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What a great surprise. This little inconspicuous hole in the wall could be transported directly out of Tokyo. Polished concrete floors, single white bar, simple 2 seater tables and blue neon light to illuminate the white bar chairs.
The menu not quite the Japanese fare one might be used to. No sushi, but great little creations like duck and wontons. The best part about this place must be the bar. A incredible Sake selection and infused vodka buffet.
If you are into Sake or truly flavoured mixed drinks, the bar will be your heaven. I am glad I was recommended this place and actually stumbled into it. What a great find!
Sens served its purpose as a pre-show dinner spot on the way to Dodge Theater. I enjoyed the atmosphere although it was eerily quiet/empty for dinner time, even on a Tuesday night.
Our server was absolutely fantastic -- very attentive and extremely knowledgeable about the food menu, drinks, and even the schedule at the Dodge Theater! The food was decent and I would go here again in a group, but I won't be craving it anytime soon. Most of the dishes underwhelmed vs. my expectations from the menu, but they were still good and I got to enjoy a variety with the small plates.
Great location, easy access and great service = a solid staple for a downtown bite.
Flippin' finally, I made it to Sens. I mean, I know college students don't normally go around eating at places like this, unless they got some questionable money sources... *ahem* Tonight was failed attempt #2 at Pizzeria Bianco, and believe me, this time it was a matter of parking, because Samara A. and I were extremely early. Anyways, I will get in that place through raw determination sooner than later.
So its First Friday, I had no clue what to expect, but I certainly ran into some foolishness downtown. How many events did they have going on?! Jebus! With all the road blocks, my navigation of this mess almost got me into a wreck or two. We get to to Sens in one piece only to find we had to pay for even more parking, nearly 2 buckroos this time...
Right about then, I was starting to lose my fascination with downtown Phoenix. Hoping Sens would make it all better, we went inside and were sat down by our nice server. My first question. Wheres the sake?! Yea, Asian Tapas sounded like fun, but seriously when do I get to go to a place with such a large selection of sake? Like never, at least until I get to Japan that is. Since I was the only one in our party of two drinking, I ordered one of the smaller bottles of Nigori. I def needed more than that, but I'm working on not being an alchy.
The food was pretty and tasty. I just wish they had done the reversal on my tempura fried Snapper/Yellowtail ($29). If there ever is a next time, I'm sticking strictly to the "tapas", the check would be less pricey, perhaps? Ok, good service, nice atmosphere, good food, excellent sake, not priceless...more like $60+!
(You know I'd rather have spent that on booze and strippers...)
The weekend of food porn: foodie friend by trade from SF comes to town and we hit it hard. The place that topped Binkley's -- Sens. Yes, reread that last bit. Binkley's which is foodie heaven (this is coming from 2 people that frequented the French Laundry and Bouchon's) was usurped by Johnny Chu. We ordered some shochu and asked Johnny to bring us what he wanted. The subtly and complexity. And no foam! Where did that trend come from? OCD moment -- yakitori means grilled chicken kabob in Japanese. WTF? Shrimp?
Sorry -- the fish in the banana leaf and the smokey rice make up for lost in translation. And the decor is outstanding. And the servers can explain differences in sake. oh dear, I've messed myself.
I went last weekend and loved it. The dishes are small and are meant to be shared, but not so small that you feel like you barely ate anything. The food was presented quite nicely as well; the only dish I wasn't so big a fan of was the papaya mango salad. The wasabi soy chicken and soup gyoza were terrific. They also had spicy shrimp as their dinner special, which was outstanding (but stay away if you can' t handle spices).
I would say that, given the lighting and decor, the ambiance is great during dinner (when I went), but probably nothing special during lunch.
We had planned on ending up at Moira last night, but with an hour wait and a starving friend, we adjusted our plans and headed towards Sens, where we had only a 20 minute wait. I guess after my third time there I should probably review.
My wasabi pork dumplings ended up being consumed by one of the other members of my party and my ginger pork salad mostly consumed by me. They were two items I had never had before and I have to admit I was somewhat a happy camper, but not quite what I was expecting them to taste like either. I can say though that was the first time I ever had just an okay food experience at Sens. The sugar cane is fabulous and the miso is some of the best ever.
They may be small plates, but they are filling and reasonably priced in my opinion.
The cucumber water? Fantastic and refreshing. If you are craving sake, go for the chilled lemongrass. However, remember it's potent and potentially can be a weapon that ruins your night.
