Bubblefish

Place was cool! Sushi burger has potential. Major problem: everything is torched. Why you ask? I don’t know to be completely honest but yeah!

Spontaneous and quirky.
I wouldn’t come here expecting quality sushi or drinks, I was fairly disappointed honestly. But I’m giving 3.5 stars because Bubblefish stands out in Chinatown and is creative with their revolving changes in their weekend menu selection — Sushi burger?! Strange, yet… appealing. Is it good? Will let you know once I try it.
Worth trying:
— Tuna or Salmon Poke $ 13
(cubed salmon or tuna of choice, mixed with their special sauce, rice, avocado, fried onions, and other deliciousness)
— M-​F special, 11−3PM, two rolls for $ 7.95
Disappointments:
— Powder flavoring for the drinks
— Very slow service, much less than the typical Chinese speed in Chinatown
Note: $ 15 minimum for credit card

Came back today for dinner with my bf and our daughter. Once again we are totally pleased with our experience. We tried the pork sung onigiri this time along with the cooked maki platter and a mango milkshake. We also had the spicy maki combo, crabmeat onigiri and matcha milkshake again since we loved it so much the first time.
Service was lovely and our server was kind and helpful.
We were even brought a complementary crème Brule which was so kind of the manager!
I also can’t express how much I love that they have a changing table in the bathroom! I am so sick of going to restaurants and having to change my daughter on the dirty floors or on the sink tops. My bf and I always think of Bubblefish now whenever we want to go out to eat with our baby! We can’t wait to bring my bfs family here once they come to visit in a few weeks.

Really good shrimp Temporel. It’s was cooked perfect. the bubble tea it is excellent and well done atmosphere is very nice quick with the service

The pork belly I ate was fabulous and melts in your mouth. Hundreds of exotic tea options!! the sushi presentation is elegant! The princess tuna role is an amazing blend of Asian flavors!!! Located on the heart of Chinatown — new and hot!!! the lunch special is great two for $ 7.95!

A surprise little new gem in Chinatown and BYOB! Their tea list is extensive and the guava orange bubble tea with pops and the almond sesame milk tea were both very good. The volcano chicken appetizer was sub par but their sushi and tea makes up for it. A routine lunch spot for my friends and I!
Update:
Went back again and got the Mango tea and the pineapple coconut tea. They both were amazing. We also got the spicy garlic edamame for an appetizer. This is by far my favorite edamame. You can taste the garlic and spice in every bite and is so good each time. Our main dish was the sushi and sashimi sampler for 2 and let me tell you, it’s a beautiful presentation and it is delicious. The tuna tasted so fresh and I really enjoyed the conch which came with a small dollop of spicy sauce.
The service was attentive and friendly; we did not feel rushed at all.

Decided to order here for lunch for the first time. I was not impressed…
The Phoenix shrimp onigiri was ok — TeaDo makes better onigiri but maybe that’s because they give a spicy srirachi sauce to accompany it. Bubblefish’s onigiri was kind of dry. I also ordered the lunch special — pick two sushi/​maki rolls for $ 7.95. The spicy salmon was Delish! The shrimp tempura, on the other hand, was weak; it kept falling apart, it wasn’t rolled tight enough. The actual shrimp was pretty tasty though.
I also ordered a medium lychee green tea with tapioca, which cost $ 3.25 plus an extra $.50 for the tapioca– again, I’ll compare the drink to TeaDo, which offers free tapioca with all of their drinks. At TeaDo, I could order a large green tea with tapioca and for instance, mango jelly for $ 4.50. That’s a drink plus two toppings!
In any case, despite my disappointing lunch today, I’ll go back but only to try their sushi and maybe, desserts (only because I have a sweet tooth)
Ok…came back so I updated my review to an extra star. I had their tuna and avocado sushi, which was Delish! I’ll come back!

