Kosaka

NYC has so many amazing sushi spots and I was really excited to try this newcomer on the high end omakase dining scene. I called the day of for a reservation and was told that the bar was completely full but put my name on the waitlist. I get a call at 8PM about a 9PM cancellation, so I quickly made my way down here.
Kosaka is run by an ex-​Jewel Bako chef, which once held a Michelin star. They have two options here — a $ 145 sushi omakase and $ 175 omakase with a mix of sushi and cooked dishes). I opted for the $ 145 sushi-​only omakase, which came with a small seaweed appetizer, about ~15−16 pieces of nigiri (including a hand roll), and a dessert trio. The sushi here is very traditional (very minimalist and sparse with toppings, which is the way I like it) and there was a good selection of fish. Highlights for me included the salmon (which had a smokey flavor to it), the shrimp (very sweet), and the mackerel (came with cabbage and a soy dressing). They ended the meal with a miso soup, and the matcha truffle dessert was delicious (I wish they would sell boxes of these!).
Service was attentive, and the sommelier (is this the right word?) recommended a great sake that we were really pleased with. Overall, solid meal but I do think there are better sushi joints at this price point (Nakazawa, Shuko and Ichimura come to mind) and while I did enjoy Kosaka, I would probably return to those others before I came back here.

Aaaaand they are open! Wow I have been waiting for Chef Yoshi’s sushi for far too long. Ever since he left Jewel Bako back in August I have been so lost in finding a suitable sushi omakase experience.
So… Kosaka, the new kid on the block in a city filled with seasoned, extremely prestigious sushi restaurants. And boy did Kosaka come out swinging. Am I the only one who saw all the one-​sided reviews on multiple outlets on the internet?! Even the bloggers are getting in on the action…
I went in with a good friend of mine on a Friday, it was packed! Good thing I reserved two weeks in advance. We sat at the counter and had the Chef tasting which consisted of «signature dishes» and sushi. I was a little hesitant when I read signature dishes because we all experienced those dishes that are total misses.
My verdict is a solid 9/​10, you must check this spot out.
Food } Sushi was on point, every piece sophisticated and powerful (best toro i have ever had, best handroll OMG)
Signature dishes were pretty good, maybe 1 or 2 being too simple? But the Chilean sea bass they called it was out of this world good. I almost asked for the recipe.
Service } attentive, not to disruptive. Really friendly and polite. Felt like I was having dinner with my fam.
Price } I thought I got what I paid for but I can see why some would consider this too expensive.
Drinks } very nice selection of sake, we had the Ken? Blue bottle? Really went well with our dinner.

Called for a reservation a few hours before opening and was told the only resv left for the sushi bar was at 6pm. when i got there at 6pm there was only one other couple at the bar and throughout the whole meal (1.5 hours) only 1 other couple came in. I dont get why the receptionist would tell me that 6pm in the only time slot left when the sushi bar was ½ empty the whole time i was there?
Food was very BLAND and not worth the price of other high end Sushi Kaiseki places like Shuko, Neta, ichimura, nakazawa, masa, and even O Ya which I didnt like but thought it was still better than Kosaka
Opted for the Chefs tasting menu ($ 175), 1 sake pairing (70), also added the Uni platter and toro with caviar (both $ 40). Bill was $ 600 for 2 of us with tip
–Uni was fresh but was not very flavorful and was hard to tell the difference between the 3
— monkfish liver tasted like plain tofu
— miso sea bass was overcooked
— way too much toro vs caviar so the dish ate very bland. The gold flakes and chive didnt add anything
— Sushi was avg but 2 – 3 pieces that i picked up as soon as it was placed on my dish fell apart
— dessert was a merengue cookie dipped in chocolate and a green tea butter cookie!!!
So this might have bothered me the most. There were 3 sushi chefs including Kosaka himself but not once did Kosaka make a piece of sushi or cook. He pretty much stood there and watched over the other 2 and supervised. There were just 2 and later on 3 customers at the bar, why wouldnt you as the head chef want to be more involved?
Overall everything was very BLAND and BORING. Service on the other hand was polite and attentive.
I have no clue how anyone can give this place over 2.5 stars when there are so many other good places (read above).

