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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Beacon Hill, DowntownPark Street (Green, Red)
Government Center (Blue, Green)
Downtown Crossing (Orange, Silver, Red)
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Went here for lunch yesterday. Shared the pork gyoza and veggie tempura with the hubbie. Both were very tasty, although they could have brought a bit more sauce with the gyoza. I ordered the Lobster Maki, which was unusual and delicious! I've never had Lobster Maki before; they make it as a lobster-heavy lobster salad on top of the roll. My husband got the Volcano Roll, which was presented impressively and tasted amazing. We shared an order of tuna sushi, and it was amazing, melt in your mouth good. The house hot saki was meh but got the job done ;).
The service was good but not overreaching. There was a bit of hostess on sushi chef neck massage as we were eating; odd but OK.
Zen rings in as my favorite sushi place in the north half of the city. When and if I'm willing to make the arduous Green Line trek to Allston, Privus wins my heart for best sushi in the area.
Zen is my staple for sushi, which is always fresh and delicious. The Spicy Avocado Salad is amazing! I also love the Unaju dish.
The only downside is the lack of parking...
I have been coming here for the last 3 years and i reckon this is the best sushi place to dine in the city.....The place is funky with 2 levels of seatings and you can be reassured of that fine japanesse touch making you feel like you are in Tokyo :)
. ......
Avocado maki is my favourite and you can't beat Edadame-an absolute belter!
Delicious sushi. Everything was fresh and brought out quickly. I had the spicy salmon and some pork dumplings. Plus a spicy tuna roll. All were very delicious. I'm an American at heart so I love spicy mayo and it can really differ from place to place. The spicy mayo here was perfect so I'll definitely be back.
Went to Zen after reading some of the reviews and I was sorely disappointed. The Chinese-run "Japanese" restaurant served soup that tasted like it came from a packet and teriyaki sauce that came out of a jar. We had the Spicy Seafood Udon in Soup and Chicken Teriyaki - both of which were below average. We did have a Volcano maki (which was great) and a Rainbow maki (which I thought was just average given the price). Service was average and they charged us 50 cents for hot sauce. I felt that the value to price ratio was low. Overall, the experience comes in at below average.
fresh sashimi and sushi. The only thing I don't like is that there is no parking and I don't like the lunch menus- the menu is reasonably priced, but not very good. I would like to see some more interesting bento boxes.
But overall, the actual sashimi- salmon, o-toro, uni very fresh! and plus that with sake = great time :D
Zen has the two most important things that a Japanese restaurant should have: quality and quantity. Who can resist a BIG piece of FRESH sashimi?
Just had lunch here today. I like it...good location. A little off the busy touristy area so it wasn't too crowded. Good enough to come in for a lunch break...was able to get a table at 12:30 on a Wednesday.
Nice little restaurant with a few tables inside, a couple more outside. Service was not as fast as I hoped since it's on my lunch hour but it seems like they were busy from take out orders. The menu was the typical fare which is fine with me. We got a couple apps...the Spicy Avocado Salad had only little bits of avocado and everything was just mushed together. The Ankimo (specially prepared monk fish liver with seaweed with sauce) had 2 pieces. Tasted OK...had some filler to make it look bigger. One friend got the Shrimp Tempura Maki and the Spider Maki (deep fried soft shell crab). Both were not bad. Can't exactly tell if it's fresh or not since both are deep fried but no complaints. My other friend got the Chicken Teriyaki with rice. The chicken was very tender and tasty.
I myself got the Curry Katsu with Rice (chicken). It came out in a big tray which made it look a little empty...had rice with sesame on top, the curry chicken with some potatoes, a salad and also 2 slices of orange. Miso soup also came with the meal (which they charge $3.50 separately...slightly ridiculous). Their batter for deep fried stuff is a little too crunchy but that's just nitpicking. The curry had good flavor. Not a fan of ginger so I picked the pickled ginger strips off the chicken. Not the best but good enough esp for the price and location.
I thought whether to give it 3 or 4 stars...I'm in a good mood. =) Hopefully they keep it up...don't sell out and start jacking up prices!
