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I've been wanting to try this place for a while and was thrilled when I was finally able to secure a reservation! The ambiance inside was great and I loved the open kitchen concept. We ordered the chirashi which was served pretty quickly. The presentation was spectacular and came with a card to explain the items on the tray. I really enjoyed experimenting with the different wasabi's and I don't even normally like wasabi! I appreciated that they refilled my seaweed complimentary since I ran out quickly. It was really had to get a reservation but I was surprised there was a lot of open seats. Either way I'm glad I got to try!
The atmosphere is elegant and it's pretty cool seeing the open kitchen format. Got the chirashi don and was quite full after my meal. The fish is good but it did feel a little one dimensional towards the end. My favorites were actually the three different wasabis they gave on the side because they were very flavorful. Wish they gave more of them. The homemade soy sauce is also quite good. Doubt I'd come back but glad I tried it
TL;DR: Good quality, but not the most filling chirashi don. Excellent maki/would recommend adding one to get full. I went to this popular Japanese spot with a group a while back. It took us a good while to sit, with plenty of people waiting in the cramped space, which was a tad uncomfortable. I presume it's easier on other days with some people waiting outside, but it was unfortunately raining that evening pretty badly. They specialize in chirashi don, or in other words, mixed raw fish over rice, and have a very streamlined ordering process, where you have to order one of their chirashi for $48 a person. Even though they specialize in said dish, I found the most worth-it dish here to be their Overflowing Maki. My choice was the $16 Salmon Ikura, or salmon with salmon eggs. There were 6 pieces of the gunkan filled with salmon, which was topped with a large portion of delicious salmon roe. It might be a bit difficult to eat, but I'm not complaining about more fish, and the quality was excellent. This was delicious. My choice for the bowl was the namesake chirashi set, with the other choices being a salmon set or tuna set, and I believe there are seasonal sets occasionally as well. My bowl consisted of rows of amberjack, bluefin tuna, salmon roe, Hokkaido scallop, and Atlantic salmon, all over a bed of rice. The highlight was the scallops, which were fresh and sweet with a plump texture. Otherwise, the next best were the same good-quality salmon roe and the good tuna. The salmon was decent, being pretty buttery, while the worst quality was probably the amberjack, which had a bit of chew, which is unfortunate as I like that fish a lot. Based on the overall quality, the summer scallop don sounds delicious in particular, or I might try the tuna one next time. Along with my choice of fish, all the bowls come with Akami Zuke, or red tuna marinated in soy sauce, house seasonal pickles/tsukemono, quail egg, nori sheets, and a seasonal tea. The tuna was delicious in particular, with the pickles being a simple mix of marinated daikon and cucumbers. There were also three additional things to season: fresh wasabi, yuzu kosho, and kizami wasabi, or wasabi marinated in soy sauce. If I recall correctly, the seasonal tea was a genmaicha or sobacha, and it was standard. The mix was decent, and I like that they put in more effort than a lot of other spots by making their own soy sauce, which wasn't as salty. Overall, the fish was presented well, and it was decent value. In comparison to the few other spots that specialize in sushi dons, I preferred the thicker cuts at Kaoru in Midtown East. I also found the value a bit better at the Office of Mr. Moto, with them having a better mix of side dishes while having similar quality fish. However, their chirashi is a bit harder to compare, as it's a bara/chopped chirashi, similar to WOKUNI. I can see why others like this place a lot, but I wish they offered their maki solely. Mid 4, rounded down for value.
So many Japanese eateries will dedicate themselves to perfecting the craft of one category and in this case it's fish over rice. If you appreciate the delicate flavors of high quality raw seafood with little to no seasoning over carefully prepared sushi rice, this is your spot. You have options that include assorted (chirashi) or you can go all in on the tuna set, which is what my friend and I each did. This set is a tour de force through the best cuts of tuna. It includes O toro, negi toro, chu toro, akami, and bluefin all in one set, with assorted accoutrements like nori sheets, fresh wasabi, soy sauce, pickles, and of course all the fish is served on a bed of delicious sushi rice. If you don't know what any of that means, just know they're different cuts of tuna in varying degrees of fattiness. I have a rather large appetite and found myself unable to finish the set, so it's pretty large. The space is very zen and serene, featuring tables on the side lower to the ground where you sit on a pillow and take your shoes off, or regular tables throughout the rest of the restaurant. Desaturated, earthy wallpaper with greenery line the walls. It's all very tasteful. It's giving Japan! After my visit I saw them post about a summer special that includes raw scallops and ikkura and egg over rice which are all my favorite words so I'm manifesting a return visit before they remove this summer special. Well worth every penny.
I love the dining space and the atmosphere, creates a nice ambiance to eat. We ordered the chirashi set and can say that the fish was super fresh! I also really liked the tea it came with and all the other additions to the set. My only wish is for there to be less rice as I got pretty full halfway. The tuna tartare was also amazing and the pear chunk it was mixed with was super sweet and fresh. The waiters were also very attentive as they went around filling our water cups and asked if everything was to our liking. Definitely would go again!
Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 10/10 From the moment I walked in, I felt like I had been transported to Japan. The aesthetic is absolutely beautiful...every detail, from the decor to the plating, creates such a calm and authentic atmosphere. The service was excellent. The staff was warm, attentive, and struck the perfect balance of checking in without ever making us feel rushed. We chose to sit on the traditional floor mats for the full experience, and while it was definitely worth it, my only advice is: don't wear tight jeans! The presentation of the food was stunning. Every dish and even the drinks looked like they belonged in a magazine. My friend and I each ordered a different seasonal don set. I had the Chirashi Don Set, and she ordered the Salmon Don Set. From what I understand, the menu changes with the seasons, which gives you a great reason to come back throughout the year. Everything was incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. I especially loved all of the accompanying side dishes and condiments, they really completed the meal and made each bite a little different. Reservations can definitely be difficult to get, but after dining here, I completely understand why. Between the beautiful atmosphere, thoughtful presentation, delicious food, and wonderful service, it's an experience that's well worth planning ahead for. I'll absolutely be back to try their other seasonal sets.
A beautiful restaurant! The portions of meat were large and the set up was super beautiful. The scallop was my favorite part of the set. Make sure to come with an empty stomach because the portions were large and you can't take leftovers home
As you have definitely heard and seen umeko was amazing! I would love to go back soon and was so excited when I snagged this reservation. The space was very clean and aesthetic. With very quick and attentive service. The seatings are around 90 ish minutes which felt like a good amount of time for us. We sat on the traditional bamboo floor to the side it was a great experience would definitely recommend if available. I assume the bar would also be nice to sit at though so you could watch them assemble the sets. The tuna set was preferable to us. But all the fish was so fresh and delicious and buttery. The rice was also so good, even just on its own. The tea, seaweed, pickled veggies, soup, tuna appetizer and wasabi add ons that they are serve with it were all great. The soup is okay but can't complain. The Japanese pear tea would also be a nice extra thing to add we enjoyed it. Definitely check it out they are getting the hype for a very well deserved and fair set of reasons.
Pretty awesome Don bowls for build your own rollers or just to eat straight. Their own house soy sauce is pretty salty so a light dip is enough. I preferred the Chirashi over the tuna.
damn. Umeko was phenomenal. Booked a reservation two weeks before and was so pumped to come after going to Ume, their sister restaurant, a couple of times. Everything here was so well done, and super affordable. Ordered two sets, and two orders of sushi: spicy tuna and scallop. check the pictures, these rolls were LOADED. The sets were really delicious. We opted to add uni on ours, not a must but if youre willing to splurge go for it. Frankly, I thought service was fine. They are delivering on this upscale, very sleek atmosphere, and yet our server was this young twenties (so am i), super casual and kind of awkward man who thought we were best friends. I remember him saying "I love yapping" right when he came up to us Not that this is a bad thing, but it was just a little weird. We also asked to have the sushi rolls come first before the sets, and he was unsure of how to do it. We ended up just getting everything at once which was a little dissapointing.
This was good though overhyped. I remember seeing this restaurant come up a lot on social media closer to when they initially opened so I thought it was worth the try. The salmon dish I got was good and the quality of the fish tasted fresh for sure. However, I don't think the value is there when there are so many other sushi spots in the area. I felt like I was paying more for the atmosphere and the "instagram worthy picture" when the reality was kind of cramped seating and mood lighting. I also expected more when a place is booked solid in terms of reservations.
Managed to get a reservation at Umeko for lunch on a Sunday (they go quickly). Menu is limited (everyone selects one of the sets from the prix fixer) but there is a variety of items in each set. We each had the Chirashi Set which was very nicely prepared and presented and we added a Tuna Tartare which was also very good. Service was attentive and efficient, restaurant is relatively small but very comfortable environment.
Made a reservation at 6pm on a Wednesday night. By the time we got there, there was a small line that only got longer. People who tried to do walk-ins had a long wait, so definitely make a res! The decor was quaint and romantic. We ordered the salmon and tuna set. Food came rather quickly. First, the fish was so fresh. The akame zuke was deliciously flavorful. My next favorite would be the salmon zuke. So tender and almost melt in your mouth. The tuna don is also amazing with the mouth watering pieces. Overall, for $48, you get a few different cuts of fish, tea, and rice. We actually got quite full and think it's worth a visit.
