TOWA

TOWA has a beautiful dining space with an intimate ambiance, woodsy accents, and friendly service. I tried the T-set course menu, which had both hits and misses. The presentation was stunning, and I appreciated the opportunity to explore a variety of side dishes I might not have tried otherwise. The soba noodles were incredibly chewy and satisfying, and the steamed egg custard was also a highlight. However, the main sushi course fell a bit flat - the fish pieces were small, and the quality didn’t feel up to par, with the bites lacking texture and coming across as a bit mushy. On the other hand, the black cod we ordered as an additional entrée was excellent - perfectly textured with a delightful sake and soy-infused flavor. Overall, it was a mostly enjoyable experience, though the sushi quality could have been better.

Pictures are a mix of the W and A courses. The food was filling and good; loved the apple sorbet for dessert. It was nice to try different dishes from two courses, so I’d suggest doing that for people who don’t mind sharing. I wouldn’t say it was spectacular but each dish did feel special, and the restaurant is very nicely designed too.

Delicious and beautifully presented Japanese cuisine in a casual and comfortable setting. TOWA is a great choice in midtown for a small group with individuals ranging from wanting an omakase or tasting style experience to those who aren’t as adventurous and want an a la carte menu. The dining area allows each diner to choose from one of 4 tasting menu options or order a la carte with parties being able to have diners doing both. Many restaurants require all diners to order from the same style of dining and this is a nice exception offering more options. There is also a more traditional omakase experience for those sitting at the sushi bar.

Delectable beautiful sushi! It was really amazing. Perfect temperature of the rice, the size, and the amount of soy sauce and wasabi added. The agedashi tofu was freshly made and delicious. Pairs it with a dry and smooth Hakkaisan seasonal sake.

The sushi was good, though the nigiri had too much rice and that filled me up. The rest of the food was fine, some better than others, and the portions were on the smaller side. I found the meal too expensive for what it is.

Wanted to love this place but felt like it was more like a “template” experience for everyone without much focus on service. Some of my food had bones in them as well which was unfortunate. Good not great imo.

We ordered the omakase menu at the table. While we didn't get to experience the full bar seating omakase, the food was still good. I'd say everything was a little too salty, but the rice was cooked nicely but it lacked stickiness. I could chew every single grain and not one was mushy but it didn't really stick to each other and I had to keep picking off rice that fell off. The service was great, the place was exceptionally clean. Overall great for the price. Their eel tasted great by the way, I want to give their full eel donburi dish a try next time.

Such an under the radar restaurant! We can here for lunch and had excellent sushi - the zuke in particular was memorable!

We went for a dining experience they were holding to celebrate their second anniversary. AMAZING. The theme was no-waste, and to that end, they were using every part of the tuna. There was broth made from the skin and bones of the fish, and there were cuts from all different areas. We were not able to get a seat at the chef's bar, but that was the only regret of the night. Walking in, they kindly took my coat and provided me with a basket for my purse. The decor was minimalist but still warm and the space gave the impression of intimacy. The staff were incredibly attentive and explained each dish when it hit the table. For pairings, they had recommended different sake for each course, but I decided upon ordering one sake per grouping. They were delicious. One of the more memorable dishes was the Katsu Sando, but made with a very thick and juicy portion of tuna instead of pork. Coated in an airy crisp and sandwiched between two pieces of crust less white bread, the flavor was so good that I still can remember that first bite. I didn't want the event to end. Everything, from the staff to the dishes, made it an incredible night and I can't wait to see what they do for their third anniversary. Whatever it is they decide upon, I will definitely be there for it!

Came to Towa on a weekend with some friends and reserved a spot about a week ahead with plenty of openings and probably could have walked in. The restaurant was very simple and elegantly decorated, which made it look very upscale. We had a pretty big table for ourselves and did not feel like it was over crowded or too close to the tables next to us. Our servers were very nice and overall we were satisfied with the service. The food was really good! I have only good impressions of the cooking. Each dish was fairly small so you may want to get a bunch in order to feel full. We had the tomato, duck breast, chicken wings, tofu, and each dish had unique blend of flavors. The sushi was mediocre, but maybe bc we did not order the right kind. The rest of the food were delicious, including the soba noodles. Would definitely recommend the tapas here and would love to come again!

The only thing I can tell you is that we ordered 98% of the menu. Was it a lot of food? For five, it was JUST right. Service was spot on, sake choices weren't bad, and food was delicious. Paying for the meal literally cost me an arm and a leg but if I had to do it again, I would - I'll just have someone else pay.

Really lovely experience at Towa! I got the W Course option, which has a diverse selection of well prepared and delicious dishes. Highlights for me were the soba noodles and the oysters - just so refreshing, particularly on a summer day. I also enjoyed the sushi; every piece was so fresh, although the wasabi flavor for a few pieces were a bit strong for my taste. I also got an Ichigo cocktail, which was so delicious and had an interesting peppercorn flavor that actually enhanced the drink. While the omakase spots are hard to come by, will definitely consider coming back to try the omakase experience if I get the chance!

We ordered O and W set. The sushi was not fresh with very fishy taste. The 2 pc oyster in the W set was not very fresh either. You can see one piece from the picture was really small. Overall overpriced and food is not fresh. Won't recommend.

In my top 3 for best homestyle Japanese in NYC. Feels super healthy while still yummy and all ingredients taste very high quality. Some of my fave dishes are the shabu shabu, clay pot rice, and any of their tempura. I came for the New Year's handmade soba and it was one of my fave lunch meals I have ever had!!

