Tanoshi Sushi Sake Bar

Overall, the entire meal is not bad. I would put a rating of 3.5 cause it is better than average restaurant, but it is not as memorable as I had hoped. Fish is fresh, can’t complain. What stood out for me is the occasion use of torches here. I would think the meal is comparable as sushi Nakazawa.
Had the following omakase.
Fluke with Yuzu.
King salmon from nz
Tuna from boston
Marinated amber jack with marinated cherry blossom leaf
Miso cured cod torched
Scallop from Hokkaido
Salmon roe
Sea urchin Santa Barbara– still has some fish smell but not too bad
Sea eel Tokyo bay– light fluffy but tasty
Red Miso soup with snapper aka dashi
Squash not bad. Little sweet.
Tuna Amber jack maki
Spicy salmon roll

This place is what sushi is all about. No frills, nothing fancy, just good ol’ omakase at the chef’s sushi bar with fresh fish that can compete with any of the more well known spots (Yasuda, Nagazawa, Gari) at half the price. It’s a small place with only 9 – 10 seats so you will have to make a reservation online about a week in advance.
Don’t forget that it’s BYOB… But in case you do, there is a liquor store a block away towards downtown on the same side as the restaurant that sells quality sake and other adult beverages.

This place is just amazing. Is it better than Gari… I am going to say yes.
BYOB so bring your own booze.
Really, this is amazing stuff. I could cry just thinking about it.
After I eat at Tanoshi I usually don’t have sushi for a month. Get Omakase and then get all the extras. Talk to the people at the counter with you. Enjoy every second. Feast. I am sure it is debatable over who is the best and where and why, but I will say that everything here, for me, is just perfect.

Next to Bugs and Yasuda, this is also one of my favorite omakase. They were very accommodating with BYOB. My BF and I brought our own wine bottle. Nothing like a little drunky sushi sess.
The sushi was amazing. The sushi rice was the rice texture and all the sashimi were extremely fresh. I loved every single sushi piece. The uni was my absolute favorite piece. We ordered additional uni pieces.
The seating area was very cramped but what can you expect.

Tanoshi may possibly be my favorite and regular restaurant for omakase sushi, from now on.
IMHO, it is very close to the quality of sushi I have had at Sushi Yasuda, but at about half the price.
To start off, make a reservation online or by phone. It’s going to be impossible getting a table here because each seating only has 9 – 10 people, surrounding the sushi bar and chefs. Secondly, choose between their 3 options: regular omakase (10 pc), special omakase (10pc) or double omakase (20pc). The last takes about 2.5−3hours to finish. We went for the double, and let me tell you, it was awesome. Another BIG bonus about Tanoshi is that they are BYO everything for drinks. Sake is a must, because it pairs with the fresh fish and sushi rice very well. I highly recommend visited Sakaya (in East Village, near Soho, NoLita) to purchase some high quality sake for the meal.
The 20 pc omakase might seem overwhelming, but is quite doable. Being big eaters, we actually ordered 5 more pieces on top of the double because their nigiri was so good. Tanoshi prepares edo-​style sushi, with loose soft sushi rice and lightly marinated fish. Each piece is usually paired with its own garnish (pickled kelp, matcha powder, poached egg yolk) to accentuate the natural flavors of the fish. Everything was delicious and many stood out to me. Their black bean marinated and poached octopus was quite possibly the best octopus I have had!
Whereas Sushi Yasuda is the purist jedi Obi-​wan Kenobi, I feel Tanoshi is its more casual, but equally skilled jedi master, Yoda. Both are very good at their craft and present equally enjoyable experiences. Sushi Yasuda offers a slightly more personalized experienced because the sushi chef will ask for your preferences of fish before presenting you with the omakase. Service is a bit slower. They also have a wider selection of fish. You can definitely keep ordering more and more fish, but the price tag at Yasuda can get hefty really quickly. Moreover Yasuda is more about the purity of the fish, less sauces. Very clean. That being said, Tanoshi is also really really good. The chefs are skilled, but have more personality and will interact with you during the meal, telling you about where the fish came from, how it was prepared and how to enjoy the sushi. Being able to have a conversation with our chefs also allowed them to gauge what we flavors and fish we enjoy.
This was great because the 5 additional pieces that we ordered paired well with our palate.
Listening to the story and creation of each nigiri sushi allowed us to appreciate the fish before us more as well. This was definitely lacking at Sushi Yasuda, where I just felt I was eating piece after piece without knowing how to appreciate the fish. Therefore, I really enjoyed the sushi bar experience at Tanoshi’s. Yasuda, on the other hand, is very quiet as most of the chefs only speak Japanese (there were times where I didn’t understand what we were served, which was sometimes frustrating at times). The sushi pairings at Tanoshi are also more unique. The fish at Tanoshi is excellent. Between Yasuda and Tanoshi, Tanoshi Sushi Sake Bar is my omakase staple whenever I’m in NYC.

