Satsko
245 Eldridge St
(between Houston St & Stanton St)
New York, NY 10002 (212) 358-7773
- Nearest Transit:
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Bowery (J, M)
Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
19 Reviews for Satsko
I happen to like tiny restaurants and I love Asian Food. I had a Tuna wrap and some sashimi. Nice place!
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Small but very cute restaurant. There's a small mini bar amidst dozen tables with a fun atmosphere... it could be the disco ball over the bar area. The food is pretty good. The Hamachi Tartare was great, loved the sesame oil flavor. The Pork Belly Salad was also a favorite and the roasted zucchini was a yummy compliment to the pork. Our main entre Sake Bomb Beef was just ok, though. Basic braised beef over rice but I thought it was a bit bland? Although, the fried thinly shaved llotus root was a great alternative to potato chips! The Wasabi Mashed Potatoes are definitely different, loved the hint of wasabi in the creamy buds. Oh and the short list of Satsko cocktails were delicious, I drank 2 at dinner. The hot bartender at the bar was really good eye candy during dinner, too... :-)
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Went here earlier this week and really wasn't that impressed. I found the service to be overwhelmed and although nice, not super attentive. I also found the food to be just ok - the tofu salad was bland - very little taste to it and the dressing just seemed to be oil. The salmon main was good, but the portion was so small, I would've appreciated a little more filler (more starch would've been good - the pureed cauliflower was quite tasty). BTW the Sake Bomb Beef was no where to be found on the menu I received. Perhaps they've made some changes. Don't know that I'll be back to find out.
That tuna wrap is amazing. The sake tasting was great, as well, though I wish I had taken the little sheet home bc I'll be damned if I can remember the names of anything I drank.
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Yuck. I did not like this place... at all.
Service was horrendous. They were clearly understaffed. After the bus boy rushed us through our appetizers we proceeded to wait for over 25 minutes for our entrees, without a single apology or even acknowledgment from the wait staff. When the food came it was a sore disappointment. My boyfriend and I both had the mahi-mahi, their "signature dish." We were underwhelmed by the overly salty, odd tasting sauce. With so many phenomenal Japanese places in this city I will not be wasting another night at Satsko.
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Satsko is definitely my new favorite place. I was there for the first time a couple of months ago. The food is very good...try the pork belly and gyoza appetizers. And the mushroom risotto was yummy. But the best part is the sake and Warren!!
Warren is, without a doubt, the most gracious person I have ever met. And he's a sake EXPERT!! The first time I went it was just for dinner. Recently I did the sake tasting - which was awesome! You get apps and a flight of 6 sakes for $40 on Wednesdays. It is well worth it b/c in addition to the food and sake you get Warren's expertise.
There are restaurants I really like in the city and would mention to friends when asked for recommendations. However, Satsko is one of those places I will not just randomly mention in hopes that my friends try it. I will actually be taking all my friends there so they can fall in love with the place too!
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I've been here only once but had a swell time. I did not eat there so can't comment on the food. We shared a bottle of nice sake and chatted with Warren and Tammy - both very friendly. Satsko has potential to be a good first date place.
So Warren is an incredibly gracious host, but on a Saturday nite, as the only person working the floor, I think he was just a bit overwhelmed. The place was packed (and I couldn't stop staring at the table of 10 Asian chicks next to us--each one dressed to the nines. Unbelievable.) and got quite noisy for such a tiny place.
The appetizers were all simply delicious. Chicken skewers, fried calamari, pork belly, edamame...tuna tartare was the only exception for me. Other reviewers loved it but I think it was only "pretty good". Mushroom risotto was stunning (enoki, shiitake, and maitake!!), and I didn't get to try the other dishes (garlic shrimp & rice and the onigiri) my dining companions ordered bc I was too stuffed. *sad face* I have failed you, fellow yelpers! I promise to return and try everything else next time.
P.S. the best part about sitting next to the window is watching everyone pace back & forth outside trying to figure out where the damned door is hiding. hahaha. myself included!
