Amazing sushi! Great people. I cannot wait to come back! Enjoyed sushi dinner with miso soup. The wasabi is amazing.

This place is the real deal! Locally my husband and I are very used to t he same old, same old when it comes to sushi. It's good (and fresh) but more focused on portion size (i.e., big rolls) and all kinds of concoctions who it comes to rolls. Mostly it all tastes the same no matter which restaurant you go to. It's fine, but nothing special. Sushimakio is different. Even the waitstaff is very knowledgable about what they serve. First the atmosphere is a little different - the tables have table cloths. It's small. I would recommend a reservation. We were there on a Wednesday evening and the place was pretty full. Although we had a pretty quick dinner, it seems like a place where people linger in order to enjoy their food. Looking around we saw a wide variety of scrumptious looking dishes. Our server let us know of several specials including a salad, an appetizer and a roll. We opted for the special salad - a watercress salad in which the watercress was cooked then chilled and served in a ponzu sauce with a bonito flake topping. Yum! So much better than the typical iceberg lettuce which is just an excuse for ginger dressing. On the regular menu I noticed their regular salad actually had good greens (mesclun and radicchio with ginger dressing) and there are also two types of seaweed salad. We then had three rolls - the special which was a spider roll. We also had the rich and famous roll (yellow tail with and almond topping) and the wicked tuna roll. All the fish was so fresh and tasty. They were nice size but not the jumbo type. This place is a bit more expensive than other local sushi restaurants but definitely worth it. We want to go back for their Omakase dinner (24 hour advance reservation required). We will certainly be back and highly recommend Sushimakio. read more

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Just simply......the BEST sushi, hands down! It was with Makio that I learned to really like and enjoy sushi, back when he operated Amici Sushi in High Falls. That's where I also stumbled upon sparkling sake....but that's a whole other story. Sushi really is an art and Makio is a Master! But not just in presentation.....no, no - he is a Master at preparation as well. I could go on and on, but my first sentence sums it up. if you are someone who wants to give sushi a first (or second) try....this is the place to do it! If you are a sushi lover and have yet to experience SushiMakio.......I feel sorry for you. read more

This man is a true master with great cred, from Cafe Sayokan at 18 E 18th Street in the late 70's. Went to Westchester, put his kids through college and after a few years at Chef's on fire in Canal House, High Falls he has been here for 5 years. He goes down to the city to buy his fish every week. Nonne up here comes close to his quality. If you want all you can eat sushi or don't know the difference, go somewhere else. At 70, he only gets better. A true bargain for superb cuisine. When he retires in a few years we will have mediocre sushi up here. read more

Fresh yummy sushi I would recommend this, unfortunately we weren't able to dine inside because of covid, but would absolutely want to in the future, and also try their omakase. read more

Absolutely 100% 5 stars for the food. Everything down to the tea was fan-flipping-tastic. The decorations were pretty offbeat. There were business conference style chairs and minimal decor except for small strange masks. I liked the music, but the CD was skipping around quite a bit and it took a while for them to change it. Now, none of this was bothersome to me, but I feel obligated to be deceptive about everything that could affect one's experience. The food was drop dead gorgeous. The green tea was good enough to comment on. Legit green tea, like almost matcha quality. The hijiki had salmon skin in it...so flipping good. All the rolls were brilliant. Seriously some of the best sushi I, or anyone in my party, has ever had. The specials were particularly impressive. I recommend the spider roll! Our server was also friendly, very knowledgeable and extremely attentive. All in all, food deserves well over 5 stars but the environment left a bit to be desired. However, I personally didn't really care! read more

Sushi Makio - Chilling, waiting for some hot tub - Japanese Near Me - Kingston, New York

If you can separate service from sushi, then you might be okay just focusing on the food. . . The prices are high for what you get, the waiter was rude, unfriendly and reluctant to be of true service. It felt to me that Makio-san left it to westerners to run his restaurant instead of creating an ambience that is conducive to eating well, with music that supports digestion and courteous wait staff that makes the experience all the more special. Makio-san may not fully understand the American way but toward this end, we say replace the music and the western gent with someone kinder, more gentle and respectful, as is the Japanese way. If he is not happy working for Makio-san, perhaps he should leave as his energy does not suit the hard-working ethics of Makio-san who may not know how to express his feelings honestly. For consumers: Read the menu and prices first so you won't be shocked when the bill arrives. This is the only Japanese Restaurant in Kingston with the highest prices; other Asian Fusion restaurants are owned by other than Japanese so they do not charge as much, do not use the same ingredients and are simply duplicating food without the cultured heart and soul that goes into creating authentic ethnic fare. For Makio-san: Have confidence that your food is good and that you need not charge such high prices. If you were to charge fairer prices ($23.00 for noodles???) you may find people lining up outside just to get in to taste your fare. This is not Tokyo! Even NYC has better prices. For the western gent: Your purpose for the restaurant is to support Sushi Makio in being the best at what he does and what they offer. Any discourtesy to their patrons is a direct reflection on him/them. Then we can enjoy a taste of Japan in Kingston and don't mind patronizing an establishment that is deserving of our hard earned dollars and offers attentive, friendly service. read more

