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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: NoHoUptown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6)
Downtown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6, B, D, F, V)
Prince St (R, W)
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MEN: This is the place to empty your wallet if you're looking to impress a girl with high standards. Or reeeaaally impress a girl with low standards.
I fall somewhere in between. I love going on dates, and I love when a boy tries to impress, but I don't expect to be wined and dined. Of course, if a guy can afford it and he's willing to spoil me, I don't discriminate! So, when I was asked to accompany a well-to-do banker type for dinner, and he suggested BONDST, I cordially accepted his offer.
Typically, I'm more of a traditional, no-frills sushi eater. BONDST is the complete opposite. While the killer fresh fish did amaze my taste buds, it bordered on contemporary, slightly fusiony, and definitely frilly. Still, there were some traditional sushi and roll options that surpassed my expectations. When my date encouraged me to order "Whatever you like," it was really hard for me to restrain myself from taking advantage of his wallet and instead order modestly (well, semi-modestly).
BONDST was certainly delicious, and I'm glad I had the experience, but it was a little hard to carry a first-date conversation without wondering if the couple at the next table was catching snippits of small talk. I think I'll stick to the traditional Japanese restaurants that I'm so used to... unless a date offers to foot the bill. :)
I was amazed at how popular Bond St still is, but then their food is fantastically prepared and fresh.
The seaweed salad was excellent. My friends loved their lobster triangle fried poufs and got a second order. The sashimi is thinly sliced and delicious. Even their ginger tastes special.
The scene, ehhhhhhh, leaves something to be desired. A little gross to watch older banker type guys hit on underage B&T girls in minis.
If there were half stars it would be 4.5
So where do I start? How about the food! We went as a group of six people, so we sampled a good portion of the menu. Here are the highlights:
the Big Eye Tuna tarts were AMAZING. My hubby who does not even like tuna loved it. The fish was fresh, and the texture of the fish with the crispy cracker (for lack of a better word), embellished with a flavourful mayonnaise-type sauce was extremely harmonious. Also, the cracker was very light, so it did not over fill you or overwhelm the tuna.
I also had the spicy tuna roll - also excellent. Again, it was fresh and had the perfect moisture balance ... i do not know how else to put it! haha. And there was this extra flavour, not sure if it was from the seaweed on some spice, but really tasted different from the masses of spicy tunas out there.
The Japanese red snapper - I had the sashimi. I did not even want to dip it in soy sauce because the flavours were delicious enough and the fish was substantial enough not to require any gimmick at all.
Finally, for dessert, the matcha tea and mini doughnuts - what a lovely a creative gourmet take on coffee and doughnuts! I love matcha, and it was sweet and creamy just how I like it. YUM!!!
So the service was great, the food was amazing and the ambiance was energetic and fun. Why the minus 0.5? I didnt like my Lychee Martini and I happen to love that drink. There was not enough of a lychee taste, and it just wasnt what I like. The yuzu caiparinha, however, was very fresh, tangy and sweet in a good way, so that made up for it.
Started with the sake sangria, good stuff. 3 appetizers: spicy crispy shrimp, risotto, and scallops. All were amazing. I had the tempura udon and spicy tuna. Both were good as well. Finished with donuts and bread pudding, also good. Good service and good food. Nice decor. You definitely pay for it though. Now I got no $ for rent.
loooooooooooved bondst.
food, ambiance, service!
Is their "$9 in 09" happy hour special a bargain by any means?
No
Did I have four drinks and three rolls for $45?
Yes
Which roll would I reccomend and what does it taste like?
Sesame Crusted Shrimp Roll, one word: Deliciousness
There was a special Bond made last Friday between myself and the Hot Eel Dice Roll with sweet soy… Read more »
If I made list, this place would top my "Places to go when your boss is picking up the tab" list.