UPDATE: I came back! No Warren this time. Boo! But the gingertini treated me GOOD. And I think Satsko has become a popular place to have your bday dinner. They bring out this giant plank of wood (like, a Hawaiian luau style 2x4) covered in ice cream & cake, with "happy bday" written on it. Yes, I was jealous.
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Introducing Satsko, an Intimate, fun, friendly, and tasty asian fusion restaurant in the east village. True neighborhood dining, what Satsko lacks in space it more than makes up with character and style. I love that the bartenders are constantly trying new drinks - saki and mojito alike (i'm a rockaway beach mojito fan), and that they serve insane appetizers like smoked salmon soyrolls.
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Warren is Wonderful. Seriously. Warren is Won-der-ful.
Satsko has everything: Excellent food, excellent decor & EXCELLENT service. Have I mentioned how wonderful Warren is?
Warren is so good at his job that my party was certain he owned this pan asian fusion restaurant. He started off our evening with an awesome selection from Dynamite Bhangra. Later, without prompting, he played some choice tracks for me from Verve Remixed.
Unfamiliar with some items on the menu, I asked for clarification. He explained with the ease of an expert. I enjoyed the green papaya appetizer even though I usually avoid that particular fruit. I had the steak entree & finished with a trio of creme brulee: 1) Almond 2) Galangal, Thai ginger 3) Green tea A tad burnt, but still tasty. Almond was my favorite, ginger was a bit strong & green tea was a bit subtle. I wonder what Atif would say - He is the Dessert Master of Yelp!
Before discovering Satsko, you'd be hard pressed to ever find me in this neighborhood. Now, I'd definitely return.
As we left, Warren warmly shook our hands & gave me one last music recommendation: Karsh Kale.
5 stars. Warren, we love you!
(If you couldn't tell by the over 30% tip on our meal.)
By "we", I mean my dining companions, myself & Virgin Megastore, since your suggestion resulted in my purchasing 3 Bhangra CDs (+ 2 other unrelated items) this weekend.
One last note: Make reservations! The restaurant fits approximately 30 patrons seated.
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Accomodating and lovely, this LES locale is a great option. My friends and I grabbed a quick dinner before seeing Point Break Live (hilarious!) and they helped make sure we made it to the theater on time.
IF you go, try to tuna tartar (in wanton waffle cones), the choose-your-own-adventure soup and the soy wraps. Amazing.
While they still don't have liquor license, they help you BYO by recommending calling September wines, right around the corner.
All and all, a great time.
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I can't help but wonder if Bambi L and I were there the same night.
We came on a Saturday night also, there was a huge table of Asian girls dressed like they were heading to the Oscars and the place was loud with too many people there for too small a space.
We had reservations at 10pm, waited until 10:45 for the table. Warren comped us for all our drinks and apologized many times.
The appetizers were great but I felt like the portions were too small to split (which my table did). I wouldn't call this place a great deal but the quality is on the high end of good- I just wish you got more food for the price.
I found the decor sort of tacky but maybe that's just my dislike of cheap polyester Chinese pattern fabrics.
I'd price this place moderate without drinks and spendy with (we spent about 33$ each, spiltting food, without alcohol included in the tab).
Sake bombs!!! Woohoo!
Um. Yeah.
Not exactly my type of thing, so not exactly my type of place. Not to be a total snob (which I am, but that's beside the point), but sake bombs remind me too much of a frat bar, and I avoid frat bars like the plague.
Regardless of that, though, there's some classy sake on the list, and while that makes for a bit of a split personality, I might even put up with all the sake bombing just to enjoy a few glasses of good sake, if there were more and better snacking options on the menu. It's a shame that there aren't, otherwise I could probably spend a couple hours going through the sake selection here, since they pour somewhat generously.
Aside from all those sake bombs, the other thing that stands out about this place is the staff -- they're really friendly, personable people who make the whole place come alive and make everyone feel welcome. They make me want to really like the place, but it's just too bad that the food couldn't really match them. I don't care so much about authenticity at a place like this as much I do about execution, and on the night I went, it seemed to be lacking. Lackluster gyoza, panko-crusted tilapia that wasn't as crispy on the outside or moist on the inside as it could have been, and pistachio-crusted yellowfin with more salt than pistachio in the crust and tuna that tasted fishy when it shouldn't have if it were fresh enough. I mean, when it comes to non-traditional Japanese-ish food, I'm not exactly expecting another Blue Ribbon or Bond St here, since it's not Blue Ribbon or Bond St prices, but it's just a shame to be disappointed by the food when the staff are so nice.
