Sushi of Gari
Category: Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Upper East Side402 E. 78th Street
(between 1st Ave & York Ave)
New York, NY 10021 (212) 517-5340
- Nearest Transit:
77th St (6)
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
40 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Upper West Side
"Holy moly this is some hardcore sushi! Me likey. Especially the Toro something...the pressed box sushi that I wish I could remember the name…" read more »
49 Reviews for Sushi of Gari
Best sushi I have had outside of Tokyo. And thats a lot of sushi.
Gari No Sushi (the actual name of this place) is a perfectly executed little dining experience serving delightful fresh fish, great presentation, and great service.
Tiny place- 2 people works, no group action is recommended, but its more of a intimate setting anyway. Go with what the chef recommends (it helps speaking japanese, but not necessary) and enjoy.
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Very delicious, inventive sushi.
My advice if you come here is that you don't order regular run-of-the-mill sashimi and plain sushi. Go with the omakase and go with the creative items.
Omakase is subject to the chef's fancy and your omakase experience could be different from what I'm about to describe. Nevertheless, my favorite pieces from my experience were those that were seared. I don't know how they create those little burn marks on the pieces of white fish but they imparted so much smokiness it was SO delicious!
The foie gras sushi was nothing special, it was a piece of seared goose liver brushed w sauce, albeit they were rather generous in their portion size.
I'd recommend this place overall if you're in the mood for interesting sushi. The atmosphere is very casual so it'd be great for a relaxing but still special dinner.
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4.5 Stars. Just a shade under perfection. Gari is a maestro of the sushi and his custom creations and fresh fish are worth cramming into the small, cramped quaters with ultra-snotty clientele for a bite of swimmingly fresh tuna-bliss.
Love it.
Miss it.
I am in Philly now. We have no Nobu, We have no Gari - but we have Shiroi Hana and Morimoto.
It still ain't quite the same.
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I remember the first time I had sushi. It was up in SF, my aunts, uncles, cousins all walking down a way. I was probably 9-10 years old. Some others must have been there, because we were in a serious debate about the manliness of eating sushi, and the mention of quiche being quite the wuss food.
I had no idea what quiche was, but knew how to spell it. And any food spelled with a "q" deserved at least some consideration.
Sushi being RAW. I was down. My inner demon rejoiced at the opportunity to display it's carnal ways and thus, so began my mass consumption of sushi.
It's as common as a burger to me and like that burger, I've had all kinds of quality and variations on the theme. From the limp Macdonald's version, the super sized version to the it's still flopping (or mooing version)
Sushi of Gari was such an unexpected pleasure. I left wanting more. Shoot, just writing this review, makes me want more. I guess the chicken I was going to eat is going to have to hold till tomorrow.
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Likely to be one of my fav places to get sushi in the city. This quaint, lil restaurant is very cute and creative, albeit a bit pricey. We had the omakase din, and easily went through six rounds (four pieces per person per round) in a short amount of time. Each piece had a creative flair filled with flavor. And while some pieces were more intense than others, every piece was fresh and created with care. I loved the peppered scallop, the jumbo amaebi with miso flavored top, the fresh lobster, the tuna with tofu creme ...
And for dessert I had the mille crepe which was filled with a very light creme. Overall the dining experience was exceptional, and service was good as the waiter brought new cups of green tea at each round of sushi. Restaurant can get to be a bit loud and crowded (packed space), but that wont stop anyone from enjoying the good quality sushi.
Also, loved the cups that had faces of the sumo champs over time!
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We had a few pieces that were truly exceptional. Like wow. But unfortunately, we had a few more pieces that were so-so or borderline uninspired. Some of the fish didn't look or taste all that fresh.
If all the pieces were as mind-blowing as my top three favorites, this would have been a five. If the pieces were of the same quality but the price was 2/3 of what I paid (about $150 including one omakase add-on set, dessert, and tip), this would have been a five. Unfortunately, Gari was simply too little for too much. However, it was an interesting experience and I'd recommend it to any sushi lover. For me, I'd prefer it stay a once-in-a-lifetime-experience.
As a side note, one of my dining companions did not order the omakase and instead tried a bunch of different dishes: chicken karaage (good, but white meat! blasphemy), pumpkin tempura (really good), black seaweed salad (okayyyy), and a sushi set (he said it was good, but it looked kind of... wilty).
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Recommended for: Omakase, sushi with a twist.
Food 5, Service 5, Ambiance 4.