22 days ago
Been wanting to go here since I heard about it, reservations seems to be easy to get as long as there's like a 2-3 weeks time frame. The food itself is great value it's similar to their parent restaurant Ume in Williamsburg, the rice to fish ratio I would say it's a perfect balance, the tea that they serve with the set is probably one of my favorites. The atmosphere in there is really relaxing their decoration is really nice and looks really clean it makes you feel like you're at someone's home all the way in Japan! And also their bathrooms are really clean 10/10 for a place to poop IMO read more
We thoroughly enjoyed our sets and thought the quality of the fish was excellent especially for the price point. I enjoyed making my own mini hand rolls and enjoyed their recs for sake. Service and ambiance were on par with what I would expect of a restaurant like this. I would definitely come back. read more
28 days ago
This place primarily works with a few price-fix options. These come in sets, where you get a different set of fishes (depending on which option you choose) over rice, and a bunch of add-ons. I had the Chirashi Don, which came with amberjack, bluefin tuna, salmon roe, scallop, and salmon over rice - with akami zuke, nori sheets, pickles, tea, and soy sauce as well. The concept is interesting, but ultimately unnecessary. Having nori sheets available to make hand rolls is cool, I suppose. But why does each person get their own soy sauce rather than just having one for the table? The same could be said for the tea. It just takes up space on the plate. Onto the chirashi don itself - the main part of the meal. It's arranged with different fishes striped in lines across the rice underneath, so five fishes take up five lines in total. I liked the salmon roe the best by far - it was bubbly, salty, and had a unique pop in your mouth when you ate it. The scallop was also pretty good. The salmon and amberjack were both fine. What I didn't really like was the bluefin tuna, which was oddly just mashed up? I don't know why you would do this - a big part of the experience of eating otoro is getting to bite through the fattiness of a piece and feeling it melt through. But when you mash it up, that just isn't there. I honestly have no idea why you would have all the other pieces normal size and mash this up unless you figured you could put less otoro by spreading it out. The rice is good enough, but certainly not high-end sushi-quality. The price ended up being about $60/person. It is expensive - and I honestly wouldn't say you get anything crazy in terms of the level of fish being presented. Let's say your average chirashi bowl ends up costing $40/person at the time of the bill. Is this really that different? It does include otoro and nori sheets, but outside of that, the presentation is the only major difference. Overall, it's certainly good-quality chirashi, but at little higher of a price point than what it should be. 7.75/10 read more
2 months ago
I've been wanting to try this place for a while and was thrilled when I was finally able to secure a reservation! The ambiance inside was great and I loved the open kitchen concept. We ordered the chirashi which was served pretty quickly. The presentation was spectacular and came with a card to explain the items on the tray. I really enjoyed experimenting with the different wasabi's and I don't even normally like wasabi! I appreciated that they refilled my seaweed complimentary since I ran out quickly. It was really had to get a reservation but I was surprised there was a lot of open seats. Either way I'm glad I got to try! read more
The atmosphere is elegant and it's pretty cool seeing the open kitchen format. Got the chirashi don and was quite full after my meal. The fish is good but it did feel a little one dimensional towards the end. My favorites were actually the three different wasabis they gave on the side because they were very flavorful. Wish they gave more of them. The homemade soy sauce is also quite good. Doubt I'd come back but glad I tried it read more
TL;DR: Good quality, but not the most filling chirashi don. Excellent maki/would recommend adding one to get full. I went to this popular Japanese spot with a group a while back. It took us a good while to sit, with plenty of people waiting in the cramped space, which was a tad uncomfortable. I presume it's easier on other days with some people waiting outside, but it was unfortunately raining that evening pretty badly. They specialize in chirashi don, or in other words, mixed raw fish over rice, and have a very streamlined ordering process, where you have to order one of their chirashi for $48 a person. Even though they specialize in said dish, I found the most worth-it dish here to be their Overflowing Maki. My choice was the $16 Salmon Ikura, or salmon with salmon eggs. There were 6 pieces of the gunkan filled with salmon, which was topped with a large portion of delicious salmon roe. It might be a bit difficult to eat, but I'm not complaining about more fish, and the quality was excellent. This was delicious. My choice for the bowl was the namesake chirashi set, with the other choices being a salmon set or tuna set, and I believe there are seasonal sets occasionally as well. My bowl consisted of rows of amberjack, bluefin tuna, salmon roe, Hokkaido scallop, and Atlantic salmon, all over a bed of rice. The highlight was the scallops, which were fresh and sweet with a plump texture. Otherwise, the next best were the same good-quality salmon roe and the good tuna. The salmon was decent, being pretty buttery, while the worst quality was probably the amberjack, which had a bit of chew, which is unfortunate as I like that fish a lot. Based on the overall quality, the summer scallop don sounds delicious in particular, or I might try the tuna one next time. Along with my choice of fish, all the bowls come with Akami Zuke, or red tuna marinated in soy sauce, house seasonal pickles/tsukemono, quail egg, nori sheets, and a seasonal tea. The tuna was delicious in particular, with the pickles being a simple mix of marinated daikon and cucumbers. There were also three additional things to season: fresh wasabi, yuzu kosho, and kizami wasabi, or wasabi marinated in soy sauce. If I recall correctly, the seasonal tea was a genmaicha or sobacha, and it was standard. The mix was decent, and I like that they put in more effort than a lot of other spots by making their own soy sauce, which wasn't as salty. Overall, the fish was presented well, and it was decent value. In comparison to the few other spots that specialize in sushi dons, I preferred the thicker cuts at Kaoru in Midtown East. I also found the value a bit better at the Office of Mr. Moto, with them having a better mix of side dishes while having similar quality fish. However, their chirashi is a bit harder to compare, as it's a bara/chopped chirashi, similar to WOKUNI. I can see why others like this place a lot, but I wish they offered their maki solely. Mid 4, rounded down for value. read more
