Kura

I want to say that this is one of best Sushi place to go in NYC. To me, dine at Kura was really great experience. I went to spot with my girlfriend, and we were enjoying every second while we were seating there. Top-​notch attentive service were provided yet does not annoying at all somehow, great quality of fresh food made by professional chef tastes better since it was given from hand who smiles all the time. Everyone seems very friendly, happy and enjoying what they are doing. What a great ambiance! There are important factors to me as I believe it is the element that makes our dinner much more precious. They have built really great atmosphere with décor/​hardware, and people/​staff. 18 pieces for $ 130 is not much as it is also given with other side dishes which are very delicious, and served at perfect matching position between each pieces. Highly recommend.

We ordered the 15-​piece menu and sat at the bar. This is the second time we’ve visited Kura and it exceeded my memory of it. The fish is as fresh and flavorful as it gets. The service is subtle yet perfect. We paired our meal with a bottle of Champalou Vouvray, a white wine from the Loire, France, which really set off the flavors of the seared eel and tuna varieties. We had an incredible meal and have nothing negative to say about it.

Kura is a great sushi omakase spot that is quite relatively under the radar still. There’s no given menu, just the sushi omakase options, a few special cooked appetizers of the day, and you can add a la carte to your course. You can easily miss it when you’re looking for it or walking pass it since there’s no windows or big store front name and the doors are covered by a small light curtain adding a very low key touch to it. You walk into a small minimalistic décor that is noticeably taken up by the big long sushi bar that seats 12 people where you can witness this great sushi experience, and there’s one table on the front side of the corner that seats 4 people for a regular private dining time. The ambiance at Kura is totally more on the zen side compared to other omakase joints.
The price fluctuates here often depending on the type of fish that is flown in. Generally the price tier is about $ 85 for 13pcs, $ 105 for 15pcs, $ 130 for 18pcs. On top of the pieces of sushi you get, each of those different tiers will also receive starters that include items like stuffed squid, marinated raw tuna with Japanese yam, and salmon roe over rice, then finished off with a sort of delicious soup, and desserts which were all fantastic !
My omakase course of 18 nigiri pieces consisted of the following nigiris; chutoro, red snapper, hokkaido scallop, seared Scottish salmon, orange clam, marinated bluefin tuna, cherry blossom shrimp, seared mackerel, giant clam, anago (sea eel), live octopus, seared otoro, ice fish, uni from Santa Barbara, abalone from California, mantis shrimp, tamago, toro hand roll. My personal favorite highlights out of the nigiris were the orange clam, anago, abalone, and mantis shrimp! I normally lovee mackerel but I felt like the chef over seared it and also the toro hand-​roll wouldn’t fall on my top favorite toro hand-​rolls… It was nothing spectacular or unique.
Though what Kura is different for from other sushi places is that people really take their time and eat at their own pace but I have to point out one thing I don’t like is that the head chef would still make the next nigiri and place it on your plate even if you didn’t finish your other piece yet… Some people had 3 nigiris stacked onto their plate. He even served my first piece of nigiri before my starters came. So, weird that it’s supposedly a eat-​at-​your-​own-​pace but still felt rushed by the chef. Oh, they were also very cheap on letting us taste the sakes before making our decision. There was barely a sip for both me and my boyfriend to try in each cup.
Great service from Kura who took note that it was my bf’s birthday to display it on the dessert and took a picture with their polaroid camera for us. Another enjoyable omakase down in the books for all the sushi snobs out there!

My wife and I got served by the head chef. This experience was a once-​in-​a-​lifetime event for us! Every piece seemed to be better than the previous one. Our favorites were the uni, otoro, chu-​toro, seared salmon, and seared unagi. The 18 piece course had us overstuffed by the end but we had to have that tamago! If you find yourself in NYC and love sushi, please go!