Our favorite sushi place. SushiMakio's team are incredibly warm and inviting. We are picky about our sushi, and the fish cant be topped. There are so many dishes here that we love: mussels (a special), the tuna tower, the oysters when they have them and of course the sushi/sashimi. Excellent sake selection as well! Beautiful presentation. Oh the ginger creme brulee, the ice cream and the layer cake are amazing as well. Hmmm, guess where I'll be this weekend? read more

Let's start this review with the obvious. This is, hands down the best Sushi in Kingston, and probably all of Ulster. It's a small place with attention to detail. From the decor and intimacy of the sushi bar. The owners where on hand behind the bar, Serving delicate and fresh sushi. With a small kitchen staff and excellent service upfront, it was a pleasure to dine. My enthusiasm is pretty high, but having tried others, I finally found my Sushi spot. So, don't walk, run. I went on a slow rainy Wednesday night. They prefer reservations for busier days, but all an all cheers to Sushi Mako for setting the bar! read more

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OK, now *this* is the Sushi I dream about for the next three days. Makio is just fantastic. The ambiance is nothing to write home about but who cares??!! The sushi is simply beautiful, delicious, fresh, gorgeous. Just what you want, right? The rice is perfect (my first point of inspection every time). My regret is that I haven't gone back in quite some time. It's across town for us and until just a few weeks ago, our kids had absolutely no interest in sushi. So unless we planned in advance, it was hard. The time has come for my triumphant return to Makio! (grin) I can say, with no hesitation, that this is (my opinion of course) the best sushi in ulster county. read more

I wanted to LOVE this place. It's small, nice service and the owner is Japanese. All really good things. I ate lunch there and it was pretty good, not great and VERY expensive. Maybe I caught them on a mediocre day or we didn't order well. The best thing we had was the mackerel sashimi, they have a great selection. I honestly can't remember anything else I ate there. read more

To say that Master Chef Makio's restaurant in Kingston is baffling in its quality is prosaic, bordering on absurd. The freshness of fish he is able to bring in mirrors his confidence in his product and the adoration shown in the eyes of his CIA trainees and his loyal customers. Do not allow the location in a strip mall or that the decor is unassuming deter you. This is, in fact, pretty traditional for truly authentic Japanese sushi joints. My fiancé is a sushi nut and has eaten at some of the premiere and obscure sushi restaurants from LA, NY, and Japan. She agreed that this was on par with the best she has ever tasted. read more

I almost don't want to review Sushi Makio so no one else knows how gifted the chef is and how thoughtfully prepared everything is. If I can't make it into the city, this is the place I go especially to try something new. read more

I rarely feel such a compelling need to write a Yelp review, let alone a bad one, but given the mass delusion going on with this place, I unfortunately have to, for the sake of my fellow patron. First off, on the positive, the people are nice who work here, the service is totally fine. But that's it. We had been hearing clamoring about this place for a while as one of the best sushi places (or often THE best) in the Hudson Valley. Granted I don't usually associate the area with fine sushi, having spent a ton of time here for many years, but I was eager to give this place a try, given the rave reviews. What proceeded to happen here was a total confusing abomination. I was fine with its strip mall location and crappy ambiance (in fact I deluded myself into thinking maybe that meant they put all their effort into sushi!). We all know sometimes the best food can be had in bad ambiance. We arrived to see famed Chef Makio and a young student behind the sushi bar, looking serious and hard at work, as if they were in Jiro's kitchen or something. I'm thinking, "hey maybe this is gonna be good, they look very intent and meticulous!"- Mistake. So we order a wide variety of things to sample, including nigiri, a chirashi bowl, and several rolls. Now let me explain that this place is NOT cheap at all. We eat sushi a lot and are willing to pay good money for good stuff no problem. We're fortunate enough to afford great sushi in the NYC area. And fortunate enough to be able to discern good from bad. We also eat regular take-out sushi as well. This place is incredibly over-priced for what turned out to be BAD, medicore sushi. It was one of the most pathetic, worst chirashi bowls I've ever seen. Terrible sushi rice. Bad fish, tasteless, low-quality. They had those silly crab sticks in it, even! Nigiri was low-grade, and the $30 special roll was worse than $10 rolls I've had at take-out places. I'm sorry, but this was offensive. I'd be fine with it if it were cheaper, but you can't do that to people. It's bad sushi masquerading as high-end, and people don't seem to know better, or care, and keep endorsing this place. It's not cool and it's really wild seeing these reviews. Drive an hour south and go to Okinami in Norwood, NJ, and learn what good sushi actually is...and it's cheaper. I don't know where Makio gets his fish or was trained, but I won't be back to find out. Please improve, Makio, or have your prices reflect what you really are...another average mall sushi place, but with some superflous fanfare around it. read more

