I ordered their Beef Sukiyaki Set for Two which came with 4 appetizers and a dessert chosen for you. The flavoring of the sukiyaki was sweet and delectable. The beef provided were good but not the best thing I've ever tried. There were only 8 pieces which seemed little but everything together had me full. A good amount of veggies of mushroom, onions, greens along with udon at the end. The creme brûlée was soft and sweet. I also ordered ginger ale and I'm pretty sure it's Bruce Cost ginger ale which I was not a fan of. We sat at the bar and the staff were quite attentive. The atmosphere was dim and romantic with a cute little rose at the bar. read more

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I've been wanting to check this place out for awhile but unfortunately we usually don't stay in midtown. We finally came since our schedule aligned after work. There's a lot of options to order from: sushi, shabu, or just izakaya type food. We decided to try the duck shabu. I will say it's one of the most unique Japanese meals I've ever had. The duck shabu was very rich and delicious. It even comes with udon to finish off the meal. We also ordered some additional handrolls. The uni handroll was amazing. The restaurant itself is in a basement area. We sat at the bar and it was cozy. There's other tables in the back as well. Overall the food was great. The service was attentive as well. Like some have mentioned, it's a bit pricey for what it is. But I would say that it was worth a visit. I would come back again to try the other menu items. read more

Jukai - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Food 8/10 Located in midtown east, this hidden underground spot serves quite a flavorful sukiyaki. We got the duck set, which also came with a few appetizers and an absolutely phenomenal white sesame panna cotta dessert. That definitely took my breath away, especially as someone who typically doesn't enjoy panna cottas. The hotpot itself was perfect for a cloudy evening, it wasn't too much food, but it filled me up quite well. Worth checking out if you're in the area or if you've given up on waiting for Tomi Jazz. Atmosphere 7/10 Because it's on the basement level, it felt a bit damp, but nothing to complain about. Service 7/10 Solid service. read more

The food is way over priced for quality and the taste is so bland. Also, no matter how many sauces they brought nothing got flavored. The only thing that was decent was the beer I had and the plum wine, but the service was terrible and the server didn't take good notes on our orders and neglected us a lot. I then left a $20 tip and left, but then the hostess ran after me when I was on the street less than a block away and claimed what I put wasn't enough. I kept walking but she kept bothering me. I gave her an extra 20 just to go away. I would never eat here again. I think that a tip is optional and to be honest I really didn't want to leave any money for tip because I just had a very poor experience and tipping is optional and I shouldn't be hounded on the street just because someone feels entitled. read more

Review: 3.5 stars I came on a Thursday night around 8 PM with a group of four. We had made reservations beforehand but after we entered I realized it really wasn't necessary due to the restaurant being fairly empty at that time apart from our group and another one. The restaurant boasts a nice atmosphere. It is definitely a great vibe for a date. We decided to order for our table: --ASSORTED TEMPURA FOR TWO: The tempura was very nicely fried and great flavor. Love the assortment of different items. Would recommend this dish! --SHABU SHABU FOR TWO: We paid extra money to add two extra people to the meal. It first came with a few small morsels for the appetizer. There was a cauliflower soup in a spoon which tasted so bland and was cold as well. Additionally there were two very dry items that were also not very memorable. Finally, there was a slice of bread with a duck topping that was absolutely delicious. Loved that one. Afterwards, the main star came. There was some good sauces that came with it but the soup base was so bland it basically tasted like water. They gave us a huge portion of meat for four people but quality was just ok. It was also stuffed with veggies and our group was stuffed after the Shabu Shabu. Finally, the sesame panna cotta that it came with for dessert was delicious. For the cost that we were paying I was disappointed that the food was so hit and miss. Additionally, service was not good and not attentive at all. No one would stop by to see how we were doing or help us fill our waters etc. Additionally, food itself came out so slowly especially given there was barely anyone else in the restaurant. All in all, a disappointing experience especially given the vibe and cost. read more

