My husband and I would come to ushiwakamaru 1-2 times per year because chef Hideo is always so amazing at his craft. We love the edomae sushi he brings to the table and we trust that every piece delivered will satisfy our cravings for fish! We went last night since he's closed for New Year's Eve and like always, it didn't disappoint. The only disappointment is that he will be closed and moving to Europe after January 31st,2026! If you haven't gone to this intimate omakase, please go before he closes shop in NYC. Highly recommend! read more

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The whole experience is a bit of a mixed bag. Me and my partner are both had $200.15 piece omakase. I was a bit surprised that literally we were the only two people for the 6 PM seating . The place is indeed, Japanese and pretty old-school. I feel like the whole experience is a bit stuck in time and not always in a good way. I think overall the chef tries to do what he knows best however, the whole experience felt a bit tired, and missing attention to detail that it's typical to true Japanese omakase. Sort of like going to an old school diner, where I know the tuna melt and root beer float are going to be great however, I won't go out of my way to come back. read more

Ushiwakamaru - Chef at work - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

My partner and I came in this Thursday for date night. I'd read some great reviews so it had been on my list for a while. We ordered the 20-piece omakase ($251pp). Unfortunately, for the price point, it ended up being a really disappointing experience. I think this probably would have been better as a $100-150 omakase, and even then I probably wouldn't have been happy with the pricing. That being said, it seemed that many of the others seated at the counter might have been regulars as they had quite the rapport with the head chef. Maybe we came on an off night, or maybe the head chef made the sushi better (we were not served by him) -- either way, the meal was really underwhelming. My main issue was with the quality of the fish. It didn't taste very fresh, and I felt that for several pieces too much vinegar, soy sauce, or wasabi had been used specifically to cover up the fact that the fish wasn't fresh. A lot of the sauces didn't go well with the fish at all and were too tart or too salty or both. I was pretty shocked at how crass the flavors were for a price point that is fairly high end, and have had much better experiences at other places both above, at, and below the same price point as this place. Even the A5 Miyazaki wagyu was underwhelming, with a sauce that was too salty/vinegary which totally overwhelmed the taste of the meat, which is the whole point. Many of the other dishes were fine, but the overall taste and quality are not what I would expect for this price. That being said, there were still a few pieces that I enjoyed: the baby eel appetizer, which was very unique, as well as the dessert with the rice balls and red bean. The service was also very good. If you're willing to pay $250 for omakase though, your money would definitely be better spent somewhere else. read more

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Amazing sushi! One of the best places in NYC for sure! Great service and all the food is delicious! The tuna special was great! I loved each unique piece of tuna and the spicy tuna roll was so good! They had the best tempura I've ever had and you can tell the quality of the sushi place by it's egg sushi! The egg sushi was amazing and the best I've ever had as well. The pickled vegetables could've been more pickled and have more flavor but still good. One of the best parts was dessert! The matcha tiramisu is a must order! It was so so delicious and my mom from Japan who usually doesn't order or eat desserts at all said it was so good and she wished she had ordered her own. The other people in my party got omakase and said that every piece was amazing. The chef is friendly and great at what he does! If you're looking for an amazing and authentic sushi and Japanese food in general experience in a laid back and friendly setting with high quality people don't look anywhere else. Can't recommend enough! read more

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AMAZING. There was not a single piece I did not like and I actually left feeling full (rare at omakase places for me). We got the omakase - mix of sushi and sashimi for $158, which also came with soup, choice of dessert, and a few other items (see photos). Standouts were the monk fish liver (omg I could've had an entire bowl of it) and the tuna scallion hand roll with this amazing homemade soy sauce, followed very closely by the the first fatty tuna piece (forget what kind but sweet the trio photo after the soup), red snapper, shrimp and uni. But honestly there was not a single piece we didn't like. It was all wonderful. The sake flight option on the menu that night wasn't available so we got the cheapest of the 3 sake options in the junmai gingo category. I forgot the name but it was $14 for a 4 oz glass, which I found reasonable. They also had some pretty high end bottles if you're celebrating a special occasion. The sushi chef was very friendly and funny. Loved our interactions with him, even if through a plastic plexy glass wall (ugh covid). The waiter was not as attentive (rarely came to refill our drinks and forgot to come back to take my drink order) but it looked like he was the only guy working the entire restaurant, which looked fully booked, and I assume it was just due to understaffing during COVID. In sum, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE. Amazing sushi, excellent sake menu, and friendly chef. Can't wait to return! Easily one of the best places in the city. read more

