Excellent place in all respects. No extravagant dishes - simple preparation, fresh fish, great taste. The service is friendly and prompt. Prices are reasonable too. read more

This place is a gem if you are looking for fresh sashimi on a budget. Their specialty is DIY charashi. For $20 to $25 you can choose amongst 6 different kinds of fish including premium fish like the king salmon. I ordered the king salmon with red snapper and hamachi. It was melt in your mouth delicious! They also don't cheap out on the amount of fish they give you. I managed to finish all my fish but had a hard time finishing the rice. Even some of the guys had a hard time finishing their portions. The resto doesn't have the most modern decor but it's got great service, higher quality food and it's cheap! read more

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Cute and warm ambiance. I expected to be swept away by uni don after seeing the reviews. The other fish was fresh and delicious with huge amount of rice. However uni wasn't as great. Idk what about it but it tasted different from uni you could get from another Japanese restaurant. Given the cheap price, I guess it was expected but I was disappointed. Anyhow I would go back, just not for uni. read more

Kaoru - Uni don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Their uni bowl was surprisingly fresh and sweet. I didn't expect too much on their foods but everything we ordered was great! Staffs were very attentive and kind. They have live jazz too but i am not sure when they perform. We will be back! Thank you read more

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Liked the food and think the uni is a must have! Didn't quite like the arrangement of the place. Besides a bar area, they only have 3-5 sets of small tables that only fit 2 people. A huge area is aliquoted to a big table that needs a group of at least 6. We went as three and waited long for a table and eventually had to squeeze to the table for 2 because they don't seem to be willing to combine two small tables for a group of 3. read more

Awesome don buri place! I used to work in the area and would come often for the bowl to get otoro with spicy salmon. The fish quality was consistently great and the portion sizes were very filling. The karage (fried chicken) is also great and comes with a generous portion size. I will say prices have increased recently so the otoro runs you about $35 but the quality of the food is really really solid. Any time I'm nearby, this is the place I'll go! read more

4.5 stars! Stopped by at the recommendation of a friend, and man, was she right! Kaoru has amazing portions of fresh fish at a super reasonable price. We all ordered the uni don, and were able to select two other types of fish to go along with it. I opted for the salmon and squid. These bowls are seriously huge and had so much uni! It was almost overwhelming to see so much uni in that bowl. The uni was delightful, although it could have been fresher. While the uni portions were a highlight of the bowl, the salmon and squid portions were a bit lacking. The squid was fresh and the texture was great and salmon was fatty and melted in your mouth, but there were only a few slivers of each, which totally did not do it for this salmon lover. Overall, a great place for a bowl of don, at a superb price! Will definitely be returning for more! read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Good fish, great prices, friendly service. A nice oasis in the money pit that is Midtown East.

I came here for a late lunch during one of my work trips to NYC. I ordered the King Salmon Don (which comes with 2 additional fish items: I chose salmon) and substituted rice for vegetable. This was some of the freshest sashimi I've ever tasted (and I eat a lot of sushi)! Also a good portion of food for the price. This place is definitely a gem. read more

Kaoru - King salmon don (substitute rice for vegetables) + salmon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

4.5 stars - enormous portions at a fair price, now that's a rare find in NYC! On the recommendation of a friend, four of us stopped here for dinner. We all ordered the uni don, and I chose salmon and spicy tuna as my combo. The waiter brought out massive bowls piled high with uni...dare I say....too much uni?? Portions aside, the uni was good, but could have been a little fresher. There was a healthy amount of spicy tuna as well, but salmon is where things fell short - there simply wasn't enough! I expected at least a couple of thick slices but they were quite thin and measly portions of salmon. Despite these minor downfalls, I'll definitely be coming back whenever I'm craving a hefty bowl of uni! read more

