Murata Restaurant

10/05/09

The Best Sushi Anywhere

by yellowwaterdog

Recommend by business associates -- they were correct. My Japanese friends and I agreed that it was the best sushi any of us ever had. Though we did set a new record for the highest bill -- $100 each with no alcohol. That said, worth ever penny and I am going back tomorrow!!

• Pros: Fresh everything - abalone was unbelievable!
• Cons: $$$$$

05/01/09

the best in portland!

by ilovesooooshi

i've been going here for years. love their food, it is always so fresh and sinfully yummy. the rainbow roll is a good choice, spicy tuna rolls are scrumptious too.

• Pros: food is incredible, owner is precious
• Cons: a little on the spendy side

01/05/09

Taken For Chumps

by Banerry

An absolutely terribly experience: after inquiring about a chef's choice/omakase situation and receiving an enthusiastic "yes," my boyfriend and I were served 1 plate of New Year's pickles/slices of fish cake, a cucumber salad with two slices of sea cucumber, a serving of matsutake soup ($7.00 on the menu), and 9 pieces each of dry, unremarkable fish, including unagi that we both concluded was definitely off and could not eat. We drank tea throughout. The bill was brought with a slice of pineapple. The total: $160.00. A perfunctory tally of what these items would have cost if ordered a la carte: $30-35/person.

Restaurant Murata took advantage of two willing, eager customers looking for what we'd been told would be a memorable experience. We received a massively unfair bill and sub-par, generic sushi. We will not be returning.

06/07/08

Not acceptable customer service

by sushimagazine

I haven't had any vacation in past 30 years, and my old business partner invited me to US from Japan for my retirement anniversary . My friend asked me to try Japanese foods in the US, and we went to this restaurant.

To be honest, this restaurant is not acceptable customer service at all. 1) We used a Tatami room, and waited 20 minutes for menu to come. 2) We ordered some sushi and dinner meals, and the waitresses forgot to serve an appetizer, and came after the dessert. 3) Bring the bill before the dessert. 4) No customer service except order, bring foods, and bills. 4) As I was a business man traveling around in the world, and as a Japanese customer, this restaurant should not be represented as a Japanese food restaurant.

I went to several Japanese restaurant in the following weeks in Portland. This place is the worst ever in the US. I am writing this here because they should have had a good customer service and we would like to keep the quality of Japanese restaurant with both foods and customer service.

• Pros: not authentic foods at all
• Cons: Bad customer service

05/06/08

Good sushi, good service

by sushi1886

fresh sushi, creative apps, Kimono wearing waitress at dinner time. Great place to go to for good authentic japanese food. Their rice soup is one of the best in town.

03/21/08

Mediocre food, indifferent service, lunchroom atmosphere

by kellerdrake

There was little Murata had to recommend itself to me, other than the fact it held up other reviewers' claims that the restaurant was authentic. Come to think of it, Subway, Denny's and Applebees are authentic American dining experiences, and so it is useless to equivocate "authentic" with "good." I don't know what all the stir has been about Murata. There are plenty of better Japanese places in town; I think that my experience of eating at Murata underscores the sad fact that downtown Portland has no decent Japanese food venue -- you're better off on the east side, out Woodstock, or even eating "fusion" Japanese on E. Broadway. Food: The rice was perfect. saba was cooked for goodness sake (!) and served without shiso, perhaps not a crime, but odd enough. Fatty tuna was a tough cut. Presentation was unembellished, the edamame was as tired out as the staff, and we left there lighter in the pocketbook but all the world wiser. Good authentic Japanese food? Go West, go to Hillsboro.

• Pros: Harsh fluorescent lighting made it easy to see the portions
• Cons: The exit was too far from our table

01/31/08

riceful, spiceless, stale

by serenewinds

I went to Murata because of all the reviews on it calling it (best of the North West!!) I was greatly disappointed. I ordered two things: salmon roll, soft shell crab roll. I was sitting at the bar, so had full view.

1) the salmon roll was basically a spread of rice, and a spread of mashed salmon over it. It tasted almost like tuna! No spices. Nothing.

2) I had to wait 15 minutes for the soft shell roll. The waitress even brought the bill before the chef gave her a hard eye. She pulled it, jumping with apology.

3) after 15 minutes someone came out the kitchen with a fried "alien". The chef put that lien as it is, over a spread of rice and rolled it and cut it up. Again, no spices, no art, nothing.

4) As I bit into the soft shell roll, it burnt my tongue. I had no idea they would be this hot.

5) the chef while preparing other orders, would heat and reheat fish in a small oven, over used aluminum. the fesh smelled stale. looked browned.

6) the waitresses were overly friendly. almost superficial. there was a continuing symphony of "hi" "bye" "thank you" in japanese, and it was intimidating to me since I spoke no japanese and didn't know how to respond. also, it was irritating having to respond twenty times.

7) I paid $20 plus tip. what a waste!

• Pros: location
• Cons: price, work hours, quality, freshness

11/22/07

BEST SUSHI IN THE PACIFIC NORTH WEST

by ddnmkun

Those are the best sushi I have eaten in the Pacific Northwest Area. I don't know why some people really hate the restaurant that much. ALL of the Japanese and Asia Pro Sports player who plays in the U.S major league, to name a few (Ichiro, Nomo, Jojima, Yao Ming) have been there and left signatures and photos with the chef. I can't see why their food is as bad as people mentioned. And I myself have been dining authentic Japanese sushi for over 15 years in Japan, asia, Canada and US. This is one of the three best sushi restaurant I have been to. If people think the food portion is too small, this isn't the right place for you, maybe Todai sushi buffet will be better for you to fill up your stomach. But this is Authentic Sushi, the size, the way the chief made the sushi.

• Pros: Fresh Sushi, fully experienced (over 30 years) sushi chief
• Cons: Food like Tempura just average, better save it for sushi only

06/21/07

Go for the SUSHI. Best in Town!

by keithmbailey

Not cheap or romantic... just great sushi. Possibly the best sushi in Portland. Fresh and very tasty.

• Pros: Valet parking

05/21/07

Really horrible- about all I have to say- really!

by food_reviewer

I have traveled all over the world and had some of the best sushi. I also owned my own restaurant so I know what goes into quality sushi and poor sushi that the owner is trying to save some money on. This sushi is really not good and I will not go back there. I discovered this revuew site a little too late. If I read the reviews I would not have gone. I do not understand how they claim to have fresh fish and it is not. No respecting chef would serve what they do. You do not have to listen to me, but you will not be happy with the service or food. You will only waste your time and money.

• Pros: no pros
• Cons: everything about them