The DJ we had last night as we sat down was truly phenomenal and I wish he would've stayed the entire night. He played the type of music that is appropriate for Sens. Instrumental, mix of upbeat and slow but all with some ambiance. It made you want to strike up a quiet conversation and just take in the atmosphere, which is decadent. After awhile though the DJ switched and the new one was playing a mixture of good songs, but nothing appropriate for Sens. I don't want to hear George Clinton and dog panting as I'm enjoying a cup of Jasmine tea and staring at the beautiful blossom in the pot.
Who knew Asian food could be so much fun. Sens epitomizes all the reasons why you should skip Scottsdale restaurants and just head to downtown Phoenix.
Executive Chef Johnny Chu as created a hip restaurant atmosphere complete with great service (the servers gladly make recommendations and are attentive), a wonderful atmosphere complete with a DJ that plays hip mood music (my husband tipped the DJ just for playing the Selectors, I guess it brought him back to his college days); and the most deliciously creative Asian food on the planet.
To give you and example of the creativity, we tried a spicy tofu and vegetable dish (a chef special of the night) with a decidedly Asian flavor, served with taco chips a-la salsa-like for dipping. The combination was suprising and delish!
Parking can be found in the rear of the building. If that is full and you have to park on the street, be aware that the meter-natzi is ever vigilant and exercises her/his authority liberally, so feed the damn meter.
Both Ben (age 13) and Corinne (age 56) enjoyed the entire experience, from the beverage with the marble to the Chicken & Duck tapas as well as the mini egg rolls floating in a glass of salad/ noodles!
Presentation was unique AND understated.
Mr. Chu explained the beverage's unusual format and its inspiration.
Sauces were entirely delectable and I am an avowed "sauce hater".
Truly a memorable dining experience!
Tasty and upscale but NOT snobby and superior!
Stopped here for a quick bite to eat before heading off to the Phoenix Symphony. We decided to park by symphony hall and walk not realizing that Sens wasn't exactly around the corner. The night that we went there was a special duck dish (not the one on the menu) which was served with a spicy wasabi-like paste, a ginger slaw, some peppers and pickles. The duck was excellent. We also ordered the Red Curry Tofu, a drink from the bar and a glass of wine. Overall, very satisfied and can recommend it to others.
Sigh... the search for anything remotely asian (authentic or fusion) continues. Coming from the Bay Area expectations are high. Yes we adjusted our expectations accordingly for the Phoenix area.
The food had a ton of heat but lacked actual flavor.
Napa Rolls: napa cabbage wrapped shrimp in a ponzu sauce, the dish was cooked well but nothing stoodout either
Ginger Mint Duck Salad: douced with spicey chilli sauce, the "salad" was drowning in a pool of liquid, there is no duck taste as at all
Red Thai Curry Chicken Wings: plain awful! terrible spicys used and horrible consistency, the chicken was marinated in something super salty and then they mixed in a "curry" sauce that conflicted with the taste
Wasabe Tofu: never had tofu with such a heavy batter on it, it was not light and delicate, beware of the sauce which is 5:1 ratio of wasabi to ponzu, you can't even taste the tofu if you use the sauce
This restaurant is quite hip, and the asian tapas is quite good. The dishes are quite creative, with good use of ginger, mango, etc. to flavor the meat and thai bases. For our table of 4, I believe we ordered 8 dishes, and got out for a total of about $65 without drinks. We did leave a little hungry - but that's the way it goes.
This would be a great date restaurant. Not too noisy, feels like you are "in the action," tasty food.
Sens continues to improve. We have begun going regularily and even got engaged and celebrated at SENS. It's fabulous on Mondays, the staff is wonderful and there is no wait.
Johnny did it again - the food is amazing, the atmosphere is surreal, and the sake is unique and… Read more »
Went here at 7 pm on a Saturday night for my 30th birthday dinner (followed by drinks at Hanny's). I really wanted to try this place after hearing so much about it. We had a reservation for 25 people. We called a few times before hand and were originally told we could have a back room that holds 25 people. So, we went ahead and planned the night with that in mind. When we called back a few days later, we were told it could only hold 22 people but we were assured our reservation was on the books for the back room. The night we showed up, we were told it could only hold 18 people and they seated us two different tables in the main dinning room. When we brought the discrepancy to the hostess's attention, she basically gave us the attitude that since we didn't talk to her when we called, then it wasn't her problem and that was pretty much the end of the discussion. I was not thrilled about the change in plans and everyone seated at different tables but we made it work. Had we known that was going to be the case in the first place, we would never have made the reservation there so that was pretty annoying. We knew the place was small so that is why we called ahead to make sure they could accommodate us. Anyway, I digress. We made it work and had a great time.
