I've worked in downtown Boston most of my career. The lunch options are good, but most are pretty similar. To step into Kamakura on a weekday and eat on the 2nd floor is like leaving the city for an hour to be an experience somewhere else. Food is excellent, service great, and the dining room is cozy and quiet and filled with ambiance. Not sure why it's taken me so long to find this place, but I'm sure to be back.
Ian G.
This unassuming little spot on State Street near Faneuil surprisingly offers an outstanding kaiseki. (There's also a fabulous looking a la carte menu, but I've never touched it - this review speaks to the kaiseki alone.)The space is a little on the cramped side at the chef's counter downstairs, but you'll be too taken in by the quality of the food, and observing the artistry of the chefs preparing it, to notice. The ambiance throughout the space is relaxing, modern, and minimalist. Every course offers a distinctive portmanteau of contrasting flavors and is, of course, artfully plated. My only caveat is that the sushi course of the kaiseki was unexceptional; plain cuts of salmon and ahi without much to dress them up. Flawless portions of very tasty fish, to be fair, but a bit rote for anyone who eats sushi even occasionally. That said, a single fine-but-unremarkable course out of a ten-course dinner isn't much of a knock on a restaurant, whatever your standards.An impressive (even intimidating) sake menu and knowledgeable staff rounds out the experience. Many of the negative reviews seem to be from folks expecting a casual dining experience or to be able to walk in without a reservation and expect the best Kamakura has to offer - this isn't that kind of establishment. Book well in advance and enjoy yourself.
Primrose E.
WOW, please support this incredible establishment during this crazy time of pandemic!! They are offering daily dinners for only $25/person which includes many courses of exquisite quality. My family and I enjoyed the black cod with extra courses of sashimi, salad, soup, dessert, shishito peppers. I repeat, please consider supporting this wonderful place.
ju_espo
Had my birthday dinner here a few months ago and have been ordering out during this pandemic ever since. high quality food that is beautifully presented. Instagram worth :) can't get enough of the sushi and can't wait for them to open again
Y3270FYac
Love the sushi here, very fresh and flavorful. Had a wonderful meal here, waiters were very attentive and knew the menu in detail, they gave us great recommendations on what to order. It's worth a trip, the food was delicious and ambiance is great.
Olga Shestopalova
What an amazing experience! The kaiseki was truly out of this world! Each course came out with excellent timing, and each one was beautifully arranged and truly unique. This was far beyond a typical sushi omakase, including vegetable, soup, and meat plates along with fish, ending with a dessert course. Overall, it was 10 courses and it took us about 2 hours, which was excellent timing.
Olga S.
What an amazing experience! The kaiseki was truly out of this world! Each course came out with excellent timing, and each one was beautifully arranged and truly unique. This was far beyond a typical sushi omakase, including vegetable, soup, and meat plates along with fish, ending with a dessert course. Overall, it was 10 courses and it took us about 2 hours, which was excellent timing. My absolute favorites were the mushrooms, which were so aromatic everyone could smell them coming off the grill, the cod, which was torched and tender, the very fresh sashimi, and the duck served on a hot stone with mushrooms. We sat at the bar, and had plenty of time to chat and also see what the chef was making for us next. What's more, we were brought a surprise course of incredible sashimi! Truly a magical evening!
Steven Donoghue
The best sushi, done in a way like no other. This will be my go to. The amazing staff / owner / chef talked through, at length, the process involved to create such wonderful food. Couldn’t recommend this place more highly!
Wish Maglaqui
Pricey but totally worth trying. Nice ambience ambiance and this place has a friendly crew.
Stephania A.