KenScale: 8.5÷10
New York City already has tons of great sushi restaurants; I haven’t been to Tokyo yet (but will soon in the spring), so I can’t compare the level of sushi there to what New York City offers, but what struck me most about the sushi scene in the city is the diversity of style (from traditional edomae to more fusion incorporating a variety of non-​fish ingredients). At the same time, the freshness of fish at top-​shelf sushi institutions in the city is certainly at the very high level. Kosaka, led by chef Yoshihiko Kousaka (formerly of Jewel Bako in East Village), is another new entrant to the sushi game in the city, and I must say, a pretty good one. I was surprised when the server approached me to take orders in Korean (I was with a Korean friend as my dining companion). Apparently, the owner and the staff are all Korean while the chef’s team is all Japanese. A rather interesting mix, but I digress. Let’s get to the food.
The style at Kosaka is more geared toward traditional style; there is nothing really fancy that goes into each piece although the fish is all properly seasoned so there is no need to use soy sauce. There are two tasting menu options ($ 145 per head for sushi omakase and $ 175 per head for chef’s tasting menu), as well as some a la carte options. I went with the sushi omakase option and (obviously) sat at the bar where chef Kousaka began serving all the pieces himself after a very delightful crab and avocado salad. I was really a fan of many of the pieces, which were incredibly fresh and had proper balance of seasoning. Rice also had the right amount of firmness that worked very well with the fish. Tuna was really the strength at the bar that night, whether it’s the Bluefin tuna, medium fatty tuna or the toro. All three pieces were just literally melting in my mouth! Uni, another favorite of mine in sushi restaurants, was also incredibly fresh and had the silky smooth texture that was just so memorable. Sea eel and shrimp were also winners. My favorite of the night, however, came from an unexpected piece. I usually think of maki (seaweed hand rolls) as an afterthought, as they have a hard time shining compared to the other sushi pieces, but the one at Kosaka which consists of toro, pickled radish and scallion was simply outstanding. The ingredients inside the seaweed wrap were working together so harmoniously that I wished I could’ve got another even though I was getting pretty full by that time. Some pieces were slightly off, such as Tasmanian king salmon or sea scallop with yuzu (nothing wrong with the texture, but seasoning was slightly off for both), but overall the omakase at Kosaka was a very pleasant affair. The meal ended with tamago (I haven’t had these egg dish in a while but wasn’t my favorite here), followed by miso soup (a little too salty) and the assortment of desserts (green tea pudding was delightful, but chocolate mochi was a bit funky) accompanied by tea.
My dining companion got the reservation so I’m not sure how difficult it is to get seated, but the sushi bar area is relatively small, so my suggestion is to try to book early (and as always, for the bar not the dining room inside). I liked the modern décor of the restaurant; service was attentive and there are some nice sake selections to choose from the menu. Kosaka is another welcome addition to the sushi scene in NYC, and I definitely recommend having a visit at some point if you’re a sushi aficionado.

Came here on a Tuesday night. Nice ambiance and décor.
We did the sushi omakase and ordered the toro tartare as well. Giving 3 stars because even though it was good, it wasn’t mind blowingly great. The fish was sliced a little too thin in my opinion. The tartare was also kinda small for the price.
Overall it was a pretty decent meal but i don’t have the desire to want to come back any time soon. I’d say to check it out once if you’re just looking to cross a place off your list of omakase spots to try… If you’re not… Ehhhh take your money somewhere else.

3.5 stars
Food overall was good, but serving Maine uni in the omakase was such a let-​down and the sushi rice was not great and overwhelmed the taste of the fish at times. Less sushi rice would have been better. There were two pieces of the Maine uni in the omakase — not sure if that was a mistake, but I was very disappointed. I also tried the uni appetizer, which featured uni from Maine, Santa Barbara, and Hokkaido. The Maine uni really stood out as not tasting good at all, but I have never been a big fan of East Coast uni, which has a unique chemical taste that stands out (at least to me it tastes like chemicals). The Hokkaido uni was the sweetest and very delicious (as expected), and the Santa Barbara uni was very clean and light in taste (as expected). The caviar and toro appetizer was decent. Only a couple pieces in the omakase were unique and exotic. I think this place is a touch above Jewel Bako, but not as good as the top tier guys such as Shuko, Kura, Ichimura, etc. For dessert, there was a matcha almond cookie (OK) and a strawberry daifuku (delicious). Service was excellent.

1. The rice in the sushi was really poor. We began to simply take the fish — which was quite good — off of the rice. Sushi is 80% rice, 20% fish, so we were utterly astonished that they served us such terrible rice. It was inexcusable.
2. Some of the warm dishes that begin the full omakase were utter misses. We laughed at one of them, as there was just no way to eat a massive root vegetable without picking it up out of the broth with your hands.
3. Service was very friendly.
4. The Santa Barbara sea urchin, which we added on top of the menu, was absolutely delicious.
5. Miso soup was delicious.

This marvelous addition to west village offers you beautiful fresh sushi (chef doesn’t use farm-​raised fish), great wine/​sake listing, sophisticated deco & superb service: perfect harmony! I had fabulous christmas eve dinner-​Thank you KOSAKA!

