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Ozu Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Vegetarian Japanese, Vegetarian [Edit]
566 Amsterdam AveSte 1
(between 87th St & 88th St)
New York, NY 10024
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
(212) 787-8316
- Nearest Transit:
-
86 St (1, 2)
86 St (A, B, C)
96 St (1, 2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Ozu Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I got the most amazing Vegetable Dinner Box."
(in 5 reviews)
"Portobello mushroom spring roll - Amazing."
(in 4 reviews)
"It's all vegan except for the fish dishes."
(in 14 reviews)
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Jason K.
Manhattan, NY
9/20/2011
One of the better restaurants I've been to on the UWS, and this is from someone with a bias against all things vegan. The dishes are surprisingly flavorful and creative, and the atmosphere is zen-like - the free green tea is a great touch and can't help but relax you.
Everything we had was good, but the carrot pancake and coconut tofu pie (tahini and fresh raspberries? somehow it works) were the real standouts. Less impressive was the portabello mushroom spring roll, which was a bit one-note and lacking in flavor.
We ate here and at WD-50 the following night, and Ozu was the better and more creative meal (and about 5x cheaper). Highly recommended. -
Review from Jenna M.
10/4/2011
Japanese food is kind of my lady's jam, so when we learned that Ozu was a real thing in this world, we put it on our "must try" list. Try we did, but we probably will not be repeat customers. While service and atmosphere were both charming, the food itself left a lot to be desired.
Their huge menu is very vegan-friendly, and we each ordered a vegetable dinner box stuffed full of our favorite ingredients: kale, tofu, lotus root, kabocha. Nothing was particularly good, though: things were underseasoned and bland, and though we did get a lot of food, it was pretty expensive. I hate paying out the nose for boring food. I could do that at home for cheap.
We thought the meal might have found redemption in the adzuki bean mousse dessert, but we were told they didn't have any available. That was about all the disappointment I could stand for one night, so we didn't get anything else. Maybe there are better things on the menu, maybe the adzuki bean mousse is enough to get people to come back, but this was just not our night. -
Review from Marina G.
Manhattan, NY
8/24/2011
I really really want to give this place more stars, but I just can't.
when I first walked in here I was very excited about Ozu, but as soon as we sat down things went downhill .....
first, the positive:
- the service was friendly and attentive
- I like how they served hot tea in big mugs right away, as soon as we sat down. a very nice homely touch.
- they got our orders right, even though we were a bit picky: sauce on the side for my friend, and sauce directly on the fish for me
ok now the negative:
- the water glasses were dirty. yuck.
- our table was sticky. ugh.... please clean them before someone sits down. i know i shouldnt put my elbows on the table, but each time i did my sleeve got stuck to the table surface. gross.
- final thoughts: for a vegetarian place they can be a bit more creative with the menu.
the chef should offer a larger selection of entres. people often forget that there is so much one can do with vegetables.
and most importantly don't be afraid to use spices !! i dont know what the deal is but everything somehow seemed to lack flavor.
I will think about possibly giving this place another try. maybe take out next time?
unfortunately, the overall impression that i left with was that this place is a bit too bland for my taste. -
Review from Lily C.
Manhattan, NY
1/20/2012
The restaurant has a wide variety of gluten free options. (The online menu doesn't list but paper menu has stars for gluten free). The staff is very knowledgable about gluten free substitutions. I understand what people are complaining about with lack of taste, but that is because they do not use tons of salt and fat like other restaurants. It is what it is - delicious healthy food. It won't compare to a bacon cheeseburger. I appreciate the gluten free options and dedication to healthy cuisine.
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Review from Bex H.
New York, NY
6/21/2011
I came here on my way to Mana and should have kept walking, but I was feeling adventurous. I walked in to a completely empty restaurant (that should have been my cue to leave). My boyfriend and I split several things that all sounded interesting and tasty. The steamed dumplings were hard, the carrot pancake was hard and dry, the kabocha gnocci was hard and bland, the tempeh in miso ginger sauce was so disgusting that we sent it back after simply tasting the sauce. Our waitress didn't speak any English, so it was impossible to argue the bill despite not being able to eat anything.
I work as a server as well, so I know it isn't her fault that the food sucks, but come on. -
Review from ivette d.
New York, NY
5/19/2011
Ozu Ozu Ozu!