Just paid $50 for this tiny portion... the service was good, food tasted good but the portions are unbelievably tiny
Service was terrible, possibly discriminatory. The food would have been 4 stars, but the service was so unbelievable. The moment we were seated, we were completely ignored for maybe 20min. We were shown to our table, but for the next 20min, there was no waiter, no water, no acknowledgement that we were there. At some point, we were finally able to flag someone down ourselves to order some sake. We did that again ourselves when we wanted to order food, and throughout the meal, we didn't have a waiter ever come by, not even to ask us if we wanted to order or if we needed anything. Someone only came by automatically *once* at the end of the meal to ask us one thing- if we were ready for the check. When we ordered the food, the only person who we could get ahold of was the host. The waiters and servers were all busy with other tables (which seemed to be getting service, except for us), and we couldn't even make eye contact with the waiters. Thus, when we finally got attention from anyone (so we could at least put in an order), it was the host, who rolled his eyes when he turned around (which I totally saw). I get that he's the host and that's not his job, but if no one has ever come by to get our order or serve us, then does it kill you to put down our order? He was very obviously trying to avoid our table for the rest of the night as well. We had no water. Since no one came by our table, no one noticed our empty glasses. It was only when the server put down our food did she notice our glasses. We then ordered a beer before she left, or else we would be ignored again. Before putting it down, someone asked to check our IDs... but we had already finished a sake at that point. I guess since our table was pretty much forgotten, no one remembered to check our IDs at first or remembered if they had ever checked our IDs (Isn't that illegal? Lol). Other tables also seemed to be getting their food rather quickly, but we got a dish every 20+ min. Every time food came out from the kitchen, it went to the other tables and rarely ours. Thus, we were seated there before other tables got there and left an hour after them because service for us was so slow. There weren't even that many parties tonight; the restaurant was half full at best. I honestly think they were discriminating against us- either because we were asian? or we weren't dressed nicely? or something odd about us? Even though we were getting a little impatient, we were never rude, never raised our voices, and never gave anyone attitude or a hard time. We just quietly raised our hands whenever we were trying to get someone's attention after sitting around for 15min wanting to put in an order but being ignored (that's what I meant when we were "flagging someone down", we didn't yell or anything). We were polite once someone did acknowledge us. So, there is no other possible reason why we were treated like that, as compared to the other tables around us. There was a company dinner behind us, and they were drunk and loud and swearing.. yet they were served. The customers tonight were not dressed nicely either, and they don't have a dress code. It was just a regular Wednesday night, so I was just wearing a sweater and pants. But it's not like we stood out from the other parties there, so it's not like we were disrespecting the restaurant with our outfits or anything. Most of the food was pretty good, except the Kamakura noodle soup. The noodles were way too soft and overcooked, and the soup was too salty, probably from powder and/or msg. The quality of the other dishes can be worth it, but because of their service, there is no way we are spending another $550 here (for 4 people). For a restaurant, bad service in general towards ALL customers is acceptable for me, and I would go back to restaurants like that if their food was good. My water doesn't have to be refilled; we can get up ourselves to put in an order; I can do it myself if that's how the waiters/host treated EVERYONE. However, thi
Manfred S.
This is a very nice addition to the downtown area of Boston. I went for a business lunch with a Japanese. Everyone was happy. We shared some appetizers and ate the omakase sushi lunch. We finished with tea and matcha tiramisu. Service was impeccable.
Ken Schuster
The highest quality obtainable, and exquisitely presented. Owner-chef Youji Iwakura is a master of the art.
Eve Q.
Great dining experience, highly recommend for special occasions! We did the 7 course weekday dinner with sake pairing. The food was freshly prepared and packed with flavor. Plenty of sake as well. Modern decor and great service as well-will come back!
April K.
Came here for a pre Valentine's Day omakase. It was my first time going and the food really was incredible. It ended up being 3 hours long. Service was on point. I do wish some of the dishes were more elevated though, since it was very expensive as expected. I didn't care too much for the crispy rice dish, and while the mushroom medley was good I wish there was more to it. We got an extra a la carte dish of Uni, and it tasted strange to me. It was a little too fishy and left a bad aftertaste. I ordered the John Majiro drink and it had a real maraschino cherry in it, very delicious. Overall it was a great experience, but expect to spend over $200 per person.