Since moving in around the corner a couple weeks ago, I've already been here on three separate occasions, and have yet to be disappointed.
The first thing you notice upon entering the restaurant is its modern, well-styled interior with just the right amount of lighting and decorations, and a widescreen TV displayed prominently over the sushi bar. You have a choice of sitting directly at the sushi bar, at any of the indoor tables, or at one of the tables outside. Service was prompt and friendly at all three, no complaints here.
I usually start off with a bottle of Orion beer (from Okinawa), since it is one of the less commonly served beers and is quickly becoming my favorite to have with sushi. Last time I was here, we got the lobster sushi and the baked scallop sushi (no point in getting the same 'ol stuff), and both were well-made and delicious, with especially generous portions of lobster for the price and season.
For meals, I've had the yaki ramen, tonkatsu, and chicken teriyaki. Zen has a peculiar take on ramen, in that they serve it without the broth, but I actually enjoyed it this way, it made me think of a Japanese "pad thai". Both the tonkatsu and the chicken teriyaki had generous portions of meat and came with salad, miso soup, and rice and steamed vegetables. Everything was well prepared and tasted good, but fell a bit short of 5-star quality in my opinion. Regardless, I expect to come back here many, many times in the future.
Great sushi!
My father met up with me here for our weekly lunches in the city. It's our tradition and I felt like having sushi that day. We decided to hit up Zen since I've heard so many good things about it from my coworkers. The size of the room wasn't so big but I liked that we were able to sit outside and people watch. Our service wasn't that great, they were rather slow and I had to catch the T to get back to work, so I had to kiss my father goodbye a lot sooner due to the food arriving so late. I thought the food was delicious, however and maybe it was worth the wait if I had plenty of time. My father, on the other hand, ended up with food poisoning and swore off sushi since. The sad thing is, my father was an avid sushi eater before this. He probably had cravings for sushi about once a week, not anymore...
This is definitely a good go-to lunch spot if you are in a sushi mood and work in the Beacon Hill area, like myself.
The sushi was alright. Obviously nothing very exciting, pretty standard and fairly fresh which is pretty much all I can ask for. If I were in the mood for mind-blowing sushi, I probably wouldn't come here.
The price is very reasonable -- you can get a lunch combo, including salad and miso soup for around $10-$12 and you will be in and out in an hour (which is key for me).
Tasty and conveniently located.
My first encounter with sushi in Boston was decidedly average. Based on the food alone, this place would barely survive in San Diego. After hearing the cries of my friends for "we want sushi!" for several weeks, we finally left the bubble that is my college to go to Zen Sushi.
On the outside, Zen's got a slick stainless steel sign that makes the restaurant seem more expensive and trendy than it actually is. The inside is compact, like a good sushi bar should be, and features walls lined with assorted sake bottles and overdone gilded crown molding. Overall, the space had slightly tacky yet pleasantly modern sense of creativity.
As for the food, I've had much better sushi in San Diego. The spicy salmon and rainbow maki rolls I ordered tasted and looked just alright but were much smaller than I expected. The spicy salmon also wasn't very spicy or fresh tasting. My sushi-deprived /friends liked their sushi just fine-one who never ate fish/sushi before exclaimed "it was REALLY GOOD!!".
While I might just have overly high standards for sushi, I most likely won't be returning to Zen in the future. My hunt for good sushi in Boston continues...
This is a very decent small sushi restaurant, and their prices are good. Nothing astounding, but solid and tasty. Great for a working lunch as a pair or with a very small group when you're near the State House. They do takeout as well.
We went got the lunch specials (sushi, salad, miso). The maki rolls were mostly rice and not much fish, but they were small and tightly wrapped, indicating skillful hands. Spicy tuna roll was not spicy at all. The miso soup was great and the service great as well. I would go back.
The first two times I went to Zen it was good, but the last time I wasn't impressed at all. I ordered a salad and three maki rolls of various complexities-- it was all very average... bordering on bad. The rolls were sloppy. The fish was warm. Even the salad dressing was pretty bad. The person I was with ordered a chicken teriyaki dish and said the same thing.
