This restaurant is one of the best establishments I've ever dined & I've been back multiple times over the past 2 years. Reservations are limited to 6 people per seating, which makes it the perfect spot for intimate celebrations. There are 12 courses and the menu changes slightly based on the season, so each visit is a new experience. I like that the tempura courses include a good balance of seafood & vegetables & are just as flavorful on their own versus with condiments. Even the pickled daikon is so yummy as a side dish. Don't forget to order sake with your meal as it pairs well with everything. read more

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Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 My hubby took me here for my birthday and it was such a unique experience. I never had a tempura omakase before! The setting is super intimate with only 6 seats, and the chef explains each piece before you eat it, which made it feel extra special. The menu starts with 2 appetizers, followed by 8 tempura omakase pieces, and we added on the Miyazaki A5 wagyu (highly recommend) then dessert. Each bite tasted incredibly fresh, surprisingly light and clean for tempura. What we had for tempura: Tiger shrimp Shishito pepper Eel Japanese water eggplant Japanese Spanish mackerel Sweet potato Hokkaido uni Hokkaido scallop And the Miyazaki wagyu? Hands down one of the best I've had outside of Japan, it literally melts in your mouth. Dessert was my least favorite part but overall, this was such a special and memorable experience! read more

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My friend had this place bookmarked for a while and had never been able to get a reservation as they are limited to 6 seats per seating. We were able to get a reservation for Sunday at 3pm and were surprised to see we were the only party. This allowed for an intimate dining experience and gave us the opportunity to chat with the chef and his staff. Everything was prepared and presented right in front of us. Each dish and ingredient were explained from where the main ingredients came from, to suggestions on how to eat it/pair it with accompaniments. This meal transported my friend and I back to Japan. The attention to detail and quality of each dish really blew us away. While it may seem like you're paying quite a bit for a tempura tasting that is predominantly vegetable based, we ended up loving some of the vegetables so much more than the poultry/seafood dishes. Their ingredients are seasonal and some are even sourced from Japan. Their attention to detail down to the shisho flower made every dish that much more delicious. The batter was the perfect balance of thin yet crisp without being too oily nor leaving a layover of oil on your tongue. The tempura here truly brought out the freshness and quality of each ingredient. Needless to say, we will definitely be back as the seasons change and next time we are looking forward to adding on their wagyu as well! 本当にありがとうございました! また来ます~ Check out my foodsta @chiuventure for a closer look and more details of my dining experience here as well as other establishments in NYC and around the world! read more

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Wow! We enjoyed everything we tried! The service was amazing, everyone was so sweet Appetizer Parsnip with Ikura (cold, light and refreshing) 4 dishes (chicken with veggies, egg Sandwich, blue fin tuna & otoro, and cold soba with Matsutake mushroom) Main course Umai tempura (saltwater eel) Chrysanthemum leaf tempura Shrimp tempura Japanese eggplant Fluk (similar to flounder) Matsutake Mushroom (similar to truffle) Uni from Hokkaido on seaweed tempura Scallop tempura from Hokkaido A5 Wagyu Steak with veggies (if you paid $30 additional for add-on) Dessert read more

Such an intimate place where you can really feel the craftsmanship of the owner and chef. The place opens promptly on your reservation time and once you are seated. They have an amazing sake list where it lists from the best sake (at least in my opinion). We were able to try a few sakes before we settled on the Zaku one which was so crisp and delicious. We thought it would be a good option to cut into the oil of the tempura but the tempura was not oily at all. Which brings me to my next review. The chef prepares all the ingredients front of you and the oil they use is so light. It does not feel heavy at all and the freshness of each of the ingredients really shine. The staff was also so cute, knowledgeable and we were able to chat about similar interests! The wife of the chef came towards the end and was so sweet and thanked us for coming. We're so looking forward to coming back! We highly recommend coming here to celebrate. read more

