- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Uni Sashimi Bar at Clio
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
370 Commonwealth AveBoston, MA 02215
Neighborhood: Back Bay
(617) 536-7200
- Nearest Transit:
-
Massachusetts Ave @ Commonwealth Ave (1)
Massachusetts Ave @ Commonwealth Ave (1, 193)
Hynes Station - Outbound (Green Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
97 reviews for Uni Sashimi Bar at Clio
Review Highlights
-
"The rock shrimp tempura was incredible." In 18 reviews -
"Highlights include the tuna ceviche with its rich coconut..." In 9 reviews -
"It's supposed to melt in your mouth like foie gras." In 13 reviews
Loading...
97 reviews in English
-
Review from Sue H.
Boston, MA
Updated - 5/4/2012
Ramen cravings are a real thing -- and I suffer from them terribly so.
As a matter of a fact, I had a pretty bad craving last night and decided it was time to give Uni's late-night ramen another go. I already knew the ramen was going to be delicious (refer to my previous review) but was curious if the menu had expanded at all since the last time I had been there.
Well, the menu hasn't really changed... They did add Japanese Hotdogs, which sounds like a pretty interesting item. Didn't order it, but the server was pretty enthusiastic about it, so maybe next time. Drink-wise, seems like they've added a number of Asian beers to their menu. I ordered a Thai beer called Cheng, which was light and went well with the heaviness of the ramen. Sake-bombs also seemed to be a thing too.
The one BIG difference to late-night ramen at Uni that I noticed was the actual ramen. The broth tasted a bit lighter and smoother than it was during opening week and the meat was different as welll. They no longer use rich pork belly, but more of a traditional lean (but still tender) cut. I personally didn't mind the switch-around too much, more because I was focused on how big my bowl was. They've definitely UPPED the portions. My bowl of ramen had much more sustenance to it than before. While I highly doubt management read my previous review and decided to change the portions based on just that -- I'm glad they've made my $10 bowl of ramen worth it... SO MUCH MORE WORTH IT!
As an insider tip, I heard a little rumor that they're planning on throwing Thursday nights out of the rotation -- which makes me sad, but it's understandable... A lot of prep goes into making the ramen and it wasn't too busy when I was there (on a Thursday night).
If you're a ramen fan in Boston, late-night ramen at Uni is a must. It's also just a chill place to go on the weekends if you're lookin' for some grub and amazing drinks. The atmosphere is really fun and lots of young people seem to be in and out of the place. I'd highly suggest checking it out.
Hmm.. It's about time I also checked Uni out for their regular dinner menu. I'll get back to y'all on that soon.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/26/2012
This review is solely for late night ramen, which is available Thursday-Saturday from 11pm-2am.
There… Read more »
-
-
Review from Shuang C.
Cambridge, MA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for the late night ramen and the pork buns, left with a frown on my face. Here's why:
Pork bun- cripsy, good flavor, has cilantro(which I hate), and Friggin EXPENSIVE. Like, I could buy 2 Ippudo pork buns for the price of one Uni's. I mean, it's good, but not THAT good.
Duck bun- has fried tofu chip inside, has cilantro(again), taste kinda like Chinese char siu(which is funny since their pork didn't), pretty good but not as good as the pork. Also overpriced.
Traditional Ramen- Meh. Not impressed at all. Soup was salty and not particularly tasty. The pork here taste like char siu.
Umami Ramen - spicier version of the traditional, definitely can't taste the 14 mushroom BS. The eel felt out of place.
Not coming back. -
Review from Dennis D.
Boston, MA
4/20/2012
This review only applies to the late night ramen. Although I'm always happy to see ramen and izakaya-type fare becoming more available, and the flavors are ok, the offerings here are not worth the price or trouble.
When we went yesterday, they had the miso and "umami" ramen available; the umami is basically also miso based, but does in fact have a more umami quality to it. It's definitely a deeper and more complex flavor than the traditional miso, but neither broth was especially outstanding. The noodles were better this time than the last time we were here (closer to the opening) in that they were less overcooked. Their flavor and texture were merely ok.
Portion size overall was tiny. Toppings were mediocre and paltry, but the onsen tamago was nicely done.
Overall a decent tasting but somewhat unsatisfying bowl of ramen.
We also had the shishito peppers (a nice starter, good flavor, but overpriced) and the pork bun (tasty, but very overpriced at $8/bun!).
Cocktails came from the Clio bar and were good but not mindblowing. I appreciate the daiquiri variety they offer, and i like seeing some of their more ambitious offerings on the menu (like one drink which is flavored with cinnamon smoke - i had this on a different occasion and it was good). Beer selection is unremarkable.
Ambiance is fine, dark, unremarkably modern.
Easily accessible by public transport as it's right on mass ave near the green line and a short walk from the orange line. There is valet parking and some street parking available as well. -
Review from Gina M.
Malden, MA
4/18/2012
I visited for the first time with the travelzoo voucher mentioned by others. I went in fully expecting to be disappointed based on others' feedback below and my previous impressions of Clio (some years ago).
BUT, my husband and I had a great meal! We had our two beers with sake shots, three sashimi courses (which I thought were all very reasonably sized--5-6 small pieces of fish for each course), the rock shrimp tempura course, and dessert. We ordered an additional sashimi course to share, just because it caught my eye. Everything was outstanding. The meal was paced flawlessly and efficiently. We would have left sated even without the additional sashimi course. In reality, I was a little full! I do not go to a restaurant to stuff myself, but I also don't want to be hungry again by the time I get home. Oringer doesn't have a great rep in this area, but we had no problems.
I thought about what the meal would have been worth if I had priced it myself. Probably each of our courses should have been between 8 and 12 dollars (and there were ten of them total, not counting the one we ordered). Plus another 15 for the alcohol and edamame, let's say. I think a fair price for the meal would have been about 115 dollars before tax and tip. We paid 65. So I felt we got a deal. However, would I go BACK and simply order a similar meal a la carte? Probably not. I believe that would have run closer to 160 dollars. Everything was delicious, but there are just too many restaurants in Boston that are (for me) a better value. I'll definitely consider dropping by for this special on a Sunday sometime, though, now that I know they run it every Sunday. -
Review from Bryan R.
