sometimes it's nice to get out of the office and have a meal outside of the office. the sushi and sashimi lunch combo is a more than i would like to pay for an everyday lunch, but for something out of the ordinary it's an excellent value for what you get. $18 for salad, soup, a gyoza, a shu mai, some greens, 6 slices of sashimi, 6 negiri pieces and a tuna roll. my experiences so far in MA with sushi is that the fish is always at least decent if not very good, but the rice is not always right. the rice in my negiri and roll at daikanyama was just right. negiri was just the right size for a big bite, but not a chipmunk face. some pieces had a generous swipe of wasabi. fish quality was excellent, especially the salmon sashimi was buttery. the side dishes are not skimped in quality either; the salad was fresh with a light ginger dressing and the dumplings not overly fried. definite repeat for having special lunches with coworkers, or a meal if i am every up this way outside of work.
(4)
Jimmy B.
Delicious. Absolutely one of the best sushi in the Greater Boston area. Definitely don't go in expecting a cheap sushi joint - this place is legit and places emphasis in the art of sushi, referencing how Japanese sushi chefs would put care into their creations. And although their maki rolls are impressive and looks gorgeous, my review will be tailored more on sashimi and nigri, a more common staple in Japanese culture. Let me break it down into the points that matter, based on the Daikanyama Platter we ordered (33+ assorted pieces): 1) Rice. Room temperature, with a perfect blend of stickiness and form. Lightly seasoned with vinegar, they do sushi rice justice. In addition, their nigiri (raw fish on pieces of rice) are not overly heavy and is a perfect portion. 2) Fish. For the nigiri, they are thinly cut, which is a good thing as nigiri should be eaten with one bite anyways and complements the modest portion of rice underneath. For sashimi, they are generous portions, professional cut. All of the fish were extremely fresh, and depending on what type of fish, was prepared in near perfection. The salmon sashimi for example was creamy (in a good way), sweet and tender. The fish, which was slightly chilled, could have been more fresh by being lowered a few more degrees into room temperature. The more common cold sashimi you find in most other places, on the contrary, is NOT good - that means the fish has been frozen and was just recently defrosted, and can ruin the experience for diners more inclined to true Japanese preparation. 3) Condiments. The wasabi was good - I don't have a particular taste to differentiate quality wasabi against store-bought, but I believe they use real wasabi vs horseradish of the more generic sushi stores. However, what was real impressive was the fact they put a dab of wasabi in between the fish and the rice on the nigiri. Genius - this is the way they're supposed to be prepared and is a staple step in Japan. However, this was one of the first places in America that I've noticed that this was done - trust me, it makes a pleasant difference. The soy sauce was also very delicious - not a standard run-of-the-mill soy sauce you can buy in bulk but that of the more expensive variety. Overall, the experience was great. The restaurant is also very beautiful, decked out in traditional Japanese themes like a tranquil waterfall window by the inside entrance, wooden soup bowls, and an overall peaceful ambiance. Plus, they give you complimentary edamame - bold move!
(5)
Gigi D.
Sushi or Pizza? That's like choosing your favorite dog! (My family does not have kids).... Lexington clearly knows that making such a decision is 100% impossible, which is why this sushi restaurant is right next door to Upper Crust Pizza! I went in solely for sushi because I don't have a "sweet tooth" I have a "sushi tooth" and let's just say, my tooth was EXTREMELY satisfied! I ordered Anago, Unagi & Salmon Skin Handrolls, along with grilled Hamachi Kama and a sashimi dinner! Even NEMO would have chowed down! The Hamachi Kama was HUGE and the hand rolls were tasty too (however not as generous as my sushi loves in LA)... The sashimi was also on point, tasting extremely fresh! Others in my party ordered some sushi rolls and they were equally as happy! They put the rolls on their pizza, ha! So why minus one star? Well, they could only do 2 salmon skin handrolls (I initially ordered 4) and what they gave me was a bit burnt... Of course I ate them though, no food goes left wasted for me! That's probably the only reason why a star was taken off, because the service was great, the decor was classic and those hamachi kamas.... Ohhhhhh those hamachi kamas!
(4)
Dana S.
I like it here . On the two times I've been here, we are the only non-Asian people in the restaurant. I don't know if that's good or bad? The food is good. I like their sushi. The staff is attentive and sweet. The prices are reasonable. It's a good place to go. I hate the parking situation though.
(4)
S S.
Excellent sushi! Very fresh. Great servers and staff. Super clean and chic. Parking is good too - front and back entrance. Wide selection of food not just sushi. Also a wide selection of wine. Perfect for a date.
(5)
Patrick H.
The perfect post deCordova Sculpture park stop... Daikanyama (the name is actually bigger than the whole restaurant) offers a generous Sashimi lunch special, consisting of miso soup, ginger salad, gyoza & shumai (1 each) and plate of sashimi for $15. Nothing out of the ordinary here, but a good value and good quality. I would bump them that extra half star if I could.
(3)
Viveka Z.
Unique selection of sushi rolls. Delicious high quality ingredients. Fast friendly service. Excellent sake list.
(5)
Lyndsey C.
In a cute little historic area, not a huge place but nicely lit. I can imagine that if they get busy they fill quickly, small sushi bar. The hostess wasn't very pleasant and didn't speak English very well so when we asked a question she wasn't very nice or helpful, but our waitress was very nice and the sushi was very fresh and yummy. We did a couple of appetizers from the sushi bar and they were very fresh and great flavor.
(4)
Amanda G.
Yum. Just yum. Nice place; small and intimate with a more high-end menu and modern decor. Decent prices too- overall a fun place for a girls/date night. Service was a little spotty, but I was a foursome with 2 teenagers and we didn't order alcohol- I think we were a bit lower on the waitress's priority list. Not good form, but won't deter me from giving it another try. Teenagers don't recommend the fried banana and ice cream dessert ;)
(4)
Joseph P.
Great food had Dragon Roll, Chicken Katsu Donburri and Philly Roll. Was as they say in MA Wicked Awesome !!
(5)
Jeffrey A.
Don't judge a book by its cover. I went here based on reviews and was very disappointed. Visually they looked very nice. Clean, welcoming, and friendly. I ordered beef ramen with miso broth. It looked great when it came out. The broth was decent but the veggies were rubbery and the noodles tasted poor. Furthermore, there was very minimal noodles and 5 small pieces of tough beef. To top all this off it was fairly expensive for what it was. Every expectation I had of this place fell short. Honestly, would probably not come here again.
(2)
Mike D.
This place is fantastic. The sushi is very inventive and super fresh. The only negative I would contribute is that you need to be prepared to spend a lot of money. I went twice in one week and it was $100 both times for 2 people without alcohol. There isn't a lot of 'value' in eating here but if you are craving super fresh sushi and you are in the area, you should definitely stop in! P.S. The Hawaiian Maki was the crowd favorite!
(4)
Kenneth P.
Traveling on business, been here since Monday and have been eating sushi/sashimi everyday for dinner. 1st place I went to in Franklin, MA was not too bad, but the maki rolls weren't what I expected. Went to Sato 2 on tue, sashimi was on point however interior just didn't suit the place. Craving for better rolls, found this place on yelp. 1st off, street metered parking closer to the restaurant; .25 for an hour. Interior is very nice, very simple but clean and a nice ambience. This is the 1st place this week that has given me a hot towel before the meal. Service was great, even took the paper off the chopsticks for me. Had the caterpillar, cherry and tuna lover maki. Tuna lover maki was exactly what I was looking for, spicy tuna inside and tuna sashimi on top mmmmm.
(4)
Katy L.
Decent "Japanese" food in this Chinese-owned and Chinese-operated restaurant. Presentation was perfect and foods were good, nothing was quite perfect but I would return if I found myself in the area. Menu was obviously written for Americans and kind of funny with its inaccuracies but it was vast and I have no complaint. It was a little difficult communicating with the staff that spoke neither english well or a bit of japanese but in the end we managed just fine.
(3)
Beth M.
So I'm shocked. I called to order from the place I usually highly regard and order from regularly and they said " sorry our kitchen closes at 9. I said its 8:42. They said, well we take our last orders at 8:40." What a shame. They've lost their touch.
(1)
Linda V.
Great lunch bento! The portion size was perfect. I got the steak teriyaki, which comes with rice, shumai, gyoza, miso soup, salad, pickled carrots, and a little spinach. Amazing dressing. Everything in the bento was delicious! Best takeout I've ever had. Impressive bento takeout box. It looks like a nice restaurant too. I need to try more of their sushi. Will have to dine in sometime soon! Minus one star because it is a little bit pricey.
(4)
David T.
A wonderful little sushi restaurant in lexington center. I love their food, the service and the ambiance. They also do an excellent job of packing takeout, which many sushi restaurants are terrible at. They use quality packing, sturdy containers and bags and even provide plastic wasabi and soy mixing bowls for your nigiri and sashimi orders. I also recently discovered that they have a picture based Android tablet menu with a whole range of enticing additional items that are not on the website or the paper menu. Make sure you don't miss this, as some of their best items are on the tablet only.
(5)
Christine J.
yuck, sorry but Chinese owned sushi restaurants are NEVER good. I just don't trust it and I always turn out to be right when I do go to one. Came here for lunch with a friend and ordered Tuna sashimi salad (i think) and the tuna came out FROZEN. just gross... Had to send it back.. Are you serious?? Won't even go into the reviews for other items. That alone should stall you from going. If you really like sushi, you would not come here.
(1)
Manfred S.
Okay - it is far from perfect and not so Japanese, but there are not so many places where I can get toro sashimi consistently good (and at those prices it better be). I was very happy with the cold soba too.
(4)
Christian H.
Easily hands down one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to in a while. I've come through Lexington several times and found out recently this place was just tucked away right off the main drag. We just randomly found it when my folks were in town (my mom is Japanese and was hankering for some Japanese food). We had just been to the DeCordova Sculpture Park in Lincoln (So awesome. Check it out) and wanted to find a place for lunch. Daikanyama came up. It was definitely a smaller place, but it was packed. This was the place to try, it seemed. The sushi was really fantastic. Fresh ingredients all over. The seaweed salad was great. The lunch portions (including a sushi sampler and teriyaki salmon) were perfect and very tasty. The staff was also very friendly and the service was awesome. I am sure that I will return in the future to try other things, as everything was spot-on for this place. So delicious and so awesome. Check it out.
(5)
Matt T.
Really great sushi place. I am sure they have more than that, but that's what I came for. I live by the coast and have the sushi bar set pretty high. But the food quality, presentation and price range was definitely worth posting about. Give this place a shot if you are nearby.
(4)
Adam L.
Quality decor, swift service, and excellent quality sushi. I come from NYC, and the sushi easily rivals some of the best sushi I would find in there. Highly Recommend.
(5)
steve b.
Excellent menu well executed. Katsu pork Fried to perfection with white rice, ginger dressing on salad, and well balanced miso soup. Service was prompt and friendly. Sushi menu looked extensive. Next time!
(5)
T G.
Very very good sushi. Ingredients were fresh and you could taste the freshness with each bite. I will be back! Oh and our waitress a sweety
(5)
Shelly K.
Just got back from Daikanyama and it was awesome! The sushi was fresh and delicious. The menu is extensive and has dishes including Udon soups, hot pot and noodle dishes. The service was excellent. The interior was modern and clean. We are new to the area and certainly plan to come back!
(5)
Konstantin K.
Delisious sushi and miso as everywhere but its too expensive for those servings.After i left the place the waitress run after me asking me for tip.Dont like that.2.5 stars.
(3)
Kiki P.
Daikanyama has pretty legit sushi. I have tried the spicy tuna maki, philadelphia maki and the baked scallop maki. All of which were delicious. The menu has several unique combinations to choose from. The spicy tuna maki is the best bang for your buck. The portion of tuna inside is rather generous and the roll is filling. The philadelphia maki contains smoked salmon and cream cheese. The salmon pieces were very small so this roll is not as filling. The baked scallop maki contains avocado and some other vegetables and is topped with cooked scallops. This was my favorite. However I think it would have tasted better with tuna or salmon inside with the avocado. Regardless, I would order it again. I will certainly be returning to Daikanyama for sushi in the future
(4)
Monica B.
This place has one of the best sushi rolls I've had in the area. If only parking wasn't a B!=tch during lunch time I'd go here more often... nuff said :-)
(5)
David L.
Daikanayama is your typical Chinese-owned/operated Japanese Restaurant in the sleepy 'burbs. It has appeal for most people who think 1.) Asia is a single country, 2.) Think all Asians are Chinese, 3.) And/or refer to Asians as "Orientals" (We are not rugs). The food and service are A-OK...the menu has nothing differentiated or remotely special, but for us the consistency is laudable. The restaurant is conveniently located in the heart of Lexington Center, which is a five minute drive/15 minute walk for us. Daikanyama brings some much needed "diversification" to the Lexington restaurant scene - it's neatly situated between a lauded Italian takeout eatery, a pizza joint that's attracted some bad press/publicity, and an uninspiring hibachi restaurant. Not surprisingly, the restaurant is also adjacent to a bank...not just any bank, but Citibank aka Sh*ttybank. The collective U.S. taxpayer base says "You're Welcome" for the bailout by the way. Enjoy those ungodly 2013 bonuses. The number of banks in close proximity to each other in Lexington Center sticks out like an unwanted tattoo.
(3)
LaiSun K.
It was an average Japanese restaurant that seems to be owned and run by non-Japanese people with menu at a higher price range. We had a sushi and sashimi platter, a fried udon noodle (for our young daughter), miso soup and a variety of fancy rolls that I cannot remember the names of. The service was very attentive and food came out quickly but the food is not good enough for me to return.
(3)
J C.
The first time I was here, I had some buckwheat soba noodles in a miso broth with slices of duck. The duck was pretty good, and not overcooked at all, even after having sat in the broth for a while as the meal continued. Also tried the Salmon and Unagi nigiri sushis. The Unagi was standard, and the salmon was above average. Edamame was standard. The second time I was here, I had the Sashimi Lunch, House Sake, and Black Forest Maki roll. The Sashimi lunch had three pieces of salmon, two pieces of maguro tuna, two pieces of mackarel, two pieces of yellowtail, and two rolls made out of imitation crab and cucumber wrapped in seaweed. Pretty standard fish. The tuna was lacking in taste. The Black Forest Maki had a nice contrast of crunchy tempura against the mushiness of the sweet potato. I didn't really get any sweetness from the sweet potato since the Unagi sauce basically overpowered everything. The house sake was rather sour, even for a house sake.