Bubblefish was an absolute delight, and I was very happy to have eaten here on my return visit to Philly’s Chinatown.
For those who are unacquainted (like I was), Bubblefish (known especially for its bubble tea offerings and sushi — get the name now?) is one of the many new establishments that have popped up in Chinatown. I think it’s really great that Chinatown is seeing a lot more foot traffic and getting much more attention as its own neighborhood. Even better, according to my friend who recommended it, Bubblefish is locally owned!
Now onto our visit. Said friend and I came to Bubblefish for a Sunday lunch. Things weren’t too busy, so we were able to get seated quickly. Service, overall, was prompt and attentive. Bubblefish’s interior design is aesthetically pleasing, with dark woods and interesting light fixtures certainly keeping it within trend.
Food-​wise, we started off with the Taiwanese salt-​baked chicken as an appetizer. It was a generous portion for my friend and me to share, and it was crunchy, salty deliciousness. For our entrées, I opted for two rolls, the Chicken Tempura and Spicy Salmon. They were of good size for the price and though I am admittedly not the most discerning of sushi eaters, I thought they tasted fresh and flavorful. My friend ordered the Tonkatsu rice bowl, which she thought was a bit dry but I thought tasted just fine.
To wash down my meal, I had a big (it was huge!!) cup of warm milk tea. My friend ordered one of the speciality cold drinks. For me, I think an area of improvement would be with the drink options. Though I enjoyed my tea, it was definitely on the sweeter side, and, if I had the opportunity, I definitely would have ordered a smaller size. Right now, I believe that all drinks come in one portion size. But if I were to return, I definitely would want to try another drink on their very extensive menu.
Overall, it was a great meal and I was left plenty stuffed by the end. It’s a great little spot for lunch or even if you just want to grab a drink with friends.

Came here with my mom for a birthday lunch earlier today, and I’m happy to say that my opinion of Bubblefish has very much improved.
I tried one of the sea salt froth drinks (peach green tea) and my mom had a melon green tea (50% sugar) and both were great. The salt froth tea was really interesting and a nice mix of sweet and salty, and the melon green tea reminded me of melon ice cream that we used to get in Japan (but less sweet.) We also got the sushi/​sashimi platter for one. The platter came well presented, and the fish was, for the most part, fresh and yummy. My mom was a bit unhappy with some of the lesser known fish (that was my complaint last time as well). The platter was a good deal though ($ 20) and definitely shareable, so I wouldn’t mind getting it again, even if there are some pieces that I don’t love.
I will happily come back to explore more of their drink menu!

Very lovely spot! The atmosphere is very chill, they have fun seating options, and the service is very friendly. I came here for dinner and there are a lot of fun snack-​y items to choose from.
The items we tried were the Taiwanese salt baked chicken, 2 onigiris (pork sung and eel & avocado), the Marilyn Monroll, and a slice if green tea crêpe cake for dessert. I wouldn’t say the food is mind-​blowing, but it was pretty tasty. My favorite was the salt baked chicken, which had an interesting flavor and was very tender while crispy on the outside. The Marilyn Monroll was also a solid sushi option for the price, though I have had better sushi at higher-​end sushi places in town. I was a bit surprised by the pork sung onigiri, because I’ve never had pork sung like the one here, which was drier/​crumblier/​saltier than I’m used to. I ended up liking the eel & avocado onigiri better. I also felt the green tea crêpe cake was a bit dry — as if they made it a couple days before.
I think the main attraction of this place is the extensive tea and milkshake menu, and I think they nailed it. I don’t know how many times I’d have to go there to try all of the flavors, but they have hot tea sets, bubble tea, sweet teas with milk foam, etc… they all look very delicious. I had the peach green tea with sea salt froth, and it was novel and great! I am tempted to come back and have an all-​liquid meal next time — bubble tea, hot tea, and a milkshake.

Sushi joint situated on the end of ChinaTown. It’s a nice, hip, modern environment with young staff. The rolls are really good here, interesting names with good flavor combinations. And the Tea drinks have a high concentration of tea flavor. Which I highly enjoyed. Some places have tea drinks that are watered down but not here!
We ordered the oysters and were a bit disappointed because they were small and the shells were mostly filled with sauce. This made the oysters look bigger than they actually were. Overall, there was nothing spectacular about the oysters so I don’t recommend it.
Sushi good! Tea drinks delish!

