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Category: Sushi Bars
45 Gainsborough StSymphony (Green)
Massachusetts Ave (Orange)
Mon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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So while talking to my good friend at work today we got on the topic of sushi. We then realized we HAD to have it for lunch.
We got delivery here on her recommendation. I enjoy delivery orders that I can place on Foodler because I hate awkward order phone calls, so that made me happy. I ended up getting the Alaskan salmon roll which was delicious. You can tell it was good quality fish. I also had the spicy yellowtail which I am a sucker for. It was tempura style and it was spicy and flavorful without tons of that spicy mayo, which I appreciated. My friend had the salmon sashimi which was a beautiful cut and a good size along with a Philly roll which looked to-die-for.
The delivery man showed up early (always a treat) and though he seemed confused about delivering to an office building (I work in the Christian Science Tower and when he called I said I'd be down in a minute. As soon as I step off the elevator I see a very confused man in the lobby holding a paper bag and looking generally lost) but he was very kind.
With so many different choices throughout Boston for great sushi, I was incredibly disappointed by the quality of the sushi I received from Symphony the other day. Nothing tasted just right and even before I ordered, my friend said to me, "Order sushi from Teriyaki House because they're on the same level in terms of quality! But they're a lot cheaper!" Of course, I thought he was being ridiculous. Symphony Sushi. They specialize in what? Duh! I thought it was ridiculous that my friend would compare Symphony to Teriyaki House, but hey, he had his reasons, right?
I wish I had listened.
Granted, when I called in for my order to be picked up, the host on the other line was incredibly helpful, thorough and spoke English well so I understood all that she said. In terms of service, it's hard for me to say because I DID only use them for take out, but what they did do, they did well.
Once I received my sushi, I went back to my friends house for dinner. Just a personal pet peeve: I hate it when they staple the bag a million times so I have to whip out my chain saw to get to the food. It's really okay, folks. I'm not gonna let my chopsticks fly out the top of the bag and into the horizon. It's really okay. But pulling out the sushi, everything looked pretty good. But then, it was time to eat...
*DUN DUN DUN!!!!*
We cracked the chopsticks, we picked up the sushi and instead of being a roll that was held together, the whole entire thing just fell apart and unraveled, turning into a sloppy mess all over the table and on top of the rest of the sushi. The spicy salmon that I had gotten tasted like they had mixed it with oil. Pure vegetable oil. Having worked at a sushi restaurant in the past, I said: "Hm...maybe they added tempura flakes to their spicy salmon. They do that sometimes with spicy tuna rolls at certain places too." But after tasting it, I took my words back. There wasn't any crunch that you'd get with the tempura and I wasn't sure what was going on, but it wasn't good at all.
We ate as much as we could and no matter how full we get, we always clear our plates whenever it comes to sushi. I don't know why. That's just how we are. Maybe because it's on the pricier side and we want to make sure we get our money's worth. This occasion? Nah. We left them. They laid there on the table ignored while we watched show after show and documentary after documentary before I made a face and said, "You're done, right?"
Symphony wasn't disgusting. I didn't have ridiculous service or want my money back after I ate or throw up as soon as the food hit my mouth. On the other hand, I did hear a *cha-ching!* go off in my head after every bite, wondering where my money went and why I didn't listen to my friend when he told me to go to Teriyaki House. Looks like I'll have to listen next time.
Again, with so many sushi places in the Boston area, why settle for anything less than excellent?
Annnnddddd we're back! After a disappointing Friday night at Symph (as we call it) my boyfriend and I ventured back last week with much success. It seems that Symphony has undergone a staff and management makeover as I didn't recognize any of the waitresses.
We go the calamari salad (perfect, light and spicy) with the hawaii maki, eastern maki, boston roll and ocean maki. Our stand-bys are the hawaii and ocean...eastern is a newcomer and it is DELICIOUS! These roll combinations are delicious because of the fresh fish, honey wasabi sauce, and mango! Out of this world yummy.
So Symphony...you are given a reprieve! We love you once more =)
It really pains me to do this, but I have to rate the meal I had tonight and folks, it ain't pretty.… Read more »
I've been a regular at Symphony Sushi for the last couple of years. The food was good & staff was friendly. The last couple of months has been awful! Management seems different and he seems like he's out to make a buck and don't care about the customers. Unlikely I'll be returning. They went from 5 star to 0 star in a drop of a hat!
