfriend got the philadelphia and california sushi and it looked heavenly, she said it was some of th ebest she'd ever had. I'm not a sushi guy myself so I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki and let me tell you something...you have not had Chicken Teriyaki until you've had it at this place!!
Definitely deserving of a five star rating, good job GinGa! -
Review from Rachel S.
Boston, MA
12/13/2010
The food is good - but the service was only so-so. I called with an order for delivery and the guy who answered had to call me back FOUR times to ask for more information (a repeat of my address, my credit card number but then he hung up before I could give the expiration date, etc.). My confidence in their food went down with each phone call.
Delivery came about 15 minutes later than they promised. But as I said, the food was decent. -
Review from michael G.
Boston, MA
6/27/2011
Really good/fresh sushi. Had the shrimp tempura roll and gyoza for an app. The ladyfriend had tempura shrimp they was light and crunchy. I strongly recommend ginga.
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Review from Bo H.
Brooklyn, NY
1/8/2011
ME: New Yorker spending a little time in Brookline for work. I was told by a friend to visit Fugakyu while I was in town, though I was warned it wouldn't hold up to NY standards, but was good "for Boston". I tried it but then decided to try GinGa as well.
MY EXPERIMENT: Once I read the positive reviews and found myself seated at GinGa, I decided to order the exact same thing I had at Fugakyu: an Asahi, Ohitashi to start, an Alaska roll and Maguro sushi. To my surprise, the dishes were prepared similarly enough that I would not be surprised if GinGa is run by someone who used to work at Fugakyu. The Ohitashi was prepared with a very similar sesame-mayo sauce (which I have not had before on Ohitashi) and the Alaska roll was rolled in bonito flakes (also something I'd not seen before).
THE POINT: The food was fine at both places, but not great at either. Fugakyu gave me the immediate feeling that I was spending too much and paying mostly for the atmosphere. Ginga's food was similar quality, but not quite at the same level Fugakyu. The fish not the freshest, but also nothing scary. It was comparable to Whole Foods sushi. The price difference was significant, about $29 before tip for Fugakyu and $22 for GinGa, for the exact same meal.
BOTTOM LINE: Sushi is a luxury food and I don't really believe in "cheap" sushi. If you want cheap food, there are plenty of taco, pizza and falafel joints to take care of that. GinGa is like sushi for students (There was a girl sitting next to me who had never had miso soup before and was struggling with chopsticks). It might be a way to dabble in sushi without making yourself sick. It is fine, but I'd prefer to save my sushi experience for something more exciting.
NEXT: Having read reviews for Shiki, it seems like this might be the place for me to enjoy Japanese food in Boston. It seems pricey, but Japanese run and as I said, sushi is a luxury, so you should want to pay for the good stuff rather than go for a bargain. -
Review from Sara S.
Boston, MA
9/2/2008
Yet another sushi place in Coolidge Corner, but unlike Mr. Sushi which is just bad, and Fugakyu which is completely overrated, this place is actually worth going to!
Conveniently located close to my BFF's apartment, Susie A. and I took a break from the September 1 chaos and got our lunch here. We were a little turned off at the thought of a place that used to serve Mexican food now being a sushi place (don't really know why). The place is tiny... only about five or six tables. They seem to have a strong takeout buisiness, but there were no other diners when we were there around 2PM.
The waitress was the sweetest girl ever, and as soon as we ordered our rolls, we were brought out a complimentary appetizer: thick cucumber slice topped with avocado, tobiko flakes, torched salmon, more avocado flakes, and slightly drizzled with eel sauce and spicy mayo. YUM. Salmon is not something I normally order, but after tasting this, we asked the waitress if this was available on the menu next time. It was SO good. The smokey flavor of the salmon combined with the yumminess of the tobiko flakes was especially good.
I got a Spicy Tuna Roll and Yellowtail Roll with Scallions. The presentation was beautiful, and they even "drew" a little bonsai tree with spicy mayo and eel sauce on the side of the place, complete with little flowers! The Spicy Tuna was GREAT. It was less mushed together than other Spicy Tuna I've had recently. It was thick pieces, combined with tobiko flakes and mayo. These were thick, large rolls. I hate when places skimp out! The Yellowtail was great too- very refreshing and high quality. The scallions added a nice kick, too.
Overall, this place is average priced, but above average sushi. We've decided this is going to be our new go-to sushi place in Coolidge Corner, and people who usually dine within Coolidge Corner itself should venture out towards Summit. You won't be dissapointed! We're looking forward to trying their entrees, like Chicken Terryaki, veeeeeery soon.Listed in: Win Over My Heart With Sushi
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Review from Mike I.