3 months ago
So many Japanese eateries will dedicate themselves to perfecting the craft of one category and in this case it's fish over rice. If you appreciate the delicate flavors of high quality raw seafood with little to no seasoning over carefully prepared sushi rice, this is your spot. You have options that include assorted (chirashi) or you can go all in on the tuna set, which is what my friend and I each did. This set is a tour de force through the best cuts of tuna. It includes O toro, negi toro, chu toro, akami, and bluefin all in one set, with assorted accoutrements like nori sheets, fresh wasabi, soy sauce, pickles, and of course all the fish is served on a bed of delicious sushi rice. If you don't know what any of that means, just know they're different cuts of tuna in varying degrees of fattiness. I have a rather large appetite and found myself unable to finish the set, so it's pretty large. The space is very zen and serene, featuring tables on the side lower to the ground where you sit on a pillow and take your shoes off, or regular tables throughout the rest of the restaurant. Desaturated, earthy wallpaper with greenery line the walls. It's all very tasteful. It's giving Japan! After my visit I saw them post about a summer special that includes raw scallops and ikkura and egg over rice which are all my favorite words so I'm manifesting a return visit before they remove this summer special. Well worth every penny. read more
I love the dining space and the atmosphere, creates a nice ambiance to eat. We ordered the chirashi set and can say that the fish was super fresh! I also really liked the tea it came with and all the other additions to the set. My only wish is for there to be less rice as I got pretty full halfway. The tuna tartare was also amazing and the pear chunk it was mixed with was super sweet and fresh. The waiters were also very attentive as they went around filling our water cups and asked if everything was to our liking. Definitely would go again! read more
Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 10/10 From the moment I walked in, I felt like I had been transported to Japan. The aesthetic is absolutely beautiful...every detail, from the decor to the plating, creates such a calm and authentic atmosphere. The service was excellent. The staff was warm, attentive, and struck the perfect balance of checking in without ever making us feel rushed. We chose to sit on the traditional floor mats for the full experience, and while it was definitely worth it, my only advice is: don't wear tight jeans! The presentation of the food was stunning. Every dish and even the drinks looked like they belonged in a magazine. My friend and I each ordered a different seasonal don set. I had the Chirashi Don Set, and she ordered the Salmon Don Set. From what I understand, the menu changes with the seasons, which gives you a great reason to come back throughout the year. Everything was incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. I especially loved all of the accompanying side dishes and condiments, they really completed the meal and made each bite a little different. Reservations can definitely be difficult to get, but after dining here, I completely understand why. Between the beautiful atmosphere, thoughtful presentation, delicious food, and wonderful service, it's an experience that's well worth planning ahead for. I'll absolutely be back to try their other seasonal sets. read more
A beautiful restaurant! The portions of meat were large and the set up was super beautiful. The scallop was my favorite part of the set. Make sure to come with an empty stomach because the portions were large and you can't take leftovers home read more
As you have definitely heard and seen umeko was amazing! I would love to go back soon and was so excited when I snagged this reservation. The space was very clean and aesthetic. With very quick and attentive service. The seatings are around 90 ish minutes which felt like a good amount of time for us. We sat on the traditional bamboo floor to the side it was a great experience would definitely recommend if available. I assume the bar would also be nice to sit at though so you could watch them assemble the sets. The tuna set was preferable to us. But all the fish was so fresh and delicious and buttery. The rice was also so good, even just on its own. The tea, seaweed, pickled veggies, soup, tuna appetizer and wasabi add ons that they are serve with it were all great. The soup is okay but can't complain. The Japanese pear tea would also be a nice extra thing to add we enjoyed it. Definitely check it out they are getting the hype for a very well deserved and fair set of reasons. read more
damn. Umeko was phenomenal. Booked a reservation two weeks before and was so pumped to come after going to Ume, their sister restaurant, a couple of times. Everything here was so well done, and super affordable. Ordered two sets, and two orders of sushi: spicy tuna and scallop. check the pictures, these rolls were LOADED. The sets were really delicious. We opted to add uni on ours, not a must but if youre willing to splurge go for it. Frankly, I thought service was fine. They are delivering on this upscale, very sleek atmosphere, and yet our server was this young twenties (so am i), super casual and kind of awkward man who thought we were best friends. I remember him saying "I love yapping" right when he came up to us Not that this is a bad thing, but it was just a little weird. We also asked to have the sushi rolls come first before the sets, and he was unsure of how to do it. We ended up just getting everything at once which was a little dissapointing. read more