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I have been to this restaurant twice - the first time left a lot to be desired, but the second visit was fantastic. I recommend Satsko without reservation or hesitation.
Food - the food was fantastic. On its face, Satsko is a Japanese restaurant, but the menu is actually eclectic and really creative. There were a number of dishes I have not seen before, and I eat out more often than I would like to admit. We had the following: edamade and shumai to start, mahi mahi and risotto for entrees, steamed asian vegetables on the side and finished with the creme brulee. Shumai often leaves me wanting more, but Satsko's was larger than normal, which I thought really worked. The mahi mahi was out of this world. It was served on a pumpkin puree, which was delicious, and the fish was so substantial, it reminded me of beef or pork. The risotto was full out plump and flavorful mushrooms, and was not at all boring, which is often my thought on vegetarian risotto dishes. Finally, the creme brulee (particularly the green tea flavor) was delicious. Not too overwhelming, which is appreciated when having a rich dessert.
Drink - Try the "dirty satsko" which is a dirty sake-tini. Great drink.
Service - The service was great. The bartender and the proprietor (Satsko) made great recommendations, and I enjoyed having their guidance and service.
Atmosphere - The atmosphere was great. It was laid back and friendly. The heated benches were perfect touch on a freezing night. The space is not too large, which is great. Makes for a more personal experience - it's why you went to the Lower East Side and not to a Chelsea to frequent the Buddakan's and Matsuri's of the city.
I think that you should try this place. I was really surprised and impressed by the menu, which brought together Japanese, Italian and American (and maybe others that I can't think right now). I also liked that Satsko put a personal touch on our experience. I always enjoy this in a visit to a restaurant.
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What a wonderful dining experience. The food is all fresh and lovely, and the staff is wonderful. The great staff definitely bumps the whole experience up to 5 stars.
The tuna tartare is amazing! My sushi plate was good, though nothing exceptional. My friend had a cooked pork dish which was delicious and in just the right quantity.
This place is still BYOB--ask the super-friendly owner about the story and you will hear yet another sad tale of city mismangement. I can't wait to go back for the planned sake tastings! The dim lighting and plentiful wood make this a sexy, intimate setting for an evening out.
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2 words...SAKE BOMBS....the food is excellent too....Sastko and here staff are the DA sake bomb
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3 friends and I tried Satsko's last night. Right away I could tell I liked the ambience inside. We had a great waiter, Warren. He was able to explain the dishes with the knowledge of someone who has weilded a knife or two.
We had the ice cream cone tuna tartar for apps. Amazing. For entrees we each had something different and shared. I think my favorite was the very tender pork and the steak I had. Everything was loaded with flavor.
Already looking forward to going back.
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They are still not serving beer, wine, or sake yet (or at least last time I was there, still nothing for sale). But, this is going to be my new favorite spot. I may even have to move into the area, just to save moeny on cabs to and from this bar.
I love the Sake bar Satsko on 7th b/w B and C, but it is just too small to hold my group, and even 1 or 2 other groups of 3 or 4 comfortably. But, if you haven't been there, you must go. It is grungier, the crowd is always very cool and probably, after it is all said and done, will be more fun and relaxed over there than the new establishment. The Servers are lots of fun,
This one on Eldridge is classier, with two floors, each floor about the size of the old Satsko. The above ground floor is really relaxing and comfortable; lots of wood and very refined. The bottom floor I have not seen, but is supposed to be reminscent of the old Satsko, with grafitti and a rowdier feel. I hope so. If that is the case, you can find me somewhere on Eldridge Street.
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Really great, cute place. Everything we tried-- tuna tartare, Thai cobb salad, vegan crispy and a filet mignon special-- were flavorful and good. Can't wait to go back.
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