(3)
Yow-Bang W.
A great Japanese restaurant in every aspect, not to mention the deliciousness and creativity of their maki often blows me away (in a good direction). No it's not really an authentic Japanese restaurant, but that doesn't bother me since the decoration and atmosphere is delicate enough for such price.
(5)
Yoon C.
What on Earth are these reviewers raving about? The food is so-so. First of all, Daikanyama, like a zillion others, are Chinese-run Japanese restaurants. They are, as far as I'm concerned, more or less the same, and a notch above the chinese buffets. Same gaudy rolls that's just different combination of same ingredients rolled with rice and seaweed. If I were Japanese, I'd take offense to it, just as the Chinese would take offense to take-out Chinese food. The prices are high for mediocre food. And the ramen?!? Holy cow--$15 for a bowl. Miso ramen is basically packaged ramen noodles with the miso soup that you would get with your entree. You want ramen, go to Sapporo Ramen in Porter Exchange and you'll get a real bowl of Japanese ramen for less than $10. I mean, REAL. If you order katsu, if you get sauce that tastes mildly familiar, it's because it is your basic apple sauce, with some plum sauce and soy sauce mixed in. They do great business here, but that's more about the right location and lack of competition in the area.
(1)
Lily Z.
I don't want to give this a bad review, cause my friend works here, and I work at Dabin, but the sushi is so overpriced, for average quality sushi...the meals are also just so expensive, and so I just don't go there anymore =(
(3)
Kerri Y.
True, as other reviews state, it is a bit expensive, but do you really want cheap sushi? I've been here a number of times and the sushi is always pretty great. The lunch menu is quite a deal, they give you so much food you are ready to burst. The Makimono or Vegetable Sushi special come with miso, salad, 3 rolls- 6 pieces each, with a few orange pieces to wrap up the meal. Lunch for 2 people will run you about $15 each- which isn't bad for a sit down place with great sushi. You will be in and out in an hour or less. If in Lexington/Waltham/Burlington, this is my preferred sushi location. Dinner can get pricey when you start mixing and matching rolls and adding in sake.
(4)
Beverly L.
This place is great and I totally recommend it for sushi and Japanese food. Being in town center, it really is easy access and I totally recommend this place
(4)
Rob G.
This is a very upscale and classy sushi spot. Went for lunch on Sunday, and everything was delicious. Only disappointment, is that lunch menu is NOT offered on Sundays, so it was more expensive than we would have liked. However, quality, service, decor and taste were well worth the added expense!
(5)
Ashley D.
Park in the back lot or down Waltham street... Other than that little tip this place is standard - nothing special just a decent place to stop in for dinner or lunch. Ive had both their lunch box specials and dined from the entree menu, its alright. Staff is nice, average prices, street and off lot parking, typical Lexington prices parking and dining.
(3)
Sam F.
It pains me to write this review. I have been eating at Daikanyama for years, since it opened in fact, and it was one of my favorite restaurants -- 5 stars. In September, 2013, the restaurant closed for three weeks for remodeling. I have been back five times since the restaurant reopened, and I'm sorry to report that it is not the same - nowhere near as good and more expensive. Because of the history, I kept giving it "one more chance," but tonight was the last straw. I heard they hired a new kitchen manager at the same time they did the remodeling. Maybe s/he brought in a new fish supplier or something? In any event, I'm sorry to say we won't be going back. Time to find a new sushi spot...
(2)
Brenna R.
MY FAVORITE SUSHI RESTAURANT. Period. No, seriously. They have the best sushi! The owners are super nice...the whole staff very friendly! When you get sit down, they have a hot wash cloth for you to clean your hands. Their sushi menu is quite extensive and they are a little more expensive but you're honestly paying for quality of sushi. They always have the freshest food. I go here to "treat" myself ...because it's THAT good. Also great to go to to meet with friends etc.
(5)
Wei W.
Gasp - I've realized I forgot to take lunch with me from home. It's been a long morning at the office and now it's past 1PM. Do I want cafeteria food? The time it takes to hike up to the other building is the same as the time it takes to drive to Daikanyama for takeout . . . I reach for the phone and all of a sudden, lunch will be ready in 15 minutes for pickup. BOOYA. Thank goodness this place is so close to my office - otherwise, I don't know what I'd do with myself on those days that I'm craving sushi or a bento box. Working outside of the city is hard as it is, with the lack of dining options within walking distance. 10 minute drive? I'm down with that. The lunch specials are filling and inexpensive. The service staff are cheery and while they may not be as attentive to filling a glass of water as quickly as I'd like, they get the job done. For about $10 each, I've had the Salmon Teriyaki Bento, the Unaju Bento, the Sumo Combo with spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls, and the Makimono sushi lunch special. The fish is always fresh and everything is seasoned well. Whenever I "splurge" on these lunch specials (given the way the economy is - I'd be happy if I could spend only $5 on lunch), I always feel good after - never too hungry but not overly full. I'm even more impressed with the fact that the restaurant is run by Cantonese-Chinese people . . . those Chinese chefs make some pretty amazing sushi!
(4)
Karen M.
One of the few places to get a hearty bowl of udon soup on a winter's day in the north/west Boston suburbs, this comfortable restaurant specializes in Japanese food. They have sushi and tempura and shabu shabu, everything is fresh and beautifully presented. Portions seem large. The vibe is very zen and I think would be nice for a date night. Great service, too.
(4)
Seung K.
When we punched in the address on MapQuest to come here, it actually led us past it, about a mile away onto Marriot Rd for some reason, even though the address is Waltham St. We quickly noticed the error and turned back. I think MaqQuest was warning us and tried to steer us away. We should have listened. The price is wicked expensive for the quantity. I had Chirashi which was $24 and my wife had Don Katsu which costs $23. We enjoy Japanese food very much but for the price, we expected much better. The food tasted no different than other Japanese restaurants and the quantity was on the small side. I had total of about 5 slices of sashimi, some pickled vegetables, and half of bowl was sushi rice. My wife had a fist sized Don Katsu and she doesn't have big fists. At other Japanese places, Chirashi costs more like $18 and Don Katsu is about $17-$15. I expected for $6 more that the food would be exceptional but it really isn't any different than other places I have been to. And it definitely does not beat out our favorite, 3 Country Bistro at Woburn. At Daikanyama, I think you pay extra for the interior design. Inside, the restaurant is very clean and very well designed. It is the best interior designed Japanese restaurant that I can remember. The utensils and dinnerware are top notch. They provide chopstick holders and the soy sauce is contained in a cute porcelain. The chopsticks are not the one time disposable wooden chopsticks but the more expensive reusable ones. They even have their menu specials on a Nook (for those who don't know, a Nook is a small tablet like a Kindle). Unfortunately, while the interior design and dinnerware are exceptional, I ultimately go to restaurants for the food. Therefore, I wouldn't be going back again unless for some strange reason I desire to see some great work in interior design. I rather go elsewhere and pay a lot less for more and better food.
(2)
Elizabeth S.
Let me give you my heartfelt WELCOME to Lexington! I don't know how long you've been here, but I am mighty glad you are! Just a sampling of their menu: -pumpkin maki -lobster tempura maki -baked lobster maki and it goes on and on and on... Prices are high for Lexington! But the combinations of ingredients and flavors rival any establishment in Boston. One gripe is the chirashi wasn't large enough for an entree - for 10-12 pieces of fish, it was closer to an appetizer - but everything was delicious. I recommend!
(4)
Britt E.
So, I just ate at Daikanyama for lunch. The decor and service was really good but the food was just ok for $30!!! Chicken Bento box - Chicken was kinda tough, although the dumpling was awesome. Autumn Roll - Very good, but tiny Miso soup - tasted somewhat off I may go back again to try the Udon noodles, but I am scared.
(2)
Sasha B.
Go there for lunch every month or so. The lunch specials are very well priced but the food is so so. What you get for $15 is a huge plate of mediocre sushi and sashimi. So I guess it's a good deal. But if you're looking for amazing fish this is not the place.
(2)
Kate G.
A quintessential restaurant in a quintessential town. We had a great experience here. Loved the water fixture you see the moment you enter the door. Also loved the quality, freshness, and size of the sushi we ordered. I would go out of my way to eat sushi here, as it is much better than some of the more local restaurants I frequent. We ordered two Sake Maki (salmon), one Tekka Maki (tuna), one Alaskan Maki, one Spicy Salmon Maki, one Caterpillar Maki, and one Spicy Seafood Maki. We decided to be glutenous because we wanted to rule out what we liked best. The Sake Maki and Tekka Maki were delicious. Pretty standard, though the fish pieces were bigger than I'm accustomed to receiving. The Spicy Salmon Maki was fanastic. It was one of my favorites, though admittedly, not much different from spicy salmon you get at most above average sushi restaurants. The freshness really just made it pop. The Caterpillar Maki is comprised of eel, cucumber, tobikko, spicy mayo, and avocado. Though beautiful in appearance, I found it bland and will not include it in my next bountiful sushi splurge. The Alaskan Maki and the Spicy Seafood Maki were phenomenal. I could eat both every day for the rest of my life and be completely content (and probably have much better skin!). The Alaskan Maki is salmon, avocado, bonito flakes, and scallions. It was so delicately delectable; the salmon tasted clean and smokey, and though the scallions were minimalistic on the roll, I was happily surprised that I could taste them amidst the juxtaposed depth of more monumental flavors.The Spicy Seafood Maki, made of crab stick, shrimp, octopus, tobikko, cucumber, and spicy mayo, was delicious as well. I figured the inclusion of crab stick in this roll would have dictated mediocrity, however, the mix of seafood paired with the cucumber provided an evenness of pleasant flavor, devoid of fishiness and crab stick taste. We went around 12, and the tiny restaurant was full. We will definitely go out of our way to dine here, and inevitably binge eat again!
(4)
Julie T.
Yum! This place is more like a 4.5 (Yelp, we need this option). I recently tried Daikanyama with a couple friends and it was delicious. My dinner consisted of: - Miso Soup (standard); - Spicy Girl Maki (Fantastic! Generous portions too!); and - Salmon Sashimi (Drool. Nice thick slices and so fresh. Awesome.) I was so pleased with my meal. The restaurant itself is very cute. It's small, cozy and clean. They also have a dessert menu, hell yeah! I've been told the tofu cheesecake is a must-have but they were out when I was there. Boo. Our waitress was very sweet but a little slow (it was New Year's Eve though so I'll cut her some slack). Definitely returning though!
(4)
Emily C.
I LOVE Daikanyama! Unfortunately, I can't eat sushi, so I don't usually eat at Japanese restaurants, but this place has everything. My absolute favorite dish at Daikanyama is their Shabu Shabu for two or more. Only order this if you have a substantial amount of time to spend at the restaurant. The server will bring out a large bowl of broth with seaweed and a plate of fresh vegetables, noodles, tofu, and very thinly sliced beef. Then the server (or you) cook the ingredients right at the table and take whatever you want in your bowls and mix in your choice of sauces. It's amazing! Some of my other favorites are katsu chicken and their various ramen dishes which you can customize (noodles, broth, meat or tofu toppings). Daikanyama has great service and very friendly servers! It's one of the best restaurants in Lexington Center.
(5)
Khiem T.
5 stars. BEST sushi. Amazing staff. As an enthusiast of Japanese cuisine, I am in love with this place. From the appetizer with its tataki and fresh seafood, to the creative and delicious maki, to the fresh sashimi. Hands down. Look at the picture of the ika (squid) i uploaded. It's amazing. The beef tataki was delicious as well! I have had a lot of fine dining sushi in my life, and I think this is definitely my favorite, and it's not even in the city! I was not expecting this kind of quality in Lexington. The staff was great, the waitress was attentive and spoke perfect English in the friendliest manner. Edamame is not worth it here, I won't complain, instead hot tea is really cheap compare to other restaurants. The sushi price is just right, less expensive than Boston's and the food was just fantastic!
(5)
Teyona N.
What a gem! Prices are awesome and service is great! Soups are delicious! Sushi and sashimi is always fresh and beautifully plated and tempura veggies are perfect! If you are staying at the Aloft The Element in Lexington, MA this is less than a 5 min drive.
(5)
Kristi Y.
Lunch again, ordered the vegetable maki lunch special (3 rolls - sweet potato, cucumber & avacado) and split/shared with my sister who got the other lunch maki special. Each of us were brought out 18 pieces of sushi! The rolls were even pretty big. This of course came with soup and salad and an orange. It was a huge amount of food, and with drinks the bill was only 25 for two people - and the sushi was really good. I definitely recommend this place for lunch. The service was excellent - kept our tea & water full to the brim!
(5)
Karen M.
Overall, very good and reliable. Fresh fish. Great service. Convenient location. This is my "go-to" choice when I'm in the burbs and craving fresh fish.
(4)
Scott C.
Nice find. Thanks Yelp. Small place, efficient service. Rolls seemed well made and fish was fresh. Summer Hand Roll with Cucumber Wrap!!!!!
(4)
Nathan T.
Tasty food, great service - if you're in the mood for sushi, not a bad place to hit. Plenty of options, even for the non-sushi type. Noodle dishes for days!
(4)
Chloe H.
I've been coming to Daikanyama since they opened. Daikanyama is a good solid neighborhood place to have sushi. I'm pretty picky too. I've found consistently that the fish is fresh, flavorful and well portioned. I like to try new places but I keep coming back to Daikanyama. If you're looking for a high end sushi experience and don't mind treking into Boston then Daikanyama may not be for you. Having tried a bunch of sushi places in the area - Arlington, Lexington, Waltham, Newton, Cambridge, Allston, I consider Daikanyama to be a very strong choice.
(4)
Will G.
