Juku

Extraordinary omakase for New Years. Sushi boss was funny and amazing! Catered to our wishes. When we come back to NY this is our go to. They have a speakeasy. I would say this place is a hidden gem:)

This place is a true delight, the interior design is outstanding and the cocktails are truly unique. The hospitality is outstanding as well, their attention to detail is like none other. I highly recommend this place. I have not had the opportunity yet to try their food but I plan to be back soon for that. This place does it right definitely go there and try their drinks, also their wine list is amazing!

Last night I felt the need, the need for a feed…. Since I was in Chinatown I consulted with Google. Google Google on the Phone who’s the fairest sushi of them all? Juku said the phone. Juku. So Juku it was. A pretty nondescript dark door led to a dark “speakeasy” kind of a bar. Upstairs was the Omakase kingdom. Since I didn’t have a reservation I stayed downstairs and had the “Working man” version; the $45 chef’s choice sashimi. I was in Sushi’s heaven.

Delicious sushi, highly recommended! Keep in mind that every floor of Juku has its own menu and you need to make reservations according to specific menu/floor. We selected the Straylight menu, and definitely coming back to try out Omakase next time we are in New York. Spicy tuna(left on the picture) and spicy scallops rolls(on the right) are great, we also got oysters, and I have no idea what they used for sauce, but that was amazing. If you're reading this you have to go and check it out. To be honest sushi don't look that great, but the taste is above and beyond my expectations.

The best Omakase sushi place in town. Highly recommend by all my Japanese friends. Each piece is so delicate and perfectly seasoned. There’s a bar at the basement, worth stopping by after the meal.

My husband and I had omakase here for our one year anniversary dinner and it was just an amazing experience. Our chef was so meticulous with every piece of sushi and it literally was a melt in the mouth piece every time. Sake was delicious and Yuzu in the end was delicious. It was so much fun! It was the highlight of our trip back as former NYC residents

Update October 2019 Still incredible. Not a single star to lose. This is one of my top places for sushi and definitely do the Omakase bar. Feb 2018 Honestly a truly memorable experience. The omakase bar upstairs was a nice separation from the busier downstairs. The fish was beautiful, fresh, and delicious. The chefs were kind and shared interesting facts about the fish. We also got a sake pairing recommendation that was delicious!

We’ve had several omakase experiences in New York, and this was the most fun and delicious. The sushi counter has its own floor upstairs, with two chefs serving ten seats. The lighting and music were both low key but endearing. The experience was intimate and classic at the same time. Every serving had layers of succulent flavors in its own category, standing out from the rest and really taking us on a journey through the evening (about 2 hours per seating). Some of these servings were complete show-stoppers - the king salmon, for instance, was so tender and flavorful that we shut our eyes and just experienced pure taste for half a minute at a time. This was a killer date night and the staff and chefs were spectacular. Highly recommended, but prepare to pay top dollar for the quality.

Extraordinary omakase for New Years. Sushi boss was funny and amazing! Catered to our wishes. When we come back to NY this is our go to. They have a speakeasy. I would say this place is a hidden gem:)

This place is a true delight, the interior design is outstanding and the cocktails are truly unique. The hospitality is outstanding as well, their attention to detail is like none other. I highly recommend this place. I have not had the opportunity yet to try their food but I plan to be back soon for that. This place does it right definitely go there and try their drinks, also their wine list is amazing!

Last night I felt the need, the need for a feed…. Since I was in Chinatown I consulted with Google. Google Google on the Phone who’s the fairest sushi of them all? Juku said the phone. Juku. So Juku it was. A pretty nondescript dark door led to a dark “speakeasy” kind of a bar. Upstairs was the Omakase kingdom. Since I didn’t have a reservation I stayed downstairs and had the “Working man” version; the $45 chef’s choice sashimi. I was in Sushi’s heaven.

Delicious sushi, highly recommended! Keep in mind that every floor of Juku has its own menu and you need to make reservations according to specific menu/floor. We selected the Straylight menu, and definitely coming back to try out Omakase next time we are in New York. Spicy tuna(left on the picture) and spicy scallops rolls(on the right) are great, we also got oysters, and I have no idea what they used for sauce, but that was amazing. If you're reading this you have to go and check it out. To be honest sushi don't look that great, but the taste is above and beyond my expectations.

The best Omakase sushi place in town. Highly recommend by all my Japanese friends. Each piece is so delicate and perfectly seasoned. There’s a bar at the basement, worth stopping by after the meal.

My husband and I had omakase here for our one year anniversary dinner and it was just an amazing experience. Our chef was so meticulous with every piece of sushi and it literally was a melt in the mouth piece every time. Sake was delicious and Yuzu in the end was delicious. It was so much fun! It was the highlight of our trip back as former NYC residents

Update October 2019 Still incredible. Not a single star to lose. This is one of my top places for sushi and definitely do the Omakase bar. Feb 2018 Honestly a truly memorable experience. The omakase bar upstairs was a nice separation from the busier downstairs. The fish was beautiful, fresh, and delicious. The chefs were kind and shared interesting facts about the fish. We also got a sake pairing recommendation that was delicious!

We’ve had several omakase experiences in New York, and this was the most fun and delicious. The sushi counter has its own floor upstairs, with two chefs serving ten seats. The lighting and music were both low key but endearing. The experience was intimate and classic at the same time. Every serving had layers of succulent flavors in its own category, standing out from the rest and really taking us on a journey through the evening (about 2 hours per seating). Some of these servings were complete show-stoppers - the king salmon, for instance, was so tender and flavorful that we shut our eyes and just experienced pure taste for half a minute at a time. This was a killer date night and the staff and chefs were spectacular. Highly recommended, but prepare to pay top dollar for the quality.