The menu was eclectic and served the needs of the carnivores and vegetarians in the group. The food is served in small plates that usually has 4-5 pieces on it. The service was pretty good considering the size of our group and they were good about allowing people to have different checks. The food was really yummy - I highly recommend the a fried fish offering (an off the menu item our waitress was nice enough to tell us about) as well as the Gyoza Soup. The decor was beautiful and hip. There is one unisex bathroom behind a red curtain. We also loved the drink menu. It had pages and pages of cool drinks and cold Sakes. We liked it here but do not suggest it for groups larger than 4 people.
Downtown Phoenix is still taking baby steps as far as hip AND delicious restos are concerned. So, when we stopped by Sens, we were pretty psyched to find something close to a late-night SF food spot.
Sens lassos curious minds in with its sleek interior and possible "hip" factor.
HOWEVER, and unfortunately, delicious was not on the menu the night we decided to give it a try.
As some reviewers have noted- tapas are not new news. But, neither are some of creations, or recreations that are found at Sens.
-Soup gyoza...revealed not a trickle of broth when bitten into.
-Wasabi shu mai... overpowered by wasabi to the point that we tasted bitter undertonees
-Red Thai curry chicken wings... not enough curry, yet tasteless chicken
-Lemongrass clams... were not bad! represented the clams nicely with hints of lemongrass flavor in the clam shell and meat.
-Yakitori... well, it's shrimp yakitori. So what?
Perhaps we didn't order the big deal items that night, but we ordered quite a few and weren't that psyched.
Try again? Maybe.
Yet more histrionics according to me.
I remember the Lucky Dragon!
I was sixteen or seventeen and my friends and I were looking for local venues in which to perform. There was a little place called The Lucky Dragon, my friends had a improv troupe called FLD and they would perform here once in a while. One night, mid-show I ordered some food and the world went "Zizz".
I grew up with a very traditional American culinary exposure. My folks were meat and potato kinda cooks. I hadn't tasted Asian cuisine with such flair and it was enthralling.
Years later, and in more modern times, I was lucky enough to have my friend Hunter suggest Sens as we were trying to figure out what's for dinner. We're old friends and amateur culinary explorers.
Upon walking into Sens you just FEEL sexier, baby.
This little lounge is it.
We sat at the bar and ordered the Red-curry wings, and some veggies cooked in a banana leaf.
Then came the Sake...
Then more food...
Sake...
More food.. sake..
We were chatting Sake with the bartender (don't recall her name) but I remember Junmai, Dai Gingyo and the like.
We spilled back out into the city belly's full of some of the most delicately prepared Asian Tapas I have ever tasted.
It is truly amazing what Chu and his chefs do with such a small cooking space. It's all right in front of you in about ten cubic feet of kitchen space. Some of the most unique and eye-popping techniques take place in that kitchen with a self-assured grace. That attention to detail and subtle prowess show through in the flavors that come out of that kitchen.
Okay, I will preface this review by saying, I was extremely hammered when I came here, so the level of awesomeness I remember may or may have not been altered by that fact. Either way, I REALLY liked this spot.
I got cozy at the bar with my guest under the funky blue lighting and soon after was joined by the Executive chef, Johnny Chu. What a wonderful wonderful man. He spent a decent amount of time chatting with us, which was cool. He really is a prime example of why I absolutely adore chefs. The only thing I tried food wise was the Wasabi Tofu, which was really good, but watch out, the first bite is REALLY hot, in every way. Excellent drink selection, but like I said, I had already had enough.. thus I am looking forward to revisiting Sens in a more sober state, very very soon!
I've eaten here three times. The first two times were outstanding. The third time was not a charm. The food was almost inedible. Our first course was a dumpling dish that had so much wasabi in it that I was in physical pain trying to eat the dish. The second course was an inedible fish dish. I don't think the fish was fresh. The waitress, to her credit, saw that we were not enjoying the food and took it away. We asked for the check and finished our drinks...we didn't complain and were not going to make a scene.
This is when things got weird. The chef (owner??) came out and insisted that his food was good. To prove it he insisted that we sample some other dishes. He brought some sort of fish stew that was inedible (again the fish wasn't fresh)...At that point we paid the check and snuck out of the restaurant before he could serve us any additional food.
I won't be back. It is a shame because the first two times I ate at Sens the food was delicious. However, the hallmark of a good restaurant is that the food is good every time.
Finally, a great Asian fusion restaurant. The service was super friendly. They even got me Yoo-zu tea because they didn't have honey. Server was great also and gave us recommendations about the amount and food choices because we asked - very professional.
Now, the food...
