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    hakubai

    4.0 (127 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJapanese
    Closed Closed

    hakubai Photos

    HAKUBAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Tasting menu
    Nikkie M.

    My husband and I just came here for our anniversary 2 days ago. We send our warmest regards to the chef, Patissiere Chef and our server Drew for an amazing experience. The food was phenomenal as expected Drew was the most wonderful and provided the most amazing service my husband and I have ever had dining out. He even has a great sense of humor that my husband pointed out and enjoyed about him! His attention to detail and precision was the highlight of our evening as we never were anxious and everything came on time. His service had made our anniversary the most amazing and wonderful one yet! However we did have a concern with another one of the servers that approached us after our meal. As we discussed and mentioned with the hotel, we find it very concerning that this one particular server purposefully came after us and discussed the bill and gratuity after the meal that we had. That has never happened to us before and found it very rude. This server inadvertently came up to my husband and I and stated that service workers in New York are "entitled" to a 20% gratuity. I found it very odd as we put 10% of the gratuity on our bill- some partly in cash and the other in credit. As we shared with the hotel, we are from Canada- where gratuity stands usually at 10-20%. That's what is usually accepted. We found it odd and very unprofessional to go after a customer. After that weird encounter, my husband provided additional cash to meet the 20% tip demand made by the server, after which the server awkwardly thanked us. Apart from that, our dining experience at Hakubai was phenomenal and made our anniversary amazing. Kindest Regards, Nikkie

    Angela C.

    Been missing good Japanese food ever since I came back from my Japan trip. I left hakubai disappointed last night . Food was overall below average and nothing to note that was outstanding. however , Ingredients were fresh . My a5 wagyu was a bit overcooked and a bit chewy. Saw the table next to ours and theirs was cooked perfectly pink . The only dish that I enjoyed was the steam egg with uni . The steamed egg was silky smooth . There was a gentleman whom I assume is the manager walking around asking each table how the food was and he didn't bother to come to our table .I thought that was odd...

    Steam Steamed Egg
    Yiming S.

    Steam egg, sashimi, and strawberry cake are super delicious. Will be back for them again

    onsai | warmed hotare, seasonal fish

    Delightful kaiseki experience, seasonal selections of ingredients and plates, reminiscing childhood memories of hearty foods made by family members with love. All of the plates were artfully crafted and delivered a wide range of tastes, a fine line. Excited for the fall, winter, and more seasonal menus.

    Carrot tofu with fish roe and fresh wasabi
    Michee C.

    I came here for my boyfriend's birthday and what a lovely restaurant inside The Kitano hotel. The waitresses were dressed in such nice kimonos and so accommodating. Even though we weren't in the private room the dining room were in sections, giving us some personal space. We ordered the Sushi okonomi kaiseki and special kaiseki. All the dishes were beautifully plated, like a piece of art, very delicious art. Ordered sake from their wide array of alcoholic beverages. We were satisfyingly full from their small dishes to the plentiful plate of sushi and their tender wagyu beef. The dinner ended with a dessert of black sesame ice cream, coffee jello with cream and a mochi. The restaurant knew it was a birthday dinner that they brought out a complementary chocolate mousse cake and a handkerchief from the hotel. Overall, what a great experience and well worth the price for a special occasion.

    Walking into the basement
    Tiff H.

    Wow, oh wow. My sister invited me here for lunch, since she interns at the hotel Kitano. It looked pricey, but she promised we would get a discount. Honestly, even without a discount, I would come back, because this place is so legit. Hakubai reminds me of a Japanese restaurant that I ate at in Taiwan. All the servers are dressed in kimono and are extremely well-mannered. It doesn't matter who you are or what you're wearing, they will treat you with the same respect in every way. After being guided to our seats, we ordered - my sister ordered udon while I ordered the Chirashi. The meals came with an appetizer, on the house. The appetizers were very unique. My sister had a hard time eating it, as they were not for the faint of heart. They were vegetables - some unrecognizable green and some eggplant. The taste was very Japanese, but unlike anything I'd had before. The Chirashi was super fresh - you could tell the fish was fresh due to its lack of icy bite and the smooth texture. The quantity and variety of the sashimi was impressive. The fresh uni and scallop were my favorite. Dessert was simple but complex and elegant at the same time. My sister ordered what I wanted to order, which was a beautiful and more traditional Japanese dessert of red bean cream anmitsu. I went with the rooibos tea jelly, which was a delicate gelatin that tasted strongly of black tea. Service, quality of the food and display are 5 stars. Prices are a little steep but you definitely get what you pay for!

