- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Aja Asian Bistro - CLOSED
Categories: Nightlife Bars Lounges Restaurants Asian Fusion Lounges, Asian Fusion [Edit]
1066 1st Ave(between 58th St & 59th St)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 888-8008
- Nearest Transit:
-
Lexington Av/59 St (N, Q, R)
Lexington Av/53 St (E, M)
59 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
54 reviews for Aja Asian Bistro
Review Highlights
-
"My sushi was very fresh, yummy, and made well." In 37 reviews -
"Need to go back and try kobe beef." In 2 reviews -
"For dessert, we had the mochi ice cream." In 3 reviews
Loading...
54 reviews in English
-
Review from Karen C.
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had a Living Social deal to use here and wasn't disappointed.
I loved the decor - it was clean, slightly dark and intimate, with a big Buddha fountain that was pretty but not cheesy.
Started with the mango/jicama salad and WOW! Fresh, cold, crispy, and delicious! Huge portion for $7.95. Easily enough for 3+ people to share!
I got the shrimp pad thai for an entree and the bf got sushi - both were good. Pad thai wasn't the best I've ever had but it was good and didn't stop me from clearing my plate!
I'd come back. -
Review from John G.
Manhattan, NY
A nice, dimly lit decor, with a beautiful Buddah statue towards the back of the restaurant. It is a small 30-40 person restaurant so make sure you make reservations on opentable! It is well worth it though.
My girlfriend and I enjoyed the filet mignon wraps for an appetizer, which is an equivalent to a Korean beef lettuce wrap for those who have tried Korean food before. Decent size portion for two with enough left over to eat without the lettuce. Well seasoned!
For myself, I had the australian scallops over a base of vegetables. Large diver sea scallops with a very light breeding on the outside. A tasty dish but wish there was more than three scallops.
For my girlfriend, she enjoyed the Kobe beef cooked on top of Japanese stones. It is all prepped by yourself so you get to determine how well done you want the meat cooked. A beautiful array will be placed right before you. It seemed we were the first table to order the dish, so there were many spectators that took pictures of our table. But before you know it, we looked around and saw a few other tables followed our lead. The number of slices of Kobe beef was enough to share for two but definitely enough for one.
For dessert, we had the mochi ice cream. If you had a hard time choosing which flavor you want, they allow you to pick three different flavors for your dessert dish so I suggest going that route if you are trying mochi for the first time.
Overall, it was a wonderful time, in a great atmosphere, with a beautiful decor. -
Review from Michael F.
New York, NY
8/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
This reminds of a song:
Up on the hill
People never stare
They just don't care
Chinese music under banyan trees
Here at the dude ranch above the sea
Aja
When all my dime dancin' is through
I run to you
A great song by a great band. The restaurant, on the other hand, has some problems, in my estimation.
I'd give this restaurant more stars because the food is decent, the atmosphere is nice, but I cannot in good conscience do that when there is Blue Fin tuna (Toro) and Chilean Seabass on the menu. By some estimates there are only a few thousand Blue Fin left in the wild.
You should be ashamed of yourselves. These fish are massively overfished and endangered, and clearly you either don't know or don't care, and there is no excuse for either.
Take those off your menu and I'll be glad to change my review and come back to your restaurant. Until then, no way.
Not to sound preachy, but if we all don't start educating restaurants about serving foods that are sustainable, there won't be fish in the ocean left to eat. And yes, it's that bad. Think about that next time you're munching on some sushi. Here's a place to get a seafood guide for your area:
http://www.montereybay... -
Review from Natalia J.
New York, NY
4/1/2007
Do NOT get the ceviche. It was a mixture of lemon+lime juice with 2 or 3 frozen shrimp. Yeah, don't make the same mistake we did.
Sashimi and sushi were fresh, good sake (sneaky waitress filled my glass every time without me noticing), and nice atmosphere. Need to go back and try kobe beef!! -
Review from Krista J.
3/6/2009
I'd read a lot of reviews online saying the food was good, but the service was lacking. I'm happy to report that the service at Aja last night was very good. My friend and I were seated immediately in one of the two-tops by the huge color-changing Buddha area. I have to admit that all the money offerings on the Buddha statue were surprising to me...something I don't usually see outside of a temple.
