MATTARI – Japanese dining house &Sushi and Brunch

Stumbled across this place the other day, already went back for a second visit. Tried the steamed dumplings, egg sando, chicken sando, volcano roll, and salmon sunset roll. Everything i tried was super delicious. I already know what I want to get the next time I go. The staff that greeted me were pleasant, sweet, and welcoming. The place is tastefully put together and has a nice vibe. 10/10 recommend 🙂

BEST JAPANESE FOOD IN GAINESVILLE! This place is a hidden gem for authentic Japanese food. Unlike the typical teriyaki chicken restaurants, they have dishes like tornado omelette, creamy udon, curry rice, steak, and more! My partner and I came several times and tried different dishes, all which were very delicious, not overly salty, and very homey tasting. The servers are nice and the place is dimly lit and well decorated. Would highly recommended, we love this place!

Absolutely love this place! I have been going since there soft opening and it is a must eat every time i’m back in town. I absolutely love the Volcano Roll, Salmon Roll, and the Kyoto Crunch roll. Highly recommend for both take out and dine in!

Went here with a group of friends for my partner’s birthday and had an incredible experience. The servers were amiable and attentive. The food was delicious and even the presentation was superb. I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Visited on a quiet Monday night. While I was initially interested to see some less-common menu items, the overall experience was disappointing in both food quality and service. My partner and I ordered the goma-ae spinach, sashimi deluxe, Japanese curry rice, and house hot sake. The hot sake was standard low-quality sake—the kind you’d expect at an average sushi spot. It was heated in a small microwave sitting on a crowded table behind the sushi bar. Service was slow; there appeared to be only one server covering several tables, and I had to remind him multiple times about refills. One refill arrived with a noticeable white film floating in it. It was replaced after I asked, but the bill was not itemized, so I’m unsure whether I was charged for it. The goma-ae spinach tasted like frozen spinach with a very basic sauce. It lacked depth and was fairly underwhelming. The Japanese curry rice also seemed to rely heavily on frozen components. The broccoli and carrots were extremely soft and flavorless, and the rice appeared to be quick or instant rice—overly soft, wet, and lacking texture. The curry itself was very basic and didn’t have much character. The sashimi was the most concerning part of the meal. The escolar was brown and dried on the ends, which was alarming. Another piece had what looked like fish trimmings or debris on it (I’ve attached a close-up photo showing black specks). The salmon and two other pieces were overly soft, which made me suspect they were not fresh. None of these fish were displayed at the sushi bar; when I asked, the staff gestured vaguely to somewhere behind them as the source. I didn’t get sick, which is a positive, but based on the quality and freshness concerns, I wouldn’t order sushi here again.

I really enjoy the food and service here! I’ve eaten here three times and am very impressed with the quality of food and the service. The restaurant is very cute and cozy inside. The sushi is very fresh and delicious

I am so excited to have such a fantastic Japanese restaurant in town. Great atmosphere, attentive and friendly staff, and delicious food at pretty reasonable prices! We tried as many plates as we could and they were all wonderful. I was so excited for the food that I kept forgetting to take pictures before we'd already dug in! Chicken Karaage: A Blush Flame Roll: A+ Garden Roll: A+ Crispy Rice w/ Spicy Tuna: A+ Tornado Omelet w/ demi-glace: A+ Can't wait to go back and try more new dishes!