I've seen this place change a lot! The decor has been upped (which is good) and the prices too (which is not good). The serving size has (noticeably) diminished.
The service is mostly good. There are some really adorable people working there. Sometimes they don't take my order correctly ( BUT I do have to admit I am little picky) - I don't want soy sauce all over my fish so I ask for it on the side and my veggies I like them sauteed but with just garlic and olive oil.
Overall- I think Ozu is OK. It offers good food and servers are nice. I would recommend it anytime. -
Review from Russell H.
East Meadow, NY
Here is another place worthy of the 4.5 stars that Yelp! will not allow me to give.
I went here today for dinner with my girlfriend. The night before we stopped by and got the Pecan Pie ($5.25). It was delicious and we decided to come back for a meal.
Nothing at this place is made with refined sugars. It's all vegan except for the fish dishes.
I got the most amazing Vegetable Dinner Box. It was only $17.95 but came with an entree (you could choose from two), three appetizers (choose from all appetizers on the menu), brown rice, and your choice of soup. I ended up doing the Almost Perfect with Kabocha Gnocchi (yes, it exists), steamed portabello mushroom spring roll, and tempeh in burdock ginger sauce with some veggies and a miso soup (it's vegan, no bonito flakes). I was in heaven. Best dinner box ever, hands down! I can't wait to come to this place again and again.
The Kabocha Gnocchi was just as good as I had imagined and it came in a delicious garlic tomato sauce. The tempeh was perfect. A steamed spring roll isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.
Really delicious stuff. They really know what they are doing here!
I had to get another dessert and the waitress suggested the Half & Half ($6.25). It's almond cream mixed with apple crunch. Really fresh and delicious just like everything else. I am so glad my girlfriend and I found this place. Definitely a new favorite.
Bottom line: really amazing fresh and tasty food for reasonable prices in a nice atmosphere aka GO FOR IT -
Review from Gabriella K.
Manhattan, NY
12/3/2011
At least you leave feeling healthy! With that said, I'm not sure if everything is totally fresh. "Mana," a similar restaurant that's up the street is better.
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Review from Shira T.
Manhattan, NY
10/27/2011
This is my first Yelp review, and I hate to make it a negative one - but here goes. Tonight I walked over to my neighborhood joint, Ozu for some clean, delicious food. They are always very nice when I walk in, but it's not until you order something that you don't like and have to send it back that they get really nasty. I ordered the yakinoodles, which I've had many times before, but tonight I decided to order it with salmon for an extra $2. Sounds good to me, I needed some healthy protein and figured that would be tasty. What I didn't know was that the noodles would come with salmon flakes... and not a nice piece of salmon on top. The dish smelled fishy and was quite un-appealing to me.
Now, let me mention that it's not like me to send back food. In fact, I don't think I've ever done it before and I felt quite bad but I REALLY wasn't going to eat it. The woman took back the food without much to say, but then the real chaos started. A man walked on over to me, don't know if he was the manager or what, but he sort of appeared out of nowhere giving me a really hard time - he was asking me what he was going to do, and that he's losing money and that I should have to pay for it. OH MAN, that got me started, I was upset in the first place (and hungry!) and for this man to come over, basically yell at me and tell me I'd have to pay for somethign I didn't even eat was nuts! Sure, I already felt bad since it's a small restaurant and who knows how they make money - but that's not the point - I didn't eat the food, he yelled at me and that's just poor business skills. Since I felt bad I even offered to pay for half - he didn't end up charging me in the end. Anyway I don't care, sorry Ozu, you've lost a loyal customer - I don't deserve to be treated like that and neither do any of your other customers. Looks like Mana will be my only neighborhood go-to from now on.
The food is yummy, just make sure you don't need to send back your food! -
Review from chaya l.
New York, NY
7/7/2011
My favorite restaurant!!
So far I've liked everything I've had!
Lately like to get the dinner box. It includes soup (mmm, try the carrot ginger) 3 appetizers and a main (fish or a tofu stir fry) and brown rice. I like to get the summer rolls (comes with a rockin' peanut sauce), kobocha (japanese pumpkin) and the tofu salad.
I"m usually super stuffed but I still like to get the pumpkin pie ingredients: pumpkin, maple syrup (just a little, I asked) soy milk, spices.
So good! -
Review from Shivu S.
12/21/2010
What an interesting place!