Small establishment in East Village. No sign.
Just had an amazing 18-​piece omakase dinnner, sitting at the bar, at Kura today.
It was a joy watching the master chefs at work, perfectly preparing each piece (They like to use the blow torch here).
Compared to omakase’s offered at other restaurants, the one here is reasonably priced.
Excellent service.
: A

Had an early dinner here on Friday evening
Ehhh. I’ve had better. Much better. Did the full blown $ 130/​person omakase. Left wishing I didn’t trust all of the 5 star Unilocal reviews
Yes I loved the Hokkaido uni. Even ordered uni hand rolls at the end of the meal. Yes I loved the chutoro, squid, and amberjack. Yes I loved the inexpensive bottle of Riesling. That’s honestly it.
Tasty spicy red sauce that he put on octopus but octopus itself was incredibly chewy
Wasn’t crazy about some of my normal favorites… hotate and kinmedai (ugh shouldn’t have torched it so much… took away the flavor)
One bite of shako (a dark colored shrimp) I had to discreetly spit out in my napkin… Not appetizing! (& I normally love shrimp)
I go out and eat sushi like a mad woman on a very regular basis. My other half agreed that while the service was great and the chef was cordial, we wouldn’t return to Kura. For a dinner costing the two of us more than $ 400, we want more bites that we can say «Mmmmm! Oishii!»
Baffled about how the reviews can be so positive. Go to Shuko, Soto, Ichimura, or Nakazawa and have sushi 10 times better… List could go on & on… Worth paying more for higher quality sushi

I struggle with finding the right words to put in this review and say something that hasn’t been said before. I will reinforce what other people have said and say AMAZING sushi.
This establishment is small yet cozy. I love their utensil and plate layout because it seems as though everything had been placed with much thought. The staff here are extremely friendly and attentive to your needs.
But onto the food. The two of us spent $ 400 for the expensive omakase, sake, and 4 additional pieces of sushi. Totally worth it in my opinion. Every piece of sushi I felt was well thought-​out and you could tell that an excellent sushi chef with years of experience had made this sushi for you to enjoy. Chef Kida Koichi seemed appreciative of every compliment we gave for his mastery.
I would definitely come back here again someday to revisit this awesome experience.

A very discreet Japanese institution serving omakase-​only sushi & a few Osaka-​style kappo cooked dishes. With a total of 12 seats at the sushi counter along with a small table, it’s advisable to make reservations. Kura has a casual yet elegant and low-​key ambience. Upon entry, you’ll immediately see the entire counter of where the magic takes place. NOTE: If you prefer Ishizuka-​san to prepare the nigiri and serve it to you personally, opt to sit towards the left side of the sushi counter since his assistant serves to those sitting on the right. There are three omakase options available at Kura: $ 85(13 pcs), $ 105(15pcs), and $ 130(18pcs). Prices of the omakase vary daily. There are à la carte options available as well. We opted for the $ 130 omakase which included:
STARTERS — Stuffed squid with seaweed, mushroom, and rice; marinated tuna with yam; salmon roe over rice. My favorite was definitely the stuffed squid. The stuffing was savory and tasty with the squid topped in some type of caramelized soy or teriyaki sauce. It was delicious!
NIGIRI — Out of the whole omakase, the pieces that stood out to me the most was the chutoro, scallop with nori, abalone, and the mantis shrimp. We had the chutoro as our first piece and it definitely wow’ed me. It had the perfect amount of fat to melt in your mouth. What a remarkable start! The scallop with nori was also a big hit for us. It had a soft consistency with a good and rich sweetness to it. As for the abalone, it had a peculiar crisp that stood out, accompanied by a sweet soy which muted the light taste of sea. At last, was the mantis shrimp. It had a slight sweetness similar to lobster but the meat was more on the tender side.
***Our 18pc omakase comprised of: chutoro, fluke, horse mackerel, scallop with nori, abalone, mantis shrimp, cherry blossom shrimp, otoro, seared salmon belly, sea eel, orange clam, giant clam, Santa Barbara uni, almaco jack, pressed anago, marinated tuna, tamago, tuna roll, king crab hand roll, and finished off with a Manila clam miso soup***
DESSERT — Apple sorbet; honey ice cream with fruit jelly; hot roasted green tea. The desserts and tea were all light and refreshing. It was a nice way to end our omakase meal.
The dining experience here is quite different from other omakase places. It’s more of a relaxed and eat-​at-​your-​own pace kind of style. We completed our whole omakase within an hour. There are some notable things to mention about Kura. I felt the chef’s attention to detail here was certainly lacking. I was under the impression that presentation isn’t of concern. This was confirmed when our uni nigiri had flopped over upon plating, however the chef didn’t mend to this. Also, I noticed that the rice tub was exposed throughout our whole dinner session. Therefore, some of our nigiri had niblets of hardened rice.
The final verdict… outstanding service, ambience, and sushi. Although flawed, Ishizuka-san’s adorable humor makes up for it. Another excellent & enjoyable omakase experience in my books.