- spicy wontons: mmmm deliciously fried to perfection and i absolutely love that wasabi sauce
- shumai: ehhh..though a lot of people on yelp liked it, the skin was a little hard for me
- sesame tofu: cute little deep friend tofu cubes
- shabu style miso with shrip: warm light soup, definitely a must try
- red thai curry: omygosh, that almost took off my tastebuds..i wouldn't recommend it unless you like spicy beyond jalapenos
Overall, a great experience, delicious food, nice ambiance. Oh, everything fried tasted non-greasy and rather healthy - a rare treat. :)
There's no fighting what looks like a small legion of wanna-be hipsters (hmmmm...are they on the payroll or something? Their reviews are devilishly commercial) who can't get enough of this place or it's food. To each their own...
But in my opinion, it ain't all it's cracked up to be: first, pay attention to how many fried foods are on the menu....fried tofu, fried quail, fried wontons, fried chicken wings, fried pork on sugar cane. Yeah - it's a LOT of fried items. They even fry some of the shrimp in their salad items, i'm told. Hmmmmmmm. Bit overpriced for what you get. Some items are either smothered in gobs of soy sauce (duck breast), or have so little taste that they NEED the sauce (spring rolls - lay off the Anise!!). So....basically you're paying higher prices for gussied-up, MSG-ridden, fried nibbles - even if they ARE tapas. Funny how many people write reviews of this place stating that they were WASTED when they went...maybe because we naturally desire greasy food when we're drunk?
I've had friends go and love some items(lime mint beef, red curry tofu, miso) and dislike others (fried pork, gyoza, overcooked fried wontons). I've also had friends tell me they've seen everything from cooks picking food out of their teeth with their fingers behind the counter to death looks from Chu because they clicked their chopsticks together too loudly. It seems he's not the little "darling" that some make him out to be.
The music (on some nights) can be occasionally good, but also gets repetitive and loud. Sometimes this place tries too hard to be New Yorkish - while existing in the remote patchwork of dirt lots making up the roosevelt district (or as some call it, "Cenpho". still looks like a lot of empty dirt lots to me).
Looks like a lot of people "need" this place to be something it just isn't, for whatever reason. You are a fickle, mysterious, and sometimes Lemming-ish crowd, my dear phoenix.
I had dinner at 6pm on a Friday with two of my out-of-town friends. We had no wait. The service was friendly and checked back with us frequently to add water, etc.; the only downside was when my friend ordered Red Thai Curry (a chicken dish) and got Thai Curry Tofu (a fried tofu in curry dish). It wasn't a big deal; the waitstaff apologized and put in the correct order, and told my friend to have the wrong order free anyway.
I spent just under $30 and got: soup gyoza, bacon wrapped shrimp, lime mint beef, green papaya mango salad and a coconut milk. the soup gyoza was essentially the shanghai steamed tiny bun. Only 4 were on the plate. For less than the price, I could have gotten double that amount in a Shanghainese restaurant. The dumpling skin was a bit thick and didn't retain a lot of the broth. But it was tasty. The bacon wrapped shrimp was $5 for two skewers; it was dark in the restaurant but I could tell it wasn't an actual shrimp wrapped in bacon. It was a log of shrimp paste wrapped with bacon. Good, but definitely needed the pickled carrots it came with to liven it up and give it flavor. The lime mint beef was described as beef carpacio, but it was actually cooked thin slices of beef in an excessively sour lime vinaigrette. I ran out of beef to put on the four rice chips it was served with. The mango salad was OK: I got it with fried tofu, but the tofu wasn't fried in hot enough oil because the inside was still relatively firm, unlike well done fried tofu. The salad was also spicy, which was not noted on the menu.
My friends got about 9 tapas and didn't like the thai curry chicken wings but loved everything else, especially the bacon wrapped beech mushrooms (they ordered a second, since the dish only comes with 2 skewers).
I'm so down with Sens. A coworker and I went here yesterday after work (5 p.m.) and had the place to ourselves for the better part of an hour. We started with cocktails: Dani orderd the strawberry basil martini (easy on the strawberry) and I ordered a chile-infused vodka with cucumber martini. Later I ordered the ginger infused martini. I don't remember the names because it was just that good.
For food, I ordered the soup gyoza, red curry tofu claypot with a side of jasmine rice and the papaya mango spring roll. My infatuation with the soup gyoza hasn't changed, and I ate all four since Dani doesn't eat pork. The curry was phenominal! Freaking fantastic!! Great flavor, nice heat, and the fried tofu was perfect. It made the spring rolls pale in comparison, which is a shame because the were quite nice and the peanut chile dipping sauce was out of this world.
Sure, Sens isn't an every day eatery. It's a treat, a pleasant and hip escape from the daily grind and fast food dining.
I'm really torn on Sens.
Great location.