Was taken here for a celebratory bday meal last night and was def impressed. We took the servers suggestion and started with the Big Eye Tuna Tarts - creamy ponzu, white truffle oil, micro shiso. $18 for something so delicious BUT SMALL and also the Spicy Crispy Shrimp - yuzu calamari vinaigrette, chipotle aioli. Both excellent. We pigged out on sushi, round 1 was a double order of Spicy Tuna rolls, 1 order of Sesame Crusted Shrimp (very unique texture, partially hot, inside cold, great dynamic) with a orange curry dressing & red balsamic vinegar (dunked 1 piece in this concoction and wasn't feeling it) , 1 Hot Eel Dice sweet soy & sliced almonds (best eel I've ever had- downright meaty), 1 Lobster Tempura with yellow tomato & yuzu pepper dressing (again, wasn't feeling the dip and went with good ol soy and wasabi). Round 2 of sushi included another spicy tuna roll, and a spicy yellowtail that was incredible. Also from the Nigiri menu an order of Big Eye Tuna, Yellowtail Belly, Salmon Belly (so buttery and amazing) and Uni (or sea urchin) to close out the night. The urchin was new to me and I could see how people would think it is nasty, but I liked it. It tasted to me like a cross between that green goo inside of a lobster and the briny ocean taste in a freshly shucked raw oyster. If I got that again I would have it served on rice as it was tough to scoop up with chop-sticks.
We def didn't need to order as much as we did, but it was all delicious and we finished every last bite. I'd be scared to see the bill. The service was very friendly and prompt and the ambiance was classy, chic, with sexy clientele, but everyone is eating right next to each other, so you really need to talk loudly, which I'm not crazy about.
During the meal we got a biz related text message from the westcoast with great news on a current project so that made the meal even more special. We passed on dessert and opted for some champagne. I will never forget this meal.
Sooo restaurant week. Yeah.. There's so many things I like and dislike it's a ride the fence situation.
Our service was over-attentive and under-attentive at the same time. We had 4 different servers during the course of the meal. I'd prefer 1. While they were always there with a smile to take away our finished plates, it took over 15 minutes to ask if we were ready to order, and over half an hour to get our entrees. I'm trying not to take it personally since I was the only person in the place in jeans and sandals. Don't lie, dressing like you've got the big bucks equals better service.
I really enjoyed my yellowtail sashimi; the best I've tasted. On the other hand, I'm not a chilean sea bass expert but it tasted dense and overcooked. (Could be because they initially brought out the wrong orders for us.) But my sweet saketini?! I could've drank several of those babies swiftly.
The crowd included lots of bankers and their store bought dates. The guy next to us asked his waiter, 'Can you ask the chef to make some tuna for us blah di blah blah?'. Order off the menu, you spoiled mama's boy!
I appreciate it's dark inside. I look better in the dark via candlelighting.
Also came here for restaurant week, and I came away with a so-so impression. The point of restaurant week is to make me want to go back and spend money on the regular menu, and for the quality of their sashimi alone I would be tempted to return. Their yellowtail was absolutely fantastic, and the tuna and salmon weren't shabby either!
The sea bass entree was cooked oddly, however. Seemed overdone?
Tiramisu was more dense than expected, but that's not a bad thing. I thought it was delicious. Tied for favorite part of the meal with that yellowtail :P~~~~
I like the layout of the restaurant. Low-lit, but not *too* low. An intimate space, but not so close that I can overhear every word out of our neighbors' mouths.
I lean towards wanting to try again. Next time, I'll stick to the sushi and sashimi. Yum.
I came here for Restaurant Week with a few friends. On the restaurant week menu, there was only 1 entree - Chilean Sea Bass. However, we could choose between miso soup or salad, sashimi or sushi, and for dessert, ricotta cup, panna cotta, or tiramisu. Between all of us, we had ordered all of the choices above, and we agreed that everything was very good, especially the desserts. They weren't too sweet.
I would love to come back again The atmosphere was cozy and the waiters were great.
Pleasant, impressive atmosphere in the Noho district I don't frequent too often. It was a surprise in comparison to the disco/neon bright lights you encounter elsewhere. I have been here on more than one occasion and apparently the only thing real "special" is the crispy spicy lobster panko crusted lobster app. Which was just "okay," and actually a bit soggy. I mean next time I can basically order takeout at __K__A__L__T and have a bottle of the both Sake for way less. I apologize.. this place is terrific for B & T and tourists...(TOuRisTs fr. Upstate NY or anywhere outside Jerz. Metro).... :)
I went to Bond Street for Restaurat Week and I'll say... the food is very delicious... especially their desserts. They had an amazing Sea Bass entree they gave with the meal and their appetizer's in general were great!