Went for an omakase dinner and was blown away by the flavors and presentation. Have gotten takeout several times as well and have never been disappointed. read more

I don't understand what the big deal is about this place or why it has such high star reviews. Yes, the sushi was good. Not outstanding or better than average. The prices are really outrageous and portions are small. I guess you can say that's for the quality but to me, they have the same quality as any other sushi place I've been to. Go to Kyoto in Lucas ave if you want more bang for your buck. They have a much larger menu and their rice isn't overly sticky and chewy. I think people like to think they've found a gem in this hole in the wall but in reality, it's just average sushi with a high price tag. read more

Amazing sushi and amazing staff! My favorite sushi place in the hudson valley and great location/vibe.

I don't get the hype... and I've heard good things from people I trust. I found this to be decent for sushi in the Hudson valley, but service wasn't great - they seemed rushed and nervous (and we had lipstick on one of our glasses) and the fish was not better than across the river at Osaka (I think Osaka is good for HV but definitely mediocre if it were in any large city. Bonus points for having Toro, but that's really the only thing that stood out. read more

This. Place. Is. Amazing. Small space, so be sure to make a reservation! We started with the mussels and they were to die for. I'm not a very big seafood person, and I finished our appetizer by practically drinking the soy broth they cooked them in. I had one of their special rolls with a wasabi mayo and almond slivers on it but I forget what the name of the roll was called :( We finished with the Japanese ice cream mochi which was also amazing. The green tea flavor is great. I will definitely be back in the future. Best sushi in the area for sure. read more

Hands down, the best authentic sushi place in the Hudson Valley. This is real sushi served up by a master.

By far the best sushi restaurant in Rockland, Orange or Ulster county!!! This small but friendly restaurant had fresh sushi. It is on par with Manhattan sushi restaurants like Sushi Samba or Haru. Totally worth the trip. We can not wait to return!!!! It was FANTASTIC!!! (can you tell I'm happy we finally found real sushi outside of Manhattan!!) Our waiter Matt was terrific! Super friendly and knowledgeable. read more

We were totally impressed with the quality and freshness of every dish and with the genuine hospitality of Makio, his wife and our server. After living in San Francisco, Miami and New York City, we know good food and we had it tonight at home in Kingston. The uni was uber fresh, sweet, briny and just delectable. The wasabi dumplings were gorgeous and the rolls were beautiful and very fresh. This is our new sushi favorite here in Kingston. Tell your friends. read more

Food was great Service was excellent Atmosphere is relaxing Waiting to go back again read more

in a world of everyday sushi, this is a wonderful reminder of just how special fish is

Excellent chirashi. So so so good. Fish was very fresh and rice was great. Service was also great. Can't wait to go back!

It's a storefront so I didn't rush to get to eat there- and reservations seriously required because this is secret sushi heaven with a world class sushi chef. I had the tuna tower and sashimi. My sister doesn't eat raw fish but still had a great meal with their other choices- rolls to die for! read more

Authentic Japanese food. This is the place I go when I want sushi. The other restaurants do not compare. Once you've had Makio's sushi, you won't want to go anywhere else. Everything is carefully prepared with fresh ingredients. Makio takes great pride in his sushi. You will not be disappointed. :) read more

Gave this place another shot and my sashimi dinner was fresh to death. I was happy to see the Japanese sushi chef handle my plate today also. Thanks guys arigAto~ read more

Sushi Makio - Second time getting this bc I love sashimi; this time it was truly fresh and wonderful - Japanese Near Me - Kingston, New York

Specials are pretty expensive not really a decent portion and was not out of this world tasting sushi

Far and away the BEST Japanese restaurant in the Hudson Valley!!!