Came here as the last seating before they were about to close. My friend and I were hungry and the waitress encouraged us to order more but it was way too much and she should have warned us. The sashimi was fresh and high quality. The edamame are great but I think that's just due to them putting sesame oil on it. The chicken wings are good but could have used stronger seasoning. The confit tomato was nice and chilled and resfreshing. The miso black cod was a little mealy and fell apart too easily.

We wanted to do the OMAKASE, however the timing didn't work out as there are only two seatings per night (5:30 or 8pm). Our reservation was for 7pm. We were trying to figure out why it looked so familiar. I think this used to be a Korean restaurant. Anyway, they did a great job renovating the space, by making it cozy and welcoming. We couldn't decide amongst all the delicious sounding items on the menu and decided to try a few from each category. My personal favorite was the wagyu donabe, so delicious and perfect on a chilly day. It's like the Japanese version of chicken soup for your soul. Warm, comforting and just the right amount of richness. The sashimi were super fresh and the drinks were very delicious (we got cocktails and sake). Overall the perfect meal, can't wait to come back to try the OMAKASE.

I honestly don't understand why this place has such amazing ratings. It's very mid in my opinion, just extremely overpriced and underwhelming. I came her with my bf to celebrate our anniversary after seeing all of the 5 star reviews. We ordered an array of different dishes including some sushi/sashimi, donburi, maki rolls, and a steamed egg. Everything was okay and extremely small portions. We were stunned by the $36 donburi being just as big as the chawanmushi we got. There was nothing special in it, just uni, ikura and rice. The amount of uni was so small, I could barely taste it. For the maki rolls, the uni wagyu maki was completely overshadowed by the taste of the asparagus. I did enjoy the crunch and the flavor that it added but I felt that two pieces was way too much. Each time, I had to eat the uni separately to even taste it. The futo maki was quite an experience. Each piece was the size of a half dollar, huge! I did enjoy the roll but I think it was too much going on, especially with the slimy texture of the okra. I liked the sashimi but at $10 a piece, I would expect it to not to be stringy or so small. Overall, all of 6 items came out to be about $200. We were both so sad after we finished the meal and had to go and get more food afterwards. One major plus though was the service. The staff was very attentive and gave different plates and utensils for each dish we had. It was changed out frequently and our water was always refilled. This is a beautiful place but unfortunately, I don't think it's worth the price tag.

Overall, I think this is a solid place for good drinks and Japanese food. I was very impressed by how delicious and smooth the sake were, definitely some good sake my fave fave dish was the tofu skin with sea urchin, def a must get! -a5 wagyu yaki was good, but barely had any meat, and mostly mushroom (which was very goood as well) -toro shoyu was a bit salty -tomato umami was ok (this somehow popped as most popular dish, but it was just OK) -their sake was very smooth and good! (Junmai shimane on the sweeter side, junmai ginjo was perfection)

My partner and I came in last night and were really impressed with our omakase experience. We loved all the pottery on display and pottery we were given to eat off of. The staff was very knowledgeable and professional. We started with three small appetizers, tofu skin with ikura, fried white fish, and some greens in a dashi broth. Next we got a great selection of nigiri: Madai, wild yellowtail, striped jack, makarel. My favorite was the wild yellowtail; it was the most buttery yellowtail I've ever had. The quality of the rice was very good. I typically don't love makarel but this one was very good; good level of saltiness to it. Next we got some more prepared kitchen dishes: fish bone broth, unagi with caviar, pure buckwheat noodles (+uni for $20). It was my first time having unagi without the sauce and with caviar/wasabi as the highlight instead. Uni was very great quality and I'm glad I added it to my noodles. Next up was 1 piece of futomaki and nigiri pieces: Japanese scallop, ikura, otoro, Hokkaido uni, sea eel from Japan. All were very good, the marbling in the toro was beautiful. The meal ended with a negitoro roll, miso soup, and Fuji apple gelato/sencha tea. I wasn't totally stuffed by the end of the meal but I was very happy. Everything came together really well and felt complete. Hand Hospitality restaurants never seem to disappoint. I would highly recommend!

First thing I want to point out here is 3 sake for $19! It is super valuable if you are sake lover, th servicer always can give you some good idea. Good place to hang out wo Th friend after work. We had tomato as our appetizer, highly recommend grilled cod and sake cake. Shabushabu is a little bit salty, you can have it with rice. Personally I really like the maki as the cold dish. We order the sake cheesecake as our ending, it is a Japanese fusion style, it is not sweet at all but creaming. I will save this place for hang out with friend.

Delicious Saturday lunch omakase counter experience for $65. We scored a reservation the week before and were seated promptly. The cuts of fish were fresh and well prepared, with the perfect rice to fish ratio. Each piece came out in a timely manner and we never felt rushed while enjoying our food. You have the option to add other cooked foods from their menu as well as additional cuts/combinations of fish. I opted to get their negi tuna hand roll which was amazing, as well as both their desserts to share. It was the perfect place to bring friends, family, or even a date to enjoy a well crafted meal! We loved speaking to the chef and watching him work! I will definitely be back to try their cooked foods!

{Overall: 4; Food: 4}, Ambiance: 4, Service: 4 When I saw Towa on Yelp, I was surprised that I've never heard of it before. I was able to book a reservation at 7 pm on the same day. The entrance is a little hidden, but once I found it, it was like walking into an elegant, Japanese-style restaurant. The food was good, but was expensive for what it was. While I was originally looking for a casual weeknight dinner, this felt more like a splurge. While I would consider going back, I think I could find alternative restaurants with the same quality of food at a lower price.