3/26/2012
I'll have to reference my review of Clio for the full setting of a hapless night that began tremendously full of hope and anticipation. The management and operational execution of the ramen night was so poorly mangled that the entire experience of the wonderful noodles was more or less washed out.
I really do appreciate what they are trying to do and love that ramen is coming on strong in Boston. The late-night ramen experience here, though, was such a numbing expedition that I can't imagine coming back. It was a one-star night, but I'm giving an extra one because the ramen was done right and that deserves some credit. The chefs deserve better from their fellow staff. -
Review from Annie M.
3/4/2012
For the food, I'd give it a 3. For the shady advertisement on Travelzoo for savings of 50%, one less star. We bought a Groupon-like deal from Travelzoo, which we paid $65
for 2 people for a 4 course meal so thought it was a pretty good deal.
We went here on a Sunday (which was forced by the voucher), excited that we were going to get some good Japanese dishes that will be on par with the upstairs Clio. Unfortunately, nothing in the meal was that memorable and every thing was very small. It felt more like a small tasting menu that was meant to just entice you to order more items off their menu to feel full. By the end of the meal, we thought it was okay and that was about it.
When we received the bill, a flyer was attached that advertised the SAME four course meal we just had and costing $35 bucks. You can get the deal EVERY Sunday thru Tuesday. Basically, we saved 5 bucks between 2 people with that voucher. Not that I should care that much but I do feel jipped especially since it wasn't a great meal or price for the meal. It just bugs that we bought a voucher when we wouldn't have needed to. -
Review from Andrea B.
2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
After my dinner at Clio a few months ago, I really thought I had seen the last of the "swamp juice" (a term David C. came up with for a concoction more commonly known as the tomato martini). But sadly I was mistaken, for that is precisely what we were greeted with for the first course of our tasting menu at Uni next door. Needless to say, we weren't thrilled.
We were even less thrilled about the seating arrangements - right in a corner, right by the door that leads to the labyrinth that eventually leads to the bathrooms, if you're brave enough to make the trek to find them (or in my case, if you really have to go THAT badly).
So as you can tell, the last dinner of our Ken Oringer restaurant tour got off on the wrong foot. And it continued, course by course, to be utterly average. The hamachi would have been good if it weren't for the grapefruit vinaigrette. I liked the tuna poke, which was ever so slightly spicy and very tasty. At least mine was, anyway. David's bowl was overpowered by celery flavor that was quite off-putting.
Our server claimed that our Scottish salmon came with black beans and ginger, although I couldn't taste any of the latter (probably a good thing, since I dislike ginger with a fervent passion). Our entree came in the form of a small bowl of unagi - eel with seasoned rice, sesame seeds and pickled burdock. Much to my displeasure, there was some ginger in there too, even though it wasn't listed on the menu.
Our server completely forgot about the rock shrimp tempura that we had requested as an addition to our six course tasting menu. We overheard the party seated next to us complain that their food was served too quickly. If only we could have had the same problem! The wait that ensued left David C. and I very frustrated. Even more maddening was our server's lack of apology for this glaring error. The shrimp tempura ended up being yummy, but how can anything fried not be? Not entirely worth the wait.
The time duration between that and our dessert was equally long, and all we had to show for our patience was three minuscule scoops of three different flavors of ice cream, served atop three different flavors of crumbs - an all-time low when it comes to desserts. Thank goodness BerryLine was right around the corner to save the day! -
Review from Kenneth F.
Cambridge, MA
2/21/2012
This review is for the Sunday-Tuesday 4-course dinner for $35 per person.
I'm sorry, even with the heavy discount, extremely overpriced food for what you get. I was still hungry by the end. Could have used a few more sushi rolls.
I get it though. You're a nice classy restaurant, a good date spot, etc, etc. and $35 would normally get you a piece of sushi at normal prices - so don't complain that you weren't full. But that's exactly the problem - don't advertise with a special promotion which sounds quite filling (4 courses? I usually eat one course at dinner) but which is actually not.
In fact, the server left the menu at our table the whole meal and asked us multiple times during the meal if we would like to order anything else. When we didn't, he seemed dissatisfied - and even though I considered doing it, I wouldn't order more because I feel like it was the restaurant's plan all along.
Food was overall meh also:
1) appetizer 1 - salmon with some various sauces - very interesting combination of flavors - had some high hopes for the dinner at this point
2) appetizer 2 - tuna with beansprouts - would have preferred the tuna by itself. overpowered beansprouts flavor
3) main course - fried lobster tempura? or something of the sort - no flavor, seemed interesting as an appetizer, but lacking as any form of entree
4) dessert - this was actually the highlight of the meal and i don't even remember what it is. my bad.
Another thing is I purchased this as a Travelzoo voucher. It was actually $65 for 2 and advertised as a $125 meal. I loveee my savings and to see the same meal advertised as $70 for 2 people, made me mad. Seriously? $5 savings? I'm pretty sure you don't advertise on any of these Groupon sites but just offer the same price to all your customers.
And in case this review sounds like it's coming from a dissatisfied and heavily frugal person (because even I think it sounds like it - hah!), please know that I have no qualms spending money on my food. But at this price no thanks. There are plenty of other japanese restaurants which provide the same types of interesting takes on traditional sushi/dishes that are cheaper than even this "promotion" price. -
Review from Katie H.
Boston, MA
2/15/2012
I LOVE ma man but when it comes to making plans in advance, OMG, he is the WORST! But I am no baby pants. No ma'am. Girl can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan so... unless ma fingers are broken... there is no reason on earth for my night on the most romantic night of the year to turn out like a funny but sad but true Zoe Deschanel song. Any Boston Brahmin or Beantown Babe worth her revolutionary salt can dial 7 digits to satisfaction or book a rezzie online.