A very tucked-​away entrance on Saint Marks guards a great and traditional omakase option for East Village dining. Solid option, especially for the price, although I didn’t quite like the amuse-​bouche before the sushi.

The food is good and the sushi chef is very smiley, but the pacing of the meal is horrible. We had to finish our $ 85 omakase with ankimo ($ 7 for a coin) and fish collar ($ 15) appetizers within an hour because of the pace the chef was making the pieces of sushi.
Even if you try to pace yourself, the chef will continue to make pieces and just put them on your plate next to the piece you didn’t eat yet. I felt super rushed and it made everything less enjoyable.
The fish and technique were good, but honestly, the pacing makes it such a bad experience.

I almost don’t want to write this review because I don’t want anybody else to know about my favorite omakase sushi spot!
Kura is a true hidden gem. Enter through an unmarked wooden door to this cozy magical space and sit at the counter where Chef Ichizuka masterfully prepares for you the freshest tasting fish on this side of the planet. I have had things from the ocean not on any other sushi menu — baby abalone, mantis shrimp, cherry blossom shrimp, uni from all over — just to name a few. The menu truly changes to reflect the day’s best fish. Ichizuka-​san is so warm and friendly, I liken him to a Japanese Winnie-​the-​Pooh. It is such a pleasure to be served by him.
Not showy and clinical feeling like the experience at Nakazawa, Kura is worth every penny.

I’ve done omakase at a few different spots in San Francisco so was extremely excited to try omakase in NYC. We each got the large omakase (16 pieces for $ 105) and everything was super tasty.
OMAKASE:
— Tuna sashimi with Japanese yam
— Salmon roe over sushi rice
— Squid stuffed with shiitake mushroom, sushi rice and squid
— Nigiri: tuna, fluke, scallop with nori, seared salmon belly, orange clam, mackerel, live octopus, marinated tuna, jackfish, giant clam, uni, abalone, live shrimp, anago
— Chu toro roll
— Miso soup with Manila clams
We also got:
— Egg custard
— Tamago nigiri
— Sake
— Beer
— Green tea
— Apple sorbet
Of all the appetizers, the stuffed squid was the most memorable. So delicious and gorgeous presentation, plus a pretty decent size. The scallop with nori and marinated tuna were our favorite nigiri — so much so that we each ordered a few more pieces of each!
Overall, this was an excellent omakase experience. It felt very authentic and the food was fresh and tasty. The total bill ended up around $ 360 total for two people.