The only reason they didn't get 5 stars was that the Sashimi could have been better. It was merely decent.
What I have to say is much in line with all the other reviews. The restaurant is easy to miss because it has no sign outside. It's a remodelled white building that looks more like a residence. When you walk inside everything is beautiful. The decor is clean and modern and most of the staff look like they're actors or models (all Caucasian). They're very gracious and not pretentious at all. We were seated on the second floor which you take an elevator up to. They honored our reservation (6:30 Tuesday night) with no wait at all.
Pretty much, it's a great looking place, attentive service and romantic atmosphere. You get a hot towel to wipe your hands and complimentary edamame to start with.
Down to the food - if you're looking for quality, it's here. Quantity - not at all. I tried the restaurant week menu which came with the soup (or salad) the spicy shrimp with chipotle on a bed of frissee ONE chicken dumpling, 1 slice of a root vegetable, 1 leaf of Shanghai BokChoy, 1 slice Lotus Root, 1 piece daikon, 3 ounce piece of Chilean Sea Bass (about the size of the inside of the palm of my hand) and half portions of Salmon Avocado Roll and Spice Tuna roll (3 pieces of each). I've attached a picture of it. To be honest, the price was not worth what you got. I'm sure if you ordered off the regular menu you'll get more of a sizeable portion. Consider your plate a tasting plate to give you an idea of the capabilities of Bond St and you can decide from there if you'd like to come back and spend what you would have to to dine there.
The reason I gave a positive three stars is the fact that they advertised online that they had a Wine Flight, but when we arrived they only offered Sake. But the waiter was willing to accommodate us by replacing the sake with their three wines (Riesling, Chardonnay, & Pinot Grigio) for $16. You got three full glasses of wine for the price of two. Not bad.
So overall - selecting the RW menu and having one wine flight - tax and tip came to to $64 each. We tipped well because the service is truly amazing. I did leave slightly hungry so I hopped over to Walgreens to grab a bag of popcorn to eat on the train. I suspect that if you choose their regular menu you may expect to pay about the same but end up with more portions.
My first time dining at Bond St and took advantage of their Summer RW menu. I didn't have any high expectations... just wanted to try. Nice cozy place and I liked the round table where they seated my party of 4. I've always liked round tables... good view of your guests and their food.
The RW dinner menu was a bento style platter. Not many choices to choose from, but the plate had a good variety of tastings. You could start of with a miso soup or salad. Then the platter arrives with few pieces spicy crispy shrimp, chipotle aioli, pickled seasoned vegetables, broiled chilean sea bass in saikyo miso, and 3 small sashimi pieces of tuna, yellowtail, salmon. Overall, I didn't love it or hate it. The chilean sea bass was very flavorful and savory. The dessert was the highlight of my meal. Lychee panna cotta was delicate and with strawberry rhubarb compote was simply delicious.
I definitely will come back and try their house menu and have a couple more of the lychee martini.
I went here for my last night in NYC with my cousins and friends before I moved to LA. In my opinion, they have the best sushi in all of NYC. We had so many dishes...lobster, artichoke and fuji apple salad, tempura, seared tuna, kobe beef...all soooo amazing. The drinks were also some of the best...I especially loved the Litchee martini and Litchee shots! Great scene with a lot of hip and beautiful people.
We walked past the restaurant twice cause it doesn't LOOK like a restaurant. It looks like a plain walk-up residence. We mistakenly went downstairs, which I think is just a lounge/bar... and were directed upstairs for the restaurant. I guess you're supposed to know it's BONDST 'cause of the big red dot flag they have outside? *Shrug
We had a 6:30 reservation on a Sunday night and there was no one there. No one until 7pm. And even when we left there were only 3 occupied tables not including ours. I overheard the waiter say that the summertime is a slow time for them (but... wintertime would be better?! I can't imagine that...)
The decor is low lit and pretty. I think it's a great date place to go.