To make things a little different I went for trendy sushi instead of old school French. Hey, I am making the plans so I want him to be surprised but in a good way like, "Oh Ma Gaud, this ROCKS!" (as in Stones tickets) not "Wow, gee, this is... Zzzzzz" (as in Boston Ballet tickets). Okay, the truth is the Top 50 French restaurants were booked by the time I called a month ahead but he doesn't know that so let's keep it between us amies, oui? Merci beaucoup :)
Okay, Uni. If you heart Matsuhisa then you will break for Uni. If you heart Nobu then you will break for Uni. Get it? No McSushi. (Definition: McSushi is super-sized blah veggies and/or fish rolled in sugar-sticky white rice and then dunked to death in salty soy sauce or deep-fried to perfection in Crisco-esque tempura and then slathered in toothache sweet reduction sauce or some spicy mayonnaise concoction). Ergo, McSushi is to Japan what fettuccine alfredo is to Italy. Uber White T.
Now I'm not judging, I'm just saying is all... so, moving right along, if you want to actually taste the quality of the fish with ingredients that bring out it's flavor rather than disguise what isn't there by coating it with sweet/salt then go to Uni. By the way, the place was recently redesigned for a more zen feel but it reminds me of a Swedish sauna room. You'll know what I mean when you get there. Love that it's an intimate seating for 20.
The Scorecard:
Parking: Valet - Thank God! Back Bay parking is ruthless.
Greeting: Weird the maitre d' tried to put us up at the sushi bar when we had a table reservation on Valentine's Day a month in advance.
Service: Surprisingly slow. Most places like to turn and burn on Valentine's Day. From 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, we actually had time to enjoy our meal so we didn't mind it one bit.
Food: Hirami (A+), Tuna Sashimi (A), Lobster Tempura (A), Midai (B), Rock Shrimp Tempura (C)
Drinks: Old School Mai Tai (B) only because they used too much ice and it was gone in two gulps, Syrah (B) though I am surprised he thought that when he had 3 glasses :/
Dessert: Cognac & Chestnut Souffle (A)
Price: $205 (does not include 20% tip, coat check and valet service)
Verdict: Gould ahead and Oringer my foodie bell anytime! (Get it? Chris Gould and Ken Oringer? Okay, it was funnier in my head). -
Review from Cami F.
Boston, MA
4/23/2012
This is hands down one of the best meals (based only on food) that I have had in Boston this year. We did the $85 chef tasting and it was incredible. Perfect combinations of sashimi and sauces/veggies it was just SO. GOOD. Service was ok, and the ambiance not great (it feels like you are in the basement of a building, not super crowded).
-
Review from Christine C.
New York, NY
4/3/2012
My boyfriend and I were in town this past weekend so I could find a place to live when I move from NYC in June. He wanted to go big and treat me to a special night out to celebrate my new job and upcoming move. We started the night with drinks and an appetizer at the Eastern Standard, more drinks at the Hawthorne and then when Island Creek Oyster Bar couldn't seat us for 2 hours, we moseyed on over here. After our first few bites, we were both really glad we did.
We are both foodie freaks who love to cook and have a massive home bar. Coming from NYC and Philly, I will admit I was expecting the Boston food scene to fall short. But, Uni exceeded my experience at Marea in NYC (2 Michelin stars). Granted, very different cuisine (Japanese vs. Italian) but both seafood-focused, which made me connect the two in my mind. The only thing that prevented Uni from being a Michelin star-worthy experience was the service. It was courteous, but not nearly polished and professional enough to elevate the experience to fine dining.
We went for the $85 omakase menu. The server told us that they'd be more than happy to incorporate personal preferences and specific menu items, so we told them we love uni and let them take it from there. They took that suggestion to heart and the majority of the 8 courses we were served featured uni. We also had sake which was served in a cute bamboo pourer.
1. Clarified tomato water with a tomato popsicle - YUM, savory palate cleanser reminiscent of a Bloody Mary.
2. East Coast oysters with uni and sturgeon caviar - super briny, loaded with flavor.
3. Uni on a shiso leaf with citrus - super umami, unctuous, delish.
4. Striped bass sashimi with Thai green curry paste - my favorite dish of the night. so innovative, a never before encountered flavor combination that really worked.
5. Peeky toe crab with passionfruit cream - another highlight of the meal
6. Amberjack with uni - again, delicious.
7. Poached salmon belly with peach pickled in shiso - very fatty and rich, lightened by the peach pickle
8. Passionfruit curd and coconut ice cream with togarashi - delicious
The meal was one I will remember for a long time. The food was truly spectacular and worth every penny.
I closed out the meal with a cocktail from the Rotavap section of the Clio menu. It featured Amaro Nonino and was delicious. -
Review from Rose J.
Boston, MA
4/7/2012
"Overpriced" is a pretty accurate description.
Don't get me wrong, the food was delicious. There simply wasn't enough of it. We left as hungry as we were when we arrived.
Between two of us we split a steamed pork bun (a single bun on small piece of folded steamed bread, not surrounded by it like a normal steam bun), Sake Toro (six pieces), Hamachi Toro (six pieces), and the Spicy Tuna Tataki (four pieces). We also had the edamame served as an appetizer before the meal. The total bill was around $70 before tax or tip. Ouch.
The flavors were delicious and well-balanced. Each dish was very artfully presented. It simply wasn't filling. None of the fish was accompanied by rice (which was a plus in terms of flavor, but not good for our hungry bellies). We went home and cooked dinner after...
So come here if you want an expensive flavorful snack but are not very hungry I guess. -
Review from David C.
2/12/2012
"Swamp Juice Strikes Again"
My tasting journey of Ken Oringer's restaurants ended (miserably) last night at Uni. I knew Andrea B. and I were in trouble from the moment our server brought us out the same tomato martinis we received at Clio to start our meal. You would think that the people coordinating the TravelZoo deal that we've been dining with would cross-check the dishes they were serving so as not to overlap, but that was obviously not the case. Please see my review of Clio for actual thoughts on this "dish."