A bit pricey, but if you are ready to splurge, this meal will be fantastic and you will definitely not regret!! Review is for the a la carte menu and not the omakase tasting. Menu: the menu is neatly broken out into separate sections on their own individual pages with Apps, grilled, fried, sashimi, noodles, etc. Food: overall the food was amazing. -Uni Ikura Chawanmushi: 5/5. The individual ingredients themselves were 5/5. When you put the 3 together - 15/5 stars. -Gindara Yuan 4.5/5. -Ebi Shinjo 5/5. My favorite dish. But i'm a sucker for fried food -Sukiyaki Nabe: was solid but probably our least favorite of the course. To be fair, we were pretty full by this point in the meal... -Seasonal Sashimi: 5/5. Our most surprising on how fresh the fish was. -Toumorokoshi Kani Donabe: 4/5. Corn and crab donabe. The waitress did recommend the wagyu donabe as that is the most popular. Will have to try that next time! Ambiance: A bit dark and a bit crowded. A stereotypical NYC restaurant, which won't be a problem for most. The decor and the atheistic were still very nice, but if you are looking for "space" this is definitely not the restaurant. Verdict: if you love japanese food, this place is a must try in NYC. They not only have omakase, but they have a variety of dishes that are all worth trying. Come hungry and leave full as I wanted to try everything on the menu. Will definitely come back!

It was love at first bite!! I loved each dish and they are bites that are not offered at your other standard Japanese restaurants. While the dishes are innovative, you can tell that they are still honoring traditional flavor profiles. I loved the tomato cooked in dash and although not pictured, we got two of the gindara yuan because it was so tasty. The server was also attentive and accommodating to our requests like getting a bowl of white rice on the side. The space was a casual atmosphere, perfect for a family/business outing or a casual date night.

Outstanding omakase! Sitting at the bar and watching the chefs in action, as they present a perfect fresh nigiri on your plate - so fun. Service was attentive and we enjoyed conversing with the chef; he even slipped us an extra fatty tuna after asking us which nigiri was our favorite. My spouse loves sushi, and having been to some great places in NYC, DC, and up and down the West Coast, Towa is his favorite. Yes, $150 per person was quite the splurge, though we've spend more on other omakases and they weren't as good.

A beautiful blend of modern and traditional Japanese dining. The aesthetic of the restaurant and sushi bar is clean and minimalist yet with a warm and organic tone. The service was attentive and incredibly friendly, helping us along the way to find the perfect drinks to compliment our dishes. The sushi was magical, we had the the tuna plate and every piece melted in my mouth. We each had a sake sampler it was exactly what I was hoping for. The wagyu dishes were incredible. They gave a hot stone which we could sear them up quickly too. The duck soba was such a beautiful and simple combination of flavors that was the perfect finale to my meal. Will definitely make a point to come back here next time I'm in town!

Celebrated our 29th anniversary here and it did. It disappoint! Super delicious, beautiful and fresh fkavoeThe Fall tasting menu was delicious as was the chawan mushi (must order!). Loved the delicious sake choices - I had two (Masumi Yuzu and Kuheiji) and the amazing Hojicha Old-Fashioned (could have been a little bigger). Look forward to coming again with others!

An easy 5 star for me. I really enjoyed the unpretentious interior made mostly of wood, which is a great fit for Japanese food. The dinnerware and utensils were great and added to the overall experience. The food above all was exceptional. Of all the Japanese spots in NYC, most of them are inauthentic or charging prices that don't justify the talent of the chef or the quality of its ingredients. Towa is neither of those things. It stands out in its authenticity, the quality and rarity of ingredients, as well as its attention to detail and willingness to be bold.m. I started with the Sakura Ohitashi, a seasonal spring item with bamboo shoots and broccoli rabe. This was an simple dish that had depth of flavor. Popular Japan, but uncommon in New York except at the most expensive restaurants. I enjoyed the eggplant with miso, which consisted of Japanese eggplant and different variations of miso which included sweet miso and wasabi miso. For main courses, the duck soba had a perfectly cooked medium rare duck, but soba noodles ultimately fell flat. I would recommend skipping this. On the other hand, the Donabe was exceptional. Using a Donabe is a traditional style of cooking rice that uses a clay pot and is often lost in the age of the Instant pot and tight work schedules. At $60, you're paying a premium, even though the Donabe was prepared to order and included A5 wagyu and myoga ginger. Nonetheless, it's a premium that's justified for the quality of ingredients, excellence in cooking and portion size serving 3-4 people. All of this left me too full for dessert. I will be returning to enjoy that and more on the menu.

My friend made a reservation at Towa and it was a great experience! Server was very attentive from start to finish. I personally thought the omakase menu was worth every penny. It was $120, but is now $150. We both got two drinks each, the Greenwich and Long Peach, and ended up really liking the cocktails. Love the Asian twists! The prix fixe menu was not limited to nigiri only, but had grilled/fried items and soups. Sashimi slices were fresh and melted in my mouth without any taste of fishiness. The variety definitely kept the meal interesting! Tangerine sorbet in the end acted as a refreshing palate cleaner. Overall, I highly recommend Towa. Everything tasted pretty solid. I appreciate the consistency from start to finish. My belly was super happy in the end!