Amazing Omakase! Great experience for those who are seeking a real sushi fix.
Entrance to Kura is easy to miss. The outside is completely painted white and the only clue you get is the blue flag hiding the secret wooden door. Upon entering, you will see a huge sushi bar where twelve patrons can be seated at a time. The entire restaurant is dimmed for all the spotlights are on the sushi bar. This is where the show is and this is where you should focus all your attention on! The table on the side can host another party of eight — if you can avoid it, don’t sit there or you’re missing out. Atmosphere is extremely lively and not to mention Chef Ishizuka has the cutest smile ever!
My companion and I both opt in for the 12 pieces Omakase. We started with the kitchen appetizers — Mountain Yam with Tuna and Ikura. Mountain Yam with Tuna had fresh cube cuts of marinated fresh fish. Mountain Yam was topped with green bonito flakes Soy sauce is already added, therefore, no need for extra. Ikura came in a tiny bowl over rice and pieces of nori. Nice way to ease our way into our sushi. One thing you will notice is that, Chef Ishizuka loves his blow torch! I am a big fan of the smokey charred taste, so it’s just perfect! I’ll just name some of my favorites.
Otoro (Fatty Tuna) started our omakase with a big bang! This piece just melted in my mouth. I really could not help closing my eyes and let out a loud UMMM! Of course, this was my favorite piece. Sea Eel is another favorite of mine; it was lightly charred by the blow torch and it had this nice sweet taste that left me craving for more. Salmon Belly was also charred and has this nice natural fish oil that adds another dimension of flavor. Jack fish came to me as a surprise! I have never had this fish before and it was really good. For now I know, it is somewhat related to Yellowtail — no wonder! Santa Barbara uni; super fresh and creamy that earns its place as my picky companion’s favorite! Other fish we got to try in this omakase were fluke, scallops, orange clam, abalone, chutoro (medium tuna), tuna hand roll, and tamago. All were really fresh! Red miso soup comes last but it was certainly not the least. Soup’s clam flavor was so in depth that it had this fresh seafood sweetness to it. I could use another bowl!
For dessert, we got the honey ice cream and the fruit jelly to share. Just enough sweetness to end our meal with! Dessert is accompanied by a cup of hot roasted green tea, just perfect for this chilly, wet evening.
Overall, another excellent omakase experience for me and an eye-​opener for my companion. Success!
Note: Make reservations well in advance to secure your spot at the sushi bar! Sitting at the sushi bar allows more of an interactive experience with the chef. You will see the different ways the chef prepares each sushi piece and tells you about the fish. Omakase comes in 3 tiers; Lower-​12 pieces ($ 85.00), Middle-​15 pieces ($ 105.00), and Upper-​18 pieces ($ 115.00). All tiers include appetizers, soup, and dessert.

The best sushi experience I have ever had in NYC!
My boyfriend and I were here celebrating my new job. He picked this restaurant and we came. I didn’t know what to expect, but I definitely have very high expectation on sushi. This place is low key. You can easily miss the place. It’s not big. Doesn’t have any sign outside. However, their omakase is the best!!!
They had 3 kinds of omakase in different price range. The one we picked includes otoro and many many more! There wasn’t moment I felt disappointed! I enjoyed the sushi experience here so much! I will come here again once I get my very first pay check! HA!

Excellent, excellent sushi. Best I’ve ever had (so far) in New York.
Small place, nice décor, very good service. It’s great to sit at the bar (most of the seats are there) and watch as the chef makes all of your sushi in front of you.
Some of the highlights (everything was incredibly fresh and excellent):
–Tuna — I’ve never had non-​fatty tuna this good and tender. Melts in your mouth.
–Seared salmon — all the seared sushi are good, but this one is awesome.
–Both eels — also seared, served two ways, and excellent with the rice.
–Fatty tuna hand roll — really good, though the presentation is a shame for such great fish (the fish is hidden)
Excellent sushi, truly.

It is sad that they don’t serve lunch for at least the following 3 – 4 months. I spotted an article talking about their chirashi bowl in a magazine. It is a great deal ($ 30) only for lunch to try their freshest sashimi if you are not (financially) ready for an omakase.
The bowl has white fish (very chewy), tuna, scallop sashimi (the best i have ever had), salmon, eel, roe, uni and egg. Chef ishizuka makes it in front of you, and you can see he uses the same fish as for sushi. The bowl comes with soy sauce soup (huge clam in it) and a small appetizer of marinated tuna with yam. The service is wonderful, and the chef is always with a super happy smile, feeling like your grandpa.
Two Japaneses sat next to me having the omakase, so I got a chance to see the chef making sushi. They had the live shrimps cut right in front of you!
How I wish I know Japanese so I can understand what they are chatting about.