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Secchu Yokota was an amazing and intimate experience during our NYC trip that left a huge impression on my friends and me. Let's start with the service--it was warm, engaging, and super entertaining. The main server was full of energy and always took the time to explain how to enjoy each piece of tempura, along with his prime recommendations (which we deeply appreciated). The food? Incredible. Eight courses of tempura, each piece light and perfectly highlighting the ingredient itself. They work with what's in season, so the menu changes throughout the year. During our meal, we learned the chef comes from a French background, which influences his unique style of tempura-- "secchu" meaning "blend." We had such a great time and are so glad we stopped by to enjoy both the food and the company. Come support this spot whether you're local or just visiting--you won't be disappointed! read more

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Secchu Yokota is a great tempura restaurant experience in Alphabet City with a balance of intimate and casual dining. The restaurant is small with 6 counter seats surrounding the kitchen with Chef Yokota handling all the preparation and one server - Daimu - handling all drinks and counter service. He is one of the best restaurant team members and servers I've ever seen with warm, bubbly energy, enthusiastic and shows personalized care towards each diner and with little things such as remembering their name for the whole meal, showing interesting facts and pictures from his phone related to each course, and helpful for drinks recommendations. The menu had a very good sake menu with diverse options including some rare ones. The dinner has two options - standard course for $145 and another with A5 wagyu substitute for $175. For the meal, we had two appetizers - a soup with ikura inside, and then sashimi (mackerel), soba, and monkfish. The soup was bit bland but the monkfish, soba and monkfish were all fantastic. For the main tempura we had 7 total pieces - highlights being the Anago - crispy yet tender inside, so much flavor and balanced greasiness, went great with the seasonings Satsumaimo (Japanese Sweet Potato) - sweet as advertised and refresh Kuruma Ebi - buttery and crispy like a cracker Hokkaido scallop - juicy, soft, so flavorful I wasn't as much of a fan of the okra, eggplant and prawn though it's mostly personal taste. I did get the wagyu supplement, which was thick, tender and went great with bok choy and tomato though very straightforward. For dessert it was a sorbet and small cake that I really didn't find any sweetness at all though I have a strong sweet tooth so it's more personal. Overall it was a very good meal and a wonderful dining experience thanks to the kind and charismatic team and service. I would definitely return here and for casual or even special dining, in contrast to Tempura Matsui which definitely aims more fine dining with stiffer service and pricier although there were a lot more pieces there. read more

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The service was delightful and very respectful. The space is large compared to the number of diners. There is a small sit down area to finish up dessert. The tempura bar only has enough seats for six. The tempura was meticulously made. However it is hard for me to really compare to other tempura restaurants in the United States since I have not been to any here. I have been to one in Kyoto, so that is my only comparison. The restaurant in Kyoto had a lighter batter and there was essentially never any breakage in the tempura crust when served. The coating was very thin. Although done well here, I prefer the one in Kyoto. The tempura crust here is a little more fried and thicker. The wagyu at the end was delicious. read more

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One of those spots that makes you forget you're in nyc. The tempura omakase here brings you to a quiet street in Kyoto with the focused cooking, quality of ingredients, and gentle staff Probs the most intimate and delicate experiences you'll have in the city. Here, the ingredients are allowed to shine on their own. Everything is fried to that perfect airy crispness, never too thick, with just enough seasoning to bring out the natural flavors Highly recommend!!! omakase $145* Secchu Yokota는 시끄럽고 정신없는 뉴욕에 있다는 걸 잠시 잊게 만들어준다. 여긴 진짜 교토에서 먹는 듯한 텐푸라 오마카세를 선보이는데, 재료 본연의 맛을 극대화하는 섬세하고 정갈한 요리를 맛볼수 있음 ‍ 간도 담백하고 튀김 옷도 깨끗한 바삭함이고 직원분들도 너무 따수워서 강력 추천!! read more

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My goodness. Everything were delicious and fresh. Very generous portions of uni. The wagyu steak was so tender and juicy, I did not want to swallow it. 100% would return! read more

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Right off the bat, this place is AMAZING. Food quality: incredible, so fresh, and with so many different flavors and textures. Service was awesome, especially given the whole show was a two man team. The person explaining each dish as it came out to us gave suggestions on the best way to enjoy each dish (which condiments were best, if any, etc). This place made me discover a newfound love for wasabi salt. The space is very small and intimate, and the multi-course meal is very curated so the whole experience takes about 2.5 hours. This is definitely worth trying once, even if you're not normally into "fine dining" but want to have a pricier treat. read more