Great atmosphere.
Great vibe.
I get the idea of Asian…
Read more »
Johnny Chu made my night, last night. After having my 1 star review experience at Amsterdam, this man restored my love for culinary adventure and honest hardworking entrepreneuers who love to make the world a better place.
Exhibit A: Wine List is FABULOUS!
Exhibit B: Soup Gyoza was a party in my mouth, and I do not use that term lightly, I usually reserve it for the breakfast menu at KO's, but Johnny Chu is a mighty iron chef in the making. Will I be on that judging panel? Yes please!
Exhibit C: Proximity to cool stuff in downtown, there is some, but you need to know where to look. I wish the cool stuff would migrate closer to his restaurant, then I could shop for subversive junk and nourish my belly and soul without moving my car!
Chef Chu, Thank you...oh, and I will be back, this time with friends...
I went to Sens last week, after months of anticipation, and was, well, underwhelmed. I had been a regular at Fate for the last two years or so and I'm still not over Fate being gone.
Sens is super cute inside, the DJ played good music, not annoying distorted techno crap or top 40. I ordered a guava and lychee martini, which was delicious but the whole night I spent contemplating whether a 10 dollar martini was a good choice.
My friend and I ordered the banana leaf vegetable deal, citron tofu, and these citrus spring rolls. The banana leaf thing came in a tin foil with some veggies inside and sauce, I wasn't really expecting that, I don't know, it was okay though. The spring rolls were TERRIBLE, I've never had worse in my life, they tastes like leaves, zero citrus flavor at all, I asked the waitress and she said they're SUPPOSED to taste like that. I tried drenching them with sauce which burned the hell out of my mouth, I was pretty much not feeling Sens anymore, till my savior, Citron Tofu! It was just a few pieces of small tofu and a sweet sauce to dip it in. Definitely sticking with tofu from now on.
...And about that 10 dollar martini, I started feeling a mighty buzz off that little girly drink, so did my friend who ordered some other concoction. So i'd say it's worth it, certainly to buy alcohol.
I am willing to give it another shot, hopefully, next time I will leave full and content, instead of mildly disappointed.
BRING BACK FATE!
Dinner at Sens was, hands-down, one of the best meal-experiences we've had here in Phoenix. Four of us (2 couples) made reservations at Sens for 6:30 on a Saturday night. It was a good thing we had reservations, because shortly thereafter, the place was packed.
Sens is not a place to grab a quick bite; rather, this is the place to go to use all of your senses (get it?) - taste, smell, see, hear ... the music was great, the lighting was nice, and the food was amazing.
We started off with some drinks. I was intrigued by their infused Shochu ( a Japanese vodka). To start, I tried the lychee-infused Shochu with club soda. My friend also enjoyed the lychee Shochu but with club soda and a splash of cranberry juice, while her husband tried the logan Shochu chilled and straight up. My daring husband opted for the chili-infused Shochu, which was incredibly spicy. Not long thereafter, the waitress asked if he wanted it made into a martini, so he chose the "Hot and Dirty" (which was like a dirty martini, but made with the hot chili Shochu). Later, I tried the ginger-infused Shochu and the Lemongrass-infused Shochu. GREAT DRINKS!
To eat, we dined like royalty on the following dishes:
La Nho, lemongrass marinated beef wrapped in grape leaves.
Volcano Flamed, thinly sliced beef seared on hot stone. The beef actually comes to the table raw, and you literally cook it for 40 seconds per side on a hot stone. Very cool.
Shu Mai, wasabi pork and shrimp dumplings. Very tasty, with a kick!
Papaya Mango Salad with shrimp in a lime vinegarette.
Wasabi Soy chicken breast, marinated and served with rock salt wasabi.
Lemongrass Soy chicken breast - this was probably my favorite dish!
Spicy Wonton filled with sauteed chicken and pepperjack cheese.
Red curry tofu - We ordered a side of steamed rice, which you really have to do in order to enjoy all of the amazing sauce in this claypot dish.
and, finally, Quail seasoned with aromatic rock salt.
I would order everything all over again. I loved that we got to try a little bit of everything, and we had such a fun time eating, chatting, drinking ... It was hard to leave!
On a side note, I had the opportunity to chat with owner/executive chef Johnny Chu about the creation of Sens vs what's happening over at the restaurant-formerly-known-as-Fate. Johnny has taken the old Fate menu and infused it into the Sens lunch menu. He's also not involved with what used to be Fate (they are now calling it 905), so if you loved the old Fate, you need to find your way over to Sens!
Hands down my favorite downtown restaurant! Great decor, top notch service (let your waitperson help you with suggestions), wide variety of exceptional asian tapas and exotic drinks. You will not be disappointed!
