Jukai

The $ 55 tasting menu was delicious and served with a beautiful presentation. (way more than $ 55 after drinks) I tastes flavors a I had never had before and I loved it!!! All the dishes we’re very savory and just the perfect amount of food. Everyone in the restaurant was Japanese. This is when you know this is real Japanese food. This is definitely a hidden gem I d come back to. I didn’t give it 5 stars because they ran out of their supposedly amazing black tea panna cotta dessert

Jukai is one of the few authentic Japanese restaurants in New York that provides top quality sushi and meat at an affordable price. I went with four others on a Saturday night (made a reservation before hand) and we all had an amazing experience. The restaurant is small and cozy but very neatly decorated and filled with Japanese customers (which is always a good sign to determine its authenticity). We shared three uni/​salmon roe bowls and three tofu plates as appetizers. The uni was slightly pickled, which added an amazing flavor to the dish. Three kinds of tofu all topped with unique spices melted in our mouthes. As our main, we had the washu shabu shabu, which was one of the best shabu shabus I have ever had. There was nothing about the dish that disappointed me — there was an abundance of vegetables that added a refreshing flavor to the broth, and the thickly sliced meat melted in my mouth. I would definitely come here again but next time, I would try the 7 course meal offered at $ 55, which I am sure will be worth every penny.

Solid Japanese food. Great place to go if you get rejected from Tomi Jazz next door.
$ 55 Jukai course is one of the better deals for Japanese tasting menus in the city, you get quite a lot of food here.
You get an appetizer, sashimi tasting, fish of the day, oyster/​chefs special, sushi tasting, beef, and dessert. WHEW. Def wear your stretchy pants for this one.
The dishes are all definitely interesting and the fish is sourced locally (mostly New York and east coast).
Desserts are very little but nice — highly recommend the chocolate truffle!

Location — Hard to find. It’s in the basement.
Date — Called in around 7ish for a last minute RSVP for 2 on a Monday evening. They took us right away.
Ambience — A small, cozy restaurant. Tight quarters, but they make it work. Great intimate date sort of place, I guess… There’s a chef’s bar where you can see the chef prepare the food. But it’s not a sushi bar per se. You’re not getting personalized attention there. It’s just seating… A shame…
I’ve been here several years ago. It was less hectic, less crowded, less frantic, and you got personalized attention. I actually sat at the bar and got to chat with the chef.
Crowd — Lots of Japanese businessmen. But that’s a good thing. No worries though, the staff speak competent English and they are very helpful explaining what you’re eating.
Food — Had the $ 80 tasting menu. Very good portions, lots of courses, very diverse, very fresh, and yummy. Appreciated the fact that they offered a «main.» I went for the duck confit.
The place is fusion, French inspired. Yes, you get sushi and sashimi as one of the courses, but you don’t go to Jukai for sushi and sashimi. It’s not a proper sushi/​sashimi restaurant. If anything, the cuisine is modern Japanese with French/​American/​European flavor? I don’t know… I’m not that chi-​chi to get it right. It’s not quite like Aburiya Kinnosuke which does more traditional food?
I recommend for those wanting to do Japanese that’s not quite Japanese, but Japanese enough.

Fantastic. Really enjoyed their hot pot and the sushi is phenomenal. Plus, for whatever reason, they have a great wine list. Which isn’t something I typically see in a traditional Asian restaurant.

I went for dinner here last night with 2 friends. We knew we wanted Japanese food and found this place highly recommended on Unilocal.We walked in without reservations and they found us a perfect table for 3, in a private area in the back of the restaurant.
The space is lovely, the service is excellent and the presentation of courses is beautiful. My dinner companions enjoyed miso soup, salad with salmon and sushi. The food was plentiful and picture perfect. We had sake, black beer and wine.
The only vegan of the group, I had very few choices. Even the miso soup had bonito flakes, so I was unable to order that, or share the appetizer that was also coated with bonito. I enjoyed my wine while waiting for my entrée, which was a $ 28 vegetable sushi.
The arrangement was lovely and tasty, but limited. It was mostly baby onions and scallions, with a small amount of sliced pepper, a few mushrooms and a slice of lotus root, over deliciously flavored white rice. Not what I expected for the price. I enjoyed it, but the portion could have been larger, and I would have been happier with less onions and perhaps more mushrooms and lotus root.
Lovely place, lovely service, but if you are vegan, just be prepared for the limited choices and the high price for onions and rice.

