We looked online as our plane landed and saw they had a few reservations available, so we took a gamble and walked in, since there is a charge for late arrivals. We were lucky enough to get seated. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I appreciate that all of the seats in the restaurant are around the sushi chefs, so you have a view no matter where you sit.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You order from a server, and ours was super nice. I wish I had gotten his name, but I do know that he wants to be a history teacher. He was helpful, kind, and super friendly. The first thing you receive is a towel to clean your hands. It was cool, and I wish I could have recorded a video of it for you. We ordered a glass of sake to drink with our tap water. I had the gold one, and my hubby had the first one on the list. They are both dry, and I liked mine the most, but my hubby thought it had a sweet or just aftertaste he didn't like. We selected the shrimp balls as our app, but it came after we had eaten two hand tools becausee the sushi chefs are right in front of you. We both ordered the Grab Handroll Set for dinner, and I highly suggest you do the same, as you get 5 for $45. If you order the handrolls individually, Most of them are $10. If you are hungry, you might want to order a couple of single handrolls or something else first, since you won't want to eat anything but dessert after the last handroll, as it is topped with caviar. The people next to us ordered the deep-fried Chilean sea bass, and it looked very tempting. The chef will show you how to eat the handrolls if you need them. These are not the typical cone-shaped handrolls I was picturing. If you look at the picture, you will see that each piece comes as a rectangular piece of sushi rice with the fish and toppings. The seaweed comes in a cute little package that you use right away. The set we ordered was delectable and began with bluefin toro. Next came the red snapper with a lovely plum sauce. For these two, I placed the seaweed on the plate and wrapped the piece up because I wanted to taste the toppings and fish first. It worked, but was messy. The next roll was salmon avocado with a yummy yuzu miso that I wish they sold by the bottle. After that was the yellowtail with jalapeño miso. The grand finale was the seared botan ebi (shrimp) with caviar. I loved every bite! read more

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For the price I def think there are better options in the city. I ate here with a friend and we were seated at the counter ($295) - honestly this is pretty hefty and I was expecting something very elaborate and delicious. Yes everything was fresh and service was attentive but I would not say it was super memorable (nothing really stood out to me). [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outside is very unassuming and I was not even sure if they were open.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was nice to try it once but I would not come back. read more

Kosaka is an upscale pricey omakase that are a dime a dozen in the city and the dinner here did not standout for the value for me. The restaurant has chef's counter and dining table options starting at $295/$270 pp. They have a sake pairing with a standard and reserve option ($275 and $175, respectively). The reserve option came with five sakes and important thing to note is they serve the next sake as soon as you finish one and is not actually paired with particular courses and they served each in standard cups without any extra pours - overall very disappointing for the price you're paying and definitely not worth it. The omakase itself was good but nothing memorable. We were given the standard findings and the fish tasted fresh but similarly it was a let down for the price. The experience was very impersonal too - the staff were fairly attentive throughout the meal but the chefs barely acknowledged us, even when handing out courses, which is completely fine if that's the experience you prefer too as they are so focused on the prep! But for the other options in the city at a similar price range, I had a much more memorable experience even down to under $200 such as at sushi jin. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great omakase experience in an intimate setting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It's not just a nigiri experience. We had sashimi, a soup and dessert along with an 8-10 course nigiri dinner. Service was excellent and our chef was friendly while skillfully demonstrating knife and rice skills. Overall, a great experience. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very cozy omakase in the west village![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Liked every dish except for the egg soup -- it tasted like egg mixed with water. Served did a great job of explaining every course. Left feeling full but not stuffed (although I was hungry a few hours later). Great omakase spot but for the price, I think you could find better value. read more

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Celebrated my boyfriend's birthday here and had an amazing meal! Service was wonderful and our chef was so friendly. Firefly squid appetizer, Hokkaido uni and toro were all standouts... in general, the nigiri was the highlight for me. Presentation was wonderful and everything was super fresh. Would recommend to anyone looking for a slightly-off-the-beaten-path omakase experience! read more

