An amazing dinner experience! My party tried almost one of everything on the menu, and there were…read moreno dissappointments. There were some great surprises throughout, and the server really coursed out everything well so that the dinner was at a good pace. The most tasty dish would have to be the grilled fish. The most surprising was the miso cream cheese dish, which gave a great blend of umami and texture! This spot is definitely worth a visit!

The food here is absolutely incredible. Every dish is done so well and has its own unique flavors…read more Highlights were definitely the Iwanoriae, Wagyu and nikomi. For the Iwanoriae - the tuna had a perfectly fatty texture and the seaweed Soy sauce paired so well. The wagyu had a great grilled flavor and melted in your mouth. The nikomi is a must order. Don't be intimidated by the beef tongue - it was so tender and reminded me of a braised beef short rib. I would go back just for this dish.

Mom n pop restaurant in Japan vibe. Even with only one chef (at least that we could see that was…read moreserving the 6 of us in the front part of the restaurant), they have a variety of foods available to choose from. The staff trained in Japan for 20 years and opened this restaurant recently. So worth a visit. We got sashimi, braised wagyu, and tai that just came in that day. The tai got us saying 白ごはん欲しいね. Perfect with the sauce. Simple flavors, calming atmosphere, made by genuine people.

Amazing, delicious, and perfection construction menu !! Every course had a different…read morestory..mouthfeel, texture, freshness, bold color food, It Was Outstanding!!!! We were speechless!! Please review pictures!! Every bite was fresh, savory, spicy, especially the customer made salt, even the delicate leaves used as vessel paired perfectly with each course. Service was Outstanding!! The suggesting and the story on why each plate was created gave it Meaning! It builds up your anticipation! Bravo!! I loved where we were sitting . Our party of 5 sat at the front facing the street. Great area! The wine was also top notch!! If you're looking for perfectly executed experience, I highly suggest treating yourself and friends / family to memorable Japanese at REÍ.

BEST. YAKITORI. IN. NYC…read more We were able to snag last minute reservations for Torien on a Saturday and we are still talking about all the perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken a week later. From the minute you enter to them walking you out the door after service is over (just like in Japan), it felt like a perfect 10/10 experience. It is no wonder they have received multiple michelin stars. Reservations are for counter/bar seating and you get to watch 2 masters do what they do best: cook chicken over charcoal and fan the heat so that the chicken is cooked perfectly. They make small conversation with you and you can tell how much they love what they do. The tasting menu is a set menu but towards the end, you can order a la carte from the options they have. I was full but my partner ended up adding a gizzard and inner thigh and he said it was some of the best chicken gizzard he's had. They don't cut the hearts or gizzard in half here so the meat stays quite (and I hate this word but) moist while keeping the outside crispy and smokey. We had gone to Kono a few weeks ago and this restaurant blows that out of the water. Price wise, it is expensive for what it is, but it is the best yakitori I have had in the USA. Would definitely go back and recommend it for a cute date night if you're looking to splurge a little. You won't be disappointed.

Fabulous yakitori experience here at Torien. I was treated with so much hospitality from the staff…read moreand it truly made the experience so wonderful. The most tender and juicy chicken I've ever eaten for sure. I ate parts of a chicken that I didn't even know existed, so that was cool. I can definitely see myself coming back here.

First time eating here and I thought it was a cool experience. Love the aesthetic appeal of the…read morerestaurant. Courses I really enjoyed were the tofu + uni, somen noodles, daily sashimi, and the mango dessert. The rouget tempura, venison, and uni ikura were good too but having them consecutively was a little too overpowering for me- would've preferred something lighter in between to cleanse the palate. I was also offered soba noodles before dessert but unfortunately did not try it since I was too full. Staff were nice and attentive, introducing each dish to me and refilling my water frequently. Shoutout to Kyouka (I hope I got her name right) for the sake recommendation. Would recommend

Tucked away like a well-kept secret, Hirohisa delivers one of the most quietly elegant dining…read moreexperiences I've had in a while. From the moment you enter, there's a calm, almost meditative energy. The staff are gracious--some a bit shy, which only adds to the charm--but all seem wholly invested in the food they're preparing. You can feel it: everyone is focused, dialed in, and not a single movement feels rushed or careless. One thing I found particularly fascinating is that unlike most omakase or kaiseki-style places, Hirohisa doesn't serve all diners at the same starting time. Guests come in staggered--every 30 minutes or so--which means the chefs recreate the same dishes throughout the night. And yet, each plate felt fresh, detailed, and deliberate, as if we were the only ones being served. It's a unique rhythm to witness, and a testament to the team's consistency and care. The food? Generous. Beautiful. Balanced. Every dish is seasonally bright and artfully composed--though I have to admit, the portions were more than I expected. If you're aiming to enjoy everything at peak freshness, I'd recommend pacing yourself and maybe eating about 80% of each course. It's tempting to finish it all, but you'll want to save room to fully appreciate the latter half. Drinks are also thoughtfully paired, and the quiet ambiance--no unnecessary chatter from staff or diners--makes it easy to focus, reflect, and really savor the experience. It's a restaurant that lets the food do the talking. In short: Hirohisa is a masterclass in subtlety, intention, and respect for the craft. Excellent all around.