For the quality of the fare, the tasting menu at Jukai is an absolute bargain at $ 55 per head. As expected, the menu varies depending on season, as well as the catch of the day, but the oysters — served with ponzu, spring onion, and lime — as well as the homemade tofu (in the assorted starters), the Chef’s choice sashimi (which included an amazingly fresh yellowtail and maguro tuna) were outstanding, and seem to be a semi-​regular fixture on the menu. In terms of the quality of the sushi, I haven’t found anywhere in London that compares to the quality of the fish found in New York — it’s definitely worth keeping in mind for your next visit.
The fillet steak was perfectly cooked to my liking (the rarer side of medium rare) — although the only drawback from the meal was the bland and unmemorable broiled fish, which escapes notice almost entirely.
As a rule, I tend to be all about the starters and the mains — I don’t have a sweet tooth, and could quite happily do without. But I’m so glad I went against my usual nature at Jukai — the white sesame blancmange and black tea pannacotta have easily become one of my favourite desserts of all time, although the white sesame blancmange has the edge over the latter, as it has the nuttiness of sesame but with all the creaminess and texture of a traditional blancmange — a true culinary feat.
With the meal, we had a sparkling rosé from Long Island. I’m ashamed to admit that when it was recommended to me by my waiter, I grimaced — I am not the biggest rosé fan, and I know absolutely nothing about Long Island wines. It was, in fact, really pleasant, and a great accompaniment to the meal — I stand corrected! It’s worth keeping an open mind at Jukai — the gambles certainly paid off for me.
It’s worth booking a table in advance, especially for the tasting menu, as this cosy little basement venue gets quite packed — but in terms of ambience (very modern Japanese), quality of food and value for money you would be hard placed to find better.

We had the $ 80 omakase… It was «too much» food, the server did not ask us how we wanted the sirloin cooked and came out rare… We had to send it back and «twice cooked beef «never taste right … Do not take someone who is not used to raw squid and octopus to this place to have the omakase… It will be a waste of money, and properly end up being a bad experience for them. Maybe items from the regular menu would be better… Properly won’t go back there again…

This place is a Japanese bistro and bills itself as a kakurega — a hideaway. The food’s not strictly traditional so bistro seems to be a good description. And the location is not immediately obvious since it’s tucked away at the bottom of a building. It’s almost like entering and exiting a separate world.
The tasting menu is fun because you get to try many beautifully presented dishes. The number of dishes does make you feel satisfied and full in the end.
First a tasting plate with 10 separate morsels, chicken pâté on a piece of toast, stewed beef, squid with uni sauce, spinach with sauce, liver etc. Next, some sashimi made of fresh fish. Then grilled saba and the main entrée of beef tongue, New York sirloin, or lamb chop with grilled vegetables. More sashimi and fish roe with miso soup. Finally, a dessert of your choice. (The black tea panna cotta reminded me of a very sweet milk tea.
The food was pretty good, I found it to be an interesting meal.

okay so i saw a picture of sashimi from this place on instagram and wanted to add this place to my bookmarks only to realize i’ve been here before! i’m just terrible with restaurant names especially when i’m not the one picking out the restaurant.
the 7 course meal for 55 $ is amazing deliciousness. i did try this place out a little while ago maybe a year or so and cant remember all the courses. BUT i do remember the yummy fatty tuna that i still dream about today. the main entrée i remember being cooked perfectly and very yummy. dessert was a black tea panna cotta which was BOMB. think of a milk tea in a smooth custard form. yumm
this place is in a basement of a building and seating can be a little tight. you should definitely make a reservation. the service was attentive A+. we were a group of 5 which was fine but may be more appropriate for a smaller parties.
i will definitely be back. especially now that i know the name of this place. i have often wondered where that delicious sashimi came from and now i will know foreverrrrr!

