I did the omakase with uni with my husband and sister-in-law last night and we had a great experience! It's owned by a Chef Aoki, a Japanese chef who has extensive experience working at sushi restaurants in NYC including an Executive Chef role. He's a man of few words, but his dishes do all the talking (though the woman who works there does most of the actual talking and explaining throughout the meal lol). The dishes were delicious, fresh, clean, and beautifully presented. The thickly sliced pickled ginger was actually amazing and it's an extra $5 to have extra. They also don't serve water (unless you wanted bottled water), but they serve hot and delicious hojicha tea in the latter half that's included with the meal. The restaurant is by reservation only and seats 10 guests and has a metered parking lot. It's also BYOB. The staff is also very nice and even offered to take our group photo towards the end of the meal! Great omakase option in NJ. I'd go back! read more

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It's my wife and my favorite restaurant. We have been coming here since they opened years ago. Best sushi this side of the Hudson! Delicious, fresh and authentic. The chef and host are very kind and warm people. It is a 8 seat counter with 2 seating per night and an intimate feel. Omakase only. read more

Sushi Aoki - Sashimi salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

(This is a very overdue review that I started but never finished. The following reflects my experience at Sushi Aoki in 10/2022) Let me also preface this by saying that this was my first real omakase experience so I have absolutely nothing to compare it to. That being said, I'd say it was totally worth the steep price tag! Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by the chef and his wife. Each seating (2 per night) serves max 10 guests. it's not uncommon for separate diners to converse with each other. Both chef and his wife are extremely welcoming and go out of their way to ensure every patron is satisfied. Now for the food. Every bite felt like liquid gold, in the best way possible. Each ingredient was absolutely premium and I cannot imagine how anything could've been fresher. When I speak of this level of perfection, I don't just mean the otoro and uni, which can naturally put anyone on cloud nine, but I also mean the other pieces of nigiri. In addition to those two, my faves were the octopus, scallop, and shrimp nigiris (my god were they smooth) and the japanese conch. Honestly, even the salad dressing for one of the apps was spectacular - typical japanese salad dressing, but so much more refined and complex. Now as for the overall ambiance, this is the type of place where you go specifically for the food. Sure you can go and chat amongst yourselves, but when you have so many dishes coming out, sitting face to face with chef, and surrounded only by a few other patrons, you probably don't want to be telling your life story and end up treating the food as an afterthought. In any case, I'd say this is as authentic as I'd expect omakase to get. It never felt pretentious in any way. The decor is simple, minimalistic, yet cozy. Similarly, the food appeared simple, yet could highlight the best of each ingredient. I truly hope to have the opportunity to dine here again! read more

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We opted for $150 omakse set and it was the perfect amount of food! My husband thought he was going to be hungry but he was actually full! The sushi was so fresh and melts in your mouth. Everything was delicious! The service was excellent. The restaurant only seats 10 people max so you get personalized attention. I believe it is a sweet couple runs the restaurant. Make sure you leave enough time to find a parking spot! It is also BYOB (but no hard liquor or non alcoholic drinks allowed) read more

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Expensive but worth it for those that know. If you're into rolls and think you're eating sushi don't just don't; you're making it difficult for those that know. Having said that, it isn't up to the standards of authentic omakase in Japan but nothing comes close to this place in NJ. It is expensive and you need to order extra but the fish is as fresh as you're going to get in NJ and the creativity of the chef makes up for some deficiencies without masking the quality and flavor of the fish that he serves. The service is very Japanese; if you know you know. Only a handful of reservations are permitted per evening. The ambience is very simple and sparse but very Japanese. It can be quite romantic when they dim the lights and quiet whispered conversations among the two or three couples that are there lends to the civility and upscale nature of this authentic omakase. BYOB lends itself poorly to this establishment because you have no idea what you're going to be served but Japanese beer or dry, cold, high-end sake will generally do you well. This is a civilized, up,scale omakase restaurant meant for those that can and do appreciate the finer things in life but are relegated to being in NJ. Very good dinner date location for those that know! Or, want to impress their date with what they know! For those of us that know it is worth the price. If there is one criticism that I can lend it is that he adds sauce to a variety of dishes that some people may not enjoy. However, as a sushi/sashimi purist, I was not taken aback nor overwhelmed by the combinations that he created. Judge for yourself. read more

This restaurant is beautiful. It is run by a couple who are just lovely. The husband is a world class chef who creates these wonderful creations with such fresh ingredients. This is a place to go for an experience. He is skillful in his preparation and the flavor profile was divine. The service was done by the wife who is so wonderful and ensures to help make any celebration of the night special. read more

