i had nothing short of a fantastic dining experience at use after years of having this place on my list of want-to-go restaurants. when you arrive at ume, you're asked to take off your shoes and wash your hands, giving that elevated but traditional feel to your dining experience. once you're inside, you'll see that everything here is truly a work of art, from the presentation of the fish to the design of the menu! even the booklet of additional ordered is presented as a phonebook through the years of ume which is such a sweet touch. the fish are presented so beautifully and the seasonings are organized so that you can follow the recommendation guide in making your diy hand rolls. there's really no wrong way to go about this experience and that's what makes it so fun! absolutely would come back again. read more

After a lot of Instagram reels, I finally made it to Ume in Nov 2024 to try their sushi set. You are provided a sheet with the recommended salt to pair with each fish. When you get your set, it is your choice how to eat your sushi set (nori is provided), but it definitely has a DYI aspect to it. The salt paired with the fish were interesting (they come from all over the world) and and the ambiance of the restaurant was very peaceful. Note, do use your nori sheets conservatively as they don't give many (we split ours in half) to have enough ans ordering more is added $$. We got the mochi dessert which was quite sweet but a great way to end our meal. I've had better fish, but for the price, it isn't bad. Although I'm unlikely to add this to my go to place for sushi - ume is a unique tasting experience for sure. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Mochi ice cream dessert - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I've had this on my list of places to go for a long while. I have no idea how I stumbled upon it online. It's so aesthetic and I love the ambiance and experience. The first thing they do is have you take off your shoes and wash your hands. It's always a unique experience when you're allowed to walk around without shoes and sit on the ground (on cushions) I was a bit early to my reservation but they were still pretty quick. Food arrived pretty quickly and it was just as pictured. It was interesting to try the different salts and it was a very DIY experience. I will say that taste wise, I wasn't really in love with the combinations I made. It's to no fault of the fish. I just don't think I created any mind blowing bites that truly stood out. The different salts on the other hand did have a stand out. I ended up finding truffle salt that fit the profile of what they served in the wild and it was so good that I ended up buying some for myself. read more

I've wanted to go to Ume for a while and went with a friend. We managed to get a late afternoon reservation just before closing - highly recommended as the restaurant is small and has maybe 5-6 tables inside and another 4 or so outside in the garden. This isn't a place for large group dining - the experience seems to be maximal for up to 4 people. Before we were ushered in, we put our shoes away into cubbies with our names, and instructed to wash our hands before entering a serene space. The area where the staff is prepping is out in the open, and easy to see. There is an omakase for about $78 which is a fantastic deal for the quality cuts we got. There were 12 pieces with a miso soup, seaweed, and rice. There were some add-ons such as tea, don, hand rolls, and dessert. The set itself is extremely filling. Something I really enjoyed about this was that conversations were hushed so you could hear one another, and could focus on savoring the meal. read more

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The ambiance is very cozy and intimate with a modern Japanese homey vibe. You have to take off your shoes and wash your hands upon entering, and there's communal slippers to use to go to the restroom (which is unsanitary imo). There's an outdoor (in a greenhouse) seating section, both indoor/outdoor are sit down in the Japanese style (no chairs, sitting on a cushion). Aesthetics are spot on, and our server was superrrr polite to the point that we were a bit shy. What we ordered: - the sushi set (prix fixe menu): this is served at once, and pretty fun to customize with the different salts/wasabis provided. While beautiful, the fish itself tasted ok, not bad but not super memorable either. - the seafood salad: we were soo full by the time that we finished the sushi set that I don't think we had enough stomach to enjoy this. Presentation is 10/10, though towards the end the bottom pieces were really salty from the marinade. - drinks -- we got a cocktail with yuzu and the plum sake, both were delicious read more

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I'm so happy I got to try this place out, I would see it everywhere online! We got these two Togo and I think they feed 3 ppl well w other snacks. They were both so so good and everything tasted really fresh. There was also a good amount of all the seafood. The text to order was pretty fast and easy and the person who gave us the food was so nice and sweet, I wish we could of tried eating there. We actually passed up the door twice when picking up the food lol so definitely keep your eyes peeled. The little entry way was so nice and relaxing. I think it's the perfect atmosphere for some sushi. The weather was super nice though so we ended up eating at the park. I would absolutely recommend and can't wait to come back! read more