Restaurants like this are why I love nyc. The menu is very gluten-free friendly. The food is unique. The portions are huge. Desserts were delicious. And the staff let us sit there all night while I was busy catching up with an old friend.
I'll be back Ozu, hopefully soon. -
Review from Eva C.
New York, NY
11/1/2011
I really love Ozu. I've been coming here for years and have never had anything that I didn't like. For the folks who gave Ozu less than stellar ratings, I think Ozu might be an acquired taste. The food is not spicy, but it's also not bland. The flavors are subtle and I believe they are trying to highlight the natural flavor of the food. Recommendations: lotus root sandwich, anything with the beet dressing, bean soups, misoyaki salmon, chocolate tofu pie.
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Review from Steven S.
9/12/2010
I needed a restaurant between W. 82nd and W. 92nd stat. Yelped Ozu and it seemed perfect. Vegetarian Japanese. I like both of those things. Winner?
OK, I've been in denial long enough. Confession time. Vegetarian (in this case vegan) macrobiotic "health" food is usually a tasteless morass that you choke down while convincing yourself, better person that you are, you'll live 5 years longer than the more satisfied customers of McDonald's, chiding others for not partaking in the culinary delights of seitan stir-fry and tofu croquettes (said culinary delights, it should be noted, have hardly bee discovered by the world's great chefs and cooking schools), and, worst of all, convincing yourself you actually like it. No. You. Don't.
But once in awhile, I'm game. The menu at Ozu is extensive. Unless you bring my dad there, everyone at the table should find something to grudgingly settle for while dreaming of greasy pizza. I had the Ozu Special Noodles, fried noodles with curry sauce, tofu, and vegetables. It wasn't the most amazing dish I've ever had, but it was tasty enough, and the portion was enormous. I couldn't finish. I also ordered the water cress appetizer... ohashidashi I think it was called. I could look it up, but I'm feeling lazy. I remembered having this sort of thing in Japan, and Ozu's version is basically up to snuff, though I'd ask for the sauce on the side next time, because it smothers the cress flavor. Why isn't there cress flavored gum? I'd buy that. Are you listening, Orbit?
My meal partner ordered the salmon croquettes. So it's not totally vegetarian. I reckon she was satisfied with her meal. They let us stay as long as we wanted, which we did, drinking our complimentary tea. Outside of busy times, I suppose it's serene.
Nice, rustic environs in a tiny space with authentic fake Japanese smiles all around. But that means good service. Cheap, filling, unlikely to cause heart attack, likely to cause gas. Ozu.Listed in: Japanophile's Nyuu Youku
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Review from Jen R.
New York, NY
10/27/2010
I want to give this place more stars, because what I ordered last night (mushroom risotto) was absolutely delicious, but the food was a bit inconsistent when it came to the tastes of other dishes.
We started off with salads, miso soup, and the salmon-cucumber sushi rolls.
Miso Soup? Excellent.
Salad - Not much depth but the vinaigrette dressing they serve with it is very good.
Sushi Roll? Boring - and the roll was way too big.like each piece was pretty much double the size of a normal piece of sushi, which isn't good for sushi-eating since most people put an entire piece in their mouth at one time. The roll also lacked flavored. They should also note the sushi they use in it is cooked rather than raw.
Mushroom Risotto? Absolutely Excellent. Will go back for this dish. I ordered it with the salmon, which was also quite tasty.
We also ordered the Thai Noodles.... it was pretty much awful. Which is sad because "pad thai" is actually one of my favorite foods, so this had to be pretty bad for me to not enjoy it. It lacked spice... and was way too peanut-buttery.
I think we will go back again, especially for that mushroom risotto and even the miso soup, but we'll definitely be avoiding the thai noodles. -
Review from Irena N.
9/8/2008
Pretty good food, even if they do tend to overseason just about everything. I had the salmon with sesame ginger dressing and it was good but so salty I had to keep asking the waitress to refill my water glass.
Overall - a decent spot to bring your veggie friends, but will scare off people who are unfamiliar with vegerarian cuisine (i.e. one's slightly old-fashioned Eastern European parents.) Also, I didn't feel that the service was very friendly - perhaps because this seems like a neighborhood-type place and we were clearly not local? Who knows. Either way, I'm not sure if I want to go back. Plenty of other veggie options in the city. -
Review from Kimmie S.