OMFG!!! That was the expression I had during my entire omakase experience at Sushi of Gari. Having heard about the place from several reliable yelpers, I had to try and went with a fellow sushi aficionado.
The location is a small restaurant on a side street. If you walk too fast, and I do, you'd walk right past it if you weren't frantically looking at addresses on buildings. While the inside may be small, it is not tiny or gives off a feeling of crampness (except in the entrance-way if you have to wait for a bit). I think they might have taken some of our fellow yelpers suggestions and spread out the tables a bit. We were seated towards the back and had a nice amount of room. The paintings and sketches on the wall added a good ambiance to the place and of course, our servers speaking fluent Japanese gave me a comforting feeling of the experience I was about to partake in. Service was spot on and didn't have to worry about finding a waiter to refill my tea or enjoying our meal.
The menu is vast, and under normal circumstances I'd try a variety of things, but I was here on a mission - to try their omakase. The omakase starts with 3 dishes, each having 4 pieces on it. After the first three, you can continue dish by dish, and thus, cost by cost. It was not cheap (I think the initial 3 dishes were $75 per person), but the fish - OH THE FISH, is simply amazing.
Now, I'm not expert on multi-orgasmus, but we had, oh, at least 5 foodgasms a piece during our meal. The fish first and foremost are of the highest quality. The one key thing to note here, is that this is not traditional sushi. This is sushi to the Nth degree. What do I mean by this? I mean that the chef truly utilizes his creativity in creating taste sensations that would blow your mind away! Yes, some of the fish are foreign and hard to find here in the states, but others that are more typically found have new twists to them, enhancing not only their flavor and natural sweetness, but are pieces of artwork in-and-of themselves.
I did not have sushi for awhile since that experience (ok, till I took my last trip to Tokyo) but I have to say that this was one of the best sushi experiences I've had outside Tokyo.
So, if you are looking for a non-traditional but completely awe inspiring sushi experience, you must try Sushi of Gari's Omakase.
Sean Approved: Zettaini ita houga ii yo!!!
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We had the chef's omakase. The sauces on each fish were fantastic however they totally overwhelmed the flavor of the fish itself. We were also rushed through which was very frustrating. They gave us all of the sushi at once instead of bringing it out piece by piece like most omakase. They said this was because we had a late reservation however I don't think that is a good excuse. If they don't want to serve customers who order omakase after 945p the same as customers who order before then don't make ordering omakase an option. $200 later I feel ripped off and enormously dissatisfied for sushi I couldn't taste because of all of the dressings. Make sure you go before 945p.
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This place has spoiled me. As much as I love sushi. I never had it this good. Orgasmic sushi? Yes. Steep prices? Yes. Worth it? YES. Cause you won't find sushi like this. The Tuna of Gari on the menu is my fav. I believe it's about 50 bucks for 8 pieces and a roll. But man, that stuff melts in your mouth. How do they do that? Do they massage their tuna or something? I been here twice, and I can't steer away from the Tuna of Gari on the menu. I will opt for the Omikase next time and cap it at 12-16 pieces. Bank breaker, but it's damn good. Place is a bit small, but whatever, i'm there to eat. If you want to experience sushi on the next elite level. This is it.
My friend who I went with says this is his favorite sushi place. It's not one of mine. We did Omakase (12 pieces for $85). It's like sushi fusion. Out of the 12 pieces, I would say 2 were great (miso covered cod, seared uni). You couldn't really taste the fish because the toppings overpowered the fish. I prefer to taste the fish and feel it's texture. I also like to tell if the fish is fresh. I was very disappointed especially with the pickled radish(?) with the toro. My friend ordered 4 more pieces and said the mackarel was disgusting but the toro with mango salsa with some crunch was great because it was unexpected. I don't think I would go back.
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The $18 tekka maki at Bar Masa may seem steep, but the $48 tuna of gari is a rite of passage for tuna connoisseurs. Call it, heaven within reach of your chopsticks. If Flipper had fingers, he'd be dialing for take-away, or delivery since he doesn't have feet.
This is one of my favorite sushi places in Manhattan because they adhere to the technique of no-frills sushi. Even the spicy tuna roll elevates itself on a higher level than other SpT rolls; using tobasco sauce, mayo, and a touch of sesame oil so that the taste of tuna is still present. The marinated chutoro and otoro nigiri that are slightly seared with the butane blow torch then topped with modest and subtle garnishes (whipped tofu sauce, marinated onion and seaweed) has your mouth muttering, "okairinasai", in between each morsel of sushi heaven.