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This is a takeout order via Caviar, so this review is not representative of a supposedly better dine-in experience, but there is no excuse for sub-standard food if the restaurant decided to offer take out. Got a 3-piece omakase and a salted uni and salmon roe bowl. The sushis do not taste fresh and are fairly thinly sliced. Don't enjoy the choice of fish as well and the 3 pieces tasted very flat altogether. The salted uni and salmon roe bowl looks outright depressing - by "uni" it is literally just uni sauce splat on a bed of rice, with too much scallions spilled on top of it that kill the flavours. Salmon roe is okay but still below average. I think at this point I may be biased but even the rice feel too sticky and not rightly flavoured to be eaten in this chirashi style bowl. At $40 plus all the fees and delivery tips this is nowhere close to be worth it. Again if you actually eat there it could be entirely different - but I'm not interested in giving that a try after this. read more

Jukai - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

A friend was in town and I've always wanted to try Jukai - after reading some of the reviews after booking a reservation, I was a little weary about dining here, but everything was great! I do have to say, the prices are a bit high for what you get. But if you can get past that, the food itself is good. We ordered Sapporo beer and sake to start - they serve their beer in wine glasses! The Duck Hot Pot for two is $130. On the expensive side, I do think it would be priced better at $45-50 per person instead of $65. Although the broth becomes flavorful with the duck fat melting into it, I think they should have a ponzu or assorted sauces on the side, along with the option to add more water as it cooks so you can drink it as a soup. The four appetizers also could have been bigger in portion, especially if we are paying $130 for the hot pot. Tea being served complimentary would also be a good addition to make the price worth it. Overall, I really did enjoy the duck hot pot - I don't think I've ever come across a restaurant that does this. The only thing I can criticize is the price point, but hey, the location is in Midtown East so that's to be expected! read more

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Visited here for my birthday and with my 28 weeks pregnancy. It's my first time to try duck hot pot. It's so new. We ordered duck hot pot set for 3 people. Duck hot pot is a lot fattier than beef one. The soul is so thick. The duck meat is so thick but so soft. I tend to like the beef better but it's a good try. Adding udon at the end is the best part of the shabu shabu. Appetizer was ok. Dessert was delicious. Beef tongue steak- not a big fan. But they made it good. It's a really small restaurant. Inside was too hot. I think they don't need to turn on that high heater in a hot pot area. Even the restaurant had a heater. The service was great. The server explained every dishes to us. read more

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Should have looked all the reviews first before came to this restaurant. This place is not friendly to people who need help. It is difficult to find because it's below the street level. Walking down stairs there's a big tall threshold that's definitely a tripping hazard. They don't allow service nor emotional support animals and the manager being extremely rude to my wife and I by mocking us and the dog. There is only one tiny bathroom which is inaccessible and not ADA compliant. As said, all they care is charge you as much as they can with as little as the food. They don't care about people who need help. Wouldn't recommend to anyone who want to be fairly treated. read more

I don't know how it dare charges me $140 for such hotpot, tiny meat with bland soup, by the way, this is a hotpot for two. Maybe is my fault that I don't know what is the real sukiyaki, but my last dinner in the other Japanese restaurant with sukiyaki is better. If you want to eat well here, you'd better prepare your wallet and your stomach. read more

Jukai - Duck Hotpot for two people - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

This is a review for sukiyaki delivery. $48 for a few slices of burnt chewy rubbery beef? Not to mention how salty the broth is! This is a totally scam! Any creatures that are tall enough to reach the counter can scramble something 10x better with ingredients from the dollar tree! Shame! I wouldn't eat it even if I were buried 6 feet under and starved for 10 days! Shame! read more

Jukai - Sukiyaki - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Cool vibe, great service and creative menu. Not your local American style take on Japanese food, so don't come looking for that. The clientele is mostly Japanese. I've been 6 times and loved it every time. The grilled lobster is some of the best in the city. read more

An incredible meal all around. Loved the duck tartare which was more of a duck carpaccio. Extensive specials menu. Great portion of fresh fish in the chirashi (not pictured) excited to come back in the wintertime to try their duck hot pot. read more

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4.5/5 jukai is an upscale japanese restaurant next to tomi jazz & hidden underground. the ambiance was very quiet and cozy with a dark & moody interior. came in as a party of 6 at around 6pm on a saturday. we ordered two hot pot sets ($130 each) which came with small appetizers, hot pot (we ordered pork shabu shabu and beef sukiyaki), an add-on (we ordered udon), and custard pudding for dessert. overall, the food was delicious, warm, and comforting. service was also very friendly and attentive. but as everyone else has said, the food was super pricey & perhaps not the best value. read more