The rest of our courses ranged from meh to meh. That's right, nothing was an outright disaster, but nothing really impressed us in the slightest. My favorite among them was probably the rock shrimp tempura, which was basically just glorified popcorn chicken. I enjoyed the Scottish salmon sashimi with fermented black bean and fresh ginger, but the black bean flavor was reminiscent of a Chinese takeout joint (not a bad thing, per se, but it made the dish feel cheap).
The hamachi tasted like tuna out of a can, while the tuna poke was completely overpowered by celery (those who know me know I HATE celery), and our baked unagi "entree" (I use quotation marks because it was comprised of two pieces of eel) was utterly average. Dessert was perhaps most disappointing of all, as we were served three disturbingly tiny cannelles of ice cream and sorbet served on top of crumbs. Yes, crumbs. I did a double take when our waitress described one of the samples (because that's really all you could call them) as "milk ice cream." What does that even mean? Aren't most ice creams milk ice creams? In any case, it appears that you can get even more vanilla than vanilla.
As mediocre as the food was, I had to take serious issue with the service. Andrea and I were seated at what was unquestionably the worst table in the house, situated right next to the door adjoining the Eliot Hotel, despite plenty of others being available. We felt the draft from that door opening and closing all night as countless people rushed by searching for the bathroom (which, I might add, is in a completely different zip code from the restaurant). The rest of the night was spent with one of the waiters' butts in my face while he took orders from the table next to us. Good thing he was cute. Cute, but dumb. I'm not going to get into the specifics to denigrate him further, but our other server clearly forgot to tell the kitchen we wanted the rock shrimp as a supplement to our meal, and as such we spent almost half an hour waiting for that course with nothing to show for it. We spent a similarly long period of time waiting for dessert. I guess they had to go out and milk the cow to make that ice cream fresh. There's really no other explanation.
Sorry, Ken Oringer, but your sashimi bar sucks. At least you still have Toro and Coppa.Listed in: It's overrated.
-
Review from Sallie S.
Boston, MA
3/31/2012
These four stars are for the Lacquered Foie Gras and Barbequed Eel. This is a dish I know I'm going to start dreaming about...
-
Review from Gilson S.
Brookline, MA
3/22/2012
Made a reservation for a table for 3 but when I got there the host said a table for three doesn't mean a table and the only place we could seat was at the bar.
I swear those were his words exactly.
If you enjoy being mistreated (some people actually do), wait no more, this is the place for you!!! -
Review from Luciana S.
Brookline, MA
2/19/2012
Strike 1 - Host was on the phone for 3 minutes when we arrived. Didn't acknowledge our presence, not even with his eyes, until his conversation was over. I'm not sure he was talking to a customer but can't say he wasn't.
Strike 2 - We made reservations for a table for 3, days in advance, host showed us the bar seats. It was my birthday and I wanted to enjoy the company of my daughter and husband. So I said no, and tried to reason politely with him. He told us that he was expecting a big group- obviously he didn't read their own guidelines... "Good for groups -No".
Strike 3 - No apologies, no attempt to keep us there, no happy birthday. So rude that we were shocked.
We were out of the door.
The food might be good but we'll never know. I love Toro and Coppa and cannot believe that Ken O. allows this kind of service at one of his restaurants. -
Review from Frank G.
Arlington, VA
3/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Inventive and tasty. Great service.
-
Review from Carol W.
Watertown, MA
9/4/2011
For our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I came here. We ordered 7 things and some of it wasn't that good, and then other things were over sauced in my opinion, and I normally like sauce...so I guess that tells you a bit about the place. Even though they call themselves a sashimi bar, I didn't feel like it was Japanese food, more like American food with Asian undertones. Overall, it was okay, but I probably wouldn't come back here again. It was a little "too American" for me...the sizes and the over saucing, a little disappointed. Here's how the night went...
Seaweed Salad - 5 difft kinds of seaweed, even a red and a white kind, excellent dressing
Fish Taco- fish was cold and on a cruchy shell that reminded me of the Taco Bell cinnamon twists - disappointing and not worth it - East Coast Grill in Cambridge does it way better for half the price.
Tuna Takaki - delicious when all eaten in one bite, the creamy texture of the bite came from some foie gras that was place on top of the tuna
Wagyu Beef - great presentation, 3 oz - little pieces (about 10) with three different salts, freshly ground wasabi, house made pepper seasoning, two house made pickles, one with ginger and the other one made with plum, which I preferred much more, and a hot cooking stone, which allowed you to cook each piece of meat on the spot to your desired doneness
Fish Collar - the night's speciality, my husband had it before in Canada, but it was my first time, very good, although I felt it was a bit over soy sauced, but I think it might have to do with the fact that inner parts of the flesh were lodged within in the fish's collar bone leaving it unseasoned upon cooking and when taken out needed some salt
Rock Shrimp Tempura - very disappointing to me, didn't taste like shrimp at all, had the texture of vegetarian shrimp or fake shrimp, came with some Korean chili threads that didn't do much for the taste. I didn't care for the way it was fried and sauced with an orangesicle colored mayo sauce
Tako (Octopus) - very interesting presentation, but looked way over sauced to me, but maybe it needed that much sauce for it to be palatable. I don't ordinarily have tako when I go our for sushi, but did like the fact that they served it in thinly sliced mini bite sized pieces. The tako was laid out on a square dish (4 in x 4 in) with some cilantro (?) and then seasoned with some heated sesame oil that was drizzled on top of each piece thereby cooking it partly - it was interesting, tasty, but a little too much - they could have served half the amount and it would have been enough
No Dessert - the desserts are the ones offered by Clio, and none of them appealed to us. -
Review from Sophie P.
Boston, MA
11/19/2011
This place deserves a 1, but I'll give it 2 because the dessert menu is from the adjoining Clio restaurant, and the desserts were outstanding.
