Gen is great Japanese food spot a little out of the way on a random corner in Prospect Heights. It is a very eclectic crowd for an eclectic menu. From the Rastafarians to the yuppies, there is a little bit of Gen in everyone. It is also vey very reasonably priced. The carafes of sake are good, tasty, diverse and cheap. That just means you can drink and eat more! Appetizers are definitely stronger than entrees here. The pumpkin tempura is yummy and just so perfectly crispy. But, the special "toppings" sushi was absolutely delicious...ginger-garlic sauces, avocado-mango combinations and more. If you see this as a special, be sure to order a couple of portions. For mains, I liked the Rastaman roll with mango. Other rolls such as the Melt in your mouth were a bit blander. Sushi and sashimi pieces were large, but not super-tasty. For dessert the lychee sorbet and banana rolls with green tea were light and refreshing. Gen is a great new addition to the neighborhood with cheap creative fare. Start with the yummy pumpkin tempura. read more

Sushi here is sooo good, the special rolls in particular. The saku saku was great. Literally everything on the menu looked delicious. Cant wait to go back. read more

Best sushi I've had in a while. I had the umeshisho (plum and leaf) and sweet potato tempura/tofu vegetarian options, along with the Godzilla roll. Everything was perfect, the rice temperature, crunchy factor, and the taste of the fish. They even brought me some miso soup which was delicious - not too strong on the miso! Staff are so friendly and attentive, feels like I'm in Japan! Will be back... read more

This review is for delivery only, which was really mediocre. I know that spicy tuna rolls are not real sushi, but they are what they are and Gen tries to make them something they are not. TINY tuna rolls with a squirt of hot sauce on top. The melt in your mouth is a misnomer and the yakiudon was thrown out after a few bites. We waited the 1+ hour for delivery because of the rave reviews on here and I was ravenous by the time it arrived at 10:15pm. We were disappointed and couldn't even order anything else because it was too late! read more

The Nabeyaki udon sounded pretty good, so I ordered it. From the looks of the pictures, everything looked delicious...until I got my food. I ordered takeout, so it's a given the presentation isn't going to be as aesthetically pleasing as one in a restaurant. However, the balance between each food topping was not so even. The food was piping hot for takeout which is great. The egg wasn't the same as the picture; it was soft boiled but no seasoned.(still tasty) the shrimp tempura was yummy. The broth was very flavorful, not bland at all. the vegetable wasn't favorable to me, yet there was so much!! :( the actual udon noodles were okay, likable but not as much udon as the vegetable. Wasn't a fan of that vegetables. read more

Food was pretty good... I ordered the pork belly which was tasty and had good flavor...but the sushi was on point and was really fresh... I had the real crab California roll and the spicy tuna... One of the better sushi places that I've been to... And I've been to a lot. Would really give it 3 1/2 stars but 4 is fine read more

Very good. I have sampled many a sushi restaurant (albeit usually in the Bay Area) and this is one of the better places I've been. Not to mention that the atmosphere is lovely. The service was excellent. I left happy. read more

Gen is high quality sushi and sashimi at its freshest & Japanese curry, tempura and udon at its BEST! They even make their own soy sauce. Although the service can be slow it is worth the wait for the divine flavors of the sea and beyond. In the summer time they have a beautiful garden which makes you feel like you are in a far off land. The Rastafari/Japanese tone makes this atmosphere truly unique. The brunch is also spectacular and the most bang for your buck. A great place for the patient foodie. read more

I've never had a meal here yet that was anything short of delicious and interesting. Their special sushi is always fantastic and often has little surprising, lively touches (tuna with...peanuts?). Unlike a lot of sushi-centric restaurants, the rest of the menu is equally well-thought-out and interesting for both meat and vegetable options. No gluey yakitori noodles or cloying teriyaki here! The service is not especially fast, but it's usually very friendly. Highly recommended. read more

Well, not sure what has happened here - perhaps its the influx of hipsters to the hood that has gone to their head. But standing at the entrance being ignored for ten minutes, with (yes chaotic) staff running around some empty tables - before finally getting some attention to be told there was no space (yes, empty tables) is not ok. Reminder Gen, loyal customers need to be retained.......... read more

Sushi was decent, the appetizers and other dishes were excellent. Absolutely fantastic takoyaki, and the plethora of vegetarian items meant my vegetarian girlfriend was very pleased :) The tofu items were very tasty, however it might be worth asking the server to make sure they don't put tobiko flakes on the vegetarian dishes, if that's something you're concerned with. The service was very friendly and comfortable, and despite the fact that one of the servers definitely was not as informed as he might have been about what he was serving, it was overall a very enjoyable experience. read more

I recently went to Gen, and it was fine, bot not up to its previous standard. I have no idea whether we just happened to go on an off day, or whether the quality is slipping overall. I have gone to Gen for years and it has always been excellent, so it's hard to imagine that the quality is slipping, so I will definitely give it another try. read more

I love this place! Great happy hour deal, good sake selection, fresh delicious sushi!

