We went on a Sunday and chose the chef's counter in the tamaki-ya room hidden away in the back. We were fortunate enough to find Chef Taibe behind the counter on his otherwise night-off. I'm no foodie but I am Chinese/Japanese and can appreciate finer things in life when I see it. This place meet and exceeded my expectations. The wonderful speak-easy tamaki-ya room in the back is warmly lit and held at a nice volume, much quieter than the izakaya bar in the front. For small bites we had the Beet n Hijiki salad (highly recommend!), Agedashi tofu, and Torched Maine uni. For hand-rolls I had the Spanish Mackerel, Hokkaido Scallops, Ocean Trout, BBQ Eal & Foie Gras, and Cucumber ume. My wife had the Maine Uni, Hamachi, and Botan Ebi. Everything was good, but there were quite a few that were very good, and there were two that, for me, were the best that I've ever had in recent memory. For the Spanish Mackerel Chef Taibe put an interesting spin on it by topping it off with a traditional Chinese ginger and scallion garnish used in a tender chicken dish. It works, it balances out the briny taste of Spanish Mackerel... which is great... unless you LOVE the briny, savory, mineral, metallic, umami taste of fresh Spanish Mackerel :) The Hokkaido Scallops was, by quite a large margin, the best scallop dish I've ever had. The tender sweetness of the fresh scallop combined with a brown butter kewpie (how American!) and yuzu tobiko sauce swimmingly. Texture, temperature, taste, all perfect. I like eel and I love Unaju. But by far the biggest surprise was the BBQ Eal & Foie Gras (see pic). This dish alone warrants a culinary course. On the face of it, bbq, eel, foie gras all sets you up for something rich, filling, heavy. But when I bit into the unassuming hand roll, it was the lightest bite of Japanese rice/seafood/seaweed/liver/sauce combo I've ever had. Turns out Chef Taibe prepared the sauce from scratch using five+ different spices, and prepared the foie gras au torchon. I could go on, but suffice to say, this was one of the best bites I've ever had. By contrast, I thought I was going to close out with the cucumber ume roll, but compared to the eel and foie gras, the ume actually felt more overpowering. Perhaps if they cut back on the generous amount of ume paste... (Worthy mention: Chef Taibe presents the nori in a separate envelope. This seemingly simple step is crucial to the taste and mouthfeel of the hand roll. It provides a wonderful fresh crisp crunch to every bite and it does indeed make a difference. He mentioned he sources a special nori but I forgot the details, just know that it's really good) My wife loves uni, and I'll let her describe her experience (which she won't) but it was so good she had to order a second one. As if you need more convincing, we had a great experience and I think you will too. Bravo Chef, well done read more

Bar Bushido - The incredible bbq eel and foie gras hand roll. - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Finally got the chance to check out their izakaya and absolutely loved the space! It's open and welcoming. Their ordering system is QR code based which I'm not really a fan of but the food did come out fast! The show stoppers were the crab Rangoon croquettes, Karaage onigiri and the yuzu bar. I only tried one cocktail which was the whassup and personally I did not love it. The burnt honey called to me but the wasabi tonic was extremely overpowering. I also felt the chimichurri on the pork belly yakimono was overpowering as well, but a lot of their other items are fantastic and maybe it was an off day for those items! I'd definitely return as there's so many things to try still!! I'm still thinking about the yuzu bar! read more

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Such a cool addition to the Wall Street area!! When you enter the restaurant you are greeted by arcade classics from your childhood. The service was all you could want from your local bar and restaurant! They have great recommendations on what to try on the menu and great to chat with! I recommend the Kara Age Chicken!! Mmmmmm mmmmm I've never taste chicken so tender and the sauce was the perfect compliment to bring it all together. Don't forget to try the fresh sashimi, a Japanese staple! Shhhh! You didn't hear from me but they also have a cheeky speakeasy upstairs. read more

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Went in for lunch on a Sunday. The music was SOOO loud, we couldn't hear anything other than that. Forget what the staff was saying. Why restaurants do this is mystifying. We left. So unpleasant. read more

Everything in the back room was amazing quality. I'm honestly so impressed with all of the ingredients -- I even enjoyed the uni which I've previously not been a fan of. Chef Jeff does it again. read more

