Matsuri

Well. ambiance is excellent for those who are looking a place where they can dine in peace. It is sophisticated yes! Sushi is good quality, have different selection of sake, service is good but not ecellent. Prices are kind of high. But the last time i went to this restaurant to celebrate my BD, I left a bag with a gift when i called, the bag was there and a friend was supossed to pick it up to find out that one of the employees stole the gift. Thses kind of things should not happen at a place where you are a regular.

Matsuri has CLOSED.
Matsuri & Hiro Ballroom were purchased from the Maritime Hotel. Demolition is scheduled to begin April 1^st.
A Chelsea landmark is lost. Great atmosphere, great service, amazing space, and an exemplary menu.
We went on closing night and were so glad we did. Everything was impeccable. For a temple to Japanese cuisine Matsuri will be difficult to replace. Hopefully Chef Tadashi Ono has a new venture up his sleeve.

Came here tonight for my fiancé’s birthday. We came with another couple and I loved the décor and atmosphere of the restaurant.
Pros: Food was incredible. We did the 5-​course tasting menu ($ 55/​person) and each course was fantastic. It consisted of oysters, kobe beef tataki, sushi, sake cod (OMG), and red bean ice cream with matcha tiramisu for dessert. Everything was delicious — Even the sushi was something to rave about because the fish was so incredibly fresh (I’m kind of a sushi snob and I have high standards for quality of fish). I ordered a cocktail (Miss Azuki) that was made with red bean paste, coconut milk, and sake. It was quite tasty.
Cons: At $ 55/​person, the courses were tiny. We loved the food but we left a little hungry, so we went around the corner for an after-​dinner meal. I’m not sure if the regular entrees are also small, as I can only speak for the tasting menu. Also, the restaurant is sandwiched between the Dream Hotel and the Maritime Hotel, and there seemed to be LOUD club music coming from the Dream Hotel. We were sitting against the wall that separates the restaurant from the hotel and the thumping bass was a little annoying.
Overall — great atmosphere, delicious food, high prices, but potentially not enough food unless you do a second round of ordering. For 4 tasting menus, 1 carafe of sake, and one cocktail, it came to $ 279.

This place is really nice. Came for RW menu. The cod was awesome! That sauce they put on it must have crack or something.
Also did one of the sake flights ($ 19), they were all really good. I would def. recommend this place for a date spot. The atmosphere is really good and I like the setup underground.

The best part about this place is the place itself. Super high, industrial looking ceilings; very modern and sleek. The sushi itself is ok, but there are way better places in NYC for less money.

I was REAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLY skeptical when R changed to this venue for our dinner.
I am like Matsuri — would they even have good Japanese food over there?
When I got there and I saw the décor — amazing. Love the light fixtures and ceiling, but it made me think of Tao. Is the food even going to be good?
R got a dirty martini and I got Passionfruit mojito — reaaaaaaaaalllly good. Loves it.
I let R order, since R is a regular here and R asked me if I had any input, but I just advised I don’t mind spicy.
Toro Tartare — so fresh and delish. Me loves Toro
Mushroom thing in foil — the waitress kept mentioning this dish, so I am like what the heck… let’s get the damn mushrooms. We both love this dish… how can something as simple as mushroom sauteed with garlic be this good? It came with variety of mushrooms like shitaki, enoki and etc.
Yellowtail — love the kick to it. Really good
Octopus — this was good too, but I wish there were more octopus.
So this place has good décor and good food — surprised!
Totally not like Tao.

Came here for a late night snack as a guest of the Gohan Society. Food was very good and fresh. I enjoyed the eel pie the most but wish there was more. The oysters were very sweet. It may have been that the chef knew us. Good atmosphere too!
On my previous visit it was pretty much the same but I just remember leaving hungry. I still like this place and would come back again.