The UES location is tiny. If unable to land a reservation, ask to be put on the waiting list. Take a number because this plane of existence is worth the wait!
*dedicated to AM*
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Very fresh if you are into sushi with a twist. By that I mean if you like roasted tomatoes or peanut butter on your sushi. I usually get the omakase but even after that I need more to get full. They didn't have uni that night so that's why I'm taking away a star..suckers!
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It's like a bad dream. Service is extremely gracious but sushi is surreal and not in a good way. They serve it with thick, goopy, gloppy sauces that ruin the delicateness of the tiny, tender fishlets. I think it caught on because someone used the word "fusion" which means they fused raw fish with chemical solvents. Wow, did it taste bad. And it cost plenty!
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Gari is a very good sushi place for theater goers, near Lincoln Center. I've been there twice with my bf, and for both time we enjoyed the sushi and main dishes a lot. As other reviewers have said, Gari is famous for sushi with a twist-- with a variety of toppings (cheese, tofu sauce, mayo, mango, butter and so on...) and different ways of wrapping. I like the freshness of their fish, but to be honest, I am not very impressed by their modern creations, which in my opinion, are too fancy and sometimes even cover the original taste of the fish. And for girls, another concern are calories-- I just cannot stop thinking of them when I put into my mouth a piece of sushi with those fancy toppings. =) Also, sometimes the chefs in Gari put too much soy sauce on their sushi, which you may want to communicate with your waiters beforehand if you prefer a light taste like me.
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One of the best sushi experiences in NYC. If you are a first timer it's best to go with the omakase. Having lived on the UES for over 2 years, this is one of my favorite places to splurge. The decor leaves much to be desired, but that's kinda one of the things I like about this place. It's not too fancy looking and you could use more elbow room, but the food is great.
It's definitely a must-try for sushi purists. And please, do *not* order a spicy tuna roll, this is not some take-out sushi joint.
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Do not mess with this place. It is only for people who who really understand the important elements of sushi and then wanted the boundaries of their knowledge pushed to the brink.
What I mean to say is that "real" sushi enthusiasts will say "Oh I'm a purist with sushi. I really don't like TOPPINGS on my nigiri."
WELL GOOD. DON"T COME HERE AND TAKE UP SPACE.
I've been to Yasuda and am sick of all the "purists" who say it's so damn good. I've had sushi all over Asia and I will tell you this is the only place I go to for sushi in NYC. Yasuda's sushi is good. The fish is alright. But Sushi of Gari not only has great fish and perfectly seasoned rice, it has the perfect proportions of each.
Yes, that's right. The slices of fish are not great big obnoxious slabs, nor are they flimsy. They aren't too square so that the rice isn't covered. They aren't so long that the sides are waving about unless you wrap them around the rice. They are the perfect thickness and length. And each piece is fresh, sliced in front of you from fillets from fish flown in from Japan many times a week.
Now the rice is seasoned so delicately that it only enhances the fish ever so slightly. A great thing is that the rice is normally warm but depending on your sushi chef, at times not packed so tightly so you have to be a bit gentle when handling your sushi. i prefer the rice to be that way, so that I can feel the texture of the individual grains of rice cooked so that it isn't too soft or too chewy.
Yes, at times the toppings may not be exactly what I wanted... but still amazingly AWESOME. They put some lovely tofu mayo on the tuna, I believe a tiny bit of greens in a vinaigrette on mackerel topped with a very crisp lotus root chip. Oh dear. My mouth waters from the thought.
I will admit I've been THAT GIRL. The one who thought sushi with toppings couldn't compare to straight sushi.
So to all you sushi purists, don't come here. Please. I wouldn't want to change your mind.
Really unique pieces of sushi. I can't remember anything I ate actually but I remember enjoy it and going "huh?", followed by a "wtf?". There were some pretty weird combinations. But even under all the "toppings" they put on the sushi, you can still tell the fish itself is really fresh. Sadly, nothing blew me away. But after Masa, I doubt many sushi places will......
Oh, I know why I don't remember what I ate. Our waiter had rushed through the descriptions with such a heavy Japanese accent that I couldn't understand a thing he was saying. And you don't want to repeatedly go "sorry, what did you say?".
The best Sushi i have ever had. You mst order the omakse daily fresh fish from the chef. Every piece is a work of art. Expensive but well worth it. Sushi is Heaven its so fresh and i love how innovative the sauces are.
Enjoy!
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The best sushi in NYC. Hands down. If you think this place is anything less than that I will stab you repeatedly in the eye with an acorn.