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This spot serves the freshest Edo sushi I have had in a while. The ambiance is amazing and everyone is super welcoming and polite. Loved the master's energy and he also had a snazzy blue sparkly mask on. There were plastic dividers between everyone, and the spacing was definitely more than 6 feet. Felt very safe inside. I came here for the Omakase to celebrate my birthday and it was absolutely delicious. The sake we ordered was called Take No Tsuyu, and it was super light and smooth. Such a fragrant scent, brewed gently in bamboo forests. From the Omakase, I enjoyed the mackerel, blow-torched tuna, uni, and otoro hand roll. The uni was SO SWEET and smooth, and the otoro was super tender. The sweet shrimp also deserves a mention for its fresh ocean flavor. The rice also deserves to be highlighted, it was just that good. At the end, the master asked us if we would like a few more pieces, and he made two more complimentary chef's choice sushi. One of which was an abalone that blew my mind. Hands down will return for the immaculate service and flavors. read more

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FOOD The quality of the fish was very fresh but the way it was prepared was disappointing. The Uni was delicious but some of the pieces were a miss. I would give the presentation 2/5, very basic and incongruent with the price point. Unfortunately, 75% of the sushi that was part of the Omakase was salty. I could not pin point if it was the rice or the way the fish was prepared but there were a few sushi pieces that was borderline inedible. EDIT: I was informed, the style of this fish preparation is called Edomae. SERVICE Our waitress was great! She was courteous and attentive. DRINKS I appreciated how they offered half bottles of champagne and a good selection of sake. CONCLUSION For my party of three, our bill ended up being close to $900 after tip for three Omakases and drinks. With that said, I didn't think the experience nor the food were worth the price tag. If they address the salt issue and perhaps add one or two more pieces to the omakase, it would have improved my dining experience. I left feeling very thirsty and not quite full. read more

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Good old OG. Good ol service. Simply fish. Nothing fancy. Price is a bit high for the space. Needs a revamp so hideo kuribara can step up the omakase game. Place is just too old and boring. Overall still pretty ok with a great chef. read more

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Super easy to make a reservation here! Made mine two days in advance and there were some reasonable dinner times available then. I came here on Fri 2/25/22. Omakase was $170 (the menu online is outdated) which consists of "daily chef's choice you're welcome to make any requests includes daily special that consists of fresh and seasonal fish". I didn't make any special requests, but chose sushi rolls (instead of nigiri) and this is what my omakase consisted of: 1) ankimo with delicious chewy seaweed 2) chef's special nigiri (this was DELICIOUS and sooo fatty) 3) white miso soup with a shrimp head in it. yum! 4) steamed egg pudding 5) 8 pieces of nigiri 6) hand roll 7) choice of dessert (I chose green tea tiramisu). This was delicious and had red bean inside, which is usually not my favorite but this was so good! The fish was definitely fresh in the omakase, but it was not in the salmon sushi flight (wish i took pictures). I also love it when the rice is super fresh and warm, and most of these pieces were with cold rice. I also ordered a uni nigiri, toro taku handroll, and negi toro traditional style roll. Sake and beer selection were great. The tempura was also delicious and had a great mix of shrimp, kabocha squash, broccoli, carrot, and octopus. Overall the experience and atmosphere was great and service was excellent, but the omakase was just a bit overpriced for the quality and quantity. I'd come back here for the non omakase items. read more

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Ushiwakamaru is a solid sushi restaurant that offers a fairly priced omakase with an experienced sushi chef. It succeeds where other cheaper alternatives fail, prioritizing quality, seasonality, and tradition with a bit of flair. I was first introduced to the restaurant by Gordon Y. on Yelp. He shared with me his fond memories of returning to the counter over and over again to sit with head chef Hideo and encouraged me to with with the chef and buy him a beer! Hideo-san wowed me with some items I had never seen before: a special cut of toro sashimi, a seasonal matsutake mushroom soup served from a teapot, and fried mackerel with a soy garlic sauce. The chef's rice was slightly sour, a function of the vinegar he uses to prepare his rice. Each grain was separate and properly loose. The warmth of the rice balanced the temperature of the fish well. The nigiri featured a lot of wasabi; it wasn't too much, but it was a lot. While the construction of the nigiri was good, the gunkan maki and handroll suffered from engineering failures. His signature yuba piece self-destructed as the rice was too wet and fell out of the bottom, splattering on the counter; the uni piece was so tall, I had trouble fitting in in my mouth; and the seaweed of the torotaku handroll cracked and detached as I ate it creating a mess as I tried to hold it together. Though these negatives were minor in the context of the meal. My favorite courses of the night were the fried mackerel appetizer and the saba, ocean trout, akamutsu, and seared toro with truffle salt nigiri. The chef did use a few additional flavors like salt, lemon, and truffle, but thankfully no inappropriate toppings. The draft Sapporo was cold and refreshing. I left feeling very full and satisfied with the experience. 4/5 would dine again. read more

