Niku is a Michelin-starred steakhouse and cocktail bar in the Design District that offers an intersection of Japanese and American cuisines. Executive chef Dustin Falcon (ex The French Laundry, Lazy Bear) focuses on products from local famers combined with the best in class American and A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade of beef due to its high levels of marbling. If your credit card can handle it, opt for the $265 USD A5 Wagyu tasting, the best steak experience of my life. These exclusive cuts of beef were cooked to perfection on Falcon’s custom binchotan charcoal and wood-fired grill.The cocktails are also on point at Niku, with a short list of Japanese-inspired twists on classics together with well-balanced classic drinks. For dessert, follow Alexis’ lead and order the Chocolate Miso, a spectacular brownie made with wagyu fat! Coupled with wagyu fat caramel and miso ice cream, your taste buds will be overloaded with joy.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Nora (Noura Loudani - She, Her)
The sweetest staff and the food is outstanding
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Matthew Liu
Best steak I’ve had. The potato cubes are great too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Conor Corken
Fantastic food which I think is most important. The best part of the meal, obviously aside from any cut of steak, was the cabbage. We did have a reservation and were seemingly forgotten about for about 30 minutes until we spoke up. It was another 30 minutes until we had a table without much of an apology. I would figure for the cost of the whole meal (and the cocktails that we drank while waiting for an hour) you would get a better service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Ian Montgomery
Honestly, this was disappointing to me. In general i expect more attentive service than what we received, but considering the price point, it should have been a lot better. The food was good overall, but not great. I was initially going to give a 3/5, but had completely ignored the fact that the restaurant is Michelin rated, so... 2/5. ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Iris Zhang
love seating in front of the chefs cooking all the amazing dishes. I am not a big fun of steak but by bf really loved the wagyu. I really like all the appetizers and sides especially the house roll and the crispy potato. The crispy pig ear is a must too: sweet and spicy. We finished off with the beef fat brownie with miso ice cream. So crispy outside and soft and hot inside to pair with the miso ice cream which is a bit salty. I love the service. I ended up spending $500 but feeling really full and still have left over. Overall pretty good meal compared to most of the other like 15 Michelin star I have been too. It’s special flavor and creative!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lucas Erickson
Excellent food, excellent service. Portions are large and filling for a restaurant of this type. The bone marrow was fantastic, highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daniel Yeghiazarian
One of the best steakhouses in the city. They cooked the tomahawk perfectly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Omar Herrera Reyna
The Michelin star is noticeable. The Wayu cuts are exceptional, there is a plate of the 3 levels a3, a4 and a5. It's expensive but it's worth it. The service is the first.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AJFish
Strong, if not quite impeccable service, good ambiance. The excellent staff and stellar food push it over the top though. The menu isn't overly complicated, but everything was executed extremely well, with exceptional care and attention to detail. The ingredient choices are thoughtful, timely, and combined insightfully to highlight multiple elements in every dish. Bravo, Niku!
The dining experience is top notch. The food is delicious and the entire staff is very friendly, warm, and welcoming. We've been here twice now and each time it's been an amazing experience. Thank you, Niku!
jessicat
Spent 600$ for two people. Food was excellent but service was not great. The host ( Ellis I believe ) was the best and super nice! He went above and beyond. Had to wait a very long time for drinks and had to pour our own wine throughout meal. Just not what I would expect for Michelin star restaurant. Wouldn't go back and it's a shame because the food was really good.
Good food, service and ambiance. We tried the tomahawk, tasting for A5s, bread, potato, and mushroom in the past. Everything we tried was good, but i highly recommend the potatoes if its your first time. Steaks are excellent here. I would recommend getting the tomahawk, medium rare or rare. I ordered medium and it was a bit dry for my taste at medium heat. If you have a good apetite tasting menu needs to be supplemented with some starters. The restaurant has clean facilities. Bar does a good with cocktails and has a good selection of wines, but no beers on tap.
Supplies We Grow CA
Best steakhouse and service I had in my life ! Tastes from all around the world cooked to perfection. We took his famous wagyu A3,4&5 and additional rib eye and new york cut. Thank you chef Niku for an unforgettable experience. It was so good I took meat from their butchery next door home to cook the following day :) I would definitely recommend anyone to stop and taste from Nikus experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare Niku Reserve Caviar Buckwheat Blini, Imperial Wagyu Hanger Steak, Bone Marrow Vinaigrette, Kobe, Small Plates, Confit Maitake Mushroom Ramp Relish, Wagyu, Perigord Black Truffle Supplement with Truffle Shaver 150, Shiso & Sorrel Mousse
Best steakhouse and service I had in my life ! Tastes from all around the world cooked to perfection. We took his famous wagyu A3,4&5 and additional rib eye and new york cut. Thank you chef Niku for an unforgettable experience. It was so good I took meat from their butchery next door home to cook the following day :) I would definitely recommend anyone to stop and taste from Nikus experience.