Get the Omakase and you will come in your mouth no less than 8 times. Guaranteed.
Tomato with salmon, grilled black cod, seared fatty tuna are just a few of the tasty delights here. What catches you off guard is how typical the food looks but the taste is fucking bananas.
Move over bacon there's something leaner...
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I can only say this one way... Sushi of Gari gave me a spectacular meal that was not only extremely delicious and memorable, but changed the way I think about Sushi.
Of course I love sushi (who doesn't?) but I had never really been to a high end traditional omakase place (Nobu doesn't count I don't think). The vast majority of my sushi consumption comes in maki combo take out form. I decided to take Katie F to Gari which is close by to our new digs for valentines day.
I also just finished reading the Zen of Fish (Trevor Corson book on Sushi- also recommended) and I have been meaning to try a lot of things I learned about in the book. Well Gari not only lived up to my expectations but exceeded them. We had a valentines day omakase special which was $170 for two without drinks ($25 extra for a carafe of sake). This was clearly expensive but completely worth it.
We started with some dumplings and miso soup which were of very good quality but not the featured attraction. The Omakase came out all at once on a tray. This made for a dramatic presentation and allowed us to eat at our own pace, but I had a hard time remembering what everything was by the end. We had two maki rolls containing shrimp tempura and fried oysters, both delicious.
The nigiri were the real stars though. Each was amazing, both in flavor and presentation. Many had different conceptual takes on the classics or added touches such as a little charring from a blow torch. The snapper had a small salad of greens on top with a sliver of fried lotus root and a drizzle of good olive oil. The eel was diced with avocado and other ingredients and added to the rice and slice of avocado as a rough paste. There was sweet raw lobster, chu-toro, cod and others as well.
The food was incredible, I have never had sushi of this quality or experienced the ways in which it was presented. This place is very small and expensive but I will be thinking about that meal for some time. A real 5 star worthy spot.
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By no means am I a sushi expert, but I thought this sushi was some of the best I have tasted in New York. The tables are a little too close together, but the attentive service makes up for it.
I think the Omakase is the way to go here. It's different than others that I have had, but it was still enjoyable. There are 10-12 cuts of all different fish served on 2-3 dishes. All of the fish is served with different sauces/seasoning - one was ceviche style. All the pieces were very different. The fatty tuna sashimi was also excellent.
Worth the trip over to York for this sushi.
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This is the best sushi I've ever had. What makes this place so special is its unique combinations and meticulously placed garnishes. I'd recommend the lobster nigiri and the yellow fin tuna nigiri with tofu sauce. Those were among my favorites. I got the sushi special, which came with 9 pieces of nigiri and a maki roll. The gyoza dumplings were also very tasty. Not too greasy but crispy on the outside, accompanied with a simple sauce of soy, vinegar and sesame oil.
Of particular interest were the chef's. Probably the most stoic I've ever witnessed at a sushi restaurant, which I found quite humorous. We arrived around 7:30 on a Saturday night and it was busy but we were seated right away. By the time we left around 9:00, the place was packed, so I'd recommend making reservations. The space is small but quaint and the service was outstanding.
I enjoyed an Asahi beer, however the usual plum wines and sakes are all on the menu. I'd recommend skipping dessert. We had the crepes, which were mediocre at best. I guess that's what I get for ordering a French delicacy at a sushi restaurant. Overall...highly recommended.
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NOT a run-of-the-mill sushi place!
You really can't come here and sit at a table and pick and choose your own sushi. You absolutely have to sit at the counter and order omakase. Omakase will definitely run the bill up quickly (the times I've been there it's always been more than $150 per person without drinks), but if you're in the mood for divine sushi, then doing this once in a while is definitely worth it.
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As a treat, a friend took me to Sushi of Gari years ago to sample the famous Omakase (Chef's Choice) because of the uniqueness factor. As a simple suburban bumpkin, I've never been to a Japanese restaurant, sit down and never look at a menu to see what I'll be having for dinner. And I gotta say, each plate gots better and better. After almost 3 hours of dining (and the gentle waddle back to the car), the memory of the restaurant has always stood out in my mind.
Last night, I went to Sushi of Gari again and this time, I did ask to look at the menu. After ordering Omakase once before, nothing on the menu is ever comparable. Hence, the delicious plates of yummy creations came once again out of the kitchen bit by bit. A combination of fresh seafood with ingenious complementary ingredients, this is some of the most creative ways of eating sushi I've ever had. Try this place out!