Figured I had to get my sushi fix early in my 3 weeks of staying in Lexington for work training. Was hoping for more from Daikanyama based on the reviews but perhaps I'm spoiled with my traditional sushi restaurant back home (Japanese sushi chef and wife owner, traditional 8 seats only at the sushi bar, amazing fish and rice, and mostly omakase and not all the maki rolls most Westerners equate to sushi). Anyway, sorry for the tangent... I sat at the sushi bar and only ordered nigiri - in my opinion the true test of a sushi restaurant. Based on the menu and reviews, it's the rolls people mostly come eat, but there did seem to be a lot of variety on the menu so take my review only on the nigiri. Well, the nigiri was okay, and fish okay, but a sushi connoisseur understands the quality of the rice really differentiates the best sushi. To me the rice was a bit hard in spots (undercooked), and not tightly enough packed (fell apart when picking up). So with that, I felt sushi was overpriced. Service was fast and friendly, but I usually order from the chefs when sitting at the sushi bar so I wanted to interact with them. Other than the standard hello nothing else. I guess the waiters/waitresses take all the orders here. I may try my luck again before I leave Lexington and will update my review if appropriate.
(2)
Meghan D.
Spicy. All of their rolls are very spicy, and I love spicy, but it would be nice if they included a few rolls that incorporated fruit with the fish to just pair it off. On the pricier side, nice wine list, but clean and open and always room to sit. Spicy Girl Maki is definitely a must to try.
(4)
David D.
Had lunch here today and the food was pretty good. I ordered the tenzaru soba and the chawanmushi. The tempura was broccoli, eggplant, shrimp, and kabocha and was light and not too oily. The soba was good as well. The only disappointment was the chawanmushi, which did not have enough flavor. Maybe not enough dashi. It also did not have ginkgo seeds. I am giving it three stars because while the food was good, cost-wise, it did seem on the high side for a relatively common Japanese fare.
(3)
Angel E. S.
What a lovely place this is. The food is amazing, the sushi rolls are delicious and creative, the waiters are kind and respectful and the decor is clean and inviting. The manager is also nice and the sake is the best!
(5)
Anna S.
Love this place. The restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly, and the sushi is fresh and well made. I'm a fan of Philadelphia Maki if it's done right, and this place does it well, with the right balance of salmon and cream cheese. Their specialty maki are very creative: I love the Fuji Maki, with tuna and apple, but everything is worth trying.
(5)
Lucy W.
I think the Yelp reviews for this place may be a little inflated. I tried Daikanama this past weekend for lunch. The sushi was ok- fish was fresh, presentation was nice but it wasn't overly excellent or fabulous. Decor and small space was serene and nicely decorated with a water fountain in the front window. Menu was large, with a lot of cooked items and weird fruit or sweet potato rolls to choose from. Though not the most expensive sushi place, it's not that great a value either. I like combos of sushi/sashimi/maki so I can easily try a bunch of different things. Daikanama has lunch combos but not on weekends- this was not advertised on their menu or website. Strike one. We were a party of 3 people and ended up ordering 2 sushi appetizers, and 3 rolls. We were still hungry- the portions are very small. Strike two. The employees are Chinese- I understood their Cantonese conversation. Not completely authentic. Strike three.
(3)
Julie S.
My favorite sushi place in the area! And lucky for me, just down the street. The wait staff is attentive and friendly, plus the extensive and creative sushi menu makes me drool! Also accommodating - they can substitute soy wrappers for seaweed, or any other substitutions you need! My favorite is the caterpillar, the spicy yellowtail and the black forest (sweet potato, eel, avocado.... amazing!) I love this place!
(5)
BONEY M.
All good things must come to end, I suppose. While I initially raved about Daikanyama as a saving grace in a town inundated in mediocre sushi, I think I've pretty much given up on the place. Over the 1 1/2 years I've been coming here, the portions have gotten smaller, the prices have increased, and overall quality of ingredients has diminished... too bad... It's still one of the better places around, but that's not saying much as most food in Boston is sub-par, to say the least...
(3)
Elizabeth M.
Decided to finally try this place out with a girlfriend on a Friday night. One word- delicious. We loved every bite. We had maki rolls to share and partook in the dragon, crazy, and spider maki. All equally amazing. The place was very busy, so be warned you could wait. We were lucky, I think we went just early enough to beat the crowd. Only down side was that we sat at a table that was just near the front desk. They used the adjoining table and the remainder of the bench near us to stack up the take out (which also looked to be extremely popular). I would recommend the management figure out a slightly better system, as it also took up a whole table on a very busy night! You need that real estate! All in all we will most definitely be back!
(4)
Mitchell P.
Went to this place for lunch today, and it was good. Had 3 rolls, spicy yellowtail, which was really good, the cherry blossom, which they said was the most popular, it was very good as well, and the oragami something roll, it had coconut and red peppers in it, that was the best one, DELICIOUS. Rolls were a lil small in side, but it was good none the less.
(4)
Jeannie H.
I don't understand the 4* rating. Daikanyama would probably get 3* in the heart of Boston but in California, it would have gone out of business a long time ago. For $40 for two, this meal had very poor value given we left hungry. ATMOSPHERE - Plain Jane but perfectly fine. SERVICE - They're strangely eager to clear the table despite there still being food on the dishes. FOOD - The menu is overwhelming with pages that are redundant (lunch menu is listed twice in different places). I am always wary of places that try to accomplish too much...it only waters down the quality. Monkfish liver - This wasn't that fresh but the vinegar and soy sauce mixture was good. Spicy tuna and seaweed salad - This was an odd dish. The tuna was mixed with panko 50/50 so the tuna was completely lost in a sea of panko. The seaweed salad was perfect fine. Udon - I appreciated that the shrimp tempura was placed on the side hence preventing tempura sogginess. The texture of the udon did not have the right "elasticity." Just a word of warning that everyone who works in the restaurant is Chinese, not Japanese. Most Japanese restaurants in the Boston area are owned by Koreans with few being Japanese so this is not entirely surprising. However, this place is more Americanized than most.
(2)
Kate F.
I'd probably give Daikanyama about a 3.5 if I was allowed, but I'm going to round down. I'm a tough grader... This place is pretty, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the menu is extensive. We ordered maki for dinner, plus my usual tamago, which I use to judge the quality of my sushi restaurants, since it's fairly simple and I can get a good feel for the rice. The rolls were a lot of fun, and quite tasty. On the recommendation of the server, we had a Fuji Maki, which included tuna, apple, and some other stuff in a 'special sauce' (that seems to be some mayo based, maybe wasabi-laced thing) and another maki that had black marlin and spicy mayo. Both were satisfying. We felt compelled to try the deep-fried tuna/cheddar roll, which was so wrong that it was somehow right -- like a glorified grown-up fish stick. I also had a maki that included sweet potato tempura, eel, eel sauce, and avocado, with roe and sesame seeds on the outside, which I loved. The shiso roll was a little over-plum-sauced for our taste. The tamago, though, revealed that the rice wasn't quite up to par with what I would consider 'perfect' sushi rice, and the temp was a little off. Plus, the nori used to hold the sushi together was all jaggedy looking. Yes, it's a small thing, but part of the point of sushi presentation is that it's aesthetically pleasing, and the little details should matter at least a bit. So, 3 'special' sorts of rolls, the fish stick roll, the shiso (which was a small roll), and two pieces of tamago ran us $50 before tip, which felt a little high to me, for the quality we got. If it had been closer to $40, I'd probably give the place four stars for the quality/price ratio, but with the Lexington context, $50 isn't surprising. I'd go back for lunch specials, to experiment with maki that I can't find elsewhere, but I can't justify more than 3.5 stars for a place that has to rely on packed rolls with sauces rather than perfect rice and presentation, at least not for this price.
(3)
Justin P.
Definitely not the best sushi- tasty but certainly not 4 stars. 3 stars is much fairer...
(3)
Maria V.
This place is solid, especially considering Lexington is... Lexington. They're working on upping the sophistication factor in the center of town and slowly succeeding, Daikanyama I feel is kind of a transitional place. It is not what I'd consider upscale dining but it's not one of those hokey suburban "fusion" places that embarrass me to eat at. (i.e. A restaurant that serves thom yum, sushi, chow fun and bibimbap is unlikely to be good at any of those). It sticks to Japanese foods popular in the states, your standard bento fare -- tempura anyone? -- and an extensive maki and sushi menu. It's solid, especially, again, for Lexington. Not a place I recommend to people to when they're visiting the Boston area and want omgamazing sushi, but a solid place if you're in Waltham or Lexington and want a good dinner.
(3)
Amie L.
Not the best, but okay. I would do take-out if I were you. Service is good, but I don't get why the host (probably the owner) is in a suit and the waitress is rocking a full out traditional Japanese kimono. Place looks like a dressed up takeout place.
(3)
Jessica B.
Best sushi in the area by leaps and bounds. The fish is always super fresh and the lunch specials on Saturday is awesome! Although dinner is a bit pricey it is worth it compared to any place in Lexington or Waltham.
(5)
David R.
This place serves some of the most delicious sushi that I've found in the greater Boston area. My faves are the yellowtail, and caterpillar, with the latter being one of, if not THE best of it's kind, in my opinion. No complaints about the staff, as they're helpful and prompt. I've only been to this place a handful of times, so I can't say with 100% confidence that it's sushi is consistently the best in the area, but the visits that I do have under my belt have Daikanyama positioning itself to take over the top spot! If they keep it up, I'll gladly bump them up to 5 stars!
(4)
Alyson G.
Yay for a lunch special that has all the rolls I want to eat. For $10, I got 6 pieces each of spicy tuna, salmon, and avocado maki, plus miso soup and salad...for take out! So awesome! Usually it's spicy tuna and crab, or all veggie rolls or some other combo I don't really want. So then I end up ordering two rolls and whining that the lunch combos never have what I'd like...until I found this place! The sushi was fresh and so yummy. It's pretty close to my office so it might just be my new fave sushi lunch spot.
(4)
Krista H.
I love it here. I come pretty much once a week for lunch with coworkers. They have a great lunch menu. The sushi is always fresh and the portions are perfect. I always get the noodle soup special. You can choose from soba, udon, ramen noodles then you can choose from your broth, and your protein. It comes out steaming hot and you always have enough leftover for dinner or a snack. Good prices, good service, and fresh food is a good enough combination for me to return.
(5)
Ilisa S.
Food tends to be decent but the small portions are overpriced. Unaccommodating staff unless they know you are going to have a big party or spend a lot. Found a hair in my food on my last visit and the offer was to replace it. A lot of hesitation before reluctantly removing the item from my bill--with no apology. I'm done. Would rather make the trip to Mr. Sushi in Arlington.
(2)
susan g.
My husband and I have our "date night" at Daikanyama; the food is really fresh and Sumi, the hostess, is friendly and nice. We love a variety of items on the menu... edamame - fresh and lightly salted; fried gyoza - delicate dough and tasty filling; crazy maki - always fresh and delicious; and spicy ramen noodle soup with chicken and vegetables - really fresh and very tasty...we always leave full and satisfied and highly recommend this Lexington restaurant.
I love, love, love Lexington and it's nicely maintained downtown area, which is SO refreshing from most of the towns in Boston. But the food choices are so disappointing. Not Your Average Joe's was the best we could find and even IT closed. We tried this sushi place and it is very average, reminded me of supermarket sushi. We went there for lunch and while I realize that lunch prices are less, the miniscule slivers of fish they placed on the rice to pass of for sushi was sad. If it were a higher quality fresh fish, I'd be more forgiving. But lower-grade quality AND less quantity makes it a 2-star for me. But...it is a very clean and pleasant looking dining room so probably good for the beginner sushi eater.
(2)
Gretchen M.
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. The setting here is beautiful....nice, light, airy feel as you walk in, and you are quickly greeted by a friendly face and seated. There is also a cool waterfall inside the glass near the front entrance that is neat and peaceful to look at. There is a small sushi bar (about 5 seats) plus a number of tables...set up mostly for two and a few tables of 6. Of course I'm sure you can ask them to push the tables together if you had a larger group or call ahead (I'm not sure if they take reservations or not. I've only gone with my fiance). Highlights of the experience: - The warm washcloth they give you to wipe your hands - The little chopstick rest and matching plates/soy sauce holder - Reasonable prices - Your water will ALWAYS be filled - Very very quick service (I've gotten served within 5 minutes or so for an order for two when it wasn't too busy) - Great sushi! Go here. You can usually find parking on the street (free after 6 pm) but there is also a parking lot behind the building.
(5)
Jb M.
after living in california for a while we got pretty spoiled when it came to sushi. we were thrilled to have found this restaurant. I cannot go a week without ordering their sushi and a must get is their cherry blossom. so delish!
(5)
Cecilia L.
After a couple more visits, I've concluded that the fish is very good and everything else not so much. Not so much = the dishwatery miso soup, the heavy tempura, the dried-out cooked meat dishes, and the uninspired teriyaki. Good = sashimi, nigiri, maki. Stick with sushi and you'll do fine here.
(3)
Cee C.
They have a $18 yakisoba.... yea right we will never be back. The place is not very nice inside and overpriced for Americanized dishes.
(1)
Ann S.
Absolutely amazing. Both my parents make sushi, so I've become 1) extremely picky and 2) extremely sick of sushi, but this place keeps me coming back for more! The idaho (?) roll...I just call it the sweet potato roll..is TO DIE FOR! The ginger is always fresh and goes along great with this type of sushi. I would also suggest the spider and caterpillar maki. I love this place.
(5)
Emily M.
We used to come more often. Now the prices are higher and the servings are smaller than they used to be.
(3)
Rei W.
Sweet potato in sushi is delicious. This place and Douzo in the Back Bay/South End are the only sushi restaurants I have been to in Boston to feature it prominently on their menu. The Black Fungus Maki sounds unappetizing but is delish, who knew sweet potato and unagi made such a great pair. Other rolls I had were the Hawaiian roll and the Daikanyama special, both just alright. Portions are on the smaller side. You get 8 pieces of regular maki rolls and 4 pieces of the special rolls. The special pieces are big and makes it awkward/impossible to eat in one bite. Service was very attentive. We came in a little early and the hostess brought us green tea to sweeten our wait.
(4)
Erin E.
This is the best Japanese food I've had since I moved to the Boston area last September. I've been here three times now, and my boyfriend and I love it so much we got his parents (who live in Lexington) to start eating here regularly. I've had their maki, sushi, miso, udon, and gyoza and never been anything other than completely (deliciously) satisfied. The last time I was here the salmon in the maki was so tasty, so melt-in-my-mouth that we had to put in an order for salmon sushi so we wouldn't waste this scrumptious opportunity. We were literally on the verge of asking where and when they got their salmon, but decided that might come off as a little creepy. Nonetheless, we savored every bite in case we get in a horrible freak accident and are never again able to eat solid food. Or something like that. It's not cheap, run-of-the-mill Japanese food. If you want something like that, well, you can find it in abundance on Allston. If you want a nice experience with friendly staff, beautiful surroundings, and amazing food, then drive on over to Daikanyama.