My boyfriend and I have been here 4 times and each time we’re blown away with savory, delicious, and quality sushi that is served here. You can really taste the freshness and craftsmanship of each piece.
The only con is the seating arrangements as you will be very close with whomever is seated next to you but we’ve never had a problem with this because our stomach’s come out satisfied every single time!

After watching the South Park episode «You’re Not Unilocaling,» I became very self conscious about posting Unilocal reviews. After such a good meal here, I feel like I have to write something. Most people reading this have probably seen the movie «Jiro Dreams of Sushi» — I’m assuming you’re here because you’re a sushi fanatic. If you’re a sushi aficionado who hasn’t seen this film, watch it. After eating at this restaurant, I too will be dreaming of sushi.
As a Pacific North West transplant, I’ve eaten at some top notch Japanese places over the years back home — Tojos and Zest in Vancouver and Shiros in Seattle. My experience at Tojos, especially the Omakase, I thought had ruined sushi for me for life. I was wrong. After watching «Jiro Dreams of Sushi,» I realized that despite my experience at Tojo’s, I’d never had a «true» Omakase sushi dinner. After years of living in NYC, I moved to the Upper East Side, and began to hear things about this tiny hole in the wall sushi bar called Tanoshi Sushi Sake Bar that served an «affordable» true Omakase experience. I walked by it, and saw that it was simply a 10-​seat sushi bar in an otherwise unassuming restaurant. Intrigued, I decided to have lunch one day at Tanoshi Bento and was not disappointed. Once Tanoshi Tei opened, and I tried some of their rolls, I knew I had to come for the full Omakase to complete the Trifecta of Tanoshi.
As someone who keeps kosher-​style, I don’t eat shellfish or eel amongst other seafood. On their website, they advertise a kosher-​style meal with kosher fish with one weeks notice, and they were very accommodating about this. When we walked in and were seated, we were put in front of Chef Toshio himself I believe. He already knew about our dietary restrictions! A very exciting start to the meal. Each piece came with a description and instructions on how to eat.
The food:
Amuse bouche: cucumbers with wakame in vinegar
Sushi:
1) Black Sable
2) King Salmon with Kelp
3) Jack Mackerel
4) Amberjack Marinated with Cherry Leaf for 5 hours
5) Horse-​Eye
6) Blackthroat
7) Toro with Caviar
8) Japanese Island Mackerel
9) Miso Cured Fluke
10) Toro on Toro
Maki:
1 piece each of Amberjack, King Salmon and Squash
Hand Roll:
Spicy Tuna
All in all, this was possibly better than any other sushi I have had. That includes the above mentioned west coast restaurants. If my wallet agreed, I’d be back over and over again. My only complaint was that the miso soup was flavoured with shrimp, so we didn’t get it and didn’t get a substitute. For better or for worse, I’ll be going to Tanoshi Tei for my Tanoshi fix for the foreseeable future.
As long as you keep your expectations for the décor low, you will have the meal of a lifetime here!

I’m so happy that both time at this establishment, I was seated near the windows. The sushi chef was very nice and although it was difficult to understand what he was saying he made sure we enjoyed what we were eating.
Yes, the price is on the higher side, but I’ve seen higher with poor quality fish.

I chose Tanoshi for my boyfriend’s birthday dinner because I read that it was a high quality sushi experience that’s able to keep its prices low because of its humble environs. Little did I realize that the humble environs would be such a big factor in my lackluster meal at this place.
You’re squeezed shoulder to shoulder with your dining mates, and you’re seated on a narrow wisp of a stool that your feet will dangle uncomfortably a few inches from the floor if you’re of average Asian height like me. Your elbows run the risk of knocking into someone else’s, and it’s not immediately clear if the chopsticks in front of you belong to you or your neighbor because of how cramped the quarters are.
That aside, the sushi was decent. I have eaten at Sushi Yasuda which was twice as expensive and definitely twice as good. There were a few standout pieces in my omakase, like the smoked sakura leaf and last sushi roll with a tiny piece of jalapeño, but there were also some pretty meh pieces. Uni was a little too fishy.
I say, come here with the full expectation that it’s not a fancy restaurant. Even though I was psychologically prepared for it, my wallet couldn’t justify it.