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I had a wonderful time enjoying the 16-piece omakase. The pieces were prepared well and everything tasted delicious. I had miso soup with shrimp head, simmered bluefin tuna, baby eel, bonito from Japan, eggplant with akami, baby anchovy, fried cod roe with green tea salt, red snapper, salmon roe, sea urchin, sea eel, fatty tuna roll, shiratama anmitsu (sweet red bean paste, rice cakes, kuromitsu syrup with agar cubes) with black sesame ice cream, and a few other things I ate before remembering to take a picture. read more

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TLDR: If you're looking for an omakase to leave you feeling wowed, this is a good choice. Price is $158 including small appetizer, soup, 14 pieces, a hand roll and dessert. Solid value. Ushiwakamaru was recommended to me by a coworker and gave it a shot with wifey. Of all the sushi bars we've been to, this is probably the most comfortable. These are not high chairs, the bar counter is at a very relaxed level - you feel settled in and ready to coast at this omakase. They will ask you if you prefer your soup at the beginning or the end. Chef Hideo will then begin your tasting. The pieces here are a really nice size, still bitesize but every piece will make your smile. He has this care while he prepares your next nigiri and when he puts it in front of you, you know it is made with love. The squid, golden eye snapper and soy sauce marinated tuna pieces are always incredible. I've been to Ushiwakamaru several times and we keep coming because it's definitely in our top 5. The dessert choices are very generous too, ranging from a slice of Lady M to a frozen grapefruit dessert. I have a habit of finishing every omakase with an extra hand roll. Chef Hideo is the only one who will allow me to partake in my favorite commoner delight, a spicy tuna handroll. What I love about his is it's not minced tuna mixed with the srichacha mayo conction, his is more deconstructed. It's literaly pieces of lean tuna tossed in spicy mayo and it's just fabulous. read more

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Key Summary: Killer Sushi, Killer Ambience for certain situations. Am an extensive Omakase diner and Ushiwakamaru is on the top 5 list of my favorites in NYC. The fish quality amazing. However what stands this restaurant apart are a few things. 1. Ambience. This is not a super busy, pretentious type of place. If you are interested in scheduling a long, boozy evening (with friends, a date, or actually for business), this is the place for you. They don't rush you at the sushi bar (omakase only), and you can have a very long, pleasant chat with the people you are dining with. In my books, that's rare. 2. The Chef. Traditional japanese chef that is very skilled/knowledgeable. Buy him a beer or three and you will have a lot more fun hanging with him. Just go there, PLEASE! read more

This is my first time trying this place. the course was nice and very traditional Japanese omakase style. Love it ! read more

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I was not impressed at all! They serve decent sushi, but I've had much better sushi on many occasions. On top of it, this place is not inexpensive. I ordered the (assorted) Nigiri: 7 pieces of nigiri, 2 piece of gunkan, half of a "thin" roll, and a piece of tamago yaki. The fish was fresh, but was not of the quality that I would expect from the price. What's most disappointing was the rice. High quality rice and seasoned well, but it was tightly packed. For this level of sushi, I would be happy to pay $35, but not $48. If you are looking for excellent sushi (in NYC), I assure you this is not it! If you must try this place, here are a couple of things to keep in mind. - When you make a reservation, you have to give them your credit card number. If you do not give them a 24 hour notice for cancellation, they will charge you $25 PER PERSON. - If you want to sit at the sushi counter, you must order omakase, which is market price. - If you order the assorted sushi or sashimi, they do not let you substitute even if you have an allergy. ニューヨークに住む知り合いからも情報を集め、その中で比較的お手頃で良さそうな店を選んだはずだったんですが、正直がっかりしました。美味しくなかったとは言いませんが、この値段でこの程度なのかというのが実感です。 read more