The menu is extensive, and many of the entrees are also available in smaller appetizer-size portions, such as the Shrimp and Veggie Tempura ($19), which I ordered as my main course and the Chilean Sea Bass ($28) that my friend ordered for dinner.
We also ordered a "Bamboo" size of the smoothest sake I've ever tasted. Unfortunately I don't recall the name, but it was the waiter's suggestion and he nailed it. I really enjoyed it, and the Bamboo container was the perfect size for two people who wanted to enjoy their dinner while not getting too sloppy.
Overall, the experience was great and I plan to return soon! -
Review from Princessa U.
Brooklyn, NY
7/27/2008
I don't know what all the hype is on yelp. How this place has an everage rating of 4 stars is beyond me. First of all, it is NOT a mini version of TAO...I'm not a big fan of Tao, but decor-wise, Aja is not even close to being on the same level as Tao. There's just a small budda statue in the entryway...pleeeeeeease...don't tell me that because of that statue, it's "like Tao"......
Food is actually good. I enjoyed everything. I think everyone was happy with their dishes. Sushi is not the best, but it's good, drinks are good as well. The food presentation is unique. My husband's rice dish came inside a pineapple...martini was in a color changing glass...So overall, the food / drinks were very good.
But service SUCKS and it ruins the overall experience. I had a reservation for a group of 16 people at 9pm. We were NOT seated until 10:30pm. I had confirmed my reservation 3 times and still had to wait 1.5 hours in the bar? In my book, that's not acceptable especially from an establishment that is not so trendy or popular...And all through this waiting period, not even one word of apology from the management.
Not to mention uber-chaos when the waiters started bringing our food. They had no idea who ordered what (Don't you think they should know????) They had to scream the entree names (as the music was very loud) so that we could then scream back "It's mine!" 2 of the waiters were really idiotic. Didn't even bother bringing water until asked...
We all had a good time, because my group was great, but I am NOT going to be going there again. For the prices they charge, I don't care that the food is good - who cares when I can get better asian fusion from somewhere where for the same price, I'll be treated much better.
TWO THUMBS DOWN -
Review from Holly C.
12/8/2010
3.5 stars.
I think they could have done a little better with interior design. The idea was good, but it was almost kind of cheesy.
We had a party of 12 on a Monday night. The service wasn't bad considering our large group. I tried their Asian Pear Sakitini which I really liked. It was on the stronger side, but I loved the crisp, clean taste (others in my party said it tasted too strongly of alcohol but I liked it!).
I am obsessed with Chilean sea bass. I tend to order it almost every time (if it is on the menu). The skin was a little chewy, but they did a good job of bringing out the flavor and keeping the fish's "melt-in-your-mouth" texture intact. I tried a little bit of Shanghai chicken which was good (had a nice smokey taste to it) and Spiced lemon grass seafood (the sauce was really good).
The golden roll wasn't very interesting. We tried another one that I can't remember the name of that was actually pretty good (had a a bunch of different fish & a sauce).
Desserts - I think we tried them all! We tried the the green tea crepes (decent), chocolate cake (ok - nothing special), mochi (was very good!), and another dessert that has ice cream in side with chocolate coating around it which was different & decent.
Overall not a bad place, but not a place that I would consider a must dine at restaurant. -
Review from Yui K.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2007
Agreed with Natalia. DON'T GET THE CEVICHE. seriously.
Atmosphere was smooth dark hip pretty.
Sushi & sashimi - good.
Sake - real good. Loved that the polite waitress constantly came over to refill your sake. -
Review from debbie a.
3/24/2009
The first thing that struck me about this restaurant was the service and the decor. I love the walkway to the seating. It is basically a small river with koi beneath you as you walk. There aren't enough booths, but what else is new in NY.
We had the sushi - which was GREAT! The tuna, white tuna, salmon, and flounder was fresh. I am not so sure about the mackerel though.
For the most part, we enjoyed our sake and food. We didn't have enough dishes to be able to recommend more menu items, but will update soon. -
Review from Irene F.