This place has definite potential to go up to 5 stars if I get to visit here more often… only if…
I have found this place while looking for a great sushi spot under/​around 100 bucks (well. not an easy task), then I found this place that had very good reviews. It wasn’t that difficult to get a reservation because I was by myself. It is a 10-​seater sushi bar which only serves omakase (with some sides to order). They have 3 seatings per night. When I was there I think it was about 80 bucks.
They serve about 10 – 11 pieces of sushi while explaining to customers on what it is. I didn’t get to talk too much because I am usually a shy person, but I thought it was a very good experience. In fact this was my first time seeing an actual wasabi, not the paste. Someone I know also visited this place a couple of times, and he told me he can’t really go to other places since this place is that good.
I think the overall experience is a great one not alone the quality of sushi. I would recommend this place as one where you can get best sushi within 100 bucks in the city.

So fun having an omakase experience with a sweet and helpful sushi chef.
I’m not savvy enough to figure these things out so my friend found out this place for our sushi experience. And now those supermarket or whole foods sushi trays are just not the same.
Our sushi chef started with some appetizers including a piece of Monkfish liver (like fish pâté) flavored with Ponzu sauce among other things.
There was hot Green tea accompanying the meal but when I asked for a refill it didn’t happen. The waitress on the sidelines wasn’t as fun as the sushi chef.
There was another app of Mushrooms and seaweed again with ponzu sauce. Yuzu also represented itself in a lot of the dishes and was conveniently pipped out of a ketchup like bottle into the dishes.
We had a selection of things that I was barely able to write down on a note because I was enjoying the eating experience
Here goes:
— Fluke with yuzu and kelp — good.
— King salmon New Zealand torched for extra oil and texture — delicious because of that oily fat!
— Wild White Sea bass — good
— Amberjack with cherry blossom leaf — the cherry blossom leaf is like a little bitter and a little sour but delicious and smells like trees a bit. Or fresh rain?
— Miso cured black sable from Nova Scotia — delicious!
— Alaskan salmon roe 2 day marinade with yuku, soy sauce, etc — I do not like roe but these fat puppies (swollen from marinade) weren’t bad.
— Sea urchin from Maine — tastes like the sea, this one I’d sit out the next time…
— Anago salt water eel from Tokyo bay — always good to have a little eel!
— Black salmon Dijon mustard yuzu sauce — yup. Good. Salmon is great for sushi.
— a trio of three little rolls: King salmon, shiso marinated mushroom, Spicy tuna with shiso
— hand roll, spicy tuna
We had a la carte. I tried the pink sable. It’s pink in color and good.
The sake bar next door is where the tiny restroom is. It’s not super fancy don’t be alarmed.
Overall not a super pricey and delicious experience. I’d recommend it for sure!

I have to say, this is a very different type of omakase. For one, it is less traditional and has a slight twist to the sushi chosen. Certain ones are very interesting and appeal to me, others I tend to prefer a more standard line. However, the fish was fresh. Was it as amazing as Sushi Yasuda? I can’t say that it was. Was it great and delicious, most definitely. But there are a few pieces that I will highlight. The things we ate that night were:
–fried fluke in basil
–house appetizer
–hamachi
–salmon
–salmon roe
–skate
–tuna
–tuna rolls
–yellowtail with pickled sakura leaf
–uni
–uni on ebi (sweet) shrimp (additional)
–steamed abalone (additional)
–braised scallop
–miso soup (on the house)
It’s a bit hard to do an in-​depth review of omakase because there are so many individual pieces of sushi, but I will write a few notes on things that I found interesting or slightly off. I am writing this after having the omakase at Sushi Yasuda which someone had told me is now a Michelin 1-​star. That being said, there is a difference of $ 100 between what I’m eating now and that of Yasuda about one year ago.
— — -
Fried Fluke: this particular appetizer was ridiculously amazing. Wrapped in Thai basil and then quickly doused in tempura batter and flash fried, it was amazing. The flavors of the basil brought out the fluke very well. Not to mention, it was fried!
— — -
Roe: I actually liked this piece of sushi at Tanoshi Sushi Bar. For one, it wasn’t overly salty. Normally, the thing that really kills me is the salt flavor, not the overly fishiness that roe can sometimes give off. This was just the right balance.
— — -
Tuna/​Maguro: This looked super fresh, but for some reason, it didn’t melt in my mouth quite like the maguro at Sushi Yasuda. It was still very tasty but somehow just wasn’t as «fresh».
— — -
Uni (Sea Urchin) on Ebi (Sweet) Shrimp: this was by far my favorite. I normally do not like uni (sea urchin) so I was a bit hesitant as to how fresh this uni would be. Yasuda had such melt-​in-​your-​mouth uni that it’s really hard to beat. However, this really hit the spot. The umami flavor of the uni combined with the sweetness of the shrimp was a perfect combination.
— — –
Uni: That being said, the uni by itself was not that amazing. Surprising eh? If you look on my Yasuda post, you can tell the difference between the two types of uni served. Yasuda’s sea urchin is so fresh it’s literally melting on the rice. Here it’s a bit more solid and grainy.
— — –
Yellowtail with Pickled Sakura Leaf: This was a really interesting combination. For one, I’d never have pickled sakura leaf. This addition really brought out the flavor of the fish. Not to mention, it gave me a sense of what it would be like to eat sushi in Kyoto during the cherry blossom season. I can’t explain the flavor but you can taste «cherry blossom» when you eat the leaf. It’s something that I’ve had before, either in a candy form or some sort of pickle so I’m already familiar with it. It was definitely exciting to eat and made me feel so happy, like I was back in Japan.
— — —
All in all, I’m really glad that I checked this place out. Unfortunately, I’m not a drinker but there were plenty of other patrons who brought their own sake. I think that alone would make this a perfect spot for a small birthday party, especially if you’re one who is a fan of intimate dinners with close friends. You also have to be willing to throw down a credit card and just bite the bullet. It’s not as bad as Sushi Yasuda, but still a bit of a bite goes through the heart when you see the bill. However, being that sushi is among my top 3 favorite things to eat, it’s totally worth it! Pictures here, probably better since it’s large in size so you can see the details better:
Enjoy!

