I had been seeking a seat at this counter for about a year now, and got lucky with a same day Boxing Day booking due to an impending snowstorm. We arrived a little early and had a superb old fashioned cocktail at their bar (there are two public spaces, the cocktail / whiskey bar and the sushi counter). We then were soon ushered into the room with the sushi counter, there were a total of 4 of us dining. The first courses were appetizers and all were incredible and unique. We were told that the menu changes based on what Chef Nakajima can source from various fish markets. After the four appetizers, we got served piece after succulent piece of amazing nigiri sushi. The chef himself is friendly and animated, making the experience even more unique and special. This was by far the best omakase meal we've had in the US. Looking forward to a return visit at some point in 2026. read more

Nakaji ranks among my most consistent delicious, fun yet serious omakase experiences in NYC. Located in a uniquely aesthetic alleyway in Chinatown with other great restaurants from same hospitality group - Kono and Yamada. Chef Nakajima is so charismatic, made me feel like a regular during my first visit there and so fun to talk to, makes an effort to engage with each guest. Shoutout to Frankie and Leila as well who are so attentive, knowledgeable/helpful about sake choices and personable as well. Vibes were great each time chatting with other guests making a fun atmosphere overall, but can still get a quieter, more intimate experience if desired from your seating. The omakase itself is delicious with interesting additions, rice excellently seasoned and cooked. Among the best uni I've had in NYC. He serves your typical omakase courses like toro and then unique additions. Cannot recommend Nakaji enough! read more

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A hidden (very hidden) gem across from Joe's Shanghai. The host came out with the phone from the restaurant as I called for directions. Will definitely come back. Stopped in on a Wednesday night for dinner and we got sat in the smaller room on an island. They were out of several items on the food menu, but we loved what we ordered. Food 5/5 1. Oden Such a close tie with the pork sausage but Oden takes the top spot for the hearty mix of flavors and the very large assortment pieces of stew. Soft and not chewy. Light bodied. 2. Pork sausage Imagine the best hot dog you have had in New York, but better and plumper 3. Chirashi Uní and squid take the top prize in the bowl. All the chewiness is made up in this bowl. What makes it win: consistency of each type of fish 4. Kaisen curry Perhaps a little too much sauce to rice ratio but definitely a solid curry Mocktails 5/5 1. Green tea concoction with bitter tones 2. Pineapple tart/sweet situation Service 5/5 Our host to bartender/server were all friendly. Our host was the proactive one and we loved her foresight--same one who came out to get us in the alley while still answering my phone call Ambiance 5/5 We were sat in a private room that only has 1 table plus a bar that sits 6 people so it was great for a conversation without having to shout Cleanliness 5/5 Being sat in front of the Japanese whiskey collection cabinet was nice and dust free Price 3/5 An extremely small bowl of Chirashi for $45 was the only thing that was priced too high out of the inordinate. We got more and tastier food out of the Oden soup. read more

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Delicious omakase with so many types of seasonal fish, ambiance was one of a kind (especially the cocktail bar with an insane collection of Japanese whiskey), and service was impeccable. Highly recommend for a special occasion! Chef was so polite and knowledgeable. read more

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Amazing. Even before entering the restaurant, I was overwhelmed by the wonderful appearance. I already felt the good customer service at the waiting sake bar I was guided to at the beginning. Then we moved to the main sushi bar and started the course meal. All service staff had great sake knowledge. Friendly and professional. I enjoyed so many kinds of premium sakes. Chef Nakajima san served incredible meals. I will never forget the 9 courses of scorpion fish. Fresh and nice texture of 7 parts of sashimi scorpion fish were my first experience and the soup was made with grilled scorpion fish bones. It's amazing too. Nakajima san is a great entertainer too! He made a noise by his wood sandal that is called "GETA" in Japanese. Sounds like old sushi restaurant in Tokyo. I will be back to NYC for dining here pretty soon! Food 10+/10 Service 10+/10 Atmosphere 10+/10 read more