New York, NY
3/27/2009
I agree with another individual who also didn't enjoy the food. I was excited to go as Quintessence used to be in this space. We received the Edamame which is usually my favorite to eat whenever I'm out but this was mushy. Then the appetizer was a tempura sandwhich of a sort which was extremely mushy and I didn't enjoy the tofu. For entre's my boyfriend received a wrap that had the same items that was in the tempura sandwhich with large carrots and sweet potatoes that had been steamed and cut, From a presentation standpoint, I wasn't impressed. My entree was slightly better (thank goodness for soy sauce). The Ozu noodles had curry and various veggies.
Our biggest issue was "where was the flavor"? Everything had the potential of being tasty but there was no effort in the food. I enjoyed my Organic Pale Ale Beer and I have to say that the ambience had much to be desired (the staff doesn't seem very motivated). I think that for those that came here being slightly apprehensive of this type of food would not be eager to try it again. There are great places such as Quantum Leap but this was not one of them by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, during our meal, we kept wondering if we simply didn't get it as everyone else seemed to love it.Listed in: Not a Fan
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Review from Julie S.
1/15/2010
I LOVE the tofu dengaku (grilled tofu with a flavorful miso sauce) and the incredible salad dressing (even if you don't like beets, trust me: this stuff is good!)
That said, whenever I try to venture away from this dish, I'm fairly disappointed.
Whenever I've been there, the service has been pretty good and my tea mug is constantly refilled.
So, yeah, simply put: try the tofu dengaku and the salad and you will be set. -
Review from darcey h.
1/24/2010
This place does a heart good. And that's not meant as a pun. Macrbiotic Kosher Japanese served in a cozy setting with jazz playing in the background.
The vegetable gyoza were anything but 'run of the mill' only made better with the flavorful dipping sauce. Even the tea was different, earthy and addictive.
A very special UWS gem. -
Review from Mai-Ling G.
Oakland, CA
11/23/2008
I'm a meat eater, so my expectation of restaurants lacking protein in the form of an inhumanely slaughtered cow was already disconcerting.
However, the salmon with some kind of pesto rice was amazing, and I could have certainly eaten the dish without the salmon. That good! Portion size was enough for me and the son of the jolly green giant.
Service wasn't amazing, admittedly, but it would be worth a return trip if I was in the area and in the mood. While I'm still staying on the dark side of the dietary status, this is certainly a place me and my veggie friends can meet up.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Heshy F.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2010
Ozu is one of my favorite healthy kosher restaurants. The nice ambiance, coupled with exceptional service and moderately priced menu makes it a gem. The lunch or dinner bento box allows some tasting of diferent items on the menu.
The salmon tends to be dry, and some of the food could use a bit more seasoning, but I guess that's why it's called macrobiotic. -
Review from avi w.
New York, NY
Updated - 7/7/2009
Ozu, redux
A while back, I reviewed Ozu and noted that they had a consistency issue with all four critical "rating metrics": food quality, food prep, service, and ambiance.
What a difference a change in management makes. A few months back, I noticed a change in furniture, menu, and staff regulars. While that change was welcome, the real change has come in performance. Over the same period of time, food quality, prep, and presentation has been (nearly) perfect. Service is good, and the "wonder when they close tonight" guessing game has come to an end: Last order at 10:10, restaurant closes officially at 10:30 (not sure if they would actually toss you out, but I guess they start cleaning up.)
There have been some additions to the menu, and the restaurant now sports a dark-brown mission-style interior, giving it a slightly warmer and more "wholesome" feel.
It is still very veggie-friendly, with some macro-biotic offerings, as well as a couple of fish offerings, but prep is very simple (though not bland), and as such not for everyone.
If you have given up on Ozu because it was poorly run, and haven't been there in the last 3-5 months, I highly recommend giving it another try.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/2/2008
Ozu could be a champion of vegetarian-friendly restaurants if it could manage to maintain… Read more »
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Review from Dottie D.
West Los Angeles, CA
8/11/2007
Eh, 2.5 stars really but I'm generous so I'll round up.
This review is tough because there are a lot of things I like about this place. I like that it's mostly vegetarian with some fish options, which is very in line with my eating preferences. I like that there's a lot of variety on the menu and a lot of specials. I like that eating here feels healthy.