Ushiwakamaru - Assorted Nigiri (plate #2) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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A great omakase experience The main part of the sushi was amazing The first starters were good. But when the real show started it was one of the best ever. Sea perch, otoro, uni and other usual suspects, were amazing with an additional touch of flavor from the amazing Hideo Kuribaara sushi chef. The desert was great as well :) read more

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Fantastic meal sitting at the sushi bar across from chef Hideo Kuribara. It was fascinating to watch him work: Each of his movements was precise, purposeful, and understated. Each piece of fish was an explosion of multi-dimensional flavor. What an experience! read more

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It was my favorite Japanese restaurant. There are too many stories and memories. I cried when I was tasting it. I don't think I can write a good review since I am too emotional and alcohol kicked in. But I guarantee you it is the authentic Japanese restaurant where you can get the most fresh taste of sushi. read more

Probably should have gotten the omikase but was in a rush. I saw there was chirashi and tekka don. Below there was a salmon bowl which sounded good. I must admit, for the price, I expected the salmon to be raw. It was over cooked, flavorless, shredded over rice. Supposedly supposed to taste like miso but just flavorless. I hadn't eaten all day, was starving, and running out of time, so I ate as much as I could but it felt like I was eating dog food. Really disappointed. The sake they recommended was good so I gave it an extra star. The restaurant was empty and yet the service was ok. They didn't refill my water or ask how my meal was. I had to flag someone down to pay. Left very disappointed because the restaurant was beautiful and had many good reviews. Just get the omikase. read more

I always have a good experiences when I come this sushi restaurant .The fish are really fresh, sushi is very creative and every single bite is just amazing.ニューヨークで1番大好きなお寿司屋さん。一口一口が贅沢すぎて、とろけてしまう絶品さ。 read more

Ushiwakamaru - Uni - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Slightly better than 3 stars but definitely not a 4. Came here with my boyfriend for dinner. The space and decor as others have said leave something to be desired. Overall the service was good and attentive with a couple hiccups and fish was fresh. So why only 3 stars? I expect an Omakase to wow me, otherwise I'd just order 9 pieces of salmon and 9 pieces of toro and call it a day for less money. I also didn't feel too great a few hours after finishing dinner - I don't know if it was the sushi, but who knows. Service: The server did not give us hot towels when we sat down, we didn't know they even did this until we saw other tables getting this. Not good. We both ordered the sushi only Omakase (miso soup, 18 pieces and a dessert) and a bottle of Sake, which was very tasty. Unfortunately they must've thought we said Sushi/sashimi Omakase (you get a choice of only sushi or part sashimi) because they brought us out a mix sashimi portion to start - not good. When we flagged the mistake they apologized and started work on the Sushi pieces (18 total) only. I think the kitchen staff got to eat the sashimi pieces which they were probably excited about. Food: For the amuse bouche, they brought me simmered tuna, which was very good. It had yummy teriyaki and soy undertones. They did not have a gluten free amuse bouche for my boyfriend. Kind of disappointing given the price point, they could've literally brought out anything for him (a piece of pickled ginger even) and called it amuse bouche. Note that they do have gluten free soy sauce and they don't put any soy on the fish when you're not at the counter so you can control how much you want yourself at the tables. Now onto the fish. There is no disputing that the fish tasted very fresh. Since we weren't at the sushi counter, they brought out the sushi in 3 plates of 6. I would suggest booking at the counter rather than at a table, but you can't book that through open table. First plate of pieces: I just did not generally like the sushi on the first plate. The only ones I remember were the first 2, which were both shrimp. I actually liked these - they had a creamy flavor and consistency. The second plate of pieces were much better and probably the best of the 3 plates: Barracuda - This was lightly smoked, very tasty Snapper - A little chewy, not my favorite King Salmon - Oh salmon why do I love you so King of Yellowtail - Also liked this piece a lot Stripped jack - Slimey consistency but good flavor Big eye Snapper - Charred edges but pretty good The third plate of sushi was probably second in performance: King crab - Meh it's just crab Uni - I must not have the palate for this and I just really don't get it, tastes like metal and the consistency grosses me out Spicy cat fish roe - really distinct taste with spicy after taste, not my favorite Blue fin tuna- it was good but just tuna, nothing special about it Sea Perch - had a slightly torched flavor, soft and very good Fatty tuna - Melt in mouth good! At the end they asked if we wanted any extra pieces, as a salmon lover I ordered an extra of King salmon and my boy friend the King of Yellowtail. The king salmon was only $5! And the king of Yellowtail was $10. Soba noodles came before dessert. I really did not care for this, I guess I don't like soba noodles. Dessert: We also got a choice for dessert - I chose the mochi (they only have vanilla flavor - come on add green tea!) They were out of the gluten free option - again disappointing given the price point. With Sake (100 bottle), the food (135 pp Omakase + extra pieces) and tip it was $250 each. I could've ordered 18 pieces of the king salmon for $90 and loved every piece instead of liking about 5 pieces out of 18 for $135. Other Omakases in the city that I've had seem to do more with the fish in terms of torching, marinating, etc., but here they seem to just rely on the freshness of this fish, which although without a doubt fresh just bored me. So, I likely won't be back, for the price there are better options in the city. read more