Ume Williamsburg - The everything don and Ikura/uni don - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Lovely experience! It's like you walk into an oasis, surrounded by plants. I wish we sat outside, would've been even better! Inside is still very beautiful. It's a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant where you remove your shoes and sit on your booty - which I love! It was a very quiet dinner, as it feels weird to speak loudly here. The sushi was amazing! The quality was so fresh. I love that you get to try different salts - my favorite was the truffle! They have a guide on what you should mix together, but at the end of the day, it's your meal you do what you want. Really nice meal, will definitely come back again! read more

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Good service sat us without a reservation and accommodated our allergies and explained menu . However found most of the different types of fish just ok read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ume's famous sushi set is $78 and comes with 12 pieces of fish, 9 different salts/sauces, nori, rice, and soup. Love how it's customizable so you get to mix and match your own flavors with each piece. The indoor patio setup transports you to Japan. Keep in mind, you'll need to take your shoes off and sit on the floor. Overall, the sushi was high quality and the whole experience was super unique. Definitely recommend it for a birthday or date night. Asian male server was SO nice and helpful! Didn't get his name :( read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Lovely experience dining at Ume. The fish was fresh and the service attentive I would recommend to anyone wanting a prefix menu. read more

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The presentation was a piece of art. It was a fun experience. You decide which type of salt or wasabi goes on each piece of fish. Although the fish were good enough alone! Also being able to decide how much rice goes on my nori was Chefs kiss, muah. they greeted us a happy anniversary, but we're siblings. It was my birthday... read more

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aesthetic and disappointing. the taste was nothing special, in fact some combos were weird. I was honestly annoyed that you had to diy it bc I feel like I didn't get the full potential or correct ratios. presentation and seating is fun tho read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I think this was a great experience with some delicious food. The only reason I am hesitant to give the full rating is that, I didn't quite remember the items I liked the most, but I'll chalk it up to a me thing. It wasn't too expensive compared to omokase, so it felt worth it. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Tasty but I thought the quality was just okay! The fish didn't taste the most fresh and I was a tad disappointed after reading the reviews. The fish didn't really stand out to me--it was fine, nothing bad but nothing great either. Trying all the different salts and spices to make your own roll was cool, though. What I didn't love was that they gave 12 pieces of fish but only 6 pieces of seaweed, and you had to pay extra for more. If I'm already spending over $100 after tax and tip, I'd expect enough seaweed to go with the fish. It kind of felt like we were being nickel-and-dimed, which was a bit of a turnoff. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ume will always be one of my favorite "omakase" spots. The flavors, presentation, and even staff all aid in making the experience a great one. I love that Ume provides you with tips on which salts work with which fish-we followed it exactly, and every bite we took was just mindblowing. I have never been wowed with every dish at most places, but Ume took the cake for me. I would 1000% come back ! read more

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Most memorable sushi restaurant in New York. Easily. Ambiance is amazing, I love that one you enter, you are quickly greeted and asked to remove your shoes and wash your dirty hands. Sushi is fresh, drinks are tasty, and vibe is great. I love that it's hands on, and you can great creative with your pieces. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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My boyfriend and I came here for my birthday, but they happened to have the Valentine's Day set menu! Ambiance - We arrived at our reservation time and were promptly brought inside. There was a little section to remove our shoes to place in a cubby and a sink to wash our hands before we were brought to our table. The lighting was dim and romantic, and the seating arrangement included a low table and a pillow to sit on. The bathroom was clean and beautiful as well. I loved how they added a little booklet to write a note to the restaurant. Service - Our server was so kind and explained the menu to us patiently. He had noticed that we had added a note for a birthday, and included two pieces of caviar sashimi. We were served quickly without feeling rushed and felt really well attended to. Food - The presentation was gorgeous, exactly like the photos. I love how the menu came in a little photo album, it really added to the intimate atmosphere and made it easier to understand each piece that we were eating. There were little piles of salts from different regions of the world on a separate plate that would be best suited for certain pieces of sushi. The salt made such a difference with the flavors complimenting each other so well. The soy sauce and brush were a nice touch, and the little bowl of rice with a paddle as well as a few sheets of seaweed made it so that we could make a sashimi out of them. The shrimp and scallop soup was amazing, I could drink an entire gallon of it. I would definitely recommend checking this place out if you haven't already! read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Lovee the overall ambience and decor. I really am a floor person so I love that this restaurant does floor seating. We chose to sit outside when making the reservation cuz we loved the vibes based on photos and it met our expectations fs. I will say, it was uncomfortably cold tho so I'd recommend bringing a jacket or sumn if you don't like being cold. As for the actual food, everything was rly tasty and fresh. I like that you're able to have fun manipulating the flavors yourself w the different salts and wasabis, however I kind of wish they presented the information different so that it was easier to follow. Like listing the recommended flavor toppings under the fish instead of vice versa, which is what they did. The soup was a delicious unexpected surprise cuz I was thinking it was going to be the typical miso soup but it's a mushroom chicken broth (?) soup that tasted like this instant cup noodle soup that I used to be obsessed w as a child (it was not a popular instant noodle and I haven't been able to find it in years). The toro and uni nigiri was nice and buttery in texture, melting in my mouth. I think my favorite pieces were the unagi, salmon, and negitoro which comes w tempura crunch as a nice textural element. The waiter also surprised us with a complimentary dessert, for I had put that our reservation was for celebrating our graduations. This dessert was phenomenal. So simple but so satisfying. The soybean powder added a nice soft crunch and toasted flavor and the honey was a subtle sweetness and really enhanced the overall flavor of each bite. Was such an amazing end to a good meal. read more