I find it amazing that strip mall sushi never fails to delight! Who knew!?! It seems so counterintuitive! My man and I were looking for some good sushi in Kingston while recovering from a day of house hunting. We found it on Yelp and verified it with local friends. This was the place to be - I was praying it wouldn't disappoint! Having lived where sushi is abundant, fresh, and yummy - I find my new home in HV can sometimes epically disappoint in the seafood department (although it's a superstar in local meat and veg!) We called 1 hour ahead and they reserved 2 seats for us - good thing we did too because I witnessed several parties of various sizes turned away at the door! It's small but not over crowded. Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable; giving detailed descriptions and making suggestions based on our preferences. We ordered 1 of each of the specials (the descriptions were so mouthwatering we couldn't make a decision!), two bottles of saki, 2 rolls and sashimi. Everything was fresh, perfectly presented, and the balance of fish to rice to sauces in the rolls was spot on! I wish I had taken pictures but I will definitely be back again soon so I'll update then! read more

Making reservations highly recommended as it can get packed (cuz they're awesome). Supermakio and his whole team are friendly, professional, and take pride in their craft. Such a friendly vibe, we've made many friends at the sushibar. Thank you for consistently amazing dinners and bringing back a sense of community through great food. read more

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OUTSTANDING SUSHI!!! Made by a Master Sushi Chef & Legend. Please don't judge the book (location) by its cover. The true reference standard of a hidden gem. MUST-MUST HAVES: Spider Roll (Soft Shell Crab); Deadliest Catch Roll; and the Mussels appetizer. Leave room for dessert the Mochi and green tea tiramisu is NEXT LEVEL!!! I will eat here every time that I am in the Kingston, Woodstock, Bard College area. read more

This Chef and his staff (Dennis and Ted) get it right every time. No other restaurant puts energy into the miso soup like Sushi Makio. the The details ....The freshness of the fish and of course the rice ! I will sometimes just order a bowl of rice w sesame seeds. MMMMM Candy read more

Second time now ... The longer we wait the better it get when we finally here. Chef always had something up his sleeves for us. We love this place. read more

Sushi Makio - Japanese Near Me - Kingston, New York

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I never thought I would say that the best sushi I ever had in my life, was at a sushi restaurant in Kingston, NY. I was surprised myself saying that, coming from living in New York City. My boyfriend and I were in Woodstock for the weekend and decided we wanted sushi for dinner. After a quick Yelp search, I came across Sushimakio. I called for a reservation and they were able to squeeze us in. When we got there, we were impressed with the intimate setting, being able to see the Sushi Chef work his magic. We both got the miso soup, which we were not expecting for it to be as good as it was. Usually miso soup is just a simple starter, but here there was so much flavor, a soup we still talk about today. Next, was the sushi. My boyfriend and I each got two rolls, both having snow crab in them, and we can easily say that it was the best sushi rolls we've ever had. The seaweed melted in your mouth, the pieces were perfectly wrapped together, and each ingredient was ridiculously fresh. I've never had food that was at such a quality as it was at Sushimakio. You can obviously tell how much care the chef has with each roll, taking his time to perfect each piece, giving each customer an eating experience they'll never forget. When people ask where I had the best sushi, I always say Sushimakio. My boyfriend and I can't wait to come back to try it again! read more

How is this place not 5 stars?!? There are no words that could explain the greatness. We couldn't stop smiling from the service, to the food--it was a beautiful experience. Give them all your money and respect! read more

Surprisingly good sushi. I only rated it 4 stars for the location and the fact that the menus were sticky and had sauce in them. Maybe a kid got to them last time or something, but they should wipe them down. The waiter was very good and explained to us some of the sushi that we had not heard of before. The sushi was maybe not wrapped quite as neatly as other places, but it was fresher than anywhere else in the area. We only got sushi, so can't comment on anything else. read more

really excellent sushi in a clean, simple place on a random strip in kingston. go in and enjoy - keep this fantastic small biz alive. we had an extraordinary veg roll, crunch roll, california roll and salmon sushi - and a bottle of nice dry sake. the best! read more

Yesterday evening was my first visit to SushiMakio, but definitely not my last! I had the pleasure of enjoying Chef Makio's sushi while he was at Amici Sushi in High Falls, and I am so thrilled that he is back in our area. Once you have experienced truly authentic sushi from a classically trained chef, nothing else will compare. The food was outstanding, the Japanese beer and plum wine delicious, and service attentive. Not only will you love the experience of watching Chef Makio craft his dishes to perfection, but you will walk away feeling as you have made a new friend. read more

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