this spot was so delicious I was honestly super impressed. Extremely easy to walk into, empty despite being delicious. They start you off with a delicious miso soup and the hand rolls here are seriously so fresh! The toro was an absolute hit a buttery and delicious. Also was a fan of the hamachi and blue crab. The crispy rice is also really good! We got the caviar and it also comes on top of spicy tuna. The crispy rice is very fresh and perfectly crisp. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

no frills handroll bar. came at opening and had plenty of open space chose the spicy 4 piece hungry set for $26 crowd fav was the spicy scallops. complimentary miso soup read more

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Great hand roll spot! Great for a quick/casual vibe Long counter with about 20 spots I went around 5pm and there was no wait I got the 5 piece set The rolls came out super fast And the fish was fresh Free miso soup read more

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My husband was drawn in by the $32 5 roll combo at Temakase, and honestly, it felt almost too good to be true... and unfortunately, it kind of was. Food: 2.5/5 At first glance, the deal seems solid, but once the food came out, it became clear where the compromise was. The rolls were heavily rice-forward--easily 50-75% rice--with only a small amount of fish. I ordered a scallop roll with honey mustard and tobiko, but I could barely taste the scallop at all, which made the combination feel confusing and not very intentional. The tuna rolls were also disappointing, as the fish didn't feel like clean cuts but more like a mixed or mashed texture. By the third roll, I was already over the meal. It's one of those situations where you finish it because you paid for it, not because you're enjoying it. Service: 3.5/5 The space itself is very chic and aesthetically pleasing, and the staff were fine overall. Nothing particularly stood out--neither amazing nor bad--but everything moved along smoothly. Vibe: 3.5/5 The restaurant is undeniably cute and stylish, which makes it appealing at first. However, the setup isn't the most practical--there wasn't really a convenient place to store coats, which made things a bit uncomfortable. It's a small detail, but it did impact the overall experience. All in all, For two people, the total came out to about $97 after tip, which didn't feel worth it given the quality. While I can see why the price point attracts people, there are definitely better sushi options in the city for the same (or slightly higher) price. Personally, I wouldn't go back. read more

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No wait for dinner on Sunday evening! Intimate bar ambiance, they make the rolls to order in front of you. Choice of Hungry set (4 rolls) or Starving set (5 rolls). Hungry set was not very filling but got a good taste of everything! Recommend the crispy rice. Complimentary miso soup was mildly sweet, liked this a lot. Portions are small for the price but great service. read more

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Set pricing and pretty quick service. Options here are I could eat- 3 hand rolls for $20.00 and Hungry- 4 hand rolls for $26.00. You can also do à la carte rolls they range from $7.00 to $11.00 and there are speciality rolls and crispy rice too. I find the rolls quite filling. My favorite is the blue crab. You have the option of getting classic or spicy. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Miso soup - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Beautiful restaurant with relaxing atmosphere, quick service, and most importantly all the hand rolls were delicious! read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

This is a solid hand roll place with good deals (20$ 3 hand rolls) and crispy rice options (comes with 2 pieces). The interior is nice and clean. The staff were very attentive and helpful. I had a shrimp, blue crab, a5 wagyu hand roll and a salmon crispy rice. read more

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Food is fine and affordable but Kazunori is so much better. My main complaint is that they were clearly so short-staffed that our sushi chef was running around and kept asking us what roll he gave us last. Literally after every roll he goes, "what was the last one I gave you?". I thought I was there to enjoy my meal, not keep a mental note of each roll for him. On top of that, he told me I had seaweed stuck in my teeth and laughed. I agree, I must've looked funny but I would've appreciated an offer for a toothpick or some sort of hospitality. Would not return. Next time I'm just waiting in line for Kazunori. read more

3.5/5. Objectively tasty 4/5, but compared to Kazunori, I wouldnt come back. Yes, there's no line but it's more expensive. The 3 set roll is the same price but tip is not included here which adds a hefty amount to the final bill compared to kazunori. I saw reviews mention that tip was included so I came in with that assumption, but I was given the tip screen at the end when I paid the bill and of course, I don't want to not tip when i'm supposed to so I did a standard 20%, but it's unclear to me where everyone else is getting the impression that tip is included. If that is the case, they should not present the tip screen or make it clear that it is included. Taste wise, yummy but i personally think kazunori fish and rice taste better. read more