I was there with my mom last week and we were seated at the bar. It was such an AMAZING experience. We had Omakase and we really did enjoy every single piece of sushi that was served. It was one of the best sushi I’ve ever had. They serve sushi enough to make you full.
Service was OUTSTANDING! Staff is very attentive, friendly, and polite. They got busy during that evening, however, staff was still attentive throughout my meal. Didn’t feel neglected at all.
The atmosphere and the décor of the restaurant was cozy and elegant overall.

«If you think Tiffany’s is a bargain…»
I thought that $ 10 juices and $ 9 coffees couldn’t be topped in the golden cobbled streets of the West Village. But apparently I was in error.
If I imagine it’s 2003, then yes this place has amazing unique cuisine, attentive service and star quality chef aura. Unfortunately for this establishment, It’s 2016 and there are many Japanese restaurants in the East Village that top this place at half the price. Jewel Bako alumni or not.
What’s to cheer:
— fresh fish
— good selection of fish in the Omakase. Even some unique fish I haven’t had before (and I’ve had sushi nearly all of the continents & Japan)
What’s to jeer:
— $ 145 Omakase!
— nothing else really on the menu as a main besides the Omakase
— «Light» pour of wines/​sake. Sorry, at these prices, «better fill ‘er up!»
— dated music
— over stuffy environment
If you are one of those guys with a lot of money, don’t know sushi, and want to impress your collagen lipped, Breast implanted date, come here!

We ate here on 1÷5÷16 and had an excellent experience. Chances are, if you are obsessively checking Unilocal for new reviews, you should probably just make a reservation. IMO, I feel like this place will get more expensive as it gains popularity. Personally, I’m trying to think of another excuse to come again.
Chef Yoshihiko prepared our omakase, and I enjoyed all 16 pieces (plus appetizer, hand roll, miso soup, and mochi) immensely. My stand-​out favourites were the Hokkaido uni (usually I prefer SB uni, but this Hokkaido one was not too briney), Ikura (somehow much less salty than I’ve ever had it before, but full of rich flavour), and the anago (simply divine!!!).
This is possibly the nicest omakase we’ve experienced (for context, we’ve been to Ichimura at Brushstroke, Cagen, Kura, and 15 East in NYC). Other than the appetizer, handroll, miso, and dessert, all pieces were nigiri (no sashimi). The rice is a little loose compared to other nigiri I’ve had, but I think that’s Chef Yoshihiko’s style!
In terms of service, we had no issues. Pieces were ready 5 – 8 minutes apart (judging by the time stamp differences of my photos).
Atmosphere is nice, but not overly formal (for example, I felt very self conscious at Ichimura taking pictures, but not here).
Staff is very polite and friendly. I think they are told to obsessively check for wet spots at the counter or moisture on your serving plate, because they are always camping you and wiping/​blotting any wetness away (which is a *little* intrusive, IMO, but I understand that some customers might like that level of attention).
For drinks, we shared a 300ml of warm sake amongst three in our party (there’s just 1 choice of warm sake), and as a person who very rarely imbibes alcohol, it was really easy to drink. So this is a great option for newbie drinkers!
Dessert was mochi: I received a chestnut one, my husband got a strawberry one, and our friend got a yuzu one (I think that’s what he said). We think these are from Rin NYC.

I honestly hate writing this review as I love Chef Yoshi. I followed him from Jewel Bako and was super excited to try this place. Sadly I must say, don’t bother coming unless you’re full.
First off, we had an 8:30 reservation and didn’t get seated until 9:15. Nothing was offered during the wait, not even water. As the omakase began, the sushi was amazing as expected but the service was abysmal. It was easily 15 – 20 minutes in between pieces and that’s being on the generous side.
Again, only an apology was offered and nothing else. They even stopped coming over to ask me in fear of me blowing up on them from sheer hunger.
Quite simply, the sushi is great. The service is beyond horrible. Don’t even bother coming until they get their stuff together. Such a disappointment.
Update: As the night ended and the other patrons left, I let them know my true feelings about the service and experience. They apologized by comping the alcohol. This was a grateful gesture but no one comes out to a sushi place like this looking for freebies. I came for a good time, not a stressful one just to receive a discount. For this gesture at the end, I have increased their rating from 1 to 3 stars.
Again, I am greatly conflicted as the food is amazing but the experience was horrible. It should never take a customer to get as angry as I did (to the point of just wanting to walk out) just to get a true apology. A simple free cocktail through the wait would have sufficed versus comping my entire alcohol bill.

Amazing! I was recommended to try this new omakase place by my friend and I finally did. I definitely give 5 stars for their food and the services. My favorite was the scallop with yuzu form (I’m not a big fan of scallop though)!! Of course, the otoro and uni was so right~! I shouldn’t forget their starter, tuna tartar with caviar and gold on top of it! I would say this is better than Sushi Nakazawa not only because of the sushi but also because of the décor and plating. I was a little disappointed by Nakazawa’s cheap décor and plating… when I go to high end restaurants, I expect certain levels of décor and accordingly presenting plates (my ways of grading places). The presentation of Kosaka was nicely matched, food quality, plating, décor and the service. I would definitely go back and recommend to other people!