I have a friend that has a Bistro downtown...and he keeps telling me to come in to check it out, so I called him tonight to get directions and he said that he is only open for lunch. He then referred me to Sens, and said it was a lovely Sake Tapas, with traditional Asian food and flair.
I was not disappointed. Our server Christian by far was very helpful and very informative on every meal and item on the menu, he also had a huge amount of knowledge about the different saki's, to his credit I think Sens needs to give him a raise, if I owned a restaurant I would be trying to convince him to leave and come work for me, but since I don't own a restaurant Sens is safe.
What we had:
Tokkuri Daiginjo Saki which went well with our meal and for a small bottle was only $7.00 bucks
The Miso soup with shrimp was delicious, and the flat rice noodles in this soup are to die for, and is full of exotic vegetables and the shrimp in it was large, plentiful and tasted fresh. This was $10.00 but is more then enough for two people it comes in a iron cast bowl with a wooden spoon and cover very authentic.
My friend got the Wasabe Tofu with the soy Wasabi and minced garlic crumbs, this was delicious, I do not like tofu that much but could probably die eating this stuff because it was so good. This was only $4.00.
I got the Wasabi Soy chicken which was delicious. This was $7.00 and well worth it there was more then enough for me.
A few added extras about this place, the water is infused with cucumber and you can see a piece or two of it floating within the serving pitcher it is just enough to give the water a sweet but fresh taste.
The ambiance is nice, very low lit and the music is very modern I heard everything from Sugar Hill Gang to Massive Attack and Portishead...very cool.
There is a monk statue in the front of the door way where people seem to put money on at the base of the statue, the server said people do it for good karma...we left a dollar...hopefully it will come back to us.:)
The total was $30.00 bucks great for two people. Love this place will definitely be back.
Don't bring your friend with acid reflux here, because she'll be unable to eat enough of the spicy food to help the alcohol settle from the bar you just went to, and she'll spend the entire meal in a drunken slur, complaining about how hot everything is and telling you about her gastrointestinal problems.
That said, of the 4 things we had, 3 of them were very spicy- so keep that in mind when ordering. Regardless, everything was delicious and thoughtfully prepared. We were ready to eat our hands when we walked in, and 4 plates were enough to satisfy our cravings.
We literally had to wander around "downtown?" Phoenix for about 45 minutes before locating a restaurant with other humans in it (that wasn't Hooters) but finding Sens was completely worth the Trail-of-Tears reminiscent trek. The atmosphere was trendy and clean, and the wait staff were attentive and personable. If I'm in the area again, I'll definitely be back.
Was it just an off night? I had high hopes for this place and was sorely disappointed. Went on a Monday and the place was dead. I know my fellow yelpers may stone me for this review but here goes:
To start - I found the décor to look a bit cheesy, like design on a dime but they only spent a nickel.. What's up with the glass jars full of paper confetti? The music was too loud and the lights kept getting darker and darker, by the time we got our food we could barely see.
Our waitress was nice and recommended her favorites. So many people have raved about this place, but I found the fusion either bland or overspiced.
Shabu Hot and Sour was served first - This soup had no spice to it at all, even the side dipping sauce provided had no spice. The lime broth, while providing nice flavor to the veggies was too overpowering to eat, so we just picked out all the veggies.
Spicy Wontons came out next - Chicken and pepper jack.. This tasted as though it had been frozen for ages, no flavor and very little amount of chicken.
Volcano Beef - Nice touch on the "sear it yourself" hot rock. We could see the beef was marinated, but we couldn't taste it and the garnish accompanying it was loaded with too much ginger.
At this point we were so disappointed with the food, and still hungry. We left and walked down the street to Moira, another disappointment. Review to follow.
I first discovered Sens this past December, when I was searching out the menu online for Fate. Sens serves Japanese small plates, and I've been doing my due dilagence in trying to sample them all. To date, I haven't met a plate that I haven't liked. Often times, we've ordered so many, we've had to work to figure out where to put the next plate.
Sens is small and hip, much like any big-city resturaunt. It shows visitors that yes, there is a life, and culture to Phoenix.
First, the must-haves. The Papaya Mango Salad, and the Ginger-mint duck salad. The dressing can be spicy, unless you ask them to make it mild.
They recently introduced Charcoal specials (not on the menu - but on the table). We are fans of the smoked okra with or without bacon.
From the claypot, we've tried both the thai basil and the lemongrass clams. The broth is fantastic, and you shouldn't miss a drop.
The Miso Soup and Hot/Sour soup are great for sharing. It comes in a large pot with ladles.
