Came here at the recommendation of a friend for their bowls (also heard their uni is good). I came by on a Thursday evening before a holiday weekend and it was empty. I got the three amigos bowl small size and it was filling enough for me. Each piece of meat was delicious and I real loved the salmon, super rich. Also comes with miso soup. Would definitely come by again, fairly priced and friendly service! read more

Kaoru - Three Amigos - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I love this place for their chirashi bowls. I've dined in here once and regularly do takeout. It's solid, affordable, and generous with the fish. Quality tastes great and it's a local favorite. My favorite is their Three Amigos. It has everything I love. I usually opt for regular. There will be some leftover rice if I'm eating by myself but I usually save it for something else. I also enjoy the roll sets. It's a fun little lunch treat. Overall, you can't go wrong ordering any item with your favorite fish here. read more

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Really yummy quality fish. I had to pace myself because I could've easily finished it so fast. The wasabi is notable as well. Definitely didn't come from a store-bought tube. The interior isn't necessarily my preferred ambience/vibe. It did feel really outdated and almost bear, but I understand that's an aesthetic with itself. read more

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Walked in at 6:20 PM on a Thurs and got seats at the counter. I tried the simmered pumpkin (special), three amigos sushi bowl and Set A with spicy tuna roll and salmon avocado roll. Sushi bowl was amazing. The rolls were good, but not necessary next to the bowl!! Pumpkin was tasty, too. Definitely will be back for more bowls. I wanna mix and match one with roe! read more

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Tucked away on an unassuming street. Kaoru feels how an old school japanese restaurant would be. The don's here are affordable and delicious. Service is quick and no fuss. I'll make it a point to come to this restaurant every time I visit New York. read more

Great place for a late lunch. The food is delicious and service is out of standing. If I recommend a restaurant after UN headquarter visit, this is the best choice: location, food and service all are perfect read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Fresh fish, pleasant service and old school ambience. I enjoyed my lunch but it wasn't my favorite. Nothing special. I ordered yellow tail and fluke and another whitefish. Rice was very good , yellowtail was delicious. One of the whitefish was cut a little bit with the grain ( not across) and it was a little hard to chew. read more

Hidden gem!!! Prices are so good for New York, and portions are huge! Staff extremely friendly and ample seating at the bar, so walk-ins seem pretty good especially for 1-2 people. Fish is also extremely fresh! Must get one of their Kaisen Dons, and highly recommend trying some of the specials for the day :) read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Amazing fresh food in old school Japanese setting. My boss took me here for lunch one day and we loved it. He had the sushi; I had the karaage. It's going to be one of my go-tos now. read more

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Great uni bowl with two additions of your choice--I opted for hamachi and tuna, both of which were quite fresh. For $35, I thought it was quite a good deal. The uni was sweet and briny and fresh and . . . just a dream. It came with miso soup. The rice was a bit dry and a little more vinaigry than is typical for sushi rice. It wasn't a huge distraction but it wasn't my favorite. The lotus burdock salad was slightly spicy and nicely crunchy, and well proportioned. I really enjoyed this one. Enjoyed my lunch at the sushi bar and found the service to be fine and not overly rushed. read more

Kaoru - Uni Don with hamachi and tuna, and Kinpira (lotus burdock carrot salad) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Food: I got the ootoro bowl (nightly special) and my boyfriend got the 3 amigos bowl. I was very impressed with the quality of the fish for the price. They were also very generous with the amount of fish given. Service and ambiance: There's bar seating and tables for larger parties. It wasn't too busy on a Friday night and we were able to be seated immediately. There's a lot of staff working and they provide quick service. They also were constantly refilling our water. Highly recommend and would definitely come back! read more

Kaoru - Sapparo - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came in at 7:30pm on a Friday and got immediately sat down. I got the 3 Amigos don regular size and it was much larger than expected. We ordered 2 rolls (salmon avocado and scallion hamachi) and we didn't finish it all. Great value for the amount of food. read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here with a girlfriend at 6pm on a Tuesday night and were seated quickly at the bar. We each ordered a small Three Amigos Don, and was pleasantly surprised by the portion! Came with about ~8 slices of sashimi and a portion of Negitoro mixed with spicy mayo sauce. Also came with a bowl of miso soup! For $19 before tip, I'd say it's pretty solid for the city. Service was friendly and quick, and the overall fish was very fresh. Def will come back if I ever need a quick bite! read more