1 month ago
This was good though overhyped. I remember seeing this restaurant come up a lot on social media closer to when they initially opened so I thought it was worth the try. The salmon dish I got was good and the quality of the fish tasted fresh for sure. However, I don't think the value is there when there are so many other sushi spots in the area. I felt like I was paying more for the atmosphere and the "instagram worthy picture" when the reality was kind of cramped seating and mood lighting. I also expected more when a place is booked solid in terms of reservations. read more
Managed to get a reservation at Umeko for lunch on a Sunday (they go quickly). Menu is limited (everyone selects one of the sets from the prix fixer) but there is a variety of items in each set. We each had the Chirashi Set which was very nicely prepared and presented and we added a Tuna Tartare which was also very good. Service was attentive and efficient, restaurant is relatively small but very comfortable environment. read more
Made a reservation at 6pm on a Wednesday night. By the time we got there, there was a small line that only got longer. People who tried to do walk-ins had a long wait, so definitely make a res! The decor was quaint and romantic. We ordered the salmon and tuna set. Food came rather quickly. First, the fish was so fresh. The akame zuke was deliciously flavorful. My next favorite would be the salmon zuke. So tender and almost melt in your mouth. The tuna don is also amazing with the mouth watering pieces. Overall, for $48, you get a few different cuts of fish, tea, and rice. We actually got quite full and think it's worth a visit. read more
2 months ago
Staff are really welcoming but also very professional. Went with the chirashi box. Such good value for $48. Tons of fish, I wish there was less rice (I couldn't finish all my rice :')) I also got the yuzu cocktail and that was very refreshing. The space is gorgeous with table seating, mat floor seating, and a counter. read more
Umeko was a really solid experience overall. We ordered the Chirashi Don Set with bluefin tuna, amberjack, Hokkaido scallop, Atlantic salmon, ikura, and quail egg over rice, plus nori sheets to make your own hand rolls throughout the meal. We also tried one of the tuna-focused sets, which was really good too, but I personally preferred the Chirashi set because of the variety. Everything tasted very fresh and the quality of the fish was definitely there. The Akami Zuke was also a standout. The vibe inside was super cool nicely dim lit with some floor seating that gave the whole experience a more authentic feel. Service was good overall, although we did have to keep asking for nori refills instead of them proactively bringing more out. That said, the pricing felt very fair for the quality and amount of food you get. You definitely leave full after this meal. read more
We were excited to try Umeko and had to make a reservation far in advance. The inside is clean, dim, and the ac is strong. The service is attentive; they were rushing us towards the end as they cleared the room to prepare for the next round of reservations. You only have a few sets to pick from and we both went with the chirashi set. The portion was large, and the quality of the fish was good. The rice was just ok and I wish they gave more seaweed. I would come back if it's easier to get a reservation. read more
Definitely need to make a reservation for this place. I believe it's currently trending so it's hard to make a reservation. It would be best to book early in advance or put notifications on for when bookings being available. $45 for their chirashi don is such a good deal. I left feeling full and satisfied. I like that it came with some sides as well like the pickled veggies and a small appetizer of marinated lean tuna. The hot tea was nothing special though. The tea flavor was SO faint and it really felt like it was just hot water. I would have liked a stronger tea or maybe a side of soup instead, hopefully they change that in the future. The fish was fresh and having the ikura there to pair with each bite was what made it even better. The ambiance is nice inside and feels very intimate. Servers were attentive and refilled our waters, but they also did constantly ask if we were finished (3x), which made me feel kind of rushed. I get that they probably saw the chirashi don was finished and wanted to take away our whole plate, but my friends and I were still chatting and working on the side dishes. I would definitely come back again and probably get the same chirashi don. read more
5 months ago
Umeko is a reservation that is very hard to get, and it's very easy to see why! The $48 per person prix fixe don sets are an incredible value. The quality of the fish is extremely high and the portions are generous. I got the tuna set and added uni (+$18). Each person must order a set. Then as a table of 4, we added the truffle scallop and Hokkaido scallop maki. The set came with tea, two pieces of marinated tuna, pickled vegetables, nori, 3 kinds of wasabi and house-made soy sauce. The tuna don included 4 cuts/preparations of tuna. The salmon don included 3 cuts/preparations of salmon + a generous serving of salmon roe. None of us got the chirashi, but it looks amazing and if I'm lucky enough to get another reservation I would definitely try it! The set itself is a very satisfying meal, but since we were there we thought why not! The truffle scallop included a lot of shaved truffle. The Hokkaido scallop maki was recommended by our server. There were 6 pieces of maki with a pile of lightly seasoned scallops on top. The fish was fresh and delicious. Honestly, this meal was heavenly. I'll be thinking about it for some time! The restaurant has an open dining room with a counter where they prepare the sets. They have tables, shared seating around a larger island, and bamboo floor seating. It's bustling but not packed. The seats were full and it did not feel crowded. The service is friendly and efficient (they'd like dining time to be limited to 90-100 minutes, per Resy). It felt very nice with some plants inside, and it was very clean and tidy. Reservations can be made on Resy and they drop 30 days in advance. Hopefully I can get lucky again and return soon! read more