8/12/2007
Ohhhhhhh my goodness! So delicious! What a lovely lovely dinner spot. Came here for a lovely birthday dinner. Amazing lychee martini, we certainly indulged in those! The calamari was delicious, as was the tuna tartare. The scallop appetizer was good, but the other two outshone it I think.
We got some amazing rolls, golden dragon and perfect match. Also got the spicy crunchy scallop roll, it was OK, could have used more crunch. The pad thai side was delicious also.
We really didn't have room for dessert, so we skipped, but service was excellent, food was overall delicious, and the entrees sound so good I'm sure to be back soon!Listed in: Midtown Mavens, Restaurant Week Favorites
-
Review from Rohit J.
6/22/2010 3 photos
My friend picked this place for my birthday dinner back in January. As we were walking to the place I was thinking where hell is he taking us and what kind of place are we going to. Once we arrived at the place the doors were impressive enough (large wooden doors with the large iron rings as handles) to put my doubts at ease.
We walked in the place was very nice, we started at the bar and were seated as our whole party arrived. There were about 12 of us so we got to try quite a bit of everything off the menu.The food and desserts were excellent, the food tasted as good as it looked!
I would definitely come back here. I think of it as a hidden gem because of the location but I would definitely recommend to others and the only reason I give it 4 stars is because one of my friends did not get the dish she ordered but the dish was still good. Also I wouldn't recommend this place for large groups because we practically took over a third of the restaurant. -
Review from Jin Y.
9/16/2010 12 photos
I celebrated one of my birthday here and I had an awesome awesome time. It looks like you are entering a dungeon at the entrance but the interior is really cool. The changing color Buddha with a water fountain and if you look down at the floor it's a river floor and fishes swimming underneath. Super cool!
We ordered drinks and a couple of dishes to share they were all delicious and nicely presented. I had the lychee martini something I would recommend getting if you like lychee. We had green tea crepe and mochi for dessert, I recommend ordering that as well.Then we headed to the bar area for some more drinks and the bartender made some shots for my party and he set the bar table on FIRE! Now that was a surprise. So yea, really awesome place. You will have a great time. -
Review from Bill K.
New York, NY
7/12/2008
Proof that colored lights can make anything better! Additionally, they have some kind of table thing that GLOWS....I have concluded that without a doubt, more furniture should glow.
Sushi was great. For what it's worth, I got a HUGE cranberry juice. That probably sounds very random, but I order cranberry juice constantly and when it comes in the equivalent of a scotch glass, it's kind of a drag. It's not a cocktail, it's JUICE for pete's sake.
Worth a visit. Worth a lifetime. Just kidding, that's the slogan for some state. But seriously, go. -
Review from Lara R.
New York, NY
12/15/2007
I totally agree on the decor - definitely a mini version of Tao. But I really liked the food here!! I went with a couple of sushi rolls -- spicy salmon roll and an eel and avocado roll. I liked you could do the sushi with brown rice, although I learned it's not quite as sticky or chopstick friendly -- but definitely yummy!
We also sampled their excellent cocktail menu. Two thumbs up there. The service here was fabulous. We didn't have to look for another server for a second before they were over asking if we needed help. I was impressed.
Great fresh sushi. And enough of a nice ambiance about it for it to be a fun local spot to hit up with out of town guests. Can't ask for more. I'm a fan. -
Review from Thomas F.
New York, NY
7/18/2007
I would not recommend to order something fancy, but if you stick to the basic things the food is really good. The atmosphere is something like you would imagine of the little sister of Tao or Megu or Buddah Bar.
It has a separated bar area which makes it nice to get there on the earlier side for a drink while waiting for your table (Though I never saw it to packed).
Recommendable for first dates.Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Marysa M.
New York, NY
12/20/2007
I like this place. The location is iffy. I'm on the UES so no real problem for me, but it just seemed out of the way....or maybe that's just how I feel about the UES in general. oh well.
I waited at the bar for about 10 minutes before my friend arrived. The lychee martini was good, although I'm partial to Verlaine's (I'll save that for another review). The bartenders were great! I am not too social with complete strangers so I just kept to myself. However, the random older folk at the bar were quite the talkers to the bartenders...and they were just as friendly back.
