Dawa Sushi and Ramen sits on Front Street between Fishtown and Olde Kensington, run by chef Joseph Kim and his wife, Ellie. It's a family operation in the fullest sense — Joseph's mother helps out in the back — with no larger restaurant group or marketing team behind it.
Kim trained in culinary school in New York after growing up near Philadelphia, and spent more than two decades building his sushi knowledge before opening Dawa. That background shows up on the menu, which spans both sushi and ramen, with the omakase and the quality of the fish standing out as particular draws for regulars.
Dawa has built a following as a lesser-known spot that holds up against Philadelphia's pricier, more established sushi rooms — the kind of place regulars talk about as a local secret worth knowing.
Kim trained in culinary school in New York after growing up near Philadelphia, and spent more than two decades building his sushi knowledge before opening Dawa. That background shows up on the menu, which spans both sushi and ramen, with the omakase and the quality of the fish standing out as particular draws for regulars.
Dawa has built a following as a lesser-known spot that holds up against Philadelphia's pricier, more established sushi rooms — the kind of place regulars talk about as a local secret worth knowing.