The food was so good it was beyond my expectations. I had the red dragon roll and my fiancé had the veggie tempura roll. They were both great. We sat at the bar and watched the chef make the rolls which was very cool. I am no sushi expert but I loved this place and will go back!!!! read more

One of the good things about being anorexique besides being thin and looking cool in awes clothes is that u get to cheat and eat a dece meal twice a month. Thanks to a co-worker's tip I decided to splurge at GEN and was not dissapointed. The cals I took in were a sensual culinary delight. Dining at Gen is an exercise in bacchanalia. The staff made impeccable suggestions throughout our dinner. We started with cold sake that had a hint of cedar. AMAZING. Are we wasteeeed yet? Nope but on our way. My friend who traveled Japan last year for a month studied the menu with a religous fervor. "UNI SHOTS! We gotta try it!!!" So we ordered a round. My first time ever. Kinda weird tasting like swamp dog but it was cool to try. What a treat to have sea urchin in sake!!! Next was natto NOT nachos but fermented soybeans. YUM trad Japa food. The atmosphere at Gen is very intimate. I loved it. Am I in Japan? Very cool soft lighting and the music ruled! They played the Sunn o))) / Boris song "Sinking Belle" while I was eating the pork belly app!!! OMG it was sooo succulent and the salmon neck was almost as good. I wanted to take the pork belly home with me! hehehe For the main course we ordered Omakase and a few sides like the spider roll. Their soft shell crab rules.! So delish! Our tray of fresh fish was tasty wtih such variety. The four of us left happily full. I ran into the street yelling IM A SHIAWASE BUTORI!!! Will defs be back soon for one of the upcoming dece meals I can eat. Oh my friends got green tea ice cream with red bean paste for dessert. At this point I could only watch them eat. SO FULL. Their dessert review was most favorable. Gen is a wonder in a neighborhood where I used to go to score D. Ana approved for taste, freshness, atmosphere and service both knowledgeable and friendly. I can't wait to eat here again! * I went back and had the brunch! Awes deal..great variety. The soup was amazing and theraputic. You get a choice of coffee or tea too. I chose the yellowtail roll with avocado. YUM. The main course was Japa style beef which was tender and tasty. Only eleven bucks. Check it out! Also the manager told me to join their newly vamped facebook page for online specials. Here's the linkage! If yer logged in to yer facebook it will take u directly to their page...http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Brooklyn-NY/Gen-Restaurant/191253965848?ref=ts read more

The service sucks a LOT! Vey Rude staff! The food is very salty. If you want to get your blood pressure, go ahead and eat at this horrendous place! read more

Some really excellent non-traditional sushi that's not gross. The fish was fresh, as well -- the seasonal special of the fluke don and the roll with the foie gras, white tuna, and avocado were amazing. The more traditional fare like the soba are great too. read more

Why is it that some neighborhood sushi places are fine (great, even) if you order dine-in, but if you order your food to-go, they give you overpriced cat food in a stapled up bag that prevents you from discovering the trickery until it's too late? The dinner I had at (in) Gen a month ago was fine. Nothing truly amazing, but it was good. But last night's take-out was truly terrible. As in, it was so bad that I will never go back. And I'm still feeling sufficiently annoyed by the whole situation a day later to post this review after discovering that their website had no email address at which to write the restaurant owner or manager directly. Here's why I'm upset: although the hostess graciously helped me pick several dishes which seemed appealing, when I got home with $65 worth of dinner for two I discovered the dumplings and the nabe were made using canned salmon (dry, chewy, over-salted, and extra-fishy). I would expect this if the dumplings or the nabe were particularly cheap, but at $7 and $18 respectively, I felt robbed. The nabe also featured extra-rubbery canned oysters (which tasted like silly putty soaked in brine). $18 for a quart of chicken broth, a little miso, and Fancy Feast castoffs seems somewhat absurd, even by NY pricing standards. And mind you, this is in Brooklyn; $18 for an unappetizing dish in Manhattan would be a little less surprising. The sushi was indistinguishable from the sushi sold in Duane Reade, except at Gen I paid $12 a roll and had to wait longer to pay (and had to leave a tip). I know I ordered several different varieties, but they all tasted the same. They all tasted like "Why am I eating this? I am ashamed. I should stand up for myself. This isn't right. I gave them cash money. I smiled at the hostess. I was nice. I'm a person. I deserve better." Fun fact: my gym sells sushi (and it's damn good sushi) for $4-$6 a roll: if restaurant sushi isn't at least as good as gym sushi, then I'm just going to keep eating at the gym. At least I feel entitled to eat carbs when I'm at the gym. read more