What don't I like? The bland tasting food. My dining companion and I started out with the carrot pancake. My friend had raved about this dish so I was excited to try it. It basically tasted like a chewy, tasteless mass though the scallion sauce was pretty delicious and added to the taste of the bland pancake. There were almost no carrots in the carrot pancake and my friend who had ordered this numerous times said this version was far inferior to the usual so perhaps it was a fluke that this one wasn't very good.
My entree was the salmon pesto. The pesto was actually really good. The salmon was not the best piece of salmon I've ever had. It was ok but it wasn't great. The brown rice it was served with was chewy and bitter and completely inedible while the salad was ok but was served with a pink (strawberry?) dressing that was not that good but sort of grew on you. For dessert we had a fruit/gelatin dessert that was actually quite good - this was by far my favorite part of the meal and large enough for two to share.
The service was not good. The place is small so there aren't *that* many people there but you have to constantly ask for water, etc and sometimes they came and only filled up one of our glasses... Perplexing...
In defense of Ozu, this review is based on one singular dining experience but considering this place was not that cheap and the food was not that good and there were plenty of other restaurants around that would have provided more pleasurable dining experiences. However, because it feels healthy and because there was promise that just wasn't quite fulfilled, i might try it again and just maybe try different things.... Then again, with all the other amazing restaurants in NYC, probably not. -
Review from Kat B.
New York, NY
4/13/2007
I went with a group of about 8 girls. They don't take reservations, so it's kind of annfoying to try to wait around for a table. We did finally get one, and from then on, the service was slow. It took a long time for him to get our orders. The menu isn't very explict about what you're ordering. My meal was all right, but nothing to write home about. They messed up my friend's order, and wouldn't admit it. They were so slow at bringing out our food, that some people were finished by the time others got their food to start. That was quite dissapointing. I was told the desserts weren't very good, so we went elsewhere...They do have vegan options, but also some fish.
Vegan friendly! -
Review from Kana E.
New York, NY
9/9/2008
I have to say I am surprised at all the good reviews.
This is my worst dining experience in UWS so far, which is really saying a lot.
The best items my date and I had were our drinks, which were bottled and made elsewhere. But even the nice sake was not enough to overcompensate for the truly horrible dining experience.
Excited by all the veggie options, but unfamilar with the menu, we asked our waiter to recommend his favorite. My date ordered the recommendation, a seitan appetizer, and I ordered the "Ozu" Noodles (with the idea that they at least thought it was good enough to name after the restaurant.
Verdict: terrible. The soup was very bland and the seitan was just horrible. It was tasteless and thick, with a bad texture. Our waiter simply "forgot" to put in the order for my boyfriend's entree!
I would give it no stars except for these reasons:
1) its the lowest yelp will allow
2) i do like that they are at least trying to bring veggie options to UWS
3) they have sake, which was delicious, and cheap. -
Review from Becca R.
Brooklyn, NY
7/3/2011
LOVE love love this super yummy vegan healthy restaurant. The dinner box is an amazing deal. My boyfriend & I shared this dinner box and a pecan pie & chocolate tofu pie with almond cream, and we were beyond satisfied & full. The service is beyond amazing, quick, polite, & friendly. I can't say enough good things about my new favorite restaurant.
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Review from Stephanie B.
New York, NY
11/29/2009
Ozu would be my new favorite restaurant if they only seasoned the food. The atmosphere is simple and laid-back, and most of the offerings are vegetarian. I ordered the coconut curry, which had but a whisper of actual curry flavor. Mostly it was just bland, though the vegetables were cooked adequately. I also ordered some avocado cucumber rolls, which were kinda expensive at $9 (most places charge about $5). The rolls themselves were too large to eat in one bite, and fell apart as soon as I attempted to pick them up. They were served with a bowl of what appeared to be very watered-down soy sauce.
There are few things more disappointing than bland food- especially when it doesn't have to be! Vegetarian food has come a long way since the 80s, but Ozu seems to be stuck in time... apparently the time before spices were readily available. I will probably give them another try, but with much lower expectations. -
Review from Diana B.
New York, NY
Updated - 1/21/2011
Still wonderful. Lovely atmosphere and staff and great food.
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/28/2010
Still so good: food, service, prices. Now they finally have comfortable chairs, after replacing the… Read more »
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Review from Tudor P.