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Loved this place and everything it stands for. Come on a weekend and chat with the wife of the husband/wife duo. The name is incredibly meaningful and I loved the intimacy of the restaurant with 6 seats * 3 rounds at max. Their sake selection is wonderful and the tempura is fresh and sizzzzling hot. read more

A phenomenal meal and experience. Secchu Yokota is a small counter restaurant in the East Village serving a primarily tempura omakase. At half the price of Tempura Matsui, Yokota is a great option for those wanting high quality tempura without breaking the bank (it is still an expensive restaurant though). Everything we had was excellent. Some standouts were the; Eel Tempura Eggplant Tempura Sweet Potato Tempura (incredible) Shiso Leaf Tempura topped with Uni Scallop Tempura (incredible, perfectly cooked scallop and the best cooked scallop I've ever had) Aside from the food what makes Secchu Yokota special is the service. The restaurant consists of the chef, manager, and the chefs wife (who helps out on the weekends). It's a very friendly, personal welcoming meal. All the dishes are thoroughly explained in a conversational manner that doesn't leave you feeling like you're being lectured to in a class. Being that the chef prepares and cooks all the food at each seating be prepared for a 2-2 1/2 hour meal. It's an amazing meal and highly recommend. read more

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WOW!! What a great restaurant on 3rd Street. Every course was fantastic. This 6 seat restaurant serves wonderful tempura. The service is so warm and friendly. The hard work that goes into such fabulous food, did not go unnoticed. Make a reservation 2 weeks in advance to snag a seat here. We had such a great meal! read more

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Don't sleep on this place! It is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of NYC, and you're welcomed into basically an intimate little bubble of a restaurant. Chef Yokota is what I would consider a cool chef - from his demeanor to his music choice, I really enjoyed seeing him in his element. The meal itself was delicious and I loved the deliberate choices of what was served. The meal doesn't consist of all tempura and the non-tempura courses were as delicious as the tempura ones. We were lucky enough to meet Chef Yokota's wife, who is the friendliest person; we definitely gave her a hug before we left. We felt welcomed into their family and we can't wait to be back in the city. A very unique experience, but one I would recommend to anyone living or visiting NYC. read more

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Secchu Yokota specializes in tempura omakase, which includes two apps, a seasonal selection of omakase tempura, and a dessert. We were actually pretty disappointed in terms of the tempura, as we weren't fans of the batter - it was way too dense and chewy, and not as airy and crispy as we though; some of the items used was okay, while others were almost inedible. Service was good, and the ambiance is super casual and laid back. I'm thinking with the all the rave reviews, we just expected something a bit more? +underwhelming tempura omakase read more

My husband and I have been here a few times already and each time the food was fresh, service was impeccable and every visit was better than the last. As other reviewers have mentioned the restaurant is really small so you get a lot of attention, and the ambiance feels more like a (very elevated) home kitchen. Food: before the tempura courses are a combination of appetizer cold/hot dishes with some French influence. The chef I believe has French training and takes his craft seriously! Everything is always delicious Timing: depending on the time of your seating this could range 1.5 hours - 2 hours. This is by design so if you're expecting a quick meal this isn't for you. There's time to chat with the staff, savor every bite, and enjoy the recommended beverages Value: for this amount of food, service, and quality, the price is a steal in NYC!! I say this reluctantly only because I selfishly want Secchu to be a secret but they deserve the praise & popularity. It's $145 per person, or $175 if you opt for the wagyu upgrade. Just trust that this is 1000% worth your money and time! Great job Secchu Yokota, we'll continue to come back. read more