I ordered off the Restaurant Week menu, while K ordered a la carte. For RW, their selections were very meager -- soup or salad, sushi or sashimi, tiramisu, panna cotta and something else for dessert. For your entree, you got a bento box of 5 different things -- the miso cod, a chicken dumpling, sashimi, crispy fried shrimp and oshinko, which is like pickled vegetables. I enjoyed the cod and the shrimp, but not so much the sashimi or chicken dumpling. In fact, I outright hated the chicken dumpling. It was quite disgusting, both in flavor and in texture. The lychee panna cotta was hands down my favorite part of the meal. So extremely good I wish I could have seconds!
K had originally wanted the quail as an app, but they didn't have that. So he ended up ordering the braised pork belly (delicious) and two rolls - lobster and shrimp. The lobster roll was great, but the shrimp roll was actually pretty BAD. I'm very disappointed in their rolls, to say the least.
The service was very attentive and like a previous poster noted, the water refill was almost instantaneous.
Two friends and I made reservations at BONDST as the Grand Dinner of our weekend in town; it also happened to be the first time even trying sushi for two of us (I know, I know, but my excuse is that I Hate Seafood).
The ambiance was spot-on perfect--I think even if the food had been horrible, the interior would have made up for it. Loved the elevator ride up, the simplistic table settings, center-candle lighting--and you'll be there for a while to enjoy it. It doesn't seem they do anything fast there, except for refill your water glass--we must have gotten 15 refills over the course of our 2 hour+ stay.
Hands down, the best thing we ate was the Big Eye Tuna Tarts with creamy ponzu, white truffle oil, micro shiso--absolutely unbelievable. Every aspect of that appetizer seemed to melt in the mouth; they cut each of the two circles into 4 pieces for easy sharing, and served it on a branded plank. That, combined with the large plate of salted edamame, held us over until our dinner arrived.
For dinner, I got the vegetable tempura, which was perfectly fried, with the vegetables just the right consistency (onion, asparagus, yucca, eggplant, among others).
For myself, the sushi was a bit of a disappointment, but again, probably due more to my distaste for seafood than anything else. I got the avocado and sundried tomato rolls (in addition to trying my friends' spicy yellowtail and tuna rolls), and even those I didn't like. Not sure what it was about it--it wasn't bad, but it wasn't astounding either. However, our sushi-experienced friend thought it was all delicious.
My friend also got the Chicken Toban Yaki, which was an extremely polarizing dish; one friend HATED it, I thought it wasn't bad at all, and my friend who ordered it thought it was just OK. It had some really odd spice or flavoring in it that we just couldn't place--we asked two waiters, and they couldn't tell us either.
However, quickly surpassing the dinner--the dessert. The Lychee panna cotta is an must-have, and for multiple persons, the chocolate fondue for two comes with an amazing array of pineapple, lychee, strawberries, kiwi, cake, sesame crackers, and other little tidbits to dunk and dip.
We left completely full, though with our purses much, much lighter--the bill came to around $200 for the three of us. We're extremely glad we went and would recommend it to others if they've got the extra cash to spend; the experience was well worth it.
Food 4 stars
Service 3 stars
Phenomenal food, OK service, good wine list, lively atmosphere, elegant but simple room.
Not into comparing restaurants, but there seems to be a lot of chatter back and forth here comparing BONDST to NOBU; I think for raw, BONDST is better.
When trying to find the place, look for the address, the name is not outside.
The last scene-ish sushi place we needed to try, I'm glad my 3 week long sushi itch has been scratched.
You can take an elevator downstairs to the lounge where they play mainly hip-hop and instead of standard dining you can opt to sit on the plush couches and barely lit low tables. Unfortunately they are not very well organized. A corner that was originally offered to me to dine at was apparently booked for 6 other people (what the hell???) and we had to sit upstairs in the horrid 1st Date/BFF Night Out dining room.
Omakase looks good (if you choose the $80 option for 8 pieces) but I honestly think your better off just choosing rolls and/or sashimi.
Don't be bashful going for the specialty rolls - The soft shell crab roll comes with a Wasabi yogurt ::bows down to ingenious person who came up with this:: and the spicy yellow tail definitely burned a few buds on my tongue.