I almost don't want to write a review about kaoru lest there would be more people to fight over seats with. Haha! But I need to let raw fish lovers know of this place. I've overheard a Japanese colleague talk about Kaoru, so I had it bookmarked. Since it isn't popular in yelp, I didn't go until one day I saw a spectacular photo on instagram. Lo and behold, it was a hidden gem! We visited at noon, and by 12:40 there was a line of about 5 people by the door. (Come early!) Service is great, server was knowledgeable and quick. Food arrived in less than 10 minutes too! There is a wide variety of sashimi bowls, so you can pick the combination you like best. A word of caution, serving size is huge! So unless you eat good for 2, I'd stick with the small. Even so, small is a challenge to finish! Tres amigos $15 A mountain of fresh fish and some seasoned with spicy mayo on a bed of deliciously seasoned slightly sticky rice. The fish is predominantly tuna, with 2-3 slices of salmon and yellowtail, a good helping of minced tuna with spicy mayo, and a piece of grilled salmon dunked in spicy mayo. Go see the photo for yourself. All of the raw fish were incredibly fresh, and it makes for a nice lunch treat. Just. So. Incredible! read more

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Delicious, authentic and well-priced. Super fast and attentive bar service. Wish I'd been adventurous and ordered a special. Uni looked amazing! 3 amigos hit the spot and was almost too much food. There is even live music Saturday nights, though not lovely selections... read more

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

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I've been in New York for 3 months and this is by far the best place I've gone for food. The Uni Don bowl is an incredible deal at $25 and you get a ton of it. I usually go with Uni and choose salmon and spicy tuna as my 2 accompaniments and can't go wrong with that. I sometimes get extra Uni for $7 more but it seems like the extra Uni option doesn't exactly double up your Uni... more like you get 1.6x the Uni the the original order of the Uni Don. No complaints here for an extra $7. My order always comes with a miso soup which by itself is a great way to start off the meal. Just make sure not to burn your mouth before you start on your fish bowl! The food is always very fresh and tastes like the ocean, absolutely great fish selection in terms of quality. It's literally fresh sushi fish over rice but I can't get enough of it. Lunchtime you have to get there early but the line moves quickly even if you don't. It's a cozy place with only two tables for groups so the bar seating is the main area for most people to eat. Service is fast and you get your food within 5 minutes most of the time. A true hidden gem that's not talked about often. read more

Kaoru - Uni Don with extra Uni - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

It was good but the ambiance is lacking. Think they are stuck in the 80's. the food came out super fast. Like as fast as McDonalds. Didn't even get a chance to finish my miso soup. read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Saw an Instagram post of their Uni don and as a seafood addict, I HAD to try it out. At a whopping $30 (pre tax), it was more than satisfying. Uni was extremely fresh. You also get to choose 2 other fish to accompany your Uni. It was just so good. I savored every bite of it. Staff members can be a little chatty and loud but it's ok. Will definitely try their other sushi bowls read more

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

Girl with an attitude. The waitress makes me feel uncomfortable to ask about the menu but the waiters are fine. But we needs to ask to refill the water everytime. Also after I've got the meal, I have DIARRHEA!!! So bad.. It might be because of the fish not fresh!!! The portion looks good but not sure about the freshness. read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I been wanting to try Kaoru for a while and I finally had the chance today. The restaurant looks a bit run down and inside is dark and has stained glass lamps. Looks old school in a good way. The bartender was friendly and told me that they closed early which was disappointing as it says on yelp they are suppose to close at 9pm. I ordered the uni don with hamachi and snapper. It was good. They gave a lot of uni. Some parts of the uni was a bit brownish and tasted off. It cost abut $27 for a large bowl. The snapper and hamachi was good. Was disappointed with the uni as it was not as fresh. Hope that next time it would be better as I will come back. read more

BEST sashimi bowl I've had MY ENTIRE LIFE !!! It's a bargain that you're getting a large portion of fresh sashimi for such a reasonable price. Although this place is hard to location as it is in the basement, it is worth the search! You can customize your bowl from a range of fresh daily fish selections. I personally love the salmon and fish eggs. Their sushi rice is very soft but also has a nice texture for you to chew on along with the fish. Do not add any condiments to your bowl!!! The fish itself is extremely fresh as if you can taste the ocean. At most put a drop or two of soy sauce. Highly recommend trying their hojincha icecream too it's very refreshing and light to wrap up a pleasant meal. read more

Kaoru - Sashimi bowl selection - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Been wanting to try this place for the longest time and finally decided to stop by. The outside looks a little sketchy, but when you walk in, the place has a quaint vibe. The menu is mostly chirashi bowls so if raw fish is not your thing, then I would not recommend coming here. But if you are a sashimi lover like me, I definitely recommend this place. I ordered one of the special which was chutoro and a choice or two other fish. Chutoro is one of my favorite cuts and they do not joke around with the portions. The amount of fish you get for the price is great. I paired my chutoro with salmon and yellowtail and couldn't be happier. The meal comes with miso soup, which was just ok, but the fish is the real star here. It is pretty fresh as well. I will have to be when they have uni in stock. I believe they are getting a shipment next week. The wait staff is also very nice and overall just a great experience! read more