Very cool omakase counter in the sub $200 range that differentiates itself with its trendy vibe and interesting ingredient combinations. Juku does not pretend to be something it isn't. It feels upscale but casual with lofi hop in the background and professional service. The chefs are effortlessly personable and knowledgeable. The nigiri are beautifully presented. The strong suit is the quantity and variety with 17 pieces and a hand roll featuring omakase's greatest hits as well as some less typical selections. Most of the fish are from Spain, Hokkaido, or southern Japan. The highlights included the Hotate with smoked sea salt, the layered chu toro and otoro, the ikura, the yellowtail belly, and the uni but I enjoyed every piece. There is interesting and restrained use of garnish like pickled scallion and even ghost pepper salt. The rice has a clean, tart vinegar taste and a firm texture with discrete grains. Overall the cool and casual vibe here pairs perfectly with the restrained creativity in this quality omakase. I will be back.

What an exceptional omakase experience! This was a wonderful experience with spectacular and extremely friendly staff, who was attentive and aware of the entire meal. They were around to assist for more drinks, or any other requests. The chefs prepared delicious and exotic sushi - with detailed descriptions of ever piece served. The omakase experience consisted of 17 sushi pieces and a hand roll. Would highly recommend for seeking an intimate dining experience - emphasis on experience because it's more than just dining at another sushi spot in Manhattan.

Great first experience at Juku - for the price range, the winning factor here has to be quantity and diverse selection of fish available. Everything was incredibly fresh. I have had various cuts of tuna before including cheek, but this was the first time I was served noten 脳天 which is the top of the tuna head. It was incredible. There were many stand out pieces. Taisho Chef Kazuo Yoshida was very lively and full of energy, always checking in even though I was a solo diner. I personally preferred the traditional pieces but also appreciated the creativity or twist in some of the others. Will be back for round two! おいしかった\(////)\

I would not have known about this place had my cousin not suggested this for dinner one day. The storefront could have easily been glanced over. They have a downstairs and first floor section, with a second floor being the restrooms. The downstairs area was EXTREMELY dark. For appetizers, the Japanese Fried Chicken ($13) was JUICY. Don't trust any place that offers otherwise. The Crispy Potato ($12) is a must get. It tastes just like a street fair Twisted Potato, but more burnt tasting. The selling point was their fragrant truffle mushrooms on top. Shared among 4 people, we had the Chefs Sashimi Special ($57), Chefs 12 Piece Nigiri Selection + 1 Roll ($68) and a couple more rolls and Nigiri pieces. Maybe the ridiculously dark lighting was to block out our sight so we can focus on the taste of the sushi, as some of the pieces were deliciously fresh, fatty, and melt-in-your-mouth good! Jarring prices of the menu aside, I haven't had high end sushi before, but if they taste like this, maybe an occasional splurge wouldn't hurt. Although I am very sure there are cheaper prices for this quality and even bigger quantity elsewhere. We also weren't even full but didn't want to keep adding to the bill so we grabbed cheap bites after. But overall, if you have the wallet to spare, this is a fine dinner splurge with fantastic food and service!

Juku is no joko! If you're a sushi/ omakase lover then this is the place for you. Music is mellow and fantastic (lots of lo-fi), ambience is great and Eugene our server was, for the most part, good. Once we sat, we were offered a complimentary starter which was the mini toro bowl, absolutely delicious, then we had the Japanese ceviche which was a little acidic, disappointing because, I specifically told him I had a dietary restriction and couldn't have anything acidic. For mains we had the omakase style sushi, every piece was a trip to the afterlife, fresh, tasty and delicious. My favorite part was that for a small fee, we were able to bring our own alcohol. This was truly an exciting adventure and I could see myself coming back here.

8 seats only omakase counter in downtown Manhattan. Walking through bar and lounge area to upstair omakase counter, you arrive to encounter this gorge personality of this Sushi Boss Chef Kazuo Yoshida in his pink hair with witty smile. Starting straight from nigiri, shima aji, Akamai, otoro, black throat, ikura all the fishes are fresh and original. Especially ankimo (monk fish liver) sushi piece is extraordinary just one of a kind you will get to be served in the city. Like chef's another knick name Uni King, the types of their uni collection is highly impressive. Expect to have a lot of fun and entertainment on top of top notch quality of omakase course. Thanks to Chef Kazou!

Wow, what a chic restaurant! I had the prefixe meal with a friend, so we got to try EVERYTHING, and we were blown away! Highlights were the monk fish, AMAZING AMAZING steak (the best I've ever had), and the absolutely appetizing desserts. (the strawberry matcha dessert is to die for.) It was very filling, and with a very nice aesthetic. We were taking pictures all night! Lol. Def go here for a one-of-a-kind experience. I'm coming back soon!!

I think I finally found my place.....My favorite Omakase in NYC that is! I am a sushi enthusiast and up until now, I have to admit I was feeling sort of disillusioned with the sushi scene in Manhattan. Having recently been in LA enjoying some of the finest sushi in some of the most low places and I was ruing about having a go-to place closer to home. Full disclosure....I now live in northern NJ where the sushi is mediocre at best. Don't let any New Jerseyan tell you otherwise. And don't get me wrong...there are lots of NYC places that offer high quality fish and several that offer a wonderful Omakase experience. But there's something about Chef Kazuo, the uniqueness and seasonality of the fish, the simplicity of presentation, and yet the painstaking detail that goes into each piece that just blew me away. And if you're lucky enough to chat with the head sushi chef, you'll instantly fall in love with this place. Juku is located close to the Manhattan court house all the way downtown and in a pretty nondescript location on Mulberry Street. There is a small dining room with adjacent bar on the entry level, but take it from me, make yourself a Resy for the Omakase seating on the second floor. It's a two hour affair at 6, 8 or 10pm. My husband and I sat at the counter upstairs on a quiet Wednesday evening. I didn't take any photos because I was mesmerized by watching Chef Kazuo do his thing, all the while explaining the fish, the presentation and sharing his story and journey to opening Juku. The Omakase is essentially a 15-18 course selection of sushi. Items ranged from goldeneye snapper, scallop, two types of uni to a spotted sardine, various grades of tuna, on and on finishing with a hand roll. Each piece is prepared as you watch. And the fish really shines. Chef uses Japanese mint to craft many of the pieces, and he does put some special touches on the pieces, but there aren't any crazy sauces doused on top, which I really appreciate. A refreshing strawberry gelatin mousse dessert completed the meal. There is no pretense here and the digs are clean and minimalist. Don't expect fancy. The price is also quite reasonable considering the amount of food. While most of the high caliber Omakase experiences range from $250 to $500 per person, Juku was about $170. I would have paid much more given how yummy it was. I can't wait to come back.