We've also tried the Banana leaf, and the Papaya Mango spring roll. Both excellent as well.
Very good! I can't believe we found a good place to go downtown. It's a bit small but it adds to its charm. Love the cucumber water, and all the food we had was great. If you want something competly different in Phoenix then come check this place out.
I came here with three other friends. We were all on business trip together and walked over from the nearby Sheraton.
The place is modern styled for the gen y's with loud music. It's bad for the boomers with inflexible ear drums. In fact, there was a DJ there for Thursday night.
I ordered Pork with Pineapple Ginger Sauce, Oyster Mushroom and Clams with Lemon Grass Claypot. The chopped pork was nicely deep fried, wrapped around a skinny stick of sugar cane and the pineapple ginger sauce was very tasty, maybe a bit on the sweet side. The Manila clams were really fresh. I was hoping that the broth was broth but it was just liquid used to boil the clams and it was not salty or tasty enough that I just abandoned it. The oyster mushroom was very fresh and good. After these three small plates, I was still hungry. I had to scavenge my friend's Tofu Curry and some of his rice to get satisfied. The food is definitely good, fresh and tasty but if you are really hungry, you could spend $25 and still feel a little empty.
Alright, I am bumping Sens up to a four star. I tried the Mint Shrimp and was floored. Uh-Mazing!!! The serving is small, two pieces, so order two. The Fried Wontons did not disappoint once again. I tried an unfiltered sake. This was great as well. Our server was attentive and fast. I can see them going to a 5 star with another visit or two.
OK, so I sort of promised Amber W that I wouldn't give Sens a bad review after a dining experience… Read more »
Been here a few times now so it's time for the review. Walked up to the hostess on a Saturday night and she asked if we had reservations, I said "no" because I didn't think this place was like that but then spending some time here it kinda makes sense, or Sens. Haha.
So one time ended up getting 6 (maybe a few more but the beers were going down pretty easy that night) different items. Each one well thought out and fun to eat. Yes, I said fun. One was cooked by us on a hot rock, and the others made us investigate each tasty bite.
Yup, the portions are small, but they're darn good vittles I tell ya. Oh yeah, and they have a DJ so they get a few extra hipster points.
Sens is a nice little spot on the north side of downtown. Of course, the concept of Asian tapas is not unique, or even all that new, but at Sens most of their offerings I've never seen before. Although the waitress suggested we would only need to order three or four items for two people, we ended up trying eight. The most disappointing items were the couple fried choices - they were over-fried, if that's possible. But everything else was very good. The pork served on a sugar can skewer especially sticks in my mind. The shrimp with mint was another winner. Our server was friendly and prompt. I'd definitely go back to Sens.
My friend and I had a great time here last night (Friday). We sat at the bar and took the staff's recommendations on drinks and food. My favorites: the spring rolls, ginger fish, grilled alligator, stuffed grape leaves, and the dumplings with wasabi! 4 out of 5 stars for being a little on the pricey side.
UPDATED: After our last visit to Sens I had to drop this place down to 1-star (used to be 4). We made reservations in advance and were told it would be just a few minutes. We waited at the bar for 45 minutes watching all types of tables come in and be seated immediately without reservations. We were told it was difficult to seat a 5-top but when they finally sat us, they sat us at a 4-top with an extra chair pulled up and they had plenty of similar 4-tops available while we were waiting. The food itself was also blah. They put so much wasabi on the dumplings that one of our group almost got ill. I am a huge wasabi fan, but I too had a hard time with the amount they put. That first bite essentially killed the rest of the dining experience. Don't waste your time or money.
Sad...
1) Five minutes after sitting down the peppy asuish waitress spilled beer on me, soaking my sweater. I had to take it off for it to dry. Still wet when we left.
2)She didn't comp anything for this. Bad decision on her part. Doesn't she know about social complaint networks like yelp?
3)The spicy cocktail she suggested wasn't the least bit spicy. (other drinks were good though)
4) It's old news, but the food was overpriced for the portion size. I don't tough fast food and am pretty small in size, but it just wasn't worth it considering there are better options in the same neighborhood.
Nice...
1)Overall, the food was tasty and prepared well. A few friends ordered the tofu curry and they all said it was pretty badass.
2)Others had success with their drink orders. Like the sake options.
3) General location. I live in walking/biking distance which is nice. At least I got a nice bike ride out of the night. My friends and I rode over to a neighborhood bar (not Turf) for a better rest of the night.
But I'll probably never return. Tries too hard that it looks kind of goofy. Again, there are better places nearby. My friend had tried this place over the holidays and advised me to not bother trying it. But it was a friend's birthday, and I had no say in the matter. At least I know now.