One of the best omakase experiences we had recently. We sat by the sushi counter to enjoy the 18-course menu while watching the sushi chef make each piece with love. The menu was a great way to sample the highlights from TOWA, where we had nigiri, hand roll, soup, soba, and other items from the kitchen. We enjoyed the transition from 4 nigiri to other dishes before coming back to 4 more pieces of nigiri. The sake-tasting set was refreshing, and it paired well with the dishes. I also enjoy the oolong cocktail drink. We left the restaurant feeling extremely satisfied and full. We can't wait to return to try other dishes in the dining room.

It was a very average experience for me, and at this price point, there are many more options. We chose the omakase. When we arrived a bit earlier than our reservation time, we found that the first dish was already prepared and ready to be served as soon as we sat down. I didn't specifically request to watch the preparation of this dish, but having it completed and waiting in front of the chef before we even arrived was not a comfortable experience for the customer, I believe. The sake I ordered was poured and taken out in the back without bottle. You can't see if it's real or not. Aside from the sashimi, the dishes, such as the hand roll shown in the picture, were made from fairly ordinary ingredients. Unlike in most omakase sessions, there was no ask for your preference on the portion size of sushi rice. The chef only told us the name of the fish throughout. The final dessert, ice cream, didn't even have a choice of flavors and was very extremely sweet. It was overly frozen, tasting more like a slush than ice cream or gelato. After finishing, the staff didn't ask how it was and just handed us a menu with additional items we could order. Perhaps it would be better to offer this after asking. The whole process felt very hurried, commercial, and ordinary to me.

Some things were an absolute hit, others were an absolute miss. Had to wait 20 minutes past our reservation time to be seated which was a bit too long for our liking, but the service was great and they made up for it by comping tea and dessert. -Ika Shumai (3/5): good but not my favorite. there were a bit too many textures within the shumai and the skin was a bit dry by the time it got to us. -Wagyu Tataki (5/5): one of my favorites for the night. the wagyu was so tender and melted in mouth and the truffle butter that came with it was to DIE for. would come back for this, melt in your mouth drool worthy combo of flavors -Miso Cod (5/5): so so soft, one of the best cods I have ever had. Literally melts in your mouth and falls apart instantly. Only complaint is that I don't know how well the yuzu paired with it. -Nigiri set (3/5): OK. fish was not extremely extremely as fresh as I would have liked, and not the most soft either -Uni Wagyu Maki (2.5/5): a bit disappointing. the asparagus did NOT pair well with the wagyu and uni AT ALL and the addition of the perilla leaf in the maki made the whole maki taste quite strange and not the most appetizing. We ended up removing the asparagus and perilla leaf to fully enjoy the wagyu and uni (uni was not the most fresh though) -Truffle Donabe (3/5): OK. also a bit disappointing. loved the mushrooms and the burnt rice but the dish was a bit too dry (rice could have had a bit more moisture) and the rice could have been more flavorful too -Hojicha Panna Cotta (1000/5); TO DIE FOR. literally not too sweet, such a heavenly roasted tea flavor, an extremely smooth and refreshing texture. I will dream about this -Teas (5/5): got the matcha yuzu and soba tea. loveddd the soba tea

I brought my boyfriend to Towa for his birthday and we had a lovely experience. We opted for the Omakase and had nice front row seats at the bar. It was such a lovely experience and each course was high-quality and delicious. We had 18 courses, the uni special, and the summer sake flight. I sure was stuffed at the end of it! Our server was very attentive and she made sure we were taken care of. Even when I came back from the bathroom, she placed the napkin back on my lap! The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is that I feel you can get comparable high-quality sushi at lower prices around the city. Don't get me wrong, this was a great experience, but might be a little pricy for what it's worth.

A friend recommended we come here for dinner, so decided to give it a try even though I'm not a fan of omakase and sushi. I like the diversity of food options they have here ranging from noodles, rice dishes, steak, omakase, sushi and others. We ordered two DIY wagyu steak and shumai to share between 3. The wagyu was very tender, juicy and good. The staff was really nice and attentive during our time there. I personally feel that the entire menu was overpriced for the decent food we got. I did enjoy the ambiance and interior decor. Wasn't too crazy about the meal, though the experience was very pleasant.

This was a new restaurant when we came, we opted for normal dining vs the omakase experience. The drinks we ordered were solid, it wasn't all juice like some other places. For appetizers, we ordered the tomato and croquet. The tomato was very surprisingly refreshing but is a bit pricey. The Sukiyaki was the main reason why we came in, it was decent! I've had better sukiyaki around the city. I'd recommend this spot since there is potential and there is an omakase experience that I want to try at some point!

Great service! Chef was really nice as well! Fish was very fresh and 17 courses for $125 was totally worth it! The uni though was not that good from this place. Overall pretty good, and great for a one time experience.