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We absolutely love Bar Bushido. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the intention behind everything -- this isn't just a restaurant, it's a full experience. The cocktail program is seriously one of the best in the area. Creative without being gimmicky, balanced, and clearly inspired by Japanese ingredients and technique. Every drink feels thoughtful and well executed -- the kind of place where you actually want to work your way through the menu. The food is where it really shines. The chef-owner's love of Japanese cuisine comes through in every detail. The yakitori program is outstanding and deeply traditional -- using all parts of the chicken the way it's done in Japan. It's respectful, intentional, and absolutely delicious. You don't often see that level of authenticity and execution locally. The bar bites are some of the best around. The fried chicken sando is one of my personal favorites -- perfectly crispy, juicy, balanced, and craveable. And the ramen? No one can hold a candle to it. The broth is deeply flavorful and layered, the noodles are spot on, and every topping feels purposeful. It's the kind of bowl you think about the next day. Perhaps the best kept secret in all of Norwalk is the back room -- the elegant Temaki-Ya. Tucked away behind an unmarked entrance, this intimate hand-roll bar feels almost like discovering a hidden Japanese speakeasy. The atmosphere is quiet and refined, the kind of place that's perfect for a special date night or a memorable evening with friends. The temaki (hand rolls) are beautifully composed, with thoughtful ingredient combinations that balance texture, flavor, and visual appeal. What makes this place special is the dual experience -- lively izakaya vibes in the front, elegant hand-roll bar in the back -- all tied together by serious culinary skill and genuine hospitality. Norwalk is lucky to have this spot. read more

Such a cool concept, super fun and intriguing drink menu, sumo matches on the tv, an awesome late night option. I just got drinks but my friends were obsessed with everything they ate from izakaya. New spot for sure! read more

I have maybe only written one other Yelp review in my life, but I have never seen such egregious pretense as the way this place treats their guests. Came in as a four top and we ordered cocktails. A friend asked if he could put together a custom cocktail as he is type one diabetic. His order was a gin and tonic, light tonic with a lime. When the drink was delivered, the bartender asked him "who hurt you my friend". He has type one diabetes. He ordered the way he did because of his blood sugar?! I work in restaurants. I've never been so grossed out by the lack of hospitality and even basic decency the staff shows. When I reached out to let them know that what was said was not appropriate I was given no answer. Stay away. Really disappointed because the food is delicious, but I am not going to give any single dollar to an establishment that so blatantly does not care that you are there. Yuck! read more

We've been to Bar Bushido 6x now and we'll keep coming back! The food, drinks and service are incredible. The front room is a really cool chill vibe and the back room is more of a date night vibe. Highly recommend both of them! We love coming to see Kevin & Kylie at the bar. They're the best! A must try place in Norwalk. read more

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Went for the first time and dined in the back dining hall. We loved the food, the sake, and the service. We will definitely be back!

The bacon egg and cheese ramen is fire!! And the Sunday happy hour can't be beat. The Wednesday yakitori specials are a steal

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this izakaya. Many izakaya in Japan have QD code menu orders for convenience, but I had to go through the whole menu to get to what I wanted to order which was frustrating and annoying. The service was good as they periodically checked in if we needed anything. It was noisy with loud music and seats were uncomfortable. I suppose that is the concept. If food was good, I could enjoyed it, but king salmon sashimi and Hokkaido scallops were fishy smelling and tasting which is a sign of not being fresh. Yakitori and vegetables were way too salty and tasteless. I think I'd rather go elsewhere to enjoy better quality of food and ambiance to spend $200. read more

A delicious and fun spot!! Everything we got was great, especially the skewers and spicy tuna hand roll bowl. Cant wait to go back

Ok not even finished - barely halfway through devouring this menu and I'm in LOVE!! I was missing Taproot Next Door and I forgot all about it - granted completely different cuisine but holy Moses - this space is amazing (we sat at the bar). I feel no hiccups with the opening, if anything the food comes out too fast (but it goes down equally fast) and the QR code ordering is something to get used to but anyway ... Congrats Chef and team - I feel like I'm in Manhattan right now - something this cool and delicious in Norwalk is definitely a belated Christmas gift! Stay tuned for details on the food! **pork katsu pocket - so delish I had a second one for dessert sans caviar - I dreamt about it last night too lol** Try all the yakimono - you won't be disappointed! I think I prefer the tare over salt but still delicious. The jerky is such a fun presentation and amazing flavor - not salty. Agedashi tofu - perfect pillows melt in your mouth with nice little crisp and delicate sauce. I had a lot of fun with the tasty scallop "make your own" temaki and ended up scooping the rest straight out of the bowl into my mouth hole. read more