easily the best sushi i've eaten in brooklyn or manhattan. funky atmosphere (they were playing reggae jams when i went in) but the food was incredible. all the sashimi melted in my mouth and the abstract garden (a selection of favorites made daily by the chef) was truly a magical experience. it's reasonably priced from my experience of eating sushi in NY (maybe even a little less than stuff in manhattan) and they had a good selection of other types of japanese cuisine (izakaya, nabe, noodles, curry etc.) for those who are aren't into sushi. for someone who lives down the block, i can't wait to go again!!!!!!! read more

Fantastic home style Japanese food! The environment is nice and welcoming - not at all stuffy. The sukiyaki broth was perfect, the beef so nicely sliced and almost bacon-like. Would like to come back and try more items on the menu including the sushi. read more

Ummm, no. Sashimi was not even remotely fresh. Chirashi was no better. In fact, I'm going to go as far as to say I have NO IDEA how this place has such a good rating. The fish had this grody "alcohol-y" aftertaste as if it'd been dipped in something to disguise the funk. If you like your fish fresh...I suggest you look elsewhere. Boooo! read more

I'm a little surprised by the mixed reviews of this place. I've been there many times and the sushi is always extremely fresh and delicious The melt in your mouth roll is a favorite and the pumpkin roll is another more filling option. The chef is creative so there is often a large array of specials to choose from. The udon is also good. Typically, I just go for the sushi though because of the quality. The service may be a little slow, but the feel of the place is very laid back and overall it is a nice dining experience. The one thing I would strongly suggest is to avoid take-out. There seems to be a disconnect between the take-out food and the in-house food. The rolls are smaller and not as tasty. If you are close by though, stop in. read more

The best part of This place was the extensive Japanese craft beer / sake menu. It is expensive and The sushi was not good, and was not cut properly. read more

Just had the prefix dinner. Very traditional Japanese food and I wouldn't have ordered every piece (who eats tofu voluntarily?) but everything was a delicious cultural culinary experience. Sushi platter also delicious in this cute and friendly place. Green tea cheesecake a great finish. read more

Ooh I love Gen. Everything from the sake to the cod to the sashimi is delectable. Their soups are also great. Its very authentic, simple and flavorful Japanese fare and I just cant get enough of it! Yum! read more

Top notch! We used to live nearby and we still drive back just so we can go here! Everything we've had is so tasty! From the sautéed spinach to the eringi steak to the super fresh sashimi and chef surprise specials and the curated list of sake! We've never been disappointed and can't wait to go back. read more

The people who created Gen Japanese restaurant and who prepare the food are artists, so the experience of dining there is like stepping inside a painting. The decor is beautiful and sculptural and the work of local artists is exhibited on the walls in a regularly changing basis. The presentation of the food is exquisite and the traditional Japanese fare has some flamboyant innovations to reflect the diversity of the neighborhood -- the rasta roll is a sushi roll with mango, avocado and salmon. Also, there's garden dining for the warmer weather. Cloesd Mondays read more

I know that might not sound like much as there are only two or so competitors, but Gen really is fantastic. Delicious Japanese food, and please don't just go there for the sushi. If you can convince the servers to make you a ten-don (shrimp tempura and vegetables over rice), which, for some reason, they insist is only on the lunch menu, you'll be in heaven. Gen's only flaw is that it's pricey--I treat it like it's my personal delivery haven for nearly daily Japanese food hankerings, but it's really more of a nice once-in-a-while sort of place. Unless you're a moneybags. read more

Great service, great patio and indoor atmosphere, great sushi. And the eggplant appetizer is everything.