TLDR: Towa is an awesome choice for modern Japanese dining, both an omakase and an elevated izakaya concept in one. Personally - I prefer the tables as opposed to the sushi counter. Don't forget to try the truffle croquette, the prosciutto maki or the yaki gani. We've tried every Hand Hospitality concept at this point, Towa became one of our favorites this year. We've done both a la carte and omakase, we prefer the former. For the omakase, it's a fair price point with some cooked dishes in between the nigiri courses. I would recommend the omakase for someone graduating from the more budget tastings into the mid-tier price range. If you're accustomed to the $200+ sushi-yas, you might be a bit underwhelmed. For me, the a la carte menu is something I find myself craving every couple of weeks. Towa is something like an izakaya that also happens to have omakase in the front. The team is great, especially the GM Natsuki and our favorite server Dana. The menu is broken up into various sections based on the style of dish it is. There are small plates, fried stuff, rice pots, noodles, sushi, etc. For the smaller plates, the truffle croquette is our favorite. A fluffy pillow of potato puree breaded in panko and topped with shaved black truffles. It's the grown up version of all those croquettes you ate when you were younger. It's rich, it's luxurious, it's strangely light on the palette as you eat through it. The wagyu tataki is a good choice too. On our most recent visit, we tried the monkfish tatsuta-age. So unique. Plump seasoned nuggets of monkfish with a very light batter and a squeeze of lemon to balance it out. Very unique. During the winter they also have a winter yellowtail shabu shabu. This truly caught my eye. The dashi broth is brought hot on top of a flame, there are some chrysanthemum greens, julienned carrots and thinly-sliced mushrooms to place in the soup. Sashimi-grade slices of winter yellowtail you can poach quickly in the broth. It's wonderfully fatty, the dashi is piping hot and it's perfect for the cold days lately. The sushi is good and there is a separate a la carte menu for the nigiri. The prices are fair but the nigiri is also on the smaller side. At $10 for a seared wagyu piece though, you can't really complain. The prosciutto maki is both unique and tasty. The outer slice of prosciutto is salty, the capers are briny, the dill and shiso flower lend this freshness of herb with a bit of sweetness from the crab and a creaminess of the avocado. It's a lot going on but it all works well together. Unfortunately my shrimp mazemen is no longer on the menu but the duck soba is excellent. The dashi is flavorful, the noodles are bouncy and the slices of duck are cooked to perfection. Our favorite dish on the menu though is the yaki gani. Period. Pieces of king grab are grilled in the shell and they're served with a side of miso sauce made with the crab innards. The meat is roasty, the sauce is rich and although it is pricey at $42; each bite your mouth will be filled with happiness. Don't leave without getting that hojicha panna cotta. The perfect accompaniment to the complimentary hot tea. PS - If you're into sake, the GM doubles as a sake somm.

Would recommend this place for the comfort food, but not so much for the sushi. The uni egg custard has great umami flavors, but was a tad too watery for my taste. The grilled eggplant was really good, and the spongy texture also made it kind of fun to eat. The Toro shoyu was my fav of the night - highly recommend! The grilled and marinated fatty tuna was incredibly tender, and the overall taste profile was not heavy-handed but just right. The grilled black cod was also very tender and flavorful. They definitely do their grilled fish very well. The Uni Wagyu Maki was decent, but not as good as I'd expected. The asparagus was a weird element and just didn't work in this roll. We also ordered several pieces of nigiri, of which I was not impressed. While the unagi itself was good, the rice bed fell apart... An indictment of the itamae's artisanal skills. IYKYK.

Fresh seafood, delicate flavors, and an extensive menu highlighting quality ingredients are just some of the reasons why I'm still dreaming about my dinner at this Kaiseki style restaurant. I loved the minimal decor, our sweet and helpful server, but most of all it was the food driving me to pen this five star review. I'll start with the best dish of the night-- the otoro. Fatty tuna is always a fan favorite among seafood lovers, but theirs is extra flavorful because it's soy-marinated and lightly grilled. The meat was so tender and the grated daikon and pieces of soy marinated potato added textural interest and more flavor. A dash of yuzu for light citrus flavor, a bit of chili for a subtle kick, and a sprinkle of chives gave it a nice aromatic flavor. Honestly this dish was perfect. Moving onto the Sakizuke course, I have to shout out the Kanpachi carpaccio. Slices of the freshest kanpachi I have ever had the pleasure of dining on were topped with diced Asian pear, sliced radish, ponzu, dill, and aromatic extra virgin olive oil. Like the otoro, this dish was fatty but the citrus flavor gave it some zest and made it feel like a lighter dish. I wondered what could warrant the $25 for a sushi roll until the work of art that was the Futo Maki came out. I love the slice of okra in the center that looks like a star, surrounded by tamago, cucumber, kanpachi, shrimp, tuna, salmon, and kanpyo. The different colors made it feel like a piece of jewelry but in food form. Each sushi piece was enormous, filling, and full of flavor. The only dish I ordered that I wasn't too keen on was the tako soba. The slices of octopus were fresh, but as much as I appreciate subtle flavors in Japanese cooking, the sauce was a bit too subdued for my liking. I didn't find myself reaching for this dish on the table. Towa is a beautiful ode to kaiseki Japanese cooking, and is where I had one of my most memorable meals of the year, as I reflect on some of my favorites. The team behind Atomix and Her Name Is Han has proven to be restaurant virtuosos, and I will follow them to every single NYC restaurant they continue to open.

We came here first time last Aug and came back this Feb. The place looked cozy and the service was attentive. Instead of the omakase, we ordered several dishes on the menu: -Ginadara Yuan (grilled black cod): the fish was tender and well-seasoned - Wagyu Ishiyaki (grilled steak): you grilled the thin-sliced wagyu beef on the hot stone. It smelled so good and melted in your mouth. It came with different sauce and dipping. One of my fav here! - Yaki Gani: It was nice to see that they doubled the portion this Feb in comparison with our visit last Aug. the crab was well cooked and smoky, and the creamy crab miso sauce was just chef kiss!! Another fav fish! - Nigiri set: the fish was fresh but not too special. - Asari and sansai donabe (cooked rice pot with manila clams and veggie): the rice pot was huge and hot. The server would mix and get the rice for you. The rice was well-seasoned. While the other grilled dishes were somewhat small-portioned, this rice dish would def make you full. Overall, the price was a bit steep for the portion (except for the dish) but I still think it's worth it. I would highly recommend!