High ceilings changed my life. I remember specifically the first time I walked into a business with high ceilings as a kid (Shallo’s bar area in Greenwood, Indiana) and the huge weight of life toppling over me & claustrophobia was lifted off of me. Ever since, I seek them out, and when I stumble upon stress levels lower, endorphins soar and laughter roars.
When we walked into the subterra Matsuri, I expected subterra low ceilings, then… oh, ohhhhhhh… ahhhhh, sweet relief. Manhattan towers over me, and yeah it feels incredible but damn in the summer heat, it can be a bit overwhelming, so something like this makes me breathe easy.
I could sit alone in here for hours, and nurse Sake. It felt like this place had its hay day, and now after reading some reviews about its comeuppance in 2003-​ish, it makes sense. I kind of like that though. I like stalwarts that stick around, continue to do their thing whether there are 500 tables full or 15.
They had Toro, and with that I’m sated with a smile. The salmon sashimi was the high light though.
There’s something to say about ordering a bit of food with friends, and taking time to order multiple rounds rather than all at once and that something to say is that it’s relaxing. We need to relax and Matsuri helps the cause.
As I suffer from being overwhelmed with random facts & details, an attention to detail is enlightening, & sure it’s obsessive but what settles all that is when you’re in a place that overwhelms me with an ATD of its own. Matsuri has that. They’re pretty specific, including those wild turquoise urinals. What would Haruki Murakami think about all this? That’s what I want to know.

Okay, what’s going on? Why does Matsuri getting 3 and half stars? This is one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in NYC… what gives?
I went back to Matsuri recently and was blown away, yet again. I mean, this place just has a little something for everyone.
Love meat? Check. (Hint: get baby back ribs)
Love seafood? Check. (Hint: get sake black cod)
Love sushi? Check. (Hint: get yellowtail with yuzu kosho or spicy tuna roll with hint of yuzu — soooo good!)
Vegetarian? NO PROBLEM, Matsuri’s got you covered! (Hint: get Japanese eggplant with miso, agedashi tofu)
Really, I mean, how can you go wrong?
Start off with some apps on the light side. But don’t get too many because you’ll end up ordering way too much food than you can eat. Lightly prep your taste buds with a dish like agetashi tofu, or the kumamoto oysters with yuzu ice. The yellowtail with yuzu kosho will also open up your appetite for what’s to follow.
Next, before you cloud your senses with too much goodness, get the UNAGI PIE! This is absolutely Matsuri’s BEST dish. No matter how many new items Chef Tadashi Ono introduces, eel pie, eel pie, eel pie! Now, when you get the dish, you might be suspicious. I understand. After all, you can get some frozen grilled eel from the supermarket for 5 bucks.
DON’T BE FOOLED! Matsuri uses FRESH eel and grills them to perfection. Hint: Chef Ono recently wrote a cookbook on grilling. So umm, just trust him to give you eel better than your freezer. One bite and you will taste ocean (well, except unagi is freshwater eel but whatever, just go with my drift).
The unagi pie will leave you satisfied but not over saturated. Now, you might want to proceed to a meatier course. Matsuri’s seasonal menu right now (for the spring/​summer) is several grilled items like yakitori, baby back ribs, skirt steak, etc. Any one of those will kick your taste buds with its charred goodness.
I personally really love the black cod. Like I said in my previous review, there are many restaurants that serve this dish, but to serve it well is rare. Matsuri’s sake miso black cod is buttery, flaky, and just the right amount of umami. For a fish snob like me, I really can’t find anything wrong with it!
As you’re chomping your way through the main courses, don’t forget to leave room for dessert! I was ecstatic to see a new dessert on the menu this time… YUZU NAPOLEON! My last meal would be something yuzu for appetizer, something yuzu for entrée, and then something yuzu for dessert. There’s just something about the citrusy tarty goodness that makes everything around it taste good — the crème, the crispy thin wafers, and down to the caramelized peel. I wish more chefs used yuzu. There’s just no such thing as too much yuzu. What better way to end an amazing meal?

We came to Matsuri because of a 30% blackboard coupon. It doesnt work on omakase so be warned. I desperately wanted to give this place a 4 star, but unfortunately, the appetizers were the stars. The entrees were very average which you do not expect at a japanese restaurant. There were issues with the desserts.
We had the Kumamoto Oyster (the yuzu ice was very interesting), Kobe Tartare (I was thrown off by the pine nuts and apples slices on the bottom — a tartare does not need texture), Fresh Octopus (octopus was amazing) and 2 sushi pieces of uni (I love it).
For the entrees, we got the Sake Black Cod and Sea Bass. The cod was moist, but it was covered in mayo based sauce — I wasnt such a fan. The sea bass was filleted and fried. It was definitely reminiscent of chinese food.
The desserts were pretty to look at, but different on the palette. We ordered Green Tea Tiramisu and Banana Cream Pie. The Green Tea Tiramisu was a bit more firm for my tasting. The Banana Cream Pie didnt have enough cream and the chocolate cake was very dry. The side serving of ice cream (red bean and green tea) were definitely the highlight of the dishes. I suggest you just get the ice cream instead.