Sushi Aoki - Bio of the chef - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

Well balanced in flavor and overall a delicious omakase. The entire place seats about 10 people all at the counter. They have two omakase options: $150 and $200 for a one week advance notice. Photos are of the entire $150 omakase meal from start to finish. read more

Sushi Aoki - Omakase part 1 of 2 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

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If you don't feel like going all the way to the city, then this is a great place to go for omakase sushi! Husband and I decided to go with the $150 course and it did not disappoint. Chef crafted every sushi and appetizer with perfection and server was very generous throughout our time there. Inside the restaurant gave off relaxing vibe and almost felt like you were sitting in a sushi restaurant in Japan. Overall, great place for date night and highly recommend for anyone looking to dine in fort lee for top notch sushi quality! read more

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Aoki sempai and his wife were very warm and welcoming. Gotta get rezzie for this small exclusive chef counter Omakase. Expertly prepared food hand crafted right in front of you. What a lovely experience. We came here celebrating our BiL's grand achievement (he opened a restaurant) and shared the good vibes w the other patrons (1 group celebrating a birthday and the other their 25th anniversary!) read more

So good. I can't believe this legit omakase joint is literally a stone's throw away from my place! I took my wife here a month ago for her birthday dinner, and we barely got in by reserving like 10 days in advance because it's very small, intimate place! We opted for the full-on $150 sashimi dinner for two, and the experience did not disappoint. There was great variety of dishes - from the starters, sashimi salad, but then braised yellowtail, Yubu with koimo, seaweed salad with Kanpachi and conch. Wasabi was ground right before serving and fresh ginger was so aromatic I swear you could smother your neck with it and it'd smell like a cologne! Master chef Aoki was focused, mostly quiet, but he did tell us the dish when the serving lady was too occupied. (1 lady was going back and forth between 8 diners) Once the nigiris started, I had to order extra piece of Uni because it was like the best damn uni I've eaten! So simple - just flanked by nori, the sweet umami flavor just came straight up to the top of my head! It was too good I cried. I also loved their soy-marinated stripe bass, saltwater eel(anago) that was slightly torched, Botan ebi was super succulent, and oh, the O-toro just melted away in my mouth. Probably my least favorite was the Yubu dish because it had the mashpotato like Japanese yam that was filling, and herring roe nigiri which was slightly too bitter. At the end we had a nice clear clam soup to tie things up and was served this surprisingly delicious Vanilla ice cream w/ fruit & seaweed jelly in cream soda dessert which everyone gulped/scooped down in glee. We were there for about 90 min I think, and we felt so good having eaten such quality food. That's the difference - cheap food will make your stomach feel heavy and bloated. Definitely not this. And we really enjoyed conversing with other diners and just taking time appreciating everything Master Aoki had to craft for us. Basically, it was a recital, a dance, which is what dining really should be - you're offered exquisite art, and you appreciate it, taking your time to engage all your senses, and express your gratitude after. Only thing I would've liked is that they lessen the "appetizer" food that aren't sashimi-based, because those hot foods take up room. Instead, I would've liked more items like raw oysters and more nigiri. In comparison to Sushi Nakazawa in Lower NYC, I would say this one is slightly lower caliber, but it's also $30 cheaper. I'm glad to have an option RIGHT in my neighborhood anyway. I'll definitely be back, and while it's expensive, it's worth trying for a special dinner. read more

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What an incredible experience. This is the place I'd go to treat myself and to relax. The seating is a max of 10 which allows for plenty of social distancing. It is byob which I always prefer (best to have your own good wine :) you do have the option to get green tea or order from boozetable if you forget to bring alcohol. The food is a piece of art made with fresh and colorful ingredients that are sure to please any palette. Watching the chef make each course while sipping on wine or sake accompanied by smooth jazz is a soothing experience on its own. If you enjoy cooking or being in the kitchen, you'd appreciate the care and delicate process each course is put thru. Posting pics with names to share what we had for dinner. Enjoy! read more

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This is figuratively and literally a hidden gem. Tucked away in the Fort Lee municipal lot; we were ecstatic to snag a reservation on a quiet holiday Sat. It is open for reservations only with seatings at 530pm and 830pm. We are constantly crossing the bridge for traditional and the new quick omakases but now Aoki is our spot. Obviously this is not an everyday meal but for special celebrations or the occasional splurge this fits the bill. Service was so polite and humbling. Sushi chef served the whole bar and every bite outshined. Byob so bring that special bottle. Can't wait for another celebration here! read more