Ushiwakamaru - First plate of sushi out of 3, unfortunately forgot to take pictures of the rest - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I really wanted to like Ushiwakamaru more. I really did. I had high hopes going in but found myself oddly disappointed - especially for a place that has a Michelin star. To be clear, I went for omakase sushi and sat at the bar. While it was good, my mind wasn't blown. It felt like more of a standard than stand out experience. The fish/seafood quality was good but there was nothing special about what we were served. Also the chef's interaction was pretty minimal. Typically, there's a story behind each piece and we were just served normally, which took away from the experience.The other service was pretty standard as well. Attentive but nothing outside normal for a restaurant of this caliber. One thing to note: you can mix your omakase with a few other chef dishes rather than the nigri only. It's worth checking out once but I wouldn't go back. Especially given how many better omakase options are in NYC. read more

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We've been to the previous location of Ushiwakamaru, so it's good to be back to their new location. I called to book the sushi bar for omakase, and it wasn't too hard to get weekend reservation if you are okay with 6pm seating. Everything was what I remembered - courteous services, modest interior design, authentic feel. We ordered all sushi omakase, which started off with green tea tofu and miso soup. I've never had green tea tofu before, definitely something new. Miso soup is not overly salty, and it's enriched by a shrimp head. After that, the chef started putting in front of us rounds after rounds of amazing sushi. When it first started, rice was a little too hot, but maybe chef also realized that, after the first two, everything turned out to be just perfect. Here are some highlights: - Slightly tourched sea eel: so so tender. Not overly fatty, but it was so flavorful and soooo tender. - Japanese white shrimp: I though the texture would be chewy, but it literally melted in my mouth. - Fried shrimp head: Japanese doesn't waste anything, so authentic places usually fry the shrimp heads after using the shrimp body for sushi. This shrimp head is perfectly fried, crunchy, flavorful, simple yet delicious. - Medium tuna: I've developed my liking for medium and lean tuna after eating at Sushi Nakazawa several times. It doesn't taste as fatty as toro, but it still melts in your mouth. What can I say, I LOVE tuna. - Squid: I've never had squid nigiri before, this was a first. It tasted like pickled squid, nothing too chewy but had some texture to it. - Japanese Uni: do I need to say anything more about that? So here's the verdict: rice was a little too warm at first, but they corrected it; light on soy comparing to some other sushi places. With price tag of $130 per person, we each had 18 pieces of amazing nigiri, including usual items such as amberjack, mackerel, tuna, uni, to a little more unconventional items like needlefish, squid, Japanese white shrimp. I enjoyed every piece of it, and I definitely would love to be back. read more

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Beautiful, memorable experience and perhaps the greatest sushi I've had - or at least up there with my other favorite sushi meal at Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. A Michelin star well deserved. My husband and I joined some friends for dinner who come to Ushiwakamaru fairly frequently, so they had some great tips on ordering. I went with the nigiri platter and our group shared some starters including fermented squid, monkfish liver, and an incredible steamed egg custard pudding with shrimp and white fish. Umami to the max! My nigiri was otherworldly and so absurdly fresh - the platter included fatty tuna, salmon, spot shrimp, white fish, tuna, sea urchin, salmon roe, eel, and tamago (plus half a toro roll). The quality is just awe-inspiring. Somehow we kept ordering more and I'm so glad we did - another highlight was essentially a flight of tuna. Fatty, toro, soy marinated... wish I remembered exact specifics. Regardless, we'll definitely be returning to delve deeper into the menu. read more