What initially caught my eye about Bubblefish is the fun and quirky logo. Bubble fish = Tapioca sushi. Although I did not try the sushi, I did enjoy the snow ice. I got the green tea snow ice with red bean topping. Most places do not have flavored snow ice, but I was pleasantly satisfied with my green tea flavored snow ice.
My friend’s almond sesame tea was really yummy and fragrant. The juices also looked good so I may try that in the future. This place is a sit down joint so the only place for casual bubble tea is at the sofas. I also got to sample the calamari which reminded me of onion rings with the fried crispy batter on the outside. Edamame is also addicting since it was lightly dashed with salt. Overall a trendy upgrade for Chinatown!

Jared & I decided to hit up Bubblefish for a late lunch on an easy Sunday afternoon. We both had the spot bookmarked for quite some time and were happy to finally give it a shot. For those looking for the short review — its worth trying and a must if you like sushi.
Jared got one of the roll specials while I ordered the Chirashi. We both had a drink — Jared a tea drink while I had a milk shake. So the Chirashi wasn’t quite what was pictured, but was damn close. Every bit of fish was fresh and flavorful. While it alone did not fill me up, I didn’t finish it needing to eat more. The Guava Banana Milk Shake was huge! The banana wasn’t overpowering but there was only a small hint of guava. Jared’s Spicy Maki Combo was sizable, forcing him to take a few pieces with him.
Service was on point and the place was extremely clean. I was also surprised how big it was inside — I’m not saying don’t make reservations on busy times, but they do seat a lot. Again, check them out, especially if sushi is your thing.

When bubblefish first opened I was a huge fan. I live in Chinatown and frequented bubblefish a few times a week (it’s safe to say I was obsessed). Originally I felt the sushi was high quality with a lot of flavor but on my most recent visit I was really disappointed. The sushi was mediocre at best and the spicy mayo was NOT typical spicy mayo.
I hope bubblefish was just having a bad day as I really enjoyed their sushi, appetizers and wide variety of teas.

I don’t know when they open this restaurant, so when I searching on Unilocal I found this!
I tried Chirashi which is really good! They said they don’t put it in a bowl, they put it in container so easier to eat.
The price is standard for Chirashi, but the flavor is yummy! I also order Sweet Rice Bubble Tea, not really like it but not too bad, I think it’s better with the bubble but it wasn’t ready yet then I told them changed it with coffee jelly (maybe that caused the flavor not so good).
I order some food for take out too, lunch special sushi rolls, not too good but not too bad, just very 2 small rolls for price around $ 8. And salt baked chicken, I thought it was like chicken wings, lol, so when I open it just like chicken popcorn.
Then I came there other day to buy Takoyaki & Very Mango. The Very Mango is my reason to come back here soon!!! Love it! Takoyaki was fine, but the Very Mango is fantastic!
I gave 5 stars because of this drink!

Had the potential to be 5 stars for me but I was a bit irritated by our server. Within a few minutes after being seated, the server came to ask TWICE to see if I was ready to order. It was my first time there, and Bubblefish has quite a hefty menu, so I asked for a few minutes. Then another lady came, who was much nicer and asked if I was ready to order. I promise I didn’t take that long, but I wasn’t able to finish reading the whole menu (especially since they have sushi selection, so it might take a little extra time to digest all the options).
Unagi Don: Good but not great, could’ve used a bit more sauce and the eel seemed over baked.
Chirashi: Really good and all the components were fresh!
Forgot which roll I had because I just pointed out a random one when I was being asked if I was ready to order, but it tasted very good too.
The best part of my dinner was the drink, Very Mango! It was a mango smoothie with mango chunks and mango popping boba pearls, it was SO GOOD.