Other than that, I thought that place was a complete ripoff.
The fish quality was absolutely disappointing given the prices that they dare charge, and the (excellent) quality of the adjoining restaurant, which I have tried on a separate occasion.
I had a number of small dishes. In general, the preparation was such that it didn't allow me to enjoy the fish. When it did, the fish quality was underwhelming.
For example, I had an expensive order of toro (fat tuna belly) which was chewy. It's supposed to melt in your mouth like foie gras!
Overall we paid a lot of money, would have walked out hungry if it wasn't for the terrific desserts, and didn't have a good experience at all.
Try O Ya or Oishii if you're looking for similar food and prices, but infinitely better quality.
Service was excellent, though. -
Review from Yuko I.
Malden, MA
10/29/2011
Simply overrated and over-priced.
The receptionist was rude - I made appointment more than 2 weeks ago to Uni to celebrate my B'Day but somehow the appointment was made for Clio - the receptionist insisted that I SHOULD have told it was Uni. He even told me he was the one who took the appointment and I booked Clio etc etc. I ended up pretty pissed by arguing this receptionist. If I made a mistake, so what, I was expecting to go to Uni and that's that, not Clio. I am not there to get preached or scolded by paying money.
Food was interesting, definitely not Japanese. I am a big fan of Toro but I was a bit disappointed as I expected modern Japanese which you find in Tokyo with French twists. Fish was good quality but as the chef masked the natural fish flavour with something else, the ingredient was not expressing its own good. Meat was also not the best quality, certainly not Kobe. I honestly had better in California and many other restaurants in Tokyo. -
Review from Chad T.
6/12/2011
Great fresh fish and ingredients. We had the tasting menu and it was enjoyable, but for my money in Boston I'd still rather to go Oishii or O Ya.
I will say, the sake list is excellent and not overpriced here at Uni, which is a plus since I hate it when people try to make their money in obscene liquor prices. -
Review from Melissa N.
Brighton, MA
3/16/2011
I went last night for restaurant week, and it was really great! We had a 6:30 reservation, and we were seated right away by a friendly hostess. It's a very small place, but it doesn't feel too crowded and it has a nice atmosphere. Our server brought over a little bowl of steamed salted edamame right away, which was a great start!
We both ordered the poke for the first course, which is a bowl of cubed yellowfin tuna sashimi, sweet onions, sesame, seaweed, and bean sprouts. It was GREAT. We both agreed it was our favorite course! There was a generous amount of sashimi, and all the flavors worked so well together. It was addictive!
For the main course, we both had the chirashi, which was also excellent! The bowl had 3 pieces of salmon sashimi topped with pickled Chinese bean (or something like that), 3 pieces of tuna topped with some kind of special roe, and 3 pieces of hamachi topped with a grapefruit sauce. All of this was atop a bed of purple-brown rice that had a really earthy flavor. All three sashimi selections were extremely delicious and fresh-tasting. The salmon was my favorite, it really tasted great with the pickled bean and it melts in your mouth.
Before the meal, being the regular sushi-goers that we are, we were both questioning whether we would want soy sauce with our sashimi (and whether we would bear the embarrassment of asking for it at a fancy place like this). After we started into our chirashi, we both knew immediately that it was not needed! The flavor of the fish was so good, and the toppings complemented each one so nicely.
For dessert, we had the mandarin caramel with coconut noodles and aloe ice cubes. It was served on a big plate with a tiny bowl in the middle, and it looked very fancy. I didn't really taste the caramel or the mandarin, and I found the aloe ice cubes a little bit odd, but overall the dessert tasted good! My favorite part was the small scoop of coconut ice cream on top.
Minor gripe: I ordered a Harpoon IPA, and my boyfriend ordered one of their special cocktails (the "Polaris"), and the drinks still hadn't arrived when we were finished with our first course. I asked another server, and she brought them right away. The Polaris was VERY small, but also very delicious and potent! Also, they made up for the drink snafu by not charging for my second Harpoon. Score!
Ordinarily, Uni is a bit out of our price range. The a la carte menu looks reasonable, but I'm sure it adds up fast. However, our server gave us a $20 gift card at the end of the meal and told us that he hoped we would come back to try Uni again! And judging by the top quality of the food, the nice atmosphere, and the good service, we definitely will! -
Review from Ligaya T.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2008
I'd been waiting for the right time to venture to this diminutive spot tucked into a nook of the Eliot Hotel as it had been enthusiastically endorsed by everyone under the sun.
The fuss? I get it.
The price tag? We got it too.
(Though not nearly as badly as I'd expected. O Ya ran almost double.)
Commendables:
*Ming Tai cocktail - fresh cucumber and green apple juice, vodka, fleur de sel, and OLIVE OIL. Weird, I know. Delicious? Absolutely.
* Incredible sauces. Each dish had many components which complimented/contrasted in tongue-is-having-a-party ways.
* Top notch fish. Certainly get the chef's sampler ($45, 80 or 105).
Passables:
* Chill, cordial service. Not to knowledgeable, nothing Michelin approved but courteous.
* Rather boring selection of sashimi. Where's the exotics?
* Ambitious flavors which were sometimes too exaggerated. Skip the unagi.
* Low-key ambiance. Ideal for an intimate date as long as you're not sitting at the bar though music can get rather loud.
Bottom line:
Fantastic, really. But for sashimi connoisseurs more authenticity and/or innovation will be desired. For the rest, a relaxed, tasty and pleasant experience awaits.Listed in: Boston & Bay Area Sake
-
Review from Keith O.
Boston, MA
10/13/2009 4 Check-ins Here
I have held off on this review for a long time because I try not to post super negative reviews. That said this is more a review of the owner rather than the restaurant - I have since sworn off all KO restaurants and am happy to tell this story to everyone who asks.