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Truly a world class experience eating at Nakaji. The service is to tier. If you are looking for a nice whisky or sake drink the assistants here are very knowledgeable and can help you get exact drink you want. The fish and the ingredients here are nothing but the best. Some of the best sushi omakase you will ever try not just in NYC but in the country. read more

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!!!!!!!!This one of the most Racist Japanese place I been to. Spent 500$ a person to eat here just be discriminated. The chef slams the tables and told us to get off my phone. There was other party that was there that offer us drinks when we was about to be finished and employee told the guest not to give us any and told the guest to just leave. I don't know if they treated us like that because we was Chinese. I don't think anyone should be supporting an establishment with the worst costumer services. !!! read more

Nakaji is a strange omakase experience. While Chef Nakajima tries to be playful throughout the evening, there are moments where you wish he would be a bit more serious. Instead, I felt like I was at the circus the entire time, and especially with the weird shenanigans the crowd was pulling off, it was just a very weird experience (more on that later). So for the starters, it was probably the most mid set of appetizers I've ever had. The clam soup was strong flavored, and not very savory or soothing. It was just clumpy and didn't have much flavor. The Uni seaweed salad felt like a waste of uni. It was an assortment of very water vegetables, which watered down the uni, and was way too cold for my liking. The bonito sashimi was just ok, and had way too many onions on them. The fish tasted like raw meat more than fish, and I felt that more prep could have improved the texture and flavor. The squid tasted like something I'd get at a mall, especially the sauce which was strikingly sweet and very crude. The grilled fish was way overcooked, and the only interesting part of the dish was the exotic red fruit. But the fish itself was flavorless and overcooked. Ok so the apps sucked. The omakase must be good, right? Yes it was good. Was it mind blowing? I would say no. The quantity is not very much either, i think you get around 8 pieces, but ok, the cuts are pretty thick, and the flavor is strong -- which btw I think is a pretty salient characteristic of all the food here. It's ok to have strong flavors, but up until now, I felt that the flavors were all very strange and nothing really tasted that good. The nigiri procession was all good, but just not enough. Wish there was more focus on this part rather than the very underwhelming set of appetizers. Finally the closing grilled fish was ok, and the Tamago was good. The mochi dessert was also very good and apparently a recipe from Chef Nakajima's grandma. As promised, the shenanigans. So the crowd I was in, included "regulars" who got Chef to write them a poem and draw a picture at the beginning of dinner (delaying dinner by around 20 min), people constantly buying him champagne (and these are heavy pours), someone gifting him expensive liquors, and people who ended up buying a whole tray of tamago. It's ok to do these things, but it just felt so obtrusive to the whole experience. It just felt like a weird flex competition, and I didn't want to be any part of it. I also know it's fine for the chef to drink some alcohol during service, and I do offer sometimes as well, but I disliked how much Chef (probably felt pressured) to drink so much, and it seemed like enough to the point where it would impact his cooking. Nakaji is a different sushi establishment, but it is not well-polished, still under experiment, and varies highly on your crowd you dine with. There is no enough Nigiri, and the appetizers were extremely underwhelming. read more

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I don't know what to start. I'm Japanese and tried many Japanese athletic Edomae sushi in Japan and Us. Nakaji is the best Edomae sushi restaurant in my experience for now. Chef Nakajima san is 3rd generation of Edomae sushi chef. He knows all about fish, sushi history. Also he is such an entertainer! You must try this place when you are NYC. But the worst things is you can't go anywhere else after this Edomae experience!! read more

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One of my favorite omakases in NYC (as it should be for the price)! I especially enjoyed the seasonal special purple uni they served that evening with the higher priced menu. It was so sweet and clean tasting! The appetizers here are also super creative, although not necessarily totally to my taste. There were a lot of grilled pieces which I'm not sure if that's what I prefer; but the main courses were amazing. I also really appreciated the chef handwriting menus for everyone and taking pictures with us after the meal! read more

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Always a great time here. My friends and I left after a few hours but then came back again because it was so great. We got to try a lot of new drinks. They also had a special gyudon that night at the whiskey bar which was delicious! Hope to return soon! read more