I am a regular customer for years and very disappointed because the manager refused to sell us dessert because they will busy. I give no star for the management. But the server was very polite & nice, she will be having my stars for the great service.
-Angry Customer
I really like Symphony Sushi. I think it's really good. My favorite roll is definitely the Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll (Yummy!). I'm originally from LA so I'm kinda spoiled sushi wise.. but for Boston this is definitely the best place I have found so far.
I definitely recommend going here. They have pretty affordable lunch specials which is nice... and they have another location (I think it is called Fins Sushi) and Fins delivers NOT Symphony Sushi. Of course it's always better to eat sushi at the restaurant. Try it! You won't regret it.
I went to Boston this past weekend to visit Aleksandra K. and Simona S. (the next few reviews will be associated with my kick-ass trip to the Beaner) and we met for dinner here. I haven't had sushi in a while, so I was very excited. I ordered the Sushi Deluxe (I was starving and wanted a nice assortment) and was very pleased with it. I'm not at all picky when it comes to sushi--I like everything and anything--so it was a great dish for me to order. The pricing wasn't too bad; the sushi itself was excellent so I can't complain for dishing out 18 bucks. It definitely left me satisfied and smiling (that's what she said).
Easy, not too expensive, and perfectly fine sushi. Can't complain about a decent sushi joint so close to NEU's campus, but I'm still on the hunt for that one FANTASTIC must-go sushi joint in Boston...
Maybe it's because for a while it was the only sushi restaurant in the area and I've been there more than I can count- but Symphony Sushi does not "woo" me anymore.
The miso soup is miso soup, the sushi is average, the teriyaki chicken is rubbery and the green tea is aiiight. The service isn't great and it's usually crowded. But- the service isn't great when it isn't crowded either.
So why three stars? Tease your taste buds with the Agedashi Tofu as an appetizer. I dream about it sometimes it's so good...
I love this place!! It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny. The staff are super friendly and are good servers.
I love the Mexican Roll since I am such a avocado and spicy tuna fan.
This place has the best sushi in the city. Hands down LOVE IT!
I miss my Symph Sushi already! I moved to Davis Square in September, but I was living right around the corner from Symphony sushi prior to the move and I think I got take out from there at least twice a week (seriously if not more). Soo yummy! I don't eat raw fish, so sometimes it's hard to find variety at sushi places, but Symph Sushi has lots of fun options.
Amazing sushi, some of the best I've ever had. Price is fair too, great for a college budget. The yellowtail maki was incredible. Try the crazy maki too. I need to go back ASAP... it's really great.
This is where my obsession for sushi began. I work pretty close to symphony sushi and a friend got me hooked on their crazy maki.
Ever since I had that first bite, I fell in love.
I've tried many of their other maki's and they are very good but I always go for the crazy maki.
For an appetizer we love to get their Pan fried dumplings. They can be really addicting and we end up fighting for the last one.
My husband isn't a sushi eater but he does love their chicken and shrimp house fried rice. They serve plenty enough for the both of us to share!
I have had better Maki's in other restaurants.. but I go to Symphony Sushi for their convenience and the quality of the food never changes. It's always pretty good :)
Not to be a snob, but I've eaten a lot of sushi in many places around the world and symphony sushi is really good. It is VERY reasonably priced and always very satisfactory. I've never had a bad meal there. A lot of people get thrown off by its location and outward appearance, but they are definitely doing something right. I always get a huge plate full of sushi when I go and always leave happy!
This is sad. I loved Symphony at first, but the honeymoon is over. There was the time I found a giant hair imbedded in my nigiri. Then there was the inedible spicy beef udon bowl. Now they've stopped making the phoenix roll that I used to order on request, and the menu seems flat and uninteresting.
On my most recent occasion here, I was disappointed by both the spicy scallop roll and the tempura fish roll. Their interpretation of spicy scallop is a cucumber and avocado roll topped with cooked, chopped scallop swimming in spicy mayo -- not at all the delicate, silky hotate I was longing for. Symphony's tempura is heavy enough to patch a leaky roof, the fish roll drowning in a sugar-sweet eel sauce.