(5)
Stevie N.
This place is way over priced. Average food.
(1)
Nick S.
I ate here last night for dinner in the center, and it was really, really good. I don't really see what the other reviews said about no Japanese people in the restaurant; when I went, there was only one other couple who wasn't Japanese. Also, that shouldn't matter, as long as the food tastes good. I had the spicy chicken ramen - a solid choice. However, thats not where they excel. Go for the sushi! Their specialty rolls are to die for.
(4)
Tesia K.
The restaurant itself is very clean and chic. The sushi was amazing and very well crafted. The servers are very nice and quick to fulfill orders. Definitely one of the best sushi places in the Boston area!
(5)
Darren F.
Very good local sushi. All the expected sushi/maki options, done well and fresh. My wife loves the noodle soups, which will run you more than at the Porter Exchange but I think the quality is better. A traditional inviting atmosphere and very pleasant service. It can get pretty crowded on the weekend but they do takeout too!
(4)
Internet U.
Very nice place. We come here often. Pleasant staff and high quality food. One suggestion is have is to perhaps introduce a more veriety. Otherwise - 5 stars.
(5)
Jules K.
We chose this place for the convenience of location, but based on the lunch specials our party had, I would definitely call this suburban Japanese food... the other reviewers seemed to have enjoyed their maki menu, but the 4 of us had the noodle soup specials and bento boxes. It's nice that they have lunch specials on a Saturday too, and the price was ok $11-12, but the food was not something we would return for. The complementary salad was alright, though I found the vegetables a touch less than crisp fresh. The miso based hot noodle soup was ok, the ramen noodle was more or less an egg noodle rather than meet a real ramen craving. We had a tempura appetizer, which was ok.. and a seaweed salad, which tasted fine (with a random lemon wedge), but really tiny for the price. The green teas were great. But the noodles soups were a little under seasoned. The chicken bento looked a little small but the Vegetable bento had a nice presentation. The restaurant was clean, and the service seemed nice enough, but not to compete with the likes of the more popular places in Boston...
(3)
Ken S.
I've tried Daikanyama several times now in my quest for good sushi in Boston. Sadly, wishing will not make it so. Most of the varieties had the indistinct flavor and telltale soggy texture of frozen farm fish, and the man behind the bar applies roughly double the proper quantity of rice per bite. There oughta be a law! Staff are very nice, and decor is pretty, but look around: there are no Japanese customers despite the sizable Japanese ex-pat population living in and around Lexington. Word traveled fast.
(2)
Cenk S.
I was staying at the Aloft nearby and just made it 20 min before closing. The proximity to the hotel was a big plus. The hosts are polite and gracious, although their kimono attires looked costume-ish and likely meant to impress suburbanites rather than inspire an authentic experience. I had the Obachama Maki (spicy tuna, salmon topped with yellow roe) which was tangy, citrusy and goddang tasty- not to mention fairly priced at $8.95. The Cherry Blossom roll was artfully arranged with a small pile of seaweed in the center- not bad for $12.95. The portions were reasonable and the seafood of reasonable quality. Their nigori sake selection can certainly be expanded (n=1, regular ShoChikuBai). I am docking one star since they could not serve me green tea due to "broken hot water"... I guess there's a first time for everything!
(3)
Rob R.
We found this restaurant on Yelp on my phone when we were looking for lunch in the Lexington area. We really enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere, service was polite and attentive. It's a HUGE menu...so a little hard to choose. Lots and lots and lots of Maki choices. I had a cajun tuna tataki...it was awesome with radish and some onion...great combo. The miso soup was just OK. The sushi and sashimi was fresh and really good. We'd go here again for sure. The only down side I see is that it's pricey.
(4)
Ben R.
I have been to a lot of sushi places, but this joint is definitely the best. It is also the first GREAT restaurant in Lexington. The sushi menu is so large and diverse it amazed me. I have in Lexington most of my life and everything about this restaurant smacked of excellent. 5 Stars.
(5)
Cheryl D.
This is a beautiful little restaurant. New, clean wood for the tables, floors and chairs (with seat cushions, of course), and little decorative window. There's even a modern sort of waterfall, a line of curvy bamboo plants, Japanese-looking paintings, and an impressive vase of lilies on the front desk area. We had attentive servers, but my husband and I were having lunch at 2:30 or so, not really the restaurant rush time. The menu had an impressive selection, with a few pages of sushi, a page of appetizers, as well as dinner entrees, a noodle section, short soup and salad sections (I never expect to find a selection of soups and salads at Japanese restaurants), and even a nabeyaki section, I think, and then a subset of that repeated under lunch specials. Speaking of which, I highly recommend the lunch specials . . . great value. Now, the food was good, but this would not rank as one of my favorite Japanese places in the Boston area. I have a preference for more traditional Japanese food, and I feel like this place is slightly modern (but not to the extent of New Ginza). The sushi menu had some creative sounding items, and my husband's spicy soup broth was a great-tasting departure from the ordinary, but I wish my plain soy sauce broth were more . . . traditional. The tenpura was a little oily too. I would definitely go back to try more of their menu items.
(4)
Han K.
Of any sushi places in the area, this is by a mile my favorite. The whole place from the design of the restaurant, to the servers, to the actual sushi itself are all top notch. It's a bit on the pricey side, but with sushi you get what you pay for and the quality is just as good as any of the top places in metro Boston.
(4)
Dave S.
The sushi here is absolutely amazing. We come here for dinner as a special treat. Fresh, inventive and tasty. I love that the sushi offerings take several pages of the menu. The other entrees are always very hot, fresh and yummy, including the tempura and yakisoba. Chicken teriyaki is kind of avg. tho. Great sake menu as well and the staff is super friendly.
(4)
Alec Y.
i don't think i've ever eaten here for dinner, but lunch is great. they have a great deals on lunch. i love their noodle soup menu. they have this thing for around 9 dollars that lets you choose your meat, your soup base, and your type of noodles. they also have the best sushi around in lexington and the place is super well decorated. it's not tacky, and its very elegant. the waitresses all wear kimono's which i kind of funny since i don't think any of them are actually japanese. the only thing i have a problem with is just it's inaccessibility at night. it's really expensive when it comes to dinner sushi and for most people like me (student), it's a little pricey.
(4)
Jessica D.
Love the hotpots (cant remember the actual name)... Food is fresh and cute little place. Prices are average.
(4)
Christie L.
We went here on a Saturday night around 530pm. We were the first ones in and it was a great atmosphere. We loved the waterfall and the plates. I ordered the Nigiri Deluxe (about $24) and my bf ordered the Sushi Sashimi Combo (about $32). We also ordered the B62 roll (about $9). Let me tell you they have AWESOME presentation. The combo was great - not just sushi and sashimi (salmon, tuna, yellowtail, red snapper, octopus, etc), but a little squid salad, lobster cut up in the shell with rice, little salmon and crab stick rolls, a tuna roll - best presentation we've had in a sushi place. His octopus was actually good and was the first time it hasn't been rubbery. My dish came out on a boat which was suprising (just an fyi since a former reviewer mentioned the 'boat' he was going to order had nothing on it when he saw another table get it - that's because sometimes smaller dishes come out on boats too). Mine had tuna, salmon, tobiko, yellowtail (my fav!!!), red snapper, and eel. It also had a tuna roll. We ordered the B62 roll b/c we were in the mood for crunch and it said it had double tempura, but it was pretty bland to us and didn't have crunch we hoped for. But overall, a great meal and we will definitely go back!
(5)
Sara C.
Their sushi was good, I liked the sweet potato in a lot of them. But I'd say that's their specialty. We had a noodle dish, and the noddles were overcooked. The menu described them as stir fried, and I seriously doubt that. Pricey sushi, probably wouldn't go back.
(3)
David I.
The best house salad I have ever had - anywhere! Nice greens without any iceberg lettuce and a delicious ginger dressing. Spicy lobster soup is great on a cool day, and all of the sushi choices are excellent!!
(5)
Chinwe N.
Great price and HUGE menu. The philly roll left me breathless and the dragon roll made me fall in love. I've been thinking about it since...until we meet again lover.....
(5)
Alyssa G.
Daikanyama is definitely the best Sushi in the Lexington/Arlington/Belmont/Waltham area. The owner is very knowledgeable about the menu, and happy to talk about the new recipes she's planning to try out. The specials are always adventures. Our favorites include the spicy tuna tartare, and the unusual salads. This is also my culinarily-sophisticated daughter's favorite, so I have to disagree with the "not good for kids" statement. It's great for kids who love sushi adventures...and whose parents are prepared to "pay" a bit extra for them.
(5)
Terry T.
Average sushi, best we could find in Lexington, but if you're looking for speedy service, do NOT order any of the noodle soup dishes. The sushi is alright, though whenever I order the udon it takes 20-30 min for it to come out. Not sure if this is due to the small kitchen they have, but it's happened twice to me, and once to another co-worker so it's definitely not a fluke. That said, if you're craving sushi this is the place we go to for lunch at work, but if you're looking for hot dishes with a side of sushi, Dabin (just on the other side of the block) is a better pick
(3)
Wesley M.
Nice local restaurant in lexington, not great for large parties, but sushi is fresh and service is terrific. 5 stars for the hard working family.
(5)
Emily C.
SO GOOD. This place is like the illegitimate child of the Sudbury/Brookline (Coolidge Corner)'s Fugakyu (literally speaking, business-wise). The menu is almost exactly the same as it's removed parents -- extensive (talking about 10 pages.. no joke) and yummy! It is very small, quaint, plain and simply decorated. It has a very crisp, fresh feel to it. This place also still makes things that are no longer available on the Fugakyu menu. The appetizers are my ABSOLUTE favs. You MUST MUST must MUST get the following: Hotate Kaiyaki, which is baked scallop, crab stick tobikko, spicy mayo and melted cheese on a large clam shell. It is a bit spicy but SO SO good. Sake Aburi -- torched salmon on top of crab stick, avocado, shitake mushroom & mayo. Topped with eel sauce & scallion. It's served a bit chilled and is like a refined japanese version of a seafood salad. Unagi Sandwich -- eel in eel sauce sandwiched with tempura sweet potato i've given these recommendations to many friends and they ALL absolutely loved them! I promise you will not be disappointed!!! As for the sushi, the presentation is beautiful and the fish is so so fresh and is the type that melts in your mouth. One of my sushi foodie friends who loves fatty white tuna agrees with me that Daikanyama has probably the best fatty white tuna in Boston. Also, the dessert is quite good as well! The cakes taste and look like Finale cakes and the red bean ice cream is REALLY GOOD. i never liked red bean but it really is amazing here. The service is great. There's this waiter that has thick black glasses, petit, and kind of big spiked hair who is really quirky and fun and nice. Gives great recommendations. There is a public parking lot right behind the place and you can enter through the back as well. The meters go until 8pm (unlike cambridge and boston!) so don't forget to pay! Yes, as a college student, I wouldn't spend this much money on the food but I frequent here with my parents and family friends often so i indulge in not having to pick up the check. However, if you asked me to pick up the bill, I'd try and suggest the pizza joint, Uppercrust next door.
(5)
Geni B.
incredible sushi. never seen anything like it. we got banana sushi wrapped in fried chicken strips...it sounds insane but it was delicious. they had fruit sushi and pumpkin sushi and of course all the traditional varieties as well. i got fried ouster sushi. pricey but not too bad. would absolutely go back again.
(5)
Andrea F.
Fantastic place with a great menu and friendly service. The waiter recommended some unusual things for me to try and answered all of my questions. No complaints.
(5)
Erin B.
This place was SO good! I am super excited that there's awesome sushi close to home. They had an excellent selection of tasty and creative rolls. The few that we tried were awesome and I definitely want to go back and try the rest of their menu. Prices were typical and there's also a really good atmosphere and friendly service. Definitely worth a try!
(5)
Eva B.
I have only eaten here once, but from my experience I can say that this is definitely not the best sushi restaurant out there (especially in Lexington). I found the sushi to not be authentic enough for my taste. Everything seemed to contain massive amounts of panko bread crumbs (used for frying things tempura style). These truly made everything taste practically the same. I did not enough it very much, but I will update once I experience this restaurant more thoroughly.
(3)
Peter M.
One of my favorites in the area! Great food, really nice owners and waiters, too. We go there about 1x/week!
(5)
Sam S.
Very good, very fresh sushi. Comparable to favorites in boston and surrounding area. Attentive service. If you're in lexington, its the best available.
(4)
David C.
love this place, here at least once every week or two, amazing food, outstanding service and very comfortable and pleasant atmosphere, replete with easy parking - and their green tea is excellent!
(5)
N O.
I have always had a great meal there. There Bento Box lunch specials are great. Lots of food for the price. GREAT SUSHI!!!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Karen Y.
sometimes it's nice to get out of the office and have a meal outside of the office. the sushi and sashimi lunch combo is a more than i would like to pay for an everyday lunch, but for something out of the ordinary it's an excellent value for what you get. $18 for salad, soup, a gyoza, a shu mai, some greens, 6 slices of sashimi, 6 negiri pieces and a tuna roll. my experiences so far in MA with sushi is that the fish is always at least decent if not very good, but the rice is not always right. the rice in my negiri and roll at daikanyama was just right. negiri was just the right size for a big bite, but not a chipmunk face. some pieces had a generous swipe of wasabi. fish quality was excellent, especially the salmon sashimi was buttery. the side dishes are not skimped in quality either; the salad was fresh with a light ginger dressing and the dumplings not overly fried. definite repeat for having special lunches with coworkers, or a meal if i am every up this way outside of work.
(4)Jimmy B.