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This was honestly one of the worst omakase experiences I've had. During our seating, there was a group of guests who were extremely loud -- talking and laughing so loudly that it was impossible to focus on the food. I politely mentioned it to the staff, and instead of handling the situation, one of them told me that "this is part of the omakase rules." I actually understand that conversation is normal in an omakase setting -- but not at this level of noise. It was completely disruptive and ruined the whole atmosphere. The staff either did nothing or did very little, and the loud guests just kept going. It got so unbearable that we ended up leaving before finishing the meal. For a place that markets itself as a refined omakase experience, this level of management is unacceptable. If you can't maintain even a basic sense of respect and ambience, no amount of "fine dining" branding can make up for it. read more

Overall a very nice experience. I do see the difference between Nakaji vs other sushi restaurants. But I disagree with what people see Nakaji is not good or the way it deals with fish is bad. From my perspective, nakaji dish is good if you don't like to drink too much of water afterward. But just noted, that nakaji has a regular menu and a pricey menu. If you got the money, go ahead to order the pricy one. read more

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Just as amazing as we had hoped. Our apps were a soba dish, sashimi, a snail, and shirako (cod sperm sac, which I liked more than my wife...), and I thought all of them were fantastic. That was followed with ten pieces of nigiri, an eel hand roll, tamago, and a strawberry dessert. The nigiri was among the best I've had, and definitely not your typical lineup -- the pieces here were more unique than I think you'd get in a typical NYC omakase. It also felt like the fish were made with more varied and unique textures than we've had in other places. We also did the uni tasting as three of our pieces, and all three were pretty amazing -- it's an expensive upgrade, but when in Rome... Obviously an extremely expensive meal, but incredible food, incredible service, and really an amazing overall experience. read more

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I've been a regular at the bar at nakaji for almost a year now and it's truly a hidden gem in the city. The bar food is tasty and the drinks are excellent. What really makes the bar are the bartenders who add great energy to the bar (I'm looking at you john) Recently I've had the opportunity to also try to omakase and it does not disappoint. Really enjoy chef's attention to detail with his seafood preparations. read more

Nakaji - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Finally got a reservation at Nakaji! Both the service and the food was awesome. At the entrance, the receptionist helped us check our bags and led us to the bathroom to wash hands first, which was very thoughtful. Walking past the whiskey bar was the Omakase sushi bar which was bright and spacious, the room was really cold though - if you're going in the summer, wear a mid-sleeve & pants and/or bring a cardigan. For the Omakase menu, there are two options: $295 with one uni, and $385 with two uni and a grilled lobster. We got the first one because I am not a big fan of uni, but the lobster smelled so good and I wanted to try badly. I also ordered the yuzu shiso mocktail which was tasty. I really loved the food here, the fishes are super fresh and you can taste the natural sweetness in the fish. There's not a lot of seasoning on the fish, instead of pre-seasoning the fish, the chef brushes a stroke of sauce on top of the fish, which helps preserve the original flavor of the fish. The entire meal is on the less salty side, at first I thought that the courses are a bit under seasoned, but eventually I came to really appreciate the lightness in flavor because I can enjoy the original flavor of the fish more and I didn't have to drink a ton of water like I usually did at other sushi restaurants. The amount of rice of each course is also slightly less than elsewhere which i also liked, so that I wouldn't get too stuffed after the whole meal. At the same time the slices of fish were very generous and satisfying! My favorite courses were the ikura bowl, freshwater eel bowl, and Hokkaido uni. The ikura is very fresh and sweet and not too salty at all. The eel was very soft and super delicious accompanied by the vinegar and peppercorn. The uni was also very fresh - I usually don't like uni because it has a weird taste that can easily upset my stomach (probably because of not fresh), but I loved the uni here - it's my top two uni sushi in NYC! Overall, the experience was awesome and the food was very delicious. Highly recommended! read more