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I came here on a rainy weekday immediately when they opened to grab lunch with a friend from out of town. The interior of this place is cozy but high end feeling. It's counter seating only, hand rolls only. If you're coming with a large group the counter set up may be a little awkward, but for parties of 2-4 it works. The menu is a bit limited in my opinion, but what they have they do well. I decided to do the "Hungry" set and add on a toro roll, my favorite. Each hand roll was tasty and well made. The rolls are definitely more on the fresh, simpler side, but I found them all to be well executed, with the toro being my favorite one. Our handroll chef was very attentive and checked in with us throughout, which I really appreciated. If you're in the area and craving a simple, no frills handroll experience, I would say that Temakase is a solid pick. read more

Had a light dinner here last night. The interior is a long counter seating in a sleek minimalist interior. I like how the menu is arranged for both a La carte and also pre-selected rolls based on hunger level. I also appreciate that they have 2 different over arching flavor profiles to choose from for your menu selection (a mild one and s spicy one). The spicy tuna crispy rice was great. I also like the scallop hand roll. Everything I had tasted fresh. The chef and servers were also great. read more

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My bestie and I were in the mood for handrolls so we decided to stop by this place. This was a fairly casual sit down at the counter handroll place (I believed I went to their other location in East Village before). We got seated right away for a Wednesday at 6:30 pm. I will say it did get fairly busy when we were getting up to leave around 7 pm. The menu is pretty straight forward - I do recommend going one of their pre-fixed sets. My friend and I went with the classic hungry menu - the scallop and salmon was my favorite. We also got the caviar crispy rice - which was also very yummy. They make the handrolls fresh for you - and once they see that you are done with the first roll then they make another roll for you. Everything moved really quickly but we did not feel rush at all. The quality of the fish pretty good for a fast casual handroll place. Overall - cute casual spot to stop by for dinner if you don't want to do formal reservations! read more

Alright, skip the kazunori line and noise to come dine at Temakase. Temakase provides way more portion sizes and the restaurant is much cleaner and newer. I got the 6 piece hangry set with the caviar classic rice and it was DELICIOUS. Every piece was good and different. I love that they have a spicy option !!! read more

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A pleasant sushi spot with creative touches. Food (4/5) - Quality fish with interesting twists like yuzu scallop and truffle crab. Good overall, though the fish quality seems a notch below Kazunori that's down the block. Value (4/5) - $32 for five rolls - slighty more expansive than Kazunori. Service (4/5) - Friendly but slower-paced, with notable waits between rolls even on a Tuesday evening. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Got takeout from here and overall thought it was pretty good for sushi It is more of fusion style but my personal preference is more traditional sushi so it wasn't my favorite, however can see why it can be good for lots of others and would recommend it if you enjoy a more fusion style Can't comment on the service or restaurant vibe since did a takeout order, but thought it was a great option for a to go meal. The box was super aesthetic and cute looking too! read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Visited here for lunch. Was able to walk in easily as there were plenty of seats. I ordered the spicy tuna crispy rice and the hungry handroll set. The crispy rice was a little bit of a let down as it was more tough than crispy. I enjoyed the handrolls though and all had good flavor! They also provide complimentary miso soup as well. While they do stuff their rolls a bit more than their competitor around the corner, it's significantly more expensive which is why I would probably choose their competitor going forward. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came for a quick lunch since Kazunori nearby had too long of a wait, but was a bit disappointed. Ordered the 3 roll I Could Eat Set which has scallop, blue crab, and salmon. I like how they let you choose between spicy or normal- I went with spicy which was a mistake. Each roll was really overwhelmed by the aioli and had basically the same flavor the entire way through. If you're into non-traditional hand rolls though you might enjoy this spot! Tip is included in the price which is a plus, so my three hand rolls came out to ~$22 all inclusive. Not too bad. Inside is cute w trendy vibes and service was friendly but I don't think I'll be back. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Menu - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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HORRIBLE TAKEOUT OPTION! I have ordered takeout sushi twice from Temakase NYC location and both times was extremely disappointed. The first time I placed an order for pickup and had requested alternates for rolls in one of their preselected sushi boxes which is an option they give you. However, they did do the correct replacements and also had a roll that I had not wanted and asked to change, completely getting half my order wrong even though I had been clear about what I wanted. The second time was a delivery order from a different NYC location that took half an hour longer than the original hour long delivery estimate. Why did it take them an hour and half to prepare my simple order of a NOM box? On top of that, both times when I tried to contact them about these issues, the phones for two different NYC locations were not hooked up and not working, despite me placing the second order a month later. So both times I had to email someone about the issue. There are so many quality sushi places at the same price point (sushi hatsune, sanyuu west, Joji, kazunori, even sugar fish for a little more $$) that I have had much better experience and honestly quality at. 0/10 would not recommend wasting your time and money read more