My wife and I went into Uni to have some sushi one evening. We had a reservation but were told that it would be a little wait once we arrived. We were fine with that and sat at the bar to have a cocktail while we waited. Well, the wait was going on 1/2 hour when we noticed someone come in and jump right downstairs and sit in the two seats that the hostess said were being cleared for us. When I asked the hostess what happened she was evasive and apologetic but could not answer my question.
Apparently she was flustered because the owner/chef came out and explained to me that the person who jumped in was his cousin and that he told him to sit there - knowing that we were waiting. When I pressed him on the fact that we had been waiting for 30 minutes he said that it was his restaurant and he could do whatever he wanted to do.
Now, that is true, but I also have the ability to vote with my feet and I have never been to Uni, or any other restaurant owned by him, in over 2 years.
The main issue was not that the seats were given to his cousin but his arrogant and rude demeanor. He was not apologetic at all and I came away with the impression that he did not care for his customers.
A chef who does not care for his customers will not have to care for them long in my book. -
Review from Kabir H.
Cambridge, MA
10/30/2008 ROTD 5/25/2009
Sake bomb Sundays are where it's at! I'm not sure whose bright idea it was to invite folks to bang on tables and chug beer at an upscale sashimi joint, but I'd like to buy them a beer. And a shot of sake.
The food was solid as well; we started with octopus gazpacho in a martini glass, followed by tempura rock shrimp. The gazpacho was eh, and the rock shrimp tasted like bad chinese, but in a good way. My doubts were erased though when they brought out the entree: sizzling salmon searing on sea rock. If you're starving when this arrives, my heart goes out to you as you'll be tempted to jump right in, but you'll miss out on the spectacle of watching your salmon cook through before your very eyes.
Also, don't lick the rock. Just trust me.
Dessert was more than passable, mostly because the dot of ice cream they serve is maybe the best in the city.
My suggestion? Head here with your rowdy clique and be prepared to throw down. For the full effect, institute a belching contest post-sake bomb as you bask in the horror of the prim and proper clientele, another treat unto its own. -
Review from Juliana N.
Boston, MA
9/11/2010
My girlfriends and I came here during restaurant week to celebrate 2 of our engagements! Surely, we had a good time.
It's a tiny restaurant. Not sure what the exact number of seats were, but I'd say somewhere around 20. There is bar seating as well. The seats are quite comfy. Okay, so we're here for food, not comfort of seats =x
Ambiance. Great.
Service. Excellent.
Food. Yum. Modern Cuisine.
Drinks. Deliciosoooo but small?
FOOD:
Hamachi (Japanese Yellowtail) \ $16 with grapefruit vinaigrette, cubanelle peppers and shiso ----- SO GOOD. Melt in your mouth good. Just the right amount of vinaigrette without totally dismissing the natural deliciousness of the Hamachi.
Shishito (fried Japanese sweet peppers) \ $8 with sesame, kabayaki glaze and tuna flakes ---- These are one of my most favorite japanese vegetables, so I can't really complain no matter where I get it, since they really don't offer them everywhere. I devoured them! While having to hold back and offering them to my friends as well. It was difficult. Delicately drizzled with the glaze and flakes.
I chose the special chef's assortment of sashimi over a bed of rice and I thought the fish served was one of the most fresh sashimi I've ever had in Boston.
Because if you're having sushi... you better go sashimi! It's the only way!! =) So good.
Oh, drinks! I almost forgot... We all ordered the lychee martini, because this is our new obsession. I would say it was just mediocre. More sashimi please!!!
They gave us a gift card when we left. I'm definitely going back =)
Yum... shishito. -
Review from Daniel P.
Boston, MA
2/20/2011
I brought my friend here for her birthday a couple months ago and loved it from the moment we walked through the door. The hostess was super friendly and not in the "oh I'm getting paid for this" way.
I believe I had a French 75 at the bar whilst waiting for our table..and fell in love. We then began our culinary adventure with the uni spoon. Words cannot describe. Next was the spicy tuna tataki, followed by the oysters, shima aji, and the fluke sashimi. All delicious. And yes, get the scorpion bowl. Good times.
We were in Heaven. -
Review from Heather R.
Cambridge, MA
3/16/2011
I love Uni. I'd been wanting to go for a while and finally got the chance a couple weeks ago. The space itself is very small, with maybe 6 or 7 small tables, and a couple seats around the small sushi bar. I liked the ambiance - it was cozy and cute without feeling crowded at all. Uni It was just the two of us at dinner, but I don't know how well they'd do at accomodating larger parties, the biggest table sat 4 comfortably.
Uni Sashimi Bar is true to its name - go there for the interesting variations of raw fish, itsdefinitely not a sushi spot. In fact, I don't even remember there being sushi on the menu. The sashimi was delicious, my favorite was the poke (yellowfin tuna with some delicious marinade), but the salmon sashimi was the freshest I've tasted in Boston. I can't speak to the meat dishes, but my friend, who got the kobe beef, said it was delicious. We also split an order of shishito (fried peppers), on the waiter's recommendation. He described it as "russian roulette" because most peppers are sweet, but randomly one will be super spicy.
Overall, I loved the food, ambiance, and location. Only drawback to Uni is that its so pricey, otherwise I'd come here on the regular. -
Review from avalon e.
Sunnyvale, CA
3/19/2008
Hip atmosphere, delicate presentation, fresh ingredients, gimmicky recipe (worht mentioning is the barnacle, which I don't think has any barnacle meat in it, it's chopped hokkigai+tako+I think crabmeat!), hot waitress who rivals any brazilian supermodel.
Be prepared to spend in excess of $100 per person for several light snacks each and be still hungry.
Great place for bankers to rendezvous their you know who (Back Bay is known for that if you know what I mean) or to impress a high-maintenance first date with irrational exuberance.
Highly recommended for those who have made their loot shorting subprime papers (or those who sold everything in time :) ), or to celebrate a fresh M and A deal well done.
Why 5 stars? If you have the means, why the hell not!