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It began beautifully at the bar, which offered an exceptional selection of Japanese whiskies. We then moved to the sushi counter, where we were treated to a stunning, wonderfully unpretentious omakase meal rooted in sushi purism. Chef Nakajima was incredibly warm and welcoming, and one of the other guests turned out to be a regular, making the evening feel more like a lively dinner party--with outstanding food, drinks, and conversation. Everyone working there was incredibly warm and friendly as well. With several July birthdays in the group, I was even gifted two large containers of homemade plum wine to take home. It was an unforgettable, joyful evening that made us feel completely at home. How wonderful to have a place like this in the city. Thank you. read more

It feels more in line with my taste and is what an ideal high-end sushi restaurant should look like read more

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In the middle of the down and dirty Chinatown where you hear hawking salespeople every three feet and walk into rubbish every three inches, there's an oasis where only a few are able to get away from it all. Enter through the unassuming door in the dank tunnel and you will be whisked away to a handsome bar where you can enjoy some of the finest whiskeys and cocktails known to any body. I never really liked Old Fashions because they're usually overbearing in flavors but this place, this bartender, this fine glass of OF is absolutely divine. Food wise, we ordered whatever we could at the bar, including the uni tasting menu. We both loved everything. From the sea cucumber to the pumpkin to the tuna, all was scrumptious. Who knew you can get gorgeous uni from Russia?? My mind was blown for sure. Just when we thought we couldn't get any more delicious food, the staff informed us we can get sushi and sashimi of the day from the kitchen. We couldn't pass it up, naturally. We devoured it all but savored every bite. I cannot wait to return to try the omakase, which I can only imagine to be divine. read more

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This place is super traditional which is right up my alley. The chef wore wooden slippers as he walked around which was super cute. This place was pretty hard to book and make a reservation, but one opened up last minute thanks to Amex's global dining access on resy and I'm glad I switched my omakase to Nakaji that night. Before we entered the dining room, there is a bar area that was super pretty. It was finals week for me so I didn't drink but I've heard good things about it. The fish was super fresh - quality was amazing and the appetizers were so good as well. The scallop with bayberry was amazing! So hard to find a place with tasty bayberries in the states. Each piece was amazing, no complaints! The dessert at the end was the cherry on top! Enjoyed the combination of black sugar and vanilla ice cream. Probably would have liked to see a few more pieces of nigiri but also given that the experience went by a bit slow, I didn't mind. The chef also gave each of us a yuzu fruit at the end to take home which was a super nice gesture. We also all got a Nakaji yuzu cookie which was nice to top it all off! Huge blocks of ginger - personally, I like smaller, sliced pieces in between my courses, but for those who love ginger it's great. I just nibbled a bit each time. However, the only downside to this place was the speed. I ended up spending almost 3 hours here for dinner and was quite tired by the end. There were only 8 diners so I expected it to wrap up within 2.5 hours max. read more

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Probably , this is the most authentic & amazing sushi place in New York City. And one of the most expensive one as well. read more

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Came here during my last visit to NYC, and without a doubt, it was one of the best omakase experiences that I've had. The fish is extremely fresh, and the dining room provides an intimate dining experience for anyone that may be looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion. Chef Nakajima and his staff are also very interactive with guests, which only added to the overall dining experience. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who's looking for a good omakase place in the city! read more

The entrance to Nakaji is located in Chinatown's Canal Arcade, an easily-overlooked alleyway next to Joe's Shanghai that links Bowery and Elizabeth Streets, which has been outfitted with new walls and ceilings, made from blackened cedar wood. The only indication that there's a restaurant located in the passageway is a single illuminated lantern, barely visible from the sidewalk on Bowery. In order to enter the restaurant and bar, visitors must first ring a doorbell. Inside, the only reminder that diners are in Chinatown -- and not Tokyo -- is a small, horizontal window that runs the length of the restaurant's walls. How AMAZING is that? It set the high bar for the rest of the night and the experience delivers. Best fish ever, the freshness, the illusion that we are in Tokyo or Kyoto is priceless. read more