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I have no photos of my sushi, but this dinner will always be remembered and as near and dear to my heart, they are beyond spectacular with everything service is incredible. They always check on you. They clean up after you fold your towel. They pour your drink and you don't even have to ask for anything. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior was nice. It felt very intimate inside[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] the quality of the fish is what I dream of I still have dreams of it. It's the best meal I've ever had in my entire life. I highly highly highly recommend this place if you ever get the chance to go here, definitely don't second-guess it. You need to go here. It is some of the best food you'll ever have the quality was so good nothing tasted too fishy. It was all really tender. I give this 1000 out of 10. I'd give it five stars over and over again. The sushi chef was amazing. He prepared everything so excellent and it was really cool to see him prepping everything for us and they explain what everything is where it came from amazing I can't get enough of this place and I wanna go back and I plan to. read more

Kosaka - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

SO and I had a celebratory dinner here over the weekend and were both very pleased with it.  It's a small establishment, very clean and classy with soothing, slow jazz playing at a comfortable level.  The benefit of a smaller establishment like this is very attentive service, which was demonstrated throughout our dinner. After a couple of tasty starters, the omakase onslaught followed. The seafood was high quality mostly from Japan, but also from countries like Spain and New Zealand. Our favorites were the uni (which was creamy with a mild and pleasing aftertaste) and the otoro (buttery and delectable). There were a few tables available for more of an intimate dinner, but seeing dishes prepared live is always a good spectacle.  Bottom line, the service was on point and the food was delicious. Yes, it's pricey, but excellent for special occasions! read more

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Kosaka offers an omakase, in which you can opt for the bar or the table, in which the bar has a bit of an upcharge. The omakase includes otsumami, sashimi, a sushi course, soup, and dessert. Unfortantely, with the price point, I couldn't say the quality matched. While the presentation was great, the fish itself seemed to be all at room temperature; the rice didn't seem to match the fish, as it was slightly mushy and on the colder end. Service was good, and the space was intimate. Sitting at the counter is highly recommended. +cold rice +warm fish read more

Omakase was OKAY at this 1-Michelin star But compared to other 1-Michelin star omakase places in NYC, this hits below the threshold. Sushi was decent/good (when you compare it to other sushi places that are NOT Michelin starred/rated) but the selection AND quality was mediocre compared to OTHER 1-Michelin places. At $250/person, it was disappointing. Attentive staff, a cozy environment, sit at the counter if possible. Not going to get into the individual course/nigiri details but cost did not match quality. read more

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VENUE: Dark lighting setting. We were seated by the door. It's summer so the door opening and closing is okay. Not sure how it would be in the colder weather. SERVICE: Perfect. The waiter was attentive and explained every dish that came out. FOOD: I'm picky when it comes to sushi and do not eat other types of fish especially uni. Let me tell you, every single sushi/sashimi/maki was delicious! Sake was delicious too! I would absolutely go here again if I had $300 USD to spare again. Til next time! read more

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The ambiance was elegant and quiet. But didn't feel too formal or stuffy, which I liked. The service was great, what you'd expect from a top notch omakase spot. I just wish they had a full bar (I was craving a martini or cocktail with some shiso or yuzu, they only have beer, wine and sake). And of course we were blown away by each bite of the omakase. Omakase offers flavors and freshness you don't get from any other kind of cuisine. It's exactly what I want for my bday every year! I'm happy I finally made it here, it's been on my list for a long time, and now I can finally check it off! Thanks Kosaka! read more

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A decision I do not regret: taking my loved one here for their birthday. My partner has a refined palette when it comes to sushi, particularly toro. After doing some research, Kosaka seemed like a good choice. I was hesitant because of the price at first, but as each course came , we felt more and more glad we came here. Each dish was a surprising and unique delight. It wasn't the same concept hashed again and again like some omakase restaurants might do. The chef was cheery and not overly serious, and that really lightened the atmosphere . Funny enough I keep thinking of the toffee they served for dessert. It was so delicious. If you are doing Omakase, I recommend calling in to reserve a counter spot. I was not able to do this online. I also had noted on my reservation online that it was a birthday celebration and they really did make it special. We were welcomed by the greeter with a happy birthday and had a little note card welcoming us. We also had an aesthetically pleasing miniature cake. read more