Kaoru - Three Amigos Don Small ($19) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Even living in a seaside, foodie town in Maine, where I thought the seafood (and sushi) couldn't get any fresher, boy, was I wrong. Kaoru was absolutely delicious. Here's what I ordered: - Assorted pickles (so overpriced for how little you get BUT I would 100% order again. SO flavorful) - Three amigos don (spicy diced tuna + tuna/salmon/hamachi sashimi over rice) - The Roll B set with the Salmon Ikura Roll + Smoked Salmon/Cream Cheese Roll - Somehow three giant containers of Miso soup The fish was beyond creamy, high quality, fresh, and delicious, even for takeout. Great portions, too. Would absolutely recommend for takeout/delivery/dine-in. read more

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American POV: Fast and friendly service: 5 stars Ambiance and presentation: 4 stars Food quality: 4 stars Price value: 4.5 stars 日本人視点: 丁寧な客対応: ５点満点 減点要素としては: 『アガリ』と言ってお茶が出てこなかった　(悲) 酢飯の味付けが薄い割には多少ベト付きが重たく感じる read more

Kaoru - Ikuradon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Had a wonderful Japanese dinner at Kaoru on East 46th off 2nd in Kips Bay. An off-the-beaten-path, low key spot, they offered a very traditional array of sushi & sashimi. We started with an order of edamame and kinpira (a salad of burdock, lotus roots, a carrots in soy sauce with sesame seeds) and moved on to some simple but delicious rolls. read more

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I had the Kakuni Don - braised pork with a soft boiled egg over rice. It tasted a little salty, the pork was a little chewy, I didn't think too much of it, but the next day I unfortunately threw up the entire meal, threw up again later that day, and was unable to eat anything other than crackers and apple sauce for two days. I'm very concerned about the food safety at Kaoru and I have been to Kaoru before but this will be my last visit due to food poisoning. read more

Kaoru - Kakuni Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The fish quality is really good, it taste d fresh and not fishy at all. I really enjoyed this bowl as it was a decent size for $26 with tax. I will come here again when I'm in NYC. read more

Kaoru - Three Amigos - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Great little sushi spot to stop in for a couple of rolls and their miso soup was very good. On a hot day, there wasn't anyone there and it was nice to relax and not be rushed. They have a lunch special two rolls for $20 and it was good read more

Modern vibe Good lunch special Most excellent old fashioned Tasty sandwiches Crispy calamari Pleasant staff read more

First off let me just say the staff was very nice to accommodate a party of 7 and allow us to occupy out table with 3 of them being late. The food was wonderful and generous portions which was a surprise to us as we saw the price and thought we would be getting a different experience. I had the maguro luxury deluxe don bowl and it was just so fresh and huge that I couldn't finish it. Everything we had on our table was delicious. Will be coming back! read more

Kaoru is mostly known for their donburi, but they also have some rolls + apps. I kinda tweaked about the price at first but honestly portions made it so worth, the small bowl ($19 for three amigos) filled me up and i actually had a hard time finishing it! The sashimi was also very yummy (and so was the spicy tuna included in the bowl). On the contrary, I don't think the sushi roll sets are really worth it as it's 6 small pieces. The inside is cozy yet bright and perfect for catching up with friends. Service was great too, we were seated right away and the servers answered our questions nicely. read more

Good authentic Japanese food and very reasonle price. Ambiance is okay but if such a good food like this at a reasonable price, I would not complain. Great for casual dinner with close friends. read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came in here with my wife on a Saturday around 8 pm. Mostly full but found seats at the bar without a wait. Nothing overly memorable about the interior but the food made up for it. We both had a bowl and really enjoyed them. The price/quality/quantity was right on point. I would definitely recommend a bowl if you come to this sushi restaurant. We were pretty impressed! read more

Kaoru - Kaoru Kaisen Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for a late lunch and we were the only ones in the restaurant the whole time. I ordered the Fried Salmon Set (forgot what the price was) and my sister had the Salmon Ikura Don ($35). For the price of the Salmon Ikura Don I was surprised that the portion was small and the salmon smelled a bit fishy. For some reason in my head from the drawing on the paper for the Fried Salmon, I thought I ordered a grilled salmon (but that was my bad!). The set came with some cabbage, potato salad, rice and some miso soup. The meal was okay. Not sure if we came at a weird time, but my expectations for the food was higher than the quality that I received. read more