I have nothing but positive things to say about Nakaji! It is honestly one of my favorite omakase in NYC. Service- my boyfriend and I came here to celebrate our anniversary and the staff made the whole experience so comfortable. Our water glass was never empty, staff was super attentive and made sure our dining mat was spotless. Food- absolutely amazing! The ingredients are so fresh and I loved the uni! Please do not skip out on the Uni add on, for an extra $75 it is so worth it. You get to experience 3 different types of Uni of the day that is flown from Japan! We tried Hokkaido, Russian red and Russian white. Surprisingly I prefer the Russian white Uni, it is much sweeter and lighter than Hokkaido. But of course, my boyfriend loved the Hokkaido Uni because it is super rich. The fishes Chef Nakajima offers here is super fresh and he marinate some in soy sauce, so good! Overall, I will definitely be back! We loved the experience and it was a truly special dinner to celebrate a special day. read more

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2nd visit. One before the pandemic, couple of take outs during, and a recent visit. After the last visit, left very impressed. At another level from the first visit....so much so that I would put Nakaji in my top 2-3 sushi omakase in NYC. This is a gem that I want to dine at least once a month. Executive Chef Kunihide Nakajima, former Executive chef of Michelin star Sushi Inoue, is a 3rd generation sushi chef who takes great pride in his work. It was in his blood to carry on the tradition and become a sushi chef. You can tell by talking to him how passionate he is about his work and how he's very particular about where he gets his products, which specific regions of Japan they come from, etc. If you dine here, you have to do the Uni tasting, which consisted of generous amounts of uni from Russia and Hokkaido (bafun & the highly prized hadate murasaki uni), and the upgrade cost was very modest, imo. Service - excellent Highest recommendation : 10 calendars Note: There is a bar with a separate bar menu. Hope to try it later. read more

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Had some expectations before coming here but ended up disappointed. The fishes were ice cold so that lots of flavors were missing. The guy sitting next to us got sick in the middle of the course. We didn't have many special fishes that day either. Maybe just bad luck? The chef was not very communicative. He didn't seem to care about introducing the pieces. Also he made some unnecessary noises during cooking like closing the lid very hard or dropping something on the countertop. Maybe that was a style but to us it was not very pleasing to the eyes and ears. Overall nothing very impressive. Will not come back. read more

Nakaji - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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The place is definitely overhyped. The ambiance is great. It's not bad but definitely not the best sushiya in NY. I get why many people think the chef is rude. He's not the most friendly and engaging but he doesn't come off rude. He is there to make sushi not tell jokes after all. Having said that though the sushi is just OK. I liked most of the pieces and there were some interesting ones. I guess because of the hard to get reservation and the reputation this place has I expected more. read more

So so thankful I was able to come here for my husband's birthday before indoor dining was shutdown again! We had an incredible omakase. One of my favorite parts about this meal is that the fish is not your everyday high quality tuna/salmon mackerel-chef sources and prepares truly unique fish in authentic dishes. It was my first time having kinki! We also really appreciated the opportunity to order additional pieces once the set omakase had ended. Also a great wine list! We went with a sparkling rose natural (sparkling wine with no dosage!) and it was a great match for the subtle flavors of the meal but they also have tons of sake options and some standards japanese lagers. The staff was very attentive and was there whenever we needed them without taking away from the joy of watching chef perform his craft. Very thoughtful and watchful over things like empty glasses and dirty dishes, but never annoying or hovering. Can't wait for this place to reopen! I'll be first in line read more