    Dinner menu
    Yulu H.

    As always love Hakubai so so much. Def one of my fav Japanese restaurants. This time went there for my bf's birthday. We went for the special Kaiseki and seasonal Kaiseki. Service was as always GREAT. Food came with great portion (I was sooooo full afterwards). Loved every single course. Best part was that they prepared cheesecake for the birthday and the waitress sang the bday song walking over. People sitting around also clapped hands. Such a great atmosphere. We both felt so grateful. They also prepared a little pretty cloth as gift to us. Wonderful bday dinner. Will def come back again and again and again. Though Kaiseki for me is too much food. Next time might get a la cart.

    Frida C.

    Overall the food is good. The waitress all wear traditional clothes and we felt like we are In Japan. We came here for lunch and got the Hakubai lunch course. Overall the food is good but it's a bit pricy for its portion. The sashimi was amazingly good and I regretted not getting the sashimi set instead.

    Kevin C.

    Came here for the Winter kaiseki. Even though its situated in a hotel. You do get a restaurant feel as they have the whole basement to themselves. The decor once you step in takes you to Japan. A section with tatami mats and tables and paper slide doors gives you a great ambiance. It's pricey for the kaiseki but to experience it was enjoyable. The wait staff service was great and they wore traditional kimonos. The food presentation was outstanding and took great care. Almost like artwork. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. I was quite a fan of the tofu and the oysters. The sushi fish was very fresh as well. For those special occassions it is rewarding.

    Elei Z.

    The place is relatively spacious - tables are large. Service is great. The food's pretty good, but definitely overpriced. For a $50 chirashi bowl, I was expecting a little more - and I don't mean quantity. The bowl is small, but the quality didn't live up. The fish is fresh, but could be much fresher, especially the ikura. I can get really picky about sashimi and the fish here just didn't justify that sort of pricing. The rice was good, delicately fat and round. Beef teriyaki was savory and sweet and had good depth, but the meat just wasn't tender enough and that's a big part of the dish. The green tea ice cream needed a lot more flavor. Loved that they have coffee jelly.

    Hakubai.

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    Great food, great wine/sake pairing/great services. Will visit the restaurant again next time in NYC.

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    Katsu-Hama

    Katsu-Hama

    4.0(1.8k reviews)
    0.5 miMidtown East
    $$

    I am a sucker for delicious Katsu and you'll struggle to find better than Katsu-Hama. Katsu-Hama…read morehas a quaint, Japanese vibe in a small but comfortable dining area. It's not especially big, so you may have a bit of a wait if you frequent right at lunch or in the evening but whatever amount of time you have to wait it will be well worth it. Service is top tier but you come for the food. They have a varied menu with a lot of options so if you're bringing a buddy that isn't up for Katsu, they'll have plenty to choose from. The Katsu is the star and I think what sets this place apart is that they offer Berkshire pork katsu as an option. Arguably some of the best pork, it's great to have the option if you're looking to heighten the experience. I love their pork katsu and go nuts over the chicken katsu curry. It's super crispy, slightly greasy but never off-putting. And it's served with the most delicate and delicious cabbage slaw. I could eat a mountain of this it's so good. Highly recommended.

    This place is a bit hard to spot, but it's on the same side of the street as the sorta famous (50…read moreyears +) Phil's Stationery. Katsu-Hama is about two doors to the Left of Phil's, and has minimal, very discreet signage. I got some tonkatsu...I forget the exact type, but it was essentially the most fatty of the tonkatsu offered. It came with cabbage (with a sesame ginger type dressing), daikon radish (with some type of sauce on top), and the standard sauce for the tonkatsu, along with some crushed sesame seed and hot mustard. I'd have to say...the tonkatsu was quite good....not quite as sublime as my favorite tonkatsu place in Tokyo...but still, very, very good. The dish also came with a bowl of miso soup (good, and not overly salty) and a bowl of white rice, which I considered the most disappointing part of the meal. The rice seemed a bit dried out...not moist.... All in all, an excellent meal. I'd definitely come back.