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Superb omakase spot in the heart of fort lee. Service was calm, attentive, and watching the chef pay such close attention to detail was very fun. The fish was extremely fresh. I believe most of it is imported from japan along with the other ingredients. The chef and partner does a great job of explaining the different fish and each bite was like putting a piece of heaven into my mouth. My favorite was the otoro handroll! Cheers! read more

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Very lovely, laid-back, and no-frills omakase. That is not to say the ingredients aren't quality though! If you're looking for a more simplified, traditional dining experience (instead of the fancy and experimental stuff they have in the city), this is the place to go. The ebi, uni, mackerel and tuna pieces (probably akami and chutoro, but don't quite remember) were my favorites. The chef and his partner are super kind and humble, and treated us like family. They offered to take our photo and gave us chocolate covered peanut candies because they bought too many for their kids/grandkids! Will hopefully be back again someday :) read more

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I hate writing reviews that reveal a great secret of sorts, but oh well. If you know Sushi of Gari 46 in Manhattan, you know it stands for high quality sushi. It's great to see their former exec chef open his own digs in this area, which by the way, has truly emerged as a real culinary destination for people looking for more variety outside of the city. This place is reservation only, and omakase only. In short, the sushi was splendid. Chef Aoki lets his experience do the work and you will be rewarded with a fantastic spectrum of great fish that will make your 2.5 hour experience awesome from beginning to end. The entire dining experience is intimate, and the chef was happy to answer any questions. The staff was also very friendly and kept the entire experience moving. BYOB is the way to go here. Definitely bring yourself one of your best bottles, relax and enjoy the awesome experience. This place undoubtedly is on par with similar experiences in the city and is absolutely a perfect place to celebrate a special event or enjoy a great evening. read more

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Great new sushi spot in Fort Lee! My boyfriend and I came to the 5:30PM sitting on a Tuesday. The Reservation was easily made via email/phone. Their service was extremely responsive and I definitely appreciated that. This place is BYOB with no corkage fee. All the people here are sooo nice! We had trouble opening our wine bottle but the chef helped us out!! We chose the $150 omakase. The top tier isn't currently available yet during grand opening, but they DO have an opening special for under $150. Not your traditional/typical omakase or how I personally thought it'd be, but still very good nonetheless! There are a series of appetizers/ small dishes before the chef begins to prepare the sushi pieces. Enjoyed the shrimp and otoro a lot and was pleasantly surprised by how high quality each piece tasted. Again, wasn't expecting so many small dishes to start off, but they were all quite delicious and creative! Would definitely recommend and will 100% return. It's awesome to see these spots pop up in fort lee. read more

Sushi Aoki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

Sushi Aoki is a brand new spot that opened a couple of weeks ago so my friends and I decided it would be worth checking out. The ambiance is warm, cozy, and feels intimate which is perfect for an omakase place. This spot is a true hidden gem that is behind the bustle of main street. We got the "grand opening" special which came with appetizers, a sushi course, soup, and dessert for $120. The price is pretty standard for an omakase restaurant, but many places don't come with as many appetizers as this place does! I was very impressed by the menu and the variety of sushi they provided. The ingredients were top-notch and each piece felt luxurious and selected by one of the finest sushi chefs. I am truly honored to be among the first reviewers. I will definitely be returning in the future. Only thing I wish they had was an online reservation system (currently have to call), but they are still brand new so I am sure they will eventually have that feature! read more

Dining at Aoki is a sublime culinary experience. Aoki-san guides the diner on a voyage through some of Japan's most exquisite delicacies. Flavors, colors, presentations, contrasts, subtle whispers and bold explosions. The atmosphere is refined yet comfortable at the same time; the evening includes the privilege of watching a great master tend to his craft. Service is impeccable, with every step of the journey described as it is presented on a dazzling array of handcrafted earthenware. Utterly superb in every respect. read more

Came here on Vday (a very late review lol), they had their Vday special Omakase which was great. Also a BYOB restaurant, love that. Service was good, same as taste and presentation. read more

It was mediocre to be honest. The service was ok bc there was only 1 lady working there and they don't serve you water. You have to buy water which was $9 for a bottle of Fiji. If you're going to charge $150 per person, could at least serve your guests some water. read more