Jukai - beef sukiyaki hot pot and pork shabu shabu - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The place is cozy and the Cute waiter was doing his best to please but unfortunately the food was not worth the price . My spaghetti with salted sea urchin tasted nothing like the mollusk I love and it was more reminiscent of some squid ink sauce taste . The sashimi was ok . The duck was decent but wouldn't order it again . The smoked nuts were addicting and I was happy to have ordered them because it went really well with my glass of cab. read more

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Worthy of its reputation. Must tries include the Jumbo oysters ($10/ea), and various kitchen entrees. Best experienced in Izakaya style - several dishes split between your group. Omakase sushi is a bit lacking compared to other high end venues. 1-3 oysters per person is an excellent start to your meal. Served with ponzu on a bed of ice. Oysters themselves are cut in half in the half shell. The skirt steak is made to share, served with a side of hearty whipped potatoes. The chicken gibblets are a favorite for those that enjoy innards. Comes in a hot broth like a mini motsunabe dish. Also portioned to share. The Chirashi ($38) is delightful. A generous mix of cubed sashimi. Same selection of fish and seafood as the omakase ($58), but prepared in a rice bowl instead. A great accompaniment to the heavier dishes you may order during your visit. Overall one of my top picks at the moment. Photos to be uploaded soon. Reservations through RESY are highly recommended as the restaurant is tiny and fills quickly. Three seating options at the moment: dining room, sushi counter, or outdoors. read more

I visited Jukai first time. for dinner. All meals were real high quality and fresh seafoods. Also Sake selections are Excellent!! I saw some of the reviews saying the meals are too small portions, but that is the traditional Japanese style. I definitely will come back to Jukai. read more

Come here for the kitchen items, not the sushi. Loved the sea urchin spaghetti - it was the best dish of the night! read more

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The reception lady gave me really bad attitude. I came 15 minutes early. She told me the table was not ready. I said I would just stay at the entrance and wait for the table. She asked me to leave with very cold tone and face because there is no place for me to wait at the restaurant. Will not come back again！ read more

The tasting menu is one of the most unique in the city. Chef has put in a lot of works to perfect the menu. Very thoughtful.

We were the first ones through the door when they opened. We had reservations for 4 people. We had our phone number in their reservation book. The place was empty. There are many tables that can seat 4 people, like the table near the window which have mat and dining placements for 4 people. The two rectangular tables along the wall near the door are also meant to be for a party of 4 each. Where did we end up getting seated? Oh, you know, the tiny square table meant for 2 people at the back towards the end of the hall near the toilets. It was ridiculously uncomfortable and just plain ridiculous why we had to be seated at the the crappiest of tables when we were the first to arrive, we had reservations, and one of our dining guests is 7 MONTHS PREGNANT. Needless to say, the typical Japanese hospitality wasn't present in Jukai. What a shame! read more

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First time dining and trying Sukiyaki! And we also ordered tasting drink Sake! Honestly say I may not a sweet soup fan, the soup just too sweet for me tho! read more

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Authentic Japanese shabu shabu restaurant that serves Washugyu beef and mugifuji pork. The homemade sesame dipping sauce is the best I've had in NYC. read more