Phoenix maki: Spicy tuna and peach roll topped with salmon, spicy and sweet sauces and tobiko. A bit… Read more »
I don't eat sushi, so this review is all about the chicken teriyaki.
I hate to sound so boring ordering this, but it's usually my status quo every time I go out to a Japanese restaurant because I hate seafood, including all types of sushi. However, unlike most Japanese restaurants, Symphony served up a mean teriyaki. Pretty standard dish, but I got two delicious sliced chicken breasts instead of the typical dark meat pieces I'd usually get elsewhere. It was refreshing to NOT have to deal with the fat and gristle.
I'd come back if I was ever in the Boston-area again...but it wouldn't be my first choice.
Not incredibly impressed with their selection.. and I've tried several types of sushi.. along with the avocado salad and spring rolls. The sashimi lunch special, however, is a fantastic deal. The cuts are super fresh and it's a nice tidy price for lunch.
They're really very friendly.. minus the whole.. moving me around the restaurant. 1/2 the time I go in by myself.. they seat me at a big table.. then later move me to fit in a bigger party. I suppose I could say no.. and stand.. well.. sit and stare them down.. but I don't like to cause a fuss when it's really unnecessary. Otherwise, food is timely (for those of us on a lunch break) and the waitresses have everything under control.
This place is small, so I wouldn't bring more than a few people. It's usually crowded anyhow... NEC, BAC, Northeastern kids.. along with the business people of the area. It's definitely good for listening in on conversations.
PS - Angie.. apparently Jillian is still pissed at you but she's going to your birthday anyway. Girlllll.. I would not wear anything white if I was you..
Update on eating in the restaurant. They no longer offer their sushi through foodler.
We walked over to have a late lunch/early supper on a weekday, and it was pretty deserted. Our service was totally fine, contrary to some of the other reviews here, but again, it was pretty dead. First off: the music - loud and obnoxious. I know it's a "college place" but how many college kids these days want to hear Daughtry and "Sk8er Boi"? What the hell.
The noodles were GROSS. The veggies were fine, but the sauce in which the noodles came tasted like an old attic trunk. A SALTY old attic trunk. Bleah.
The house saki was pleasant, warm, and properly intoxicating. No complaints there.
Miso soup has a real MSG/canned taste to it. They may make it fresh, but Ginza's is way better.
The sushi. It is the averagest sushi anywhere. The tuna sashimi, while cold and tasty, is a bit dry, as though it's been in the fridge for too long. Same with the salmon. Yellowtail sashimi was great. Shrimp sushi was gross. Dry as a bone.
Between the negs on atmosphere, the noodles and the miso, and the "eeeehhhh..." average on the sushi, I would say that Symphony, while not BAD per se, is definitely the least wonderful place I've ever had sushi in the Boston area.
Fugakyu, Ginza, Fins, hell, even Jae's beats this place.
Ordered take-out; the sushi was fast, fresh and flavorful. Spicy tuna tempura roll was really… Read more »
Bold Statement Alert: Symphony Sushi makes the best sushi in Boston.
As an aficionado of sushi, and someone who has gone on actual biblical quests to visit every sushi place in town, I feel totally confident in saying this.
1.) They have the quickest service I've ever seen. Whether you order to-go or you sit down, they have your meal ready in five minutes flat. I've tested this during the lunch/dinner rush AND also by ordering enough food to make a grown man cry. They never fail.
2.) Every single waitress there is beyond sweet and genuine. They check on you constantly without being annoying and they seem like they really want you to be happy with your experience.
3.) Most importantly, THE FOOD. Oh my god, the food. Sometimes I dream about the miso soup and the vegetable gyoza. And the sushi itself is to die for. Moist, big rolls jam-packed with all kinds of treats. I highly recommend the Fashion Maki (if you like eel) and the Dragon Maki (if you like delicious things). I have tried many other rolls here as well, and Symph Sush always manages to surprise me.
Get every food item I've mentioned above, grab some sake too if you're feeling festive, and finish the whole thing with Green Tea ice cream. You can thank me later. Whenever I'm near Huntington, I have to make a stop here no matter what. If you don't know, now you know.