Brookline, MA
6/17/2010
Everything about GinGa seemed a little off. I went in by myself for a quick meal before meeting friends, so the atmosphere was of little importance. The restaurant was empty, at 6:30 on a Wednesday night, so I had quick and attentive service. I ordered the chirachi - my favorite sushi meal when I'm not sharing with other people.
The soup and salad came out quickly. Piping hot miso soup was tasty, but the salad was a little lacking. There were about 6 pieces of lettuce and 3 slices of tomato, almost swimming in a ridiculous amount of ginger dressing that didn't taste like much. The chirachi - a bed of sushi rice covered in 8-10 pieces of fish - was presented well, but the fish all looked and tasted like I was in a discount sushi restaurant. It looked more like what I'd expect out of a supermarket sushi display.
The price was right, with tip my bill came to $18 for a good amount of food. But it just wasn't that good, when I need some sushi, I'll be going down the street to Fugakyu, Ginza or Genki Ya. -
Review from Julie R.
10/31/2009 1 photo
With all the sushi choices in Coolidge Corner, I finally found the best one, thanks to our awesome Yelpers! Ginga it is! I kept seeing it come up on Yelp and knew I wanted to try it ASAP for my next sushi dinner.
On a Friday night at 8pm I came with my boyfriend and we were able to take free table. After all, there are only 7 that sit 2 people each.
The woman who was the waitress and counter person was very thorough. My mug of green tea stayed full the whole time, it was like I never drank any, she kept checking on us and refilling things non stop even though her place was packed. She was awesome.
We decided to go with the beef teriyaki kushiyaki appetizer for $4.95. It was like eating mini beef tenderloins on kabobs. The steak was excellent quality. There were 2 on the plate. We also had miso soup and salads come out too. Very good miso. Decent salad with addicting ginger dressing.
A complimentary appetizer of tempura whitefish was brought out unexpectedly "compliments of the chef". It was funny cause we contemplated a tempura appetizer but got the beef, then one was brought out anyways. Did they read my mind? It was on top a seaweed salad. So delicious!
I chose to get the crazy maki combo which came with a big tempura shrimp roll with 4 pieces of nigiri on the side. For $12.95 it was a great deal. The shrimp tempura there has the largest pieces I've seen with a perfect crispy tempura batter. The selection of nigiri was out of the box then what you would typically expect like crab stick and shrimp. I had 4 plump pieces of different fish, all super fresh.
My bf got the sushi sashimi combo for 1. It arrived on its own boat with a huge amount of mouth watering sushi and sashimi. Even the garnishes were edible little rolls. The pieces were big, juicy and ohhh soo good. So many different kinds. On the side the spicy tuna roll was huge. Another reviewer was right about the maki being large. They are bigger then most places, not with extra rice but lots of filling!
I witnessed a girl come in from the cold to wait for her take out order, the waitress brought her a hot mug of green tea while she waited. So nice!
We will definitely be coming back here. It doesn't have the fancy ambiance of Fugakyu down the street, however its a lot less money and I found it the same fish quality with even better service. They don't serve booze yet welcome you to bring your own!Listed in: Seeking Sushi?
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Review from Nicky N.
Boston, MA
10/24/2009 1 photo
Love this little place. Lately I always choose here over Genki Ya, for good reason. I love patronizing an establishment that shows recognition and appreciation after only a few visits. If faced with the choice, I will take good food served with friendly, warm, attentive service over better food served with indifferent service (or worse - a poor attitude) any day.
Fortunately, I don't have to make that decision here because GinGa has top notch food and service. The sushi is always so fresh, filling, and affordable. The takeout is nicely packaged. And when I dine in, the service is great. Complimentary hot green tea is always promptly refilled. Empty dishes are always promptly removed.
And the best part - they're now serving lunch special on weekends! Ahhh! There's about 20 choices for under $10, no joke, ranging from maki combos to sushi to rice bowls or noodle bowls. I'm probably going to come every weekend now and try them all.
Only tip - they should redo their interior to be more modern. I can totally see this little place remodeled, which would make my dining experience will go from great to fantastic. -
Review from karen c.
Boston, MA
12/20/2009
I'm a really spoiled sushi eater and at this point in my sushi eating life, I don't think I will be eating anywhere except for Fugakyu and Douzo for a while. Everywhere I go that isn't Fugakyu or Douzo simply grosses me out.