This was quite an experience! I'm always looking for interesting and delicious omakase spots. Juku is cool and modern, quite an unexpected find in Chinatown. Downstairs there is a regular dining room with a bar and then upstairs is the intimate sushi nook with just 12 seats. I loved how private it felt - I'd recommend a reservation! For omakase, they offer 15 pieces (including sushi, mini donburi, and dessert) for $150. We also ordered a bottle of sake to accompany the meal because why not. As for the fish itself, it was excellent from beginning to end. The pieces were very fresh and varied. Really enjoyable. At the end they also had an arrangement of uni over rice that was a showstopper. The meal was perfectly paced and I was full and very satisfied by the end. Overall, I had a wonderful experience here. The modern chic atmosphere downstairs combined with the intimate sexy sushi counter upstairs makes it perfect for a date night. The omakase set, while on the pricer side, was worth the cost as the fish was high quality. Would definitely recommend!

We enjoyed drinks here at the lounge / speakeasy bar at Juku. I loved the ambiance and decor since it is very unique. Drinks are ok, we got lychee martinis but definitely worth a try if you are in the area.

Fresh Fresh Fresh! Sushi / Omakase Experience is incredible. Love the ambiance and true to Tokyo style vibes. A great place for an intimate dinner amongst friends, colleagues or even a date. Service is on point.

I came here for Omakase and it was hands down the best and freshest I've had in the city! This is a super low-key spot and is hard to find from the street. Eugene went above and beyond with his hospitality and made sure our food kept coming and drinks kept getting refilled. The grilled scallops were cooked to perfection and the sashimi was all delicious and as fresh as it comes. The fish flew from Japan overnight on ice. The firefly squid was a nice touch. The spicy scallop hand roll is also delicious and actually spicy! 10/10 recommend!

Such a great omakase place for authentic Japanese sushi, at a very affordable price! The uni here is sourced from Hokkaido and is the best of the best. You know a sushi place is great when their uni is great. I would definitely recommend this place for an amazing Omakase experience / and you still won't break the bank. Great drinks too!

Delicious mouth-watering experience. Cool counter spot that's connected to two other floors - a speakeasy in the basement and an izakaya on the first floor. Our chef was amazing and friendly as well. He explained each fish and enjoyed some drink with us. Each piece of fish was super fresh and melted in your mouth. Traditional omakase and adding to the craving. Interesting to be located in Chinatown but definitely a high caliber omakase spot in NYC to know

Came here with a friend who hadn't yet had great sushi in the city. While the omakase experience was sadly still closed, the sushi did NOT disappoint. Moreover, the Izakaya type food was also incredible, demonstrating the awesome versatility of this hidden gem in Chinatown. We ordered the fried chicken, the crispy potato with truffle butter, an off menu tofu dish because the tofu literally tastes like you're in Japan, and the 12 piece nigiri. The fish was incredibly fresh, and you can tell how thoughtfully everything is put together. Also really reasonably priced all things considered. The 5 stars is not just for the food though, because the service was also fantastic. Everyone could not be nicer. Things we will be going back for: real omakase, that tofu, the sake selection, and the downstairs speakeasy that was also unfortunately closed. Bonus is that there is karaoke next door if you want to make a night of it!

Kai is the greatest sushi chef I've ever had the pleasure of dining with. Chef Kazu is amazing and has built a great place for sushi in NYC.

When Juku first opened, I was intrigued. I'd heard about the chef from Brooklynites who claimed his place there was not only best in the borough but deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as the titans of NYC sushi in Manhattan. I'd never made the trip, but Juku was only a few blocks from my work, so I went to try out the chef's fare. Well, I was so taken with the experience that I would return every few months thereafter, even if I'd usually be seated in front of his wakiita, Kei-san. Still, chatting with Kei-san was its own pleasure, a little less intimidating than sitting under the gaze of the itamae himself. So it went for some time, through summer 2019, and then when it was about time for me to revisit... COVID struck. Juku didn't fully close, still hawking takeout, but that was NOT the Juku I knew. I prayed for its real omakase to return, and when I heard last week that it finally had, I rejoiced and anticipated welcoming it back. Some days later, I was passing by in mid-afternoon, and I decided to poke my head in. The door was unlocked, but no one seemed to be there. I called out, "Hello...?", and just when I thought there'd be no response, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. And the sushi boss himself, Kazuo-san, appeared. I must admit, I was caught flat-footed. When he prompted me, I stuttered out that I was hoping for a seat at his counter that evening, and he affirmed I could come in at 6PM. Part 1, complete. The interval I occupied by walking around the area, mourning restaurants lost (88 Lan Zhou, RIP) and cheering on survivors (Nakaji, itadakimasu). When it was time for Part 2, I climbed those stairs and was guided in front of Kazuo-san... But not before Kei-san at his station recognized me (even masked me!)--it was a rush of warmth as I took my seat, to feel genuinely welcomed. My tête-à-tête this time, however, would be with the master, and I'd experience a whole different kind of rush. So... Even a cursory glance at my corpus of Yelp reviews would reveal my worship of the art of sushi, sometimes to the point of breathlessness & absurdity. I have praised many, and indeed there's no shortage of sushi-yas locally these days where, for expense-account $$$, you can have an incredible meal. What makes them different from each other is often not a question of "quality", per se: it's in variations in how rice is fluffed or packed, precise selection of fish for every season, choices of cuts both large and infinitesimal, the general narrative arc each meal takes. The individual taste of each chef, and each customer. Thus, what Juku is to me, it may not be to you. But here is some of what it is to me: always a little less theatrical than many of the more recent, splashy omakases; post-COVID hasn't changed that. But just because there's no amuse-bouche or hassun doesn't mean there aren't fireworks. From the first piece of nigiri, I was instantly taken back to that very first piece I'd had of his years ago, the perfectly seamless melding of neta & shari. There's only so many ways to word how "clean" or "flawless" or "fresh" (misnomer) fish & rice can be, but I will say that the balance between the two elements throughout was, heh, flawless. So too with the brush of soy sauce, or the occasional pinch of rock salt or dab of yuzu kosho. How is it possible to calibrate flavors so precisely while conversing about the reopening, or the pleasures of autumn vs. winter buri, or that Spanish mackerel isn't really a mackerel at all? Nearly a lifetime of practice, I guess... but perhaps also something ineffable that cannot merely be brute-force learned. Some of his classics returned, most notably an aji tataki mixed with shiso and sesame seeds. Some touches were new, like a schmear of scraped toro under a bonito nigiri; when I asked about its inspiration, he explained that the toro's fattiness helped the bonito match its placement late in the meal. Shaved ankimo over hairy crab was another novel punch. And his tamago was also different than I remembered--he credited its genesis to his hometown of Nagasaki, how international influence there from the Portuguese brought the castella cake to Japan, and that his take on tamago was meant to nod in that direction. It was delicious. The temaki he chose for me seemed based on our conversation: saba. I friggin' love good saba. As does my SO: abroad for the winter, she missed out on this meal, and when I mentioned this roll in particular, she was jealous to the point of near-anger. Well, she should be jealous. Some may say NYC is lousy with high-end sushi these days, that 90% of them could go away and we'd survive just fine. Heaven forbid that winnowing happens, as far as I'm concerned... But if it ever does, let Juku be amongst those that remain. Its balance of quality, comfort, and (relatively) accessible price is a combination as harmonious as its neta, shari, and nikiri. I'm so glad it's back, and I hope to see them all again soon.