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I was really looking forward to this touted establishment for its tradtional edomae style and authenticity. In the last 10+ years, a very crowded upper-echelon omakase menu has develeoped in NYC, so I couldn't pass this one up. I had mixed feelings about my expereicne, so it took some time to drum up this review. PRO & CON: The chef flavored the nigiri rice and the temperature was perfect. Rice were packed but could still maintain its individual kernel, so that is an impressive skill. The fish was excellent, but interestingly enough, not unique enough to warrant a $300 omakase. Marinated whelk, baby yellowtail belly, soy cod? This is not premium, difficult-to-source food. The uni flight was an extra $50 for 2 pieces of uni. On the other hand, the extra paid for the crab dish was definitely worth the moolah. Hairy crab is generally hard to get by air, and it was de-constructed and prepared very well. We liked the way the fish was cut only immediately prior to serving, which is how they do it in traditional Japanese sushi joints. This definitely added to the duration of the dinner, but that's the price of tradition. HOWEVER, what detracted the most from the experience was the chef himself. He did not communicate at all except to state the fish in Japanese; his staff would introduce the food. He looked pissed-off or stoic at best, and the 2 late-comers who sat in the middle really triggered him. He made it a point to serve them last; in fact, slammed their nigiri down at one point. Near the last 3 pieces, he told the patron to get off her phone, in clear English, so the fact that he refused to talk to any of us throughout the meal was in retrospect, sort of crappy. My husband said the only time he smiled in the THREE HOURS was when he served the last piece (TAMAGO!!!!, or egg, if you can believe it) and clomped off in his wooden shoes. It was really sort of upsetting to see how he treated the 2 late-comers. For G's sake, it's not like he's curing cancer with his meal. For dinner that came out to 1000+ for 2, I cannot come back! What if I'm late? read more

The Whiskey Room is exceptional great list and bartender. Emily is lovely. The Chef stopped by to say hello. And the food is transporting. Recommend the chirashi and the clams big time. read more

TLDR: Authentic omakase experience from Chef Nakajima, formerly of Sushi Inoue. Pricier side for an omakase. Good for a special occasion. No truffle on your nigiri here, just a progression of edomae sushi. Probably not your style if you're looking for shaved bottarga and foie gras medallions on top of A5 wagyu beef. This was one of the last meals we had before the shut down. Tucked away in the tunnel running between Elizabeth Street and Bowery, lies Nakaji. If you used to hang out in Chinatown, they're in the space that Yummy Noodle used to be in. Behind the wooden door, you'll feel like you were transported somewhere else. We had the late reservation so we stopped by the cocktail bar. I felt like I was whisked away to Tokyo. The minimalist design, the soft piano jazz, it was undeniably a Japanese bar. It appears you can also order a la carte here as well if you're not in the mood for a full tasting. I ordered the Bowery Smoke, they use this device to basically place a bubble of smoke in the drink - cool to watch. She ordered the Marimo which I remember being pretty tasty. Finally we were seated. I can't express how much I love the design here, it's so clean and simple. We wanted to get one of each omakase because she usually gets full but they requested that we order the same menu. Slightly inconvenient but nevertheless we followed their request. Chef first began with some small appetizers. Abalone which looked like it was simmered in some sort of braising liquid. Wonderfully chewy, simple, that luxurious texture you get from abalone. Next came firefly squid with this miso sauce topped with sesame seeds. March is the season for this squid so, yeah that was pretty awesome. Sashimi arrived with some type of amberjack fish (I forgot which) topped with perilla flowers, thinly sliced onions and freshly grated wasabi on the side. The last appetizer was this lightly battered fried fish. Holy shiznit, this might have been one of the best pieces of fried fish I've ever had. It was encased in this delicate batter and as your teeth cracked into it, hot moist fish would just flake apart. Nothing more than a touch of salt you could taste, because nothing more was needed. It was enjoyable as the corner of a mac & cheese pan or the crispy skin on a good roast chicken. Just give me more of that, now. I really like the way chef slices the ginger pieces into thick rounds. I'm not a fan of the crumbled thin-slices personally. It just gets tangled up when you want a piece. The sushi began. Shamefully, I do not remember what the first few pieces were. I think the first was a striped jack, the second I believe was fluke, the third was horse mackerel. All were excellent. Next was a piece of fresh mackerel and to be honest, neither one of us is really a fan of mackerel. Chef insisted that we try and if we didn't like it he would comp us another piece. It was phenomenal, what he explained was that the aggressively fishy taste you usually find is when the mackerel is not fresh enough. This tasted way different than what I'm accustomed to. Next, squid which he artfully scored in a hash pattern so that the chef's soy sauce would be tucked away in every space to deliver a fantastic bite. Just enough chew to it with plenty of flavor as you smiled while eating it. Sweet succulent snow crab was next. The next two white fishes were great. Goldeneye snapper was next, I've become a fan of it being slightly seared but it's just as enjoyable without that. You really get to taste the flavors of the fish because seared fish tends to take on a pretty similar flavor across the spectrum. That being said, seared fish is so friggin' delicious. Japanese uni was next, just creamy, nutty, lushness. There was not much tuna served in this meal but the one piece we got was a fabulous slice of medium fatty tuna. Marbled, tender and a proper final piece right before the eel. Of course, as tradition has it - the sea eel was the last piece. A drizzle of sauce, the taste of sake as you chew through it.. so good. Dessert was simple, A piece of mochi dusted in green tea, a couple slices of imported strawberries (so sweet that it tastes like juice) on a plate. Our time was the last seating for the evening so we even got some extra slices of chef. A few swigs of wine and sake probably helped too. Excluding the beverages, the omakase at that time was $195 pp. I believe it is now $225 pp. So if you're going for the larger omakase, with tax and a 20% tip on subtotal; you're looking at $580 for two people without alcohol. So, this is not a cheap restaurant. If you're a fan of purist sushi, looking to celebrate a special occasion, Nakaji is a good choice. Unless you just got it like that, ball out. I personally usually like to be within the $200 pp (all in) range but I do love trying all the omakase I can. Bottom line, Nakaji can stand on it's own against all the edomae sushi bars in the city. As I said, no wagyu or truffles here. read more