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THE highlight of my NYC trip, as well as my current favorite restaurant of all time. Beats out all michelin stars/michelin guides I've had. Chef Yokota is brilliant. I LOVED the omakase experience. The service/hospitality made me never want to leave. Then you factor in the AMAZING food? Yeah, even harder to leave. I miss this place so much. Every single dish...from sake and apps, to the entire 8 course tempura, to dessert... blew my mind. I almost feel bad for the other party dining with us at the time because of all my "MMMMs" or "YUMMMMs" after every bite. And I'm not being dramatic about it. Foodgasm galore. The type to make your toes curl. My personal favorite tempura (which is a VERY hard decision).. is the uni and shiso leaf. HEAVEN! The delicacy of the shiso leaf but still perfectly crunchy with the creaminess and in-your-face uni flavor... unreal and unmatched from anywhere else. Every dish is unique and had a story behind it. Not to mention, the dessert was the most texturey and flavorful dessert I've ever had. Thank you Secchu Yokota for leaving a mark on my heart. Counting down the days until I can eat Chef Yokota's art again. read more

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Super intimate counter seating and unique tempura experience in nyc. I booked this spot for my boyfriend's birthday and we really enjoyed it! Heads up def book in advance! We go in and the staff holds onto our jackets and then we are started with appetizers and they are very thorough with explaining each piece. The chef is the owner and the lady explaining most of the stuff was his wife! Each course was filling and fun and the service is amazing there! read more

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5/5 atmosphere, attentive service, fresh delicious food, the freshness of the ingredients. The light fluffy tempura batter. It is a small attentive atmosphere. They have different 3pm, 5:30pm, 8pm and they only have 6 spots in each time slots with a 2 weeks advance booking. Although it is pricey but you pay for the amazing hospitality, learning about each items the chef serves. I will definitely be back! read more

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What a great intimate dining experience! Per reviews, the place seats 6 guests, but there were seven of us and it didn't feel cramped at all. The service was top notch! It was a little bit on the warmer side as the chef started frying the tempura pieces but it was manageable. We started our omakase meal with a delicious cold soup like a Japanese version of a gazpacho made of beefeater tomatoes topped with caviar. It was excellent. Then we moved on to a pre tempura plate of four small dishes including soba noodles, fatty tuna pieces and seaweed with fish dish. They were all very enjoyable. Then the main part started with the chef meticulously frying the tempura pieces. Our favorite was definitely the scallops and the shrimps! The lotus root tempura was interesting. The fried uni was also unique but I prefer it in the non-fried version. I didn't think much of the pepper or the eggplant tempura. My friend added the wagyu special for his gf and me! Less to do with the meal than with my own preference but I'm not a huge fan of wagyu or Kobe due to its extreme fat content. We finished our meal with a delicious coconut flan! This was overall a great experience! read more

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One of the underrated secrete tasting menu restaurant hidden in the village. For $120 it's quite a great value there. Revisited in May 2022, still enjoyed! Sea Eels was delicious, mild in a proper way. Love all the vegetable tempura as it's very fresh. Most seafood were frozen ones but still very tasty. Very friendly Japanese couple running the business. read more

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Took my boyfriend here for a birthday dinner and he enjoyed it so much! The staff was super friendly and provided recommended dipping sauces for each piece. I also love how small and intimate this place is since it only seats up to 6 people max. read more

We had an incredible dinner at Secchu Yokota tonight! As others have noted, the service is the best part of this experience. The waiter Dime really made us feel like we were in his house. He gave us a big hug at the end - we loved it!! The food is incredible. We started with several different appetizer bites, including buckwheat noodles, sashimi, foie gras and a poached egg salad. Then we moved onto the main event - the eight course tempura tasting. My favorite pieces of tempura were the eel and the smelt. Next you can opt for a wagyu or fish main dish. And then you end with a beautiful dessert. This meal is so special - everyone should run here and try it!! read more