Taste: amazing izakaya food and a la carte nigiri, I'd call it fine dining levels of taste Value: extremely affordable and good value given probably covid discount... Frequency: I will be back in 2 weeks to order more Experience: exceptionally friendly wait staff Recommended dishes: 1. Toro nigiri: handed to me personally by the chef (this place was an omakase bar precovid)... a toro nigiri for $15 was a steal and it was a delicious piece of toro that melted in my mouth. Have only had better when I went to Japan 2. Hokkaido uni nigiri: also a steal for $15... I was skeptical if it was fresh/taste fishy but it was high quality uni with no fishy taste and melted in my mouth 3. Roasted beef tataki: very well cooked tender roast beef slices with a very flavorful ponzu dressing. High quality dish I'd expect to find in a tasting menu at a starred restaurant We really just came here for some drinks but left in shock at how good the food was. HIDDEN GEM of a place and I have it in the calendar to come back in 2 weeks to try more items on the menu This place is owned by a big art guy so there is very cool and interesting art in the restaurant... especially that sus looking staircase... Wait staff was extremely friendly to us; I usually don't comment on stuff like this All in all... highly recommend and we will come back soon, which we rarely do given the number of options in NYC

Solid spot if you're looking for fresh sushi. Not the best for takeout "omakase". Everything screams BASIC and not worth the $68+tax price point compared to other establishments charging similar pricing (more or less). I was craving omakase the last few months and decided to order from Juku and I was content but also disappointed. Again, fish is fresh but thats where it stops. It's packaged nicely, but the assortment is plain and there's literally no flavorings for any of the pieces for it to be omakase-delicious. A regular good sushi restaurant can roll out the same pieces of sushi and just call it a sushi set for a much better price. I also know this after comparing it to other spots I tried the past week which fared much better for again, very similar price points.

Very small pieces, extremely fresh and tasty omakase, and they give you yuzu drinks! Glad to have a legit omakase place in Chinatown. Get the 15 course! They also had several types of uni which of course we had to get - Hokkaido, Santa Barbara, Mexico. This is what we got (Dec 2017): Striped jack Blue fin tuna Red eye snapper King salmon from tazmania Scallop with lemon and peruvian sea salt Horse mackerel with scallions and sesame Mackerel with ghost pepper salt Ground fish Japanese snow crab Smoked sardine with egg yolk Jumbo botani shrimp with dry fish egg Sea eel Toro Red eyes snapper with yuzu pepper Uni and 2 months aged uni Toro hand roll with daikon Winter yellow tail belly Everything was SO tasty!

Came here for a Friday night dinner. Was very pleased with everything. We ordered sushi, the wagyu burger, Japanese fried chicken, crispy potatoe, black miso cod, and the miso soup. We also ordered sake and a tequila drink. The burger was phenomenal. The meat was very high quality and the cheddar melt in top was unique and delicious. The black miso cod was also soft and melted in the mouth like butter. The sushi was also delicious, although it was a salmon avocado roll so you can only make it so good or so bad. Crispy potatoe is a must order with the truffle on top. The Japanese fried chicken was our least favorite. Ask for a sauce on the side if you order it. Very friendly and helpful service, highly recommend this place.

Been here a couple of times for the omakase upstairs and loved it, even bought takeout here during the pandemic. Each time we went we had the owner serve us [guy with the pink hair]. Our third time was not a charm, and completely forgettable as the quality of fish had gone way down. The menu also hadn't changed at all since our very first visit. For a $800 meal for 2 with drinks this is unforgivable. While the meal was completely lackluster what rubbed me the wrong way was when I was eating the uni on rice this time I decided to mix up the uni with the rice before eating it. During this moment the chef snarked at me and said "You do not mix it!" while frowning in disapproval like I was a 3-year-old child. I wouldn't have minded if he recommended the best way to enjoy my food but what the hell is it to you on how I eat my food? As long as I'm not eating it with my toes it's none of your damn concern how I choose to enjoy it. The final straw was when we were asked to go downstairs for our dessert during an omakase meal. Never again, we will patronize a business owner who wholly values their guests. Go to Nakaji a few blocks away where you will be able to enjoy an actual/authentic Japanese omakase experience.