As for me, I had to balance that expensive meal with many many outings to Micky Dees. -
Review from Lily L.
Cambridge, MA
Updated - 12/16/2011
I recently came here for the Chef's Omakase menu, the $85 version, which is the cheapest one possible. At about half the price of the cheaper Chef's tasting menu at O Ya ($160), I'd say this is pretty great. I'd say the difference between O Ya and Uni is the type of food you'll be served. At O Ya, we received a variety of food--oyster, fish, shrimp, mushroom, foie gras, etc. Each course was more or less one bite and you get at least 10 courses. At Uni, it's more or less fish and uni--I think we had maybe 6 courses of fish and 1 uni and 1 uni with fish. I think the portion of the fish is definitely more generous than the one bites at O Ya. So as long as you just want to, more or less eat only fish, then I think Uni's omakase menu is a great deal and better value.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/16/2011
Uni has one of the best, or perhaps the BEST restaurant week menus ever.
1st course: Poke or… Read more »
-
-
Review from Mihir S.
Chicago, IL
4/23/2008
Uni has the freshest - tasting hamachi I have ever had. AND it is complemented with jalapeno and green apple. Very unexpected but possibly the best hamachi I have had. We also ordered:
Lobster tempura maki rolls -yummers
Tuna ceviche - very fresh and very generous portion but the coconut clashed with the rest of it.
Crab tacos - overflowing with crab served in a homemade shell - shell was sugary sweet though. I wasn't fond of that.
Seaweed Salad - Mmmmm
Obe Beef - melted in mouth
The hostess was a bit rough around the edges. She seemed frustrated explaining that Clio and Uni are two separate restaurants even though there is no blatant separation. Technically, she's the hostess of Clio and told us that at Uni we can just grab a seat. The service was casual yet professional and attentive. The prices at Uni are surprisingly reasonable. I would have given a 4-star rating but here is what pushed it to five stars:
1) They have scorpion bowls!!!
2) My friend asked for his martini extra cold. The waitress brought it over and there was vapor coming off of the top of it. She explained that without diluting it, they cooled it with a nitrogen floater. There is a first time for everything.Listed in: EAT IN BOSTON
-
Review from erica c.
Boston, MA
12/16/2006 1 photo
Located inside Clio, Uni = delicious mouth watering sashimi that melts in your mouth and leaves your tummy begging for more......
I would give it five stars but I think it's ridiculous that in this country good food costs so damn much. -
Review from Tristan B.
Cambridge, MA
8/4/2008
Ehhh.... What can I say, I've been spoiled. Very spoiled.
Uni has started up their "Sake Bomb Sundays" once again, and for 35 bucks, you get a Sapporo + Sake shot (more on this later), and a 4 course meal. Not a bad way to slip into a new work week, really.
I've always been intimidated by Uni, being on Mass Ave, too fancy compared to the Otherside, my preferred locale for Mass Ave/Back Bay dining. When I actually got in, I saw a semi-intimate little downstairs nook, with a usual bar, leopard print rugs, and some heavily padded bench seating. Seemed a bit overly feminine for my tastes, versus O ya's dim and minimal approach. Music was varied, from once again, "Hey Now", to cheezy J-pop love songs, and could get overbearing at some points... but to be fair, we were sitting on a sub-woofer.
First out was the sake bombs. While fun, they were, how do you say it.... Very awkward. Like, you set up your little sake over the glass, and then the waiter goes into this embarrassing little script of "When I say 'Sake,' you say 'Bomb!'" and the follow up. If I was drunk, this would've been an excellent fun thing to do in a typically 75 USD a head location, but for a first drink of the evening, I was a little less enthusiastic.
Food? I didn't get a chance to try the Sashimi, but the four courses ranged from okay (Fruit/Octopus/Tomato Gazpacho mix) but too fruity, Good (Spicy Rock Shrimp Tempura), as the strands were more interesting than the shrimp themselves, Ehh (Fish served on sizzling rock), and wonderful, (teeny tiny artfully presented Dessert spreads).... Portions were small, per usual, but decent if you aren't really hungry, and are bigger than O-Ya's.
Cocktails were meeeh. Too much sugar, too much fruity, my "Enter the Dragon" tasted like Sunny D mixed with some hot pepper powder. The Saketini was okay, but not worth 12 dollars. Stick to Sake, Sapporo, or something else... To be fair once again, I have yet to have a good cocktail at any "Japanese Fusion" restaurant.
Service was passable, nothing really horrible, nothing superb however, and the drink ordering was a little awkward as they were moving drinks from the bar at Clio.
Price for 4 people was more than adequate with the amount of drinks we each had, but it's not something that I'd go out for on a whim again.
So a high three stars you sit Uni. I'm going to come back to try the Sashimi, but I think I might be more tempted by some of the other offerings near by right now...
Epilogue: Afterwords, I went out and grabbed a Patriot Dog at Spike's, and crammed it down within moments. Being hungry sucks sometimes.Listed in: WEE A BOO!!! WEE A BOO!!!!
-
Review from Tiff C.
Harrison, NY
1/18/2007
Uni reminds me of Nobu. Small sized dishes with a pretty presentation. No miso black cod, though. These were more inventive and everything on the menu sounds finger-licking. The edamame is fabulous with rock salt. I ordered unagi and the miso soup. The soup came in a mug - with hijiki and scallion. A bit on the salty side, but that's the first time I had it in a mug.
EC and MW ordered the more intriguing items. Uni Spoon - EC devoured this, Hamachi Sashimi, Crunchy Maine Lobster, the Lacquered Foie Gras and Barbequed Eel. We ordered the Tempura of Seasonal Vegetables because we weren't full. Three of the dishes had UNI in it - EC claims "it was good, but not crazy good." If you're not into Uni, don't bother coming here. I agree it is pretty pricy, but it might be worth it if you're looking for the not-so-typical sushi/sashimi. -
Review from Ed Konagaya K.
Boston, MA
10/7/2006
Very nice but very expensive place!