PLEASE TRUST THE REVIEWS. JUKAI IS A SCAM. I decided to check the reviews one day before going just to see which dishes I should order and I found numerous terrible reviews. The reviews are so critical that I have to check the user's old reviews lol. In the end, we decide to go to Jukai because I don't wanna fight her because of the reviews and I never really trust other New Yorkers' opinions that much hahaha. I'll say good stuff first. The atmosphere is great. It's perfect for date night - great playlist, lighting is good, I like the service even though they never serve us water during the whole dinner but we were really busy enjoying our wine. The wine list by the glass is pretty okay but we brought our bottle which has a $25 corkage fee. Here's the list of the food we ordered. To sum this up - Jukai's food is so bad that they make you feel so proud of your cooking skills. It's not even about the quality for the price we paid. Even the food is half the price - it's still terrible. Deep-Fried Duck Skin (1/10) - What should I expect here - crispy duck skin, right? Sorry but no. It's a duck skin fried 3 days ago and soaked in sauce, served cold. It's so bad that I almost asked if they forgot to fry this. I laughed a lot eating this. Oyster (7.5/10) My girlfriend loves oysters. The oyster is big and juicy. Not the freshest oyster but acceptable. It's served with a lemon slice and ponzu. If you really wanna come to this place - THIS IS THE ONLY DISH I RECOMMEND - there are other reviews which trash their oysters but we had a good experience with them. Uni Spaghetti (2.5/10) Not the biggest fan of Uni but this doesn't taste like uni. This taste likes nothingness. It's just a tiny pile of carbs to your stomach. It's VERY BLAND - you will need to add salt. There's the tiniest touch of uni aroma here. The only reason I ordered this was because it could have been a great pairing with the orange wine I brought. Japanese Risotto w/ 5 Mushrooms (-100/10) And I thought the pasta was bland hahaha. The Risotto comes in a big pot but it doesn't look like risotto. Rule no.1 - you can't say it's a Risotto if it is going to be this soupy. What should I call this thing...ochazuke? porridge? rice soup? Maybe it tastes good?.... THIS IS A SCAM. Guys, you can't expect one dish to be this terrible. It's so bad that we laugh so hard. It tastes like rice in warm water lol. The soup has zero aromas of dashi, broth, mushrooms, or anything that is supposed to be there. The texture is of course bad. I thought I had covid the moment I tried this because I couldn't taste or smell anything. We asked the waiter to pack this for us to go immediately after we try, we really couldn't eat this thing. I don't throw away food so it's still in my fridge right now. Miso-Glazed Skirt Steak (4/10) I gave 4/10 (I'm being really kind here) for the taste but with $38 price - it's actually 2/10. Feel likes a not fancy piece of meat which the chef cooks to medium and heavily glazed with miso to hide its weakness. If you have this steak at your friend's place - you won't complain but if you're having this at any restaurant, it's disappointing. 12 Pieces Omakaze (6.5/10) - Since the food was already so bad so we decided to go all the way mayhem. They got a low pass for this. It's $58 so it's not bad for 12 pieces and maybe after what we had, this is NICE! We didn't come here for sushis but it is the most okay part of the restaurant. The fish is not exciting but not bad. In conclusion - we had a very fun night because the food was so bad and we laughed a lot about it. It's so bad that we would still talk about it many years from now. I truly thank you for the memories. If you're a snack bar - I will 100% go back to your place again but not for the food. read more

After a long week of stressing out, we decided to grab drinks and have dinner here after for a casual moment. I saw on Yelp their oysters were delicious! So we each got an oyster and boy the ponzu dipping sauce combo. Dear Jesus I think I almost had an orgasm. Nope, I did. So did my company. I got the chef tasting of six pieces and asked for uni and no salmon. It was pretty good. I saw they had uni sauce pasta and really wanted to try it, but after the oysters, the sushi, and the sake tasting really took my full belly to the edge. Hopefully I will go next time and get the pasta. The price point is pretty high, but it is very well made and very clean. If you like sushi and want good sushi, come here. You will pay a bit of a premium, but in my opinion definitely worth it more than those chain sushi joints. read more

So... I don't know what to quite say about this place lol. Atmosphere and interior? Simple. Minimalistic. Beautiful. Issue? The food was terrible. So service wise, I did not have a problem, it was excellent and they were attentive but I was just really taken aback to how terrible the food was. I got the appetizer platter and the uni spaghetti. As for the appetizer platter, it was quite a varied selection, and when looking at the plating, it really enticed you to try the different flavors it has to offer, but it just did not do it for me. I mean maybe one or two were decent? But flavor-wise it was just bad. Now the moment where it went downhill was the Uni spaghetti. Upon recommendation, I have ordered it but the moment the waiter brought it in, there was just this strange odor attached to it? Now I'm no stranger to the various smells seafood may bring, but this was just a little concerning. Curious as to what the spaghetti would taste like, I tried it but it was just bland. It really is disappointing to see how a restaurant as beautiful as this just falls so short on their food. I honestly would be terrified to come back again. read more