Overall, I would say it was good, but the place is kinda in a weird location since it is located in Chinatown and it is also sandwiched between a couple of old school Chinese funeral homes. The restaurant itself is really trendy and beautiful, it kinda has a hidden element feel and the restaurant will soon be three floors from a Omakase section, an Izakaya section to a lounge in the basement. The chef, Kazuo Yoshida, used to work at a really popular sushi restaurant in Brooklyn called 1 or 8. I think my meal was good but I had issues with the size of the nigiri, they were incredibly small, I also found issue with the flavoring of the sushi rice, it tasted oddly sour. For my Omakase, I chose the $120 Omakase. The food: Striped Jack aka Shima Aji- This was a nice starter, it had a nice mild fish flavor but was so buttery. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=bj2k0uxeuSi7pXwsH7CKgA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Blue Fin Tuna from Canada- This was good but I was expecting it to be more exciting. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1P7tv_NzgH7hHWvf9yLq3A&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Golden Eye Snapper aka Kinmedai- This was excellent, one of my favorite pieces. Flavor and texture was spot on. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=57f4-VyVXbGkl3-voR1JLQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA King Salmon from Tasmania- This was great, silky smooth texture with a nice fatty flavor from the salmon. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=xL0TbvNTkZ-MTO39QQcY6w&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Hokkaido Scallop with Black Smoked Salt- I thought this would be a winner but it was just OK, the smoked salt was too salty to me. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=JUpIMLuo5qhj675_v478Rw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Horse Mackerel aka Aji- This was great, I really enjoyed the flavor and texture. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=UIDqa-ndTdS7KGQapwhahw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Ikura- The Ikura was nice, not too salty but the seaweed they used was excellent, it was so perfectly crispy. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=uttFzqFOeCQSSpvpjHKd5g&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Japanese Barracuda- I never had barracuda before but it was good, too bad it was on the salty side. I did really like the fact that this piece was torched. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=DKEEx0Hxy3veewZwgXYr1Q&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Needle Fish aka Sayori- This was better than the ones I have had at other restaurants. It is a really pretty looking fish, the flavor and the textures were good. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=FyFYiImjXGV70cDWarg54w&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Spanish Mackerel- This was really good, this was a fav. I normally love Spanish Mackerel at this was no different. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=lheLNZzNaxiKrDlKmmcibw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Botan Shrimp- This was another fav, perfect texture and flavor. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=EfHhy_okAF6LvLWD7IJBHQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Anago aka Seawater Eel- I love anago and the one here was really good but a tad salty. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=jlJbak6wawmAMY4I_YsKFw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Toro- This surprisingly didn't wow me, it was good but just good. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=LiIQJxeDojEgPCrM0a-ihA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Big Eye Snapper with Yuzu Kosho- The texture on this was great but the fish was on the mild side but the Yuzu Kosho was a bit too spicy. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=72xE0bguautkVcn59YVRIw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Hokkaido Uni- This was a fav, the uni was excellent and the seaweed was super crunchy. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=AiuSHdrPqCDI7fhnZFdn_Q&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Chopped Chutoro with Pickled Radish Handroll- Omg this was excellent, the texture of the seaweed was great and the chopped chutoro was perfect. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=YooySj1HN0KBBV99HKnYSA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Tamago- The tamago has shrimp in the omelette, overall it was so so since it was kinda dry. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=bFLagxAb2CGtT0er7ShJTA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA

Thank you for bringing such a great omakase experience to my neighborhood! Came here the week it opened to beat the rush and I'm so glad I did! Where it's located kinda creeps me out (I don't like to be around funeral homes, etc), but once you're inside, you'll see that the space is beautiful and modern. Taking over a previous club space, Juku has three different floors - main floor serves Izakaya, 2nd floor is the 12-seat omakase counter, and in the basement, they are currently working on a lounge/private space. Can't wait! During our visit, they had two options - a 12 piece for $80 and 15pc + handroll for $120. Seems like their website now says that the prices vary based on market pricing, so TBD I guess! To try everything, we opted for the larger omakase. To start the meal, I also got the cutest cocktail called Big Wet's Sugoiii Tiki...came in an adorable buddha shaped tiki cup haha. All the cocktails looked delicious, all paired with some kind of Japanese flavors (yuzu, sake, shiso, sesame, japanese whiskey, etc). We got the pieces below: Striped Jack Soy Marinated Blue Fin Tuna Golden Eye Snapper Tasmanian King Salmon Scallop from Hokkaido with Smoked Salt and Lemon Juice *Chopped Horse Mackerel with Ginger and Scallions (this is Chef Yoshida's favorite piece if I overheard correctly haha) Forgot to label piece #7 :( Snow Crab Seared Japanese Barracuda Baby Sardine *Botan Shrimp with Dried Fish Egg Sea Eel *Otoro (literally puts a piece of toro on toro :D!) Big Eye Snapper *Uni from Hokkaido *Tuna Handroll *my favorites! To end the meal, some super yummy Tamago (it's more like a sponge cake tamago...amazing), and a light yuzu sake. I like how delicate their pieces are, seasoned perfectly and with perfect rice consistency that is slightly warm. But note that these pieces are smaller than most omakase places out there (I would say probably 3/4 of the size). Forget the chopsticks, just use your hands! They actually also offer a $20 uni sampler that you can tack on at the end (5pcs of different types of uni, including a fermented one). We wanted to add it but the chef advised against it as we already got the 15pc omakase and tried the best uni they had that day already. Next time though...will perhaps try the smaller omakase combined with the uni sampler! Juku gives a lot of bang for your buck at this price point in NYC, so take advantage :) They are available for reservations under Resy. Thanks to Chef Kei for an amazing meal! **Doesn't seem like either of the chefs are involved with 1OR8 anymore (I don't even think they serve omakase anymore!).