Weird. I thought I'd already reviewed Gen. I've been here a couple of times - never disappointed. One time I went with friends and the guys ordered a ton of random food. Normally I order meals that make sense but these guys just ordered everything they wanted to eat. It was awesome. Everything looked great and they liked every bite. I had the soba noodle soup and it was a bit too healthy tasting but certainly enjoyable. The other times I've been here I had the sushi. It was very fresh, nice presentation. Really cannot complain about Gen. It gets packed on First Saturday so maybe don't go then but if you don't mind waiting, you won't be disappointed. read more

3.5 stars We had the funky wild rice chirashi and the avocado nuta. The chirashi set we got came with miso soup or salad and I chose the salad. All the veggies in it were rotten so the entire salad was inedible. The avocado nuta was only OK. The dressing was really good but they only gave about a spoonful of it. The tofu was straight from the box and store bought which was nothing special and they could have put in a little more effort to drain the excess water out of it but the avocado was pretty fresh. The chirashi set we got was a huge portion and came with tomago, the chirashi with a nice variety of fish, a small cooked fish with onions and fish and then another side dish of potato salad and edamame. The chirashi was a little different since it was served with wild rice. The fish was fresh but I didn't like that it was served with some white tuna which generally gives me a stomach ache. Overall this was a nice place but certain items could have been more fresh. read more

Gen - Funky wild rice chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I wasn't impressed with the sushi, and definitely expected more after reading the exceptional reviews. I think it's priced too highly, and the spicy tuna roll that I ordered was a rip off - a regualr salmon roll with a drop of hot sauce (that did NOT even taste good). I'll think twice before ordering again. read more

Absolutely love this place, the food is great and so are the servers. The sushi is fresh and the waiters are more than helpful. Love the atmosphere nice and cozy really realaxing and romantic. read more

Best Japanese restaurant in NY by far! I love, love, love this place. The first time I went, I saw Murukami fall asleep in his sushi. Honestly - ha! The chefs are Japanese rastas and the whole vibe of the place is so laid back and chilled out, you just want to stay all night. The staff are super friendly, the sushi is so fresh (definitely order the toro aburiyaki and hamachi mango) and if I remember correctly, they even have mochi for dessert. Hooray! read more

I love Gen and it's definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood. The food is consistently excellent and they have a huge range of Japanese food, not just sushi. The fish is great quality, rolls are creative, hot apps and entrees are delicious, and they have a full page of specials every day in addition to the huge menu. Plenty of options for vegetarians as well as people who don't love sushi (great gyoza & chicken katsu). Prices are also very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food. The only negatives I would mention are spotty service and delivery -- our table was almost given to another group after we had waited 40 minutes (lack of communication / host), servers can be hit or miss, and delivery is only sometimes offered. read more

The food is much better than I expected, the rice plate is traditional Japanese style, and it tasted great, Sushi was pretty good too, but the sushi rice is little bit loose. I saw other people order the curry rice, that also looked so delicious, I'm gonna try that next time.~! More over, their green tea ice cream was fantastic, it has both green tea and palm's tastes. Plus, decor and service were nice, So, it is an excellent Japanese restaurant. read more

I can't get enough of this place! It's such a treat for such a great price. They have so much more than sushi. I love their ramen and curry! The restaurant hosts sake events and has an outdoor patio. The servers are always so helpful and friendly when I want to try something new. I can't say enough about this place. read more

Gen is one of our fave places to eat. We have been going there since they opened and have watched them become more successful as the neighborhood has changed. Gen is more than just sushi too. It has a wide variety of Japanese foods (like katsu and noodles) and is vegetarian-friendly and so it is a great place to go with friends. In some ways, I am sort of nostalgic for the "old" days as I think the sushi was more carefully crafted, and we had the place to ourselves and it felt like our secret spot, but I will continue to eat there and support them! read more

The one time my husband & I ate here it was awesome! The sushi was fantastic, and when I ordered some Plum Wine & was told there was none, but to try their Plum Sake, I was sold! The sake was amazing! The place is small but it's nice for an intimate dinner w/your significant other. read more

Excellent food, presentation and decor. We sat out back on their "summer patio". Service seemed uninterested, but were fairly attentive. The music was good (avant modern Japanese, we think) but inappropriate for dining. Would have been five stars if the staff smiled more and the music were softer. Well worth a visit. read more