During times of COVID you really learn to appreciate good food even more and the efforts chefs go through to bring you the best experience you can get with takeout. Got a chirashi and the sushi omakase and brought it all the way home to Brooklyn which is about a 1hr drive. Even after such a long drive, the sushi and sashimi were still super fresh! There was a lot of care put into the packaging to ensure the fish did not dry out. They used bamboo leaves to maintain the moisture and taped everything very neatly. The ginger which is often overlooked was definitely homemade and was delicious!!!! All the pieces of fish were very fresh and tasty but the eel, toro and the mackerel really stood out! Highly recommend this place and takeout does not mean the quality is subpar. Take a look at the pics and see for yourself! read more

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I rarely give 5 stars to places, Nakaji deserves all of it. Looking for an omakase spot to celebrate my fiancee's birthday has been so difficult this year, partly because omakase places have gone up (even the mediocre ones). Nakaji is exactly what it is: a fancy, incredible experience with keen attention to detail. I read a lot of reviews of people being upset because of the price, the fish being cold, the unit costing extra, the ginger being cut too thick, the chef not talking, bla bla bla. Everyone is going to have something to say, but you are exactly getting what you are paying for and more. The attention to detail, the ambience, the food, the drinks, everything is worth every single dime. The chef's mood will depend on the crowd, so do not be alarmed if he doesn't interact with you, and that's okay. If you love Noz, Satsuki(bye bye), Ushiwakamaru then go ahead and try this place out. And also, do not be late. read more

Ordered Omakase togo try for the first time during COVID. Everything was super pleasant. Can you please take a look at the ginger?! The fine details just tell you about the experience. From order to pick up, everything was packaged nicely even through transport. The selection of fish provided was the best I've ever had. I highly recommend to try their Omakase to go as it is the perfect price point to try sushi at an expensive restaurant. I'm drooling just thinking about it while writing this post! read more

Nakaji - Chirashi left, Omakase right. - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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The raw material is one of the best for what you can get outside of Japan. However, the food portion is pretty off that you would be pretty full by the time you have the e first nigiri, and the nigiris are definitely on the worse side of the sushi ya that we've tried in nyc. Overall, the chef was fun and entertaining, but if you're looking for authentic sushiya experience at a similar price point, go somewhere else, like noz or uchu like others have mentioned. read more

It's a small restaurant with a discreet entrance. I really enjoyed the sea bream appetizer, sea snails, mackerel, uni, Kama toro, and anago. The anago was the best I've ever had! Service was excellent, as were the cocktails. read more