Ooh la la, make way for trendy bubble tea!
The whole hip ambience of this new sushi bar/​bubble tea joint is definitely a step up in class from its similar neighboring businesses in Chinatown. The space is pretty decent with a variety of different types of seating, and one larger room in the back where our party of about 15 had dinner last weekend.
Even though sushi is the prominent option in the menu, they offer a variety of other palatable (and generally less expensive) options including ramen, donkatsu, and the likes. The palpably most exciting part of the menu though is the different types of tea offered, including a unique «sea salt froth tea» that comes in a GIANT glass (closely resembling a beer mug). Several of us had a lively chat about whether «froth» is a noun or a verb (Siri helped us out a lil) as we looked in fascination at the thick layer of foam that blanketed the drink.
Finally, they have a cool moving light projection of their logo onto the sidewalk so that you can’t miss it if you’re walking by at night! Check it out if you’re in the area :)

So surprised that this place is so modernized, definitely doesn’t feel like you’re in Chinatown. Instead, you feel like you’re in a nice more upscale restaurant due to the décor and used of mason jars for some of their drinks and water.
The bubble fish roll is a must try! It was bursting with flavor. The normal rolls, rainbow and spicy salmon were really good as well, better than other normal sushi restaurants I tried. The princess roll was good but I didn’t like how everything sat on a bed of rice.
The salmon tacos could have used more fish (only a few chunks per taco) but the overall taste of it was good, spicy mayo and hints of wasabi flavors. Prices were reasonable, service could have been quicker but it’s also super new so maybe the workers are new to the restaurant industry as well.

Pros:
new sushi place in town
also a drink shop
Upbeat environment
Free wifi!
Cons:
Super long waits even when the whole place is empty
Sushi is okay
Inattentive service

This is my favorite place to chill and eat in Chinatown, philly. Their sushi is great. Their deserts are just perfect, not too sweet, not too plain. I recommend their Crème Brûlée.

I walked by this place for a few months and wasn’t sure what it was (bubble tea? restaurant?). Then my friend told me it was sushi/​japanese inspired dishes with bubble tea.
I was intrigued and was going to head over for lunch, but it was raining so i opted for dinner instead. My group of 3 was super hungry so we ordered a variety of things to taste the menu.
taiwanese salt baked chicken
fried calamari
eel and avocado onigiri
pork sung onigiri
TGI Fresh roll
Angry dragon roll (i think that was the name)
Tonkatsu don
braised beef soup
milk taro black tea
salt foam winter melon green tea
I enjoyed everything we ordered but that might have been because i was hungry. I typically don’t order sushi rolls at all but thought since they had so many special rolls that i try to see if they execute them well. I’m more of a chirashi guy 99% of the time. Plus we were sharing so rolls were easier to be family style.
I liked that the calamari were big and «meaty» compared to other places. The taiwanese chicken had the western china style flavors… reminds me of the chicken app over at Shanghai 1. not necessarily a bad thing, but not super amazing. The eel and avocado onigir was pretty good. The pork sung was a let down… i didn’t know what ‘pork sung’ was… for some reason i pictured meat meat… For those wondering, pork sung is the Chinese meat «wool» (kinda like cotton). I use to eat that all the time when i was a kid so it wasn’t a flavor thing, it was more of a let down because its not really a Japanese ingredient. Its pretty salty (naturally) so it might be good old school app for those interested.
The two rolls came with soy wrap which is a good change (its flavorless in my opinion so those that don’t like seaweed would like it). As always, these special rolls are kinda drowned by American style sauces… They weren’t bad, but i’d probably try their chirashi next time to see if they have good fish in general. The rolls i can’t really taste the fish. Had good texture though.
The Tonkasu had the same breading as the calamari (i could be wrong, but tasted very similar). It wasn’t anything special. I felt they are frying in a heavier oil or something (calamari and tonkatsu). I tasted my friends braised beef soup. It wasn’t a traditional chinese/​taiwan flavor profile… the noodles were chewing which i liked, but my friend didn’t. I thought the dish was good.
The salt foam winter melon green tea was pretty bomb. That was the main reason i wanted to come here. There aren’t many if any places in philly that serve salt foam (correct me if i’m wrong).I seen it on youtube a few times and really wanted to try it. My friends said their tar tea was «watered» down, but i think they got it confused… They thought they were getting a taro tea but it was BLACK TEA with taro flavor. They didn’t enjoy it because i think they had a different perception of what they were ordering. I tried it and it was good. They did complain it wasn’t cold since it wasn’t served with ice.
Note: My friends said the rice in the onigiri and sushi had way too much rice wine vinegar – so much so that it tasted sour. I honestly didn’t taste any at all. I dont’ think they use «real» sushi rice as the grains are bit off color and size/​shape. It isn’t a deal breaker to me since i rarely eat rice but others might find fault. One friend said the place is 2 stars, the other 3.5 stars. My overall experience was elevated by the winter melon tea and the great service, so it is a solid 4 stars for me. Food might be 3.5. I would dock a bit more for being cash only. But prices for food were a tad lower than comparable places so you do save on that.