Made reservations for 5pm and I highly recommend making reservations since there was already a line for both those who had and those who didn't have reservation. Seating is reserved for 90 minute and the food was good. Pros: I got a table seat and I was glad I did since it was the most comfortable in my opinion. They had the floor seating where you had to take off your shoes and sit criss cross apple sauce but I think my leg would have been numb halfway through dinner. They also had a shared island bar type of seating where you're sitting next to strangers... for a more personal experience I recommend table seating. The table I was seated at was right in front of the chefs bar so I was able to see the chefs prepare the boxes right in front of us... they were efficient and it looked like a well oiled machine... PRO: food was good, service was quick, my favorite was the ikura SO SWEET CONS: not even 50 minute into our meal it felt like we were being rushed out which was off putting. While I was done with my meal my other two friends were still working on theirs and the servers came by twice to ask if they were done and they weren't... note to staff if our time isn't up and we're still working on it, no need to ask us multiple times if we are still working on it. If we're done we'll let you know. If our times up then you can let us know. but we still have 40 minute left and just because I eat fast doesn't mean my friends eat fast. I wasnt a fan of the amberjack as well and their tea just tasted like boiled water to me IMO. Everyone left full snd it tasted fresh. I would be back but would love to not feel rushed. read more
Umeko is the new West Village sister to Ume in Williamsburg, built around a $48 prix fixe chirashi don that changes with the season. The space is intimate, the plating is gorgeous, and you can watch the chefs assemble each don with real precision behind the counter. The food was good, but the flavor felt a little flat on its own. The roe and wasabi did most of the heavy lifting, and I really needed the nori to make each bite come together. read more
5 months ago
I'd give this a 3.5, but rounding up for the tuna. We booked about a month in advance for Umeko after seeing it all over social media. When we arrived, the host checked us in and asked us to wait off to the side until our table was ready. Each person is required to order one set, either the tuna set, the chirashi set, or the salmon set. My partner chose the salmon, and I went with the tuna. The presentation was beautiful, with thoughtful sides like seasonal tea, pickled vegetables, nori sheets, akami zuke, condiments, and the main event - your don. The tuna don was the standout for me, with thick, fresh, and fatty pieces of tuna. It did get a bit rich throughout the meal, but the pickled vegetables played their role and helped balance things out as a palate cleanser. The salmon don was less enjoyable, as two of the four preparations were partially seared/cooked, which threw off the texture for me. On a positive note, the salmon roe was surprisingly good, milder and a bit sweeter compared to the overly salty versions I have had elsewhere. One thing that stood out, and I noticed others mention this too, was the lack of explanation or guidance from the staff. I appreciated the card that outlined the different components, but I would have liked a bit more guidance or interaction on how the dishes are meant to be enjoyed. read more
This was actually heavenly, $48 for a set like that is amazing. I liked the chirashi don better than the tuna don, but both had such good quality fish. The o toro was my favorite! The truffle scallop was also very good. I love the little side dishes, housemade soy sauce, and different wasabi that you can try. The service was amazing, and the whole dining experience was fun and unique. read more
5 days ago
this was such a heavenly meal amazing fish quality + quantity and just LOOK how gorgeous this presentation is. omg and the bamboo floor seating--i am just obsessed with everything about this place. read more
Umeko offers a $48 platter that's loaded with fresh fish and rice, and it's honestly more than enough. Each place setting also comes with seasonal pickled sides and sheets of seaweed so you can make your own personalized sushi hand rolls, which makes the experience feel fun and interactive. The chirashi platter really has everything you need, so you don't even have to order anything extra. It's a great balance of variety, quality, and portion size. And if you're still in the mood for a quick bite after, we hit up Joe's Pizza for a classic cheese slice. It's cash only and less than a 3-minute walk, so super convenient and the perfect way to top off the meal. read more
Went to Umeko for lunch with two friends on one of those very cold February days. People with reservations were lined up outside and let in a minute or two before their reservation time. Inside, the space feels modern and serene, with light wood furniture, muted tones, soft low lighting, and lots of greenery. We were seated promptly. You choose between two prix fixe sets ($48 per person), with the option to add additional items à la carte. Two of us ordered the tuna set, and one ordered the mixed fish set (which changes and can accommodate substitutions for allergies). Each set also includes unlimited hot tea. Service was attentive and prompt, whenever we asked for more tea or water, it was brought out quickly. The presentation is beautiful and very intentional. You get a generous portion of fish and rice, along with nori sheets, seasoned pickles, wasabi, and soy sauce. It is definitely a large amount of food, the four types of tuna alone are served atop a substantial bed of rice, so you will leave full. There's also a cute postcard that you can take with you, detailing what's included in the set. Flavor-wise, the tuna was very good, though not excellent. It was nice to try multiple preparations and experience a range of flavors in one meal. We also ordered the rice milk dessert, which was lightly sweet and worked nicely as a palate cleanser after all the fish. Overall, this was a cool and enjoyable experience, and I would recommend trying it at least once. That said, I'm not sure I will come back soon, though I would try one of their other restaurants, but I'm glad I went. read more
6 months ago