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Pretty intense deliberation brought us to Nakaji for a special celebration but upon speaking to Sabrina about our reservations I was comforted by this choice. Nakaji exudes quiet, firm class from their greeting to minute anticipation of what patrons are contemplating. Design is simple and stellar. Chef is a quiet, tall man who pays attention to every detail not unlike the fantastic team- namely Frankie, Lam and Sabrina. It was the eel piece for me, with a close second of the sea bream, singular uni (not flight), and the shrimp equally. The eel, literally was melt in your mouth bursting of eel essence that was almost delicate coupled with chef's special vinegar rice. I like eel a lot but had no idea it could taste ethereal. The bream had a strong, clean oceanic effervescence and unctuous bite brushed w chef's sauce atop umami rice- really, one can eat 12 pieces of this and call it a day. The uni piece without rice was incredible- inundated with clean uni- sweetness that reverberates on the tongue over and over- actually puts our uni flight upgrade to shame. Everyone prefers their uni differently but we were unanimous in this assessment. The shrimp surprised me. I'm not one for cooked but if shrimp could have this much personality- delicately sweet, balanced with firm chew- tempered exactly right and delectably paired with granules of vinegar rice- shrimp are indeed contenders to their raw friends of the sea. Sometimes less is more. I'm not sure how chef treated his shrimp- perhaps he sang to them? All the pieces that followed (Tokyo bay mackerel?) were excellent. I wanted to go into the most remarkable but they differ from those of my companions who loved the gizzard shad, king belly yellowtail, cuttlefish, scallop and blue king crab. The service was second to none and we had the most memorable pieces now in our memory chest. This is a worthwhile hidden gem (like transported to a cool chic cavern that drowns out all of chinatown) if you have 3 hours for a one of a kind meal with only the best companions. read more

Nakaji - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

You will be able to eat many kinds of fish that you not normally find at Sushi place. The fish is fresh and good quality. They import the fish from Tokyo 3 times a week. I love the Tai fish and squid a lot. The sushi is right amount for rice that you can enjoy the full texture of the fish. It is quite expensive but it is a good experience. read more

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I would say there are better places to go. For start this place is very hard to have a reservation and the price is pretty high, but the sushi itself is not any significantly better than AMANE or other places. Main problem I have is the fish is like freezing cold. Idk if the chef is trying to create a striking difference in the temperature of fish and rice, but in my understanding the fish not have to be feeling "iced". I also get a fish bone in my eel sushi which is not pleasant. Also Chef himself does not speak or smile all dinner, and I think it's just his personality but it's not welcoming. In conclusion, sushi is nothing special and it's a bit overpriced. read more

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Nakaji has impressed me enough to take my time to write a review! Amazing sushiya experience and surprised not a 2 Michelin! First of all, undercharged at $225 for Chef Nakajima's omakase based on his fish quality compared to other NYC sushi counter omakases that charge $100+ more! I chose Nakaji for this NY visit because of other Yelp reviews about the $70 uni supplement as uni is my husband's favorite food! Well worth the money and for those that have an issue with the amount, I can only presume they must like less expensive uni as each piece topped another in more sweetness and less the common "irony, oceany" strong uni taste or they must not appreciate uni is not as readily available as pre-pandemic?!! Fully aware traditional sushi is served at room temperature but personal taste is colder temperature sushi so jumped at making a reservation after reading other reviews! For people that prefer room temperature, please just don't go and save the hard to score reservations for those of us that love it as I find cooler temperature reduces the 'fishiness" that you can get with stronger tasting fishes like mackerel at the same quality! Yes, Chef Nakajima didn't talk much but I would say our whole seating did not care since the servers were very knowledgeable and answered our questions very well! I included two photos of chef to illustrate his dedication to his craft and showcase his personality when he posed for photo shots with everyone! Lastly, respect other diners at your seating and show up on time!!!!! They inform you to arrive 15 minutes early! We were the second party to arrive at 5:10pm but unfortunately a party of 2 was late and a party of 3 was very late so we did not get to experience the hand roll due to running out of time so I am placing the blame of getting to only to experience 12 pieces instead of 13 on those people!!! This marks the only regret from this experience as I look forward to ending an omakase with a hand roll over tomagoyaki but looking from a positive side, gives me something to look forward to for the next time!!! read more

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