I really wanted to like this place b/c its cute and easy to get to but I won't be going back any time soon. There are definitely better sushi places in Boston.
My new office is less than a block from Zen, and I've now gone there twice for lunch. The food is good, but not overwhelming. The fish tastes fresh, as it should, but the rolls were sloppy and the rice was an odd consistency, too sticky perhaps? For under $10 I can get a lunch combo with miso soup, salad, a roll and 4 pieces of sushi.
When I want a good dose of protein and some greens without going too far, that can't be beat. Otherwise, I'll walk to the Whole Foods and get sushi there.
I work near here and therefore eat here probably once a week. The quality is excellent! My only gripe, and it's the same gripe I have with many sushi restaurants, is that there isn't enough innovation. I love a sushi restaurant that mixes things up. Throws in a piece of mango or something. Maybe that's just not authentic?! I don't know, but what I do know is Zen is excellent. They have a great little outdoor patio in summer but I've yet to sit out there. Soon though...soon.
Katsu Curry!!!!
I was a Maki Special C person for the longest time. I got that once a week for months. But the tuna started to seem a blah... not spicy enough.
All the guys at work would order the Katsu Curry (Chicken) so I figured I would give it a try and I have been hooked!!! It is a fantastic lunch for a bit more $10. You get miso soup, a small salad (sliced cucumbers and tomatoes on iceberg) with ginger dressing, and then the entree. The entree comes with a healthy serving of sticky rice, 2 fried chicken breasts (pancake thin) coated with panko breadcrumbs, and a side of curry sauce with potatos in it. All that for about $10!
I have had take out and have eatten there dozens of times. Great food and service!
Excellent Sushi, seaweed salad, miso soup and options for take out - Even better-- they never disappoint on waiting times. The order takers always request 15-20 minutes to get your order ready, but I've always showed up early in about 10 and am excited to see my delicious order waiting for me.
Sushi demands several key important variables and without them, you're taking a risk of being either disappointed or just plain ill. Zen uses such fresh ingredients, and the service is speedy. They just know good sushi!
No wonder I have them on speed dial for my "Z"!
Last Saturday night, we found this place using Yelp. We were in town for the weekend from the SF Bay Area, and were craving Japanese. It's a nice little place, with plenty of room in the upstairs dining area also. It has a sushi bar, and quaint Japanese decor & sake bottles along the walls. We ordered an Alaskan (salmon & avocado) Roll & Tekka (tuna) Roll. The quality was pretty good, so we ordered another roll - the B52 (hamachi & avocado). I must have overlooked the fact that it's tempura fried b/c the hamachi ended up cooked inside. :(
For entrees, we had the Pork Katsu w/ Curry Sauce & the Yaki Ramen. The Pork Katsu was excellent - so crispy, and the meat wasn't too dry. The curry sauce had potatoes in it and was a little on the salty side, but good. The Yaki Ramen was not really Japanese-style taste. It tasted more like Chinese food. The ramen was overcooked, and the dish was covered in a thick (cornstarch!) gravy. I ordered the chicken for the meat, and that was rather dry.
Price-wise, it was okay. Slightly higher sushi prices, but comparable entree prices. I am comparing to SF Bay Area though.
Next time we're in Boston I would go to Zen again, and not order the Yaki Ramen.
We live in the building so its very convenient to eat here. The sushi is always good. Not the place for a special night or the place you take guests to impress them as there is nothing that great about the restaurant.
No free refills on soda which is a BIG minus.
The shrimp appetizer is really good. There is a spicy wasabi sauce on half the shrimp and the other half has a sweeter sauce.
Reliable.
I've lived a five minute walk from here for the past six years and I'm obsessed with sushi. So why haven't I been here yet? Yeah, don't know why either.
My friend and I went to Zen this evening and sat outside. So nice! I can't think of another sushi place in the city where you can eat outdoors.
I started with the Seaweed Salad. I can't put my finger on what was missing, but some sort of flavor was missing in the salad that's evident in every other seaweed salad I've ever had. It was lacking in complete flavor... still good, still refreshing, but not the best. My friend has the Miso Soup. Can't really mess that up.