Mmmmm finally a decent sushi place in Chinatown! After coming back from Japan last year, I was really craving some simple, fresh, Japanese-​style sushi that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Bubblefish meets all those criteria in a newly renovated, modern space in Chinatown.
I came here with my coworkers and sampled across the menu, including the chirashi, a sushi platter, some special rolls, and a few appetizers, including the Taiwanese-​style fried chicken with fried basil leaves. Chirashi and the platter were excellent — especially the white tuna. Everything else was on or above par. Presentation is thoughtful, meticulous and inviting. Oh, and the bubble tea is good too!
This is a family-​owned small business whose owners are from the community, and the sushi chef was trained by a professional Japanese sushi chef. Gold stars all around.

This restaurant is located in the love of Chinatown. Interior design bring out the standard that they have incorporate within this place. Not only in their food and drink but also in their services has bring people to this hot spot!!! Highly recommended this location to hang out, gab a drink, or dine out.

Overall, I really enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant. The wide open space and layout was a welcome change from smaller Chinatown places. I especially loved the wall décor (dragon boat paddles and drum!!!) and the wonderful service.
I thought the drinks were the best part (we got the least amount of sugar added and the tea flavor really came through). The chirashi was a great deal (14 pieces of sashimi including some chef specials) and came fresh and delicious. My friend thought the unagi was tasty but was a little disappointed with the portions for the price. I look forward to coming back and trying other menu options!

Very cute and cozy place. The inside looks very much like nom wah tea parlor. Was greeted and seated right away. Their menu is very limited. Long list of drinks you can choose from though. So my boyfriend isn’t a huge fan of sushi but he gave in and came with me .
So we’ve ordered sushi. If you’re there during their special it’s Monday-​Friday from 11:00 — 3:00 pm it’s two hand roll for 7.95 $ except for their signature roll. We’ve ordered the shrimp tempura roll, spicy crab roll, wasabi lobster roll, spider roll, and the bubblefish roll. The sushi were very good except for the wasabi lobster roll, the rice was a little too mushy for our liking and the spider roll, the seaweed were on a little on the chewy side. For appetizer, we’ve ordered the volcano chicken which had a cheese filling it was just okay. For drinks, my boyfriend ordered the bubblefish very mango he said it was good and I’d ordered the honeydew milk tea. It’s good just like any other bubble tea spots .
For service, our servers was very nice and attentive. Very knowledgeable about the menu. Although our sushi did took a bit to come. Overall we’ve had a great experience and would be back to try the rest of their menu.

Place is nice and clean. Food is decent.
However, I waited literally 40 mins for 5 rolls of sushi. The restaurant was not even busy. I can’t imagine if it does get busy. How long do people have to wait?

4.5 stars and I look forward to returning many more times! The spot came highly recommended from a friend. The space is truly well put together and I appreciate the variety of drink options: tea, smoothies, soft drinks, juices, etc. They treated us like valued guests. There were a couple small problems such as they were out of all mango drinks, much to the chagrin of our party, and an appetizer was forgotten. These are simple mistakes and forgivable for the simple reason that the rest of the experience was such a pleasure.
The almond milk hot boba tea was delicious, but next time I’ll be sure to order tea in the cute teapots!