    Photos
    Katsu-Hama
    Katsu-Hama - Oyster and katsu

    Oyster and katsu

    Katsu-Hama - Agedashi Tofu

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    Agedashi Tofu

    Sozai

    Sozai

    4.3(156 reviews)
    0.4 miMidtown West

    Really good, Asian approved. The ramen is delicious, and the tuna is great. Nothing beats a warm…read morebowl of ramen in a cold rainy day in NYC

    Had reservations for 3 on a Tuesday afternoon, and were seated at a booth on the left hand side of…read morethe izakaya soon after we arrived. (There's regular tables on the right hand side and a bar in the back.) The food and drink menu is available through QR codes at the table. We selected 6 dishes and 3 desserts to share. The Ankimo came with three pieces of monkfish liver and scallions in a ponzu wasabi sauce. It was a nice start to the meal, with its creamy texture and rich flavor. The Age Tofu came with three cubes of fried tofu that had a slightly chewy exterior and a pillowy soft interior. The bonito flakes and dashi broth gave it a punch of flavor. It was my first time ever having Mentaiko Pasta, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was creamy and the spiciness of the cod roe sauce was subtle--it kind of creeps up on you after a few bites and gives the dish a little kick. I felt like the cod roe flavor shone through, and the bacon added another dimension to it. The Hotate Carpaccio came with 6 slices of Hokkaido scallops, ikura, and a mustard soy dressing. It was a delicate dish that I enjoyed, especially after the heavier Mentaiko. The Cold Soba Green Tea was my favorite dish. It was so refreshing. All the ingredients went very well together--the green tea noodles had a good bite, the salmon sashimi was very fresh, the ikura added a nice brininess when you pop them, and the dashi broth provided a nice backdrop to the dish. The sashimi in the Kaisen Don was fresh, and came with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, octopus, and ikura. The dessert menu is found at the end of the drinks menu. We got one of each dessert: the sweet potato balls with hojicha ice cream, cheesecake with yuzu sorbet, and black sesame ice cream with red beans. The sweet potato balls were SOOO GOOD--crispy exterior and chewy interior, with just the right touch of sweetness. The hojicha ice cream was so good. We regret not having ordered an extra set of the sweet potato balls. The cheesecake was a little dry, but had these little rice crispies on top that gave a nice textural change. The yuzu sorbet was a good palate cleanser. The black sesame ice cream was rich and creamy, and the red bean sauce added an extra layer of sweetness. Sozai is a great place to share a few dishes. I definitely want to come back to check out the lunch specials.

    Photos
    Sozai - Bar area

    Bar area

    Sozai - Sake Clam Miso

    Sake Clam Miso

    Sozai - Sake Clam Miso

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    Sake Clam Miso

    Okatte Tanto NY

    Okatte Tanto NY

    4.5(60 reviews)
    0.7 miMidtown East

    Called beforehand on a Friday night for two and seats were ready when we arrived at 8:30pm. Upon…read moreentering, it felt like I teleported to Japan. Many of the clientele are Japanese so we knew we were at an authentic place. We got: - Fried oysters: the batter was light and crispy and oysters piping hot - Vinegared Mackerel w/ Ponzu Sauce: fresh & tangy - Intestines Hotpot: comforting & light despite the fattiness of the intestines - Creamed Mentai Udon: they split it in 2 small bowls for us since we were sharing. Udon had a nice bouncy chew and sauce was not heavy We also got a bottle of sake, and they poured it in a beautiful sake decanter to keep it cold. First time seeing cold sake presented this way which was very cool. We tried Suntory draft beer since that was the only draft they had, which was odd since most Japanese places carry Asahi/Sapporo, definitely not as light as the other two beers I'm used to. Even though I was stuffed by the end, I didn't feel lethargic, everything felt light without compromising flavor. Service was attentive although our udon came at the very end, we thought they had forgot about it.

    There are a few restaurants in NYC that make you feel like you are stepping into a Japan portal,…read moreand Okatte Tanto is no doubt one of those. As you step into the restaurant, you immediately feel a sense of formality and strictness. It's also very quiet in the restaurant, and friendly to solo diners, adding on more to the Japan-esque feel. The food is high quality here, but the portions are small, and it is pricey. I would budget to spend around $100 a person here after tip and tax, if you ignore the prices on the menu and try a variety of things. The tuna from the bone is the most famous dish here, but I was not able to get it as they sell out very fast. But I tried the sashimi and it was high quality -- just that it was not enough food for me. But that makes it more in line with portions back in Japan. They have an extensive sake list and they also have the casual cocktail options like lemon drops you would find in Tokyo. The atmosphere really transports you straight into Japan if that is something you are looking for. Expect to pay a premium for small-ish portions, but at the same time very well-made and authentic food.

    Photos
    Okatte Tanto NY
    Okatte Tanto NY
    Okatte Tanto NY

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    hakubai - japanese - Updated May 2026

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