First time at KOTOBUKI after being highly recommended by a dear co-worker. Restaurant is located in a shopping center off Nesconset Hwy where the parking is plentiful. It appears COVID-19 hasn't made a major impact on this popular restaurant considering my husband and I went during the week and it was hoppin and poppin. We were lucky to get the last table. After that it was a 30 minute wait or more. The front desk phone rang constantly for take out orders. Staff is practicing all CDC COVID-19 safety guidelines by wearing masks and gloves. Customers are properly social distanced inside the small but clean and cozy restaurant. Service was slow at the start but picked up after we ordered a few delicious appetizers and miso soup. Hot tea and water fill ups were steady. Our server was very sweet and attentive. Desk staff was also very pleasant. Our main meals which consisted of mostly specialty rolls were fresh and delicious. We were very pleased by the size of the rolls and how they were creatively platted. Some may say the food is overpriced but I'm a firm believer you get what you pay for. Here you will be served quality food and a satisfying portion. We left with a smile on our face and a full belly. Now I can recommend to others! read more

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A pleasant visit where service and food was top notch. We especially enjoyed the Sushi selection. Outdoor patio looked inviting next summer. read more

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Food was good. Service was meh. Had to run down our server quite a bit. Food took a while to come out and actually one of the rolls was made wrong because it was missing white tuna. I honestly think the staff are stretched a bit too thin. read more

Kotobuki - Japanese Near Me - Hauppauge, New York

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My absolute favorite Sushi restaurant on Long Island! The fish is always fresh and the service is excellent. Very often there is a wait but it's totally worth it! The spicy tuna pizza is worth the trip alone! read more

I had a very nice lunch here a couple of months ago. I brought my husband the other day and again they seated us not in the main dining area where I could've had a separate table for others but they seated us on the side of the restaurant which had a shared long banquette with small tables. What irked me was in the middle of our meal, they connected a table to ours,to accommodate a party of six, without asking if it's ok. Essentially we shared the big table with this parry. I was irate and I told the server and only then did she apologize to us to say that "there is a big line." I don't think that is my fault and we paid for our food just like everyone else. I really resent that they assumed it was ok for me to share a long table with others when I had a party of two and we were discussing personal matters. I let the server know that this was unacceptable and I'm not sure I will return. read more

Ordered takeout and found this Restaurant top of my list for Their combo Hibachi. I ordered the chicken and shrimp combo. It was delicious!

I absolutely love this place and so do many other people! So much so you have to wait for a table! They offer so many delicious options I don't know where to begin... the oysters are amazing, it is actually in the shell but they cook it and it is in a sauce... I always get that! They also have some sandwiches which are hard to choose from. Call in advance and book the time, you may even see me there on a weeknight at 6:00!! read more

Always my must go Japanese restaurant for more than 20 yrs now! I just can't find better sushi and sashimi place than Kotobuki! Even though they are super busy every time i go, but definitely worth to wait!!! read more

Have been coming here for like 15 years now (crazy to say).... Sushi for one was better than ever, the quality seemed as good or again better than it had ever been!! American dream roll, spider roll, all of the shumai/dumplings , spicy tuna crispy rice (and with spicy salmon when I ask for it) all are amazing read more

Kotobuki - Japanese Near Me - Hauppauge, New York

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Sushi sashimi is great here! It's Worth the wait! Busy busy means fresh raw fish on demand! My biggest yelp pet peeves... don't rate a Japanese sushi restaurant by ordering a big plate of fried shrimp tempura ( don't get me wrong... I do love some tempura & cooked entrees)!! You don't go to a steak house and rate stars by their vegetable entree alone!! Lord... you yelpers better recognize and filter out the waste of time reviews! read more

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I live and die by this sushi restaurant. I was introduced to it by a friend a decade ago and I've been obsessed ever since. The quality of the fish is stellar, absolutely delicious rolls and sashimi. The fried oysters are to die for -- my mother has proclaimed more than once that she'd like them as her last meal on Earth. And hands down, best green tea ice cream around. But the thing that sets it apart is the spicy mayo. Most places do some bland combo of sriracha and kewpie Mayo but Kotobuki's recipe has more to it and it elevates even mediocre sushi. If they sold it in a bottle, I'd buy it monthly. But the other thing that I love about Kotobuki, particularly this one, is the wait staff. If you go enough, they remember you, greet you warmly and chat. Seriously, some of the loveliest people work here and they deserve all the kudos for keeping the place running and moving. Tip them well, they deserve it. At this point, I've eaten here well over 100 times, be it take out or dine in, and I've never had a bad meal. read more

Kotobuki - Sushi and Sashimi Special for 3 - Japanese Near Me - Hauppauge, New York