Kaoru - Fried Salmon set - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is such a hidden gem. Been here twice the past month and the quality is consistent. Fresh and high quality fish. I have tried their chirashi, salmon ikura don, yellowtail and green onion roll and salmon avocado roll. I almost wanted to gatekeep this place but I also want to support them. You will not regret going here! read more

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I'm surprised I never wrote a review for this place as I've been here several times. This place specializes in kaisendon or assorted sushi bowls which are very reasonably priced. These include the humorously named Three Amigos Don with tuna, salmon, and hamachi (young yellowtail) along with some spicy tuna and yaki/grilled salmon as well as my preference; the Maguro Luxury Don with tuna, tuna tataki, tuna cheek, and spicy tuna. There's also another primarily tuna option called the Tuna Tar Tar Don with marinated tuna, tuna cheeks, and tororo (grated Japanese mountain yam which has a sticky texture and a bit of a funk.) I've also had the Zuke Ikura Don (I found the marinade a tad strong) as well as the regular Ikura Don (which I preferred.) Their Bara Chirashi is good though in terms of lunch, I prefer the one at the nearby WOKUNI which might as well specialize in it. If you want to splurge a bit, there's also Ootoro (fatty tuna) Don occasionally on the menu along with Uni (sea urchin.) All of said bowls if you dine inside come with a miso soup which has a bit of extra flavor compared to the usual one. There's also some interesting specials or appetizers depending on day and the Toki Highball works well as a drink but they also have plenty of sake and beer of course. The prices here are reasonable which is the main reason why I'm giving them a high rating. If the prices were more similar to some other spots, I probably would lower the rating a bit but for the area it's hard to beat. Very friendly service also. Mid 4 read more

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I've actually been here, many times, and I'm confused as to why I haven't written a review until now. Kaoru is fucking elite, and I regret not having photos of dining in at their casual ambient piano bar. Therefore, while I recommend this place as a fantastic spot to catch up with a friend or spend a lonely night by yourself with insanely good sashimi for the nyc price point, I'm only going to talk about the food. Clean, delicious, sashimi slices that honestly, taste as good quality as cheaper omakase minus all the fancy bs and expense. Fresh and flavorful raw fish combines with their perfectly executed vinegar rice, which I shit you not is what makes this place so good: temperature control and texture on the rice makes this place honestly my favorite if not second favorite Japanese in the city next to Okatte Tanto. It's also not just the sashimi slices but their other fish items as well, such as the pounded spicy tuna or seared slices. My personal favorite and recommendation is the Maguro. Despite being the cheapest time there, I genuinely think it's the best. Their other fish cuts like salmon, yellow tail, squid, amberjack, or anything else are good, but the tuna is incredible for the price point here. I don't go into the store anymore because my life got busy. That being said, I literally Grubhub order from here 3-4x a week for my corporate meals, and this only includes lunch, not dinner when I stay back late. Kaoru never misses. read more

Kaoru - Maguro Luxury Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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The fish is affordable, fresh, and there was no wait time on a Friday evening. Don't miss out on this gem read more

Kaoru - Three 3 Amigos Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Yummy food and nice, quiet location! Great service. Very reasonable prices for NY! Great options for the entire family.

Easy to miss, but definitely a place to visit if you're a lover of Chirashi and want a good value for the area. Kaoru has a lot of options for customizable seafood donburi. The service is quick and the interior is cozy. I was seated at the bar and ordered a Three Amigos Don with added Madai which was extra. Overall I enjoyed it, the quality of the fish was great but there were definitely other places where I enjoyed it more (but considering the price it was good.) I would return again to try other offerings. read more

Kaoru - Bar seating - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here after karaoke and felt like I was eating at an upscale japanese bar. The aesthetic was warm and calming, in a dimly lit setting. Its a great place to catch up. The waiter/bartender was also really pleasant. I sat at the bar and was treated as if I was at a table. The edamame was warm and lightly salted and miso soup was nicely flavored. I liked my chicken katsu crispiness but was missing the sauce. I used my friends since she received it with her salmon katsu (I preferred the salmon). Surprisingly the potato salad was really good. Im a potatoes salad hater so this saying a lot. It tasted like mashed potatoes which was great for me. My friend got the tuna roll and licked the plate clean. I definitely recommend the rolls. read more