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What an experience You take your shoes off and wash your hands before you enter. This sushi plate is $78 and you have to order it (there's a $78 minimum) and then you can order other stuff. It was good sushi for sure! You're paying for the experience and art of it, worth to try once. Instagram- @joangela.eats read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I have bookmarked this place for a while since the food looks pretty but I haven't checked out much about this place yet. Great that my husband picked this place for our anniversary and I finally visited this place. I was too busy to check out the details until the afternoon before. I didn't know we need to sit on tatami. I wore a dress that day but good that it was a long one. I know my legs would complain but I like the authentic idea. It sort of made me feel at ease. The outdoor seating wasn't really outdoor. It was well-covered garden area. Very nice Japanese style room. Remind me the Japanese onsen hotel room I had been. So everybody would have a set of sushi that we needed to assemble ourselves. Interesting. It was fun to make my own hand roll or simply ate the fish. The fish are well seasoned, well-prepares and very fresh. So yummy. Dipping various salt/sauce was adventurous. I wish I have more fish to go with the salt/sauce. We also ordered a scallop uni salad. It was very fresh and well seasoned. We really enjoyed every bite. Not to mention, the drinks are tasty too. I really love my yuzu matcha. Overall, it was a tasty and enjoyable experience. The only complaint was sitting on the floor. My legs slept a few moments. But good food made me overcome it lol read more

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FOOD 10/10 SERVICE 10/10 AMBIANCE 8/10 been here twice and both times, I LOVEEEE how fresh the pieces are and the service for my FIRST time was I'll let the pictures speak for itself but I loved the experience. it's super unique, I love how I get to customize how my own pieces to how I like and the different salts they had OMG everything was ABSOKUTELY would recommend and come again and again and again read more

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My husband and I came here to celebrate our late 2 year anniversary and was very impressed by the courteous and attentive service from Tony. The garden was beautiful and the food was incredibly well thought out. Not to mention, very tasty. Great date spot!! read more

Ume Williamsburg - Uni, ikura, and crab don - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Wow wow wow. Best sushi in nyc ?!?! Food is beyond words. The ambiance is exquisite and so authentic. Service is fast and fresh I have been twice and will be back many more times. read more

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This spot was on my must go list and I'm so glad my friends were able to come with me. One even came in from Connecticut to spend the day with us! Loved how they required you to take your shoes off and wash your hands before entering the garden. It was basically a deconstructed omakase. They suggested that we eat left to right, top to bottom, and explore the pairings of the salts and wasabis that were given to us. We were also given a bowl of perfectly fluffy and seasoned sushi rice (SO delicious) and crisp nori to make our own handrolls if we wanted. I loved getting to know what salts were better for which fish. They also encouraged us to find our own pairings as well. Some of the really interesting salts were the ghost pepper salt from India and the ume salt from Japan, I also loved the kizami wasabi, I got extra! I thought it was the perfect amount of food, but who could resist ordering something called "Bunch of Stuff"? It was a Kumamoto oyster topped with a generous amount of Hokkaido uni, kaluga caviar, and toro tartare. My friends and I ordered three and the eel don to finish out the meal! 10000/10 would go again!!! read more