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Where do I begin?! This place is a GEM and you need to RUN to eat here. We came on a weekend and chef's wife Ari was working alongside the manager Daimu, and oh my goodness, I felt like I was family inside their home. Some of the best service I have ever encountered across the globe. They were both so attentive, accommodating, and genuinely friendly- something I feel has been seriously lost amongst many restaurants post-Covid. Exceptional service aside, the food was amazing! The appetizer course was quite large and full of variety. Every piece of tempura (8 course) was perfectly cooked and there is so much attention to detail, as each course comes with recommendations on how to best enjoy it. Standouts were the scallop, uni, and lotus root. Also HUGE portion of A5 wagyu if you opt for this optional course- I had to take some home because I was quite full. We were celebrating my husband's birthday, and they sang happy birthday when bringing out the dessert course. Not only that, but they played music we had told them earlier in the meal that we really enjoyed, and made a personalized birthday card for him. I still can't believe how wonderful the staff here was. New lifelong fans here, and will be telling all my friends and family to eat here. Will 100% be back. read more

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Very cool take on Omakase with a more tempura focused menu. The Good: The chef was very quiet, focused on his craft...SO... the owners made their way around and chatted and walked everyone through each course. Simply superb way to allow the Chef to focus and the owners to connect with clients. I was impressed. They were so lovely and engaging, explaining about the sourcing of the food and even sharing some photos to help explain. The courses were unique, and I particularly enjoyed the Uni in Shishito leaf done tempura style. WOW. The salty crunchy tempura contrasted against the smooth, creamy sweetness of the Uni. It was definitely delicious. This was my favorite of the tempura courses. There was also some kind of eel-type fish in the tempura course, that the owner showed me a picture of. That was so good as well. The wasabi salt plus lemon on it, just knocked it out of the park. There was a tempura scallop course and a beginning plate with tuna sashimi. Perhaps my favorite touch was the wasabi oil mixed with the soy sauce for dipping, and then a healthy amount of wasabi salt you could sprinkle on your tempura (or dip in if you prefer). This was a different take on what I was used to and certainly the chef has a bit more fun with the menu. Loved the fried pepper and Japanese egg plant. The egg salad sandwich was actually kind of cool. I've been to Japan, yet never tried one. So this was my first go at it. There were quite a few vegetable dishes, so just be prepared, if you were expecting majority protein. Also, you can add additional courses, including the 5oz Wagyu steak. That's a pretty sizeable course to tack on, but so worth it. The Bad: And not really even that bad, just probably wouldn't have minded a few more fresh protein courses, like additional sashimi in the beginning. The tuna was so good, I would have liked a bit more fresh fish to balance the later fried courses. The soba noodle dish and tempura mountain yam were just ok. These were my least favorite dishes. OVERALL: So glad to have tried this place. Certainly deserves the stars for being unique in the courses and also having owners who really care about the customers. This might be the first Omakase where I walked away completely FULL. Let's be honest, everyone has a little room after most Omakase experiences. You won't be stopping for a slice of pizza after this one. read more

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This is a genuinely unique omakase experience that you won't want to miss! It's tempura! And each piece delivered the crunchy freshness that you really want from a tempura. Let me start at the end, because the owner's wife is such a sweetheart and was the perfect host; guiding us throughout each course with explanations of the pieces and how to eat them (I know, you didn't think you'd need instructions on how to eat a simple piece of tempura, did you? But trust the process!). She explained to us that the concept of this place was inspired by her husband's (the chef) background with French cooking techniques (he is a 3rd generation chef after all) and his love of tempura (so much so that he just wanted to eat more of it, so he started this restaurant!). She was so warm, and she even gave us a hug as we were leaving! Ok, now to the courses. To get started, we had an amuse of Burdock ikura rice crisps, dashi julep. Altogether, those flavors blended so well and provided an amazing mouthfeel. The second course consisted of 4 pieces (which I believe can change from day to day, so I can't really tell you want to expect), but my favorite of that set was the Foie gras biscuit with ginger jam (!!!) that literally changed my perspective on what ginger can be in a dish! The rhythm of the courses alternates between fish and vegetables. Each piece felt like it complemented the one that went before. My personal favorite was the Shiso Uni tempura. And it's Hokkaido uni, so you know you're getting the real deal! Ambiance wise, it's a very intimate setting, with seating for just 3 couples. I find that smaller is usually better with omakase in general, because it allows for a more detailed and personal experience, so I appreciated this aspect. I highly recommend Secchu Yokota! read more