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Food 10/10 As a huge fan of edo style, I really enjoyed tasting the pure fish flavor rather than extravagant and unnecessary flourishes. The sushi to rice ratio was very reasonable, and each piece had a distinct touch. Started out with an appetizer and some sashimi that tasted super fresh. I would say the toro and uni were my absolute favorites, but the whole omakase menu was very coherent and well put together. Definitely one of the best omakase I've had in the city, as it isn't too boisterous and showy, and remains very solid and sophisticated. Atmosphere 10/10 Very vibey, dark interior but both modern and elegant. The counter was very long, with multiple chefs working, and I think there were tables behind me. Very intimate space, definitely recommend sitting at the counter rather than at a table. Service 10/10 Our water was never empty, and the chef was super friendly but also respected our dining space. Had some great conversations with him, learning about his expertise and watching him do his magic! read more

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Been here many time and my wife and I always leave having the same comment, "not only the finest omakase experience in nyc but the finest restaurant in nyc". Pure dining bliss read more

This place holds a special place in my heart because it was the first place I had omakase. Service and food were divine. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I love that the space is small and intimate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

There are a plethora of high-end sushi restaurants these days, and plenty of them, including Kosaka, have a well-deserved Michelin star. There are both tables and an expansive bar, strongly recommend you sit at the bar for optimal experience. We were served by Chef Inoue-san, and the meal was excellent. Firefly squid was apparently still in season at the time of this visit, and the starter-- a "fruit salad" with shrimp and okra-- was divine. Katsuo (Japanese skipjack) and shima-aji (striped jack) were also excellent, and better than another Michelin-starred sushi place I won't name that I dined at a few days before. Price... it's impossible to say any fine dining experience is a good value, or even a value, period, but Kosaka was about 10% cheaper than where I last ate a sushi meal of similar quality. The only oddity (perhaps because they were NOT busy when we arrived for first seating, right at 5:00pm) was that the meal was unusually quick, a good 30 minutes faster than expected at just over 90 minutes. read more

Went for a birthday! They make you feel very special and are so friendly which I love! Pretty expensive and could have used a few more courses. Delish and fresh pieces. [[HIGHLIGHT]]So elegant on the inside![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I was really looking forward to dining here but left disappointed. While the quality of the food and service matched that of any high-end sushi restaurant, at this price point, you expect something a bit different--maybe one or two unique dishes. However, this would have been a minor issue if not for the other problems. The white wine list starts at $140, then jumps to $170, with the rest over $200. There are so many good wines under $100 that it makes no sense not to offer more reasonable options. In the end, we opted for glasses of wine at $30 each, and we were glad we did (see below). I have been to dozens of Omakase sushi restaurants, and what makes the good ones great (besides the food) is the pace of service and interaction with the chef (and sometimes other customers). The pace of service here was way too fast. Normally, we spend around two hours (sometimes three) at Omakase, but this one clocked in at just over an hour--it felt like we were speed eating. Much of the fish was pre-cut and ready to be served, allowing the pace to be extremely fast. They also stagger reservation times and have multiple chefs, so instead of preparing all guests' food at once (taking their time), they can speed things up and also limites interaction between guests. Had we ordered a bottle of wine, we would have had half a bottle left because the service was so fast. Finally, there was very limited interaction with the chefs. They seemed stoic, even when we tried to engage in conversation, it was all business. read more

High Tokyo style for barely half the price of a flight to Tokyo. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Everything about this place is poetry--small, quiet space lit romantically[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], sharp staff, warm, friendly chefs, and fish that was swimming 48 hours ago prepared according to long tradition with unique twists. Unforgettable and worth every penny. read more

Fish was fresh and service was gracious and attentive. Inside is suuuuuuper dark but very romantic ambiance. Extremely small space so be sure to reserve the moment they open up online. My favorite courses were the jelly/caviar appetizer, king salmon, dashi broth and the creatively presented matcha dessert. the chocolate toffee given at the very end of the course was good but i wasn't a fan of the texture and stickiness of the toffee as the end of the meal. The bathroom was extremely well attended and very beautiful and clean as well. Sushi bar is more expensive than if you sit at the table. We dressed extremely casually for this dinner, but dressing up nice for a date night would be perfect for this restaurant. Overall, a very good solid omakase, however none of the courses really wowed me. Tip is not included in the price, something to consider on top of the omakase price. read more