I've worked in downtown Boston most of my career. The lunch options are good, but most are pretty similar. To step into Kamakura on a weekday and eat on the 2nd floor is like leaving the city for an hour to be an experience somewhere else. Food is excellent, service great, and the dining room is cozy and quiet and filled with ambiance. Not sure why it's taken me so long to find this place, but I'm sure to be back.
This unassuming little spot on State Street near Faneuil surprisingly offers an outstanding kaiseki. (There's also a fabulous looking a la carte menu, but I've never touched it - this review speaks to the kaiseki alone.)The space is a little on the cramped side at the chef's counter downstairs, but you'll be too taken in by the quality of the food, and observing the artistry of the chefs preparing it, to notice. The ambiance throughout the space is relaxing, modern, and minimalist. Every course offers a distinctive portmanteau of contrasting flavors and is, of course, artfully plated. My only caveat is that the sushi course of the kaiseki was unexceptional; plain cuts of salmon and ahi without much to dress them up. Flawless portions of very tasty fish, to be fair, but a bit rote for anyone who eats sushi even occasionally. That said, a single fine-but-unremarkable course out of a ten-course dinner isn't much of a knock on a restaurant, whatever your standards.An impressive (even intimidating) sake menu and knowledgeable staff rounds out the experience. Many of the negative reviews seem to be from folks expecting a casual dining experience or to be able to walk in without a reservation and expect the best Kamakura has to offer - this isn't that kind of establishment. Book well in advance and enjoy yourself.
WOW, please support this incredible establishment during this crazy time of pandemic!! They are offering daily dinners for only $25/person which includes many courses of exquisite quality. My family and I enjoyed the black cod with extra courses of sashimi, salad, soup, dessert, shishito peppers. I repeat, please consider supporting this wonderful place.
Had my birthday dinner here a few months ago and have been ordering out during this pandemic ever since. high quality food that is beautifully presented. Instagram worth :) can't get enough of the sushi and can't wait for them to open again
Love the sushi here, very fresh and flavorful. Had a wonderful meal here, waiters were very attentive and knew the menu in detail, they gave us great recommendations on what to order. It's worth a trip, the food was delicious and ambiance is great.
What an amazing experience! The kaiseki was truly out of this world! Each course came out with excellent timing, and each one was beautifully arranged and truly unique. This was far beyond a typical sushi omakase, including vegetable, soup, and meat plates along with fish, ending with a dessert course. Overall, it was 10 courses and it took us about 2 hours, which was excellent timing.
What an amazing experience! The kaiseki was truly out of this world! Each course came out with excellent timing, and each one was beautifully arranged and truly unique. This was far beyond a typical sushi omakase, including vegetable, soup, and meat plates along with fish, ending with a dessert course. Overall, it was 10 courses and it took us about 2 hours, which was excellent timing. My absolute favorites were the mushrooms, which were so aromatic everyone could smell them coming off the grill, the cod, which was torched and tender, the very fresh sashimi, and the duck served on a hot stone with mushrooms. We sat at the bar, and had plenty of time to chat and also see what the chef was making for us next. What's more, we were brought a surprise course of incredible sashimi! Truly a magical evening!
The best sushi, done in a way like no other. This will be my go to. The amazing staff / owner / chef talked through, at length, the process involved to create such wonderful food. Couldn’t recommend this place more highly!
Pricey but totally worth trying. Nice ambience ambiance and this place has a friendly crew.
