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    Kitaro

    3.3 (179 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Open 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Kitaro Takeout or Delivery

    Kitaro Photos

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    KITARO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Kitaro

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    Sushi Party Platter A
    Jane D.

    During the pandemic when we lived in a tiny, rural town with all of one stoplight, we gained a new appreciation for neighborhood sushi joints like Kitaro, which we once took for granted. If I approach this analysis with snobbery... the comparison that a prior reviewer made to Takeda is preposterous. Kitaro and Takeda are in two very different arenas of play. Takeda is traditional, Edomae style, seasonal, Michelin-quality -- very much a special occasion restaurant. Kitaro is an inexpensive, Americanized, neighborhood sushi joint, good for a quick dinner or lunch. The level of quality is very different. That said, Kitaro doesn't do badly in its own swim lane. We personally like the quality of fish at comparably priced Miyako better, and the lighter / better blotted tempura and katsu there, but.... Kitaro happens to serve and deliver party platters that have a greater array of (mostly very Americanized) maki that our kids and their friends will eat. (Party Platter A includes 14 rolls: avocado / asparagus / cucumber roll, California, salmon, Alaska, eel avocado, shrimp tempura, peanut avocado, tuna, salmon mango, vegetable tempura (sweet potato), spicy crunchy shrimp, white tuna avocado, yellowtail scallion, and tuna avocado). It's a good way to feed a crowd of blossoming sushi aficionados. There's good variety. The sushi rice is well made, the fish is good enough. I personally do not enjoy Americanized sushi -- or I guess non-Edomae sushi in general, usually (e.g. spicy crunchy rolls, rolls that include cream cheese, mayonnaise, tempura, kani, salmon, etc...). But for the large contingent of folks who do, the quality to price ratio at Kitaro will probably make you happy. We are ultimately glad and extremely grateful to have Kitaro in our neighborhood!

    Squid, Salmon Belly, Tuna Sashimi. Shrimp Tempura Roll, Alaska Roll, and Salmon Skin Roll

    My4G and the Black Dragon roll were my favorite, the salmon belly always exceptional!

    Sushi for 2
    Nick P.

    One of our favorite sushi places in the city! Always easy to get a table and the sushi is very fresh. Great deal too

    Clear broth soup, shrimp tempura roll, spicy crab roll and a California roll.
    Toshi K.

    This is a little "hole-in-the-wall" spot that was very charming. Sushi was very good and quite reasonable (3 rolls for $17). Staff was not very talkative but attentive. Will definitely come here again.

    Katie B.

    My husband and I love going to this place. We've been several times now and it never misses. Whether we get simple rolls or the special rolls, it has always hit the spot and for an affordable price too.

    Lunch Special Menu, ends at 4:30PM everyday
    Raymond L.

    More like a 4-star place but want to help them out and they are a Mom and Pop. It's a decent spot if you know what you are coming in for. Salmon Rolls are my favorite, Tuna is good too. (Honorable mention to Salmon Special and Toro Roll) They slice big pieces here. Quick Tips: $2 Miso Soup hits the spot $1 Hot Tea has a hint of toasted seaweed flavor $10 Large Hot House Sake is a deal, can share for 2 (or 1 if you're like me) $7 Salmon, Tuna, or Cali Rolls Lunch Special is until 4:30 PM, 7 days a week Downside, place is a bit understaffed, so recommend getting as much of your order together as possible. (Lots of Grubhub/delivery orders also flow in) Good neighborhood spot to hang with friends that is friendly to your wallet as well. Manage expectations and you'll have a good time. (Sorry, it's not Nobu)

    Underrated Sushi Gem. Fresh fish, great quality, and never too crowded. Totally underrated. One of my go-to spots when I want something consistently excellent.

    Justean D.

    Found this gem on a random night and so glad I did! Music was nice and so was the ambiance. I got the miso soup, gyoza, spicy salmon roll and spicy tuna roll and it was delicious! The chef also sprinkled a little cayenne pepper I believe and it made it even more delish. Staff was very nice and attentive. The chef was very very sweet.

    At every table- sauce, sanitizer and hooks!
    Emerald L.

    Stopped by during lunch break with family from fabulous exhibit at the children's museum nearby. Cozy atmosphere with rustic music and beautiful decor. Lots of hooks to hang bags and jackets! Hand sanitizer at every table. Chardonnay on point. Awaiting food.:)

    Yellowtail Jalapeno
    Snowboard P P.

    Kitaro is Great sushi restaurant, it has been my go to spot for years due to its fresh fish and lunch specials.

    Shrimp Tempura roll and Crunch Spicy Salmon Roll
    Jonathan C.

    I stopped by here for lunch, and had their shrimp tempura roll and their spicy salmon roll. Both were delicious and tasted really fresh! The miso soup that came with the lunch was hot and filled with just the right amount of tofu and seaweed.

    So much food.

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    2 years ago

    Solid, reliable Japanese on the UWS. The lunch specials are a great value. Been going here for years and realized I never wrote a review.

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    2 years ago

    Some of the best sushi anywhere. Fair pricing, casual enough to be relaxing, nice enough for a date night.

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    3 years ago

    They don't pick up the phone and hung up on me when I called bc I m waiting on my order . The staff there is always so rude ?!