Excellent meal! I've been to a few other Michelin starred places around the city and Kosaka does not disappoint. All of the pieces were unique and the service was excellent. I ordered the sushi Omakase and opted for the $50 Toro Caviar supplement. 1. Firefly Squid 2. Toro with Ostera Caviar 3. Shima Aji 4. King Salmon with Smoked Soy Sauce 5. Golden Eye Snapper 6. Grouper from Japan 7. Chu Toro 8. O Toro 9. Octopus from Hokkaido Yuzu and Green Tea Salt 10. Ocean Trout from Hokkaido 11. Salmon Roe 12. Jumbo Sweet Shrimp 13. Scallop with Yuzu Frond 14. Chu Toro Handroll 15. Anago Sea el 16. Tamago read more

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Had an engagement celebration dinner here and it was so good!!! Amazing quality sushi and attentive service. Pacing was on the slower side but still pretty good. Book in advance for bar seats read more

Wow it has been 5 years since I've been back, how time flies. My last visit wasn't a great one but I'm glad to report that this time was much better. I will also say it felt great to do sushi bar omakase after a year of not being able to. The fish here is great as expected. Everything is fresh and generous. And more often than not, the pieces of fish just melt in your mouth. Absolutely delicious. I also had to order the uni cup which used to be my go to fave when Chef Yoshi was still at the now defunct Jewel Bako. Overall the meal reminded me very much of the Jewel Bako days, it even finished off with a piece of unago. We also did the classic 7 sake pairing. It was worth it and elevated the menu. I'll even add that the two surprises at the end came from the soup (which was not miso) and the tea (which was not matcha). Everything was well executed and very tasty. So what kept it from a raving 5 star review? A few things actually. 1. The first batch of rice was a bit cold. 2. The second batch of rice was a bit overcooked and ended up being sticky. 3. The Hokkaido uni was not tempered properly and was ice cold. Taking away the buttery taste from it. 4. For the price point of the menu, there was no real wow factor. The fish quality was great but every piece read like a generic omakase you'd find anywhere else. And perhaps cheaper. Kosaka seems like they're doing amazing and I wish Chef Yoshi the best. Definitely worth trying out but it's on the higher end of the price range without anything that'll send you home thinking about. read more

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Visited this place quite some time ago, but sushi spots rarely change too much, so here are my thoughts. It is a dark and intimate vibe. The sushi sizes are slightly smaller than other spots, but the quality is there. Everything else from the service to the beverage menu is all above average. But nowadays, these sushi omakase spots are a dime a dozen, so it makes it difficult to justify a return trip. Still, it's still a mid to high range omakase option if you are looking for a relatively easy res. read more

Great fish and ambiance at Kosaka. Servers were very attentive and the sushi chef was very welcoming. Do the sake tasting! Favourite was the yuzu sake. Every piece of sushi had just the right amount of wasabi. Good spot in west village and seating wasn't too crowded inside. Not sure why it's called Kosaka when the sushi chefs name is Chef Kousaka but someone please tell me! read more

Kosaka - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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I'd rank this place as average compared with other prestigious omakase places. I really enjoyed the chutoro piece and the scallop one, but a big fan of how they seasoned the eel. I ordered the uni with caviar as an add-on. Service was great. We didn't do pairing, but they made solid recommendations on Sake. read more

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/)/) ( . .) ( づYes it was good but wouldn't recommend going. There are better omakases without Michelin stars that I was impressed by than this one. Kosaka was a bit disappointing. Fish was good and fresh. Sushi was delicious don't get me wrong. But there was no wow factor while eating the courses. read more

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Updating my review. Came back weekend of Valentine's Day 2022. Still overall happy with the omakase, but note prices are higher now ($225 per person at the bar or $200 if you book a table). The scallop is still one of my favorite pieces, but all the sushi pieces were solid. Don't think I care as much for the non sushi dishes other than the firefly squid: the sashimi or the amuse bouche (salmon croquette), a mushroom soup (clear broth with a few mushroom/snap pea pieces) were all fine but nothing to write home about. Dessert sorbets were also just ok, though unique in flavors (they served us different flavors - one of us got one with shiso as a key underlying flavor and the other a peach alcohol). Of the "dessert" items, the green apple hot tea was my favorite mostly bc it was such a fun sensory experience. Smelled really intense - like green apple sour candy, but actual flavor was light and not sweet/sour. read more