Love love love this place.......I suppose good for a 1st date ::rolls eyes:: , but I'll be back to hit that lounge downstairs with friends soon. Come to think of it I'm starting to feel a little itchy again.... ::smiles::
I'm not even feeling up to writing a review, since I was very disappointed and annoyed.
I went here for restaurant week with a friend.
I don't care whether the food is good quality or not. If you leave hungry after $35, which is not in any way cheap, although cheaper than usual for this restaurant, there is something wrong.
And, the food isn't even that great. The sashimi was very fresh. I will give you that. But a grand total of 6 slices? The only reason why I ordered the sashimi instead of the sushi was because the sushi included a spicy tuna roll. Believe me, I could write a dissertation on the evils of spicy tuna, but I won't. All I have to say is, spicy tuna is NOT authentic sushi, and is only spicy to mask the non-fresh tuna. The fact that spicy tuna sushi is included as an alternate option only to sashimi, means that this place is not serving authentic Japanese food.
You don't have much of a choice for the menu, besides soup or salad, then sashimi or sushi. It is obvious that everything else is just pre-made, with tons of plates with the same things on them waiting in the kitchen for either sushi or sashimi to be plopped in the middle. Spicy shrimp? It was good. But tasted more like fast food-good, and is not authentic. Chicken dumpling? Just one. Tiny. Unremarkable. Sea bass? Good, but tastes exactly like something my mom made, and, much smaller.
Overpriced drinks, obnoxious clientele, obvious elitist attitude. You are jam-packed together if you are the restaurant week crowd, and you get spacious booths if you are "regulars" I'm guessing.
Also, my friend had made the reservation, and he had made it 6:30, but got it moved up to 6. BONDST opens at 6, so, that interprets to them expecting table turnover in 30 mins. And it's a tiny place. When we left, there were a bunch of people waiting, because obviously, most poeple don't want to be rushed out in 30 mins. The busser actually took our edamame away when there was one left, and I was actually eating one still, leaving me without a bowl to put the shell in.
Bento? That's not a freaking bento. Go to Hatsuhana if you want the real deal.
I took my brother here for his birthday and b/c I had a gift certificate. The appetizers and sushi we had were nothing special and way overpriced. The goat cheese crab cakes sounded delicious but were bland and mushy. The softshell crab appetizer was ok, but the crab was very small, hardly any meat!
We also got the lobster roll and the sesame crusted shrimp roll. Totally overpriced and really nothing unique about the roll. You could head up to St Mark's to get this stuff and it would taste the same.
The entrees were delicious. We got the steak and lamb. Tasty and tender. We asked for the steak to be medium rare b/c we figured they would overcook it to be medium. Our theory was correct.
I would say the star of the meal was the dessert. The bread pudding and lychee panna cotta were very good. I thoroughly enjoyed my lychee panna cotta and that would probably be the only reason I would go back (which I probably won't.)
It was really dark in the restaurant (it was only 7:30pm), so much so I kinda had a hard time seeing/reading the menu.
Places like these make me wonder if we are really in a recession.
I've heard many great things about BONDST, but I was slightly disappointed. Fish was fresh, but not very memorable. I did enjoy the spicy crispy shrimp, but the highly recommended lobster rolls and spicy tuna rolls were again quite standard.
Tables were seated a bit too close for my comfort, but that's usually what you get at a Japanese restaurant. Service and ambiance was good and enjoyable, but don't think BONDST will be a regular spot when I'm craving sushi.
Went for dual occassion - friends birthday and restaurant week. Birthday girl had been wanting to try this place for a while so we did. We did the special so salad - bento plate of crispy shrimp, pickled veggies, sea bass, sashimi (salmon/yellowtail/tuna), and chicken dumpling - ricotta dessert. All was good but nothing was ridiculously good. Didn't really feel that our waiter knew us from strangers on the street, he barely spoke and when we did i sorta felt like i was in trouble.
Friends bf ordered the three martini tasting - lychee was a winner. Drinks are def overpriced. Have one with the meal but go somewhere else for more. Butter is around the corner from there...
This is a great sushi place - a bit expensive, but worth it in my book. I love all of the rolls and appetizers, but this place gets extra points for the service. The space is beautiful and elegant!