When my guest (finally) arrived we were seated near a huge, no enormous table of tweens. But the place is small so really any table we sat at would have been within ear-splitting giggles' reach. We got the filet mignon Ishi - Yaki which was tasty and fun. although I happen to enjoy cooking my food...if you don't I wouldn't recommend b/c the stone is freakin small so you only cook one piece of meat at a time. We also had sushi which was fresh.
I honestly have no complaints about the food, the drinks or the service. So why on earth wouldn't I give this place more stars? Well, unfortunately it seems Aja is THE place for the 13-20 set...and that can get terribly annoying. During our meal there was a big party for young birthday girl with no parents. A few tables away were some 18-19 year old boys who it seemed were complaining about their bill but were quiet so I didn't mind. Then after the tween party left in came some 19 year old girls dressed to the nines. Oh and did I mention this was prime dinnertime on a Friday night.
So all in all a solid place, but unfortunately I don't know if I'd come back because it just makes me feel like I'm eating at the UES Chucky Cheese's. :( -
Review from donna s.
New York, NY
7/26/2010
One of my favorite place in the city!!!!!
They food is great . Went there for the 1st time 2 years ago and since than I'm regular Clayent they appetizer is so big that you can share .and worth evry penny you spend after you try it once you will back again and again. -
Review from Tim M.
Flushing, NY
9/11/2008
My night began at the bar with a massive amount of saki, not sure what I ordered but it came in a huge jug made from a piece of bamboo and the saki had a banana flavor... I wish I understood what I ordered, but it was delicious.
The we got the best table in the place, it was next to a massive budda statue and a fountain with fish swimming in it. The atmosphere is fantastic, great aura.
This sushi is also very good, and presented very well. The price is very reasonable for the quality.
Aja, is very good, I recommend highly. -
Review from Jonathan G.
Verona, NJ
9/27/2008
The food was good. It is always good to lead with that. I am not sure what it was about this place (decor) that made me give it only 3 stars when the food was pretty good (rock everywhere). Sushi was fresh, appetizers were solid, drink options were nice, good selection of sake, but there was just something that made it not feel so right (huge Buddha statue staring at you). One day I will think of what it was (fish pond in glass in the ground).
Overall though, the portions for the sushi specials were pretty large and the place was well-priced. Sushi was not dynamic, but very good. If not for the strange decor I would go again. You have to see it to understand, but it did not smack of traditional sushi decor for what it is worth.
But again, the food was good, no complaints about it at all. -
Review from Jenn F.
Morganville, NJ
3/19/2009
The Buddha in the back is no longer a novelty after I've seen Tao's & Megu's versions. I like the idea of the fish swimming beneath my feet, but what I was viewing through reminded me of those glass-block walls people used to install as partitions between rooms. Cheesy and so 80's! Ugh, I digress.
I asked the waiter for recommendations and he gave me several ideas: the codfish, shrimp, and the shanghai shrimp rolls. When I asked about the sushi, he looked like a deer caught in headlights.
I ordered the shrimp, while the boyfriend had the codfish. I always tend to have gripes about the choices I make in restaurants when we eat out. He always manages to pick the "right" one, while I struggle to finish. Of course, I picked the shrimp and was totally unsatisfied. It'll fill you, but so can a loaf of bread.
So the old switcheroo happened, and the cod was all mine! Definitely the best dish that night. The shanghai shrimp rolls were decent, but they packed too much churned up shrimp meat in. The sauce will need to be your savior if you order this.
The sushi here is not particularly fresh nor great in taste so I don't get it.
Maybe it was because I had an exhausting afternoon, but nothing really stood out. To be fair, the waitstaff wasn't as bad as people said.. they were very attentive to our needs.
My bad mood made me want to finish ASAP and escape like the fish that were practically jumping out of the water. -
Review from Jessica B.
New York, NY
5/12/2011 Seated via OpenTable
My boyfriend and I decided to try this place one night after finding a Groupon for this nearby Japanese restaurant that we had never been to. We went on a week night and agreed it was some of the best sushi we have had in a long time. That experience would have been at least 4 stars. The trouble started when we decided that we should host his birthday party at Aja a few weeks later...