I just went there one, and decided not to go next time cuz it was very expensive... If I had money I would go there, but I prefer to go other cheaper places... -
Review from Mina K.
Dallas, TX
5/13/2008
Amazing, yes. Expensive, yes.
This is not a place you come to, if you're starving because in order to eat to fill up you're going to pay for it. Meaning you'll probably spend $100 easy on yourself to fill up. In my opinion, its more of a place for foodies! =) The food is amazing, it's perfectly portioned to tantalize your palate.
There's a Chef's special, $40 for 5 courses, dessert, and a sake bomb. I would say this is the best way to go, because you get to sample 5 dishes (in smaller proportion than if you were to order directly from the menu). The chef gives you 5 courses on whatever he chooses... but in my opinion, you should trust the chef?
This is what was received at our table: the Uni Spoon (the best way to eat this dish is with a spoon! Amazing...) the Rock Shrimp Tempura (also good, kinda tastes like a Cheeto, anyone? heh). Hamachi Sashimi had this amazing apple wasabi. Dessert was a rhubarb sorbet with shortbread crumbs and a lemon custard? If I remember correctly, *sigh I definitely savored that. Cocktail - Enter the Dragon (tastes citrusy and tart... very strong stuff).
Love food..? this place is a must! -
Review from Josephine L.
Boston, MA
8/24/2010
Ahhh....An upscale, high-quality sushi/sashimi restaurant without the excessive sleek 'n' chic decor, pretentious snobbery and pulsing "lounge" music.
Uni is a tiny but cozy little nook of a restaurant in the Eliot hotel that delivers when it comes to fresh, melt-in-your-mouth tender fish. The boyfriend and I came during Restaurant Week (because we like our wallets too!) and had a fantastic experience from start to finish.
Service? Great.
Music? A tad too loud at times but they play lots of '80s rock for all you 80s-philes.
Decor? Simple but lovely.
Clientele? Rich yuppies and their benefactors, but harmless in small doses.
OK, let's move on to the important stuff: Fooooooood!
Suzuki Ceviche of Atlantic Striped Bass with lime, beets and coconut green curry
- Gorgeous light grey cuts with pink edges that meld perfectly with the curry sauce and crunchy beets. Beautiful to look at too.
Poke (yellowfin tuna) with sweet onions, sesame, seaweed and pickled mung bean
- Similar to Northern Chinese/Taiwanese cold noodle dishes with soy/sesame/peanut sauce in taste. The boyfriend's from Hawaii and apparently Poke is a real Hawaiian thing, so this got the seal of authentic approval from him. It was really good, I must say, and about twice the size of my Suzuki Ceviche.
Broiled Salmon with bok choy and yuzu pineapple salsa
- Bok choy's my favorite vegetable so I loved this dish. The salmon was unbelievably moist and tender and the pineapple salsa had a sweet juiciness that somehow missed being tart.
Chirashi with assorted pickled vegetables
- Also about twice the size of my dish for some reason, which means they don't skimp on the fish. Fresh, perfect cuts in a light marinade with pickled ginger and yellow beans over a purpley seasoned rice (I think it had to do with the stuff they cooked the rice with). Very filling.
Lime Curd with elderflower and sorbet and St. Germain granite
- Sour and sweet and gorgeous to behold
Miso Dark Chocolate Cremeux with cashew butter and banana ice-cream
- How can you go wrong with this?
We also added some a la carte dishes to the meal:
Hamachi with grapefruit vinaigrette, cubanelle peppers and red shiso
- Oh my GOOOOOODLINESS! OK, so if you've seen any of my other reviews, you know that yellowtail is my favorite fish in the world. This dish was so ubelievably good. Simplicity is all you need for a fish as delicate and flavorful as hamachi. I could not have asked for more tender, lovingly-handled slices. And yeah, I could taste the love.
Kobe Beef
- I guess nothing can ever really compare to the kobe beef I had at O Ya, but this was pretty good. Not as tender, even though it was seared and bright pink in the middle, but not bad either. It was presented with 3 kinds of salt in addition to the dipping sauce--fleur de sel, a spiced salt with anise and a smoked salt. I liked the spiced one best.
And for cocktails, I got the Southern Beaches. It....was not as good as I'd hoped. Too much ice and not enough sweetness. But the drink menu is awesome. Quite tongue-in-cheek funny, especially for a nice place (e.g. One page is called, "Drinks that don't cost $13"). How can you not love that? -
Review from Pilan C.
2/28/2007
On food quality alone, this restaurant deserves 5 stars (though if "value" was part of the equation, I'd probably have to drop it to 4 stars). We went in a pretty big group, so I got to try a lot of different things. I loved the Kobe Beef (it was cooked just perfectly), as well as the Blue Fin Tuna Tataki (with Foie Gras on top) and the Tuna Ceviche.
We ordered the $100 chef's special "sampler" and it was a bit disappointing. It was a little bit overpriced for the amount of food we got, but most of it was still really good. I would recommend ordering whatever looks good on the menu to you, a la carte, as opposed to ordering a big platter.
Come with a big wallet and you'll leave happy.Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from Kit C.
4/22/2009
Sake Bomb Tuesdays are a great deal.
$35 price fixed
Sake + Sapporo
3 course meal
(depends, but its usually an appetizer like a really different but really good shrimp tempura, tuna in three ways, and then something on a hot stone, like this meltingly tender and luscious seared salmon)
And then you can order little items off the menu to go with your meal, or a bottle of really high end sake. -
Review from Brian P.
Washington, DC
5/5/2008
The Rock Shrimp Tempura was the first and best dish we had. From there, the rest of the sashimi and tapas style dishes were decent but not incredible. At $120 for 2 two people (2 drinks), I was expecting more. The atmosphere is fun though the music selection was very odd. The selections ranged from Barry Manilow to Outkast, and they were back to back.
Good place for a date but remember to bring your credit card. This one will set you back over $125 for two people (without a bottle of wine).