Symphony Sushi is the definition of mediocrity. I've been there a dozen times, and I can't think of anything of substance to say, be it positive or negative.
The food is always alright - nothing has ever blown me away, but I've never had a problem eating everything that's been served to me. Freshness is tolerable, but the menu is boring. The space is clean and simple. Service has always been unmemorable, which means I never really like the servers, but they've never screwed up either.
I suppose the best thing Symphony Sushi has going for it is location, right near Mass Ave and Huntington.
So if you happen to be near Mass Ave and Huntington and need a safe bet for sushi, Symphony is your place. Otherwise, I'd make the effort to go a couple more blocks and eat at Fins in Kenmore.
It is pretty much the most average sushi place I could think of. I've been here many times, and I can't think of anything that stands out, good or bad. This is fine, because average sushi places are better than most other places. Sushi is good, service is good, atmosphere is good. My only complaint is there is often a wait and the entrance is not designed to accommodate that. I wish I could liter this interview with witty comments or anecdotes or at least a good tip for eating here...but it is just plain old everyday good sushi.
Loved the idaho maki (sweet potato rolls) crunchy inside and soft on the outside. Delicious! lots of vegetarian optiions and miso soup before dinner!
Symphony Sushi is a very good place to go for good sushi at mediocre prices. The sushi-- for me-- has always been very good and very fresh but sometimes can be priced a little too high.
The atmosphere is very nice for a small sushi place in a college community, which does make it a pretty good spot to go on a sushi date if you aren't looking to hit up a 5-star $300 restaurant. Dim lighting, very nice decorations, comfortable seating.
If I could say anything negative about this place it'd be the friendliness of some of its staff. I've been here many times and it seems that each time I go I encounter one rude moment from a waitress (never had a problem with a male waiter, only female waitresses). If you tip 15% they'll ask you if something was wrong with your meal. If you make changes to your order you'll notice the waitress becomes disgruntled. If you order too much food the waitress tends to become agitated. I mean come on, the more food that's ordered the higher their tip will be! I wish they'd understand this.
Anyway, great place. It seats about 50-55 people and there's usually a 20-minute wait on Friday and Saturday nights.
Also, if you're looking for Uni, this place usually has it.
I took for granted how good their sushi is until I moved out of the area and started getting sushi from the grocery store/places that offer sushi along with about 15 other types of food from around Asia. Now I find myself venturing back for some dragon mahi mahi. Maybe it's because I always go during off hours, but I've never had a problem with service.
My boyfriend brought me here one Sunday and I'm very glad he did. The place was very clean, with a nice interior, and our waitress was nice and helpful. (Don't forget to take notice of the background music: some Asian/Latin/Jazz fusion of instruments that sometimes may make you want to break it down). We came on a Sunday, so business was slow, and service was pretty quick. Unfortunately, we couldn't take advantage of the lunch menu, which looked good and cheap.
Both of our dishes came with miso soup.
I ordered tekka don, the same raw tuna over sticky rice dish that I last ordered and enjoyed at Blue Fin. As far as I can remember, the price was similar to that of Blue Fin's- not exactly cheap, but not bad, yet the portion was much bigger! I got a ton of pieces of tuna over a large bed of rice. Though it didn't look extra big to the naked eye, I could tell when I felt stuffed and hadn't finished the bowl yet that it was much bigger than Blue Fin's tekka don, which I finished without much difficulty. It was delicious.
My boyfriend also couldn't finish his big dish of shrimp and veggie tempura (from which I stole a big slice of sweet potato- yum!)
In the end, we walked out happily with each of our own doggy bags.
I really love Symphony Sushi. I order out from here a lot and the food always arrives at the correct temperatures and within a reasonable amount of time.
As for dining in...the wait staff could be a bit more attentive. I don't like when they hover by any means but I don't want to have to search and wave someone down to get my water refilled. Besides that the waitresses I've run into have been extremely pleasant.
I love the shumai here. It comes with an awesome dipping sauce when most places just serve it with soy sauce. Everything is fresh and they have a good selection of different rolls. Try the sweet potato temura. It's a little strange but great.