Izakaya/Basement Bar Review: Utterly sexy, shamelessly 'grammable. Whether you're hoping to land that deal with a client, entertain an out-of-towner, or impress a Bumble date, Juku seems to deliver on (literally) every level. With three unique floors of food and drink, this splurgy little gem is well worth it if you're seeking a little escapism surrounded by Lower Manhattan's most beautiful people. We did not try the omakase upstairs but did enjoy the izakaya-style bars on the first floor and basement. Sal and the rest of the staff made us feel so welcome and even gave us a tour of the new venue, which you can tell the owners put a lot of TLC into to make it #flawless. The first floor and basement bars offer a different vibe and cocktail menu. The first being very chic and modern and the other a little gritty and lurid (in the best possible way). We started off with a Momo Jiri cocktail ($16) at the ground floor bar. This spritzer-esque jasmine/gin cocktail is delicious and beautiful with a perfect little dianthus flower garnish. I spent a good two minutes just admiring it before even trying. It's low ABV enough to make you feel good but won't knock you down -- ideal after work sipper. The first bar is perfect if you're looking for a safe, sophisticated bet, but if you want to get a little dangerous, downstairs is where it's at. Going down a white, brightly-lit staircase, you have this feeling that you're kind of doing something illicit when really, you're just grabbing a drink. Upon entering, the venue is dark and intimate but as your eyes adjust its hard to miss the stunning mosaic tile and glasswork decor. Even the green velvet banquet seats are plush and sensual. The cocktail list is different but no less impressive or labor-intensive than upstairs. I cannot remember what I had but it was the first one on the menu and came in an adorable little elephant teapot with a tiny coupe glass. It was floral, berry, and tea-based and was worth slowing down to sip (and photograph, obviously). If you're a fan of places like Nitecap, Pouring Ribbons, and Angel's Share, this bar will be your jam. The small bites are also on point and don't be fooled by their simplicity on the menu. Fried chicken (kaarage-style) was bomb as was the spicy sauce that came with it. Very tender and juicy almost like an elevated version of Bon Chon's fried chicken. Also must recommend the meatball sliders on Wonderbread (which is apparently a hot item in Japan). A total wildcard that turned out to be amazing. Wish we had some for breakfast right now. To wrap this up, I highly recommended that you start or end a great night at Juku. We will be back for the omakase.

Ive been eagerly waiting to try this place because I heard it's great for omakase/the experience. I'm a die hard omakase fan. The service is fabulous and the staff/hostess is very friendly. The prices here are very steep. The ambiance and experience is great. The food however...it's not as mind blowing as other similarly priced experiences. I'll be honest, I've been to much better places that are slightly cheaper. The chef was very nice, but I wasn't wowed by my meal. The only thing I was really happy with was the scallop, otherwise everything was meh. Usually, I also experience some more expensive offerings, which wasn't the case here. I'm a die hard fan of salmon, so it's easy to make me happy and blow my mind with that. Juku however, was meh. I'm sure it's a wonderful place, I just didn't think the food was worth it.

Had the izakaya which was amazing. Had a bunch of plates to share and everything was worth getting. Got the chirashi bowl, which was a steal and worth it if they have it as a special. Uni sampler was fresh. Fried chicken and skirt steak were delicious. Skirt steak melted in our mouths. The veggies we had were also perfectly cooked. Great atmosphere and staff knows what they are doing.

Really like this place! Trendy interior, staffs are really nice. We basically tried all the items on the menu. Almost everything was good, the cod, cod roe gnocchi, Uni rice, lamb, Scallop,...... worth to try! The only thing I didn't like prob was the artichoke, it was a bit hard to eat. Executive was a super sweet lady as well. Cannot wait to come back to try the sushi omakase!

After a long day of sightseeing, walking in to Juku was just the vibe I was needing. Warm and inviting with trip hop music playing in the background. There are 3 concepts to this restaurant 1.) Upstairs, top floor is a priced fixed menu (@$120 per person) sushi chef prepares his choice of sushi for you. Only 12 seats 2.) 1st floor, main dining room with menu 3.) Bottom floor, very chill and cool vibe, mosaic tiled room that is gorgeous! We were greeted by christian the bartender, who gave us a sake tasting lesson. We so appreciated the customer service! This is not your typical sushi place where you order rolls and sashimi..all the fish flown in daily and is selected for you. So if you are a true sushi person, this is AMAZING and exciting! If you are the typical california roll, spicy tuna person and not to adventurous..not for you..however, there is plenty of options on the menu other than fish. We tried just about everything on the menu but the duck and lamb, well..best Ive ever had! Truly a great find with a gracious and friendly staff! Well done!!

Not a bad place. The menu is obscenely limited though. Cocktails were good. Try the potato item which is good. The sauce on it is great. The servers were nice as well. I have noticed that the bar area had more crowd than the dining area. Did I forget to mention that this place is a fantastic destination for Summer Tippler members!!!!

Came here in search of dinner, was told the chef has to go back to Japan and there was a limited menu available. Decided to stay because the fish was good the previous time but this time each piece was smaller than the length of my thumb and was not worth it for the price point. Spent over 100 on just a few pieces of sashimi and a bowl of sushi rice.

I had one of the best omakase meal here last night and I still can't stop thinking about it! The exterior of Juku is not noticeable at all so it is really easy to walk right past it. It is conveniently located in Chinatown and when you walk in, you'll notice it's separated into three levels. The basement level is a cocktail lounge and you have to go through a super trendy staircase to get to it. The first level is where you have a sit-down meal and it has a bar area. The second level is where you have omakase! There are about 12 bar seating and I love that they are HIGH seating. My friend made a reservation for us for omakase at 6:00 PM. We arrived promptly and were seated right away! We had Kei as our sushi chef and loved every moment of it! He conversed with us throughout the entire meal and explained where each piece of sushi came from. He also took his time to prepare each piece for us which we really appreciated. Not once did we feel rush! He gave us at least 5 minutes in between each piece! Now onto the sushi pieces... I really enjoyed each and every piece of it! Some of the pieces I had was unheard of in other omakase places. For example, I had a piece called Tile Fish and it was soooo smooth and silky. I'm not going to go into every piece but my absolute favorites were the sweet shrimp, scallop, and dungess crab! The price for their omakase was at $120 per person. I felt that it was reasonable compared to the quality and service they provided. I'll definitely recommend giving Juku a try!!