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one of my favorite japanese restaurants. it is just amazing. good prices for great fish. Love love LOVE their Gari's special...
I still believe Tuesday is the best day for sushi. A bit of bbq sauce, a dash of tofu puree, a sprinkle of ceviche, each combination was spectacular and unique. If you don't want to eat a particular fish, let them know. Sushi of Gari was a great mixture of raw/partially cooked fish with a variety of other ingredients on a very tiny bed of rice.
You know how other restaurants always do some "fusion" thing that includes Japanese ingredients? Gari's omakase is like the Japanese version of "fusion."
Omakase spoilers list:
Toro
Hamachi seared
Red snapper with Arugula and pine nuts
Seared Toro
Squid with Bbq sauce
Salmon with roasted tomato
Eel w/tempura flakes & avocado
Snow crab
Sweet shrimp tartare
Hamachi with Ceviche
Lobster
Mackeral
Uni
Oyster
EC ate a couple more pieces. We had no room for dessert but decided on miso soups to cleanse our palates. Tiny place and it's similar to eating at a sushi bar in Japan. There were quite a few Japanese business people. The waitress made me a bit umcomfortable in that she stood there gawking at us eat each of our pieces at the sushi bar. Marvelous service --- our green teas were constantly refilled, and it was about 7 servers for the 6 tables in there because there was a continuous hustle and bustle. Our personal sushi chef was pretty much a poker face with a very solemn personality. I exclaimed "Oishiiii desu!" and that only brought out a little smile. EC devoured each piece with intense pleasure. We've also been to Sasabune and EC enjoyed the variety there more than Gari. I personally prefer Gari and would be elated to eat there again.
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Fresh fish and friendly staff. That's what comes to mind when I think of Gari. Reservation in advance is definitely recommended but not a necessity. The staff will be very accommodating as I have done walk-ins before and was seated without much hassle.
New to sushi? Yes? Well, you don't belong here then, go to Sushi Samba. Kidding, the staff will be more than happy to explain their menu and specials in broken Engrish. I have ordered the omakase on all of my visits to this fine establishment, and would enthusiastically recommend it for those that are not on a budget dinner.
The only reason why Sushi of Gari does not earn a five star experience for me is due to its confined space. The tables are crowded to the point of claustrophobia and it is very hard to hold a private dining experience. But then again if you're a true sushi aficionado, you'd be sitting at the bar anyway :)
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Decent sushi. But not spectacular. Nasty attitude. For a real taste of "you should be paying us double for the privilege of eating here and paying $9 for a thimble of wine," come here.
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Top OMAKASE sushi to eat. I have to say living right next to the place is so tempting to eat there all the time. However, the sushi is quite expensive but man is it good. The fish is always fresh. You know a good place when it closes on Mondays because the fish market is not open. The service was fast and friendly. The space was not so big especially when there are so many people waiting to get in to eat at the place. Overall one of the top sushi places in NYC.
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We, too, were served by Gari himself at the Times Square location. Yes, mouth-watering sushi and interesting sake. But the bill gave me the dry heaves!
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great value and such a nice ambiance for a sushi place - which sets it apart from other sushi places. Super fresh. they were almost closed and still seated us with enthusiasm, which is always appreciated. why do they close at 10:30 on fri's though???
UPDATE: went again Sat night. Note that when you go and you appear to be 2 twenty-something-yr-old couples with money to burn(not true), they really try to sell you on they $40-100 sake and $50pp customized sushi. The guy kept coming out with more and more sake even when we insisted we were not drinking. We never got treated like that before, when it was 2 of us dining! it was honestly a turn-off with the over-sell. Still, it was good -- we had the Deluxe Sashimi (it had salmon, shrimp, toro, tuna, spanish mack, ...) dinner along with the yellowtail/scallion rolls and salmon skin roll.
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The omakase is the only way to go!
Creative sushi without compromising the authenticity. Gari is genius!
We had 4 flights that day-
Flight 1- Salmon with tomato and sweet onion paste; Smoked baby yellowtail; Chu-toro with radish and ponzu; Red snapper with a mixed greens with a fried lotus root and pine nuts
Flight 2- Fresh tuna with tofu paste; Yellowtail with jalapeno; Lobster with chili oil and sea salt; Mackerel with ginger
Flight 3- Seared otoro with crispy garlic and ginger; Yellow tail with mushroom sauce; Salmon with crispy Japanese seaweed; Mackerel with Japanese miso and sesame
Flight 4- Fried kumamoto oysters; Sweet shrimp ceviche-style; Uni with Seaweed; and last but not least - FOIE GRAS with daikon.