Delicious. Absolutely one of the best sushi in the Greater Boston area. Definitely don't go in expecting a cheap sushi joint - this place is legit and places emphasis in the art of sushi, referencing how Japanese sushi chefs would put care into their creations. And although their maki rolls are impressive and looks gorgeous, my review will be tailored more on sashimi and nigri, a more common staple in Japanese culture. Let me break it down into the points that matter, based on the Daikanyama Platter we ordered (33+ assorted pieces): 1) Rice. Room temperature, with a perfect blend of stickiness and form. Lightly seasoned with vinegar, they do sushi rice justice. In addition, their nigiri (raw fish on pieces of rice) are not overly heavy and is a perfect portion. 2) Fish. For the nigiri, they are thinly cut, which is a good thing as nigiri should be eaten with one bite anyways and complements the modest portion of rice underneath. For sashimi, they are generous portions, professional cut. All of the fish were extremely fresh, and depending on what type of fish, was prepared in near perfection. The salmon sashimi for example was creamy (in a good way), sweet and tender. The fish, which was slightly chilled, could have been more fresh by being lowered a few more degrees into room temperature. The more common cold sashimi you find in most other places, on the contrary, is NOT good - that means the fish has been frozen and was just recently defrosted, and can ruin the experience for diners more inclined to true Japanese preparation. 3) Condiments. The wasabi was good - I don't have a particular taste to differentiate quality wasabi against store-bought, but I believe they use real wasabi vs horseradish of the more generic sushi stores. However, what was real impressive was the fact they put a dab of wasabi in between the fish and the rice on the nigiri. Genius - this is the way they're supposed to be prepared and is a staple step in Japan. However, this was one of the first places in America that I've noticed that this was done - trust me, it makes a pleasant difference. The soy sauce was also very delicious - not a standard run-of-the-mill soy sauce you can buy in bulk but that of the more expensive variety. Overall, the experience was great. The restaurant is also very beautiful, decked out in traditional Japanese themes like a tranquil waterfall window by the inside entrance, wooden soup bowls, and an overall peaceful ambiance. Plus, they give you complimentary edamame - bold move!
(5)Gigi D.
Sushi or Pizza? That's like choosing your favorite dog! (My family does not have kids).... Lexington clearly knows that making such a decision is 100% impossible, which is why this sushi restaurant is right next door to Upper Crust Pizza! I went in solely for sushi because I don't have a "sweet tooth" I have a "sushi tooth" and let's just say, my tooth was EXTREMELY satisfied! I ordered Anago, Unagi & Salmon Skin Handrolls, along with grilled Hamachi Kama and a sashimi dinner! Even NEMO would have chowed down! The Hamachi Kama was HUGE and the hand rolls were tasty too (however not as generous as my sushi loves in LA)... The sashimi was also on point, tasting extremely fresh! Others in my party ordered some sushi rolls and they were equally as happy! They put the rolls on their pizza, ha! So why minus one star? Well, they could only do 2 salmon skin handrolls (I initially ordered 4) and what they gave me was a bit burnt... Of course I ate them though, no food goes left wasted for me! That's probably the only reason why a star was taken off, because the service was great, the decor was classic and those hamachi kamas.... Ohhhhhh those hamachi kamas!
(4)Dana S.
I like it here . On the two times I've been here, we are the only non-Asian people in the restaurant. I don't know if that's good or bad? The food is good. I like their sushi. The staff is attentive and sweet. The prices are reasonable. It's a good place to go. I hate the parking situation though.
(4)S S.
Excellent sushi! Very fresh. Great servers and staff. Super clean and chic. Parking is good too - front and back entrance. Wide selection of food not just sushi. Also a wide selection of wine. Perfect for a date.
(5)Patrick H.
The perfect post deCordova Sculpture park stop... Daikanyama (the name is actually bigger than the whole restaurant) offers a generous Sashimi lunch special, consisting of miso soup, ginger salad, gyoza & shumai (1 each) and plate of sashimi for $15. Nothing out of the ordinary here, but a good value and good quality. I would bump them that extra half star if I could.
(3)Viveka Z.
Unique selection of sushi rolls. Delicious high quality ingredients. Fast friendly service. Excellent sake list.
(5)Lyndsey C.
In a cute little historic area, not a huge place but nicely lit. I can imagine that if they get busy they fill quickly, small sushi bar. The hostess wasn't very pleasant and didn't speak English very well so when we asked a question she wasn't very nice or helpful, but our waitress was very nice and the sushi was very fresh and yummy. We did a couple of appetizers from the sushi bar and they were very fresh and great flavor.
(4)Amanda G.
Yum. Just yum. Nice place; small and intimate with a more high-end menu and modern decor. Decent prices too- overall a fun place for a girls/date night. Service was a little spotty, but I was a foursome with 2 teenagers and we didn't order alcohol- I think we were a bit lower on the waitress's priority list. Not good form, but won't deter me from giving it another try. Teenagers don't recommend the fried banana and ice cream dessert ;)
(4)Joseph P.
Great food had Dragon Roll, Chicken Katsu Donburri and Philly Roll. Was as they say in MA Wicked Awesome !!
(5)Jeffrey A.
Don't judge a book by its cover. I went here based on reviews and was very disappointed. Visually they looked very nice. Clean, welcoming, and friendly. I ordered beef ramen with miso broth. It looked great when it came out. The broth was decent but the veggies were rubbery and the noodles tasted poor. Furthermore, there was very minimal noodles and 5 small pieces of tough beef. To top all this off it was fairly expensive for what it was. Every expectation I had of this place fell short. Honestly, would probably not come here again.
(2)Mike D.
This place is fantastic. The sushi is very inventive and super fresh. The only negative I would contribute is that you need to be prepared to spend a lot of money. I went twice in one week and it was $100 both times for 2 people without alcohol. There isn't a lot of 'value' in eating here but if you are craving super fresh sushi and you are in the area, you should definitely stop in! P.S. The Hawaiian Maki was the crowd favorite!
(4)Kenneth P.
Traveling on business, been here since Monday and have been eating sushi/sashimi everyday for dinner. 1st place I went to in Franklin, MA was not too bad, but the maki rolls weren't what I expected. Went to Sato 2 on tue, sashimi was on point however interior just didn't suit the place. Craving for better rolls, found this place on yelp. 1st off, street metered parking closer to the restaurant; .25 for an hour. Interior is very nice, very simple but clean and a nice ambience. This is the 1st place this week that has given me a hot towel before the meal. Service was great, even took the paper off the chopsticks for me. Had the caterpillar, cherry and tuna lover maki. Tuna lover maki was exactly what I was looking for, spicy tuna inside and tuna sashimi on top mmmmm.
(4)Katy L.
Decent "Japanese" food in this Chinese-owned and Chinese-operated restaurant. Presentation was perfect and foods were good, nothing was quite perfect but I would return if I found myself in the area. Menu was obviously written for Americans and kind of funny with its inaccuracies but it was vast and I have no complaint. It was a little difficult communicating with the staff that spoke neither english well or a bit of japanese but in the end we managed just fine.
(3)Beth M.
So I'm shocked. I called to order from the place I usually highly regard and order from regularly and they said " sorry our kitchen closes at 9. I said its 8:42. They said, well we take our last orders at 8:40." What a shame. They've lost their touch.
(1)Linda V.
Great lunch bento! The portion size was perfect. I got the steak teriyaki, which comes with rice, shumai, gyoza, miso soup, salad, pickled carrots, and a little spinach. Amazing dressing. Everything in the bento was delicious! Best takeout I've ever had. Impressive bento takeout box. It looks like a nice restaurant too. I need to try more of their sushi. Will have to dine in sometime soon! Minus one star because it is a little bit pricey.
(4)David T.
A wonderful little sushi restaurant in lexington center. I love their food, the service and the ambiance. They also do an excellent job of packing takeout, which many sushi restaurants are terrible at. They use quality packing, sturdy containers and bags and even provide plastic wasabi and soy mixing bowls for your nigiri and sashimi orders. I also recently discovered that they have a picture based Android tablet menu with a whole range of enticing additional items that are not on the website or the paper menu. Make sure you don't miss this, as some of their best items are on the tablet only.
(5)Christine J.
yuck, sorry but Chinese owned sushi restaurants are NEVER good. I just don't trust it and I always turn out to be right when I do go to one. Came here for lunch with a friend and ordered Tuna sashimi salad (i think) and the tuna came out FROZEN. just gross... Had to send it back.. Are you serious?? Won't even go into the reviews for other items. That alone should stall you from going. If you really like sushi, you would not come here.
(1)Manfred S.
Okay - it is far from perfect and not so Japanese, but there are not so many places where I can get toro sashimi consistently good (and at those prices it better be). I was very happy with the cold soba too.
(4)Christian H.
Easily hands down one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to in a while. I've come through Lexington several times and found out recently this place was just tucked away right off the main drag. We just randomly found it when my folks were in town (my mom is Japanese and was hankering for some Japanese food). We had just been to the DeCordova Sculpture Park in Lincoln (So awesome. Check it out) and wanted to find a place for lunch. Daikanyama came up. It was definitely a smaller place, but it was packed. This was the place to try, it seemed. The sushi was really fantastic. Fresh ingredients all over. The seaweed salad was great. The lunch portions (including a sushi sampler and teriyaki salmon) were perfect and very tasty. The staff was also very friendly and the service was awesome. I am sure that I will return in the future to try other things, as everything was spot-on for this place. So delicious and so awesome. Check it out.
(5)Matt T.
Really great sushi place. I am sure they have more than that, but that's what I came for. I live by the coast and have the sushi bar set pretty high. But the food quality, presentation and price range was definitely worth posting about. Give this place a shot if you are nearby.
(4)Adam L.
Quality decor, swift service, and excellent quality sushi. I come from NYC, and the sushi easily rivals some of the best sushi I would find in there. Highly Recommend.
(5)steve b.
Excellent menu well executed. Katsu pork Fried to perfection with white rice, ginger dressing on salad, and well balanced miso soup. Service was prompt and friendly. Sushi menu looked extensive. Next time!
(5)T G.
Very very good sushi. Ingredients were fresh and you could taste the freshness with each bite. I will be back! Oh and our waitress a sweety
(5)Shelly K.
Just got back from Daikanyama and it was awesome! The sushi was fresh and delicious. The menu is extensive and has dishes including Udon soups, hot pot and noodle dishes. The service was excellent. The interior was modern and clean. We are new to the area and certainly plan to come back!
(5)Konstantin K.
Delisious sushi and miso as everywhere but its too expensive for those servings.After i left the place the waitress run after me asking me for tip.Dont like that.2.5 stars.
(3)Kiki P.
Daikanyama has pretty legit sushi. I have tried the spicy tuna maki, philadelphia maki and the baked scallop maki. All of which were delicious. The menu has several unique combinations to choose from. The spicy tuna maki is the best bang for your buck. The portion of tuna inside is rather generous and the roll is filling. The philadelphia maki contains smoked salmon and cream cheese. The salmon pieces were very small so this roll is not as filling. The baked scallop maki contains avocado and some other vegetables and is topped with cooked scallops. This was my favorite. However I think it would have tasted better with tuna or salmon inside with the avocado. Regardless, I would order it again. I will certainly be returning to Daikanyama for sushi in the future
(4)Monica B.
This place has one of the best sushi rolls I've had in the area. If only parking wasn't a B!=tch during lunch time I'd go here more often... nuff said :-)
(5)David L.
Daikanayama is your typical Chinese-owned/operated Japanese Restaurant in the sleepy 'burbs. It has appeal for most people who think 1.) Asia is a single country, 2.) Think all Asians are Chinese, 3.) And/or refer to Asians as "Orientals" (We are not rugs). The food and service are A-OK...the menu has nothing differentiated or remotely special, but for us the consistency is laudable. The restaurant is conveniently located in the heart of Lexington Center, which is a five minute drive/15 minute walk for us. Daikanyama brings some much needed "diversification" to the Lexington restaurant scene - it's neatly situated between a lauded Italian takeout eatery, a pizza joint that's attracted some bad press/publicity, and an uninspiring hibachi restaurant. Not surprisingly, the restaurant is also adjacent to a bank...not just any bank, but Citibank aka Sh*ttybank. The collective U.S. taxpayer base says "You're Welcome" for the bailout by the way. Enjoy those ungodly 2013 bonuses. The number of banks in close proximity to each other in Lexington Center sticks out like an unwanted tattoo.
(3)LaiSun K.
It was an average Japanese restaurant that seems to be owned and run by non-Japanese people with menu at a higher price range. We had a sushi and sashimi platter, a fried udon noodle (for our young daughter), miso soup and a variety of fancy rolls that I cannot remember the names of. The service was very attentive and food came out quickly but the food is not good enough for me to return.
(3)J C.
The first time I was here, I had some buckwheat soba noodles in a miso broth with slices of duck. The duck was pretty good, and not overcooked at all, even after having sat in the broth for a while as the meal continued. Also tried the Salmon and Unagi nigiri sushis. The Unagi was standard, and the salmon was above average. Edamame was standard. The second time I was here, I had the Sashimi Lunch, House Sake, and Black Forest Maki roll. The Sashimi lunch had three pieces of salmon, two pieces of maguro tuna, two pieces of mackarel, two pieces of yellowtail, and two rolls made out of imitation crab and cucumber wrapped in seaweed. Pretty standard fish. The tuna was lacking in taste. The Black Forest Maki had a nice contrast of crunchy tempura against the mushiness of the sweet potato. I didn't really get any sweetness from the sweet potato since the Unagi sauce basically overpowered everything. The house sake was rather sour, even for a house sake.
(3)Yow-Bang W.
A great Japanese restaurant in every aspect, not to mention the deliciousness and creativity of their maki often blows me away (in a good direction). No it's not really an authentic Japanese restaurant, but that doesn't bother me since the decoration and atmosphere is delicate enough for such price.
(5)Yoon C.
What on Earth are these reviewers raving about? The food is so-so. First of all, Daikanyama, like a zillion others, are Chinese-run Japanese restaurants. They are, as far as I'm concerned, more or less the same, and a notch above the chinese buffets. Same gaudy rolls that's just different combination of same ingredients rolled with rice and seaweed. If I were Japanese, I'd take offense to it, just as the Chinese would take offense to take-out Chinese food. The prices are high for mediocre food. And the ramen?!? Holy cow--$15 for a bowl. Miso ramen is basically packaged ramen noodles with the miso soup that you would get with your entree. You want ramen, go to Sapporo Ramen in Porter Exchange and you'll get a real bowl of Japanese ramen for less than $10. I mean, REAL. If you order katsu, if you get sauce that tastes mildly familiar, it's because it is your basic apple sauce, with some plum sauce and soy sauce mixed in. They do great business here, but that's more about the right location and lack of competition in the area.