What a hidden gem! (Literally hidden because its a basement of a building ahaha…)
My coworker (aka my partner in crime at work– she calls me her granddaughter!) and I checked it out for dinner. Beautiful and calming interior, and very cozy (would recommend for intimate dinner).
i recommend the tasting menus– we got the 7 course meal ($ 55). Each course was beautifully plated, simple and delicious. First course were 10 assorted Japanese tidbits, ranging from tofu to pickled veggies and pickled clams. Followed by a course of sashimi and a third course of the broiled fish of the day, the fourth course is either fresh oysters or the special of the day– we got a fried fish cake sort of thing. For my main entrée, I got the beef tongue steak. Each steak was tender, juicy and flavorful– cooked to perfection. I never knew tongue steak could be so soft! The steak was served with various broiled vegetables– my favorite was the satoimo!
To clear the palate, the steak was followed by some nigiri sushi and a small bowl of rice and salmon roe. (They had some local fish, which was kindof cool!) For dessert, i got a kind of tea pudding– very creamy and smoky!
Such an amazing deal for just $ 55! I highly recommend this for an intimate dinner. I would love to try their shabu shabu as well.

Went on Valentine’s Day for the course menu. Everything was so fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented. Service was so attentive and I really liked the vibe of the place. Perfect for a romantic night out. Definitely recommend.

We came here a few times for different items on the menu (including their shabu shabu). In my opinion, the tasting menu still exceeds my expectation and other dishes again and again. Extremely fresh ingredients and delicate flavors.
Recommend if you’re shooting for an impeccable date.

This place is really good. Their set dinner for $ 55 is one of the best deals in nyc. The apps and entrees are creative, unique, and delicious. But what I love most is how they offer the most amazing pieces of sushi to end the savory sequence. So no worries — won’t be leaving hungry. And for the grand finale — order the milk tea Crème brûlée. You will thank me. It was so good my friend asked to order an extra to go, and they said I’m sorry we can’t take it out of the mold — so my friend said I’ll pay for that too lol

We made reservations at Jukai for 6:30 PM for a Saturday evening dinner for two. The place is semi below ground, cozy and intimate. We sat at the bar area which allowed for extremely quick and attentive service. We opted for the $ 55 seven-​course meal — this is ample and I would not recommend additional courses if you decide on the tasting menu.
1. Assorted starter — an eclectic variety of Japanese inspired appetizers. All delicious, though the pickled bitter melon is an acquired taste.
2. Sashimi — an assortment of 3 species, 2 pieces each. Very fresh.
3. Broiled fish of the day — we received the Chilean sea bass. Soft and buttery.
4. Oyster — an enormous oyster from Washington state. I’ve never had such a large raw oyster. Stupendously creamy. In retrospect, I would opt for the seafood dish of the day as I felt fairly filled by this point.
5. Beef tongue steak — cooked medium rare with an assortment of grilled vegetables and fresh water cress.
6. Five pieces of sushi and miso soup — I’m completely stuffed at this point, but can still appreciate the brothy miso and fresh sushi.
7. Dessert — opted for the black tea panna cotta — very nice mouth feel and texture, just the right sweetness and creaminess. Also had the crème brûlée, which was a bit too bready.
Conclusion — cozy establishment. The «Jukai course» provides a very nice assortment, and the price is right for the 55 dollar prix fixe menu. Pass on the massive raw oyster, much too large for a single person. The hot pot options looked delicious, but will have to wait for another visit