Tried this little gem this evening!
Cute little location, cozy tables, and bar seating!
Note: carpet by side door does not indicate the front door! The front door faces 1st street!
We got a table in the back, i sat on the cushy bench seat.
Our waiter Christian was very helpful, attentive and friendly.
We tried the Japanese Heffewiesin - who knew they made one? And it was tasty!
(This location has no citrus besides lime, so keep that in mind if you want something in your beer or water)
For our food choices we went with:
spicy wontons - great flavor and like other mentioned could use more filling - but definitely worth eating
sesame tofu - great light batter, good sauces
lime mint beef - not something i would do again - not bad, but not carpaccio
shrimp wrapped in bacon - how could that not be good? And a spicy sauce
beach mushroom wrapped in bacon - again- how could it not be good?
wasabi soy chicken breast - amazingly moist, great sauces.
Definitely a fun location, tons of yummy choices, attentive staff!
I want to try the grilled rice ball and pretty much the rest of the menu!!!
Wish I lived closer!
ok so i just read a few other reviews and i must comment on them first.
The reason the portions are small people is because they are all appetizers.
if you want heaping mounds of onion rings, go to Fridays.
the atmosphere is amazing. it isn't trying to hard to be cool you just don't know what cool is.
it's okay. we all get old eventually.
i actually asked a little about the lotus lamp shades.
they said owner had them made in china and they are absolutely stunning.
onto the food. DELICIOUS!!
i've been there twice now and my favorites are
curry chicken wings
wasabi chicken
and the bacon wrapped mushrooms.
if you're still hungry, ask for a side of rice and pour the remnants
of your curry sauce all over it and lick the bowl clean.
finger lickin good.
This place is heaven!!
Been here a few times and now time for a review...
Coming from Southern Cali and often visiting NoCal...tapas, asian tapas is a dime a dozen. However, in SoCal you see mostly Japanese restaurants who offer this type of experience. Here in Phoenix, this is the ONLY asian tapas restaurant, I love it!
First off, this is byfar the most urban mod restaurant I have been to in downtown phoenix. It reminds me of downtown LA meets San Fran:) Its like home! The vibe here is great, welcoming and friendly, from the owners to the chefs to the servers...
Now the drinks...
Again, the only restaurant the I know of in Phoenix serving this amount of Sake. They have over 80...80! Not only that they have my favorite...Shochu, including infused Shochu!! And, Martinis...saketinis...blah blah blah...ok calm down now...bottom line, awesome selection. Did I just say Awesome? Yeah, I did:) I had the lychee/ginger infused Shochu and their Wasabi Saketini...I wanted to try something different and it turned out better than expected. It had sake, shochu, wasabi, ginger and gingerale in it...what a combo, I even licked the wasabi drizzle that was in the martini glass!!
For the Food....
Yum..Yum..Yummy..Yum....Variety is the best word to represent this menu...Everything on the menu is unique and you do not see it often at any other restaurant...Is there a recurring theme here? Yes, this place is original. Back to the food, some of the things I have tried:(scale of 1-5)
1. Ginger Duck Salad 4
2. Red Curry Tofu 5
3. Spicy Wontons 3.5
4. Miso with Clams 4.5
5. Wasabi Soy Ck 4
6. Special: Mackarel Sashimi (they flame fire the skin!!) 5+
7. Dessert: Goat cheese and cream cheese filled wonton crisp with peach sauce 5+
I can not wait to go back and try more of the food, especially the specials!
I highly recommend this place, up there with Yasu Sushi, as far as quality of food goes. Sens does edge out due to the ambience, dj, and drinks menu...
Sens has mastered the art of turning customers into returning guests.
How is a 'customer' different from a 'guest', you might ask? I'll tell you in a second, but first, let me tackle a quick review of the food...
My first tofu experience? Excellent.
The lime beef tapas? Like buttah!
And a glass of water? infused with a refreshing hint of cucumber.
Food aside, the restaurant had me hooked the moment me and my bike rolled up to the door. That's when I realized I left my bike lock key at home.
The owner could see I was trying to position my bike outside the front window where I could keep an eye on things. That's when he offered to bring my ride inside where it would be safe, and I could dine without worrying.
Thank you Sens for the delicious food, wonderful service and treating me like a guest. I'll definitely return!
(PS - the restaurant is a quick bike ride/5-ish minute walk from the Roosevelt light rail station)
Phoenix, AZ
Category: American (New)
Phoenix, AZ
Category: American (New)
Phoenix, AZ
Category: Sushi Bars
Phoenix, AZ
Category: Pubs
Phoenix, AZ
Category: Tapas Bars
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