We had a hankering for some handrolls, so we finally crossed Temakase off our bucket list! There was walk in availability for Sunday evening, with a relaxed and quiet atmosphere to enjoy our food. The menu has a nice selection of handrolls, including sets that were very reasonably priced! They have some beer and sake options as well for those looking to drink. Each set gives you the opportunity to have classic or spicy (differences listed on the menu), and we even got the option to mix and match spicy/nonspicy within the set if we wanted. My favorite handrolls were the spicy scallop, the spicy tuna, and the avocado eel (not included in the handroll set but looked too good to pass up). Caviar crispy rice was yummy too!! We left feeling very satisfied. Service was super friendly, and we really appreciated that tip is already factored into their pricing. Would absolutely return to temakase next time I'm in the mood for some handrolls! read more

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Solid handrolls, quick and friendly service, and extremely spacious table space! A lot of decent options, my favorite was the scallop hand roll with yuzu honey, tobiko and mustard. Would skip the lobster! read more

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Great place for a quick bite. We came around 6:30 and we were able to get a seat right away. It gets a bit crowded around 7:30, prime time. We ordered the 5 hand roll set. They have the classic flavoring and the spicy which was unique. I went for the spicy and it didn't disappoint. The hand rolls are made fresh but def have to eat them right away or the seaweed will start to soften. Staff was friendly and would come back again! read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

This is THE best sushi I've ever had. I had the crab hand roll, spicy yellowtail crispy rice, the shrimp roll, and the trio in the $20 box. I loved all of them but the shrimp was my top, followed closely by the blue crab. The shrimp was so crispy, well flavored and cooked, almost melted in my mouth. For the crab roll it was very obvious the quality of the meat. The crispy rice was so crispy, it was so satisfying to eat, and the yellowtail was really well flavored as well. As if things couldn't get any better, they even gave complimentary miso soup. The vibes in the restaurant itself were immaculate, and service was absolutely amazing. Loved the experience of how the hand rolls are made right in front of you. I will 10000% be coming back read more

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For a quick and tasty re-fuel this location is perfect. Was greeted and seated immediately which was awesome! Crispy Rice Hamachi- Happy to see crispy rice was available and it did not disappoint as the rice was crunchy and the hamachi was cool and fresh. Went with the 5 handroll option (non Spicy): Scallop- As I was devouring the cripsy rice the first roll was served & I may have waited too long as the nori was not as crisp so the 1st bite was a little challenging but the scallop itself was a nice blend with the sweet & hint of spice. Blue Crab- the amount of truffle was just right & this one was the favorite bites. Salmon- Clean, fresh & no fuss. Tuna- The teri sauce was not overpowering and the tempura flakes added a nice crunch. Toro- would not have guessed that the Takuan would pair well with the fatty fish. Only reason this was not a 5 star review was the Nori on the other rolls was not as crisp as I would like but the service was 5 star for sure. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Had the absolute best experience!! All of the staff was incredible! They were all so warm and friendly. They answered all of our questions, even though the menu was very easy to read and understand. I love that they had different options for the crispy rice that is always fun when it's not just spicy tuna. I got the spicy salmon and the spicy yellowtail and they were both incredible. The crispy rice itself was so fresh. It was still hot and it was a perfect amount of rice and perfect crispiness. I did the classic Hangry. All of the rules were delicious. I don't normally like blue crab, but I actually really enjoyed it here. read more

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Im a sushi fan, but I have to admit hand-rolls aren't something I see on the menu, let alone order, very often. So the first thing you need to be prepared for is that, apart from a few apps, that's more or less all that is on the menu here. That being said, the hand rolls are excellent and made for a fun and unique dining experience. You can order them ala cart OR select from one of their combos which are essentially savory or spicy in groups of 3, 4, 5, or 6 rolls (I Could Eat to Hangry). I was hangry and I went spicy. I also order the crispy rice as an app. The crispy rice was good, mine had spicy salmon, in retrospect I wish I had chosen the yellow tail since one of the six rolls was also salmon. The way the combo works is each roll includes a different seafood ingredient. Everything is brought out individually, sort of omakase style. My main criticism is that they start with what I think was the strongest roll, the scallop, but I might have been biased by the fact that I was very hungry on the first roll and very full by the sixth roll, which although good was probably my least favorite. The location itself is fun. The concept is kind of minimalist, the walls are all plywood, but with clever lighting and a few well placed murals the decorator managed to do a lot with a little, and I actually quite enjoyed the faint aroma of lumber. read more