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Ambience 5/5 Small intimate setting that seats max 10 ppl per table for a 2.3 hour slot. Right when you get in, Aokis wife will be greeting you at the door and you can sit wherever you want. The interior is very clean and minimal and I felt at peace just being seated there. Service 5/5 The service was outstanding. Aoki and his wife were very attentive. It's also BYOB so they have cups for you to use. My friends birthday was that day, so I talked to Aokis wife prior if she can decorate the dessert and she was willing to do that:) she came out with the decorated dessert in the end singing for my friend which was super cute. Food 5/5 AMAZING. Knowing that Chef Aoki was an executive chef of Gari 46 in Manhattan and opened up his own omakase in Fort Lee, I HAD to go. I chose the $150 omakase which had appetizer, main course, clam soup and dessert. It was a 19 course menu with very yummy brewed tea towards the end. Chef Aoki was so delicate with each course he made and each dish he presented to us was so pretty to look at. The appetizers were all super good and what made the appetizers shine was the sauces that accompanied it. It was really well thought out and genius. The sushi had good rice ratio and they all melted in your mouth. The clam soup was very clean tasting too. I will definitely be back here again for another special occasion. read more

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Awesome place to go Finally, we found for Omakase restaurant in Fort lee, NJ. Chef Aoki-san gave us super high quality of sushi and sashimi and really nice presentation. Unique decoration both of Inside and outside. MUST TO GO PLACE FOR OMAKASE!!! read more

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In my humble opinion, this is the best sushi spot in Bergen county area and on par with NYC sushi joints. The restaurant itself seats 10 in a quiet and intimate setting. Chef Aoki and his wife are super warm and go out of their way to make sure that everyone is enjoying their meals. This was my second visit and although the course menu was fantastic during the first visit, it was nice to experience changes in the dishes served 3 months later. read more

Sushi Aoki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

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What a treat Sushi Aoki was! Your wallet may cry a bit but your stomach will celebrate loudly enough to drown it out. Sushi Aoki seats twice an evening - ~8 people per seating for an intimate meal. The menu is limited to omakase and we were presented with the options of a Grand opening omakase special of $120, Omakase for $150, and a higher tier of Omakase at $180 (which was not available when we went). We chose the $150 omakase. Chef Aoki ground up wasabi in front of us and set out our first course of sashimi - of which my favorites were the otoro and salmon. Afterwards followed a delicious ginger-dressed sashimi salad, fried ayu trout, and then the nigiri. I honestly lost count of how many rounds of nigiri were prepared - I forgot to photograph them all but my favorites were the scallop, otoro and anago. They provide thick slices of ginger as a palate cleanser in between pieces of nigiri and end the course with a refreshing bowl of clam soup. To wrap things up, they provided a dessert of red bean with jelly and mochi. Everything I ate at Sushi Aoki was melt-on-your-tongue delicious. The space is clean and quiet, and the ~2 hour experience really flies by as you move from dish to dish. Perfect for a special occasion or for anyone who appreciates a high quality sushi/sashimi meal! They're BYOB so make sure to bring your favorite white wine or sake for them to chill! read more

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Best hidden gem in New Jersey! This place is amazing! - not pretentious and food was great! The place only accommodate only 8 guests in a 2.5-hour period so you definitely have to make a reservation before coming in. We only had the $150 omakase but will definitely come back to try the $200 one next time (will have to inform them 1 week before coming in to try the $200 omakase). I still dream about their red snapper sushi and otoro (sooo good!). Btw, they use REAL grated wasabi . (Probably the reason why they charge $5 for extra) read more

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Head sushi chef from NYC Sushi of Gari 46's (Michelin Star) opened his own sushi bar in Fort Lee, NJ!! Awesome addition to Fort Lee, NJ area. This BYOB 10-seat Sushi bar restaurant is Highly recommended. Definitely one of the top sushi place in NJ. Their Otoro, uni, ikura and clam soup were so delicious! Will be back soon. Food: 5 Service: 5 Interior: 4.5 Price: 4.5 read more

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This place was unreasonably good. I could write another long and detailed review, but I'll keep it simple: Food: 5/5. At some places, the fish feels salty or leaves me feeling like I just tasted the ocean, but every single piece crafted here exquisitely brought out the subtle natural flavors of the fish and left a very clean pleasant aftertaste in my mouth. Can't state enough how good every single thing was. Staff: 5/5. Everyone was super friendly and i don't know what more I could have asked for. I don't know what more you expect to read out of a review but you should just come here and try it for yourself. It's worth every penny. read more

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Great food in a 10 seat intimate counter restaurant. Friendly and brisk service (19 course dinner in under 2 hours... $150). BYOB. Note that restaurant is on the other side of, and not on, Main Street. Don't be late! They will call you if you are one minute late. read more