Just paid $50 for this tiny portion... the service was good, food tasted good but the portions are unbelievably tiny
Restaurantji Recommends
Service was terrible, possibly discriminatory. The food would have been 4 stars, but the service was so unbelievable. The moment we were seated, we were completely ignored for maybe 20min. We were shown to our table, but for the next 20min, there was no waiter, no water, no acknowledgement that we were there. At some point, we were finally able to flag someone down ourselves to order some sake. We did that again ourselves when we wanted to order food, and throughout the meal, we didn't have a waiter ever come by, not even to ask us if we wanted to order or if we needed anything. Someone only came by automatically *once* at the end of the meal to ask us one thing- if we were ready for the check. When we ordered the food, the only person who we could get ahold of was the host. The waiters and servers were all busy with other tables (which seemed to be getting service, except for us), and we couldn't even make eye contact with the waiters. Thus, when we finally got attention from anyone (so we could at least put in an order), it was the host, who rolled his eyes when he turned around (which I totally saw). I get that he's the host and that's not his job, but if no one has ever come by to get our order or serve us, then does it kill you to put down our order? He was very obviously trying to avoid our table for the rest of the night as well. We had no water. Since no one came by our table, no one noticed our empty glasses. It was only when the server put down our food did she notice our glasses. We then ordered a beer before she left, or else we would be ignored again. Before putting it down, someone asked to check our IDs... but we had already finished a sake at that point. I guess since our table was pretty much forgotten, no one remembered to check our IDs at first or remembered if they had ever checked our IDs (Isn't that illegal? Lol). Other tables also seemed to be getting their food rather quickly, but we got a dish every 20+ min. Every time food came out from the kitchen, it went to the other tables and rarely ours. Thus, we were seated there before other tables got there and left an hour after them because service for us was so slow. There weren't even that many parties tonight; the restaurant was half full at best. I honestly think they were discriminating against us- either because we were asian? or we weren't dressed nicely? or something odd about us? Even though we were getting a little impatient, we were never rude, never raised our voices, and never gave anyone attitude or a hard time. We just quietly raised our hands whenever we were trying to get someone's attention after sitting around for 15min wanting to put in an order but being ignored (that's what I meant when we were "flagging someone down", we didn't yell or anything). We were polite once someone did acknowledge us. So, there is no other possible reason why we were treated like that, as compared to the other tables around us. There was a company dinner behind us, and they were drunk and loud and swearing.. yet they were served. The customers tonight were not dressed nicely either, and they don't have a dress code. It was just a regular Wednesday night, so I was just wearing a sweater and pants. But it's not like we stood out from the other parties there, so it's not like we were disrespecting the restaurant with our outfits or anything. Most of the food was pretty good, except the Kamakura noodle soup. The noodles were way too soft and overcooked, and the soup was too salty, probably from powder and/or msg. The quality of the other dishes can be worth it, but because of their service, there is no way we are spending another $550 here (for 4 people). For a restaurant, bad service in general towards ALL customers is acceptable for me, and I would go back to restaurants like that if their food was good. My water doesn't have to be refilled; we can get up ourselves to put in an order; I can do it myself if that's how the waiters/host treated EVERYONE. However, thi
This is a very nice addition to the downtown area of Boston. I went for a business lunch with a Japanese. Everyone was happy. We shared some appetizers and ate the omakase sushi lunch. We finished with tea and matcha tiramisu. Service was impeccable.
The highest quality obtainable, and exquisitely presented. Owner-chef Youji Iwakura is a master of the art.
Great dining experience, highly recommend for special occasions! We did the 7 course weekday dinner with sake pairing. The food was freshly prepared and packed with flavor. Plenty of sake as well. Modern decor and great service as well-will come back!
Came here for a pre Valentine's Day omakase. It was my first time going and the food really was incredible. It ended up being 3 hours long. Service was on point. I do wish some of the dishes were more elevated though, since it was very expensive as expected. I didn't care too much for the crispy rice dish, and while the mushroom medley was good I wish there was more to it. We got an extra a la carte dish of Uni, and it tasted strange to me. It was a little too fishy and left a bad aftertaste. I ordered the John Majiro drink and it had a real maraschino cherry in it, very delicious. Overall it was a great experience, but expect to spend over $200 per person.