I went to Jukai tonight because it was pouring rain and it’s close to my hotel. I have been staying in this area for 3 months and have tried most every other «Japanese» restaurant in the area. I wanted something different so I climbed down into their basement restaurant to check it out. Once you’re in there, you are in there.
The ambiance is nice, somewhat dark but well done. They are friendly prompt… thus the 2 stars.
The menu is limited. It’s more of a Hot Pot place with Shabu-​Shabu. I lived in Japan for nearly 9 months and I know what real Shabu-​Shabu is like. If you like a Disneyland type presentation with your food, then this place is for you.
I sat at the bar (sushi bar I thought) because they looked at me like I had three heads when I said I was by myself. The (sushi chef I presume) was behind the counter and he was VERY attentive. I mean, I actually started to feel uncomfortable with how much he watched me while I tried to look at the menu and then eat.
There seems to be a language barrier issue. I know it’s a Japanese restaurant, but this is New York and there should be more of a bridge to English. :) I asked him about certain things on the menu and he apparently assumed I wanted those items. I got an extra $ 28 5-​piece sushi which I did not order. Ugh! I wanted to explain but it was easier to pay for it than deal with the language issue.
The 5-​piece $ 28 sushi was okay… nothing spectacular… sorry. The smoked duck appetizer was good for the $ 8. The Shabu-​Shabu (for one) was okay. Some meat with a hot pot. The cooks in the kitchen were obviously confused with a Shabu for one… I don’t speak Japanese but I can understand when someone is confused and says something not very professional.
I’m suffering from sodium overload right now. I have no idea where that came from other than the broth and sauce. But I didn’t eat too much of that. I can’t stand too much sodium and it’s a deal-​breaker for me. Too much salt is used to cover up uninteresting food or by lazy cooks.
They definitely are happy with themselves and proud of their presentation and food choices. I’m sure this place is really great for a lot of people with a lot of money to spend on a rare, Japanese style dinner. But for someone who eats out 5 nights a week, it was a bit over the top.

Didn’t know where to eat on a Friday night, and walked in here at around 9pm with two friends — party of 4. I think it would be safer to make reservations, as the restaurant was completely full, however because it was a little later, a party was just leaving so we only had to wait a few minutes before being seated.
While standing and waiting for about 5 minutes, we realized this place is LEGIT! The restaurant ambiance makes you feel like you’re in japan, AND there was the added factor that we were the only non-​japanese people in the entire restaurant. The restaurant is relatively small, tables are all separated and have quite a bit of privacy. From what I remember, there are only 4 or 5 tables which accommodate parties of 4 – 8. There is also seating at the bar, which was all full when we first walked in.
When we sat down, the waiter explained to us how this restaurant has been around for 3 years, and they’ve worked on maintaining the quality of their food and reputation more than getting themselves out there as a restaurant. (They are located on 53^rd street on one of the lower levels — so technically they are below ground level, however, from the inside of the restaurant, it doesn’t feel underground at all!)
We went with the $ 80 Chef Tasting Course
Assorted Starter
They call this an amuse-​bouche, however there are about 10 different things on this little plate, it’s amazing!
Oyster
Definitely the largest oyster I’ve ever had, perfectly cooked, tender with an amazing sauce/​flavor. I don’t like how sometimes oysters taste a little like the ocean, but this did not taste like that at all!
5 Kinds of Sashimi
I thought this was very high quality — the fatty tuna is always my favorite and was amazing. I’ve only had fatty tuna this good in Japan, never in the US even at other very expensive restaurants. I was very impressed!
Seafood of the day — Lobster and Abalone
Presentation was beautiful and flavors were amazing. My husband got the lobster, loved it, so much goodness my vocabulary is not big enough to do it justice. Same for the Abalone. So tender, (sometimes abalone is too chewy for me, but this one was a great cut and perfectly cooked) came with mushrooms blue cheese. The combination of the melted blue cheese was so delicious! I liked the abalone more, my husband liked the lobster more.
Special Sashimi
An additional 3 pieces of sashimi, very tender, very high quality!
Meat — Ribeye Steak (+$ 5) and Duck Confit
The extra $ 5 for the ribeye is totally worth it if you like Japanese wagyu fatty meat. Cooked and seasoned perfectly with such quality, fatty (where the fat is in the meat and you can’t even see it) beef. It practically melts in your mouth!
Duck Confit was also amazing, very tender, great flavor, falls right off the bone. Amazing.
Udon (cold)
I love how they make this filling dish last in the tasting menu, so you fill your stomach with all the good quality fish/​meat, and if you’re still hungry, you can enjoy this, however, all the above was already a lot of food for me, so I didn’t feel bad wasting some of this starchy stuff. But it’s a cold noodle dish, no one else at the table loved it, but I love cold noodles, and the noodle texture was perfect. I was just so full I couldn’t finish it!
Dessert of the Day
Our party of 4 split all the desserts so we could try them all, and they were all VERY VERY good. We were so full from all the other courses, we didn’t even really want dessert, but we ate ALL of the below. Portions are smaller (which I like in desserts), gives you enough sweetness to end your meal, but not so much that you feel sick after finishing it!
White Sesame Blancmange $ 5
Texture of crème brulee or flaun, light, not too sweet, amazing white sesame flavor (if you like that).
Home Made Ice Cream Yogurt $ 6
Very very good, loved the tartness and I just love homemade ice cream in general.
Black Team Panna Cotta $ 5
This was everyone’s favorite dessert, it taste like pearl milk tea crème brulee texture. Light, not too sweet, delicious!
Chocolate Truffle with Green Tea Matcha $ 5
Chocolate was amazing, but I think there was a little too much green tea matcha powder, made it a little too bitter for my liking. Still delicious and very high quality, the other desserts were just so amazing this is probably my least favorite.
In Summary — Ambiance, look and feel are authentic and amazing. Restaurant is clean, feels pretty fancy (minus that they are below ground level). Service was spectacular! Food quality and presentation was top notch. LOVED this place, will be back again to try $ 55 pre fixe and another time to just order small dishes! Would definitely recommend this place to others!

