Cherry J.

Icca is best known for their Japanese cuisine, but I was introduced to their Italian Kappo Counter by a friend. Italian Kappo Counter (Non-Sushi Course) According to their site, Kappo is a refined, multi-course dining experience that bridges the gap between the formal Kaiseki and Izakaya styles. Originating from the Edo Era, Kappo is a high-class cuisine that grew in popularity during the Taishou and early Showa eras. Tasting course contains the following: Ippakusuisei "Premium" - Fan Lobster, Scallop, Caviar, Udo, Strawberry Haneya - Striped Beakfish, Ponzu Julep Tedorikawa Yamahai - Japanese Blackfin Seabass, White Asparagus Dassai Blue "Nama" - Fennel, Tomato, Julep, Snow Crab, Sea Urchin Jikon "Tokubetsu Junmai" - Cherry Trout, Bamboo Shoots Suirakuten Reserve Aged 20 Years - "Tokachi Herb Beef" Steak Icca Soup Iwa 5 - Bolognese Risotto with "Tokachi Herb Beef" Masuizumi "Kijoshu" - Chestnut, Monaka Roasted Green Tea The Ippakusuisei "Premium" was incredible--delicate seafood paired with strawberry sounds risky, but it all came together beautifully. The Tedorikawa Yamahai was a standout, topped with a generous amount of truffle that elevated the entire dish. Dassai Blue "Nama" leaned a bit more fish-forward, but the flavors were expertly balanced. The Suirakuten Reserve steak was exceptionally tender and full of depth. To end, the Masuizumi "Kijoshu" with roasted green tea provided a perfect balance of sweetness and earthiness--an elegant close to the meal. I cannot speak for the other menu offerings at Icca, but I do believe this establishment has mastered their craft and are able to combine it with creativity. I did not have one bad bite throughout the entire meal.

Kyle A.

Icca was an exceptional omakase experience with still the best single piece of nigiri I've had in NYC and best sake pairing. The restaurant is set with a regal-looking entrance and lobby, run by Chef Kazushige Suzuki. He was so charismatic and fun to talk to, learn about his courses and techniques. The staff, shout-out to Reiko, was incredibly knowledgeable about sake and offered very generous pours throughout the whole meal. Highlights to start was octopus, egg custard, hokkaido hairy crab & uni and abalone followed by the incredible liver abalone nigiri. It was basically a flavor bomb exploding and percolating my entire mouth and taste buds. The preparation process is fascinating and available on youtube - after the liver is fully cooked, it's made into a sauce and combined with rice to serve as nigiri. Unbelieveable richness and creaminess that truly makes you think what a privilege it is to eat. Other highlights in the omakase was hokkaido uni, otoro, sweet shrimp, scallop and tamago. The price is very steep but was ALMOST worth it for the liver sauce nigiri alone and sake pairing. The combination of the chef and staff's warm and charisma with the incredible and unique courses make Icca a place for very special experiences.

Holly C.

This is a review for their bar Italian Kappo menu. My husband and I decided to make a last minute reservation for our wedding anniversary and we were pleasantly surprised with our experience. Below are my review for each of the dishes offered: Snow Crab, caviar, Turnip, Yuzu zest - refreshing with a great balance of textures between the ingredients. The turnip puree helped neutralized the saltiness of the crab and caviar and the touch of yuzu zest brought out the sweetness of the crab. It was the perfect dish to start the meal. Hokkaido Salmon Tartare, Salmon Roe, Daikon Radish - the salmon tartare was sweet, moist, and tender and I love the added texture from the daikon radish and salmon roe. The radish sauce was used well to balance out the roe's saltiness. Sautéd Threadfin Bream, White Truffle, Celery Root Puree, Napa Cabbage - the fish was cooked to perfection with the meat moist and tender, the skin was crispy. Every ingredient complemented each other well without one ingredient overpowering another. Butternut Squash, Chilled Egg Custard, Tomato Jelly, Sea Urchin - I love how the chef makes traditional dishes with a twist using seasonal ingredients. The butternut squash egg custard was sweet and smooth and the sea urchin added some salty and umami flavor. However, I thought the tomato jelly was brilliantly used to balance out the creaminess so you won't feel the dish being too heavy. Assorted Mushrooms Risotto, Grouper - I normally don't like risotto given the fact it's normally too creamy and heavy to my liking. To my surprise, this risotto was very aromatic from the mushrooms and not heavy at all. The rice was perfectly cooked without it being too hard or too soft. The grouper was again cooked perfectly and I love how it was rolled to make it thicker giving it more texture. "Tokachi Herb Beef" Steak, Pear Compote - the beef is raised from their farm in Japan. I love how the beef is not as fatty as Wagu yet still has a moist and tender texture. It was also well seasoned, nutty and flavorful. The pear compote has a refreshing flower taste which I never knew would pair so well with beef. This was one of my favorite dish. Bolognese Pasta with "Tokachi Herb Beef" - this is not made with your traditional pasta. The noodles had an unusual crisp texture. There's Napa cabbage to add another level of crunch. The meat sauce was hearty and flavorful. Sweet Corn Creme Brulee - I normally don't have much expectations with desserts since most desserts from omakases are very simple and minimal. However, I was surprised to be presented with the sweet corn crème brûlée which was creamy, smooth with a pungent corn flavor. I also love how the caramelized sugar isn't too thick hence making the dessert less sweet. This was also paired with green to help neutralize the sweetness. Overall, I loved the progression of this menu. I was a little worried the menu being too substantial when I saw the bolognese pasta as one of the course but the chef used fresh seasonal ingredients to create dishes that was well balanced in flavors so you won't feel too heavy or overwhelmed. Every single dish was on point, well thought out and executed. Our server was friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable of every course down to the ingredients and the methods of cooking. The bar area was inviting and comfortable. This was a scrumptious meal and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We are looking forward to returning in the future when they change to their menu.