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I ate here twice before and enjoyed it. However tonight was a different story. 1) The people who work there could smile occasionally. I get it, they try hard to be a NYC vibe but even in the city many places greet/serve you with a smile. 2) We ordered soup, appetizers and entrees and they seemed intent on bringing ALL the food within a 5 minute window. We were 3 minutes into our soup when the appetizers arrived and then the first entree came 1 minute after that. I had to ask them to slow it down. 3) I know fish is expensive but I make my own sushi/sashimi at home from a high quality provider so I know the costs for toro and uni and i'm just not sure I can justify $95 for 6 large pieces. and finally 4) 1.5 hours after we got home, i got diarrhea.....:( I can't see going back... read more

Service, ambiance, and food are top notch. Started off in the front room izakaya bar with a Suntory highball and a few of their delicious yakitori. The chicken skin was tender but crispy, and the chicken thigh was so juicy. After this light bite, went over to the back room for the temaki-ya, hand roll bar experience. No need to head into the city, because a great hand roll bar experience is right here in Norwalk! They have some really creative combinations, and the fish is quite fresh. I particularly enjoyed the mackerel, scallop, and squid. Also, 10/10 for the Melon Martini. Come to Bar Bushido for a great dinner and date night! read more

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Pros: I love the QR code system and how you can just pay for yourself without having to split bills with friends. FOOD COMES OUT SUPER FAST it's awesome. Staff is friendly and will answer all questions. Super interesting selection of cocktails. I've been there three times already. Cons: I wish their food portions were a bit bigger given the prices you pay, but the Karaage Chicken is a good shareable portion. My only real complaint is the music is too loud every time, and that's coming from someone who loves music playing at restaurants, stores, offices, etc. When you go do dinner with someone you want to be able to talk to them and not have to shout. Also the drink pictured here, I forgot what it was called but I don't recommend this one. Was advertised as a sort of coconut-milk calpico tamarind cocktail but only tasted like pineapple juice and ice. read more

Bar Bushido - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

I was unable to sit, and the staff was very accommodating, allowing me to stand at the bar. The food was excellent, we had the edamame dip, pork Katsu, spicy tuna hand rolls, pork belly skewers, pork gyozas. All very good. Very expansive cocktail menu. The two we had were great. Look forward to trying the speak easy next read more

This was a fun new spot! We had the assorted seaweed, tuna temaki, pork sando, edamame, and sake. I loved it all. The seaweed salad was unexpected in preparation--more flavorful and without sugary green seaweed pieces. It was a more savor approach. The front bar vibe is very chill, and the hostess was super accommodating, getting us a spot without a reservation. I will return and try more of the menu (and check out their back bar!). read more

I had such an amazing time --it wasn't just about the food (which was absolutely incredible), but the whole experience. I got to enjoy the best temaki I've ever had, perfectly fresh and flavorful, while chatting with a friendly Japanese guy who made the experience even more authentic and memorable, best Japanese rice ever ( I could bring him home ). There's something special about connecting over great food and good conversation. Barbushido really nailed it with both. read more

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A welcome new addition to the dining experience in the area. I have tried both the Izakaya in front and the temakiya in the back. The food all round was amazing and the ambiance in both sections top notch. Overall service in both sections was equally amazing. read more

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I was at Bar Bushido and the service was great, welcoming and friendly! I made selections from their happy hour menu and I couldn't be happier! I will be back soon to taste the back restaurant menu which looks marvelous! read more