For my entree, I got the Spicy Tuna Roll and the Unagi Roll (eel with avocaod, drizzled with eel sauce). I LOVED the Unagi Roll! The sweetness of the eel combined with the smoothness of the avocado was perfect. Sometimes eel can be "prickly" (I believe they remove some sort of spines from the eel, gross, I know), but this was perfect. Also, the avocado was completely ripe, which also makes a big difference! The Spicy Tuna Roll was very good- more complete pieces of tuna rather than it being all smooshed together and fully combined with the tobiko flakes and spicy mayo. It wasn't overly spiced... I usually like it a little more spicy.
Overall, this place deserves four stars because: they have outdoor seating, they deliver, and serve quality food.
mmm oooh baby I like it raw....AMEN! finally a halfway decent sushi place on top of the holy hill. Wait, I take back decent. DELICIOUS! now you're probably wondering how one can judge uncooked fish: presentation and freshness.
The sashimi and sushi boat for two people more then satiated two ravenous girls. Quote of the night "mmm...what is this? (10 secs later) mmm... its like heaven melted in my mouth!" (HAH thats what she said!)
Decor was unpretentious (forgot we were on Beacon Hill). Service was good. Sapphoro Silver was thirst quenching as always. My one and only advice to my Nippon buddies, less salt on endamame. But then again no goiters for me.
Good for a delicious sushi meal, not a good place if you want to bang down some sake bombs. Excellent and perfect for dates...(ahem hint hint)
This is my go to sushi lunch spot in this area. The sushi is fresh, none of that weird matte looking shit. Everything is super shiny and appetizing. Very reasonable prices considering its location.
First of all, we need to remember that this is Boston-- not exactly the sushi capital of the U.S. While our seafood selection is outstanding, sushi here can be lacking. Zen is a pleasant neighborhood sushi place (if there can be such a thing). Their prices are reasonable, fish is fresh and chefs are helpful. Ambiance is average.
If you know what to order, you'll get very fresh fish and solid preparation. If you're looking for a great overall "experience" and are not really a sushi-goer, maybe try Haru instead. But when I need a few rolls/pieces of sushi, this is my local spot.
Um, if I had thought the delivery guy was going to be that cute, I would have put on a little makeup and cleaned up the entrance. Umm... yeah, I think I'll have sushi tommorrow, too.
The have a large, diverse menu and the delivery service is great. 1. They were fast! I never think to order food until I'm already starving, and I did not start eating crackers because I couldn't wait any longer. 2. The food comes perfectly packaged and ready for you to eat. It comes with a really cute little spoon for your miso and a cute little tray for mixing your wasabi and soy sauce.
The food is also very good and reasonably priced. I really like the miso, little cubes of tofu, broad, thin pieces of seaweed. Mmm.
My maki had a split in it.
There's a 3 dollar delivery fee and a 20 dollar minimum.
"Ehhh...
I am not sure where this relationship is going...
Really, it isn't you, it is me.
I am just not ready to commit, and I don't feel like you really are all that into me.
I know, I am sorry that it has to be this way!"
Yeah, so Zen is a good date place, with a beautiful ambiance, but I don't know how I feel about the restaurant and its service. I was there on a date, and I felt like the server ignored us or was very put out to have to be waiting on us.
The food is really tasty, and fresh. Zen probably has some of the best sushi I have ever tasted. We tried a squid appetizer with wasabi and I had my standard salmon sashmi and some rolls. . For a couple of plates of rolls, the salmon, the app, and sake, the bill totaled $80.00.
It is a nice place to go on a date, but overall, I have other sushi houses I would rather frequent.
Yum - I love sushi and this place was no exception to that rule! I met a friend for dinner and it was a nice evening so sitting outside was an added bonus. We got edamame as a starter which was nice and salted and the Riesling was perfect to start a meal and have with sushi. We got the sushi for two and I can't complain one bit! All the fish was super fresh tasting and was a great portion. We got out of there for $40/person which was great considering we each had two glasses of wine and enough sushi to more than satisfy. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to go back!!