Lets first note that this is the izakaya review, not for omakase (book too late, chefs table was fully booked). The place is located in Chinatown between funeral homes (surprised that any Asian restaurant, especially higher-end restaurants, would locate itself between these services), not the best location. However, the interior is modern on the first (bar and tables and izakaya) and second (omakase table) floor. At first glance, the menu had limited variety (one side only) but enough for just the two of us. (Quality is always over quantity) We got the live scallop, uni rice, karaage, black cod, grilled veggies, and seaweed salad. The live scallops were amazing, they were extremely fresh and great dish to kick things off (love the dressing too). The black cod was much above par, crispy on the outside and tender inside. I was surprised we got the karaage because, for those who read my reviews, deep fried is something I try to avoid big time. Although it's been long since I had karaage, we both agreed that the fried chicken was first class. The grilled vege was a mix of mushrooms, tomatoes, and cucumbers along with lime. I expected a little more variety and portion, but it was satisfactory overall. Now moving on to the "hmm, soso". Yea, the seaweed salad and uni rice both have room to improve, at least from my perspective. Personally, I like to enjoy ice cold uni, but the bed of rice made the uni warm and maybe a little "fishy" for some others. The seaweed salad was a mix of many things, perhaps too many, always had a weird taste towards the end. With all that said, the pricing and service were all on par with the standard. The dishes came out a little faster than we expected, but we didn't rush through either. We didn't any alcoholic drinks besides hot tea, but you'll definitely enjoy these dishes with either a Sapporo or Dassai. The goal is to the omakase! food 4/5 ambiance 4/5 service 4/5 value 4/5

Juku light bites menu is limited but each dish is amazing. The drinks are fantastic, the lighting is sexy, the fish is fresh and the staff is great. Go check it for yourself

This review is of Juku Izakaya. Simply put, Juku is a hidden gem deep in the heart of Chinatown. Clearly one of the very best izakayas in New York. The food is excellent with great service and creative cocktails. The space is open and well decorated too. One small complaint, they do not serve their amazing sushi in the izakaya portion of the restaurant. We love Juku and will be back.

Real cool hidden gem downstairs. Great for late night drinks. The manager was very helpful and knowledgeable on their sake selection. Found us the perfect bottle. Need to try the restaurant and bar upstairs.

This was the fourth place we went for dinner so the ordering was very light but every single thing we ordered was incredible. Our server was a man with a cap that said "19" on it and he was extremely nice with excellent service. One of the kinds of servers that make you want to come back to the restaurant. Thank you +uni nigiri (Hokkaido) was probably the best uni I've had in New York. It melts in your mouth. Made me grateful for the universe. +toro nigiri - my bf ordered this and he closed his eyes in silence for a full minute to savor the flavor. I believe he said it was excellent + beef tataki - this dish reminds me of fine dining and had an excellently soft ponzu flavor. Eat it with the vegetables it comes with + homemade sesame ice cream - absolutely incredible with a sesame crisp! Closed out the meal perfectly + the cocktails were extremely strong but we diluted it with water and it was much more palatable afterwards Overall we need to come back for the full dinner experience!!! This is one of the few New York restaurants that made me immediately want to come back!

Fish was not fresh at all. Thought this was a high quality omakase place. I picked up takeout and the some of the fish was not edible. Pricey. Would not return.

Omakase review. I've been to dinner at the omakase bar upstairs twice. Both times have been pretty exceptional. SETTING: came with my friends for dinner last Friday night. They were able to squeeze us in for a late reservation made around 10PM. We waited in the downstairs bar area until we were summoned upstairs. Each seat was taken, with three omakase chefs working different parts of the bar. I think this was a 10 seater (maybe a few more seats). VIBE: The music and vibe of this place is perfection- they play old school rap/hip hop/r&b but at a noise level that doesn't deafen you and just adds to the trendy/fun atmosphere of the restaurant! SUSHI: omg. Just perfect-sized melt in your mouth pieces of sushi. This place is definitely on my top 2 list of omakase in NYC. Each piece is more mind blowing than the next. Don't even get me started on their "toro toro" piece which is two different pieces of toro on top of each other. It could bring a grown man to tears. SERVICE/PRICE: love the omakase chef here. We had the same one both times we went and he remembered us! He was super nice and friendly, laughing at the ridiculous faces we would make while eating the sushi (bc it was SO good). We each had a couple drinks with our meal (beers and two cocktails). It was over $800 for four people. It hurts me to spend that much money on sushi but for this place, I'd say it's worth it. VERDICT: I would definitely love to come back. Probably for a special occasion bc not everybody can afford to eat omakase every weekend (no matter how much they might want to). Highly recommend !

We were craving Japanese food during our quarantine period and decided to order from Juku since we have been there in the past. The bento box was definitely a delight! It was a perfect mix and match of everything that I enjoyed eating! We definitely ordered too much food for two people but it was soooooo satisfying to have a bite of everything I love. I highly recommend everyone to get this bento box! I love the restaurants attention to details and dedication to creating such a wonderful meal option for this special time!

Can't wait to visit again. A friend took me here for my birthday last year and the service, atmosphere, restaurant design, and food were all amazing.

Everything was delicious and the fish is so fresh that every piece will melt in your mouth. Highly recommend ordering out or dining (outdoor) here right now!!

I was craving sushi rolls, we noticed this place was a Japanese restaurant and we quickly made a reservation and came to the restaurant not knowing what to expect. There were no sushi rolls but the food was delicious!! Appetizers Steak tartare - just what you'd expect Steamed egg - for the price we were expecting it to be more special but it was just a normal yummy steamed egg with fish Larger dishes Lamb chop - most delicious lamb chop I've ever had. The spicy yuzu sauce was great with the lamb chop also Uni rice - what you'd expect Ramen with mushrooms and caviar - didn't know what to expect with this. But it was super tasty. Caviar gave it a nice savory flavor. Ramen was cooked just perfectly We only sat downstairs so maybe upstairs had more space? It was tight but intimate. Great date place though. Would recommend and if I return I'm definitely getting the lamb chop and ramen

I expected a lot from this place, but it was a total let down. The decorations were nice and all, but it's all about the food. I left the place starving after having the 15 course meal for $120. The sushi was nothing special and I've had better at other places for half the price. I regret spending the amount of money that I did that night. I would definitely recommend you look elsewhere. Don't bother coming here if you have a big appetite or you're a big eater in general.