Authentic, unique, yet casual Japanese dining experience. Although they have an Omakasa tasting menu, we decided to order à la carte from a beautiful menu - both visually and culinarily. This is high-end Japanese done in a friendly, supportive atmosphere, with great service and a relaxed feel. You'll definitely feel right at home. Do what we did, and try a bunch of things from the menu. Everything was absolutely delicious, and very approachable. Five full stars.

The ambiance, the service, the food! Towa has it kicking on every level! We ate a la carte, the chawanmushi is a winner, tempura fig and corn is really nice and not something I've had before and of course the futomaki and nigiri omakase were on point. I would love to come back and do the big kaiseki menu at some point.

Overall rating: 4.5 I've had this place on my list for awhile. I knew going in that it was going to be expensive. I knew it. But I don't think I realized how expensive it was going to be for the return. As others mentioned, the same flight is a great deal. And the food was really good! However, I was hungry after spending $100 which is no bueno in my book. I still kept this at a higher rating because I did know what I was walking into. Would I have liked a larger portion? Yes. But I probably won't be coming back. Just not for me. Maybe if I was a workaholic in finance and trying to impress my date. Maybe then. But alas, that is not my lifestyle, happily. Service was great. Ambiance was fancy.

A modern take on Japanese cuisine, Towa had some yum dishes but their staff was what shined through for me. 1. Chawanmushi - super flavorful and soft 2. Toro - literally melt in your mouth omg 3. Wagyu - was ok. Would recommend skipping 4. Asari - also was not our fav and would recommend skipping 5. Maki - I personally didn't enjoy this. I thought the asparagus gave everything a weird texture and I didn't taste either the wagyu or uni 6. Cheesecake - this was a miss for our group as well. The cheesecake was more dense than we expected and it didn't have much flavor 7. Panna cotta - my group didn't loveeee this but I honestly thought it was really good. Def give it a try if you're into the hojicha flavor profile Overall I thought the experience at Towa was more meaningful than the food. The staff was so kind and tried to bring everything out steaming hot. We had a very large group so I appreciated how accommodating and patient they were with us. All the workers make conversation with us and give us their recommendations. Our waiter even gave me an off-menu drink he was working on! I think I'd like to come back and try other items.

Had dinner here on a Sunday night and it was half empty although the omakase counter was fully packed. Ordered the Greenwich cocktail which was great, very refreshing and tasty. Ordered a bunch of appetizers and small dishes: Umami tomato - very refreshing and interesting. Wouldn't have imagined a pairing like this but the flavors worked 4/5 Kanpachi carpaccio 3/5 - a bit on the fishy side and was pretty bland Truffle croquette 5/5 - quite possibly one of the tastiest croquettes I've had. Delicious truffle flavor and fried to a perfection, it was light and airy Seasonabl donabe 4/5 - it was clam with rice for tonight and very tasty. Clams were fresh and sweet. Rice could've used a bit more salt/ soy Yasai tempura 4/5 - fried perfectly and liked the nice variety of veggies. The avocado was the star of the dish Fried shrimp rolls 3/5 - texture was a bit mushy because of the rice paper but the shrimp filling was tasty. A bit on the heavier side Simmered oysters 4/5 - nice presentation and oyster was fresh and paired well with the mixed mushrooms Overall, a good meal and some tasty dishes. I think they could've use a bit more salt in some dishes. Service was attentive and friendly. Would come back again to try some other dishes and get that truffle croquette again.

Among numerous Japanese restaurants in NYC, Towa is fairly unique, while it has one of the best Omakase deals in the city (m Yu personal favorite is the $65 10 course omakase for brunch only), it is really about Kaiseki cousine. Dashi broth marinated tomato, duck breast, black cod with yuzu sauce, and Wagyu Ishiyaki are all great. Service is tentative and polite.

Service was exceptional and the food was good but overall, a bit disappointing. There are two dining options, omakase (counter seating) and a la carte (dining table). The chefs at the counter were responsible for serving both. This might seem minute but it feels odd/confusing seeing the chef prepare food that were not part of the omakase course. It interrupts the "omakase experience". Overall the food was good but the value wasn't there for the price point. There were only 9 nigiri sushi. Two courses were broth, fish bone and miso. It tastes good but nothing special. The futomaki felt like a glorified kimbap. For a 17 course omakase, it leaves much to be desired. Although omakase was a letdown, the a la carte menu might be worth a try.

Relatively new place service traditional Japanese cuisine that is refreshed! Highly recommend making reservations ahead of time since it gets busy. We didn't do the omakase style food, but this place is the place to do it! We ended up getting a selection of food that was similar in price to what the omakase would have been. The Wagyu Tataki was my favorite dish. Melts in your mouth and heavenly!! The Ika (Squid) Shumai was also another standout that I enjoyed. Sushi was fantastic too and was classic. Definitely try the Panna Cotta at the end as well.

I was very disappointed. I read very good reviews about this place, and I just found that everything was extremely underwhelming and lacking flavor. The nigiri had some pieces that were fishy. The tomato dish sounded good in theory, but ended up being very bland and watery with no seasoning or flavors. The edamame was probably the best thing which is really simple to make. I didn't mind the miso fish but it wasn't the best I've had either. I would probably skip this. The vibes of the restaurant we're very nice. It seems like everyone was having a good time and it was intimate and good for conversation.

Came to try the main dining room for their cooked food. The appetizer fried shrimp roll was very good, flavorful, crispy, YUM. The appetizer Squid Shumai on the other hand was very meh. Not sure what is inside, barely tasted squid. The Eel & Tofu stew was tasty. Prosciutto Maki - my biggest mistake to try this LOL, why did i do that. I think we don't really need explanation why this dish is so wrong.