(1)Lily Z.
I don't want to give this a bad review, cause my friend works here, and I work at Dabin, but the sushi is so overpriced, for average quality sushi...the meals are also just so expensive, and so I just don't go there anymore =(
(3)Kerri Y.
True, as other reviews state, it is a bit expensive, but do you really want cheap sushi? I've been here a number of times and the sushi is always pretty great. The lunch menu is quite a deal, they give you so much food you are ready to burst. The Makimono or Vegetable Sushi special come with miso, salad, 3 rolls- 6 pieces each, with a few orange pieces to wrap up the meal. Lunch for 2 people will run you about $15 each- which isn't bad for a sit down place with great sushi. You will be in and out in an hour or less. If in Lexington/Waltham/Burlington, this is my preferred sushi location. Dinner can get pricey when you start mixing and matching rolls and adding in sake.
(4)Beverly L.
This place is great and I totally recommend it for sushi and Japanese food. Being in town center, it really is easy access and I totally recommend this place
(4)Rob G.
This is a very upscale and classy sushi spot. Went for lunch on Sunday, and everything was delicious. Only disappointment, is that lunch menu is NOT offered on Sundays, so it was more expensive than we would have liked. However, quality, service, decor and taste were well worth the added expense!
(5)Ashley D.
Park in the back lot or down Waltham street... Other than that little tip this place is standard - nothing special just a decent place to stop in for dinner or lunch. Ive had both their lunch box specials and dined from the entree menu, its alright. Staff is nice, average prices, street and off lot parking, typical Lexington prices parking and dining.
(3)Sam F.
It pains me to write this review. I have been eating at Daikanyama for years, since it opened in fact, and it was one of my favorite restaurants -- 5 stars. In September, 2013, the restaurant closed for three weeks for remodeling. I have been back five times since the restaurant reopened, and I'm sorry to report that it is not the same - nowhere near as good and more expensive. Because of the history, I kept giving it "one more chance," but tonight was the last straw. I heard they hired a new kitchen manager at the same time they did the remodeling. Maybe s/he brought in a new fish supplier or something? In any event, I'm sorry to say we won't be going back. Time to find a new sushi spot...
(2)Brenna R.
MY FAVORITE SUSHI RESTAURANT. Period. No, seriously. They have the best sushi! The owners are super nice...the whole staff very friendly! When you get sit down, they have a hot wash cloth for you to clean your hands. Their sushi menu is quite extensive and they are a little more expensive but you're honestly paying for quality of sushi. They always have the freshest food. I go here to "treat" myself ...because it's THAT good. Also great to go to to meet with friends etc.
(5)Wei W.
Gasp - I've realized I forgot to take lunch with me from home. It's been a long morning at the office and now it's past 1PM. Do I want cafeteria food? The time it takes to hike up to the other building is the same as the time it takes to drive to Daikanyama for takeout . . . I reach for the phone and all of a sudden, lunch will be ready in 15 minutes for pickup. BOOYA. Thank goodness this place is so close to my office - otherwise, I don't know what I'd do with myself on those days that I'm craving sushi or a bento box. Working outside of the city is hard as it is, with the lack of dining options within walking distance. 10 minute drive? I'm down with that. The lunch specials are filling and inexpensive. The service staff are cheery and while they may not be as attentive to filling a glass of water as quickly as I'd like, they get the job done. For about $10 each, I've had the Salmon Teriyaki Bento, the Unaju Bento, the Sumo Combo with spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls, and the Makimono sushi lunch special. The fish is always fresh and everything is seasoned well. Whenever I "splurge" on these lunch specials (given the way the economy is - I'd be happy if I could spend only $5 on lunch), I always feel good after - never too hungry but not overly full. I'm even more impressed with the fact that the restaurant is run by Cantonese-Chinese people . . . those Chinese chefs make some pretty amazing sushi!
(4)Karen M.
One of the few places to get a hearty bowl of udon soup on a winter's day in the north/west Boston suburbs, this comfortable restaurant specializes in Japanese food. They have sushi and tempura and shabu shabu, everything is fresh and beautifully presented. Portions seem large. The vibe is very zen and I think would be nice for a date night. Great service, too.
(4)Seung K.
When we punched in the address on MapQuest to come here, it actually led us past it, about a mile away onto Marriot Rd for some reason, even though the address is Waltham St. We quickly noticed the error and turned back. I think MaqQuest was warning us and tried to steer us away. We should have listened. The price is wicked expensive for the quantity. I had Chirashi which was $24 and my wife had Don Katsu which costs $23. We enjoy Japanese food very much but for the price, we expected much better. The food tasted no different than other Japanese restaurants and the quantity was on the small side. I had total of about 5 slices of sashimi, some pickled vegetables, and half of bowl was sushi rice. My wife had a fist sized Don Katsu and she doesn't have big fists. At other Japanese places, Chirashi costs more like $18 and Don Katsu is about $17-$15. I expected for $6 more that the food would be exceptional but it really isn't any different than other places I have been to. And it definitely does not beat out our favorite, 3 Country Bistro at Woburn. At Daikanyama, I think you pay extra for the interior design. Inside, the restaurant is very clean and very well designed. It is the best interior designed Japanese restaurant that I can remember. The utensils and dinnerware are top notch. They provide chopstick holders and the soy sauce is contained in a cute porcelain. The chopsticks are not the one time disposable wooden chopsticks but the more expensive reusable ones. They even have their menu specials on a Nook (for those who don't know, a Nook is a small tablet like a Kindle). Unfortunately, while the interior design and dinnerware are exceptional, I ultimately go to restaurants for the food. Therefore, I wouldn't be going back again unless for some strange reason I desire to see some great work in interior design. I rather go elsewhere and pay a lot less for more and better food.
(2)Elizabeth S.
Let me give you my heartfelt WELCOME to Lexington! I don't know how long you've been here, but I am mighty glad you are! Just a sampling of their menu: -pumpkin maki -lobster tempura maki -baked lobster maki and it goes on and on and on... Prices are high for Lexington! But the combinations of ingredients and flavors rival any establishment in Boston. One gripe is the chirashi wasn't large enough for an entree - for 10-12 pieces of fish, it was closer to an appetizer - but everything was delicious. I recommend!
(4)Britt E.
So, I just ate at Daikanyama for lunch. The decor and service was really good but the food was just ok for $30!!! Chicken Bento box - Chicken was kinda tough, although the dumpling was awesome. Autumn Roll - Very good, but tiny Miso soup - tasted somewhat off I may go back again to try the Udon noodles, but I am scared.
(2)Sasha B.
Go there for lunch every month or so. The lunch specials are very well priced but the food is so so. What you get for $15 is a huge plate of mediocre sushi and sashimi. So I guess it's a good deal. But if you're looking for amazing fish this is not the place.
(2)Kate G.
A quintessential restaurant in a quintessential town. We had a great experience here. Loved the water fixture you see the moment you enter the door. Also loved the quality, freshness, and size of the sushi we ordered. I would go out of my way to eat sushi here, as it is much better than some of the more local restaurants I frequent. We ordered two Sake Maki (salmon), one Tekka Maki (tuna), one Alaskan Maki, one Spicy Salmon Maki, one Caterpillar Maki, and one Spicy Seafood Maki. We decided to be glutenous because we wanted to rule out what we liked best. The Sake Maki and Tekka Maki were delicious. Pretty standard, though the fish pieces were bigger than I'm accustomed to receiving. The Spicy Salmon Maki was fanastic. It was one of my favorites, though admittedly, not much different from spicy salmon you get at most above average sushi restaurants. The freshness really just made it pop. The Caterpillar Maki is comprised of eel, cucumber, tobikko, spicy mayo, and avocado. Though beautiful in appearance, I found it bland and will not include it in my next bountiful sushi splurge. The Alaskan Maki and the Spicy Seafood Maki were phenomenal. I could eat both every day for the rest of my life and be completely content (and probably have much better skin!). The Alaskan Maki is salmon, avocado, bonito flakes, and scallions. It was so delicately delectable; the salmon tasted clean and smokey, and though the scallions were minimalistic on the roll, I was happily surprised that I could taste them amidst the juxtaposed depth of more monumental flavors.The Spicy Seafood Maki, made of crab stick, shrimp, octopus, tobikko, cucumber, and spicy mayo, was delicious as well. I figured the inclusion of crab stick in this roll would have dictated mediocrity, however, the mix of seafood paired with the cucumber provided an evenness of pleasant flavor, devoid of fishiness and crab stick taste. We went around 12, and the tiny restaurant was full. We will definitely go out of our way to dine here, and inevitably binge eat again!
(4)Julie T.
Yum! This place is more like a 4.5 (Yelp, we need this option). I recently tried Daikanyama with a couple friends and it was delicious. My dinner consisted of: - Miso Soup (standard); - Spicy Girl Maki (Fantastic! Generous portions too!); and - Salmon Sashimi (Drool. Nice thick slices and so fresh. Awesome.) I was so pleased with my meal. The restaurant itself is very cute. It's small, cozy and clean. They also have a dessert menu, hell yeah! I've been told the tofu cheesecake is a must-have but they were out when I was there. Boo. Our waitress was very sweet but a little slow (it was New Year's Eve though so I'll cut her some slack). Definitely returning though!
(4)Emily C.
I LOVE Daikanyama! Unfortunately, I can't eat sushi, so I don't usually eat at Japanese restaurants, but this place has everything. My absolute favorite dish at Daikanyama is their Shabu Shabu for two or more. Only order this if you have a substantial amount of time to spend at the restaurant. The server will bring out a large bowl of broth with seaweed and a plate of fresh vegetables, noodles, tofu, and very thinly sliced beef. Then the server (or you) cook the ingredients right at the table and take whatever you want in your bowls and mix in your choice of sauces. It's amazing! Some of my other favorites are katsu chicken and their various ramen dishes which you can customize (noodles, broth, meat or tofu toppings). Daikanyama has great service and very friendly servers! It's one of the best restaurants in Lexington Center.
(5)Khiem T.
5 stars. BEST sushi. Amazing staff. As an enthusiast of Japanese cuisine, I am in love with this place. From the appetizer with its tataki and fresh seafood, to the creative and delicious maki, to the fresh sashimi. Hands down. Look at the picture of the ika (squid) i uploaded. It's amazing. The beef tataki was delicious as well! I have had a lot of fine dining sushi in my life, and I think this is definitely my favorite, and it's not even in the city! I was not expecting this kind of quality in Lexington. The staff was great, the waitress was attentive and spoke perfect English in the friendliest manner. Edamame is not worth it here, I won't complain, instead hot tea is really cheap compare to other restaurants. The sushi price is just right, less expensive than Boston's and the food was just fantastic!
(5)Teyona N.
What a gem! Prices are awesome and service is great! Soups are delicious! Sushi and sashimi is always fresh and beautifully plated and tempura veggies are perfect! If you are staying at the Aloft The Element in Lexington, MA this is less than a 5 min drive.
(5)Kristi Y.
Lunch again, ordered the vegetable maki lunch special (3 rolls - sweet potato, cucumber & avacado) and split/shared with my sister who got the other lunch maki special. Each of us were brought out 18 pieces of sushi! The rolls were even pretty big. This of course came with soup and salad and an orange. It was a huge amount of food, and with drinks the bill was only 25 for two people - and the sushi was really good. I definitely recommend this place for lunch. The service was excellent - kept our tea & water full to the brim!
(5)Karen M.
Overall, very good and reliable. Fresh fish. Great service. Convenient location. This is my "go-to" choice when I'm in the burbs and craving fresh fish.
(4)Scott C.
Nice find. Thanks Yelp. Small place, efficient service. Rolls seemed well made and fish was fresh. Summer Hand Roll with Cucumber Wrap!!!!!
(4)Nathan T.
Tasty food, great service - if you're in the mood for sushi, not a bad place to hit. Plenty of options, even for the non-sushi type. Noodle dishes for days!
(4)Chloe H.
I've been coming to Daikanyama since they opened. Daikanyama is a good solid neighborhood place to have sushi. I'm pretty picky too. I've found consistently that the fish is fresh, flavorful and well portioned. I like to try new places but I keep coming back to Daikanyama. If you're looking for a high end sushi experience and don't mind treking into Boston then Daikanyama may not be for you. Having tried a bunch of sushi places in the area - Arlington, Lexington, Waltham, Newton, Cambridge, Allston, I consider Daikanyama to be a very strong choice.
(4)Will G.
Figured I had to get my sushi fix early in my 3 weeks of staying in Lexington for work training. Was hoping for more from Daikanyama based on the reviews but perhaps I'm spoiled with my traditional sushi restaurant back home (Japanese sushi chef and wife owner, traditional 8 seats only at the sushi bar, amazing fish and rice, and mostly omakase and not all the maki rolls most Westerners equate to sushi). Anyway, sorry for the tangent... I sat at the sushi bar and only ordered nigiri - in my opinion the true test of a sushi restaurant. Based on the menu and reviews, it's the rolls people mostly come eat, but there did seem to be a lot of variety on the menu so take my review only on the nigiri. Well, the nigiri was okay, and fish okay, but a sushi connoisseur understands the quality of the rice really differentiates the best sushi. To me the rice was a bit hard in spots (undercooked), and not tightly enough packed (fell apart when picking up). So with that, I felt sushi was overpriced. Service was fast and friendly, but I usually order from the chefs when sitting at the sushi bar so I wanted to interact with them. Other than the standard hello nothing else. I guess the waiters/waitresses take all the orders here. I may try my luck again before I leave Lexington and will update my review if appropriate.
(2)Meghan D.
Spicy. All of their rolls are very spicy, and I love spicy, but it would be nice if they included a few rolls that incorporated fruit with the fish to just pair it off. On the pricier side, nice wine list, but clean and open and always room to sit. Spicy Girl Maki is definitely a must to try.
(4)David D.
Had lunch here today and the food was pretty good. I ordered the tenzaru soba and the chawanmushi. The tempura was broccoli, eggplant, shrimp, and kabocha and was light and not too oily. The soba was good as well. The only disappointment was the chawanmushi, which did not have enough flavor. Maybe not enough dashi. It also did not have ginkgo seeds. I am giving it three stars because while the food was good, cost-wise, it did seem on the high side for a relatively common Japanese fare.