Lovely, filling and authentic Kaiseki meal in NYC. Set in the Prince Kitano hotel, the restaurant…read moreis aesthetically set up with table and chef's counter options. The noise level was quiet and intimate. Staff were all efficient and engaged with guests. Chefs also personally welcomed guests although it wasn't the most intimate meal with chefs as other kaiseki although they were focused on dishes. Seating times are staggered so they were preparing different dishes at the same time which I do find impressive. The kaiseki itself was very good though not memorable overall. I started off with sesame tofu, prawn and salmon roe that had good but not strong flavor. Next was spinach in dash, seasonal fish, abalone and temari sushi, eggplant - also was good but not memorable. I'm personally just not a fan of eggplant but it's a personal taste. Next was clear soup - snow crab and egg yolk - very good, I think the ingredients went well together but just not very strong. My favorite of the night was sashimi - highlighted by otoro that was as good as any top tier omakase in NYC. The onsai - seabream with egg custard and uni was fantastic - the textures contrasted nicely, sea bream had great umami and uni was just a plus. Palate cleanser was next w/ japanese pear sorbet- nice break Now for the heavy hitters- grilled A5 wagyu was so tender, juicy and flavorful with solid servings - textbook wagyu. The pot-cooked rice with chicken and mushrooms was uneven in terms of consistency. The rice was cooked well and seasoned but I thought the flavors were a bit bland with chicken and mushroom. For dessert, had chesnut mont blanc and fromage blanc ice cream - sweet and good ending to the meal. It's an interesting presentation resembling a ball of noodles almost! Overall a very good kaiseki meal and more authentic than others I'd say. Reasonably priced and the experience itself was definitely dedicated to guests and shown by the care staff show. Would recommend!

We came, we saw, we kaiseki-ed…read more You can scroll to the bottom of my review to see what we got. Suffice it to say, I've been searching for a kaiseki spot as wonderful as the now-decreased Sugiyama that used to exist in NYC. But with omakase hogging all the Japanese spotlight (why?), there's little incentive in the restaurant world to open places dedicated to this highest style of Japanese cuisine. Thank you Hakubai for being the maverick, for renovating to new levels of elegance, and for showcasing Japanese haute cuisine at a time when too many sheeple are paying inflated prices for nigiri and thinking THAT is Japanese fine dining. The classic Japanese traits of craftsmanship, perfectionism and attention to detail are on full display here. Sit at the bar or don't even bother coming. Try one of their inventive cocktails ($22+) such as the Kiku, which is made with chrysanthemum rum, orange, honey, lemon, seedlip grove, and milk. And come before they realize that $195 for 11 courses (for a KAISEKI!) is actually really low and start hiking up their prices. .................................................. Our winter menu: - Sakizuke: crab miso - Zensai: ezo awabi, komochi kombu, ankimo - Mushimono: uni chawan-mushi - Otsukuri: sashimi - Takiawase: winter vegetables, chrysanthemum dashi - Onsai: kinmedai kenchin - Yakimono: A5 wagyu, tamamiso - Oshokuji: hitsumabushi, ochazuke, akadashi, pickles - Mizugashi: yogurt sorbet, shiso jelly, buddha's hand - Omokashi: strawberry shortcake - Ocha: dorayaki, bonbon, yuzu tartelette

Finally made my way to Sono, a new restaurant serving Korean inspired Italian dishes drawing from…read morechef Sechul Yang's heritage and culinary training background. After hearing about all these rave reviews, I had high expectations and the dishes delivered! Started off our meal with their polpo. The octopus was tenderly cooked and paired with guanciale, veggie, and gochujang. Loved the seafood and pork combination to bring different types of umami together. The spaghetti was ~delicious~. I'm a huge fan of any fish roe and they utilize both bottarga and myeongnan (pollock roe). Again it was umami heaven in addition to the seaweed on top. Also loved how the slightly creamy squash-based sauce with zucchini slices balanced out the flavors. Spaghetti itself was al dente. I could not stop eating this dish! The mafaldine was solid, but did not quite impress me as much as the other pasta. The overall flavor profile felt like a hearty sul lang tang with black pepper. The oxtail was tender; pasta also appropriately chewy. The pesce razza was another highlight of the night! This butter poached skate was very tender and juicy. It was already well-seasoned by itself, but was made even better with the addition of the herbacious Korean pesto and drops of chili oil. The sliced root vegetable (?squash vs daikon) was slightly sweet and the almond slices added some crunchy texture. I really enjoyed the execution of this multilayered dish! Everyone talks about the yu choy, but do not sleep on the mushrooms!! It comes with different types of well-seasoned, sauteed funghi in a fragrant perilla crema. I was also surprised at the portion of this side dish. The black sesame tiramisu indeed had very strong black sesame flavors with a fluffy cream. Rose and white wine options were great as well. The space was bigger than expected with a good amount of table seating and bar seating. I liked the open kitchen format. Food came out at reasonable times, although slightly slower than typical New York restaurants of the same price point/vibes. Staff were polite and attentive. The only thing that somewhat negatively stood out was their mediocre cloth napkins that were very lint-inducing. It just felt very discordant to their yummy and elevated fusion dishes.