I called over a week in advance to reserve a table for 8 people at 8pm on a Friday night. They called me the day of to confirm the reservation. By 7:50 almost all the guests had arrived. They told me the table wasn't ready yet, so I suggested we go to the bar while we wait "a few minutes".
The hosts kept telling me that it would be a few minutes, and I saw a big table being cleared off so I was ok with it. Next thing I know, a party of 11 who arrived AFTER us is being escorted over to the table. It's now 8:20 and SH-T has officially hit the fan for me. They told me that they HAD to give them that table or else they wouldn't have room for them anywhere else. I told them that they shouldn't take a reservation for 8 people at 8pm on a Friday night and not have the table ready at 8pm.
Not having many other options-- we were 8 people on a Fri night-- we waited it out as my boyfriend and his friends were getting hungry and cranky (boys..) and still being told "soon" by the host. We finally sat by 8:45 and did have a nice meal, which is why I had to give more than 1 star. It's really a shame because the food is really good, but the way we were treated is just unacceptable to me. In the future, I'd rather spend my money at any of the other great sushi restaurants in this big city than at Aja.
If you are still going to go, you will have a great meal. I just don't suggest going with more than 1 other person.. -
Review from Caroline B.
Manhattan, NY
4/11/2011
I've been coming to Aja for yrs and the food has been consistently very good. The atmosphere can't be beat with the koi fish swimming beneath you and the Buddhas and colorful lights. The drinks here are also great, other than this one that tasted like liquified Flintstone vitamins. I don't remember what that was called. Anyway, I highly recommend Aja.
-
Review from Liz B.
8/10/2008
One of my favorite "nicer' Asian fusion places on the east side. Aja is cool on the outside and in. If you can, get a table in the back by the Buddha. There's a waterfall and pond with fish that runs under the see-through floor.... its really nice!
The food is really good. Its kind of pricey, but the portions are pretty big... the best way to go is share a few appetizers or sushi dishes. I once got the seabass entree and it was amazing.They also have a great cocktail/saki menu, but again pricey. -
Review from Lindsey S.
Kansas City, MO
4/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ok the place beautiful. The service was really nice. The food was just okay for me. I ordered the Pad Thai and it was probably the worst Pad Thai I've ever had. The Eel Avocado roll was pretty good. And my husband really liked his meal, I think it was a deep fried chicken dish of some kind...So I would love to give more stars but my meal just wasn't even good. :(
-
Review from Grace L.
Chicago, IL
9/27/2009
I liked it! The sushi was very fresh and tasty, particularly their crunchy spicy tuna salmon roll. We got the sushi for 2, which was a good deal. We also tried their new lobster miso soup which was a different and tasty spin on miso soup! We ended the night with red bean mochi ice cream, which came out with a strawberry sauce that was a great touch.
The place was very zen and trendy, with a lot of rustic bricks and stone and bamboo-like plants. There was also a big Buddha statue lit by a changing light that gave it a nice ambiance. The music was a good volume and was on the more mellow side, which made conversing very easy.
The service was okay... it was sort of hot and cold throughout the night. The waiters and waitresses were very nice but they would either swarm the table and fill glasses and ask if we needed anything else kind of intensely or we would be left to wait around for them to come by again for a long time.
The best part was that since we got seated before 6.30pm we got 25% off the check, which was a substantial saving! Not sure how often they do this promotion but it was a pleasant surprise :) -
Review from Marta B.
Brooklyn, NY
6/15/2009
Went here last Valentine's Day with my boyfriend.
Even though we had reservations, we still had to wait by the bar for 10-15 minutes. The area is small, we were squeezed in between two other couples. The drinks look prettier than they taste, and some are overpriced.
The sushi was fresh and delicious. You can really taste the difference. We had ours with brown rice. The dessert was exactly what I craved - dense chocolate molten cake with rich and creamy vanilla ice cream.
I think I would come back when it's less crowded. -
Review from Kiley T.
Brooklyn, NY
2/16/2009
The only reason Aja isn't receiving one star is that the food pushed it up a notch (i wish we could rate service separate from food).