Compared to shabu, I always prefer sukiyaki a bit more as it is more flavorful. And I was more than surprised to find out a small cute Japanese place in midtown which supplies sukiyaki. They not only serve a prefixed menu or a tasting menu, but also provide you each individual course. The kalbi beef was tender yet chewy, while the meat perfectly absorbed the soup base, accompanied by tofu, onion and spinach. Haven’t tried their shabu yet, will definitely pay another visit here as it is so convenient and relaxing.
Nothing can be more satisfactory than enjoying a bowl of sukiyaki with a bunch of friends after a stressful week! Five star marked!

OK — can you believe I came back the very next night to try the set menu! For that, the food is actually NOT pricey — and is an amazing deal!
I actually liked the cooked food better than the sushi in the set, but that’s not saying anything is bad. Everything is made with great care and you get a LOT of food. I believe I can let the other reviews speak for the food, which is a seasonal menu in any event. How will I ever work up the appetite for the larger set?
My server, Atsushi, remembered me from the night before and admitted he saw my Unilocal review too! I’m glad he was appreciative of what I had to say and was happy to see me again. I brought my sister and her bf as a reward for their help around my house and they both enjoyed everything too — especially the dessert and the beef tongue.
A note — the meat is sourced from a socially responsible farm. This is something really important to my sis, and we were so relieved to get that confirmation when we looked up the meat sourcer.
I’m going to have to come back to try their lunch specials too.

Dined at Jukai last Thursday to celebrate an anniversary. I’ve been wanting to come here for years after it was recommended to me by a real foodie. I called ahead to ensure we could get seated and the process was really simple. I called 3 days before for a reservation at 7PM on a Thursday, gave them my name and telephone and it was done. They did not require a CC on hold or give any trouble accommodating my request.
Jukai is discreetly located on the lower level on the north side of E. 53^rd street. There is limited seating and you’ll typically find lots of japanese business men enjoying a quality meal over drinks. There also isn’t much to décor but that doesn’t stop me from giving 5 stars for several reasons:
1. The food was fantastic and flavorful. We did the $ 55 pre-​fixe which comes with 8 courses!
2. The pace between courses was JUST RIGHT. I don’t enjoy sitting for an extra 5 min between each course while starving. The servers were attentive and knew exactly when we were done and immediately brought out the next course. Major bonus points.
3. The portion sizes and quality of food was well worth the $ 55 price point. I thought I would be starving from tiny bite-​sized portions and even planned for a slice of pizza after dinner but no pizza necessary!
I would definitely recommend Jukai to anyone looking for an extra special Japanese dinner.