Normally order Takeout and have yet to be disappointed. Little chaotic during pickup but well worth it. Always fresh and tasty. Sit down, was just as good. read more

Tried for the first time, and very pleasantly surprised. Flavors and quality is really on-point, and probably one of the better Sushi/Japanese restaurants in the area. Service was friendly and efficient, if a bit brusque. Agedashi Tofu was wonderfully prepared, with good texture and excellent broth. Tempura vegetables were not at all greasy, and remained crisp even after dipping. Quality of the fish served was excellent - very fresh and nicely cut and presented. Even the miso soup was above-par. The only complaint I have, is that portion sizes are bit small compared to what I've received in other restaurants - especially considering the prices, which were generally higher than average (which is why I'm offering 4 stars and not 5). read more

The worst setup and service. Grossly understaffed. You have same person cleaning tables, putting guests on the list, filling DoorDash orders. You will definitely wait FOREVER to be seated. Open tables not being seated because they are too busy to clean them off to seat people. Food is good but not worth the frustrating wait. read more

Best sushi around stony Brook! The fish here is great quality and the prices are not bad as well. It's always busy so be prepared for a wait when you come because they don't take reservations. I can't eat fish myself, but my friends tell me the tuna carpaccio and sushi pizza are great appetizers. Despite my allergy, there's still a lot of good options for myself! I like the beef negimaki bento box, lobster roll, and sweet shrimp sashimi. If you've never had sweet shrimp you should definitely try it! They fry the head so you can eat it and it's super crunchy and delicious. read more

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Love this place, always busy which means fish is always fresh. Only downside is the generous guesstimate they use to judge wait times.

Been coming for years, unfortunately Tintin the server ruins our experience every time. She's abrasive, rushes you, and is completely overwhelmed. She has too many tables, she didn't take our drink orders, messed up our roll order. And we had to ask other servers for tea, mayo, the check etc. she needs a good customer service training. I will refuse to dine in her section ever again. read more

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in Long Island. During dinner time they have great glass noodles as an appetizer and the sushi for two or three is great for group of people dining there. Everything is pretty good quality and I love the ambiance of the place where it's a bit fancy and dark inside but it's super nice. The servers are pretty attentive and nice. Everything is nice at this restaurant. Love it read more

Great Sushi, however on Friday night the line was out the door. Everything was so good! We had seaweed salad, dumplings, and assorted cooked & raw sushi rolls. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this restaurant (Haupague). read more

Have a really good Connie salad shrimp gogo was delicious and so was the tunaCappiachio

Good spot, get there early, it gets full quick. Awesome place to sit and enjoy with your party. Food looks great and tasty too. Service is welcoming. read more

Love love LOVE this place. If you are a sushi fanatic like me then this place is for you. They start off the experience with a warm towel for your hands, and give you this tangy noodle to start. It is so tasty and unlike anything i ever had. The sushi is fresh, tasty and you cant go wrong with any of the special rolls. My go to is the salmon teriyaki which is glazed and filled with flavors, it comes on a hot pan so be careful! The ambiance is casual but still upclass and the waiters are always attentive and near by in case you need anything. Only Con about this place is their miso soup, i don't know how you can mess up a miso soup but it is just not up to my liking, the tofu chunks are too big and the taste just isn't there. read more

Sushi is top notch and although it's a long wait its worth it. Get there early. Service is very good

Good food, beyond horrible service! Both dining in and for pickup. And I have yet to get anyone to answer the phone