Michael C.

Overall a good omakase. Incredibly friendly and prompt staff made the experience enjoyable. Definitely not many standouts, but everything was high quality and hit the spot. The cold pasta dish with Uni and crab was probably my favorite bite. Good omakase for a fair price - try it out!

Janice L.

Visited Icca on my fall NYC trip for their Seasonal Edo-mae Style Omakase. The fish was incredibly fresh, and the sushi chefs made the experience fun and engaging. I was especially wowed by the hairy crab with Hokkaido uni pasta -- definitely unforgettable. Drinks like the iced matcha and spiked milk tea latte were great too. Service was top-tier. Definitely a splurge

Michael Y.

Kinda funny, so Sushi Ginza Onodera has always been my favorite sushi place, which was sad since the NYC location closed (I know when I was at Icca I told chef Kazu I go somewhere else now...gonna try to keep that place as secret as possible). And when I came here, everything reminded me of Ginza -- the thick fish cuts, the harder and savory and heavier seasoned rice...and of course, turns out Chef Kazu spent 10 years there! So I came here for my anniversary dinner. Came in with high expectations, and left very satisfied. There is a LOT of food served here, so I would highly suggest fasting for a day if you want to fully enjoy everything. I also opted for the sake tasting, which was very impressive not only for the variety of sake -- you get to try from at least 3 different regions (Miyagi, Niigata, Yamaguchi) -- but also Kimoto style, sparkling, and even an Iwa 5 if you're lucky. The other part that I was so amazed at was the use of different glassware for every single sake drink. With 10 sake sips, that is a lot of glassware! And each one was so beautiful. I believe they use Kimura glass for some, but not sure about everything. So onto the food. Some pieces I've never had at other places in NYC -- sea snail (chewy, bite. Onion garlic yuzu was a beautiful taste). Abalone liver sauce nigiri was very cool, the flavor lasts a long time, and you get a sneak peek at the longer grain, harder and savory sushi rice that is to come. The beltfish tempura was really cool, it's like a cloud of meat in the tempura shell, and was very pleasant. I wonder if the beltfish is naturally that soft or they did some aging. Some twists on classics like the golden eye snapper sashimi with mustard instead of wasabi was really cool. I've seen it done with shirako, but mustard was very cool. As you can tell, the flavors here are big! Nigiri procession -- thick cuts, savory rice -- lots of rice. Big bites that will take you 10-20 seconds to chew through, and you can't help but thumbs up when Chef Kazu comes by to you while your mouth is full of goodness. I really think the harder rice helps you taste more of the flavor. Some favorite pieces -- the cherry trout was amazing, I think Chef Kazu mentioned he ages it in some sort of leaf to get it smokier. The black throat sea perch (nodoguro) was so juicy that it literally explodes in the handroll when you eat it. I kind of wish it was a sushi though, as that's how I prefer it. But still a cool variation. The sweet shrimp was an amalgamation of thick coating texture and flavor. Just amazing. As people have mentioned, yes it is pricey. But I do think it is worth it. You will definitely leave full, the service does so much (switching plates, glassware, little wipe for your finger during nigiri), and it is just such a friendly and enjoyable place. Icca firmly sits in the best of best for sushi.

Jin K.