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After learning about this place through YouTube, I celebrated my birthday here. They only have 6 seats per time slot (3pm, 5pm and 7pm). Made a reservation 2 weeks before on their website. The price was $150/person (with the Miyazaki A5 wagyu upgrade), not including taxes and gratuity. Appetizer: Butternut squash cold soup Maguro Ankimo (monkfish liver) Mentaiko soba Duck breast Tempura: Kuruma ebi Chrysanthemum greens Japanese whiting fish Japanese eggplant King crab Lotus root Uni wrapped in shiso leaf Scallop Miyazaki a5 wagyu with sticky rice and vegetables Dessert The appetizers blew my mind! Different textures and tastes that were properly combined. Delicious!! As for the tempura, the batter was very light and crispy. My favorite was the uni wrapped in shiso leaf. As for the service, Secchu Yokota was the best! Amazing service, everyone was extremely nice and informative about every dish served. We were told what it was, where it was from and what condiments they recommended to pair with each dish. Definitely try them out for a special ocassion, you will not be disappointed. read more

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I could not sing higher praises for Secchu Yokota if I tried. Even in a city like this, it's rare to find truly unique dining experiences, and Secchu Yokota is one of them. The flavor pairings of each course and component of a course are so well thought out and cohesive. I found myself being blown away from the first course to the final dessert course and strongly recommend adding the A5 Wagyu; it was an incredibly buttery and tasty addition. With each tempura piece, the incredibly attentive and warm husband and wife pair shared their sauce/seasoning recommendations and are quick to provide refills or anything else a diner may need. I truly can't wait to be back! read more

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I took my friend to Secchu Yokota for his birthday. He said that it was the most memorable and best birthday surprise dinner he's ever had. This restaurant is impeccable! Delicious and elevated food paired with a friendly and intimate atmosphere. Food This was the first time that any of us had omakase tempura. We were very excited coming to the restaurant and it did not disappoint. We chose the 8 course option that included the A5 wagyu and it was phenomenal. This was probably one of the best tempura meals we've ever had. To start the course, we were served a chilled pea soup and an appetizer sampler that consisted of sashimi and marinated saba. This really got our palate going. Next, we were served a bevy of different chef selected tempuras. Unlike most tempura that we have ever had, the tempura that the chef served had a light batter that made each one extremely crispy and highlighted the natural taste of each of the ingredients. The standouts were the prawn, scallop, and uni. Incredible! My friend loves fried food but this took it to another level. Each tempura was not oily and paired with the salts provided just made each bite sensational. We were also served a A5 wagyu steak that came with bok choy and roasted potatoes. The dish was also exceptional. Although simple, the quality of the wagyu was top tier. Paired with a little bit of wasabi just took it to another level. For dessert, they served us melon, sweet red beans that was accompanied with a fruit sorbet and matcha sauce. As a special treat, they included a candle and a happy birthday tag for my friend. Service and Ambiance The service was top class! The restaurant has a very intimate setting. It only seats 6 persons and there is only the chef and a waiter that was present during service. At times small settings can make one feel uncomfortable but the chef and the waiter really made us feel comfortable and were incredibly accommodating. Although it was an omakase dinner, this was probably one of the friendliest and warmest omakase service that we've ever experienced. The waiter was incredibly friendly and made us feel right at home. Not only did he pay special attention to whether you were left or right handed, he knew each of our names! As he explained to us each dish that was being served, he would quip in a fun fact or two about what we were eating. As they brought out our desserts, the waiter and the chef sang happy birthday to my friend and everyone joined in, not a common occurrence in such intimate settings. It was a really special treat. At the end of the evening, as we headed out the door, the waiter once again wished my friend a happy birthday and thanked us for coming with a big hug to myself and my friend. We really felt that we had become friends with the waiter and the chef, and that felt very special. It is safe to say that this has been one of the most memorable dinner experiences we've ever had and one that we would come back to in the future! read more