When I heard that Chef Yoshi was the head sushi chef at Kosaka, I could not wait to go there. I was not at all disappointed when I went. Not only were the presentations laid out so perfectly and delicately, (the plates by the way are handmade from Japan) but the Toro, and Uni in particular was some of the very best I have tried anywhere, and I have been to the top sushi restaurants in NY.
The ambiance was intimate and the wines tasty, but the fish and the way it is prepared really blew me away. I will definitely be there as often as I can afford to. :)

I came here with my gf because of recommendation from my friends. I chose Omakase from the menu and it was amazing. They will start you off with small appetizer and will make you full with a beautiful sushi. Every single piece was amazing and unbelievable.
Staff service was superb. If you want to dine here, you should probably make a reservation. I would be coming here again and will be recommending to my friends who love sushi.
Overall, Perfect.

Impeccable food, drink, and service! What an experience. :)
Came on New Year’s Eve and had the best sushi (+ additional plates) omakase offering we’ve had since my wife and I were at Tsukiji fish market and other Tokyo establishments.
EVERY piece of fish tasted pure and clean. Great ginger to clean the palate between each bite of enjoyment.
Wine (including Sake and Champagne) list was super. Got a bottle of Ken sake and a half bottle of Rose Champagne.
Their mochi desserts were beautiful and tasty.
Will post pics soon…

Unforgettable sushi experience. …period!!!
Unilocal force me to add more comments.. so I would like to add incredible services…

My mouth sang all the high notes tonight! An exquisite sushi omakase meal prepared by sushi craftsman, Chef Yoshi, formerly of Jewel Bako. Undoubtedly, the best sushi experience I had.
Elegant and intimate space, attention to detail, impeccable service, and then the top-​notch quality fish, expertly and lovingly prepared by a chef who is passionate about his métier.
We supplemented our omakase meal with a generous serving of the über fresh Santa Barbara uni. As soon as we walked into the restaurant, I eyed the artfully arranged three spiny uni on a bed of ice on the juncture of the sushi bar. A rare treat of sweet, creamy, mildly nutty sea gift was served on the spiny sea urchin shell.
Then the pièce de résistance, and the true talent of chef Yoshi, nigiri sushi. This is where chef Yoshi shines the brightest, an impeccable morsel of seasonal fish and perfectly prepared rice. I had a memorable chutoro, scallop, and extremely tender seasonal fishes kinmedai and akamutsu.
We ended our fabulous meal with a surprising raspberry truffle mochi and a matcha dessert.
It was that good! A must experience for a sushi afficiondo!

I am not much of a Unilocal reviewer and I would like to be honest in saying that I am friends of the new owners of Kosaka. I am a full on sushi snob and I’ve eaten at all the top sushi spots not only in NYC but London, Tokyo, HK, etc. I will honestly tell you that the quality of the sushi and the service are top notch. The owner, Mihyun, along with Chef Kousaka, will give you a dining experience that will not disappoint you
Kosaka is a high-​end sushi restaurant that gives you a pure traditional experience and allows you to have closer contact to the sushi chef and the staff. All of the sushi has an innovative touch that still feels like a traditional meal. You can taste the freshness of the fish, the quality of the rice, and the crispness of the seaweed. Any sushi purist will immediately see this in the first bite
One of the most important aspects of a high-​level meal is service. The owner, sushi chef, and staff are attentive to every need and will remember everything about its customers’ tastes or needs. You will feel like a VIP, no matter what you spend here. This attention is what lacks most restart in NYC
I may be biased in this review but trust me and give it a shot. You will not be disappoined

I must admit I love Japanese food and I have frequented Japanese restaurants in NYC for several years now. Of course some Japanese restaurants are good, but some are very good and then there are Japanese restaurants «that are special».
The only ways to describe the newly opened West Village Japanese is «Very Special». As soon as you enter the intimate Japanese environment you feel both at home and possibly at home «in Japan». The atmosphere is warm and friendly but not pretentious… luxuriously comfortable is how we felt during our several hour visit to Kosaka.
There is a nice write up from Zagat here about Kosaka —
Chef Yoshihiko Kousaka is one of the finest Sushi/​Japanese chefs in NYC, if not the US. Watching him prepare our dinner at the intimate Sushi bar was enough to classify the experience as special, although as each delectable «fine Sushi» piece was served and eaten, the experience moved from special to «extraordinary.
If you like fine Japanese dining you owe it to yourself to try Kosaka, I would pretty much guarantee that you will have a wonderful evening, I don’t believe that Kosaka is capable of anything but delivering the best with regards to atmosphere, Japanese Cuisine, Saki and great wine. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!