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Absolutely lovely omakase experience. Friendly staff and Chef, pleasant atmosphere, beautiful food. Boyfriend made a reservation for us for the second of two seatings available (5:30-8pm or 8pm-10pm) and we had a wonderful evening (also BYOB but we didn't). Firstly, the cleanly lit ten-seat space with its high ceilings and open wood cabinets filled with delicate dishware, coupled with the complete hospitality of the small staff (just Chef, his wife the hostess, and a waitress) provided a light and casual ambiance where I didn't feel awkward or intimidated at all being attended to so mindfully. Secondly, and most importantly, the food itself. My boyfriend and I both decided on the $150 option (an additional sashimi course to the $120 option which includes appetizers, sushi, soup, and dessert). Boyfriend has a few food allergies which Chef was very willing to accommodate, so he got a few different pieces than I did. But everything was absolutely beautiful, not only to look at, but also in its nuance of flavor and texture. Each piece of fish was completely melt in your mouth, each component delicately balanced and thoughtfully brought together by Chef. The progression through the entire meal, too, was thoughtful - the appetizers truly awakening the palate, the sashimi so pure and fresh, then each piece of sushi building up to the next until the last piece when everyone was sad to see the end, then finally a delicate sea-salty soup and a softly sweet dessert to finish a beautiful experience. Maybe it is because this was my first omakase experience, but I can't stress how great everything was. The freshness of the fish and the evident quality of each item they served us will have me comparing all other sushi to my experience at Sushi Aoki forevermore. 10/10 will be coming back again. read more

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I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. Every single dish we were given was not only very well presented but absolutely delicious. All of the fish was extremely fresh and probably the best sushi I've had. The restaurant itself is lovely and the service is great, as well. It's run by the chef and his wife who are very welcoming and work hard to give their customers a wonderful experience. Will definitely be coming back in the future! read more

Everything was smooth I really enjoyed service and food, omg those sushi were so good I want to eat them again yummy!

Every bite was fresh and delicious! Truly hidden gem. Have already recommended to friends and will be back ourselves! P.S. Pay the little extra for the sashimi course. read more

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Man oh man! Top. Notch. Chef and wife owned, quiet but friendly. Wife's service is perfect. It's small and only 8 bar seats. Omakase is fresh, fish shipped from Japan and hand picked by the chef. It is fantastic and melt in your mouth good. Sushi rice is perfectly cooked and seasoned. Please make 1 month reservations. read more

Was I excited to come here? Yes. Was I completely disappointed? Absolutely. Despite all the fantastic reviews, I must say it was a very disappointing experience. Toro and Uni are like the two best highlights of any Omakase course. Yet, their taste was completely overwhelmed by the strong flavor of the nori that made it impossible to taste any of the toro or uni part. The scallop was overwhelmed by the taste of yuzu. Amaebi was overwhelmed by whatever red sauce on top. The mackarel was overwhelmed by the taste of kombu etc etc the list goes on and I must say this is not a high quality omakase restaurant. I can already list much lower priced and better quality omakase than what I had here. Felt utterly disappointed. read more

Felt like we were transported to Japan! Super cozy Omakase spot with edomae style sushi so every piece exploded with flavor. You start off with a few appetizers which were delicious. The baby yellowtail salad was surprisingly sooooo good! Then you get about 12 pieces of sushi and end with soup and dessert. There's always the option to order more a la carte. We loved every piece except the squid which was a little too chewy and the ginger topping overpowered the flavor. Overall a great meal with great service. It's also BYOB! read more

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Went to the 8:15 seating with my mom for her birthday. A small store, one counter. The experience was very casual but also personal. Everything served was amazing! It really gets you to try and appreciate dishes you would have never ordered yourself. We also told them it was my moms birthday, and they provided dessert with a candle for her. Will definitely be back. read more

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Had a wonderful experience at Sushi Aoki tonight! Delicious and fresh!!! The flow of the meal was fantastic. Looking forward to return read more

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Sushi Gari chef comes to fort Lee, expensive yes, but the money you spend is right there on the plate

High quality sushi! They were super friendly & attentive. Not a lot of quality omakase experiences in NJ so would recommend. read more

Sushi Aoki - Dish 1 of the $150 Omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

Best omakase experience in NJ. It's a small restaurant with limited seating and only serves dinner. I think the price is fair based on the experience and quality of food you get. Definitely recommend for a great omakase experience. read more

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