By far, Kura was my favorite omakase experience. The service was sweet and friendly while Chef Ishizuka was absolutely adorable! This is definitely a restaurant I will be coming back for if I want omasake and considering it is New York, it’s a great deal!
Through Unilocal it says you need a credit card to make a reservation, but when you can call them and they actually don’t ask for a card.
We selected the 18 course omasake for $ 130-​we were going hard and we were so stuffed in the end! Our favorite pieces included the torched fatty tuna, seared Scottish salmon, scallop and uni. I loved the flavor of the clam miso soup and also one of the dessert pieces, the sweet soy sauce mochi. I even liked the shrimp nigiri when I usually don’t. All the tuna pieces melted like butter in our mouths and everything was so fresh! I do wish that the chef introduced each piece of fish to us because we had to ask a number of times what we were being presented with.
What put Kura over the top was how friendly Chef Ishizuka is. I have been to other omasakes where the chef barely talks to you or looks grumpy. He started playfully joking around with us when the bf asked, «Is this chicken?». With the subsequent pieces, the chef smiled at us and joked, «This is turkey.» When our meal was almost done, he gave us his card. In the back is his cell phone and again, my bf attempted another joke, «Can I call you?». The chef laughed and replied back, «No, you don’t call me. This line only for ladies. She can call me.» I think I died right there.
The couple next to us was celebrating a birthday. The birthday boy got his dessert dish garnished and they took a poloraid of them for them to keep! Super cute.
I can’t wait to come back!

By far my favorite omakase thus far! I chose the middle-​tier option (16 pieces for $ 105), and my oh my what an incredible dining experience!
I left Kura with a full stomach and a cheek-​to-​cheek smile!

Saturday night blowout dinner: 16 piece omakase (all sushi) please, for a best friend and business partner and myself. What a delightful menu, what a spectacular experience this is. Small, sparse, intimate, and very friendly. No pretense, no muss, no fuss. No waiters or waitresses hovering too much, too often.
After a warm heated towel to clean our hands we ordered a bottle of Riesling which was sweeter than anticipated but paired exceptionally well with some of the seared, fatty sushi. And out it came, one after the other. Top picks: the seared salmon was our favorite until the seared fatty tuna appeared. At that point we halted and asked the chef for a second order. It was beyond spectacular… a sensory bomb of flavor, protein, the sear from the torch, the sea taste and the distinctive tuna finish. Brilliant. Also memorable: the uni, scallop and a tuna hand roll near the end was a pleasant change of place. About ²⁄₃ of the way through our meal, a small miso soup was provided, another nice change.
The sushi, as it should be, came expertly prepared. We barely use any soy and not a bit of wasabi as it wasn’t available but wasn’t needed or desired. The chef added it. This is actually the way I prefer omakase. And if was real wasabi, not the crap most places serve that’s mixed with water.
My dessert was a sticky rice, skewered, and basted in a sweet sauce that reminded me of a mellow caramel. Don’t recall exactly what that was but by this time bliss has set in. Very small, just right.
This is an interesting space. Probably seats 15 total and once you’re inside you’re sort of transported to wherever you could imagine you might be on the planet. The sushi is first-​rate, the experience one to be remembered for a long time. As it should be. Very nicely done, Kura.

Hidden deep in east village, it’s easy to miss Kura. Located on a bar-​heavy street, the door is tucked away under discreet white curtains. The rowdiness of the street disappears as you step inside. The restaurant is one long bar that’s seats about 10 people, so everyone gets a chance to see Chef Ishizuka at work. (Side note: he’s probably the most jolly sushi chef I’ve had the pleasure to eat with)
They offer 6 types of menus here: all sushi or half sushi and half cooked, both at a $ 85, $ 105 and $ 130 price points. The $ 85 all-​sushi menu comes with 13 pieces, which I thought was the perfect amount of food, and comes with a miso soup and dessert.
The sushi was fresh and delicious. You get all the classics: ootoro, uni, scallop, and even abalone. Portions were generous with a perfectly balanced with the fish-​to-​rice ratio. And Chef Ishizuka loves his blowtorch; the salmon with a slightly seared top was amazing.
Definitely want to come back again soon to try the half sushi half cooked menu!