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Fresh, delicious fish. We ordered a la carte. Favorites: Hotate (next time ordering 2 pieces each) and the Chutoro. The Hotate was soft and sweet, the Chutoro a good balance of meatiness and fat. The Otoro on the other hand was super rich, marbled and fatty - maybe even too decadent for us. We also enjoyed the shrimp and vegetable tempura, there was a misunderstanding and it came at the end of our meal, but we ended up really enjoying it as the end dish. The shrimp tempura was great but the crispy, flavorful veggies made the dish. The dessert - don't leave without some ice cream. Their black sesame ice cream with a side of red bean was sooooooo goooood. Not sure if they make it in house or if its packaged but I need more of their ice cream in my life - lol. Service was a little slow but our server was the only one working tonight. She was super sweet and tried to be as quick and attentive as she could. Ordering took a little bit of time but overall we had a great meal. read more

I was one of first customers for this moved from West Village and re-opened Ushiwakamaru. I made sure that his sushi still is one of the best in this City at first day party. Dining room is obviously bigger and taller. I saw few famillier sushi chefs in addition to owner chef, that also proof that we can get excellent sushi at any seats in the bar or table. I just hope its easier to make sushi bar reservations now. Can't wait for my next visit. Kanpai!! read more

Ushiwakamaru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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This is still one of my favorite sushi experiences in the city. With a new sushi joint popping up every other block, Ushiwakamaru stands out by keeping the focus on the fish: quality, presentation and attention to details (temperature of the rice, etc.). Minimal and nothing in excess, a piece of nigiri or sashimi is the perfect bite that melts in your mouth, bursting in flavor. The beads of home-cured Ikura is unforgettable and the spicy tuna roll is like medallions of glistening jewels - abstract art. Each piece of fish is unique in cut and placed perfectly on the slate. They served a dark roasted green tea complimentary which rounded out the meal beautifully. The home made black sesame ice cream with red bean sauce is a must! Will have to go back for Omakase! read more

Ushiwakamaru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Ushiwakamaru is a solid Michelin-starred sushi restaurant. The omakase is fairly priced at $135 for 15 pieces, a hand roll, miso soup, and dessert. The nigiri pieces were good for the most part. The chef loves to use a bit more wasabi than usual, and some pieces were fishy. The big 3 (toro, anago, uni) were great, but not the best I've had. But the trout and the hand roll were pretty awesome. The chef's serving pace was slower than expected, the other staffs' service was on point. read more

Good Sashimi & Sushi prepared by a highly practiced Japanese sushi chef at affordable prices in a authentically appointed restaurant in Manhattan NYC. What's not to like? read more

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The best kept secret! Delicious sushi, authentic and attentive service. A real gem. Dine here without a doubt.

Ushiwakamaru in my opinion is the best fine dining sushi in all of New York City! I was blown away over the delicious Otoro Bluefin Fatty Tuna. It was just as good as when I had it in Japan. I highly recommend this place & literally cannot go back soon enough! Like most fine dining sushi expect to drop a few hundred dollars on dinner but it's so worth it! If you're looking for good sushi in the city, check this place out! I would skip competitors like '15East Restaurant' which I did not feel was of equal quality or worth the price. Go to Ushiwakamaru you will not be disappointed! read more

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We went there a second time within a week. First time was on wifey's birthday. Second time had to bring my mom too. Chef Hideo Kuribara served us his work of art both times. It was that good. Their edomae style sushi is simply delicious. I don't want to explain what it is. Just go google it. Baby sea eel sashimi, edomae abalone, clam, shrimp, blue fin tuna, uni, just to name a few. Big glass of Sapporo Draft goes with the sushi. I also recently learned that it is customary to buy your sushi Chef a drink as a token of appreciation. We got Hideo-San one and started drinking together. Isn't it amazing to drink with your favorite sushi Chef? read more

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Ushiwakamaru was awarded a Michelin star this year, which peaked my curiosity and led me to check it out. The prices here are very reasonable as far as both Michelin-rated restaurants and sushi restaurants in NYC go. For $66 you get a chef's tasting menu, complete with ~12 pieces of sushi, served in 2 courses. The fish itself, ranged from divine to unexceptional. For example, the Toro melted in my mouth, but the Tako (octopus) and Salmon Roe did not taste any different than what I could have gotten anywhere else in NY. Overall, it was an amazing experience and worth the cost. Pro tip: later reservation in the middle of the week, can be made a week in advance! Also, Needlefish is not in season in September...who knew? Lol read more