Was there last night for restaurant week.
I don't know why I haven't been to this trendy restaurant yet but I'm very glad I finally did.
Unlike other posh Japanese places the decor of this restaurant is very intimate, warm and cozy. There is a small bar at the reception area with amazing drinks and sake. a dining area behind the reception and another dining room after you take the elevator to i think 3rd floor? (I wasn't counting someone else pressed the button :)
Very comfortable booths (and cushions) with bold decorations of tall branches as background pieces against the wall. Combined with dim lighting it is a perfect place for a date or a small group gathering between 4-8 people.
It was not too crowded but definitely busy even at 9:30. I like the table setup where you will not bump into anyone else or being in the way for serving.
We had the restaurant week sample menu which was actually pretty amazing, especially the fact that they did a variety of different dishes instead of giving you one of two choices. The Sea bass was wonderful and so are the fried shrimps and the sashimi. Service was great and we had a very nice time there.
A keeper for future dinning experiences.
Hands down, best spicy crunchy tuna roll in the city. Now, I am a big sushi fan and have tried just about every place in the city and nothing compares to these rolls and their spicy crunchy shrimp appetizer. The dumplings could use more taste, but everything else I have ever had, is amazing. It is an expensive restaurant and not an ideal every day sushi place, but I promise that if you try it, you will not regret it! The atmosphere is fun and trendy and a great place to see and be seen!
I love everything about this place - the decor, the understated atmosphere, the decibel levels just perfect in both the restaurant and lounge, the fact that this huge multilevel place even exists hidden in a residential building, the cute host and ahhh,,the food.
OK - a bit pricey - not for the weak-hearted..stick with restaurant week if you are...which, by the way, was excellent - the miso soup, bento plate, rolls and strawberry rhubarb dessert is a satisfying meal that provides the same perks for a heavier wallet.
Best lychee martini
Overachievers in dark suits, with dates or other overachievers
Narrating cliches
Decent food in unhumorously small portions
Still wondering why Brad Pitt used to frequent this place
Till i realized that was BEFORE his taste got better
(and started dating angelina jolie)
Two words: wear black... I mean, it was literally a living NYC cliche.
Regardless, coming from LA the sushi was good, but definitely doesn't stack up to places of the same ilk on the West Coast. Definitely try the Spicy Crispy Shrimp, that was the best dish I had all night.
If you aren't paying, great, go & have a good time. Otherwise, I'm sure you can find much cheaper, much better sushi in Manhattan.
Amazing food and service!
Delicious sushi, sometimes they run specials that knock your socks off right at the table.
You must not be in a rush though, this is the place to go when you want a long dinner with lots of conversation time.
The drink menu lacks fun cocktails and I recommend requesting a table on the second floor as it is more secluded, with a more intimate setting.
Good food (not outstanding)... nice waitstaff... overpriced.
After finding out about a food allergy to shellfish, what do I decide to do? Get sushi. I like to live on the edge, I guess.
Very much on the pricey side but probably some of the best sushi--and food in general--that I have had in NYC. WOW!!
To welcome my good friend back to NYC for a few days, we came to this swanky lounge/restaurant for dinner. Started off the night with some prosecco as we waited for our table. The restaurant was dimly lit and the ambiance was cool and relaxing. But, by 9:00 we were all ravenous and wanted everything on the menu.
I started off with a sake infused sangria (kind of like fruit punch) and edamame, followed by these bad boys:
-Sweet Shrimp Spring Roll with spiced acacia honey soy, shiso
-Sake Braised Short Ribs with miso daikon, roasted apple, red shiso sauce
-Steamed Yuba Dumpling chicken dumpling in tofu skin
-Big Eye Tuna Tarts with creamy ponzu, white truffle oil, micro shiso
-Kamo Namban-hot buckwheat soba, duck & scallion
Honestly, the dishes got better and better as they were brought out. My favorite of those were the short rib and tuna tarts, hands down. The short rib melted in your mouth and the tuna did not even taste like tuna, which sounds weird, but in a good way. I feel like those who are leery of eating raw fish would even enjoy this.