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Kosaka has all the makings of a stunning, sophisticated omakase restaurant - and indeed, they have one Michelin star. The staff was perfectly friendly and helpful, and I love that they have a female sushi chef (something I haven't seen in SF or Japan). Their sake program is fantastic. However, there were a few things that really dampened our dining experience: 1. They ran out of tamago, and didn't have a backup dessert course. This was especially disappointing because we had a 8:15PM reservation, which is a very standard seating time, and we had watched one of the chefs cut from a fresh slab of tamago (I assume for other guests) when we first sat down. There really isn't a good excuse as to why they ran out of tamago - something that mostly requires eggs and can be easily estimated - for a Friday evening seating. 2. They ran out of all types of uni for their uni speciality dishes. I was devastated. 3. If you look at my photos from the meal, you can see that the artistry is lacking the delicacy and precision in some of the cuts and construction. The rice was actually too wet and fell apart in some pieces (you can see loose/stray pieces of rice) and the edges of the fish often "flared" out as if they weren't patted in enough. For the price point, I definitely left feeling a bit let down. read more

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I didn't love or hate this place, so I'm having a hard time with this review. All the omakase pieces were solid. Nothing wowed me but nothing disappointed either. I'm not sure if the Michelin star is the reason for the inflated pricing, but I've definitely had better omakase at lower price points. That is not to say this place is bad (it's really good!!), I'm just not sure if it was necessarily worth the price. The atmosphere here is nice - dark, romantic, intimate? Good for a date! There's a bar area and a seating area with tables. There were a lot of servers but because the space was small, there was a lot of bumping into people and movement. I put a question next to intimate because the movement made the place feel very on-the-go and it was a bit harder for me to feel calm and connected with the chef. However, service was great, the staff was super attentive. I liked their bathroom napkins but the one-ply toilet paper was a surprise! I'd say the counter is spacious enough and didn't make me feel unsafe COVID-wise. As I mentioned, I enjoyed every piece during the omakase. What I didn't necessarily like as much were the appetizers. The sesame spinach appetizer was unique but a bit confusing in terms of taste. The sashimi platter felt unnecessary to me - I was soooo full by the end of the tasting and wish I had skipped the sashimi to enjoy the chef's omakase pieces more. I personally don't like a lot of appetizers during omakase, but that may be a personal preference. Otherwise, no complaints here! Dessert was ice cream. My boyfriend noted that there were a lot of yuzu pieces so it would have been nice if the ice cream was more creamy rather than sour - which I agree. The bill came out to be around $650 with tax and tip + one carafe. I wouldn't be super keen to recommend this spot to my friends, but I think if you do make a visit, it will definitely be good and you will have a great time! read more

I had an amazing time with my wife, the staff was very accommodating and catered us the whole time, the chef choices were excellent and the sushi tasted fresh Would recommend if you ever want to experience or taste one of the best sushi places in nyc make sure you reserve ahead is a very small location and fills up fast read more

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Booked a reservation months in advance to sit at the bar. The uni was so delicious, the restaurant wasn't too packed, and we got to watch the chef prepare everything firsthand. DEFINITELY sit at the bar not at a table it is a totally different experience. The fatty otoro was the best I have ever eaten and you are able to order more of each individual sashimi that you want. read more

Kosaka - Uni - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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My friend and I came here on a Saturday night to celebrate both of our birthdays. We booked 3 weeks in advance on Resy. We wanted to sit at the bar, so we called the restaurant to ask what the seating times are for the bar. I recommend doing the same if you want to sit at the bar. We love watching how each piece is curated so sitting at the bar is way more fun. We both did the omakase set - 15 courses for $195. I say "courses" because it wasn't 15 pieces of nigiri - we started with this amazing salmon "burger". Delicious way to make salmon with very fresh mushroom, tomato and cucumber - it was the perfect little bite. Then we had a sashimi starter, super fresh and delicious with the fresh wasabi. Then followed 11 mind-blowing pieces of nigiri, curated perfectly with flavors that balanced so well. We ended with this clear soup and dessert. The service is amazing. The place did get a little too loud because there was another party celebrating a birthday. Nonetheless, the sushi chefs were wonderful and made sure we felt special on our birthday. read more