Really enjoyed my experience here. It's not quite the same vibe as its sister restaurant and that's okay! Despite my hopes I'd somehow get the pleasures of dining at Ume in my own backyard (I live closer to this location), Umeko is definitely its own ambience. The interior is extremely dark (like takes away from the food dark), and echoey but also features plenty of real greenery that adds some charm. The food itself was tasty and high quality but I found the rice to be a bit too cloying and sweet. The negi toro was chopped a bit too finely and read as mealy and sticky in a bit so enjoyable way, but the rest of the items in my chirashi were enjoyable. The sets themselves and portions sizes were excellent. I hope as a few more months pass and they get their grove that maybe a few things like the lighting and sushizu dial in. The staff were friendly and attentive. read more
7 months ago
TLDR: Chirashi-centric concept from the same team as Ume/ThirteenWater. Basically there's a mixed chirashi and a tuna one. There are some side plates you can order. The platter itself is very picturesque, you get different ways to season your chirashi as you eat it and it's a very DIY experience. Personally i found the tuna to be the better deal and also easier to eat because the fish is sliced thicker. The mixed chirashi everything is diced small. So while it does look great - the size of the pieces makes it a bit harder to eat IMO. The salmon maki piled with ikura was tasty. The scallop truffle I thought was fine but for the price, the flavors felt a bit flat to me. Overall, I'd need to be in the mood for it but solid. If you're into experiences, you'll probably like this a lot. read more
I am a fan of Ume Williamsburg and restaurants owned by Ume Hospitality, that's why I was so excited to check out their latest new restaurant specializing in seasonal chirashi dons. Their $48 prix-fixe don sets are absolutely stunning. The sashimi is top-notch, and they pay attention to every detail, like making their own soy sauce and even giving you a cute illustrated menu. The space is calm, zen, and intimate, with regular and tatami seatings. ＊Chirashi Set $48 ** Strongly recommend! The sashimi selection changes with the seasons, and the winter menu features tuna, salmon, amberjack, hokkaido scallop, and salmon roe. The set also includes soy marinated tuna (which I loved!), pickles, and soup. You can make your own handrolls using the nori sheets, seasoning them with housemade soy sauce, yuzu kosho, pickled wasabi, or fresh wasabi. But honestly, the sashimi was so fresh that I barely touched any of the condiments. ＊Tuna Set $48 It comes with four cuts of tuna: akami (lean), chutoro (medium-fatty), otoro (fatty), and negi toro (minced fatty tuna). Each piece is fresh, thickly sliced, and melt-in-your-mouth buttery. While the quality is undeniable, the overall flavor is more one-note than chirashi and starts to feel heavy after the first few bites. ＊Salmon $26 * Of the three appetizers I ordered, the salmon with daikon and nori paste stood out as my favorite. The salmon was thickly sliced and fatty. ＊Truffle Scallop $38 * The truffle scallop was packed with umami flavor, with fresh truffle on top and truffle paste underneath. Packed with umami flavors. ＊Tuna Tartare $30 The tuna tartare was however different from what I expected, as the diced apples and seasoning weren't quite to my taste. ＊Sobacha Flan $13 * I swear it tasted better than it looked! The flavor was tea-forward, and the pudding itself was creamy and silky. It was the perfect counterbalance to the richness of the fish from the set. read more
Managed to snatch a last minute weekday lunch reservation at Umeko and had a great time! I got their popular chirashi don set which featured a wide variety of fish types and ikura. The bluefin tuna was probably my favorite. The fish were generally pretty fresh. As someone who likes a high fish to rice ratio, I think they did a good job of finding the balance. The amberjack and scallop went well with their yuzu kosho. Seaweed was pretty standard. The akami zuke was very solid. Also got a tuna tartare as starts which featured crispy tempura batter coated seaweed. The addition of apple bits conferred a nice balancing crunchiness and sweetness to the raw fish. Loved the Japanese minimalistic decor. There are some tables that have the whole tatami set up. Staff were polite and food came out quick! While nothing was super impressive, it was a solid meal that hit the spot!! read more
4 months ago
As soon as you walk in the smell of sushi rice fills the air, in the best way. I knew it was going to be a good meal from the service and the ambiance. We sat on the bamboo style seating - it was fun for the gimmick but honestly got uncomfortable after a while so opt for table seating instead. We got the tuna and chirashi dons and added ikura. I couldn't choose which i like better. Both were so fresh and fun to eat. The quail egg on the chirashi made the dish so savory. The scallop maki was overflowing with scallop. Would definitely come again! read more
8 months ago
My friend suggested we try Umeko after seeing some posts on social media about it. It's newly opened by the same hospitality group as the iconic Ume in Williamsburg. Reservations were fairly easy to get, but the restaurant was definitely booked for the Saturday after they opened. Ambiance is really nice. Super peaceful and minimal with greenery around the seating area. There are four tales where you sit on the floor like at Ume, but the rest of the restaurant is standard searing. There's also a large communal table at the front of the restaurant. The food was fabulous. I'm a huge seafood, chirashi, sashimi person, so this was right up my alley. Each item in the chirashi was super high quality. My favorites were the Ikura, which was marinated in an acidic and sweet sauce, and the Scallop, which was incredibly fresh, tender, and sweet. The set is super reasonably priced at $48 per person because it comes with a generous portion. The miso soup and other pairings also went perfectly with the chirashi bowl. Highly recommend Umeko! This will become a restaurant in my rotation. Amazing quality for the price. read more
6 months ago
Seems like it's reservations only right now because of how fully booked it is. We got the chirashi don set and the tuna don set. I think the chirashi don set is more worth because of the variety of items in that set. The fish tasted fresh too. read more