I have to say the PR team here did a great job presenting Sono as a unique restaurant serving…read moreItalian dishes with Korean flavors. In execution, none of the dishes were bad, but they also don't stand out in my memory at all. It's only been a couple of weeks since I visited and even while staring at the photos I took of everything I ate, I'm struggling to jog any vivid flavor memories. When I dine out even at this marginally high price point I always hope it won't be a meal that blends together with so many others. That being said, the food tasted good enough, so I feel that four stars feels appropriate, but note that it is a very soft four. The chef/owner has quite the restaurant portfolio under his belt, with names like Gramercy Tavern, Oiji Mi, and Ddobar, which was one of my favorite eateries in the city before they closed, so this place seemed very promising. We ordered the octopus, scallop crudo, bottarga spaghetti, charred yu choy, and meringue cake. The best out of these dishes was undoubtedly the scallop crudo. Our server checked on us often, was very knowledgeable about the menu, and we didn't feel rushed. The pacing of the meal was great and I could hear my dining companion over the din of the music and restaurant noise. So for a date, catch up, or casual night out, Sono will do the trick.

Icca in Tribeca is a Michelin-starred omakase restaurant where we experienced a VR omakase by Epic…read moreNow. The meal consisted of a miso tuna amuse buche, 9 pieces of nigiri, a hairy crab and uni handroll, a tamago and eel maki and a lovely chocolate creme brûlée with Japanese strawberries. The meal was divided into four courses with a VR sequence accompanying each course along with a sake pairing. The VR transported us to Tsukiji fish market, the ocean and a Japanese Village. It made of a unique and immersive experience that played to our nostalgia of our previous trip to Japan. We also appreciated the VR fish swimming in our field of vision as well as text referencing the upcoming dishes and sake pairings. Our fish brains tend to forget the name of the piece right after it's been dropped in front of us so we sincerely appreciated the visual reminder of what we were eating. Standouts for the meal were the filefish, hairy crab and uni hadroll, medium fatty tuna tartare, tiger prawn, golden eye snapper and scallop. The fish quality was outstanding and was flown in from Japan that day. This was one of the most memorable dinners we've had in recent memory. We did think the VR added an interesting lens to what would otherwise be a traditional omakase experience. The food and sake paints were also excellent. For those interested in the intersection between technology and food, we can't think of a better venue than Icca X Epic Now Full menu: Miso tuna Red Snapper (Madai) Nigiri Filefish (Kahawagi) Nigiri Yellowtail (Buri) Nigiri Hairy Crab (Kegani) & Sea Urchin (Uni) Hand Roll Lean Tuna (Akami) Nigiri Medium Fatty Tuna (Chutoro) Nigiri Fatty Tuna (Otoro) Nigiri Japanese Tiger Prawn (Kuruma Ebi) Nigiri Golden eye snapper (Kinmedai) Nigiri Scallop (Hotate) Nigiri Tamago (Sweet Omelet) Chocolate creme brûlée with Japanese strawberries

5/5 stars. Impeccable service and selection…read more I love it when the omakase nigiri section has an interesting selection. Chef was friendly and engaged with everyone. Everything was my fav but if I had to choose three : Filefish, Abalone liver sauce nigiri, & Hokkaido hairy crab & uni pasta

Went for the shellfish menu and had an amazing time. All of the courses were superb and the servers…read moreand Nakajima-san were the best vibes you could ever ask for. Will definitely be coming back to try their regular menu sometime.

A hidden (very hidden) gem across from Joe's Shanghai. The host came out with the phone from the…read morerestaurant as I called for directions. Will definitely come back. Stopped in on a Wednesday night for dinner and we got sat in the smaller room on an island. They were out of several items on the food menu, but we loved what we ordered. Food 5/5 1. Oden Such a close tie with the pork sausage but Oden takes the top spot for the hearty mix of flavors and the very large assortment pieces of stew. Soft and not chewy. Light bodied. 2. Pork sausage Imagine the best hot dog you have had in New York, but better and plumper 3. Chirashi Uní and squid take the top prize in the bowl. All the chewiness is made up in this bowl. What makes it win: consistency of each type of fish 4. Kaisen curry Perhaps a little too much sauce to rice ratio but definitely a solid curry Mocktails 5/5 1. Green tea concoction with bitter tones 2. Pineapple tart/sweet situation Service 5/5 Our host to bartender/server were all friendly. Our host was the proactive one and we loved her foresight--same one who came out to get us in the alley while still answering my phone call Ambiance 5/5 We were sat in a private room that only has 1 table plus a bar that sits 6 people so it was great for a conversation without having to shout Cleanliness 5/5 Being sat in front of the Japanese whiskey collection cabinet was nice and dust free Price 3/5 An extremely small bowl of Chirashi for $45 was the only thing that was priced too high out of the inordinate. We got more and tastier food out of the Oden soup.