Secchu Yokota - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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TLDR: Super unique experience. Secchu Yokota will make you rethink tempura beyond that soggy thing floating in your udon. Yes, it's worth it and no - you won't feel gross afterwards. This was definitely one of the more difficult reservations to make. I almost gave up out of frustration but I tried and was successful. So glad that we went. This is a small restaurant with the chef, a manger and Ari (chef's wife) who is fabulous at hosting. I wasn't really sure of what to expect but I went in with an open mind. The only place I've had a tempura tasting before was Japan. I wondered how much Secchu Yokota would live up to the memory. Far exceeded my expectations. It was better than that meal. We waited patiently as chef prepped our appetizers. A luscious cut of bluefin tuna, wasabi oil to dip and this fantastically cooked slice of daikon. Perfect balance of fat and flavor, I would totally buy bottles of the wasabi oil - it's that good. A Japanese egg salad sando. The bread scorched with beautiful grill marks, the egg salad was creamy and constantly reminded me that I need to eat more egg salad. The cold noodle dish was refreshing and the duck breast was a great way to prep us for the tempura tasting to come. What I absolutely love is that they take the time to explain each piece in intricate detail. Everything from what makes that ingredient special, how to best eat it and what seasonings to ideally pair them with. For seasonings you have a wedge of lemon, wasabi salt, bamboo charcoal salt and a tempura sauce with bonito flakes. You can of course do whatever you like but I found myself taking their recommendations mostly and constantly reapplying that wasabi salt. They also provided grated daikon in ponzu to palette cleanse between each piece so you can appreciate the individual courses. Everything is awesome. The seasonal vegetables from Kyoto, the shellfish but of all of them - it most definitely was the sea urchin wrapped in perilla leaf. Crispy, delicate, rich, nutty and oh so fabulous. You can upgrade your final savory course to an A5 wagyu beef for an additional $30. This is more than reasonable for this quality meat and is the right amount. It doesn't feel stingy but won't leave you feeling like your arteries are failing. Desserts have been excellent on both occasions I've dined here. Every bite will have you wondering why you hadn't discovered this kind of dining before. Between the awesome food and Ari guiding you through the meal, one of the better tasting courses I've had. I really can't think of anything that I was unhappy with. Secchu Yokota is not a meal, it's an experience that's worth having and you'll have a tough time finding it elsewhere. Go! read more

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Booked a reservation here for an omakase tasting after watching StrictlyDumpling's video about it! I can say that I went in with high expectations. The service was great. The waiter was quick to refill our glasses of water whenever they were less than half full. He also introduced each dish with detail and for the tempura dishes, provided recommendations for which dipping salt or sauce to eat it with. The interior feels very modern and sophisticated. There's a classy feel to it while also maintaining that Japanese restaurant vibe with the wooden chairs and counter. First course, daikon soup! I've never had salmon eggs before so this was a new experience for me. The bonito jelly (?) and salmon eggs added to the salty flavor of the soup which made it overall too salty of a dish (for me and my brother at least). Second course, mini sampling plate! Not a fan of raw foods and the tuna sashimi did not make me a fan. Some people are a fan of tuna but sashimi is not the way to get introduced to it (I suppose). Not to worry, you can totally request no raw foods (which in hindsight I probably should've done). The egg sandwich was amazing with the soft buttery bread holding egg salad in the middle. The sea bass (?) over soba noodles in a...jelly broth had potential but the wasabi oil made it hard for me to enjoy the dish fully as it was too spicy. Duck with vegetables was pretty good, it was a good two pieces of duck! Tempura time! An assortment of ingredients fried in the lightest tempura batter and served piping hot. My favorites were: the tiger shrimp, the crab leg, the mushroom and the scallop. There were also broccoli, fish, eggplant and sea urchin wrapped in shiso leaf. I opted for the A5 Miyazaki wagyu add on...and wow the beef sure was juicy! It was cooked medium rare and served alongside mixed grain red bean rice with half a...baby potato? It was just alright, I guess I have to go to Japan if I want really good A5 wagyu! Waiter was so nice to let us pack up what we couldn't finish in takeout containers! So don't worry about not finishing your meals because we were absolutely stuffed. Our dessert dish was raspberry sorbet on top of candied red beans served next to a slice of mochi cake. A cup of piping hot buckwheat tea is also served along with dessert (I may or may not have poured my glass of water into the glass of tea in order to cool it down). The raspberry sorbet was the star of the dish (for me), I wouldn't mind another scoop of that! Overall it was a very intimate dining experience as it felt like we were getting VIP service as we could see our food being made and our waiter was very attentive. This was a good experience for an omakase in NYC. read more