Niku is a Michelin-starred steakhouse and cocktail bar in the Design District that offers an intersection of Japanese and American cuisines. Executive chef Dustin Falcon (ex The French Laundry, Lazy Bear) focuses on products from local famers combined with the best in class American and A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade of beef due to its high levels of marbling. If your credit card can handle it, opt for the $265 USD A5 Wagyu tasting, the best steak experience of my life. These exclusive cuts of beef were cooked to perfection on Falcon’s custom binchotan charcoal and wood-fired grill.The cocktails are also on point at Niku, with a short list of Japanese-inspired twists on classics together with well-balanced classic drinks. For dessert, follow Alexis’ lead and order the Chocolate Miso, a spectacular brownie made with wagyu fat! Coupled with wagyu fat caramel and miso ice cream, your taste buds will be overloaded with joy.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
The sweetest staff and the food is outstanding
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best steak I’ve had. The potato cubes are great too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic food which I think is most important. The best part of the meal, obviously aside from any cut of steak, was the cabbage. We did have a reservation and were seemingly forgotten about for about 30 minutes until we spoke up. It was another 30 minutes until we had a table without much of an apology. I would figure for the cost of the whole meal (and the cocktails that we drank while waiting for an hour) you would get a better service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Honestly, this was disappointing to me. In general i expect more attentive service than what we received, but considering the price point, it should have been a lot better. The food was good overall, but not great. I was initially going to give a 3/5, but had completely ignored the fact that the restaurant is Michelin rated, so... 2/5. ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
love seating in front of the chefs cooking all the amazing dishes. I am not a big fun of steak but by bf really loved the wagyu. I really like all the appetizers and sides especially the house roll and the crispy potato. The crispy pig ear is a must too: sweet and spicy. We finished off with the beef fat brownie with miso ice cream. So crispy outside and soft and hot inside to pair with the miso ice cream which is a bit salty. I love the service. I ended up spending $500 but feeling really full and still have left over. Overall pretty good meal compared to most of the other like 15 Michelin star I have been too. It’s special flavor and creative!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food, excellent service. Portions are large and filling for a restaurant of this type. The bone marrow was fantastic, highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best steakhouses in the city. They cooked the tomahawk perfectly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Michelin star is noticeable. The Wayu cuts are exceptional, there is a plate of the 3 levels a3, a4 and a5. It's expensive but it's worth it. The service is the first.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Strong, if not quite impeccable service, good ambiance. The excellent staff and stellar food push it over the top though. The menu isn't overly complicated, but everything was executed extremely well, with exceptional care and attention to detail. The ingredient choices are thoughtful, timely, and combined insightfully to highlight multiple elements in every dish. Bravo, Niku!
Restaurantji Recommends
The dining experience is top notch. The food is delicious and the entire staff is very friendly, warm, and welcoming. We've been here twice now and each time it's been an amazing experience. Thank you, Niku!
Spent 600$ for two people. Food was excellent but service was not great. The host ( Ellis I believe ) was the best and super nice! He went above and beyond. Had to wait a very long time for drinks and had to pour our own wine throughout meal. Just not what I would expect for Michelin star restaurant. Wouldn't go back and it's a shame because the food was really good.
Good food, service and ambiance. We tried the tomahawk, tasting for A5s, bread, potato, and mushroom in the past. Everything we tried was good, but i highly recommend the potatoes if its your first time. Steaks are excellent here. I would recommend getting the tomahawk, medium rare or rare. I ordered medium and it was a bit dry for my taste at medium heat. If you have a good apetite tasting menu needs to be supplemented with some starters. The restaurant has clean facilities. Bar does a good with cocktails and has a good selection of wines, but no beers on tap.
Best steakhouse and service I had in my life ! Tastes from all around the world cooked to perfection. We took his famous wagyu A3,4&5 and additional rib eye and new york cut. Thank you chef Niku for an unforgettable experience. It was so good I took meat from their butchery next door home to cook the following day :) I would definitely recommend anyone to stop and taste from Nikus experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare Niku Reserve Caviar Buckwheat Blini, Imperial Wagyu Hanger Steak, Bone Marrow Vinaigrette, Kobe, Small Plates, Confit Maitake Mushroom Ramp Relish, Wagyu, Perigord Black Truffle Supplement with Truffle Shaver 150, Shiso & Sorrel Mousse
Best steakhouse and service I had in my life ! Tastes from all around the world cooked to perfection. We took his famous wagyu A3,4&5 and additional rib eye and new york cut. Thank you chef Niku for an unforgettable experience. It was so good I took meat from their butchery next door home to cook the following day :) I would definitely recommend anyone to stop and taste from Nikus experience.