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When you arrive, you begin with taking your shoes off and washing your hands. You are then taken to your table, which are all low and you sit on a cushion on the floor. I personally found the floor seating to be the worst part, my back was bugging me a bit. The concept of make your own omakase sounds more ideal than it was for me. Trying to get the rice underneath like typical omakase was extremely hard, I am not a pro with chopsticks and was struggling all around. The soup was good. The fish was good too but I didn't feel it was anything special. I prefer traditional omakase for the price. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi set - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A very cute date night spot for the aesthetic and experience. You'll need to remove your shoes and wash your hands prior to being seated. The service was superb and quick. Dish: -Deconstructed prefix omakase (12 pieces, rice, nori, and chicken miso soup). Enough to fill you up but not make you feel stuffed. -Amaki nigiri Logistics: -accepts card -90 min time limit for the meal -1 unisex bathroom (slippers provided) read more

Ume Williamsburg - Deconstructed omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Fun experience at a great price point. The back garden is really nice where you can sit on mats on the floor. They give you all of your pieces of fish at once and you can choose whether to eat it as is, dip it into one of nine salts/flavors, or turn it into a hand roll. The miso soup is nice to wash it down with as well. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Really nice ambience incredible sushi great service, wish we had seating but the authentic vibes were cool read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Wow! One of my favorite sushi experiences ever. I absolutely love the concept of this place and it's executed so so well. I've never seen such a unique sushi experience before and can't even begin to describe it. We ordered the pre-fix sushi set for $78 and made reservations in advanced since they have to prepare this. So it comes with 12 different pieces of thoughtfully curated fish and it also comes with unique dipping salt that you can pair with each piece of fish. Although they have recommendations for what types of fish taste good with what dipping salts you can really mix and match however you'd like. I really love how the fish pairings are super innovative and not boring at all! I don't think this is necessary the best quality fish ever but it's the creativity and uniqueness of this experience that I absolutely adore. That's not the say the fish quality is bad at all, it's still good. The vibe is also so cute, so you have to take off your shoes when your first come in. It's very traditional Japanese style with tatamis and we were sat in the greenhouse/garden area and it was so perfect. Lots of natural lighting and just a great feel. Another random thing I love is the bathroom, there's somewhere you can sign and rate your experience/stool that I thought was hilarious and such a cute touch. Lastly, the service was good too the servers would come around and check that we were doing okay and if we had any questions with the pairings even with the info sheet. 10/10 experience would come again given that they keep updating items on the sushi set so it's not always the same pieces you're getting read more

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Deconstructed omakase!!! I had the time of my life here. It's an unassuming place, you enter and take off your shoes and wash your hands, and it's like entering a person's home. They gave us all of the ingredients we needed to make every bite delicious and then it was kind of choose your own adventure but also not because how are you not going to make a delicious bite when you have brushes for soy sauce, high quality fish, and TRUFFLE SALT. I haven't had that many omakase experiences, and of course it's fun to have all the work done for you and to just eat, but I don't know there was something about this that I really enjoyed. Everything was high quality, and the chefs' mark was still in there because the fish and the toppings were so unique, played with texture, and you still had the options open to you of rice or seaweed or both. Would I have loved if we could sit somewhere with chair backs (we sat on the floor), but you can't with them all. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I liked the deconstructed omakase experience where you sit at the table without shoes on. The presentation of the dish is beautiful! The soup was flavorful and delicious. You also get to try different types of seasonings and salts. I liked the pieces of fish and the unique toppings. I recommend making a reservation in the garden as it is more scenic. Service is good and it's a really cute spot and experience. read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Amazing sushi spot! Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and had a great experience. We ordered the Sushi Set along with a couple items from their a la carte menu to really treat ourselves, but the set alone was enough to really satisfy our empty stomachs. The whole experience was a lot of fun because of all the seasoning options with which you could try different combinations with the sushi. It made for a good interactive experience and made the overall meal more enjoyable for us. Great for a small and intimate dining experience! read more