I ordered takeout on Friday mid-move and I was starving. Yelp reviews were stellar for this place and it's across the street from my new apartment. "How can I go wrong?" I asked myself. The lunch specials are insanely cheap, which should've been a red flag. Go ahead and buy discount Coach shoes at Marshalls or a comforter set on sale at TJ Maxx, but don't buy inexpensive raw fish-it's just a bad idea.
I opted for a spicy tuna and a backdraft roll (baked fish w/scallions etc). They were both gross. The spicy tuna was rubbery in texture and wasn't the color of very fresh fish. And the backdraft roll was so dry I couldn't bring myself to eat it.
The kitchen was exactly that-a kitchen you'd expect to see at a greasy chinese takeout place-not a clean sushi rolling prep area or a display case with the fish inside. Scary when you have no idea how or where your sushi is being prepared. YIKES!
Redeeming quality of the meal-the soup and the salad w/dressing. Sad times :( Won't be back. -
Review from Masha B.
3/15/2010
GinGa is great, another one of my newly discovered favorite Japenese restaurants.
The service is fantastic. Everyone working there is really nice and friendly & welcoming.
We had never been there before ,and perhaps that's the reason why but the hostess brought us over a free dish on the house- some sort of fish tempura. It was delicious.
We ordered 2 maki rolls each which were made pretty well- not the best sushi I've ever had but good nonetheless. We also ordered two shrimp tempura plates- one would've sufficed because we ended up boxing it up and then I didn't get ANY of it and here I am at work starving wishing I had those leftovers... but I digress.
We also finished the meal with mochi ice cream, pretty standard mochi nothing extravagent.
But ultimately it came down to the service and the staff were all so welcoming and friendly it made this jaunt to GinGa in the pouring rain totally worth it. -
Review from Greg K.
Brighton, MA
6/17/2009
Listen up suckers
I ordered from GinGa once based on yelp reviews
I started my own review but then the food came
Delicious
Month later I go to order, check my yelp account, got the review cued up, try to write it, oh no food here
Tonight, just ordered, gotta post the review before the food gets here
Heres the review
While I've never been to GinGa, I've ordered it many times and always been very happy with the food
Crazy Maki, Spicy Tuna, Alaskan Maki, Free Edimammememe too with a 20 dollar order
Give it a try
I get a pan fried dumpling too
FrantasticListed in: New Place's I've Been
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Review from Nay K.
Boston, MA
8/10/2008
Really big ass pieces of sushi.
Wow. -
Review from Nick N.
Boston, MA
10/24/2009
Conversations about Ginga usually go like this:
"So I got sushi in Coolidge Corner the other day--"
"Oh at Genki Ya?"
"No, it's this other--"
"Ohh, Mr. Sushi?"
"What? No."
"Oh, Fugakyu."
"WTF, do I look f***ing loaded to you?"
This needs to stop. The fish at Ginga is just as good as at any of the "higher-end" places in Brookline, and the service is impeccable. It sort of feels like your mom is waiting on you, but in a good way.
Their lunch special is available 7 days a week. Yes, even Saturday and Sunday. $7.95 for two rolls, salad and miso soup and an always-full cup of hot green tea. -
Review from Andra Z.
Culver City, CA
5/5/2009
Really. Wonderful. Sushi.
This place gets my thumbs up because its cheep cheep cheep! My usual sushi haunt is Genki Ya. One day though, after a particularly difficult chapter of my thesis was over, I treated myself to something new. Ginga.
Now, I normally order two rolls and a nigiri sushi from Genki Ya, and it keeps me pleasantly full. I ordered the same amount from Ginga (for the same price as Genki ~$20) and cried "uncle" waaaaay before the sushi was gone. Their rolls are just as spectacular as most other sushi joints, and it is tiiiiiny! But the staff is beyond helpful and very sweet.
I got the Super Crazy Maki and the B-29 and both were fantastic. I wish I hadn't ordered the nigiri because it was all just too much! I highly recommend though and plan on taking my bf there once we have something special to celebrate.
The quest for the best sushi restaurant within walking distance of Coolidge Corner continues.... -
Review from Julie T.
Boston, MA
Updated - 5/12/2009
Normally, when I'm craving something, I'll go get it and I'll usually get excessive amounts to satiate my craving. In that sense, after I'm done eating the crazy amount, I will, in theory, no longer crave the dish. I've practiced this idea at plenty places with large quantities. Whether it be my infamous love for fried chicken or my crazy cravings for curry, a lot of it will make me not want it for a while. I figured Ginga would be the same way.
Boy, was I mistaken.