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One of my favorite or maybe my favorite place in NYC! The uni don is exceptional. They are so generous with the portions and I highly recommend this place. The food is so fresh and delicious!! Must read more

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So fresh! We came here on a Friday night expecting crowds, but it wasn't too busy. We were seated promptly by our excellent waiter who took the time to answer any questions we had about the fish and wine. We ordered the small maguro luxury don and 3 amigos, and the servings were bigger than we expected. I think the small would definitely be enough for one person. On to the main part of the review: the food! The maguro don was filled with tuna pieces of differing fat contents. The 3 amigos had tuna and salmon as well. Each piece tasted so incredibly fresh and clean, like it came straight from the ocean. The sauce that they added was great as well and added a savory sweetness to the dish. The wasabi in the bowls tasted like the real deal as well. The dishes also came with some umami filled miso soup. For how much we paid, the quality of the fish was amazing. I will definitely be coming back to this restaurant soon! read more

Kaoru - Maguro don and 3 amigos - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

What a nice little gem. Brought my family here for a weekend lunch and the food and service were both superb. Very COVID conscious (checked vaccination and ID, hand sanitizer readily available at every table, tables were set far apart, etc), so I wasn't feeling stressed and focused on eating fresh sashimi and beautiful fried chicken and pork! Selection were somewhat limited but I now cheer for places that do few things well rather than places that do everything mediocre. read more

Quick and easy. We ordered Uni don + salmon & Hamachi & marinated Ikura don + tune & spicy tune. Uni portion is quite amazing. The overall taste is average. If you are nearby, it's a good place to dive in. But if you are thinking to make the trip, hmm..... read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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It's a cute kaisen don place! (Fresh fish combination on top of vinegar flavored rice) Uni ran out unfortunately so friend and I got Trout salmon + ikura + hamachi don and unagi don! Tasted great! This is my second time-! Will go again when they have uni (according to the server their uni is usually from chili) read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The real deal in small, quiet digs Excellent don. The Tuna Luxury Don was great. I had a $30 special don of O-toro, so silky and rich. Also, I was able to order my don over salad greens instead of rice, which was great for my lower-carb lifestyle A side of Ikura was very salty but poppin' fresh. ($7) We loved the piano-bar vibe here. Good service, too. Yum! read more

So happy they are open again for outdoor dining at least. The fish is still so fresh. Melts in your mouth tender and refreshing! One of my favorite places in midtown for lunch or a quick bite! read more

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Huge portions of uni for a great price and very fresh tasting fish. I would also recommend the Japanese omelet to start. The menu is small but everything they serve is delicious. Kaoru is a pretty small place so prepare for a wait during busy times. read more

Kaoru - Uni don with salmon and hamachi - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Food was very fresh, very affordable, and great quality. Highly recommend! Lots of cool, unique dishes as well.

High quality sushi dons located in Midtown East. Large portions of fish and rice, but expect dons to be in the range of $22 to $45+!

Freshest fish & uni in town, biggest portion, lowest price. What more do you need? (P.S. don't recommend shrimp in the dons. Just water boiled shrimp with no flavor) read more

Kaoru - Toro don with a side of uni - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

This place is phenomenal. I did the three sons I think it is called. And the sushi salad. I especially liked the wet sushi. Yum!!!