8 months ago
Less than a week after coming back from an amazing trip to Hokkaido, Japan, I found myself at Umeko for a semi-surprise dinner. It was tasty, though I probably would've enjoyed it more if I hadn't just had fresher seafood at half the price from the Motherland of Sushi itself. But I digress.... If you can't jet off to Hokkaido anytime soon, Umeko should scratch your shellfish itch. I've been a fan of its older sibling Ume for many years. It's one of my favorite "hidden gems" in the city (though it's arguably a lot less hidden these days than when I first sat in their beautiful zen garden). Umeko has a somewhat similar, plant-infused vibe but without any of the natural light--because this is Manhattan and natural light is one of those "luxuries" the plebs don't get to enjoy. To make up for that, Umeko's team clearly hired the interior decorators from Seoul Sweets, as the restaurant has the same faux-succulent, faux-fern greenery carved into the middle of its long tables as the Korean cafe. Is it as nice as a sunny, airy Japanese garden? No. But you probably won't notice when you're heads down inhaling your fish. On that, Umeko's Chirashi Don is a gorgeous box of the season's freshest fish--in our case, salmon, hamachi, minced tuna, ikura, and ika. The textures and flavors were on point, as was the vinegared rice cushioning them. The square don came with a couple of pieces of seared tuna, piping hot miso soup, and some pickled veggies. Like Ume, you also receive several sheets of nori and yuzu kosho/wasabi accompaniments so you can create multiple iterations of the temaki of your dreams. We also (foolishly) tacked on an Ikura Maki thinking we might still be hungry. It ended up being Ikura Don't-Make-Me-Eat because it was overflowing with roe, and we were too full from our dons to ingest more. In Umeko's defense, they DO warn that the maki are "overflowing" maki. We just didn't listen. (*Insert laugh-cry emoji*) To balance out our saltwater dinner, we ended with Umeko's Sobacha Flan, a Japanese buckwheat tea-infused flan. It was light, delicate and not too sweet--the hallmarks of a classic JP sweet. Now, Umeko just opened and it's not without some growing pains. Their tea game is weak--for $12, we got a tiny pot of barely steeped leaves with absolutely no flavor. It was cold before it had time to be anything other than water--and the leaves were NOT left in the pot. That's kind of unacceptable for a Japanese restaurant. Service was also kind of uneven too. Not for us--our dishes came out fairly quickly--but for the people around us who had ordered only 5 min after us. They waited much longer (15+ min) for their items. All in all, a good start to what I hope to be a fruitful next chapter for the Ume team. read more
So upon entering I was worried about the wait time for our reservation as they mentioned they need people to be at the restaurant grace period 5 minutes or our reservation would be given away. I definitely listened as some Japanese spots are really strict but we were rushing in traffic to park the car all for nothing because the person that was supposed to check us in was too busy and we actually waited for THEM to check us in after 15 whole minutes waiting for them. So I didn't really appreciate this. The ambiance is pretty cool like I love that there are multiple ways of sitting although I wish they made more floor seating. I think compared to their Ume location, this one only has 10 or under tables for their bamboo garden area. The other area for seating is cool in the communal space as you get sunlight from the sky but we were seated in the normal dining area which is more dark and romantic. I really love the concept and it's made by the team that also made Thirteen Water so I trusted it would be amazing quality of fish. The fish wasn't as good as their omakase spots obviously and it's at a cheaper scale at $48 pp, we cannot share the pre fixe menu as it comes 1 per person. I really wish we can though because it is actually so much bigger than we anticipated. As a person who doesn't like wasting food I ate it all and we were so full at the end I was almost in a food coma and that usually doesn't happen from sushi. I ordered the chirashi don and my partner ordered the salmon don. I really enjoyed the post cards they had to explain what is what and the different kind of sauces they gave us (wasabi, yuzu) for the fish. My favorite is definitely the ikura and I enjoy the raw egg on top, the blue fin tuna was super good and also enjoyed I had a lot of scallop in my chirashi bowl. The salmon was yummy as well. While I enjoyed the food it was a little lackluster of an experience. I definitely would have preferred to sit in the tables on the floor but I couldn't make the reservation as those are gone immediately. The fish was good but not like as good as omakase for the price it shouldn't be too off. I rather have a smaller bowl with even higher quality fish than a large one at a regular grade fish for the price point. Especially if you can't even share it. I don't know if I'd be back again knowing there are hard reservations and still being hyped on social media. I definitely would rather just go back to Thirteen Water, their other spot for omakase! read more
Umeko is an intimate and cozy with a small amount of seating so I recommend making a reservation online. The menu is small but curated so you can quickly pick your items quickly. I chose the tuna bowl, but if the menu included info on what was in the chirashi bowl, I would have picked that. The bowls are $48 and while it looks small, there is a deceivingly amount of fish and rice. My only complaint is that the while the reservation time-slot is allocated for 90 minutes, they start rushing you at the 60 min mark and are pushing you out by the 80 min mark. They really want their next party seated by the end of your 90 minutes. All in all; would fine if you can snag a reservation but wouldn't sweat it. There are tons of other rice bowl spots in the city that serve similar quality food. read more
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63 Downing St
New York, NY 10014
West Village
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https://www.umekony.com
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