Bar Bushido - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Bar Bushido is the best restaurant to hit Norwalk since as long as I have been here. The combination of the sushi bar in the back with a different menu in the front of house brings an element of surprise and novelty to the dining experience. The front of house part is like a Japanese diner / street food (think chicken wings, burgers, noodles, but also sashimi and rolls) with a bar serving everything from creative cocktails to sake/beer combos and a fabulous selection of mocktails. The subtle flavors and gastronomic combinations that Chef Jeff innovates here, (with specials that are always changing), makes this one of the best dining spots in town, on par with the most creative spots in NYC and Brooklyn. It is simply blow your mind delicious and exciting. My kids even like it - they can share the simple kids ramen, chicken skewers, and best thing is after they eat, they get to play old school video games on the two arcade consoles. The front of house area is an order via mobile system, where you scan the QR code for the menu. Once you get used to it it's super easy and simple to use, and you can put in orders for more drinks and bites as you like and everything comes out quickly. That's not to say you don't interface with the servers here - they are extremely helpful in explaining what everything is, answering questions and delivering your food promptly. If you sit at the bar you can order with them instead of the QR code so that's a nice option if you prefer to avoid QR codes. The front of house also reserves a large portion of tables first-come first serve which is nice for the non-planners who didn't think to make a reservation. The sushi area is a whole different experience that requires a separate review, but I'll just say it is also incredible. Happy hour on Sunday at Bushido is particularly relaxing and fun. Do yourself a favor and go check out Bar Bushido, see the gorgeous space with mural by local artist Brian Kaspr, eat the food, drink the drinks and keep Norwalk local and cool. read more

Just absolutely ace. Did omakase in the back resto for our anniversary (May 2025) and it was fantastic, as was our, for lack of a better term, server, Chris (who may be a part owner?). Just an excellent experience and, yes, the food is much more Japanese than other places (at least that I'm aware of) in the area. E.g., their seaweed salad makes that which one orders as a side at sushi places, including some of my local favorites, look like green straw with dressing. Ambience in the backroom is excellent. Less than. A couple of months later we and adult kids went to the front portion for an early dinner. Frankly, I'm not a fan of ordering through a phone, but my wife took care of it. The wait staff (yes, despite having to order through an app) was fantastic. Same amazing seaweed salad and differing but overlapping items from the back. All fantastic. Highly recommend the seaweed (obvs) and pretty much anything else. Nothing bad; most beyond great. Ambience in the front is more of a casual, semi-hip bar/resto. Sumo wrestling on the flat screen for the win! read more

great food, excellent service, and a great overall atmosphere. Kevin our bartender/server was amazing, friendly, and pointed us in the right direction with all food and drink pairings. Can't recommend this spot enough. read more

Bar Bushido - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Came here to support a competitor in a recent bar competition here. It was my first time and wow the food and the drinks were really good. Especially the Toki black old fashioned. The decor is really cute too Would come back for an actual lunch or dinner. read more

The ramen here was quite possibly the worst ramen we've ever had. The noodles were too soft and the broth was unbearably salty with the latter making it practically inedible. Drinks were subpar. Service was okay. Would not return. read more

Spectacular! Period. Sit in the back and take down all the hand rolls you can get your mind around. Simple concept executed perfectly. Jeff has this down pat! Only bad part is the more popular this place will get, which it will, the harder it will be to get in to enjoy! So good! Kudos! read more

We went to Bar Bushido on a week night for dinner. When we got there, we thought the place was closed because it was so dark inside. We sat down in the back room that we made reservations for and was told we can only order certain food but not others that we wanted to try so we moved to the front room. The lighting in the front room was so dim that I could hardly see what I was eating. I also didn't like the impersonal QR code ordering for the price we were paying for our dinner. Overall the food was good but portion was not big so you have to order a lot of items to be full. The staff was great and apologetic for various dining rules like using the QR code and not being able to order certain food in the different rooms. I really want to come back for the food but drop the idea that you have to order certain food in certain rooms. And please add more lighting so your guests can see what they're eating! read more