Beautiful space, well balanced drinks (the Mar-​Tea-​Ni was delicious; I’m a sucker for anything container elderflower).
Monkfish liver with ponzu gelee –rich and buttery, just the way monkfish liver should be. Not overly fishy or mushy. The ponzu gelee cut through the fat and complimented the liver quite nicely. The crab shumai i were large (the skins stuck to each other a little, which was a minor annoyance) and absolutely bursting with sweet, delicate crab.
Sushi and sashimi were artfully presented and fresh.
My chestnut cake was the one failure of the night — in the style of a crêpe cake, there were «crepes» with layers of chestnut cream spread between the layer. Anyone who’s ever had a crêpe cake knows that what makes it so good is the layers are whisper thin and delicate– these crepes were more like pancakes, and too heavy for the delicate chestnut cream (which was tasty). The vanilla ice cream accompanying it was well made and flecked abundantly with vanilla bean though, so it wasn’t a total loss. My friends Kamboucha pumpkin pie with ginger ice cream and brittle was sublime; better and more flavorful than traditional pumpkin pie, and the ginger ice cream was nice and spicy.

This place is bugged out. Walking in, it looks just like Hiro. The upstairs portion is a bar/​lounge area, and then downstairs is where the seating is. The decorations is very Japanese themed, and as stated before, it looks like Hiro, which is the nightclub next door.
The women staff wear kimonos which is very cute. My friends and I showed up for a birthday dinner and we were seated in a U-​shaped table booth. I felt like it was a table booth inside Hiro, and i was retraining myself from sitting on top of the seats to get a better view of the layout. My friends pretty much paired up to share apps. One of my friends and I shared an small plate order of kumamoto oysters and sea scallops. Most of the table ordered the sake black cod main entrée, while i deferred to the duck breast served medium.
Small plates: The kumamoto oysters are freshly shucked oysters which are covered with yuzu ice. If you like the refreshing citrus flavors of ice, then you’ll love this small plate. The briney fresh smooth flavors of the oysters with the tangy ice cold bite of the yuzu ice were a great combination. The sea scallops were seared and cooked to perfection. They were layered on top of seared asparagus as well as some tomatoes and peppers. The scallops had a spicy kick to it. My friend told me normally it isn’t that spicy. I liked the heat, but it may have been a bit overpowering. The scallops were cooked to perfection though.
I tried a piece of the sake black cod and i must say this dish is a winner. The cod is flaky and moist and it is miso perfection, if you like the flavor of miso, that is. The duck breast was cooked to a perfect medium and it was sliced. The duck breast was a bit under seasoned (not enough salt), but the wasabi mayo dressing that came with it was awesome and really helped to add flavor to the duck meat. The skin was crispy and the meat was moist. The veggies were a bit soggy, but overall the dish was good (not great). Will i order it again? Perhaps if they are more liberal with sea salt.
I didn’t try any of the desserts. The green tea tiramisu looked appetizing, but i was just too full to try it.
Overall the food was good. The service was a bit hectic. They took away our small plates when we needed them for our apps. They also missed a few orders of food. In addition, they weren’t that great with the water delivery in the beginning, but they improved as the meal progressed.

REMARKABLE!!! This place was absolutely AMAZING, UTTERLY, IMPRESSIVE, INSPIRING, REMARKABLE, EXTRAORDINARY, SPECTACULAR and DAZZLING!!!
Honestly, there just isn’t enough adjective to describe how unprecedented this place was. I was completely blown away by its décor, service, food, and attention to details. Everything that night was COMPLTETLY PERFECT!
The restaurant reminded me of a movie set or a the restaurant scene from Kill Bill. The host is dressed in a Kimono. The staff was beyond friendly, attentive and sincere and the food was just BREATHTAKEN!
Point and case: My ice cream that was served with my green tea T tiramisu was shaped like a peach and our receipt was folded like a fish. That is just some of the examples of how stunning this place is.
In all seriousness, you must go here or at least consider it, esp during Restaurant Week!

This place has a very nice ambiance and décor. tall ceiling, big lanterns, dark, and very Japanese-​feel. the tables are assemble very spaciously, and you would not feel tight inside.
We had a party of 11 and we basically ordered everything on the menu. none of the foods stood out enough to be a repeated customer.
I ordered the black cod because it was highly rated here on Unilocal.it was way too sweet. after several bites, the sweetness has overshadowed the tastiness of the fish.
Bottom line: you are paying for the ambiance and décor. if you want good food, i do not recommend this place. in contrary, if you dont mind having mediocre food for that price then i recommend this place for their design.