I had been following Towa on Instagram since they opened last year. The concept sounded like the kind of restaurant I want to support: independent, chef owned, Japanese cuisine, sushi, seasonal. Towa describes itself as "Contemporary Kaiseki by Chef Shirai." Chef Shirai is Masaya Shirai, owner, head sushi chef, who was basically my private Omakase chef for my 5:30pm counter reservation. I knew that I loved to eat Omakase even before Omakase was everywhere in Manhattan (which is a wondrous and wonderful thing these days!!). Only in the past year have I discovered Kaiseki, which is a traditional, multi course, hyper seasonal Japanese meal. It is a beautifully traditional approach with set courses (i.e., sashimi course, sushi course, chawanmushi course, Donabe Rice course, dessert course, etc.). Let me take a moment to talk about Donabe Rice. I'm not willing to say that I have one favorite food. But if I had to choose just one dish to eat every day for the rest of my life? Donabe Rice. Hands Down. (Donabe Rice is rice cooked in a traditional - hundreds of years of tradition - clay pot and then mixed with a variety of AMAZING seasonal ingredients.) At Towa you can order your own pot of Donabe Rice (they need 45 min to prepare it). I feel like is reason enough to go to Towa! Anyway, Kaiseki is the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine. And I LOVE IT. But it is still not that common in NYC. So Towa had my attention and I was pretty excited to try a spot that is blending Kaiseki and Omakase. So the reason my Omakase service was almost entirely "private" is that I booked for the earliest seating on a Tuesday and turned out to the only person in the restaurant for a good hour. Let me just say the service was excellent and attentive. Even with just me and the entire staff the vibe in Towa was really, really good. When you enter Towa the first thing is the Omakase counter, beyond which is the dining room. Chef Shirai, behind the counter, can see the entire room and knows what is going on in his restaurant. I too own a small restaurant and am the cook and can see my entire counter and room (MUCH smaller...) from my position at the kitchen pass through window. It is, IMO, the perfect model for an independent owned restaurant. The owner IS the manager. Get it? We set the tone. Chef Shirai sets a great tone. The set up in Towa is pretty genius, behind the sushi bar is everything the servers need for beverage service etc. So the serving team doesn't really ever leave the floor except to maybe pick up kitchen items (kitchen is at the back of the dining room). There is a good, multi page, Sake menu and I had a lovely bottle. My meal was excellent. Everything was delicious, beautifully presented. Sushi pieces were gorgeous. Kaiseki type courses were delicious, creative and varied in flavors, textures, mouthfeel and seasonal ingredients. Serving vessels and utensils are all carefully selected and really just wonderful. Don't be mistaken. What your food is served in and on does make a difference and is an integral part of Kaiseki. Chef Shirai's attention to detail and service is evident in everything you touch in Towa. Down to the ADORABLE tiny, iron teapot that serves as your chopstick rest. As I said, I was the only person in Towa until about 6:15am and then everyone else showed up (presumably because other people were actually working and living their lives prior to dinner). This is not a spot for tourists. I'm going to venture a guess that I was the only non NYC resident dining that night. Also? Towa has a a serious Japanese following. The two men who sat beside me at the counter were still in their business suits and at least one clearly only spoke Japanese. The only language I could hear after the dining room filled up was, actually, Japanese. There was even, somehow, a woman wearing a full Kimono...??? (I have no idea..#nyc) I say that to say that if Japanese people are coming for Chef Shirai then you gotta believe he's doing a legit job. Great food. Excellent service. Fun vibes. Also? YOUR OWN POT OF DONABE RICE!!!

Towa is not a sushiya, although they do have some sushi/sashimi offerings. If you come here expecting sushi works, you're dumb and need to go home. Towa is what Japanese food actually tastes like in real Japanese homes, when overworked parents have no time to roll handmade sushi, so they, you know, cook food like every other culture. Towa is about homestyle Japanese comfort food, but through the Manhattan lens of slightly too high prices for slightly too small portions. - Umami Tomato: Not as umami as I would've liked, especially given that tomatoes have natural MSG. But the dashi jelly, chia seeds, and passion fruit pieces were refreshing, and it was nice that the entire thing was pre-sliced for our convenience. - Yasai Tempura: I wouldn't have chosen this myself, but my friend wanted vegetables (so she chose the deep fried kind?). We got avocado, okra, eggplant, pumpkin, lotus root, sweet potato, and shiitake mushroom in our platter. - Anago Katsu: One of the more unique items being that it's eel cutlet. Tasty but tiny. So, so tiny. Wish they'd given twice as much to justify the $25 price tag. - Nasu Dengaku: From the same friend who wanted vegetables. Forgettable grilled eggplant with surprisingly little flavor. The three kinds of miso were indeed colorful but had no taste. - Wagyu Ishiyaki: To quote Rihanna, "This is what you came for". Hear that sizzle and smell that beef? That's people cooking their thin slices of A5 wagyu beef on a hot stone. I love DIY hot stone grilling, and it's so hard to find in NYC these days. This was good, but again, too little. I could've done with at least 5 more slices of beef. The accompanying sauces (wasabi, yuzu kosho, miso, and soy) were a nice touch. - Seasonal Donabe: Undisputedly the star of the night. It takes 45 minutes to arrive, and girl, it's worth the wait! Traditional cooked rice in a clay pot with seasonal Japanese vegetables I rarely see even in Japanese restaurants (besides Kajitsu). The first bite instantly took me back to my childhood days eating the donabe made by my Japanese grandma. Don't expect a flavor bomb, here. Donabe is subtle, nourishing and comforting--just like grandma. - Sake Kasu Cheesecake: I love cheesecake as much as Kim Kardashian loves a selfie, and you can't come to a JP place and not have JP cheesecake. This one was decent but not the best--it tasted a bit burnt and the yuzu honey sauce was kind of overkill. Want to get your liquor on? The best bang for your buck is easily the $19 Sake Flight that lets you choose any 3 sakes from the list of 8 or so options (so get the most expensive ones, duh). And the pours are pretty generous too. Skip the B & R Highball. Service was the attentive, obsequious, sweet-toned service everyone associates with Japanese people. I'm not sure I'd schlep back to Towa exactly, but I also wouldn't be opposed if someone really wanted to go. I just wish there was a 10% discount I could apply to the bill to even out those high prices.