We had a mixed experience at Bar Bushido this past week. To start, we were told all the booths were reserved but only 2 of the 4 were occupied during our time there (over an hour and a half). We were told we could sit on stools facing the windows where there was a narrow ledge (like at a fast casual restaurant) or have 3 of us crowd around a tiny table made for two (and would be tight with two). The positives: We really liked the space overall (we dined in the main Izakaya room). We were there during daylight and the windows let lots of light in. Fun artwork and touches with decor. The booths felt a bit dark and impersonal like you'd see in a college town bar but give more privacy. There is one bigger communal table and a few smaller tables in the front room. They also had a killer playlist, and we enjoyed that although it is a bit noisy in the restaurant with the acoustics. We were disappointed with the food overall: Ramen-noodles were quite good and chewy but the broth didn't have much depth. Amount of noodles and size of dish felt like a smaller portion comparative to Mecha and Kawa-Ni, and definitely prefer those two restaurants for this dish. Kara Age: Very, very salty. A miss. Smash burger-Didn't love. Very small. I did not care for the flavor of the beef or the milk bread. Something about the hamburger didn't taste very fresh to me, couldn't place what it was. Drinks: Our party enjoyed these much more than the food. I would have liked to order sushi rolls but that didn't seem possible in the front room. One person did check in and we did say the Kara Age was very salty but there was virtually no reaction to that. I must admit we were all a bit hungry after finishing our dishes. Not a fan of using QR codes to order and pay for everything, it feels impersonal and removes interaction with a human that you can ask questions of (and I'm just wary of them with the amount of scams these days with bar codes in general). I will always prefer looking at a physical menu and interacting with a human when dining out. Staff was overall pleasant but they do seem to encourage you using the bar codes to order and pay, although a bartender did take our food order. I feel there was overall less attentiveness than if one had a dedicated server. Verdict: Debated on stars to give, some in my group felt it should be 2 or 2.5 stars but I rounded up our collective feedback. Fun space, limited food menu that was overall disappointing. Will return with friends for drinks only. read more

Food was fantastic and service was incredible. Shaniya was knowledgeable about the menu and made appropriate recommendations based on our preferences. We will definitely be back! Vibes in both areas were fun. read more

We tried Bar Bushido last night. The vibe is really cool. The music was great, very lively and fun place. The menu is fairly limited in the front bar room, and a bit difficult to understand. (There is a reservation only room in the back). There are no traditional sushi rolls, and no significant "dishes" to choose from. That said, we ordered a handful of things, and everything was delicious! Our favorites were the pork katsu pocket and spicy tuna. The only thing that took away from our experience was the impersonal feeling at the bar. When we sat, we were not greeted or asked if we would like a drink. When we got a bartenders attention, we were told that their "concept" is that they prefer we order everything through a QR code on the bar. It made it difficult to ask questions with limited interactivity with the bartenders and staff. Not a dealbreaker, but just a thing. We would definitely go back! read more

Plate licking level of deliciousness. The flavors and quality of ingredients is that of restaurant in Japan. The service and ambience is chill and comfortable which adds to the shock from the impact you will feel from the food. You need to be here or you are seriously missing out! read more

4 people - $608 20% tip (~$100) pre-included on a party of 4 Different than your standard sushi spot - yes. 4x different - no. Atmosphere (back room) - fine but nothing special. Main differentiating review - they try hard, and not in a good way. A bag with seaweed paper so you can make your own roll "so the seaweed stays fresh"? "We believe you should let your saki warm to room temperature to achieve maximum flavor"? "The front part of the restaurant is designed to be this, the back to be that, the chef's vision is this". Been to Tokyo for work many, many times ... you don't need the show. Admittedly the food was good, and between the 4 of us we tried many different roles ... but none of them blew us away... especially $600 away. If you want to go big (like this) OKO in Westport is a much better call. We ate there over a year ago and I can still remember specific rolls. read more

Bar bushido brings IT to Wall St. The Resturant has two sections. The front of the house is a casual bar with electronic ordering . Service was fast and impeccable. menu items were explained well by the server. We tried the Okinawa potatoes salad, karage chicken, yakatori : chicken thigh, skin and wing; smash burger sandwich, grilled cabbage; all were excellent on presentation and unique tastings. The vibe is fun and the video machines for the kids was a great distraction so we could enjoy a cocktail while the kids played. In the back , a cozy space behind a black (knock first) door to a small sushi bar. The menu specializes in "grab" rolls. We tried 16 of these different grab rolls. Each is unique , impeccable seafood, beef , tuna , scallops , shrimp , eel, mushroom, sweet potato - each served on top of delicious sushi rice and ready to grab with a crisp fresh piece of nori. Just a really thoughtful menu, design and concept. read more