Seiyo

Some of the loveliest fish in Boston

by adwoag , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

Seiyo occasioned one of my bi-weekly trips across the rivah; its welcoming yet elegant atmosphere and excellent wine list made me glad, in the end, that I'd braved the #1 bus.

The menu is an experience in needless complication; it was a bit difficult to clearly tell what the best options were. Happily, I was there with a group (and unsurprisingly, had shown up late), so I was able to sample the entrees of my companions before making my selection. Everything I tasted was superb, but the nigiri sushi was what ultimately won my heart. Unadorned, creamy fish reminded me with every bite why eating one's food raw is sometimes such a superb idea.

The pricing is excellent as well (important for those who, like me, are on a budget). We were a large and boisterous group, and though towards the end of the night it was clear the staff was hoping we would head home, they stayed courteous and attentive as we wrapped up and headed our separate ways. An absolutely lovely South End spot that I hope to see a lot more of when the weather gets nicer again - I hear they have outdoor seating!

• Pros: truly incredible quality of fish
• Cons: rawther baffling menu

Was good... now just OK

by msecrestw at Citysearch

I have been an advocate of Seiyo for a well over a year now but I have to say, the sashimi, sushi and maki have gone down hill in the last year. I went for the first time in Dec 2005 and have been a regular patron since but the last time I went (in Feb 2007), the sushi was loosely rolled and the sashimi was stringy. It was really good sushi for the first couple of months but I am sad that I am now opting for other sushi places instead.

One of my biggest annoyances with Seiyo is that they have not had a liquor license since the beginning of 2007 and they keep saying "next week" but "next week" has turned in to 3 months- I would like them to just be honest. I have also asked them to bring back the "crunch" which they have on the menu but do not offer in their rolls anymore... Their loosely rolled rolls could benefit from some more flavor from some ?crunch?. I will go elsewhere for a while.

Moderate sushi (haven't been inside, just delivery)

by liucipher at Citysearch

I'm landlocked to an office for dinner so I've been trying sushi in various locations. Tried Seiyo on a recommendation and have to say it was definitely good value but not amazing sushi. The fish wasn't as fresh as it could have been, but the prices were noticeably cheaper than other place's I've ordered from.

On a negative note, their delivery took about an hour and a half, but then again we did order about $450 worth of food.

Great neighborhood location for Sushi

by slunardi at Citysearch

We just moved to Boston and are looking for places to enjoy around the house.

While the staff is Chinese and not Japanese, the service and food are quite good. The decoration is very nice with a blend of metal and wood as primary elements.

The unique combination of Sushi bar / Wine shop works quite well. We didn't order wine or beer but the concern expressed regarding cork fees are apparently addressed (at least were told it was to be contained in the retail price of the bottle).

The place was not too busy and actually fairly quiet which we liked for our dinner. Stay clear of the door where it can get pretty noisy I suppose.

We tried the Maguro, Sake and Hamachi sashimi and they were all quite good. The Seaweed salad was great. When trying a new place you have the include the classics so we ordered California rolls, they turned out to be quite tasty.

We will go again for sure. They also offer take out.

• Pros: Decoration, service, sushi bar/wine shop combination

Liquor License - Corking Fee

by susanif at Citysearch

The good: Food is very good. Service was good in some ways. Waitress recommended a dish (called the volcano maki) which my party LOVED. Big hit.

The bad: I think since they don't have a liquor license, they get away around this by selling bottles of wine.

BEWARE: they charge a $10 corking fee per bottle.

We didn't find this out until the check came. Didn't notice it on the menu nor was told by the waitress. They were not very accommodating about it even when we brought it up.

• Pros: Food, waitress suggestions
• Cons: Corking fee, dispute resolution, parking