This is a long overdue review.
I’ve been here 4 times and I can honestly say this is my favorite sushi spot in NYC. I’ve been to many omakase spots, such as Sushi Yasuda, Sasabune, and Ichimura. This is on par with the more expensive places. Yes, it’s a tiny place but I really enjoy the intimate setting. Reservations are a must! You can’t walk into here thinking you’re gonna have dinner on a random night. I try to go to the 6:00pm seating since you get the most choices before they run out of stuff, but sometimes it feels a little rushed.
The last 2 times I’ve been here, we’ve had the pleasure of having Oona has our chef. She’s awesome and really takes the time to explain the fish. We always end up ordering more after the omakase set even though we’re so full! My favorite is the Triple X. It’s sooooo sumptuous. Honestly, everything is good here and if I wasn’t always so full, I’d order everything off the menu on the wall!

Love this hidden neighborhood gem that is unpretentious and great value. We got the tasting menu — 10 pieces of sushi (including or plus 2 rolls… I’m not sure, but either way, it was sufficient). Every piece had a unique flavor that complemented the fish perfectly. The rice was also perfectly cooked and shaped. I also ordered an additional mackerel because I wanted one piece that had a stronger «fishy» flavor and it was an excellent recommendation by our sushi chef. I would definitely come here for good quality omakase that doesn’t break the bank and am already looking forward to next time!
The meal can go by pretty fast, you don’t sit around waiting too long for the next piece to be served, so you could be out of here in an hour.
Just be careful, don’t let your sushi sit too long — or else the sushi chef will grab your piece back and remake it using fresh rice! They take the quality seriously at this place!

when you first arrive you will see two restaurants that are part of Tanoshi. Go up to each of the places to check if your name is on the handwritten list on the door. depending on which list you are on, you will be dining there. by the way one has a grade B and the other has a grade A– luckily i was in the grade A one
Overall, I wasn’t that impressed by the omakase. Yes the fish is fresh and the omakase is considered «cheap» but there isn’t many pieces included in the omakase. I want to say there were 10 pieces and some sushi and a handroll. I timed the omakase and it was the fastest one I’ve ever been to– only lasting 40 minutes. At the end, they offer you pieces «a la carte» which means you have to spend more. Most people do, because they’re obviously not full. The infamous «triple x» is a la carte and not included in the omakase.
In addition, I met the owner/​head chef and yes he is curt and impersonal like most of the Unilocalers described.

Tanoshi is a bit of a trek to get to for dinner but if I am in a mood for good sushi, then this is a nice, cozy spot. It is a tiny spot that only seats 10 people so the first time I came it was a full house and it was a bit cramped. However, you can make reservations online through Unilocal’s Seatme.
It’s BYOB so there are a few wine stores nearby for you to bring in a bottle or unfiltered sake. However, if you are a sushi purist then you can skip the alcohol altogether.
When you look up, there’s a great map of Japan and near the window is a blackboard of specials for you to order to complement the rest of your meal.
However, based on the distance, I would come back just for the fact that I can experience the subtle flavors again. Each experience is different and why not build up on those memories?