The good food and unique ambiance, and fine service. The service staffs were really attentive and knowledgable about all the food here. Their service made our dinner more memorable and fun.
As for the food, among all the food we ordered, I liked Unagi pie (eel pie, highly recommended!), and sushi sashimi platter a lot.
Other than those, Fluke plate was good too, but… really thin. I know it should be, but… well, I like sashimi with certain body. Goma-​ae (spinach with sesame) was good too but it was just like you can imagine from the name. Yes, sesame, and spinach, period.
I wanna come back, but maybe in a big group next time so I can try hot pot here!!!

What a great sushi place I didn’t know existed! It’s in the catacombs beneath Maritime Hotel. The fish is FRESH! I also got the Kobe Tartare, that’s steak tartare with kobe beef instead of regular steak, quail egg instead of chicken egg, and miso paste. It was delicious, and I’m not dead yet!
The place has an awesome vibe… it’s subterranean, wood paneled, and dimly lit… nice ambience.
This is definitely my new favorite sushi place in the neighborhood.

The Bad
— Rice Pot with Chicken and Seafood (took 30 minutes to make this piece of bland and soggy rice?? — nasty don’t bother, you can make your own rice pot)
— Spicy Tuna Roll (not the best I’ve tasted– needs to be more spicy)
— Plum-​Shiso Roll (had better)
— Shiitake Roll (had better)
The Good
— Head On Shrimp (two skewers of shrimp – was okay)
— Nasu Shigiyaki (yummy – even if i’m not a fan of eggplant; best appetizer here)
— Salmon (salmon is salmon– tasted good overall especially liked the veggies underneath the salmon)
— 18 Grain Rice Ball (its plain yes but healthy and yummy)
— DESSERT SAMPLER (looks sooo good… regret not trying it)
— Great customer service (helped with customer demands such as separating bills and changing menu due to personal reasons for additional price though)
The Bottomline– Not really worth checking out. Tried a lot of the appetizers and it wasn’t that special to be worth that much. Thumbs down!

This Place is Overrated.
PROS:
— Nice Décor. The Japanese Lanterns hung on the ceiling are so adorable.
— Bathroom was unique — had a green tiled deep sink.
— Food Presentation was good.
— Service was polite and friendly. Refilled water in our cups constantly.
— Separated the bill into 3 bills for us to make our lives easier since we had a big group due to a birthday party.
CONS:
— Food was not worth the price.
— Got the Sake Black Cod like recommended on Unilocal but it was too sweet/​salty. The sauce was unique and it tasted pretty good but after a couple of bites I knew I couldn’t finish it. Thankfully a friend of mine had ordered a bowl of rice or else I wouldn’t have been able to finish it.
— we wanted to have cut the cake at the restaurant but when we heard it was $ 5 surcharge per person we backed out. I mean come on $ 5 per person!!!
MUST TRY:
— Unagi Pie (EEL) — it’s very tasty and I love the crunch of the wrap around the eel. Simply Superb
— Seafood Ricepot — pretty unique but I’d have to say the korean’s bibimbap is better.
DO NOT GET:
— The Avocado Salad — not worth the money it tasted bland.
— Duck Breast — I didn’t like the wasabi sauce on the duck meat. It ruined my appetite. My friends and I had to wipe the sauce off from the meat before we ate it.

This place has such a cool interior. You walk in and down and it’s this giant cavern made to look like you are eating in a Japanese…(I don’t even know what you would call it, go to see for yourself).
All the fish was ridiculously fresh, the service was efficient and friendly and they had a great cocktail menu, which is something I always like to see. If you want great, fresh sushi, both plain on the plate and also in interesting combinations, in a killer atmosphere, you absolutely have to go to Matsuri.

Everyone wrote a good review here, I don’t want to copy what they said but it’s the TRUTH!
Good service
Good Food
Good Drinks!
Funny part is that Is a Japanese restaurant with Japanese décor but Mix of Foreign music? (Reggae, Indian, etc).
Came with my girls during Restaurant week. Host, Waiter were very gentle and nice. Tried the Avocado Salad for Starters, Then Black Cod for Entrée (YUM YUM). and dessert, of course Green Tea Tiramisu with Red bean Ice cream.
The Bill did not came out what I wanted because (Of course) drinks are not included, but still it was worth to try this place!
Definitely coming back again!