Wow my first time at Kotobuki and I have to say, the raving reviews are 100% accurate. This has to be some of the freshest sushi I've ever been served. Kotobuki is a small place located on the forever traffic ridden Nesconset HWY. The parking lot of the strip mall is huge. Therefore, parking shouldn't be an issue. Inside, the restaurant is small but very well taken care of. Coming during social distancing, I didn't expect there to be as many people dining in & taking out as there was. The staff members were taking the new regulations very seriously. Gloves & masks were worn by staff. Customers need to wear masks until they are seated. Hand sanitizer put out for customers to use. The staff also frequently disinfected areas. My suggestion, come as soon as the restaurant opens if you want a table without waiting. The reason I took 1 star away was the service was incredibly slow. I understand the staff were minimal but still, it took quite a while to even put in my order. With that being said, the service wouldn't deter me from coming again. A positive note, I wasn't rushed at all during my dinner. The food was the absolute star of the show! Before I start food reviewing, I want to begin with the Sushi & Sashimi Platter for 3. Yes it's $108 but totally worth the price. It is a perfect amount for 3-5 people. The platter comes with 3 miso soups (great flavor), 3 salads (perfect dressing, fresh vegetables), and an oyster appetizer (so tasty). I recommend ordering and eating the platter before ordering additional foods. This will really fill you up! The sushi & sashimi were incredibly fresh and had so many great flavors. Now I'll be reviewing what else I tried: -Chicken Tempura App: Came with 2 Long pieces of chicken + quite a few veggies. Loved the flavor of this appetizer and it's great for sharing between 1-3 people. 5 out of 5 stars -Spicy Tuna Pizza: The bottom of the pizza was incredible and full of flavor. I didn't care for the fake crab meat salad on top. Overall, I don't think I would order this again. 2.5 out of 5 stars -K-MAC Sliders: (2 sliders per order) Probably my favorite appetizer of the night. The spicy tuna was so perfect. The avocado was fresh. But that rice cracker bun...what dreams are made of! I loved that when I bit into the bun, it didn't crumble. 5 out of 5 stars. -Tacos Japoneses: (2 tacos per order) Packed with flavor. Sushi tacos, yes that's always a good idea. Perfectly cooked tortilla packed with fresh fish. 5 out of 5 stars -Deep Fried Ginger Ice Cream: Even if your not adventurous, ginger ice cream is so much better than generic vanilla/chocolate flavors. Then, deep fry it and drizzle some chocolate syrup on it and it's a full blown meal! I would 100% order this again. 5 out of 5 stars Overall, I really enjoyed Kotobuki in Hauppauge. The sushi options are pretty much endless, the unique menu combinations puts this restaurant above their competition, and the prices are quite fair. The service was slow but worth the wait. read more

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We called for a takeout order at 6:30pm. Or New Year's Eve it seems like this place is extremely popular. Over the phone this place sounded very crowded, and I could hear several other phones ringing in the background. I think everyone else had the same idea of celebrating this year by ordering from this restaurant. My friend ordered from them frequently several years ago, as this is one of their favorite sushi places in the area. They still seem to be as popular as ever. Immediately after someone picked up the phone he informed us that the wait would be about an hour or more. We had no problem waiting since we had no other plans being stuck at home. We ordered the Japanese soda, ikura sashimi, spicy girl roll, 1/2 Futomaki roll, crazy salmon roll and miso soup. The order came to $46.98. I was surprised that the ikura was $4.25 for 1, I've been to several places where you usually get 2 for that price. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was kind of hidden since their store front is pretty plain looking and doesn't stand out at night. It helps to look for the words above the door. There's a small waiting area, and there was a sign at a table that said to wait there until we were helped. So after waiting there for a while, no one came to help us after poking our heads in a few times. Finally we went in and saw the desk to our left to ask about our order. Only then we're we able to pay and get our order. When we arrived home, we found the sushi packed next to the soup. This kind of worried me as the soup was really hot, and the sushi shouldn't be heated. I was dissapointed when I tried the spicy girl roll which was packed right next to the soup. The seaweed was soggy and the fish was a weird texture. I hope the sushi wasn't just sitting packed with the soup for a long time. The rest of the rolls were okay. My favorite was the ikura and 1/2 Futomaki roll. I feel like those sushi tasted more fresh, and the rolls that had mayo in it was too heavy tasting. The parts of the sushi that were suppose to be spicy did not taste spicy at all. Maybe I'll try them another time and avoid sushi with mayo and don't order any soup with my sushi, or ask for it to be packed separate. I've heard good things about this place so I was pretty dissapointed. read more

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When it comes to sushi, there seems to be a couple of camps where people settle here on Long Island. The one place that always gets mentioned is Kotobuki. For a lot of people I know, its their go to temple to worship the wonderful cuisine of sushi. I want to love this place as much as the majority of my friends do. I'm not a sushi snob, having only gotten into enjoy the cuisine about a decade ago. I've actually been to Kotobuki a couple of times before, but a more recent visit is what prompted me to write a review. A couple of my friends wanted to have a night out for sushi. I was pushing a place closer to me, but one of them LOVES Kotobuki, so he convinced me and we came on a Tuesday evening. First off, it had been a while since a previous visit and I had forgotten how small this place is. It was a madhouse at the entrance around 6pm. Lots of people waiting for tables as well as food delivery people waiting for mobile orders. The restaurant was already chock full....on a Tuesday. Wow. We finally get seated at around 6:45 at a four top. We are literally right next to another table....close enough to hear their conversation and for them to hear ours. I'm not a COVID scaredy cat, but I felt a bit claustrophobic, because my usual sushi spot is a cavernous location. However, I dealt with it. Our server was pretty good, and we had a few picky eaters in our group. I found a few specialty sushi rolls that I wanted to try, another friend ordered some other rolls, and one ordered the sushi platter for 1, which came with a salad and myriad of delicious items. The presentation of the food when it came out was top notch. Everything looked really, really good. We were all happy. Tastewise, the food is also good, but there is just something about what I was eating that didn't make me 100% happy and its because I was comparing it to my usual sushi spot, which I think, in my opinion, to be better. This may be unfair for this review, because a lot of people really, really love this place, evidenced by the large number of people inside the restaurant and outside waiting to be seated. However, I'm just giving a review based on my experience. I think if you're a sushi connoisseur and have not visited here, it's definitely worth a try based on word of mouth alone. Also, if my friends want to come back for another meal here, I'd return, but I have my Mount Rushmore of sushi places, and unfortunately, Kotobuki just missed the cut, for ME. read more

THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. placed a pick up order at 3:00pm for a pickup time of 7:30. Waited over an hour and a half for the order and they kept telling me 10 minutes when i attempted to just cancel it and get my money back. continued to refuse my refund because the order was "gonna be ready soon". literally just got off a 14 hour shift. this is not what i needed. left without the food and without a refund due to poor customer service while their kitchen staff was slow. will never return again. read more

First time here with friends who recommended the food. 4 instead of 5 due mostly to wait and confusion before we were finally seated. So much food ordered. Age dashi tofu, seaweed salad, special hand roll, carpaccio, chirashi sashimi bowl, tonkasu, avocado salad. Finished with ice cream topped fried bananas. Service once seated was nicer and we got a table with a close seat to the sushi chef station. read more

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Disappointing. The service as nonexistent. Ordered a roll, felt like I ate rice for dinner - barely any fish.

i've only been here twice ever but always a great experience. sushi is always fresh and light and considering i have been known to be a sushi snob (blame my family and their high expectations) it's great when it matches expectations. there's a reason why this place is pretty much always packed/busy. service can be a little spotty but overall always a great experience. specifically, we had the yellowtail appetizer and the sushi for two combo as well as the hamachi. hamachi was so so good specifically. read more

Kotobuki - Yellowtail Jalapeno - Japanese Near Me - Hauppauge, New York

I travel 30 miles every time I go here at Kotobuki I live in MASTIC NY and I never eat Shush any placed else. I have tryed almost everything on the menu out of this word. I just want to say I went to Kotobuki tonight waiting outside freezing my bunny's off lol. You have to get there 1/2 hour before they open there's always a line waiting to get in lol. In all honesty out of the 12yrs I been going to Kotobuki I never had no problems I had a very nasty waitress tonight I never want her as my waitress again. She found out what happens when you are nasty with me I left her a very small tip. The couple next's to is where complaining also about her. You ask for something her eyes would roll back and give you a attitude. read more

I have yet to visit another suchi restaurant that prepares food like Kotobuki. They are simply the best.

Food is wonderful. Always fresh totally recommend Been coming for years!!!! Sometimes long wait but worth it read more

Fresh fish and sushi decorated with care. Hands down the best and most popular sushi restaurant in Long Island. Food: Ordered the special for two on Valentine's Day. Can definitely get a little busy and crowded, but the wait is worth it. If you ever had high quality fish at omakase spots, this restaurant offers that. The sashimi is soft and literally melts in your mouth. Their maki rolls are delicious too. If you and your partner have a small appetite, I recommend going for the one person special. Platter comes with a lot, and you'll ruin the experience if you're dreading to finish everything! Experience: Our waiter was really friendly and anticipated our every need. Parking is available most of the time. Expect to pay around $60 for two. Restaurant seating can get a little tight during busy hours. TLDR: great food, great service, good for dates, bad for groups read more

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Sushi at Kotobuki is always fresh and served at optimal temperature. Appetizers are served hot, crispy and full of flavor. Mara, Yoko, and Judy are some of the best wait staff around. Ambiance is simple but clean. read more

Ordered delivery from here on a rainy night for the first time and it was incredible. The salmon was butter soft, the tuna pizza was to die for, everything was on point, all the sauces everything and they did delivery well and the platter was way more than enough food for two people. Amazing quality cant wait to visit the resturant next for my next sushi dinner. read more

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I can not say enough good things about this restaurant. If you want high quality delicious sushi this is your place. Granted it's a bit expensive but it is worth every penny. I got so much serotonin eating this meal because of how fresh and amazing it was. There wasn't 1 piece left! We've been coming here for years mainly for special occasions but not one bad meal ever! Staff is always friendly! With the sushi for 3 combo it also comes with soup and salad and a free platter of the oysters I believe there are 6 with it. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for fresh amazing food! read more

Kotobuki - Sushi & Sashimi Combo Sushi & Sashimi Special For 3 - Japanese Near Me - Hauppauge, New York

Great place to eat !!! Food is exceptional, wife only eats sushi here ..... Spicy mayo is awesome

Service is always prompt. Both sushi and cooked foods are exceptional. Will continue to visit Kotobuki. read more