It was AMAZING.
My faves were the Salmon with tomato and sweet onion paste, the Kumamoto Oysters, and the Foie Gras. Everthing was delicious, well done and extremely fresh.
The best omakase in the city. Definitely my choice for last meal on earth.
The decor is simple and casual. Service is good - servers know their sushi and are extremely knowledgeable.
Desserts are surprisingly good with several options. Mille crepe is available here and that is all I can ask for! Yummy!
*Note: this is not a spoiler- I have had the omakase before and different pieces were served.
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Coming soon.
FOOD: %%%%%
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DECOR: %%%1/2
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%%%%% = Must Try!
%%%% = Pretty Good
%%% = Average
%% = Not So Great
% = Hall of Shame
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Decadent.... Can I use that word to describe sushi??? Well, it is! With so many run-of-the-mill rice shops in the city it's nice to eat where it's taken to an art form with top quality fish and service. It's got a higher class of clientel as oppsed to a Hana or Sen-ni or Iron Sushi or..... you get the idea.
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There exist common complaints about Sushi of Gari. Long waits, unimpressive sushi. The long wait thing... probably true. We had a reservation and we were still left standing around for 45-60 minutes. The waitress apologized profusely and offered us complimentary house sake. Twice. I tried (very discreetly) to look a gift horse in the mouth and upgrade our sake selection. The hostess even went in to check, but with an embarrassed look told us it wasn't possible, but I could hardly complain.
I've only been once. It was recent. It took several years of recommendations for me to go. Please follow this advice: Forget the appetizers and any other filler. Don't look at the menu. Just ask for Gari's Choice. You're allowed to check the menu for the sake selections. I believe they have Denshu, one of my favorites. If you like sake from Koshi no Kanbai, you'll like this.
Gari's Choice is flights of his signature sushi. Each piece is topped with an accent to the fish. If you're used to eating unadorned sushi (as I am, although I normally order sashimi), this will be a revelation. For all you mega-size sushi haters, each piece is sized to eat with one bite. I ate with my fingers. I licked my fingers. I almost licked the plate, but there were four of us and I didn't want to gross anyone out.
Each flight comes out on a plate. Each plate is about $20 per person. Each plate has four pieces per person. We foolishly ordered appetizers so were only able to get four flights in. We asked our server how many more Gari could go, and he estimated four to five. I wanted to take notes and pictures, but I had read that Masa doesn't like to have pictures taken in his restaurant. I could have asked how Gari felt about the matter, but after that first bite I lost voluntary control of my actions and I could only eat and say "next flight, please." Take your time and enjoy each piece's texture and flavor combinations. Your nose, palate, and tongue will thank you.
Next time, I will fast before going.
By the way, if you're not in this neighborhood often, getting here is going to feel as long as flying to Japan. Take a cab.
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The fish is really fresh (on par with Sushi Yasuda) and there is a good selection of a l carte sushi. But this place is expensive and the services was so-so (I had to ask for green tea 3 times). It's also small and doesnt have much of an atmosphere. Dinner for two (including 1 beer, 1 appetizer, and main course, and dessert each) came out to about $130. Luckily i didnt pay. =)
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Great omakase - either get the gari choice or the tuna gari. The fish here is very fresh and I like the amount of pieces you get for the price of the omakase. Yes the food is expensive and sometimes waits are long but I enjoy the sushi. One of my favorite sushi places in NYC - up there with Blue Ribbon and Bond St.
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I used to live on 78th st about three buildings down, and had never heard of the place before I decided to pop in one night to check it out. I ordered a few rolls, a few nigiri sushi and a handroll, and left thinking it was decent, if a bit pricey. Only later did I find out that this is supposed to be one of the best sushi joints in Manhattan. Maybe I should have ordered the Omakase.
Now I live about two blocks from Sushi Seki, which I've heard features a sushi chef (and the restaurant's namesake) that came from Sushi of Gari. I can only assume he outgrew the place, because I've had the most flavorful, fresh and innovative sushi of my life, and I've eaten sushi at a few restaurants in Tokyo. Can't say I'll be coming back to Gari anytime soon.
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Sushi of Gari is a real treat! The food quality is absolutely world class, especially the Omakase (fusion style), and service is OK. The atmosphere is what to expect from a highly popular place like Gari, it's great.
I would have given Gari a 5 if it would not be because of the outdated (1980s??) furniture setting. It definitely needs an improvement!