I had $ 75 omakase + additional botan/​uni piece ($ 10).
Overall, I liked the food and I think compared to the price it is really worth trying. It’s a bit different from fancy sushi. I would say it’s more like really well-​made home-​like sushi. I liked the place in a different way from Sushi Nakazawa. The quality of fish was nice and little add-​on like cherry blossom leaf or lemon zest was enjoyable. There were 11 pieces of sushi and 3 little rolls and 1 big maki. It was enough but I could eat more after all those pieces.
Some things I want to complain.
1. My reservation was at 7:30 but we arrived there a bit earlier like 7:15. But it seemed we couldn’t get in even though there were some empty seats. Other people who reserved at 7:30 also waited until the waiter called the name. I understand that they prepare meals but would be nicer if we could sit while waiting.
2. The seats were random. I kinda believe that who serves sushi makes a lot of difference. I wanted to be served by Tanoshi but the seat assignment was just random (or there might be some rules which customers do not know.) Eventually we weren’t served by Tanoshi. Well, I eventually liked the woman chef who served us but also wanted to try chef Tanoshi. I hope we would have some choice on this.
3. No dessert… :(I would like to have some ice-​cream or mochi!
Even with these things, I would go again :-) Also, it was my first time seeing a woman grabbing a sushi and she was even non-​Asian! But she did a excellent job and I was impressed.

Finding this place has made living in New York so much more bearable.
I’m not a snob when it comes to sushi. As a Japanese person in New York, it’s easy for us to laugh at the ridiculous rolls here. But, I can enjoy the funky rolls America has to offer. There are good ones too. You just have to accept that it’s a different cuisine.
But every once in a while, you need to elevate yourself and really eat some art. You live in NYC so you have to live an inspired life.
For the price of $ 75, you can have sushi that’s incredibly prepared. Of course, you’re not getting the same neta as a $ 200 course at Sushiden in midtown, but the gijutsu is top notch. The taisho selects his neta well from what America has to offer in order to keep prices reasonable. He did manage to smack down some righteous uni though. And he’s not ashamed of serving several variations of salmon like truly edomae sushi shokunin are. Japanese people are hard pressed to admit it but salmon can be damn good and in New York, it’s hands down the best.
If you are chosen — based on your looks and name, no doubt –you will be seated in front of the taisho. That’s the best seat in the house.
Lastly, if you’re going to be late, you might as well pay the cancelation fee. Don’t bother to show up. Sure, the taisho will try to accommodate you because hes a really nice guy but it’s a nuisance and rude to everyone else who showed up on time, which to the rest of the world means being there 5 – 10 min ahead of time so you can calmly await to hear your name called.

Back in the day, which is actually just a couple of months ago, it was difficult to make reservations for Tanoshi. But yet just a month ago, securing a reservation for 2 was quite simple and they even had all 3 time slots available to choose from. My boyfriend decided to do the 7:30 instead of 6 or 9pm.
Tanoshi has expanded and opened up another store right next door to the original sushi shop. Luckily, we were reserved to be seated in the original. Tanoshi is BYOB and no doubt there’s a liquor store less than a block away. The waitress was extremely friendly which made the experience that much more pleasant.
It’s a set menu at Tanoshi, Omakase at $ 72 per person. Each piece of sushi was crafted right in front of you. There were items printed on the wall for appetizers and extras if you weren’t full yet. I think the most memorable part for me was the small miso soup that was served at the end. Rich miso flavor and not your average miso powder you would get anywhere, it was the perfect ending.
A pleasant experience and with an omakase price ranging under $ 100, it’s one of the best deal there is in NYC.

Thanks to Unilocal,this restaurant is going to become so popular, it is going to be hard to get a reservation.
If you are coming just for the quality of the fish, you will not be disappointed.
Tanoshi is a fantastic sushi spot that gives you the «I’m sushi baller in Japan» type of feeling. The restaurant is small and narrow, with only a sushi bar.
This isn’t your typical gas station sushi, sir. The chef inquires about allergies and dislikes. I was not disappointed. Like the traditional Chef’s choice, the chef selects your menu and serves piece by piece. I paid attention to our neighbors. They received a distinct and less imaginative menu than me. However, I was still hungry and continued to order more pieces. Triple X (best piece) for the win!
With planning, it’s easy to get a 7:30pm seating. Morever, with BYOB, you can prepare with beer and spirits. Great value.
Yes, it is cheaper than Morimoto and Yasuda but this does not provide the high class ambience. However this place is a great way to experience quality sushi on a budget. Bring a date or a friend who’s willing to walk crosstown.
It’s worth it.
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