New York, NY
8/20/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Ozu is not for everyone - but if vegan / vegetarian with a Japanese angle sounds interesting to you, then you'll love this place. Healthy, hearty, natural, fresh and consistent - great service too. I love the Broiled Seitan, Hijiki, Macro Plate, and the Noodle dishes. Lunch boxes are a great deal.
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Review from Meredith F.
New York, NY
10/17/2006
I love OZU...and I love that I can write about it even though right now I am not living in NYC (even though the rest of my family does). Ozu is around the corner from my sister's apartment, hence why I frequent it...but that's not the only reason. They have a lot of healthy and organic food, as well as wheat/gluten free and veggie options. I just like that they are inventive but at the same time simple with healthy food. I LOVE getting the lunch and dinner boxes, b/c it's a lot cheaper and I get to order more :) SOBA noodles are some of my faves, and I literally go here every time I'm home. If you have a bad back, you won't like the chairs, but if you love green tea, then you'll love that you get as much of it as you like for free :)
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Review from Miriam S.
Allston-Brighton, MA
3/25/2007
I love Ozu. It also has been the site of many a happy dinner with my fiancee and is full of wonderful memories, both gastronomic and personal. Perhaps it is the quiet, warm, woodsy decor or the soothing quiet environment (although at peak capacity it can get a bit hubbub-ish)
I've had almost every dish on the menu and here's what to go for on your first time there....
Yuba (tofu skin) in a delicious ginger broth
Portobello mushroom spring roll
Ozu Roll (a delicious sandwich with a hearty, beany/grainy fritter and a light salad on the side)
Their soups are fantastic and you can also just order vegetables, grains and beans separately for a fantastic combined meal that you can mix up as you like. Can get a bit pricey for what it is (I could steam a kabocha squash at home for much less than 5 dollars) but the presentation and atmosphere make this a lovely, pleasant, filling, and delicious night out with friends or cozy date. -
Review from Tanya B.
Portland, OR
6/24/2008
I loved this place. My friends were visiting from Sweden and we just stumbled into this cute, intimate little Japanese hippie restaurant. The food was tasty, fresh, and affordable by New York standards. It's not exactly high on the list of haute cuisine, but if what you are after is a little of Oregon style granola in the shape of a daikon radish then this cozy little den is for you. Avoid the chocolate pie, but pretty much anything in the veggie or the fish bento box will put a smile on your face.
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Review from William C.
San Francisco, CA
3/25/2007
I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed. I went in because I had heard this place was really awesome, but the veggie lunch box left something to be desired. it didn't taste bad or anything, but just wasn't special. I don't think I'd go back. The veggie dumplings were so so, the miso soup was solid, the tsunomo was bland, the "almost perfect" veggie entrie was ok. I might be a little harsh on it since I had high expectations, but it definitely didn't wow me. Fairly cheap prices though. Nice waitress and service.
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Review from Rachel K.
Brooklyn, NY
9/21/2010 3 photos
I love meat. I will never be a vegan.
Hence the reason why I never stepped into this place even though I must have walked by it hundreds and hundreds of times. But every time I walked by it, everyone looks like they're having such a great time... It always looks so cozy, intimate, and peaceful... Everyone just looks so happy dining here!! So I finally decided to give it a shot.
For my first vegan/vegetarian meal experience, I was very impressed. First of all, let me say that the service was impeccable and the atmosphere was SO lovely. I loved the music they were playing; it gave it such a cool, laid-back, intimate vibe - almost like being at a French jazz club. The woodwork throughout also gives a homey, cozy feel. Our Japanese waitress was just perfect - she offered various suggestions as first-timers, plus she was timely and attentive.
'Almost Perfect' lunch box - $13.25 with two appetizers, brown rice, and soup. We chose:
Carrot Ginger soup - um, YUM!!!!!!
Portobello mushroom spring roll - Amazing. Why hadn't I thought of this? Delicious portobellos in a light, crispy shell. A+.
Summer roll - extremely fresh and light that balanced nicely with a side of peanut sauce. I'm used to the summer rolls at Saigon that come with a tasty plum sauce, but this was good too.
'Almost Perfect' entree - This was not what I was expecting. I ordered it because our waitress said it was one of her favorite dishes... The description is hijiki, kale, collards and tofu stir friend in carrot garlic sauce - so I was picturing a Chinese-style stir fry - but this was very different. It was very dry, not much flavor, and the mixture of the ingredients just didn't seem to blend. I couldn't figure out what it was, but it was definitely my least favorite dish of the meal.