Jukai - Uni spaghetti - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Amazing sushi and Japanese dishes!! Imported from Japan. Good service just make sure you book! read more

Jukai - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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I ended up going to Jukai because my dining partner was sick of going to Tomi Jazz. So rude of him. We decided to try the $65 tasting menu since it seemed like an interesting array of items for a good price. The tasting menu started with a series of Asian fusion style appetizers: homemade tofu with pepper, sardine with olive oil, squid seviche with endive, fried smelt, tamagoyaki, sun-dried tomato beef carpaccio, eggplant, pickled ginger, spaghetti squash, and cream cheese smoked fish. My favorite was the squid seviche and fried smelt. The appetizers was then followed by sashimi, bonito, amberjack, and fluke, with the amberjack being the best. The sashimi was followed by heavily salted grilled cod. Each person then had a choice between the oyster or the shrimp pie. The shrimp pie ended up being ground up crab and shrimp in cased in a pasty shell. It was an interesting concept, but the texture was gritty and the flavor was underdeveloped. For my entree, I chose the beef tongue stew, but it tasted more like beef brisket than tongue. Otherwise it was just a standard beef stew with nothing remotely interesting about it. The beef tongue steak on the other hand was delicious. It cost $5 extra, but I wish we ordered two of those instead. After the entree, we had another round of sushi consisting of tuna, bonito, fluke, amberjack, and squid. The amberjack was again the best one. The tasting menu concluded with a creme brulee dessert. I wish we had gotten the hotpot instead. Everyone else around us ordered the hotpot which seemed overall more inviting. The restaurant is quiet and I don't anticipate there ever being a wait for a table. read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in NYC, it is a kind of upscale izakaya. Last time we went we got a bunch of random smallish dishes like the smoked daikon, simmered octopus, and their fish of the day. as well as the clam udon. The clam udon tasted quite fresh, and exactly as you would expect a clam soup like that to taste but i enjoyed it quite a bit. The service was more asian, and they mostly just let us eat. Overall, a good experience. read more

Food was really really bad. (I should have followed recent reviews and skipped this restaurant.) First, they basically ignored us at the door for nearly 5 minutes (we had reservations and there were plenty of empty seats). The manager was standing right next to us, arguing with a customer about something. Instead of Jukai meal, we decided to try individual dishes. Chilean sea bass had a funky texture(not flakey, but weirdly spongy and chewy), it might be that the fish was undercooked. But this was the most edible thing we had. Chirashi, $35, was full of tendon (seriously, tendon should have been thrown out) which was not really edible. It also had asparagus! Who puts asparagus in Chirashi ? Oyster was big but very fishy. Salted uni and salmon roe was too salty that rice was not sufficient to cover it. We had pretty high expectations before coming this place, but we left with such disappointment (should have left when they ignored us at the door). The only good thing about it was the plating was nice. read more

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The perfect spot for date night! Great vibe, decently quiet, amazing service, and authentic Japanese food with the perfect portion... I love everything about this place and will definitely come back! On an interesting note, this is a no-tipping restaurant, and so the price is slightly on the higher side but worth every single penny if you're looking for an A+ Japanese dining experience and quality food in NYC! read more

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Horrible services at a compact underground venue. The server had at least 3 open tables on a Saturday but claimed they were fully booked at 815 pm or after. They were liars. Never going back there again. read more

My friend and I stopped in here on a whim, as the restaurant we were originally heading for had a long waitlist. Jukai is tucked below street level with a small sign, so we almost missed it. So glad that we found it though. You know it will be a great Japanese restaurant when you are seated and both tables next to you are occupied by people speaking Japanese. A lot of traditional and newer Japanese foods. I had the 5 mushroom "risotto" and it was fragrant and earthy and so delicious. You should understand though, that Japanese risotto is more soupy and doesn't have cheese. More like a porridge. They also have a nice small selection of Japanese whiskeys, and of course sake. The servers were friendly and not overly attentive. We enjoyed a leisurely meal without feeling rushed or ignored. All in all, I am happy we found this little gem! read more