Hello Juku, and a very most welcome to the neighborhood. Your pedigree and reputation precedes you, and you stepped up to the plate and not only met expectations, you blew them out of the water. Juku opened on Tuesday, and we found ourselves here 2 days later to beat the inevitable omakase rush, because let's be honest NYC... you can't resist an omakase chef with a pedigree. The chefs here make this an extremely personal and welcoming experience, and the conversation starts when you take your seat and doesn't end until you walk out the door. The scene at the upstairs omakase bar is isolated from the rest of the restaurant, but still has the upbeat music to give it some energy without overpowering the conversation with the chef. While part of the overall restaurant, it doesn't feel like it. You even have your own private omakase bathroom upstairs. At the moment, they serve a small omakase (12 pieces) and a medium (quoted verbatim) omakase with "15" pieces and a hand roll. I put the "15" in quotes as our omakase included 18 pieces and two hand rolls. To summarize my feeling on this place, this is some superior sushi. Some of the best I've had anywhere. Everything was truly suburb, but the highlights for me were the Tasmanian salmon belly, scallops with smoked salt, yellowtail belly, Japanese sardine, torched Japanese barracuda, chopped mackerel scented with shizo leaf, Hokkaido crab, marinated ikura, o-toro, eel, and the salmon belly and ikura hand roll. The salmon and ikura hand roll was absolutely fantastic. Truly one of the best hand rolls I've hand anywhere. The meal concluded with some tomago, and a glass of yuzu sake. First bite to last, start to finish, everything about this dining experience was top class. If you need a new omakase spot, or looking to incorporate some new excellence into the rotation, I absolutely recommend you pay a visit to Juku. This place is an absolute standout in what has become a highly overcrowded omakase scene in NYC.

I live nearby, so after passing by Juku every day I decided it was finally time to give it a shot. We went for their Izakaya section which is their small plates restaurant on the ground floor. The interior is really nice and intimate, it'd be a great spot for a fancy date or a dinner with friends. Their menu is pretty pricey and we weren't too hungry so we ordered two small plates: their live smoked scallop and the Uni Rice. Smoked scallop ($17) - the scallop was creamy and slightly sweet. The smoke they added to it gave it a nice rich flavor (kinda reminded me of bacon?) and it was an interesting bite. It almost tasted too rich tho with the smoke so I wish they added some acidity to it. Uni Rice ($25) - it's served in this cute little bamboo steamer and looked really tasty! There's a fair bit of Uni in it, and with the hot rice it tasted like Japanese tamago rice (raw egg over rice). The Uni was delicious - creamy and umami with a sweet brininess. The rice tasted a little bland tho, I feel like it needed a bit more seasoning or again some acidity to make it more interesting. Overall Juku is a cool addition to the neighborhood amongst the dumpling shops and tai chi grandmas of Chinatown. Pretty pricey but they serve interesting bites

This review is for the Izakaya portion of the business. There's 3 places at Juku: Omakase, Izakaya, Speakeasy. The omakase bar is upstairs, izakaya on the main floor, and speakeasy in the basement. I first heard about this place for their omakase. My friend took his gf their for their anniversary and loved it. They also mentioned there was a izakaya restaurant portion that caught my attention. When I went I made reservations through the GM, Ken, who greeted us once we were seated. The food menu fits on one page but everything we had was executed well. Here's what we had: ⁃ Crab and avocado salad: tasted great. Refreshing flavor. Ask for extra dressing on the side, it's good. ⁃ Shishito peppers: they were stemless! Guessing they took the stems out. ⁃ Salmon yakitori: melts in your mouth like butter, best item on the menu. ⁃ Chicken yakitori: very moist and tender. Hard to go wrong with chicken (thighs). ⁃ Pork katsu sandwich: comes out cut up into piece for you already. Looks like its a few layers of katsu, very filling! ⁃ Ice cream dessert: everything on this dessert was made at the restaurant. I would go back just for the desert. Came with some cut up strawberry, a matcha cookie, and a bao (the type you'd normally see w Peking duck) that was like a perfectly fried doughnut. ⁃ Seasonal beer (forget the name) ⁃ Bob Harris cocktail (basically an old fashioned) Definitely going to come back again for the omakase and the speakeasy. Glad to see Chinatown finally getting well done restaurants like this. Thanks for the hospitality Ken!

Fan of 1 or 8 in BK here. So when I heard chef Kazuo Yoshida from 1or8 just opened his own shop in Chinatown, I reserve my seat right away. More specific review per dish on my instagram https://instagram.com/p/BcL24nYAuCB/ Me and my friend dropped in the first Friday and two days after the official opening.While they are still working out the kinks as many newly open would, based in our experience, they are worth revisiting. One of my fav tonight was the madai aka red sea bream in matcha infused fish broth with koshihikari rice. The dish overall was mild and nutty on its own and paired up nicely with the pungent red miso. The presentation - pouring the matcha fish broth right in front of you, was quite fun to watch. Another crowd pleaser tonight, kakuni aka pork belly simmered in miron,sake sauce. The pork must be simmered hours before it turned into this savory-sweet, melt-in your-mouth texture. It was light yet so flavorful. The best part was the accompanying daikon which absorbed the Essenes of the pork while balancing it with some level of spicy sweetness from the veggie itself. The boiled egg was cooked perfectly with a golden, semi runny yolk. The yellow Japanese mustard - just like they would add a "mustache" on the rind of the bowl in Osaka- which I found it very cute. Equally likable was the kuro shichimi chawanmushi with seascallops and Hokkaido uni. Don't let the color deter you! It was quite unique as you won't see kuro shichimi being used in many Japanese restaurants in the city. The "black seven spices" (黑七味 is common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients especially Shichimi of Kyoto, likely including blacksesame nori hemp powder. It was mild with subtle nutty sweetness). It went seamlessly with the delicate eggcustard while highlighting the flavors from #seaurchin and scallop itself. It could taste bland to some especially if you are into big bold flavored food. But for me, this is the one dish that truly delivers the essence of Japanese culture . Embrace and enjoy the difference . #antitrump Overall we had a positive experience even with couple hiccups during the night which I don't bother to mention. Good was good tho not wow. Service was very good. As such I would certainly return for the sushi omakase next time.

I mean...every.single.bite. This food is special. This chef is firing on all cylinders. It's been a day since I ate here and I can't keep thinking of my meal.