Defnitely a solid option in the Beacon Hill district. We went for a Saturday lunch, the vibe was very chill with good service and really good sushi. Try the volcano roll if you like your sushi spicy.
I friggin' hate sushi. I hate fish, seafood, etc. It just grosses me out.
I love Zen.
My wife loves sushi, along with most of our friends and they love Zen too for all the sushi-esque reasons.
My review is for the non-sushi lover who is forced to go to a Sushi restaurant with their friends.
We live above the restaurant, and have seen that space struggle as various restaurants. I can say that Zen has found the sweet spot.
Our recent dinner was on a cold rainy November night...
I ordered warm Saki. MMMMMMM. Get the large carafe, cause you'll order more. The Edamame is perfect. I go into sort of a trance when I eat it. I look off at a 45-degree angle and chew each bean out of the pod. Next thing I know there is pod carcasses all over the place.
We also got the pork fried dumplings (Gyoza). Two words: A-mazing.
I got the chicken katsu. A breaded chicken dish with fresh veggies, rice and an awesome katsu sauce (kind of like an Asian honey mustard sauce).
Lauren got the Alaskan Maki (her favorite).
Now, most importantly. Please don't take this the wrong way. Whenever we go to Japanese, Thai, or Chinese restaurants, the language barrier we sometimes encounter keeps the interaction with the server very brief.
At Zen, it was a totally different experience. While there was a bit of a language barrier, the server was awesome. I asked what was in the Katsu sauce, and she took the time to explain. She then followed up with me to make sure I liked it. The servers also worked as a team clearing plates, bringing out more drinks etc. Very nice.
They also have a large screen TV, and they are football fans there, so on game nights, you can go there and not miss a play. The atmosphere is chill, with a hint of native music in the background.
For a non sushi fan, I LOVE this sushi restaurant. You will, too. So go...now.
Good Sushi at the State House? Whatever next?
I was surprised to see a Sushi on Beacon street around the corner from the State House. A friend took me there for lunch to celebrate me birthday and the food was good and not too expensive. The place looks small, but they have an upstairs too. Not as good as Ginza in Chinatown, but the atmosphere is better and less sterile feeling.
I'll be back to try them for dinner.
I went to this place at the behest of a college buddy who I was seeing after a long time. Trust me I never had either sushi or sake before, so when I say, I really liked the food here it would be an overstatement.
On a Wednesday, there were not many people there and it is kinda hidden from the hustle of Tremont St or Downtown. The cost was pretty affordable. I tried the spicy maki, the Tamago sushi , some crispy shrimp appetizer.....point being it was good. Surely I would visit this place again.
My wife opened a Japanese inspired spa in the South End and decided sushi would be appropriate for the Grand Opening party. Zen Sushi put together a great spread for our event. They were very friendly and helpful over the phone and put together a complete selection of delicious food that was within our budget. They delivered everything fresh and right on time.
One nit-picky thing I hate about take-out food orders is that sometimes they don't get the packaging or condiments right. This place had packaging that didn't leak everywhere and they gave us plenty of chopsticks, condiments, napkins, sauces and everything else we needed for the event.
The food was delicious and everyone enjoyed it. I can't wait to go eat at this place and I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants to have a sushi party.
I happen to live right above Zen, so I've been there numerous times now. My conclusion is that while this place is descent, it probably belongs more in Chinatown (yes, I know this is a Japanese restaurant) than next to Scollay Square and No. 9 Park (although I suppose that's fitting for those wanting a more genuine Japanese atmosphere - this one feels like it's right out of Japan!). The prices should certainly reflect a location change too.
While the food here is descent, if you're not into the really moist sushi, then you won't be very impressed.
If you end up going here, try the Volcano rolls. It's definitely towards the top of my list of favorites.
Moving to the greater Boston area from the San Francisco bay area, we left a region that was chock a block with restaurants that represented most cuisines of Asia. There were numerous Japanese sushi establishments that a few places that created wonderful sushi, sashimi and other treats in the intiment atmosphere of a neighborhood establishment. I was hoping that Zen would fill that niche for us but, alas, it does not.