Service left much to be desired, especially before we even sat down (had to ask to be seated 15 minutes after our reservation - and we were at the bar for 1/2 hr prior). Had to ask to check our coats (were not offered), and the wines are crap (and even then, two of the ten they were out of).
If you like sushi, its good. If you like Pan-Asian, its great. If you like wine, go somewhere else. If you demand attention at $50-$75 head (drinks, app, entree), go somewhere else.
BUT, i can still taste the food in my memories, which means SOMETHING right is going on there (chef headhunters - go here!) -
Review from Manorah R.
Yonkers, NY
5/13/2011
The staff was super friendly. The decor and Ambiance was nice. Had the filet Mignon and the teriyaki chicken. I could care less about it. WAYYY over priced for no reason. I would stick to their sushi based on the other yelp reviews
-
Review from Gretchen W.
New York, NY
1/19/2009
I had an overall good dinner at Aja Asian Bistro, but I wouldn't say it was anything spectacular. The ambiance of this restaurant is definitely one of it's highlights, with a massive Buddha and a coy pond with real fish. The walls are a grey brick with some small "artifacts" in sunken in spaces, giving you the feeling of being in a temple.
They have a nice looking cocktail/wine/beer/saki menu and an extensive dinner menu with a lot of sushi, but also many hot dishes that are "pan-Asian." I tried the dumpling sampler, which gave a taste of the pork, vegetable, and king crab dumplings. All three were quite yummy and steamed to perfection. Then I had the Ume sushi combination, which was a spicy tuna roll, spicy crunchy salmon roll, and spicy yellowtail roll, although I asked to substitute the yellowtail for a salmon avocado roll, cause I love them. My sushi was very fresh, yummy, and made well. Unlike most sushi places though, this sushi combo didn't come with soup or salad.
My boyfriend got the Thai Grilled Chicken (White meat chicken marinated with Thai spices then char-grilled served over wok-tossed eggplant, yard long beans, okra, cauliflower, crushed peanuts & pan roasted minced garlic,) which was good, but it was obvious that the chicken had been grilled without any spices and then placed onto a plate with veggies in a sweet and sour sauce of sorts. The sauce, we both thought was yummy, but a little too sweet, which got to be a bit too much by the end of the dish.
Overall, we did both enjoy our meals and plan to come back to try some other things. This was definitely a nice place to go for drinks and dinner. It's moderately priced and has such a large menu that there is definitely something for everyone. I hope to be more blown away next time though. -
Review from Stephanie B.
Springfield, NJ
8/11/2008
Delicious food. Went with a girlfriend from college for after work dinner and drinks. Drinks are delicious and STRONG!!! Food was also very tasty, I had the Bangkok Basil Prawns- jumbo prawns marinated & tossed with basil & thai spices, it was very tasty. My friend had one of the specials which was a sushi roll w/ salmon, peanut sauce, brown rice among other things. Service was great and the ambiance and decor were very lovely. Can't wait to go back and try the sushi out for myself!
-
Review from Katherine H.
Oakland, CA
10/18/2009
Came here with my friend from Brooklyn because she wanted to surprise me with the giant Buddha and stone-grilled chicken. I'm from San Francisco, not North Dakota for god's sake, I've seen that kind of thing before. Seating is also really tight. Nevertheless, it was pretty cool. The waiter brought and opened still water when I asked for tap, and refused to take it back. It was a $10 bottle of water. The cost quickly racked up as we ordered seaweed salad, rice, stone-grilled chicken, and Double Delight-- shrimp with sea bass in a curry basil sauce. The double delight was really good. The sauce didn't have a whole lot of depth, but still delicious. Unfortunately the shrimp weren't completely deveined. Stone grilled chicken looks pretty cool, but really it's just $20 sliced chicken and some peanut sauce. I was not terribly impressed with that dish. Another friend ordered sushi, and the tuna was fishy and metallic tasting and the seaweed wasn't crisp. For dessert, my friend ordered the mochi ice cream. It's nothing special, just what you would get at Trader joes but for $6. I definitely recommend the Tartufo, which is red bean and green tea ice cream in a chocolate shell, and you can feed two or three people with one dessert. Tab came to $88 without tip, for two. i tipped kinda low because it was impossible to get a hold of the servers.