Cute simplistic spot for a quick and delicious meal! I like the simple atmosphere. I also like how you can go spicy or non spicy and classic flavors. The service was quick, but the place was also empty at the time I went. The fish was fresh! I really enjoyed this place, and I was craving hand rolls specifically, so I'm glad I found this gem. Inexpensive too! read more

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Delicious sushi hand rolls! I've been here a few times and love their salmon avocado, spicy tuna, and scallop hand rolls. The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is clean. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Bring two seafood and sushi enthusiasts to try a hand roll sushi experience. This was my first time and I took my boyfriend here after his trip to Japan. Very glad he never gets tired of Japanese food and loves seafood as much as I do. The pictures from Temakase intrigued me and this place is all dining at the bar whilst the chefs make your hand rolls depending on the dining package selected. We both chose the two hand rolls package with the scallop hand roll and the bluefin crab handroll. Interesting thing is there's flavor differences: spicy and non-spicy. He chose the spicy and I chose the other. The difference is in the sauce and extra sushi complimentary items in our rolls. Going for the non-spicy one, mine had yuzu flavors and citrusy umami crunch and masago. The chefs planned each roll well and I was surprised how much I loved the citrusy balance of my scallop and crab roll. Even the seaweed wrapping our rolls was delicious as we enjoyed the crunch from each bite. Reasons why we didn't go for the standard 3 rolls package was because of the crispy rice sushi. A new trend I introduced to him and it was a good move. Originally we were going to do one crispy rice sushi bite, a spicy salmon for him and a spicy tuna for me. This was fantastic and it served a well presented sushi piece that was ready a red carpet rollout. The menu did warn us these were highly addictive and we both agreed, that we pushed to get another crispy rice sushi piece, the yellowtail. Yellowtail is a neglected sushi selection where most places don't make it right. Because he and I appreciate fish in depth, we ordered this and it was so fresh, zesty, buttery goodness, and well maintained. A good way to end the lunch after a long walk in the city. He and I loved this sushi dining concept and the service was phenomenal. I regret not taking more pics of the inside of the restaurant and the wall art of this place. It was a great find and has the same setting as a larger omakase establishment. A hidden gem worth checking out. read more

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3.5 stars but I'm rounding down because of the experience with my particular sushi chef. Overall I think this is a good concept and I would come back. It definitely seemed like a lot of people came here on there own after work or something for a quick bite. Being from LA I love Kazu nori but I also appreciate the modern flavors that incorporate non-traditional elements. I like that Temakase has 2 options with the a more traditional flavor and one that's got more spicy fusion elements. They also let me order items from both since there were some flavors that I preferred on the spicy menu and some from the regular. For the most part, I thought the fish was reasonably fresh and the seasoning was good. Of course it's not the highest quality fish but mostly pretty good. The kimchi crumbs sounded intriguing but were terrible. Some of the crumbs were more like chunks and quite hard which made the handroll hard to eat. I'm not sure if they were stale but I ended up spitting out some of them because they were too hard. The service was a little weird. Originally a female sushi chef took my order but then a male chef showed up. But after serving me 2 rolls he disappeared for a long time. It took so long the female chef made me a roll but she realized it was the wrong one and instead of offering it to me she asked multiple staff to give it away. (Ok...but can I just get my next roll then?) It felt like he was constantly disappearing or assisting others. I don't know why the other woman didn't just serve me the whole time since they both only had 1 person in front of them at first. The male chef was constantly leaving his station. I was actually in a hurry as I realized I was going to be late for something and it was frustrating to have my sushi chef double as a busboy or something and wait so long for each piece of fish. read more

Amazing warm ambiance! We were sat immediately, and the service was beyond great. We got the "Hungry" 4 hand rolls set each, and it was filling. Great variation in flavor, and everything was fresh. Definitely a must-try! read more

Big fan of the hand rolls at Temakase - reasonably priced (with top included) and very filling! The fish tasted very fresh too when we had it. Perfect for a Sunday night treat. It's essentially one long sushi bar and the masters behind the counter take lots of pride in their creations! read more