But the food didn't stop there-we were five hungry girls on a mission, after all. The dining continued with:
-Shrimp tempura roll
-Lobster Tempura with yellow tomato & yuzu pepper dressing
-Spicy Yellowtail with red pepper sour miso
-Spicy Tuna with chili mayonnaise
-Sesame Crusted Shrimp with orange curry dressing & red balsamic vinegar
-Sundried Tomato & Avocado garlic ponzu oil & green tea salt
You MUST, I repeat, MUST, try the sesame crusted tuna-out of this world.
We only ordered one dessert (imagine that). Banana dim sum-little dumplings with chocolate hazelnut dipping sauce and fresh whipped cream. I was in food heaven.
If my wallet would allow I would eat here everyday. Unfortunately, I have to pay rent, so no can do...
I have been here on two occasions - two very different occasions. Once on a first date, the other a post-breakup dinner to soothe my thoughts.
The journey to the actual dining room is compelling - a charade of hallways, elevators, closed curtains and dimply lit rooms. It's enchanting and moody - perfect for both of my visits.
The staff is attentive and sweet and service was prompt - the brought the wine right away, thank goodness.
If you're int he mood to share, this place is perfect - try the seared duck, crusted shrimp and tartar. My mouth has never felt more alive after eating those shrimps - coated in a delicious sweet and salty sauce...oh yes!
So bring a date here, cry here, be someone else here - it's magical and your tummy will thank you
Enjoy
I went to BONDST with two friends on a Tuesday night. The place was packed when we got there at 7:20, but we had a reservation for 7:30 so didn't think it would be an issue. Unfortunately we didn't get seated until 7:45 (it seemed like longer because we were starving) but the food CERTAINLY made up for this small glitch in the service.
We started out with four appetizers--all of them very well prepared and tasty. The spicy crispy shrimp was amazing...my friend who doesn't even like shrimp that much was very impressed. Seriously delish. The goat cheese crab cakes were incredibly creamy...but I wouldn't order them if you don't love goat cheese because it was a bit overpowering. I didn't mind because goat cheese is one of my obsessions. The shrimp spring rolls were good as well, but not the best appetizer I've ever had. The yellowtail sashimi app with chili oil and ponzu was one of the highlights of my meal--the presentation was beautiful and it had such a great balance of flavor--loved it!
Then, for our entrees, we each ordered the lobster tempura roll. I thought it was good, not incredible, but my two friends raved about it. I tried the Soba Zushi roll--crab wrapped in soba noodles instead of rice and then tempura fried--and it was different from any other sushi I've ever had. Very unique and tasty as well! I also tried the scallop sashimi which was good, but it came with cucumber and I hate cucumber so it kind of freaked me out. It was also 12 dollars, kind of ridiculous. But the spicy tuna roll...oh the tuna roll. I wish I had ordered it, because I just got to steal a few pieces from my friends. INCREDIBLE. My exclamations after eating this most delicious tuna roll (and it's a basic--so I've tried it at every sushi place I've been to) made my friends laugh and tell me I needed to write restaurant reviews. It melted in your mouth. SO GOOD. GET IT.
Lastly, the dessert was awesome as well. I forget what it was called, but it was essentially a lava cake with coffee ice cream and homemade cream. I would definitely order it again.
The prices were a little steep, but not overwhelmingly so, and certainly worth it for a meal like this one. Props to BondSt!
Bondst is smooth. The decor is chic, the music subtle and unobtrusive, the staff understated and attentive, the food cleanly and expertly prepared and presented. And for all of that, it remains fairly unmemorable.
You take a labyrinthine series of hallways and elevators to get to the upstairs dining room, and this is after figuring out that no, you didn't get the address wrong, the restaurant is actually housed in a quaint-looking brownstone. The bar is hip, with sleek finishes, attractive bartenders/bartendresses, and a huge, overarching bouquet on one side of something resembling willows.
The upstairs dining room is dimly lit and intimate. Our waiter was friendly without being overbearing, made sound recommendations, and kept the wine glasses full (no small feat at our table). The crispy shrimp was unreal, the spicy tuna roll solid if unremarkable, and the sea bass entree was pricey (around $26) but fantastic. The wine list struggles to offer anything great to pair with the fishy fare, unfortunately.