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This place is pretty fantastic if you're looking for a special don experience, even when you're at home recovering from an injury. I ordered from there twice in a row and if I could justify the costs off other expenses it I would order from there multiple times a week. I ordered the 3 amigos don both times with the ikura add on and zuke ikura add on once each respectively. The portions I thought were pretty generous, compared to what else is around the city. It's really the ikura that sealed the deal for me. read more

Kaoru - 3 Amigos Don + zuke ikura side (not pictured) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Seems like a hidden gem of an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant with Japanese diners. While it may seem unassuming on the outside, the food is very reasonably priced, decently proportioned, and deliciously tasting. I came and tried the Uni Don which allows you to select two sashimi fish to go with. In my case, I selected the kanpachi and salmon. A bit too much rice but good amount of uni and fish to accompany. The rice also had an appropriate balance of vinegar and was not too mushy or hard. Can you really get that much uni and fish of quality for $35? read more

Kaoru - Uni Don + Kanpachi and Salmon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

My go-to whenever I'm craving chirashi. Tucked away in Murray Hill/Turtle Bay area. I ordered the potato salad and the "Three Amigos Don" regular size, which came with a miso soup. All the fish was so fresh!! I was afraid I'd be hungry after but I left feeling so stuffed. Will continue to come back for the quality and amazing prices! read more

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This place serves really good sushi. The texture of the fish was smooth and fresh, and the rice was soft and slightly tangy. The rolls were flavorful and not overloaded with sauce. Definitely a must-try. read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

You know those hidden gems that you want to keep hidden? This is def one of them. It's in a quiet part of midtown. I came with my friend who comes often just for their Uni Don - only $25 for such a generous portion (see photo). So fresh too. You get to choose 2 fish with your bowl. Comes out fast. The whole place was filled with Japanese patrons. Good sign that this restaurant is authentic. We also got the ankimo and grilled fish - both delicious and fairly priced. read more

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Fantastic experience. I was in town for meetings and got in on a late flight. Looked up any sushi spot near my hotel and came across Kaoru. Staff was Japanese and polite (I was too shy to practice my Japanese but I bet I could have.) I got the unagi don - eel over rice, and it was incredible. Also got the Toro sashimi - so fresh. And a Hibiki highball - absolute perfection. No notes. read more

I was excited to try this place with my boyfriend for his birthday. However, when I went into the restaurant the server sat us in a table next to some random things such as a large speaker with papers around it. I wasn't happy of where we were sat because I wanted to take nice pictures for my boyfriend's birthday. That gave us a bad impression of the place and the atmosphere. The service is great. The server was nice and friendly. When it came down to the food, I thought it was alright. The salmon was good but the tuna was a bit disappointing. It was filling but the tuna did not taste too fresh. I might try this place again and see if it will change my impression of the restaurant. read more

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After an evening tour of the nearby United Nations Headquarters, we were eager to get a quick bite as we knew to traverse across back to the central Time Square area would take some time. There appeared to be a number of nearby Japanese restaurants and this one caught her eye given the number of high reviews. Upon entering, we immediately noticed a very strong smokey food smell. It's the kind that clings to your clothes long after you have left the building (this was the worst part of the experience that even my eyes stung before the end of the meal). We also noticed the number of tables and the staff that appear to be very authentically Japanese. Just gave us high hopes confirming the reviews we saw online. Having travelled to Japan in the past, the menu is reminiscent of the simplicity of what you'd find there, which is very different from very Americanized Japanese restaurants that have expansive menus of creatively named fancy sushi rolls. Here, this was very traditional in a small selection of rolls, sushi bowls, and small selection of fried tempura items. We knew this was going to be a small meal for us as we were eating on a budget, but we still wanted to try out what this place had to offer. We ordered one Three Amigos sushi bowl with a number of fresh sashimi, a fried seafood mix set that comes with rice, potato salad, cabbage and miso soup, and a two sushi roll combo. Each was around the $20 price point plus or minus, which is reasonable. However, don't come here if you have a ravaging appetite or it will leave you with a hole in your pocket. Service was expedient and courteous. Come to try for something authentic if you aren't able to visit the real thing. read more

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