Ume Williamsburg - menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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One of my favorite sushi spots in the city- the experience is just so fun! From the moment you walk in, it feels like you're transported to a Japanese oasis. You have to remove shoes and wash your hands upon entry, and then are taken inside the restaurant. Definitely sit in the outdoor garden if possible. You sit on little cushions at low table, which might not be super comfortable but the ambiance is so serene it's worth it. For the food- they do a chose-your-own-adventure styled omakase, where they bring out a box of beautiful fish with a tray of various accompaniments (salts, wasabis, toppings), and rice and nori. You can make your own hand rolls or eat the fish as is with the toppings. They don't offer much instruction, but give you a pamphlet to help decide pairings. This can lead to choice paralysis for some, as some people in my group of 5 ended up taking way longer than others (they do try to push you to adhere to your time limit, and will rush you at the end so eat quickly). With that being said, enjoy the experience and try out a lot of flavor combinations! They'll also bring you refills of any of the salts/toppings if you ask. Would 100% come back and highly recommend. Truly one of the most unique restaurants I've been to in NYC. read more

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Second time around, and they did not disappoint! Beautiful plating, amazing service, great ambiance and vibes. Absolutely in love with their salt (they give refills if you want!) read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This restaurant was a stellar experience. Ume had some of the freshest and tastiest sushi I've ever had. The restaurant has a traditional Japanese style and definitely stands out when compared to your normal sushi spot. The restaurant had a small waiting area outside the main dining room where the staff checked in all the parties eating in our time slot. They only sit parties with everyone present and tell you to take off your shoes and wash your hands. The dining area itself is also very interesting as you sit on the ground at small tables. There are cozy pillows on the floor and I could hardly notice I wasn't in a chair. We ordered the sushi set that comes with 12 different fishes, an assortment of salts and spices, and everything you need to make your own rolls. We thought it was so fun to get to try so many different types of fish and choose what salts and ingredients to add. We particularly liked the yuzu salmon and unagi. Both were super rich on their own and even better when made into a roll with the speciality salts on top. The restaurant was also super helpful adjusting to my sister's gluten free diet. They swapped out a soup for a special drink that was really good. The staff was also so nice and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our dining experience. I'd highly recommend checking out Ume. read more

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Seasonings and salt provided for the sashimi was so creative and had a diverse options for flavors! The cuts of fish were also well prepared. The service was quick and attentive, but did not require much interaction since it's a single set. Outside dining area looked beautiful and inside was comfortable read more

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Came to Ume for dinner on a weekend with a reservation. Got here 20 minutes early but need to wait for your reservation time (looks like they seat you with everyone else who reserved at your time slot). You have to take off your shoes here and sit 'pretzel' style FYI. Service was friendly and helpful. Honestly found the sushi itself a bit pricey for what it was but I will say it was interesting conceptually how they have different salts and recommend different ways to eat. Vibe was cute. Traditional style with the whole pretzel style sitting and the waiters kneeling when helping you. Appreciated the place conceptually though wanted a bit more. 3.5/5 but rounding up to 4/5. read more

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Been seeing Ume everywhere and finally got the chance to try it. When you arrive you are told to take off your shoes and wash your hands. We were seated outdoors on such a beautiful day. The quality of the fish were good and everything was so carefully thought out. Some bite stood out more than others such as the Alamo, Ebi & Scallop, Toro, Negitoro. Everything Don was also very good and umami. A really charming and aesthetic spot--perfect for treating yourself or someone special. I enjoyed my experience here, and it definitely has a unique atmosphere worth trying at least once as this is on the pricey side. read more

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Hands down the BEST sushi! I can't believe it was only $78 pp. It's such a cute place for a date night or for a girls dinner. I'd recommend booking a table in their garden (it's fully enclosed)! Service was great and quick! read more

Ume Williamsburg - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I can't really speak to the ambiance, unfortunately, since we were running terribly late and had to make do with whichever table was available. But I will say, first of all, thank you to the staff for still honoring our reservation despite how late we were. I would have understood if we lost the reservation, so it was a pleasant surprise. The place did not allow shoes, and you sit on the floor on a cushion- for me, personally, that was ok but it was a bit if a struggle for my boyfriend. The service was lovely- they are concise and detailed with their answers. Especially, it feels like they're catering to you, but done in a way where you almost don't realize it. Food was fabulous. We got their set menu and the deconstructed hand rolls were such an interesting concept- I loved that I could mix and match and eat however I wished. What a truly lovely spot. read more