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Hand rolls have been trending all over Manhattan with some spots having long lines waiting to get inside like it is the latest club hot spot. This one is a more chilled and relaxed approach to getting a hand roll. I was seated and greeted by the cook or rather hand roll maker who was very vibrant and passionate about what she was doing. She was multitasking while serving multiple customers all at once while smiling and serving delicious hand rolls. I ordered the Starving Hand Roll Sets which are 5 hand rolls for $32. It seems pricey and you think 5 hand rolls won't fill me up but it did. I ordered an extra one for me because it was not part of the set and that was unagi (grilled eel). The space is your classic long table with a table above to serve and grab your hand rolls as they come by. And you are seated with other customers who share the same experience. It is lively with light conversations which is ideal for a chill, quiet type of spot. Some hand rolls are prepped with diced and chopped fish, which are squeezed out from a piping bag. I know hand rolls vary from restaurant and approach to making it, this location does diced and chopped combined with sauce and/or oil to enhance the flavor. After I wrapped up eating, I paid and wanted to include a tip for the hand roll maker but they emphasized that they do not accept tips. The host was very grateful for the kind gesture but you only pay for what you eat read more

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Temakase on 28th Street is dangerously good. Every hand roll was absolutely banging--fresh, flavorful, and perfectly wrapped. They just kept coming, each one better than the last. The crispy rice was also a standout--super crunchy and topped to perfection. The quality of the fish and the balance of textures made it one of the best hand roll bars I've been to in NYC. The ambiance is also super cute--intimate and modern without trying too hard. Highly recommend for a fun, delicious night out. read more

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Sushi is my all time favorite food and as a seafood cook myself, I am extremely particular. This place exceeds any and all expectations. The scallop roll is far and away the best raw scallop I've ever had and the blue crab roll is a stellar follow up. I'm unfortunately the pretentious type to clown my family for using their fingers at a sushi restaurant but there's something incredibly refreshing about how this restaurant embraces it. Seeing all of the sushi made in front of you bridges the gap between a high end omakase experience and a welcoming local diner. I got the 4 hand rolls. That then turned to 5 hand rolls. Then I had to get to get the baked crab for dessert. I did all the spicy rolls tonight but I'm looking forward to returning and trying the classics. I can't recommend this place enough. 10/5 stars. read more

Temakase Hand Roll Bar - 28th St - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Tasty hand rolls in a very chill atmosphere. Friendly service from everyone and they helped me choose some delicious items. Prices not bad for New York and you don't feel rushed when you're eating. The menu is very focused (which I appreciate). Would definitely come here instead of Kazu Nori or Bondi. read more

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Ordered takeaway and they have a great system for wrapping the hand rolls to ensure they don't get soggy. Particularly enjoyed the scallop hand roll, salmon / tomato nigiri and caviar crispy rice. Recommend as an affordable and casual sushi option! read more

It's a great spot for a fast and casual handroll experience. You sit at the bar, and can order a set of either 3, 4, 5 or 6 handrolls or sushi, including crispy rice. The staff make the food fresh in front of you and serve it as it's ready. For the handrolls there is a choice of spicy or classic. The spicy option is very mild. They also have beers and sake for purchase. My favourite was the scallop roll with Yuzu and the spicy salmon crispy rice. read more

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I've only ever been to Kazunori for hand rolls, but Temakase is a serious contender in both taste & ambiance. I came here for a girls night catch up dinner with one of my close friends, & we both really liked the calmer and more relaxed vibe here. There's a few different hand roll sets here for super reasonable and comparable prices. We both went with the starving (5 hand rolls), which was $32. What's also nice is, you can choose between the spicy or classic preparations OR mix and match for specific handrolls only! I ordered all mine with the classic prep and loooved the scallop and blue crab. The toro might've been better with the spicy honestly, but it was still okay. The pacing here is excellent - I never felt rushed and all the staff was really mindful. 5 rolls was perfect for me to feel full but not stuffed. The staff here is truly SO kind! In addition to the excellent service all night, they provided a complimentary dessert for my birthday! read more

Not a bad runner up next to Kazunori. Less of a wait time as well but still can make reservation. I opted for the 5 rolls mix of spicy and non spicy hand rolls. Nothing spectacular but overall yummy flavors at a good price point. Would prob return if the line at Kazunori down the block is looking long. The sevice was also friendly and the take out menu was extensive as well. read more

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