Ushiwakamaru - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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After about a year I have not been able to go to their restaurant in Houston Street, I am so glad I was able to because I came in as soon as they opened; and I don't think too many people know they have opened in this location. They are one of the rare restaurants that offer super fresh sashimi and sushi. Their price is a little steep but the quality is very good. What I miss though is their sushi in the other place where they were that offered just the sushi part of my sashimi/sushi set for about $39 which included soup and I think a small salad. Now, this set is the closest to what I used to order but they charge more because they give you a plate of sashimi before they bring you the sushi. However, this does not come with soup nor salad. It's a good thing the green tea is unlimited. I love this place though and would come back again. Maybe when I have more time, I will have their Omakase. Nevertheless, I am so glad to have been able to try it without waiting. Sometimes, it's nice to go on your own without definite plans. It's simpler. I can sit anywhere and usually easier to accommodate. read more

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One of my favorite sushi places in the city. I always recommend it to friends. Highly recommend the omakase, it has not disappointed once (I have gone at least five times). If you have never had omakase, make this place your 1st experience. Our guy is Chef Suzuki! read more

Who sits at an omakase meal, talking about food and exchanging restaurant information with other patrons for hours on end while enjoying dinner?....you know who you are, Yelpers! Ushiwakamaru came highly recommended by chef Gen-San at Yui Edomamae...so with no hesitation we bookmarked and made a reservation for our New York Trip. We had to literally go through a snow storm to get here, but were warmly greeted by the hostess and our server Aiko-San. Behind the sushi bar stands Chef Hideo-San and his team, though behind Chef Hideo-San there were many cluttered items...a rice cooker, computer screen, papers, etc...as I looked at the slightly disordered setting I was wondering if we had made a mistake. Fortunately, we had not. The food was very good; nigiri after nigiri appeased the hopes of our discerning taste buds. While not at the 5 star level of our local chef Gen-San at Yui, it was also at a more affordable price. At the end, my love and I enjoy chef's offerings, and new friends we met during our dinner, but I would not seek out here next time I am in NY. -2017 review #34- read more

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The most amazing Omakase on this planet. Delicious, unique, incredible presentation, high end and did I mention Uni?? Sit at the bar and watch the chefs do their magic. read more

Excellent sushi omakase. Best Hokkaido Uni I've had since Tokyo. Rice is very tasty and on point. Sushi size very ever so slightly too small. Tad bit rushed by wait staff because of their cadence in approach, not because they're actually rushing you. Price was just right but that should be the cap for this place. read more

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Ushiwakamaru demonstrates excellence in the delicate flavor of its dishes and is well deserving of its one Michelin star. We ordered from the regular menu and found every single dish absolutely incredible! We could only imagine Omasake here to be exceptional. M&G SNAPSHOT Ordered: --Must try - Broiled Black Cod Marinated in Miso ($12), Deep Fried Assorted Mushroom Tempura ($14) & Sushi and Sashimi Combination ($66) Price: $120 (incl tax/tip) for 2 Intolerance Friendliness: Yes! Sushi & sashimi are dairy, egg and gluten-free. Gluten-free soy sauce is available but most dishes contain soy. M&G Rating: 4.1/5 *Max has gluten, dairy and egg white intolerances and will share his insights. HIS & HER REVIEW (41/50) 1) Ambience (7.5) - This dimly lit, simple and authentic japanese setting has a quiescent atmosphere. 2) Taste (9) We ordered BROILED BLACK COD MARINATED IN MISO (miso lends a buttery flavor to the mouthwatering flaky bass), DEEP FRIED ASSORTED MUSHROOM TEMPURA (fabulously light and crispy tempura encasing earthy and juicy mushrooms w/o excessive oiliness), and the SUSHI AND SASHIMI COMBINATION (a variety of high quality fresh cuts of fish, each with a distinct delicious flavor that melts in your mouth). 3) Presentation (8) - Straightforward plating style with a laser focus on the main ingredients. 4) Value for money (8.5) - You can certainly experience the incredible food quality of this one Michelin star restaurant at $120 (incl. tax/tip) for two; an excellent value for price if you prefer quality over quantity. 5) Service (8) - Coat service provided and staff are courteous. read more

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I went there for sushi omakase but it was filled with other filler food such as soup as part of your omakse. It was $198 for food I could've eaten for fraction of the price. For this price, I should've gone to sushi zo. This place is unnecessarily expensive. I had few pieces of sushi, salad, soup... not worth it. read more