Very fresh sashimi and nice services! I ordered the sushi and sashimi platter for 2. The portion was humongous! I like their salmon most, fresh and juicy. Also, their drink was pretty nice and special. I ordered very mango with half sugar. It was a combination of yogurt, fresh fruit and special juicy bubble. Very nice dinner experience here

Bubblefish is probably one of the best sushi places around Chinatown. The ambience of the restaurant is very nice and modern, although I do question some of their music choices as I was there. Nevertheless, it never bothered me. The restaurant is modern in design with a touch of spirit of Chinatown with a fish tank, and a dragon’s head decoration. It was nice to see a modern spin.
The price point of this place and it’s quality is what makes it worth it. You usually get what you pay for. My party of 4 and I first ordered Tropical Fruits Tea. All the brewed teas there are free refills! Like most fruit infused teas, it was very light with the fruity flavor but it was very nice. For this particular tea, we were also given syrup to sweeten the tea if needed. I went a little food crazy and ordered a Bubblefish green milk tea with an Angry Dragon Roll, an Unagi Don, and Cheesecake.
The milk teas here are standard in fare about $ 4.50 for a large, but they are worth it because of the size you get in you dine-​in. They give it to you in this cool pitcher! For me the food came out pretty quickly as it wasn’t too busy. When I read the description of the Angry Dragon Roll I thought it was going to be way too complex in flavor due to it’s many ingredients, but I was so wrong. The flavor was perfect and everything complimented each other so nicely. My friend put it as «It took him on a journey»! The Unagi Don which costed around $ 12 dollars comes in this big round dish, but it was shallow. The Unagi quality was great but they didn’t provide much Unagi. They did provide other sides like kani, egg custard, and cucumbers though. The cheesecake, crème brûlée, and waffle desserts were nothing too special, but it was still very satisfying.
The waitress Trang was very helpful in describing everything for us as it was some of our first times. I’ll definitely be coming back!

I’m glad that there’s finally a decent go-​to spot for sushi in Chinatown. I really like the ambience of the restaurant. It has a very modern and relaxing feel.
I ordered the bubblefish green tea and had two regular rolls, salmon avocado and tuna avocado. The drink wasn’t much different from others I’ve had before but I still liked it. There’s a huge variety of drinks I look forward to trying next time — a little pricey though so make sure you pick something you’re confident with. The sushi rolls were delicious. They had nice presentation and you can taste the difference in quality.
The food unfortunately took pretty long due to a large party they had in the back but our server was friendly and polite so I didn’t mind that much. I will definitely be returning to try out the rest of the menu.

This place has a very trendy, modern, yet comfortable feel. You could have a business meeting here, or just catch up with an old friend over a drink and small bites. One of the owners hand picked the branches you see used as décor. I have gotten take out for drinks and food twice, and dined in for dinner on the second day of their soft opening. It is a little bit cold if you sit by the front windows. I really like the round booths that they have in the middle of the restaurant. Nice and intimate for a group of friends.
The Taiwanese salt baked chicken is a must order. My two Taiwanese friends that were born and raised in Taiwan definitely approved the authenticity. The Sashimi Heaven was to die for. The sashimi was perfectly cut in thickness and very fresh. The sushi chef, Edison has won awards before and continues to compete in competitions. The Spicy Garlic Edamame was a little too spicy and just did not really go well together in taste. The Veal with Black Pepper Sauce was basted in a tasty sauce, not too chewy but tender and soft. The Salmon Taco was creative and interesting. The TGI Fresh Roll was filling. The Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup had a little herbal medicine added into the broth. The Tofu Mousse Cheese Cake was delectable, and not too sweet. The (Almond) Panna Cotta was good, it reminded me of Almond chilled tofu you can get at dim sum. However, the Lychee Panna Cotta from a related competitor in Chinatown is better.
The tea brand that they use for their drinks is Possmei. A brand from Taiwan that Tea Talk (later turned Tea Chat, and now is Mr. Wish) used to use. So glad to have a place in Chinatown that uses Possmei again. The drinks in-​house are very generous in size. Pack it into a to-​go cup if you dined in and can’t finish. We did not have as much décor on our drinks (garnishes or floating boba) like the photos on their Facebook page. That would have been nice to have on our drinks, more decoration.
I definitely plan on coming back to try more things on the menu. This place is kid friendly. I have already recommended this place to many friends. I feel fortunate to have a restaurant like this now in my neighborhood of Chinatown Philly.