Jukai - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Do Not Go! The food is bad and the service is so bad! Both the manger and wait person are super rude, they tried to put everything in the pot before its boil, and I had to stop her from doing that. They rushed customers out and it's expensive. The restaurant gets busy because they take lots walk in from people wait in line for next door spicy hotpot restaurant. never go Jukai! read more

Came here for my birthday dinner and it was a wonderful experience. My boyfriend and I each ordered the Jukai course at $65 (website needs to be updated) and it was well worth the price. For the amount of food and quality given, it really became a delicious experience. Assorted starter - plate of 11 little bites of unique Japanese appetizers including fresh tofu, fried eel bone, ceviche, roasted eggplant, and egg. It was like a mini adventure as I did not know what to expect from all these little bites. Some were hits and some were misses but a great start regardless. Sashimi Catch of the Day - fresh, melt in your mouth sashimi including tuna and octopus. Broiled Fish of the Day - ours was a miso glazed seabass. Delicious. So soft and tender to the bite, perfectly complemented by the mild sweetness from the miso. Very well executed. Oyster/Dish of the Day - We got one of each. The oyster was a smoked oyster with a lovely lemon sauce that added a great acidity to it, huge in size so easy to share. The dish of the day was a large baked wonton with shrimp inside. Crisp on the outside from the baked wonton skin and full of shrimp flavor on the inside. Unique. Meat - we chose the beef tongue steak and lamb chop. Both were spot on, perfectly executed. The beef tongue was so soft to the bite, marinated very well. It came with an assortment of roasted vegetables including zucchini and buttery corn on the cob. The lamb chop was another star, nicely charred, cooked at the perfect temperature of medium. It came with mashed potatoes that was awesomely buttery as well. Five pieces of sushi - an awesome savory end, clean and beautifully cut. Dessert - we shared this black sesame mousse like dessert, which was super soft and fluffy, and the green tea truffles. A perfect end to a really filling meal. Overall, a wonderful unique experience. We never felt rushed to finish and the service was really nice. Two thumbs up! read more

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I ordered Jukai on Caviar and I know we are going through a pandemic and everyone is trying their best, but there should be a certain standard that still needs to be upheld. I wish I took the time to read some of the recent reviews on here. Our bill came to be $163.00 for five items pre-tax, pre-service fee, pre-delivery fre and pre-courier tip. The bill total was $231.75 which is not cheap, so you can imagine my disbelief when I received my disgusting food that averaged over $30 per dish before any of the service fees. I ordered the steamed abalone and received a meager couple slices that was probably around 1/4 of an actual abalone. See photo. I ordered the uni carpaccio, but was contacted by the restaurant through Caviar that they were sold out and would replace it with a different type of uni and salmon roe on rice. I gave the green-light to do so, but what I received was some orange slime that tasted nothing like uni nor did it look like anything that resembled uni. The charashi don was just end bits and pieces of random fish that still had veins. The sukiyaki and wagyu shabu salad was serviceable, but not worth the ridiculous price-tag. read more

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Subterranean cool vibe. Excellent oysters from Japan (jumbo). My go to place for Sukiyaki and sake. Also a nice selection of Japanese whiskey. read more

What a hidden gem! I've walked past Jukai dozens of times and never noticed that it was there. Well, let me tell you, ladies and gents. You'll need to bookmark this place and hurry to Jukai. Jukai is an immediate transport to Japan... Tokyo to be specific! I'm a big fan of their $55 tasting menu. Fish was fresh and 100% worth your money. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jukai-manhattan#drcKHU31itwyKGhgORK7OA MUST GET: BLACK SESAME PANNA COTTA What are you waiting for? Hurry! read more

Jukai - $55 Tasting Menu - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

One of the worst dining experience ever. The service is bad. We made an appointment and arrived on time at 7pm. The waiter told us the dining time is 2 hours max and must leave before 9. Later then we were still working, the waiter came to warn only 20 mins remaining and it was the last chance to add more dishes or drinks. In addition, the environment was very noisy which was so annoyed to eat in such a vibe though the food is not bad. read more

I think it's overpriced for what you're getting. The duck hotpot for 2 + drinks and tip cost over $200 and it was only 1 duck breast.