I was lucky enough to be taken here by my cousin and we had a great catch-up dinner, replete with stories of her completion of the New Zealand Ironman. So, needless to say we got lost in conversation and ended up camping for quite a while. The staff didn't take very kindly to this, eventually clearing everything off the table including the candle, and running into my aisle-side chair on purpose a few times to coax us into leaving; understandable, as we were there for much longer than most deuces. Still, you'd think they'd anticipate that happening once in a while and be prepared, instead of lightly cross-checking me into departing.
On the whole, a solid experience. Expect a few tables of i-bankers telling vociferous, boring, solipsistic tales of their immense success, and the odd couple that is so rich and so over-it that all they can do is look at you and sneer. But, most of these smaller unpleasantries fall by the wayside if you're with good company.
Just don't go expecting that because you're paying a lot for your sushi, you're entitled to a lavish, lengthy meal at your own pace. Bondst is very New York - efficient, stylish, and self-interested.
I have been meaning to eat here for years and finally braved the thunder and lightening tonight to see for myself what makes BondSt one of the most talked about sushi places in the city. While I prefer my sushi places casual and no frills, I get why people love this place. First of all, it's pretty, and who doesn't like pretty? The decorations are pretty, the people are pretty, and everything is dim and zen. It's really romantical also : )
The place was packed on a Thursday night and we were seated upstairs (the restaurant is laid out in a very odd way). We had to wait a little for our reservation but the host was very friendly which made up for it. I got the restaurant week menu which was a yummy mixed green salad (great dressing!) and a bento platter with a variety of different offerings. Salmon avocado roll and spicy tuna roll were both good, nothing crazy or special. Complimentary edamame was a nice touch and it was super good. The chicken dumpling did not impress. However, I really enjoyed the spicy shrimp with chipotle aioli and the sea bass. I would get them both again. The panna cotta dessert was just average, but I never expect much from a sushi restaurant in the dessert department. Service was attentive and friendly, not pretentious as one might expect. Since I had never been, I came wearing rain boots and next time I go back I'll definitely step it up a notch and get a little more fancy. The regular menu had a bunch of things I want to come back and try and while expensive, the prices are not completely ridiculous. Bottom line, I think this is one of the most perfect date spots I've seen in a long time and I'm be coming here with someone special in the future I hope : )
I used to work across the street from this Japanese fusion restaurant... I have been here twice... The first time was to entertain clients with my manager so I was only at the bar/lounge ... I had a Lychee Martini there...Since it was a long time ago, from what I remember it was good.
The staff were all model types, long leggy females and clean cut men. The other time i had dinner with my two friends and we had a good time... FYI, this restaurant is not a large establishment. It is a small and cozy place.
Just as the other yelpers had mentioned the Chilean Sea Bass was fabulous. We also ordered foie gras, and several Sushi rolls. The rolls were decent but the rest of the food was excellent. Also, we shared the Green Tea Souffle which was to die for. It was freshly made and very tasty. I am a dessert person so this won me over. If you like souffle you should definitely order this.
I have one pet peeve though... I had mentioned that it was my two friends' birthday and that I would like some kind of birthday decoration on the desserts on my online reservation. I also made sure to speak to the waiter beforehand about this. However, they did not carry this task out! I was pretty upset about this.
Overall, it was a great dining experience if you are looking for a restaurant with good food at a smaller and more intimate setting. The food was very good whereas the service is only decent.
Amazing!!!
The food is absolutely delicious! It is pricey, but if you love sushi and willing to pay for it, this is the best place that I have been in the city! Every dish that we ordered was absolutely amazing!
Besides great food, the place has a nice atmosphere and friendly staff.
Pretty overpriced, and a little hokey with the rolls, it feels kindof cheesy and is not the kind of place to go if all you want is a great dinner. The food is tasty, but not authentic.
It does, however, have a very sexy ambiance and is quite the 'scene' on a weekend night. This is great for a dinner of mixed company or a group of out of towners.
I havent been here in years though.
Happy Hour Deal~Just 4…
Jersey City, NJ
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