My partner and I celebrated our anniversary here last Saturday and it was a lovely time! We were treated to a scoop of green tea ice cream at the end of the meal which was so appreciated. Really great service overall, even though the food came out very slowly... We were there for 2.5, almost 3 hours (!!) Our server and the manager came over multiple times to apologize, though we weren't particularly in a rush so we didn't mind all that much. I just hope they aren't usually this busy! We both started off with the Long Peach cocktail ($16/each) which was a refreshing summer drink but a bit too sweet for me. The real reason we'd been wanting to come here though was because of the Wagyu Ishiyaki ($38) aka the DIY steak grilling platter. It was such a unique experience! We grilled about 7 pieces of A5 wagyu on a hot stone and they were just deeelicious. As wagyu lovers we also had to get the Wagyu Tataki ($25) app. The truffle butter paired SO well and we scarfed that down in seconds. We then had the Seasonal Donabe ($34) which had oysters (I believe) and fresh seasonal vegetables. I liked the clean, light flavor the rice had, but it seemed a bit too bland for us. It actually would've paired very well with the grilled wagyu (rice on the side), but this dish came a lot later as it typically takes 45 min to make. After trying a bowl, we decided to pack the rest of it home and not overfill ourselves with carbs. This claypot rice is probably best shared between ~4 people. Then we shared a Nigiri Set ($39) and the Uni Wagyu Maki ($38) - both were very good. Did I mention we are wagyu lovers? Can never get enough. I think the sleeper of the night, however, was the Ebi Mazemen ($25). I love a Japanese-style pasta dish done soo right. Unlike the rice dish, these were very tasty and flavorful carbs that we just devoured. The texture of the noodles was perfect. Finally, we ordered the Panna Cotta (hojicha flavored! $10) with our complimentary anniversary dessert. As non-dessert lovers we thought both were the perfect way to end the meal. We were very satisfied despite all the waiting in between each dish we ordered.

Service impeccable: 7 out of 5 *server attentive, kept a good pace *wiped the table after every course * server describes dish, and how to approach it Uniqueness- supper cool: 7 out of 5 * well plated. Nice presentation ,Unique food combinations Food: tasted fresh Nice experience, small venue, ample staff, sharp Japanese attention to detail. Food was good.

Amazing food with an amazing crew. Chef Shirai played it cool when a group offered the chefs behind the counter Sake. The kaiseki was well paced and delicious. Do make sure the seasonal specials are not already on the menu, otherwise you end up with more of the same or similar things. But then again, can you go wrong with more of this kind of food?

May 27, 2023. 8pm Visiting NYC, wanted to try out an up and coming spot. There are two omakase times -5/8pm. We chose 8pm. 18 course meal. Dishes and the order were absolutely great. Friendly chef who loves baseball. Highly recommend for date nights, with friends, and casual business meets.

Amazing service from start to finish. Came a bit early and had a lovely conversation with one of the waiters (unfortunately didn't get his name :/ ) before my friend arrived. They had just gotten their liquor license and he recommended the Highball and Greenwich as their top 2 cocktails. I typically don't like cucumber, but went out on a limb to get the Greenwich, which was well made and very refreshing as he suggested. For food, my friend and I ordered a la carte and got the edamame, sukiyaki nabe and each of us got a nigiri set. Before diving into each dish, I must say that the menu is a bit difficult to read. There are tons of pages, each with only a few dishes on them and a funny thin flappy paper between. Makes the menu seem fancy but tactically not the most intuitive. Food ------ Edamame (5/5): They give lots of edamame, which is well seasoned, not too soft and a great start to the meal. Don't typically order edamame but this dish is definitely worth sharing if you enjoy edamame. The two of us couldn't finish the entire bowl, so beware that it's quite a bit. Sukiyaki Nabe (4.5/5): Good, with great flavors, but meat was a bit tough. Veggies throughout were great. Didn't come with rice but was good eaten alone too. Nigiri Set (3.5/5): Unfortunate since I wanted to check out the spot to see if I wanted to try the omakase at some point. The nigiri set included chu toro, salmon, unagi, ikura, hotate and some other pieces I don't remember. Hotate was a decent size and quite good. A lot of the other pieces I felt weren't too impressive. The sauces also didn't bring out the best of their flavors. Summary ------ Their hot dishes were quite good and service was phenomenal. Bom explained each dish as it was brought out and also checked on how we were doing throughout, asking if I liked my cocktail when he saw I wasn't drinking it too quickly (I usually don't drink cold drinks until after most of my meal is done). Would come back to try their other dishes and enjoy the vibes!