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    Page 1 of 5

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    Momoya

    Momoya

    4.1(893 reviews)
    3.2 miChelsea
    $$

    I had been to Momoya on the Upper West Side before, but this was my first visit to the Chelsea…read morelocation. The atmosphere here was a bit more lively and crowded compared to the more relaxed vibe of the UWS spot. I enjoyed my meal even more this time around. I started with the beet salad, which was delicious and offered great value given the generous portion size. it featured sliced beets, arugula, goat cheese, and walnuts. I also had my eye on the hijiki soybean salad--which is a bit smaller and reportedly homemade--so I may try that next time, along with the warm mushroom salad which looked very tasty. The edamame was standard but served as a nice starter. For my main rolls, I chose the salmon avocado and the yellowtail scallion. Both were very fresh and definitely worth ordering again. The salmon avocado roll had a nice touch of sesame seeds on the rice, while the yellowtail scallion was prepared with the seaweed on the outside. My boyfriend's sushi entree looked excellent, so I am considering that or the sushi-sashimi combo for my next visit. The entrees provide a substantial amount of food, and I especially appreciate that they allow you to choose which roll comes with your meal.

    I love love LOVE this place! Always the freshest sushi, the most exquisite service. They don't…read morehound you like some other places on the area. They are always respectable, listen to your needs, help you find whatever you need. 10 out of 10 best food in the neighborhood. I always come here for the sea urchin and salmon roe/caviar - and it has yet to be beat. It's so good! One of my neighborhood favorites, I come here so often just for the combination of service, quality, and taste. My servers are usually Denise and Toshi and they are always on top of their game. I love it here! Will definitely keep coming back, just for their (excellent) service alone. Highly recommend.

    Photos
    Momoya - Inside

    Inside

    Momoya - Chirashi Lunch

    Chirashi Lunch

    Momoya - Dessert

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    Dessert

    Sanyuu West

    Sanyuu West

    4.5(161 reviews)
    3.4 miChelsea
    $$$$

    The last time I was in NYC I grabbed two omakase and one Everything don from Shinn East, so figured…read morethis time I might as well try their sister restaurant, Sanyuu West! They share a takeout menu and it's super easy to order--text what you want to the phone number on the website and pickup in ~20 minutes :). You pay on a handheld and they don't ask for tip for takeout. I love this process and truly wish more sushi restaurants in LA adopt the takeout box. The only one I know of is hefty but also $200 each lol, making Sanyuu's $69 omakase and $78 Everything don, not to mention the $30 giant salmon nigiri set, A STEAL! I enjoyed most of the pieces but I will say I don't like their amaebi or uni at all. I'm not sure what kind of uni is used here but it's the type with a very strong mineral flavor & aftertaste that I don't find enjoyable. We're spoiled by easy access to live spot prawns everywhere and fresh SB uni. Despite this, I wouldn't hesitate to come back if I lived in the city.

    Came for takeout and got the Salmon Set which includes 8 huuuuge salmon nigiri for $30. You'll…read moredefinitely want to share this one. The slices aren't thin, delicate, and melt-in-your-mouth as one usually gets in a sit down; they are extra thick, and I had to really bite down on some of the pieces. The rice was nicely seasoned and was cooked well + portions are also big to match those thiccccc salmon slices. To be honest, I was getting a little nauseated after 5 pieces, haha~ They were definitely delicious but I'd probably just eat 3 or 4 pieces and share with a friend! It was easy to text the number on the website and coordinate a pickup time, and the staff was friendly when I arrived. The restaurant is a little hard to find as the windows are blinded and the sign is a piece of paper on the door.

    Photos
    Sanyuu West
    Sanyuu West - (@joeynht)

    (@joeynht)

    Sanyuu West - (@joeynht)

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    (@joeynht)

    Izakaya MEW - Salmon Carpaccio

    Izakaya MEW

    4.3(3.3k reviews)
    2.6 miMidtown West
    $$

    Honestly, I really enjoyed my time at Izakaya Mew. I love the underground vibe because it gives it…read morethat cozy dim vibe. The servers were pretty attentive and funny, they'd check on us regularly, somehow managing to convince us to get even more items based on what we liked. As a big fan of seafood, I really enjoyed the Scallop Uni Butter Scallop and the Shishamo Fritters. A lot of the items didn't feel heavy which is always a plus with Izakayas, and allowed us to order and try even more items on the menu. Definitely the perfect place to come with a group of friends after work !

    We stopped in for a work lunch, and I ordered the Kaisen donburi. They were out of uni, which our…read moreserver let me know right away and mentioned they would lower the price to $30 instead. At the time, I thought that seemed fair enough, but looking back, I'm not so sure. For what was left in the bowl, $30 still felt overpriced. The fish slices were cut extremely thin, and there was really only a single layer of fish, so overall it just wasn't very satisfying. That said, there are still quite a few items on the menu that caught my eye and that I'd like to try. I'm going to chalk this one up to ordering the wrong dish rather than writing the place off completely. One thing that did leave a bad impression, though, was the interaction at the end of the meal. The girl who brought our check wasn't exactly rude, but she seemed visibly annoyed when we asked about using Apple Pay but ended up putting the charge on my card and it felt like asking her to bring over the Apple Pay machine was somehow inconveniencing her. She also didn't bother asking whether I wanted my receipt. Maybe none of it was intentional, but her overall demeanor came across that way and left us ending the meal with a bad taste in our mouths.

    Photos
    Izakaya MEW - Dining area

    Dining area

    Izakaya MEW - Volcano Roll and Chikaten Roll

    Volcano Roll and Chikaten Roll

    Izakaya MEW - Scallop Uni Butter Skewer

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    Scallop Uni Butter Skewer

    Kitaro - sushi - Updated May 2026

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