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Top tier service and excellent atmosphere. Sat at the bar and enjoyed the intimate service. Ordered the omasake and add on Toro Caviar.It was excellent, however, I don't have the best palate for high end sushi. I dined with my boyfriend that has experienced higher end sushi and he mentioned it was relatively good given the price. Added the sake pairing which was nice to try lots of different sakes Would recommend if you're looking for great Michelin's omasake without totally breaking the bank, left feeling full and satisfied! read more

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The smoked king salmon and the mackerel pieces were my standout pieces and a bit more interesting pieces than the classic fatty tuna pieces that always love. Besides the delicious food, love the restaurant space! Seems almost hidden and I love the pottery that they use for the dessert course. read more

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Was lucky to have the opportunity to dine at this well respected omakase restaurant. The decor is simple but definitely refined, the place overall is essentially just the omakase counter and 1-2 small tables near the entrance. The service was all in all spectacular since the ratio of both waiters and chefs to customers was great. The sushi was great (as expected for a Michelin place), but I would say did not quite live up to the price tag compared to some of the other offerings in the city. read more

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My wife and I were very excited to try this Michelin starred Omakase place. We each had the Omakase with the sake pairing. Overall, the food was quite good, but there were maybe 2-3 sushi pieces we thought were a 'miss' as the fish was a bit chewy or sinewy (amberjack, otoro--which we usually love). There were also standouts like the scallop and king salmon that were out of this world. All in all, it was a good meal. However, we were surprised by the mediocre service from our server during the meal. He was professional but put off a condescending/rude vibe throughout the meal that kind of ruined our experience. We expected more when spending $800 on a meal at a Michelin starred place. Overall, the experience was fine but I wouldn't go back or recommend it to others. read more

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Kosaka is a Michelin-stared sushi restaurant in Greenwich Village that serves amazing sushi. The omakase includes an amuse, a sashimi course (not shown), sushi, soup and dessert. The fish is all flown in from Japan and is expertly prepared. You can eat at the sushi counter or at a table (I highly recommend eating at the counter even though it is more expensive). The meal takes just over two hours. There are various items that can be added to the omakase set. The sake selection is stellar. It is not inexpensive, but it is well worth it. read more

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TLDR: Excellent high-end sushi bar. Impeccable service, Chef Kousaka will deliver you a tasting menu that you will remember and be yearning to come back for more. If you're considering splurging for an omakase, you cannot go wrong. I'm really shocked that I hadn't written this review earlier, especially because this was one of the most memorable meals I had last year. With my experience, the omakase meals that I didn't plan (no special occasion) and decided to go rather haphazardly - turn out to be the best. For me at least. Memorial Day weekend, we decided after work to come back into the city and give Kosaka a shot. We were able to snag a seat with Chef around 9. When we first walked in, I was taken away by the interior design. I just love love love the way this restaurant looks. It's chic, sexy, minimalistic and feels so inviting. You're a relatively close distance to Chef so it's nice to be able to watch him bring each piece together. The service here is superb. Attentive staff, mindful of the little things and that balance of being there when you need them but not hovering over you either. Kosaka has rightfully earned a Michelin star since we last dined. I haven't been able to make it back since but this is a meal that I think of quite frequently. There is also an a la carte "Aburi" sushi you can order. I am a total sucker for torched sushi, so the fact that I can have a plate of all torched nigiri - yasssssss. The kama toro he served which is from the collar of the tuna, was just phenomenal. He was fun to converse with too. The discipline he shows and his attention to detail was very memorable. While assembling one add-on piece we ordered, it wasn't quite staying together. You could sense his frustration and he scrapped the whole piece to make sure he delivered it the way he wanted to. I love this place and I know you will too. So if you've been looking through a list of different omakase restaurants to plan that meal, I can tell you this is the right one. read more

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