This is a small spot in Midtown but certainly reliable if you want a reasonable and nice sushi fix! I come here with my brother who is more or less a regular here by now. FOOD - $13 Three Amigos (small) is the go-to for sure. There are many other options but I just haven't branched out yet! SPACE - It is a small, quaint restaurant and I have yet to see it full, but I've only come before 8pm. There's a piano in the corner so maybe things get jazzed up later in the evening! Overall, thanks for being a good veggie spot esp during Lent for ya girl! read more

Mixed feelings. The initial shock is valid: a chirashi bowl piled dramatically with enormous slices of raw fish... for under $15?! The good: The ambiance is fun: a big low wooden bar with a fat, lacquered curved edge; lazy couches in faded tropical textile; matching cushions and tiffany lamps. If you ignore the few actual tables, the space looks like a late 70s bachelor pad - gaudy but distant enough in the past to appreciate. Usually they have the music off, and it's quiet, even on Friday evenings, especially around 8pm when they're nearing closing time. Drafts are listed as $7 but we were charged $4. The bad: While you get a legit mountain of sashimi, its quality sometimes leaves a bit to be desired. Also, it's a few degrees higher than what I'd be comfortable with. But no stomachaches yet! I've had the Tuna Tower (since rechristened with a more humble name) and the Three Amigos. Both involve piles of sashimi, neatly arranged but still almost graceless, next to mounds of spicy tuna thick with mayonnaise, reminiscent of the ice-cream scoops of mush featured in dystopian films. It will be difficult to finish even the "small" size ($13-15), but they warn that it's $7 extra just to share a bowl. The interesting: The kitchen closes at 8:30pm and the restaurant closes at about 9pm - at which point they convert into a hostess club. Obviously that's not advertised anywhere, but you'll notice elegantly dressed girls start taking seats at the bar to prepare for the night. Hat tip to Gargupi L for the link: http://www.villagevoice.com/news/memoirs-of-a-jewish-geisha-6430298 read more

Kaoru - Possibly mildly outdated menu posted outside - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

That's Japanese food I've had since I've been in Japan! I'm so glad I found this place and I can't wait to go back, to see your shit was so fresh and plenty full and everything was just perfection. But if you really love Japanese food you'll appreciate the rice because no one else does it like them! read more

It's pretty hidden on the east side of manhattan. I came with my boyfriend and we originally only came for the Houji ice cream because there's nowhere else to get it in New York! (That we know of). Ended up getting the uni bowl and it was AMAZING!!!! Soooooo much uni!!! Definitely worth the $30 because you get an entire bowl of uni (pic to prove it)! Great service and live piano playing! Great ambiance for a date night :) read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I went to Kaoru for lunch with a friend-- overall, it was great. The staff are generally friendly and the ambiance is intimate, with soft lights & an antique piano in the back of the space. I would definitely want to check this place out for drinks in the evening next time. The sushi quality was at best very average. I ordered the Three Amigos bowl ($15 for a small size)The presentation was beautiful but taste was mediocre, fish itself was not very fresh. The quantity was more than enough; I was bloated after I finished, but it wasn't a very "satisfied bloated." Personally I'd prefer less quantity, more quality. Overall, not bad--good for casual lunch, just not exceptional. read more

Kaoru - Three Amigos (6/10) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Must try if you really love fishhhh ! This place is great for fish lovers ! The bowls are bigger than my face Ordered: Tres Amigos Don regular: the portion is abundant, I couldn't even finish because of how big it was. They give you a lot of rice but the fish is nice and thick so it's not overwhelming with rice. The decor is really calming and I it's bright bright lights so it's a perfect place for a nice relaxing dinner or lunch! Nice jazz background music so very calming ! read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Best price for the freshest sashimi bowls. The miso soup is always on point too. When in doubt, definitely go for it, you won't regret it. read more

Kaoru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I was craving tempura so I decided to go here for a quiet solo brunch on a Sunday. I got the hijiki salad, pickled cucumber, and the fried mixed seafood. The cucumber was good, the hijiki salad was pretty good, but the fried seafood was something else. When I got it, I got a bread crumb fried like moment that was not tempura, but I guess that is a bit an error on my end since the menu did not say tempura, but fried. So I passed. The menu said, shrimp, white tuna, white fish, and oysters. There was not a single oyster. The dish overall was VERY overcooked and the fish and shrimp were all Very dry. It was very difficult to eat. I got the set so it came with miso soup, shredded cabbage, potato salad, and rice. I ate the shredded cabbage and a bit of rice, but I really couldn't finish this dish. I am very relieved that I got the salad and pickle in addition to this dish because I would have walked out very hungry. This meal was very disappointing. Maybe everything else on the menu is good, but I do not recommend the fried stuff. read more

It's very fresh fish and tasty miso soup. If you love real Japanease kaisen Don this is it! You will really please. There are regular size and small sizes. Love to eat at Kaoru! read more

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