'Ozu Croquettes' lunch special with soup & a side of veggies or salad- $9.95
Miso soup - Hands down the best, most authentic miso soup I've ever had in NYC. Huge chunks of momen-tofu and green onions, it could have almost passed for my mom's. If you want to know what REAL miso soup is like, THIS IS IT!!
Side of veggies (yam, pumpkin, carrot) - Extremely soft and flavorful. I usually hate just eating vegetables but this was a job well done.
Ozu Croquettes (fried) - My favorite item of the meal!!! Perfectly fried, packed with vegetables, but tasted AMAZING. It's one of those dishes that I bet kids would love because it doesn't taste like vegetables... but it is! It came with this white dipping sauce that really freaked me out because I've always had croquettes with katsu sauce. This magical katsu sauce is so sweet and delicious that I can dip just about anything into it and it would taste heavenly... But as it's probably packed with refined sugars - Ozu served a tofu-based sauce instead. It was delicious.
This place is authentic. This was a real Japanese meal with real Japanese service. With complimentary barley tea plus large portions of food (so we had to take some home) - I don't care if it's vegan or non-vegan! Ozu is authentic, creative and delicious!!!!! -
Review from Suzanne M.
Columbia, MD
4/10/2010
Close to the Park, wish I'd found it sooner. I might've eaten every meal there. Affordable, quiet, really good food. Recommend it whenever I can. Very familiar with vegan requirements, which I always love.
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Review from Monica H.
1/14/2006
Very inexpensive indeed and tasty. No dairy. Some fish. Lots of yummy veggies. Try the veggie lunchbox and you get a soup of your choice, two appetizers (you can choose a salad as one) and an entree for ELEVEN BUCKS! you definitely can't go wrong. The tofu/kale/hijiki stirfry in carrot ginger sauce is delicious. I even had leftovers to take home. Now that Quintessence is out of business next door this is a perfect solution.
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Review from Stephen H.
Mountain View, CA
8/19/2009
This place is hidden and very simple. But the heart put into the food is tremendous! The food is very considered. The nutrition is great for vegetarians - a good mix of sea vegetables, grains, and protein. The taste is simple, but flavorful. The ingredients are all very fresh. This place is a good place to go if you are looking for food that is genuine and made with mindfulness and care.
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Review from Dream Z.
New York, NY
10/1/2007
Im not a vegan and I dont want to be, but when I wanna eat healthy, this is the place. Everything is so good...Im addicted to their summer rolls. Bring our own salt! lol
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Review from William H.
New York, NY
8/10/2010
I walked by this place, thinking it was just a regular Japanese restaurant. Turned out it's vegan, but whatever.
I ordered the Ozu udon noodle soup, and it was pretty good. The noodles were thick and chewy, and there were heaping servings of seaweed and kale. I enjoyed it a lot.
I ordered the coconut tofu pie slice for dessert. It had a very strange texture and I couldn't finish it.
All in all, not bad for a first time vegan experience. -
Review from Aaron S.
New York, NY
Updated - 7/21/2010
I have been so consistently impressed by how fresh and original this place is, I upgraded to 5 stars. It is not very quick, but the service is still attentive nonetheless.
With all the trendy places around, Ozu is so authentic!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/23/2009
Basically vegan, non-dairy (with a few fish items like salmon teriyaki). Such a special little… Read more »
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Review from Sandra Y.
New York, NY
4/22/2011
I don't remember if I reviewed this place a long time ago or not. But I just went back after a year or so of being away and it's just as good as I remember it. Free delicious barley tea served in colorful crate and barrel mugs that they refill often. The people that work here are so sweet every single time I've been here. Even when it's crowded they are nice. The food is consistent. There has never been anything I didn't enjoy. It's mostly vegetarian (even vegan and kosher), but they do have fish. The teriyaki salmon is my fave. Soba noodles w/ peanut sauce - awesome. Spring rolls - awesome. Kobacha gnocci, you won't know what hit you. Even the tofu is cooked delicately and served a variety of ways. I never even miss the meat (and I eat meat). I feel so good when I leave this place, even when I'm full. It's good. wholesome, fresh foods cooked w/ love. Your body will thank you. Enjoy!