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Such a fun experience for Valentine's Day! Reservations can be a bit tricky, but I made one a couple weeks in advance with Ari. I was able to secure their outdoor bubble tent for 2/14. Anyone considering the bubble tent should totally do it! It was 70degrees inside with 2 heaters and an air purifier, and we felt so cozy and private even being ok the street in the East Village. We each ordered a beer/glass of wine and enjoyed a bottle of sake with our meal - definitely the way to go drink wise IMO! The omakase is a great experience, and like everyone says - the tempura is a highlight. My favorites were the head on shrimp, scallop, and king crab. But everything was amazing and cooked delicately and perfectly. I'd love to come back and enjoy seated omakase at their bar to watch the chef work and appreciate the ambiance of the restaurant. But I'm the meantime, the outdoor seating was a great alternative. Will definitely be back to continue to support this unique and worthy small biz! read more

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Secchu Yokota is an excellent choice for tempura omakase. For $120, you get an 8 course tempura omakase with some appetizers to start and a dessert at the end. Though we opted for the $150 omakase which includes wagyu beef at the end. For that day, we were served the following - Sweet corn soup Appetizer plate (sea eel, tuna, wheat noodles, ikura salmon with poached egg and salad) Shrimp Togarashi hot pepper Baby sweet fish Duck eggplant Snow crab from Hokkaido Shiitake mushroom Hokkaido uni wrapped in shiso leaf Hotate scallop Gyudon with miyazaki wagyu Wagyu with broccoli rabe, also rice with beans Vanilla coconut sorbet I was fond of our meal, and I can say some standouts for me were the mushroom, snow crab, and scallop. The tempura is fried with skill and precision. Every bite is crispy, not chewy or too greasy. I really enjoyed our experience. The place is pretty intimate, seating only 6 guests around the counter at a time. The meal lasts about an hour and half. I'd say you can live without the wagyu, though it was very good. I would definitely return. read more

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What an intimate and amazing experience! This spot can seat up to 6 people. We came to celebrate a friend's birthday. Amazing service here and they are so knowledgeable about their ingredients. They also were great in helping us choose the sake by allowing us to sample some. Great meal and once in a lifetime kind of experience. Highly recommend! read more

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I am so happy to see Secchu Yokohama still stands strong post-Covid. N I am very excited for their new menu choices. Everything is perfect. N this is probably the best tempura omasake you can get in nyc. read more

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Honestly at a lost for words about how amazing this place is. The chef and especially the assistant made this meal so great. I've never had such an intimate meal and the setting was just perfect. The best restaurant I've ever been to hands down. Worth all its praise! A whole in the wall that's deserves all its success! read more

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Came here for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend and it was like a dream. Everything was amazing and I had a blast watching the chef prep and make everything. It was also really cool to get recommendations on which garnishes to use for which tempura. And it was also fun going in my own route of garnishes that I enjoyed. The server was super bubbly and kind and the ambiance was fancy and cute. Very cozy vibes read more

Secchu Yokota - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Secchu Yokota is a small six seat tempura bar on the Lower East Side. While it is small and unpretentious, it may well be the best tempura in New York City. The chef carefully makes each piece in front of you before delicately and lightly frying it. This is the style of tempura we have come to know from Tokyo (and greatly miss since the Pandemic has not allowed us to make our regular trips). The chef's wife tells you which salt to use on each piece. The two plus hour omakase set is truly a memorable experience. read more

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I probably had one of my favorite meals in the city at Secchu Yokota. It blew me away. This place is a two-man team: one chef and one server. As such, the meal does take a while to finish. However, watching the chef do his thing and expertly craft the omakase with such attention to detail is riveting. The server is funny, entertaining, and helpful. Each course, each tempura, was amazing! read more