I'll have to try this place again, because everyone looked like they had yummy food around us.
A friend and I went really close to closing, so we just ordered some cold stuff. The tempura udon definitely looks delicious though.
Overall, the prices were okay. A bit on the steep side for what we ordered, but some menu items looked like real steals.
I'll be sure to report back once I try again.
Small location, usually a college crowd (Northeastern, Wentworth, Berkley, etc... right next door), but very good sushi. I've never had a complaint about any of the food having eaten there three or four times, and order one of their party platters for takeout another three or four times. Slightly expensive, but I'm willing to pay an extra dollar or two for the better quality than what I've had elsewhere outside of Boston.
If you get there around the dinner rush, prepare to wait 15-30+ minutes for a table (they only have 12-15 if i remember correctly), so get there a little early or late, especially on a Friday-Saturday date night.
Sake bombs are not only served, but encouraged. Our server must have asked us on 3 occasions if we wanted another one after we took our first prior to dinner. Fun atmosphere too.
best sushi you're gonna find around these parts. A little on the expensive side, but well worth it. They have all the traditional rolls and makis mixed with some of their own fun and delicious stuff. Their udon is pretty awesome as well.
my only complaint is that the service there is a little off, one way or another. Sometimes you get the one who forgets what you ordered and doesn't bring everything out until way later, for example i got my miso soup after my maki, weird. and sometimes you get the one who never remembers to refill your water. and none of them have any personality whatsoever.
it's actually kinda scary, i think they're robot asian drones... no seriously.
Excellent sushi and a nice setting. The sashimi is always fresh and they make a darn good unagi roll. Very reasonably priced and always a great place to go with friends at the end of the week. The service isn't anything to rave about, but it's certainly not bad. I go there for good sushi and that's what I get. So it gets 4 stars from me!
Symphony Sushi has replaced Fugakyu as my regular place for sushi. that is saying a lot! but for the last several months I have eaten there about once a week, sampling a wide variety of items from their lunch and dinner menus and I now feel qualified to give them a solid overall 5 star rating.
the reason is simple - quality for price. the sashimi here is on par with any other top japanese restaurant. even without Fugakyu's recent hike in prices, the fish here at Symphony holds up to the competition and may actually be even better! every single time I have come the sashimi has been excellent. and the prices are the lowest I have seen for top grade fish in boston.
now Im usually a straight sashimi or nigiri girl, but the rolls here at Symphony are creative and delicious! again, you can sample the menu without breaking the bank, so go ahead and be adventurous! my favorites are the crazy maki, the alaskan maki, and the fashion maki - all very tasty!
the lunch specials here include miso, salad, rice, gyoza and sushi! all for under $10. what more can you really ask for? delicious curry tonkatsu lunch combo would be my recommendation. (I am really picky about gyoza but these guys make the best!)
for dinner I have sampled many dishes but my fallback seems to be the udon. it is my favorite udon I have found in the city (so far! Im always on the hunt) and it is certainly the most MASSIVE bowl of udon I think I have ever seen in my life. I always get the tempura udon so I cant speak for the others but the broth is heavenly - not too bland, just the right amount of salt.
on a final note, the service here is amazing. friendly, attentive. especially for such a student hang out, this place is so great they could really get away with horrible service, but the girls that work here are just the sweetest ever.
if you haven't been to Symphony yet, get ready to be pleasantly surprised. there are so many great affordable menu choices so don't forget to bring your appetite!
On any given day you can find the restaurant packed with mostly students from Northeastern University because many of the students live in the surrounding area. I have never been into sushi but I have to say I love Symphony Sushi's Idaho Maki. Idaho Maki is made up of chopped up sweet potatoes that are rolled in rice, breaded and lightly fried. If you have never tried sushi before this is the dish for you. It's simple, warm, and tasty. But they don't just serve sushi and seafood they also make a variety of other dishes such as Spicy Kimchi Vegetable Fried Rice and Yaki Noodles with Vegetables. This place is good for grabbing a quick lunch to go and for dining with friends on a small budget.