Was it overall a good experience? yes. Good food? Not so much. -
Review from elizabeth s.
Chicago, IL
9/1/2006
Really nice atmosphere and the sushi is fantastic. Try the Kobe Beef too!
-
Review from Chad S.
5/16/2011
This trendy Asian Fusion lounge is a real pleasant surprise in the relatively residential Sutton Place neighborhood. There is Buddha with a water fall into a pool containing live swimming fish; fish, which also swim below a glass floor in the middle of the room. The menu selection is quite diverse and portions fairly generous. I suggest sharing several dishes, including the mango salad, any array of sushi, the chicken or steak lettuce wraps, and the Thai Grilled Chicken as an entrée. The Ishyaki Stone Grill is also an interesting option. This entails a personal stone grill and raw meet of choice with dipping sauce for a barbecue at your table. There are some traditional Japanese food choices as well but I suggest ordering outside of your realm for a very unique experience. The prices are pretty reasonable for the neighborhood, still If you desire a more typical Asian fusion/sushi experience, try Fusha, which is directly across First Avenue on 58th Street.
-
Review from Michelle S.
Manhattan, NY
1/14/2011
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Seriously one of my favorite sushi places in the city. The fish is so fresh and I find myself craving the winter roll often. While the prices are a bit steep, you can buy http://restaurant.com coupons which knock $25 off the bill (when you spend $50 - which is easy to do).
I go here at least 3 times a month, it's really the best. Definitely go here! -
Review from angela g.
New York, NY
9/25/2006
This place was great. Went here on a first date. The decor is supper cool. The are big glass tiles on the floor that let you see the fishies swimming below and a giant Buddha that changes colors. Modern yet cozy. Service was great and food was delish. We got tons of vary sushi, but that also do the meat cooking on the hot stones- I will go back for that for sure.
-
Review from David D.
Shelburne, VT
5/17/2007
Attention sushi junkies: mecca in Manhattan without the hype or price of Masa. We had a shashimi sampler including white tuna, skipjack, yellow tail and several of the chefs recommendations and it was absolutely sublime. The best I have ever had. Put yourself in the chefs hands. A lot of their fish is flown in from Japanese seas daily. The chefs are very knowledgeable, proud of what they do, and they will tell you all about it. So while it might be tempting to take a table in the dark, hip interior, sit at the sushi bar if you can and ask "kyo wa nani oishi desu ka?" (what is good today?).
-
Review from Valarie C.
Alexandria, VA
6/9/2010
Great sushi and neat decor. (love the fountain w/fish!) Attentive service and all around good food. Really an impressive establishment. I wish the other diners would dress up a little more for dinner, as this isn't really a jeans and t-shirt type of place, and I always hate when people bring their kids to restaurants and allow them to yell and scream as they please - but I really can't blame a restaurant for poor diners. So go here and get good sushi, unless you have badly behaved children.
-
Review from Richard M.
New York, NY
8/5/2011
closed for renovations....
-
Review from Teresa G.
5/22/2007
love this place! tons of great rolls, i'm never disappointed. this is a great place if you want to have a long, lazy dinner, i.e.: service can be a bit spotty (excuse me, waitress, waitress.... waitress!!) and they've got great booze...
the decor is also amazing, huge buddha covered in coins and bills, lots of fish, cool glass floor.
all in all: you'll spend quite a bit, but it's a great treat! -
Review from Marissa J.
New York, NY
4/9/2008
great sushi spot that's nicer than the average sushi bar. it's half bar/lounge, half restaurant. the entrance is regal and funky with a big buddha (and a few others in the dining area).
lighting is perfect for a date or intimate dinner with friends, service was excellent (sometimes a little too excellent - like 'thanks, thanks, yes it's very good). sushi was average, entrees unique and consistently above average. they often offer amuse bouches on the house - always worth a try.
i've been on 2 occasions when they're promoting a new liquor, providing free shooters and drink specials.
definitely a spot worth going to again and again. mostly young 20s and 30s, some families.