(3)Angel E. S.
What a lovely place this is. The food is amazing, the sushi rolls are delicious and creative, the waiters are kind and respectful and the decor is clean and inviting. The manager is also nice and the sake is the best!
(5)Anna S.
Love this place. The restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly, and the sushi is fresh and well made. I'm a fan of Philadelphia Maki if it's done right, and this place does it well, with the right balance of salmon and cream cheese. Their specialty maki are very creative: I love the Fuji Maki, with tuna and apple, but everything is worth trying.
(5)Lucy W.
I think the Yelp reviews for this place may be a little inflated. I tried Daikanama this past weekend for lunch. The sushi was ok- fish was fresh, presentation was nice but it wasn't overly excellent or fabulous. Decor and small space was serene and nicely decorated with a water fountain in the front window. Menu was large, with a lot of cooked items and weird fruit or sweet potato rolls to choose from. Though not the most expensive sushi place, it's not that great a value either. I like combos of sushi/sashimi/maki so I can easily try a bunch of different things. Daikanama has lunch combos but not on weekends- this was not advertised on their menu or website. Strike one. We were a party of 3 people and ended up ordering 2 sushi appetizers, and 3 rolls. We were still hungry- the portions are very small. Strike two. The employees are Chinese- I understood their Cantonese conversation. Not completely authentic. Strike three.
(3)Julie S.
My favorite sushi place in the area! And lucky for me, just down the street. The wait staff is attentive and friendly, plus the extensive and creative sushi menu makes me drool! Also accommodating - they can substitute soy wrappers for seaweed, or any other substitutions you need! My favorite is the caterpillar, the spicy yellowtail and the black forest (sweet potato, eel, avocado.... amazing!) I love this place!
(5)BONEY M.
All good things must come to end, I suppose. While I initially raved about Daikanyama as a saving grace in a town inundated in mediocre sushi, I think I've pretty much given up on the place. Over the 1 1/2 years I've been coming here, the portions have gotten smaller, the prices have increased, and overall quality of ingredients has diminished... too bad... It's still one of the better places around, but that's not saying much as most food in Boston is sub-par, to say the least...
(3)Elizabeth M.
Decided to finally try this place out with a girlfriend on a Friday night. One word- delicious. We loved every bite. We had maki rolls to share and partook in the dragon, crazy, and spider maki. All equally amazing. The place was very busy, so be warned you could wait. We were lucky, I think we went just early enough to beat the crowd. Only down side was that we sat at a table that was just near the front desk. They used the adjoining table and the remainder of the bench near us to stack up the take out (which also looked to be extremely popular). I would recommend the management figure out a slightly better system, as it also took up a whole table on a very busy night! You need that real estate! All in all we will most definitely be back!
(4)Mitchell P.
Went to this place for lunch today, and it was good. Had 3 rolls, spicy yellowtail, which was really good, the cherry blossom, which they said was the most popular, it was very good as well, and the oragami something roll, it had coconut and red peppers in it, that was the best one, DELICIOUS. Rolls were a lil small in side, but it was good none the less.
(4)Jeannie H.
I don't understand the 4* rating. Daikanyama would probably get 3* in the heart of Boston but in California, it would have gone out of business a long time ago. For $40 for two, this meal had very poor value given we left hungry. ATMOSPHERE - Plain Jane but perfectly fine. SERVICE - They're strangely eager to clear the table despite there still being food on the dishes. FOOD - The menu is overwhelming with pages that are redundant (lunch menu is listed twice in different places). I am always wary of places that try to accomplish too much...it only waters down the quality. Monkfish liver - This wasn't that fresh but the vinegar and soy sauce mixture was good. Spicy tuna and seaweed salad - This was an odd dish. The tuna was mixed with panko 50/50 so the tuna was completely lost in a sea of panko. The seaweed salad was perfect fine. Udon - I appreciated that the shrimp tempura was placed on the side hence preventing tempura sogginess. The texture of the udon did not have the right "elasticity." Just a word of warning that everyone who works in the restaurant is Chinese, not Japanese. Most Japanese restaurants in the Boston area are owned by Koreans with few being Japanese so this is not entirely surprising. However, this place is more Americanized than most.
(2)Kate F.
I'd probably give Daikanyama about a 3.5 if I was allowed, but I'm going to round down. I'm a tough grader... This place is pretty, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the menu is extensive. We ordered maki for dinner, plus my usual tamago, which I use to judge the quality of my sushi restaurants, since it's fairly simple and I can get a good feel for the rice. The rolls were a lot of fun, and quite tasty. On the recommendation of the server, we had a Fuji Maki, which included tuna, apple, and some other stuff in a 'special sauce' (that seems to be some mayo based, maybe wasabi-laced thing) and another maki that had black marlin and spicy mayo. Both were satisfying. We felt compelled to try the deep-fried tuna/cheddar roll, which was so wrong that it was somehow right -- like a glorified grown-up fish stick. I also had a maki that included sweet potato tempura, eel, eel sauce, and avocado, with roe and sesame seeds on the outside, which I loved. The shiso roll was a little over-plum-sauced for our taste. The tamago, though, revealed that the rice wasn't quite up to par with what I would consider 'perfect' sushi rice, and the temp was a little off. Plus, the nori used to hold the sushi together was all jaggedy looking. Yes, it's a small thing, but part of the point of sushi presentation is that it's aesthetically pleasing, and the little details should matter at least a bit. So, 3 'special' sorts of rolls, the fish stick roll, the shiso (which was a small roll), and two pieces of tamago ran us $50 before tip, which felt a little high to me, for the quality we got. If it had been closer to $40, I'd probably give the place four stars for the quality/price ratio, but with the Lexington context, $50 isn't surprising. I'd go back for lunch specials, to experiment with maki that I can't find elsewhere, but I can't justify more than 3.5 stars for a place that has to rely on packed rolls with sauces rather than perfect rice and presentation, at least not for this price.
(3)Justin P.
Definitely not the best sushi- tasty but certainly not 4 stars. 3 stars is much fairer...
(3)Maria V.
This place is solid, especially considering Lexington is... Lexington. They're working on upping the sophistication factor in the center of town and slowly succeeding, Daikanyama I feel is kind of a transitional place. It is not what I'd consider upscale dining but it's not one of those hokey suburban "fusion" places that embarrass me to eat at. (i.e. A restaurant that serves thom yum, sushi, chow fun and bibimbap is unlikely to be good at any of those). It sticks to Japanese foods popular in the states, your standard bento fare -- tempura anyone? -- and an extensive maki and sushi menu. It's solid, especially, again, for Lexington. Not a place I recommend to people to when they're visiting the Boston area and want omgamazing sushi, but a solid place if you're in Waltham or Lexington and want a good dinner.
(3)Amie L.
Not the best, but okay. I would do take-out if I were you. Service is good, but I don't get why the host (probably the owner) is in a suit and the waitress is rocking a full out traditional Japanese kimono. Place looks like a dressed up takeout place.
(3)Jessica B.
Best sushi in the area by leaps and bounds. The fish is always super fresh and the lunch specials on Saturday is awesome! Although dinner is a bit pricey it is worth it compared to any place in Lexington or Waltham.
(5)David R.
This place serves some of the most delicious sushi that I've found in the greater Boston area. My faves are the yellowtail, and caterpillar, with the latter being one of, if not THE best of it's kind, in my opinion. No complaints about the staff, as they're helpful and prompt. I've only been to this place a handful of times, so I can't say with 100% confidence that it's sushi is consistently the best in the area, but the visits that I do have under my belt have Daikanyama positioning itself to take over the top spot! If they keep it up, I'll gladly bump them up to 5 stars!
(4)Alyson G.
Yay for a lunch special that has all the rolls I want to eat. For $10, I got 6 pieces each of spicy tuna, salmon, and avocado maki, plus miso soup and salad...for take out! So awesome! Usually it's spicy tuna and crab, or all veggie rolls or some other combo I don't really want. So then I end up ordering two rolls and whining that the lunch combos never have what I'd like...until I found this place! The sushi was fresh and so yummy. It's pretty close to my office so it might just be my new fave sushi lunch spot.
(4)Krista H.
I love it here. I come pretty much once a week for lunch with coworkers. They have a great lunch menu. The sushi is always fresh and the portions are perfect. I always get the noodle soup special. You can choose from soba, udon, ramen noodles then you can choose from your broth, and your protein. It comes out steaming hot and you always have enough leftover for dinner or a snack. Good prices, good service, and fresh food is a good enough combination for me to return.
(5)Ilisa S.
Food tends to be decent but the small portions are overpriced. Unaccommodating staff unless they know you are going to have a big party or spend a lot. Found a hair in my food on my last visit and the offer was to replace it. A lot of hesitation before reluctantly removing the item from my bill--with no apology. I'm done. Would rather make the trip to Mr. Sushi in Arlington.
(2)susan g.
My husband and I have our "date night" at Daikanyama; the food is really fresh and Sumi, the hostess, is friendly and nice. We love a variety of items on the menu... edamame - fresh and lightly salted; fried gyoza - delicate dough and tasty filling; crazy maki - always fresh and delicious; and spicy ramen noodle soup with chicken and vegetables - really fresh and very tasty...we always leave full and satisfied and highly recommend this Lexington restaurant.
(5)Rachael P.
After leaving Tokyo and moving to Boston about two years ago, my family and I were insistent to find a good Japanese restaurant in the local area. Although Daikanyama is certainly by no means an authentic Japanese restaurant, they nevertheless succeed in creating a good overall dining experience. Despite the gaudy Asian-American dining clichés (see water fountain, Japanese 'manekineko' clashing with Chinese dragon statues, and the fact that each waiter or waitress dons a yukata even during seasons during which they are not meant to be worn), the food here is generally quite good. I have, over the course of several months eating here, tried various makimono as well as some traditional Japanese dishes such as tempura and ramen. Their tempura here is a treat, crispy and tasty with fresh shrimp and a good slew of vegetables. This is by far the most authentic dish on their menu. They serve it with an attention to presentation that my family and I have not seen since we left Japan, opting to showcase the small appetizer in a bamboo basket. We have this every time we come here. The makimono, truly a Japanese-American invention, are inventive and delicious. They are always willing to accommodate requests for substitutions, such as regular mayo instead of spicy, or red tobikko instead of the wasabi fare. I particularly enjoyed the Black Widow maki, with sweet potato, cucumber, avocado and tobikko. My mom has tried the Cherry Blossom maki and has highly praised it. I appreciate the level of invention they have achieved in creating new combinations of ingredients, and the excitement of trying a new maki is a good incentive to keep coming back. The traditional sushi and ramen are two facets of the restaurant that betray their weakness. Traditional sushi is a real test for Japanese restaurants to allow the flavour of ingredients to take the spotlight without the aid of additional ingredients. At Daikanyama, my family has had poor experiences on this front. My mom could not stop gagging after having ordered and consumed the seasonal ootoro, which is giant fatty tuna. At unreasonable prices, she felt that the poor quality of the fish, the gummy texture, and the odd aftertaste did not match up to her expectations. Ramen is the second test for Japanese restaurants to demonstrate their quality. An ubiquitous dish served nationwide, it is important to follow strict guidelines concerning broth quality, noodle cooking time, and the vegetables used in the dish in order to create a sense of harmony in one bowl. The bowl of ramen we ordered was met with some chuckles at our table -it included, oddly enough, spinach and corn, two vegetables that would never, ever be found in a Japanese ramen unless expressly named, say, 'American-style Ramen'. The noodles were overcooked, and the broth had an odd metallic aftertaste to it. I wouldn't have that again! All in all, despite my misgivings surrounding the non-authenticity of this Chinese-run Japanese restaurant, the menu nevertheless has a few star points that make up for the sometimes laughable items that stray from the traditional Japanese fare. Personally, I would have better enjoyed their creativity and tasty dishes in a traditional Chinese restaurant. Dim sum, anyone?
(3)Lisa M.
I love, love, love Lexington and it's nicely maintained downtown area, which is SO refreshing from most of the towns in Boston. But the food choices are so disappointing. Not Your Average Joe's was the best we could find and even IT closed. We tried this sushi place and it is very average, reminded me of supermarket sushi. We went there for lunch and while I realize that lunch prices are less, the miniscule slivers of fish they placed on the rice to pass of for sushi was sad. If it were a higher quality fresh fish, I'd be more forgiving. But lower-grade quality AND less quantity makes it a 2-star for me. But...it is a very clean and pleasant looking dining room so probably good for the beginner sushi eater.
(2)Gretchen M.
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. The setting here is beautiful....nice, light, airy feel as you walk in, and you are quickly greeted by a friendly face and seated. There is also a cool waterfall inside the glass near the front entrance that is neat and peaceful to look at. There is a small sushi bar (about 5 seats) plus a number of tables...set up mostly for two and a few tables of 6. Of course I'm sure you can ask them to push the tables together if you had a larger group or call ahead (I'm not sure if they take reservations or not. I've only gone with my fiance). Highlights of the experience: - The warm washcloth they give you to wipe your hands - The little chopstick rest and matching plates/soy sauce holder - Reasonable prices - Your water will ALWAYS be filled - Very very quick service (I've gotten served within 5 minutes or so for an order for two when it wasn't too busy) - Great sushi! Go here. You can usually find parking on the street (free after 6 pm) but there is also a parking lot behind the building.
(5)Jb M.
after living in california for a while we got pretty spoiled when it came to sushi. we were thrilled to have found this restaurant. I cannot go a week without ordering their sushi and a must get is their cherry blossom. so delish!
(5)Cecilia L.
After a couple more visits, I've concluded that the fish is very good and everything else not so much. Not so much = the dishwatery miso soup, the heavy tempura, the dried-out cooked meat dishes, and the uninspired teriyaki. Good = sashimi, nigiri, maki. Stick with sushi and you'll do fine here.
(3)Cee C.
They have a $18 yakisoba.... yea right we will never be back. The place is not very nice inside and overpriced for Americanized dishes.
(1)Ann S.
Absolutely amazing. Both my parents make sushi, so I've become 1) extremely picky and 2) extremely sick of sushi, but this place keeps me coming back for more! The idaho (?) roll...I just call it the sweet potato roll..is TO DIE FOR! The ginger is always fresh and goes along great with this type of sushi. I would also suggest the spider and caterpillar maki. I love this place.