We both started with miso. I found it quite good, may partner did not, though he enjoyed his salad, topped with a miso dressing. I ordered two of their maki rolls, my partner asked for pork tonkatsu. When our food arrived, he was given chicken rather than pork. Despite the wrong order, he enjoyed it. I found the maki rolls to be okay, but not great. The nori was a bit soft, although the fried soft shell crab features in one of the rolls was quite good.
Zen is in a great location...we had dinner prior to going to the theatre..and would return in a pinch. Our quest for great Japanese food in the fine city of Boston continues!
I like Zen. I like Zen a lot for what it is. This is good, reliable, fresh sushi. Occasionally they'll get more exotic stuff that is tasty as well. If you're into cold sake, they do have a couple of interesting selections. Hit this place for lunch. It's a great value for a sushi lunch box.
Good fish. Good service. Good location if you're downtown.
I decided to check out this restaurant because Jordan & I were craving Japanese food and the reviews from Yelp were quite promising. I ended up having a terrible stomach-ache and the most I can say is, something I ate there, DID NOT sit well with me.
We had the Salmon Torch roll which was good. Jordan had the Unagi Fried Rice which wasn't too bad and I had the Tonkatsu - which was very dry. I suppose the Tonkatsu was what did it - seeing that Jordan was perfectly fine after dinner.
The restauarant isn't Japanese owned from what I observed. It was owned by some Chinese or Hong Kongers (they spoke Cantonese) thus the authenticity level went down for me right there. I love my Japanese food and Japanese food NOT prepared by Japanese or Koreans usually sucks.
I literally cannot stop thinking about the "volcano" chef specialty sushi we had here before jetting off to see Harry Potter last Friday night.
It was a scrumdiddlyumptious tower of inside-out rolls full of spicy crab and panko bread crumbs. Not only was the sushi full of these delicious items, but they had made it look like a volcano by topping the whole thing with more crab! The level of spice was absolutely perfect.
The boy and I split 1 cucumber roll, 1 chef specialty that I can't remember the name of---(but it had grilled yellowtail and roe wrapping the outside of the rolls. yum!) and the volcano roll mentioned above. We sat outside on a beautiful summer night and our waitress was adorable and extremely nice.
I would definitely recommend this place! The decor on the inside is just as cute, complete with a sake bar upstairs. Go in a small group or a date, as the place is pretty small and there aren't any big tables (that I noticed).
I can't wait to go back!
So, it's not the ultimate in sexy sushi experiences. So what?
It's more like you fav first sushi place with a touch more mod and some very fun to look at ostentatious gold molding and a hefty around-the-room sake bottle collection.
Waitress knew what she was talking about, specials sounded good. They have Sapporo Light, key pour moi, being a Weight Watcher.
Try the vegetable Gyoza steamed, very delicate and fresh. Steer clear of the Edamame or make sure to ask that they take it easy on the sea salt, my lips were burning but I can't say no to Edamame no matter how salty.
Whenever I passed by Zen, I rarely saw people eating here. That got me suspicious, but since my boyfriend lives close to it, and had said it was good, we gave it a try. Not the best sushi, but definitely not the worst (that goes to the sushi stand in the Cambridgeside Galleria!)
The staff is very cordial and friendly. Obviously there wasn't a wait any time I'd been there, and we had our choice of seats. The servers are not in the way,either; you don't feel rushed.
I've had the edemame, which I highly recommend. I also had the vegetable gyoza, which was just alright. The bf had the spicy seafood soup, which lived up to its name.
Sushi roll wise, I am pretty conservative. I had the california, which is tasty, but my favorite is the philadelphia. Just the right amount of cream cheese makes this a winner. The spicy tuna is great too, as is the cucumber avocado roll.
Prices are VERY reasonable...definietly a neighborhood sushi joint and never a wait (at least when I've gone!)
3 stars--not bad, but not fantastic.
Neighborhood: Beacon Hill
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Sushi Bars
Boston, MA
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Back Bay
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