As being a "Sashimi Nazi" myself, I have to give a huge credit to this place for offering "the best deal of sashimi" in Boston. My physical measurement of the best deal of sashimi is "thickness-price" ratio. Price is usually proportion to thickness of the cut. This place's cut is just as thick as one from Fugakyu and $5 cheaper!($19).
I liked the interior. It's not neat but not intimidating as I am a frugal guy who often gets intimidated by fancy places(i.e. No 9, Mistral).
I don't remember waitress's name or face, but I don't recall I was being pissed off therefore the service must have been good or adequate at least.
Overall I guess this place is ok... I've been here tons of times and I have had most things of the menu.
I have to say that my favorite item happens to be among the cheapest -- the fried rice, whether the kimchee or the salmon. The texture of the rice is really great and the dish just holds together beautifully. Everything else can come or go.
As a neighborhood joint it gets the job done.
And no, I don't think there's anything special about the fish here. Passable.
The menu itself was fairly basic but the quality of the sushi itself was quite good. My first local sushi place since moving from San Francisco. The place was certainly competitive with many of the places I've been to in San Francisco. I'd definitely go back again.
On the down side their sake menu could have been larger and service a little more knowledgeable about the menu items, etc. Otherwise we were very pleased.
Have I really never written an review for Symphony Sushi?? I love love love love this place. It is hands down the best sushi ever. I may be bias because I went to Northeastern and it was practically on my doorstep but I really haven't had sushi that compares. I think I've had every roll on the menu and have no complaints. Crazy Maki and the Avocado salad is my favorite and obviously most ordered items on the menu, the spicy tuna is a close second. I'm seriously obsessed with this place and am sad that I no longer live in the area but I guess the food will just taste that much better when I go!!
I used to live next door to Symphony Sushi and so I am slightly biased. If it had been anywhere else, and I hadn't basically been living out of the restaurant for a year, I would probably give it a 3.
Symph Sush is set up cafeteria-style, as I like to call it, which is a relatively large, rectangular room with tables in rows. The staff is very kind and will cater to all sorts of needs (because it's smack in the middle of a college campus, they automatically assume everyone is splitting the check and have no problem doing so).
The entrees, apart from sushi, are pretty bland, but I still like them. I hope that makes sense. I highly recommend the Yaki Udon Noodles with either chicken or beef. That is probably the best noodle dish on the menu.
Definitely get the avocado salad for an appetizer. This is just avocado mixed with crab stick and some mayonnaise but utterly heavenly with a glass o' white.
All of the sushi is good, although I'm more of a sashimi fan (sushi sans the rice and seaweed), so I like to get the sashimi appetizer as an entree quite often, which comes with an array of fish although I would suggest steering clear of the whitefish which comes on it unless you have a palette for something that tastes like the bad fishy smell in fish markets.
Um, otherwise, they have these little ice-cream-in-dough things for dessert and the red bean as well as green tea flavors are divino at the affordable price of One Washington.
The best sushi in the area, and the katsu-curry and teriyakis are delicious too!
This place wasn't too bad! My friend said it was pretty good (better than teriyaki house which is near by).
The reviews here had me going in with a bit of trepidation but I was STARVING and didn't feel like trekking it all the way to ma soba.
today I had 3 rolls.
the philly roll (I always ask for regular, not smoked salmon). It was pretty good, the salmon was great, but it could have used a bit more cream cheese in the roll.
the idaho roll (tempura fried sweet potato wrapped in rice and seaweed). It was DELICIOUS! Sweet, salty, and crunchy as a prior review had noted. It was very filling and comfort foody, and for that a bargain at under 5 dollars.
the spicy scallop - this is the first time I've ever ordered this roll, and it was tasty, but I didn't finish it. I think I might be weirded out by the warm topping on otherwise cool sushi. The spicy mayo sauce that it came with was quite tasty though.
With an iced green tea this all came to 26 with tip. It was filling, but Ma Soba still wins out as best in boston for me value and quality-wise.
I would come here again certainly for the idaho roll and maybe try the ramen.
Awesome place. Cheap and good. The bill for a beer (imported!), an app, a roll and tip came to $20. Can't beat that.
Boston, MA
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Food Stands
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Asian Fusion
Boston, MA
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Beacon Hill
Category: Japanese
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