The last time I was at Ginga, I was craving sushi like a crazy woman. I had been craving it for a while, but I'm the kind of person who likes to go out and eat with others and am trying transition herself to learn to eat on her own. Well, I normally would have waited for someone to come with me, but my craving had been so intense that I could barely wait any longer.
Now, I came to Ginga because it was conveniently on my way home from work, but I normally hesitate to go to Ginga because of the location because I'm always too lazy to walk from Coolidge Corner.
Never again. I had such a great dining experience that I won't hesitate again.
As soon as I came in, I was immediately greeted and after wiping down a small table, the hostess/server sat me down where a table of 12 Asians sitting next to me began to stare me down and speak quickly in Chinese. Granted, I'm not Chinese nor do I speak it, but I DO know what it looks like when someone's judging you right in your face thinking you don't know any better.
Anyway, I looked at the menu and wanted everything. Water was immediately brought and finally I decided. I went with the seaweed salad, the fried calamari, and the Crazy Maki. I was incredibly hungry and I have the tendency to over-order, but it was only a tiny short while after when I realized that it had been so worth it.
The seaweed salad was light and refreshing. Very much like any other seaweed salad out there. The calamari was also very light and served with a side of spicy mayo. Both were delicious and came out incredibly quickly. While eating my apps, my server brought me a small dish and said that it was complimentary and was a salmon salad. It was awesome! It's a shame they don't have it on their menu! It was a mix of salmon, imitation crab, tempura flakes, spicy mayo, and scallions. It was incredibly tasty and I practically licked the plate as the things that I ordered laid forgotten. Luckily, I finished all three in perfect time for my roll to come out.
Now, I almost always eat my rolls with spicy mayo. That's just how I do it. I'm just a sucker for turning all things healthy into unhealthy. So after dunking the roll into the spicy mayo and chomping down, I was truly in heaven. As though the shrimp tempura wasn't fatty and oily enough, the creaminess of the mayo just rounded it all together. Sigh. It was wonderful.
I was checked on numerous times by the sweet server who made me feel incredibly comfortable. I guess I only have a couple complaints which are:
1. the rolls are huge! I guess that's more my problem than theirs because I have a small mouth.
2. they garnish with maraschino cherries and that messes with the flavor of the food sometimes. Again, I personally hate maraschino cherries to start with so it may be more of a personal thing than anything else.
3. their spicy mayo isn't right on like the rest of the places. I think they use a different brand mayo than the regular Japanese mayo that is normally used at sushi places.
Regardless, this place has totally changed my opinion. Usually, when I stuff myself with sushi to satiate my craving, I get sick of it and don't want to see it or taste it or even hear about it for several months. The very next day after eating Ginga, I craved for it again and have been since that day. They're so good that I ate myself sick and STILL wanted more. Either there's crack in their sushi or they're just incredibly good at what they do.
I'd like to bet on the latter.Listed in: Coolidge Corner, Soo-shee
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/15/2008
Although Ginga's food is great, it's kind of at a weird location. I'm pretty sure that this place is… Read more »
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Review from brett b.
Brookline, MA
2/13/2009
I go here about 3 times a week. Why? Because it's affordable, delicious, nearby, and has the most friendly service of any restaurant I've been to.
They've got discount prices for lunch (but I guess who doesn't), offer free edamame or other apps for dinner (if you order with a friend), and have some pretty creative sushi (but avoid the americano one with ketchup and cheese... that was a ballsy creation, but kind of a frankenstein).
My recommendation: The 15 piece sashimi combo (good size chunks) or th dragon roll. -
Review from Daniel P.
Boxford, MA
7/6/2009
Great sushi and the portions are big, also the waitstaff and chefs are really friendly.
Definitely a worthy stop if you are in the Allston-Brighton-Brookline area and looking for low-key sushi, and they also have a big menu with other Japanese-style food such as noodles, tempura, etc. -
Review from E M.
Newton, MA
6/8/2009 2 photos
I've been to GinGa two times for take-out and two times for seat-in. Here are what I've tried:
House Bento - tons of food
Salmon-Oyako Don - many salmon slices + roe
Spicy Scallop Maki Combo - stuffed rolls
Special Makis - big rolls
Chirashi - tongue-size sashimi slices
I enjoy eating their food because they serve fresh sashimi and you never leave with an empty stomach. When you eat-in, they give you a surprise appetizer on the house, and when you order take-out, they let you have a free edamame or seaweed.
The host/owner always greet you with a smiling face and make sure you like the food when you eat there. The sushi chef also tries to stick out his head to greet you when you walk in. They just know the proper way of doing business and keeping their customers.