It's expensive. Let's get that out of the way. Since when did $500 omakase become the norm in this town? But is it worth it? I'd say yes. Quality of the ingredients were top notch as to be expected. I liked the special touch of serving beef grown on the owner's own farm. Other special item included tuna flown in from Japan (as it should be), hairy crab, and salmon preserved in shiso leaves. This is a fairly traditional edo sushi but with a little bit of creativity mixed in so it's not boring. The highlight was the nigiri sushi made with abalone liver. Something I've never had anywhere. It surprised me in the most fantastic way. Staff was very attentive and chef was friendly. Dining room was small but very well decorated and didn't distract from the wonderful sushi. If you're loaded come here weekly to satisfy your sushi craving. Even if you're not it's definitely worth a splurge for those special occasions and this place deserves to be in the discussion of best omakase restaurants in NYC.

What a great place to have a birthday. Told them it was my bday and they asked how old? I started singing when I'm 64 and the guy says I like the Beatles. Then I sat at the Sushi Bar and had a fantastic meal the description will be on the menu . When they brought out candle the guy started playing when I'm 64 on speakers very touching. Kazu and staff are fantastic and treat you great . Totally worth my time

Patrick W.

TLDR: Bonkers. One of the best birthday meals I was fortunate enough to have. Obviously - not cheap but if you want to splurge, this is a proper place to drop some coin. What sets Icca apart is some of these pieces, you really won't get anywhere else. As the short version explained, this was a birthday meal I was lucky to be able to enjoy. It's in the back of the restaurant and what followed was arguably one of the best meals I've had - period. Chef was wonderful to watch as he worked and prepared each course. What an interesting opener, a cut roll of trout rolled with chives and shiso leaf. Fatty, refreshing, herby. We're off to go a good start. Sashimi with salt and wasabi for contrasting flavors. A bunch of sushi rice mixed with abalone liver. Whoa - so rich and flavorful. I could eat a hand roll of just this. The abalone itself was delightfully soft and so full of umami. Japanese hairy crab or kegani. This was topped over herb pasta and served cold for a wonderful Japanese/Italian combination. Icca's owners also have access to this Olive beef from Japan which is just ridiculously tasty. Think wagyu but more beef forward. A grilled scallop sandwiched between crispy nori - the meal just keeps getting better and better. The nigiri hasn't even started yet! Most memorable dish, smoked firefly squid with leek sauce. I have not found this again since and yet - I can still taste the flavors like yesterday. Sweet, smoky, charred leeks, so friggin' good. All of the nigiri was wonderful but the aji (horse mackerel) was especially good. The squid ink risotto mixed with uni. The hand roll was especially signature. Nodoguro temaki! WTF - it's that super lux nigiri piece but let's make a handroll with it. It's like making a Salisbury Steak with Wagyu. So smoky, fatty, luscious and wrapped in this perfectly crisp seaweed shell. If you're going to take a dive into the $300+ realm, I'd highly recommend giving Icca a try.

Brian L.

It doesn't get any more authentic than Icca. Really transports me to an omakase experience in Tokyo where it's not just nigiri but carefully crafted dishes with some of the finest ingredients. However, it's not for everyone. Some dishes did give you that ocean, fishy taste. Some might be turned off from the abalone liver nigiri but for those that appreciate the fresh ingredients and the art, they will love Icca. For ~24 pieces at $400, it may seem pretty hefty but that's the average these days for enjoying craft by these master sushi chefs. Personally, I didn't find anything that exactly wowed me. I liked it. Didn't love it. Hard to justify $1000+ for two.

Jennifer T.

Chef Kazushige Suzuki is a master at his craft. My bf and I greatly enjoyed our time at Icca. I liked that they didn't give you a menu, so you're anticipating what magic will come next. Chef Suzuki did an amazing job highlighting the star of each dish (i.e., the fish, shrimp, scallops, etc). He was also just a great mix of professional but funny, so the meal didn't feel pretentious/stuffy. The value you get for what you pay is insane!!! It will rank high on memorable NYC meals for me. I salivate thinking about the sweet shrimp, mackerel roll, uni galore and basically all the nigiri.

J X.

I was about to cancel my reservation the day of because I was hungover from drinking too much last night. Glad I didn't because this was the best omakase I had so far in the US and made me forget I was hungover. Chef Kazu's showmanship, the attention to details, the staff, and the food was a 10/10. The highlights: -Abalone liver sauce nigiri (super buttery with rich umami flavors) -Sake steamed abalone -Fattiest otoro I ever had from miyagi shiogama -Gizzard shad -Homemade ginger ale (trust me on this) -Japanese pear with yuzu(?) sauce even the box they bring the receipt in was detailed and I'm a sucker for small detailed things like that. chef also gave a little gift of Japanese salt once the meal ended. 10/10. Worth the hefty price tag for dinner.

My family and I had the Omakase at the Sushi bar and enjoyed every single dish. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive and we enjoyed speaking with the chef. The bar had a very calm environment and we definitely want to go back to try the Italian Kappo course based on how delicious the food was.