This place is so ambient and the teas are magnificent. We tried the Taiwan Dong Ding Oolong Tea and the Roselle Chrysanthemum.
The atmosphere is very beautiful and soothing which goes along nicely with the subtle, delicate flavors of the teas.
The Sea Salt Froth Oolong Tea is exceptionally delicious because it offers a buttery creamy flavor to the mellow oolong, providing a warm finish that will sooth and calm you as the candles burn.
Also, the perfect go-​to spot for reading/​studying. Highly recommended.

I live in Chinatown and there are a lot of places to get tea drinks, but Bubblefish is one of the more unique places to get them. I tried their fried calamari, crabmeat salad and pork sung onigiri, and Bubblefish roll and they were all delicious! The service here are friendly and made me feel welcome. I would definitely come here again.

Very unique environment. Relaxing and very chill.
The food was delicious and amazing. Love the drinks. If you really like bubble tea and want to try something different, come to Bubblefish. Definitely would come back again.

This is the only sushi place in Chinatown that I know of, and their food is pretty amazing.
As other people have already mentioned, the layout and decorations is beautifully done. And their menu is super cute.
The drinks come without ice so they won’t be diluted. Some may think the drinks are a bit more expensive compare to other tea places but the big portion makes up for that. So I think they are totally worth it.
The food was on point. I liked everything I ordered. The tofu cream cheese was very delicious as it wasn’t too sweet. Volcano chicken was very good as well. But my ultimate favorite is the chirashi.
Definitely recommend this place.

Short review: Wonderful place to dine at. You can go in and take to go or eat in. I went with a group that started with five, but ended with twelve. As a result, we kept having food added to our order, but Bubblefish was very accommodating. Their food and drinks are heavenly tasting, especially their tea drinks. It has the taste of real fine fresh tea that no other place in Chinatown has as far as I’m concerned. Pretty nice interior, though it’s not a lounge like place like KFT, it’s more restaurant like. A bit pricey, especially if you’re going with a large group, but the food is worth the price.
Décor:
High ceilings, dim lighting mainly, but there is light from the window during the day. There is a room for rather large parties (or reservations perhaps?) in the back that is lighted up brightly. Although the seating area lighting is dim, it gives off a nice atmosphere. The decorations are unique and nice. The tables aren’t too stuffed together or cramped up.
Service:
Wonderful service, especially considering he fact that my group would have people come in either solo or in a small group that ended in twelve people dining. The waitresses didn’t have any problems when we continued to add food to our order at random times, and they were very courteous and polite. The owner, Xu, would chat with the customers too. The only minor issue would be that our food and drinks didn’t come all at once, but I’d consider that understandable seeing as we ordered over ten drinks alone and god knows how much food. Even so, we got our food in a reasonable amount of time. Props to Bubblefish for that.
Food:
The food oh my god. Tasted wonderful to me. The sushi was reallllly good. Onigiris seemed pretty packed, takoyakis definitely felt bigger than the ones at KFT or TeaDo. The unagi don looked wonderful and tasted wonderful. The drinks are beautiful. If you dine it they serve them in such a fancy way. I recommend the Volcano Chicken, very tasty and yummy and their tea drinks.
Drinks:
Their tea drinks are without a doubt 500%. Places like KFT or TeaDo or Mr Wish in Chinatown never have tea tasting like this. The taste of tea can clearly be tasted, no matter what the flavor your drink is; my friend said its the taste of fresh tea. If you’re looking for good tea drinks, definitely try Bubblefish’s. You won’t find any other place in Chinatown that’ll serve tea drinks like them. I tried the taro milk tea, and it was wonderful. And they serve all their drinks in such fancy glassware. Water in little mason jars, milkshakes in root beer mugs, and milk tea in those glass milk bottle like glasses. Some of the teas are actually served in clear glass teapots and cups, which I didn’t try.
Pricing:
It is pretty pricy, considering the other stores that are in the Chinatown area. But it is pretty reasonable in my opinion. Pricey but worth it is what I’d say. After all, quality is better than quantity no? The drinks my group ordered were all around $ 5, especially since dine in drinks are all served large size. The onigiri was about $ 3 if I remember correctly. You can get some of the sushis 2 for $ 7 or $ 8, and they have sushi platters for around $ 13. Dons (rice with eel or pork cutlet or seafood?) are about $ 12.
Overall, if you’re in the Center City Philadephia area, make a stop in Chinatown for Bubblefish. If not for the food then for their drinks. Bubblefish can definitely expect me to frequent their place a bit often, especially for their wonderful teas.