(5)Emily M.
We used to come more often. Now the prices are higher and the servings are smaller than they used to be.
(3)Rei W.
Sweet potato in sushi is delicious. This place and Douzo in the Back Bay/South End are the only sushi restaurants I have been to in Boston to feature it prominently on their menu. The Black Fungus Maki sounds unappetizing but is delish, who knew sweet potato and unagi made such a great pair. Other rolls I had were the Hawaiian roll and the Daikanyama special, both just alright. Portions are on the smaller side. You get 8 pieces of regular maki rolls and 4 pieces of the special rolls. The special pieces are big and makes it awkward/impossible to eat in one bite. Service was very attentive. We came in a little early and the hostess brought us green tea to sweeten our wait.
(4)Erin E.
This is the best Japanese food I've had since I moved to the Boston area last September. I've been here three times now, and my boyfriend and I love it so much we got his parents (who live in Lexington) to start eating here regularly. I've had their maki, sushi, miso, udon, and gyoza and never been anything other than completely (deliciously) satisfied. The last time I was here the salmon in the maki was so tasty, so melt-in-my-mouth that we had to put in an order for salmon sushi so we wouldn't waste this scrumptious opportunity. We were literally on the verge of asking where and when they got their salmon, but decided that might come off as a little creepy. Nonetheless, we savored every bite in case we get in a horrible freak accident and are never again able to eat solid food. Or something like that. It's not cheap, run-of-the-mill Japanese food. If you want something like that, well, you can find it in abundance on Allston. If you want a nice experience with friendly staff, beautiful surroundings, and amazing food, then drive on over to Daikanyama.
(5)Stevie N.
This place is way over priced. Average food.
(1)Nick S.
I ate here last night for dinner in the center, and it was really, really good. I don't really see what the other reviews said about no Japanese people in the restaurant; when I went, there was only one other couple who wasn't Japanese. Also, that shouldn't matter, as long as the food tastes good. I had the spicy chicken ramen - a solid choice. However, thats not where they excel. Go for the sushi! Their specialty rolls are to die for.
(4)Tesia K.
The restaurant itself is very clean and chic. The sushi was amazing and very well crafted. The servers are very nice and quick to fulfill orders. Definitely one of the best sushi places in the Boston area!
(5)Darren F.
Very good local sushi. All the expected sushi/maki options, done well and fresh. My wife loves the noodle soups, which will run you more than at the Porter Exchange but I think the quality is better. A traditional inviting atmosphere and very pleasant service. It can get pretty crowded on the weekend but they do takeout too!
(4)Internet U.
Very nice place. We come here often. Pleasant staff and high quality food. One suggestion is have is to perhaps introduce a more veriety. Otherwise - 5 stars.
(5)Jules K.
We chose this place for the convenience of location, but based on the lunch specials our party had, I would definitely call this suburban Japanese food... the other reviewers seemed to have enjoyed their maki menu, but the 4 of us had the noodle soup specials and bento boxes. It's nice that they have lunch specials on a Saturday too, and the price was ok $11-12, but the food was not something we would return for. The complementary salad was alright, though I found the vegetables a touch less than crisp fresh. The miso based hot noodle soup was ok, the ramen noodle was more or less an egg noodle rather than meet a real ramen craving. We had a tempura appetizer, which was ok.. and a seaweed salad, which tasted fine (with a random lemon wedge), but really tiny for the price. The green teas were great. But the noodles soups were a little under seasoned. The chicken bento looked a little small but the Vegetable bento had a nice presentation. The restaurant was clean, and the service seemed nice enough, but not to compete with the likes of the more popular places in Boston...
(3)Ken S.
I've tried Daikanyama several times now in my quest for good sushi in Boston. Sadly, wishing will not make it so. Most of the varieties had the indistinct flavor and telltale soggy texture of frozen farm fish, and the man behind the bar applies roughly double the proper quantity of rice per bite. There oughta be a law! Staff are very nice, and decor is pretty, but look around: there are no Japanese customers despite the sizable Japanese ex-pat population living in and around Lexington. Word traveled fast.
(2)Cenk S.
I was staying at the Aloft nearby and just made it 20 min before closing. The proximity to the hotel was a big plus. The hosts are polite and gracious, although their kimono attires looked costume-ish and likely meant to impress suburbanites rather than inspire an authentic experience. I had the Obachama Maki (spicy tuna, salmon topped with yellow roe) which was tangy, citrusy and goddang tasty- not to mention fairly priced at $8.95. The Cherry Blossom roll was artfully arranged with a small pile of seaweed in the center- not bad for $12.95. The portions were reasonable and the seafood of reasonable quality. Their nigori sake selection can certainly be expanded (n=1, regular ShoChikuBai). I am docking one star since they could not serve me green tea due to "broken hot water"... I guess there's a first time for everything!
(3)Rob R.
We found this restaurant on Yelp on my phone when we were looking for lunch in the Lexington area. We really enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere, service was polite and attentive. It's a HUGE menu...so a little hard to choose. Lots and lots and lots of Maki choices. I had a cajun tuna tataki...it was awesome with radish and some onion...great combo. The miso soup was just OK. The sushi and sashimi was fresh and really good. We'd go here again for sure. The only down side I see is that it's pricey.
(4)Ben R.
I have been to a lot of sushi places, but this joint is definitely the best. It is also the first GREAT restaurant in Lexington. The sushi menu is so large and diverse it amazed me. I have in Lexington most of my life and everything about this restaurant smacked of excellent. 5 Stars.
(5)Cheryl D.
This is a beautiful little restaurant. New, clean wood for the tables, floors and chairs (with seat cushions, of course), and little decorative window. There's even a modern sort of waterfall, a line of curvy bamboo plants, Japanese-looking paintings, and an impressive vase of lilies on the front desk area. We had attentive servers, but my husband and I were having lunch at 2:30 or so, not really the restaurant rush time. The menu had an impressive selection, with a few pages of sushi, a page of appetizers, as well as dinner entrees, a noodle section, short soup and salad sections (I never expect to find a selection of soups and salads at Japanese restaurants), and even a nabeyaki section, I think, and then a subset of that repeated under lunch specials. Speaking of which, I highly recommend the lunch specials . . . great value. Now, the food was good, but this would not rank as one of my favorite Japanese places in the Boston area. I have a preference for more traditional Japanese food, and I feel like this place is slightly modern (but not to the extent of New Ginza). The sushi menu had some creative sounding items, and my husband's spicy soup broth was a great-tasting departure from the ordinary, but I wish my plain soy sauce broth were more . . . traditional. The tenpura was a little oily too. I would definitely go back to try more of their menu items.
(4)Han K.
Of any sushi places in the area, this is by a mile my favorite. The whole place from the design of the restaurant, to the servers, to the actual sushi itself are all top notch. It's a bit on the pricey side, but with sushi you get what you pay for and the quality is just as good as any of the top places in metro Boston.
(4)Dave S.
The sushi here is absolutely amazing. We come here for dinner as a special treat. Fresh, inventive and tasty. I love that the sushi offerings take several pages of the menu. The other entrees are always very hot, fresh and yummy, including the tempura and yakisoba. Chicken teriyaki is kind of avg. tho. Great sake menu as well and the staff is super friendly.
(4)Alec Y.
i don't think i've ever eaten here for dinner, but lunch is great. they have a great deals on lunch. i love their noodle soup menu. they have this thing for around 9 dollars that lets you choose your meat, your soup base, and your type of noodles. they also have the best sushi around in lexington and the place is super well decorated. it's not tacky, and its very elegant. the waitresses all wear kimono's which i kind of funny since i don't think any of them are actually japanese. the only thing i have a problem with is just it's inaccessibility at night. it's really expensive when it comes to dinner sushi and for most people like me (student), it's a little pricey.
(4)Jessica D.
Love the hotpots (cant remember the actual name)... Food is fresh and cute little place. Prices are average.
(4)Christie L.
We went here on a Saturday night around 530pm. We were the first ones in and it was a great atmosphere. We loved the waterfall and the plates. I ordered the Nigiri Deluxe (about $24) and my bf ordered the Sushi Sashimi Combo (about $32). We also ordered the B62 roll (about $9). Let me tell you they have AWESOME presentation. The combo was great - not just sushi and sashimi (salmon, tuna, yellowtail, red snapper, octopus, etc), but a little squid salad, lobster cut up in the shell with rice, little salmon and crab stick rolls, a tuna roll - best presentation we've had in a sushi place. His octopus was actually good and was the first time it hasn't been rubbery. My dish came out on a boat which was suprising (just an fyi since a former reviewer mentioned the 'boat' he was going to order had nothing on it when he saw another table get it - that's because sometimes smaller dishes come out on boats too). Mine had tuna, salmon, tobiko, yellowtail (my fav!!!), red snapper, and eel. It also had a tuna roll. We ordered the B62 roll b/c we were in the mood for crunch and it said it had double tempura, but it was pretty bland to us and didn't have crunch we hoped for. But overall, a great meal and we will definitely go back!
(5)Sara C.
Their sushi was good, I liked the sweet potato in a lot of them. But I'd say that's their specialty. We had a noodle dish, and the noddles were overcooked. The menu described them as stir fried, and I seriously doubt that. Pricey sushi, probably wouldn't go back.
(3)David I.
The best house salad I have ever had - anywhere! Nice greens without any iceberg lettuce and a delicious ginger dressing. Spicy lobster soup is great on a cool day, and all of the sushi choices are excellent!!
(5)Chinwe N.
Great price and HUGE menu. The philly roll left me breathless and the dragon roll made me fall in love. I've been thinking about it since...until we meet again lover.....
(5)Alyssa G.
Daikanyama is definitely the best Sushi in the Lexington/Arlington/Belmont/Waltham area. The owner is very knowledgeable about the menu, and happy to talk about the new recipes she's planning to try out. The specials are always adventures. Our favorites include the spicy tuna tartare, and the unusual salads. This is also my culinarily-sophisticated daughter's favorite, so I have to disagree with the "not good for kids" statement. It's great for kids who love sushi adventures...and whose parents are prepared to "pay" a bit extra for them.
(5)Terry T.
Average sushi, best we could find in Lexington, but if you're looking for speedy service, do NOT order any of the noodle soup dishes. The sushi is alright, though whenever I order the udon it takes 20-30 min for it to come out. Not sure if this is due to the small kitchen they have, but it's happened twice to me, and once to another co-worker so it's definitely not a fluke. That said, if you're craving sushi this is the place we go to for lunch at work, but if you're looking for hot dishes with a side of sushi, Dabin (just on the other side of the block) is a better pick
(3)Wesley M.
Nice local restaurant in lexington, not great for large parties, but sushi is fresh and service is terrific. 5 stars for the hard working family.
(5)Emily C.
SO GOOD. This place is like the illegitimate child of the Sudbury/Brookline (Coolidge Corner)'s Fugakyu (literally speaking, business-wise). The menu is almost exactly the same as it's removed parents -- extensive (talking about 10 pages.. no joke) and yummy! It is very small, quaint, plain and simply decorated. It has a very crisp, fresh feel to it. This place also still makes things that are no longer available on the Fugakyu menu. The appetizers are my ABSOLUTE favs. You MUST MUST must MUST get the following: Hotate Kaiyaki, which is baked scallop, crab stick tobikko, spicy mayo and melted cheese on a large clam shell. It is a bit spicy but SO SO good. Sake Aburi -- torched salmon on top of crab stick, avocado, shitake mushroom & mayo. Topped with eel sauce & scallion. It's served a bit chilled and is like a refined japanese version of a seafood salad. Unagi Sandwich -- eel in eel sauce sandwiched with tempura sweet potato i've given these recommendations to many friends and they ALL absolutely loved them! I promise you will not be disappointed!!! As for the sushi, the presentation is beautiful and the fish is so so fresh and is the type that melts in your mouth. One of my sushi foodie friends who loves fatty white tuna agrees with me that Daikanyama has probably the best fatty white tuna in Boston. Also, the dessert is quite good as well! The cakes taste and look like Finale cakes and the red bean ice cream is REALLY GOOD. i never liked red bean but it really is amazing here. The service is great. There's this waiter that has thick black glasses, petit, and kind of big spiked hair who is really quirky and fun and nice. Gives great recommendations. There is a public parking lot right behind the place and you can enter through the back as well. The meters go until 8pm (unlike cambridge and boston!) so don't forget to pay! Yes, as a college student, I wouldn't spend this much money on the food but I frequent here with my parents and family friends often so i indulge in not having to pick up the check. However, if you asked me to pick up the bill, I'd try and suggest the pizza joint, Uppercrust next door.
(5)Geni B.
incredible sushi. never seen anything like it. we got banana sushi wrapped in fried chicken strips...it sounds insane but it was delicious. they had fruit sushi and pumpkin sushi and of course all the traditional varieties as well. i got fried ouster sushi. pricey but not too bad. would absolutely go back again.
(5)Andrea F.
Fantastic place with a great menu and friendly service. The waiter recommended some unusual things for me to try and answered all of my questions. No complaints.
(5)Erin B.
This place was SO good! I am super excited that there's awesome sushi close to home. They had an excellent selection of tasty and creative rolls. The few that we tried were awesome and I definitely want to go back and try the rest of their menu. Prices were typical and there's also a really good atmosphere and friendly service. Definitely worth a try!
(5)Eva B.
I have only eaten here once, but from my experience I can say that this is definitely not the best sushi restaurant out there (especially in Lexington). I found the sushi to not be authentic enough for my taste. Everything seemed to contain massive amounts of panko bread crumbs (used for frying things tempura style). These truly made everything taste practically the same. I did not enough it very much, but I will update once I experience this restaurant more thoroughly.
(3)Peter M.
One of my favorites in the area! Great food, really nice owners and waiters, too. We go there about 1x/week!
(5)Sam S.
Very good, very fresh sushi. Comparable to favorites in boston and surrounding area. Attentive service. If you're in lexington, its the best available.
(4)David C.
love this place, here at least once every week or two, amazing food, outstanding service and very comfortable and pleasant atmosphere, replete with easy parking - and their green tea is excellent!
(5)N O.
I have always had a great meal there. There Bento Box lunch specials are great. Lots of food for the price. GREAT SUSHI!!!
(5)