I went the night before snowpocalypse started with some friends. We arrived and were quickly seated, (no one was really there because everyone was smart enough to go home or stay home.) They gave us a choice to sit in a booth or a table and luckily my boyfriend said booth because I noticed that the tables are a little small. They seem to only fit drinks and not so much food so I wonder if this will be a potential problem for them in the future.
The menus were honestly hard to read because the flaps wouldn’t crease so it felt like I was fighting the page open. This will not be a problem in the future since the pages will wear out and stay put eventually.
I split 3 rolls and a drink with my boyfriend because I wasn’t particularly hungry. Our server informed up that the kitchen was backed up. Honestly it was a lot longer than expected but I had good company so it didn’t ruin my experience. Our server was really sweet and was helpful with the menu.
I order a pineapple coconut green tea, large. You can only order a large when dining. The came in big jugs. It was okay. It reminded me of a confused piña colada because it had those flavors but just taste like pineapple juice in coconut milk. Will not order again.
The sushi, however, was great. I ordered the tuna princess, bubblefish, and eel avocado. The specialty rolls are nicely presented. The bubblefish was really good. I don’t remember what was in it but I will order again. The sushi prices are average.
I will definitely come back because they have a very interesting drink menu and their sushi is pretty good. The atmosphere is a little lacking but that is probably because I came in the midst of storm but I think this place has potential. I am excited for them to come back to try some other teas.
TLDR; Gotta work out some kinks. Great service. Unfortunate wait time for food. Drink did not impress. Good sushi. Average prices. Will come again. Cash only.

I love the design of this place, gave off a very vintage feeling, yet very relaxing. I tried a drink called golden triangle, which was made out of fresh fruit. It was very tasty. My friend had coconut pineapple green tea. He liked it very much.
The food was very good, probably one of the best sushi I ever tried. I love their veil ribs, you can taste the sweetness of the meat. Their rolls were also really decent, I love their tuna princess roll! Definitely recommend it.
They also have a study/​meeting room that you can definitely use to study!!! Sadly, I’m not in Philadelphia everyday, but will definitely come back for more when I’m in town.

We came here on the first day this place was open. There’s definitely a lot of promise here, but we hit a few snags that prevented the 5 stars.
This place is interesting in that it’s a bubble tea shop + sushi bar. The ambiance is pretty nice; we were impressed with the sleek décor. Their tea menu is quite impressive, and everything we got was good. Their sushi is also quite good, a needed addition to Chinatown. The TGI Fresh, Tuna Princess, Monster, and Yellowtail rolls were all super yummy. Their menu also includes some Taiwanese and Japanese appetizers (the Taiwanese popcorn chicken was dubbed quite authentic by the experts at the table).
The only real problem was the service. Our teas took over 10 mins to come out, and the food even longer (and oddly staggered). The waitress was a bit confused at certain questions. At a more established place, it might have been bad enough to bring it down to 3 stars, but everyone was really nice, and since it’s their first night open, I’ll give them a pass. I think they knew things were a little messy too, because they brought us a (quite amazing) crème brûlée to thank us for our patience.
Overall, a great new place in Chinatown, once they figure out the service.