Most hazardous and unsafe place to work in all my over 25 years of experience in restaurants!The head chef cut my left hand with his 16 inch razor sharp sushi knife that cut through tendons and 2 fingers!Was in the hospital for 4 days with an infection!Couldn't move my hand for over 3 months!Owners promised to help with Covid assistance but when they received a heavy pay out,never did!
Vanessa Chen
Not “authentic” enough but I can see it being an interesting and “exotic” experience for non-East Asian customers. Food is mediocre but the service is pretty nice.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 5
Michael Dizon
gonna miss this place. wish i came more often
Christopher Piñero Derieux
Unique.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Omakase
Ben F.
Very cool omakase counter in the sub $200 range that differentiates itself with its trendy vibe and interesting ingredient combinations.Juku does not pretend to be something it isn't. It feels upscale but casual with lofi hop in the background and professional service. The chefs are effortlessly personable and knowledgeable.The nigiri are beautifully presented. The strong suit is the quantity and variety with 17 pieces and a hand roll featuring omakase's greatest hits as well as some less typical selections. Most of the fish are from Spain, Hokkaido, or southern Japan. The highlights included the Hotate with smoked sea salt, the layered chu toro and otoro, the ikura, the yellowtail belly, and the uni but I enjoyed every piece. There is interesting and restrained use of garnish like pickled scallion and even ghost pepper salt. The rice has a clean, tart vinegar taste and a firm texture with discrete grains.Overall the cool and casual vibe here pairs perfectly with the restrained creativity in this quality omakase. I will be back.
Mehdi Choufani
The best omakase in
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Luke Cohen
Fantastic sushi and izakaya in a beautiful setting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Whitaker Irvin Jr.
Overall this was a great experience. The place is quirky and makes you feel like you've entered an 80's movie. The sushi was great and the drinks also were very good. Our favorite was the Matcha Martini.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex Jadeszko
I took my girlfriend to the Starlight Lounge for her birthday and everything was absolutely perfect. The sashimi was the best I've had and the service was second to none. They even made a birthday drink for her and a mocktail for me because I don't drink (without me having to mention that). I wish I got our bartender/waiter's name because he was fantastic. Thank you for an amazing evening we won't forget!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth Yang
A hidden gem in chinatown. Cozy, date night vibe. Relaxed ambience. Great service. Great drinks. Food selection is limited though, so dont come hungry.
We ate at the Straylight level and had just about everything on the small menu because I was there with my starving 21 year old son who just spent an afternoon at the Pokemon Go Fest, lol. Everything was delicious. We shared the sashimi, sushi rice, spicy scallop rolls, alaska salmon avocado, hokkaido uni. My favorite was the sashimi and the super creamy bite size hokkaido uni. I wasn't as much a fan of the spicy scallop rolls just because I love the natural sweetness of fresh scallops and you can't taste the scallops as much with the spicy sauce. In hindsight, I should have got my own sashimi order. It was so fresh and delish. Ambience was a moody, cool vibe. But a bit too dark down in the Straylight level as I would have liked to see my food better! Perhaps some brighter table top lighting?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi Rice
Tidalus
A group of us went here on a whim, stumbling upon it. Straylight was awesome. Great vibe and decor. I was constantly checking Shazam. We agreed this will be a place we come back to.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Cantella
Juku is a favorite in a growing sea of omakase options. I like it because it’s simple, elegant, understated, and anything but gimmicky. Just great sushi and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Seolbin P.
8 seats only omakase counter in downtown Manhattan. Walking through bar and lounge area to upstair omakase counter, you arrive to encounter this gorge personality of this Sushi Boss Chef Kazuo Yoshida in his pink hair with witty smile. Starting straight from nigiri, shima aji, Akamai, otoro, black throat, ikura all the fishes are fresh and original. Especially ankimo (monk fish liver) sushi piece is extraordinary just one of a kind you will get to be served in the city. Like chef's another knick name Uni King, the types of their uni collection is highly impressive. Expect to have a lot of fun and entertainment on top of top notch quality of omakase course. Thanks to Chef Kazou!
Jonathan Cung
Quite possibly one of my favorite omakase experiences in NYC post pandemic. The service at this restaurant is top notch, price point for the omakase experience was very fair. Omakase is a 17 piece chef's choice menu with fish sourced mainly from Japan and various other regions. Our chef Kei was knowledgeable and diligent with his craft. Some notable pieces were the sea scallop, sea shrimp, diced mackerel with ginger and scallion, and Toro with spicy scallion nigiri sushi. The manager Eugene was very friendly and helpful with the selection of sake pairings for our meal. Definitely worth another visit for a special occasion.Kid-friendliness: Not kid friendly. An adult restaurant, menu is not catered for children.Parking: Location is in Chinatown located near the courts. Roads are narrow and congested and there is very limited parking within the vicinity of the restaurant. Plan to park in a garage or park further away if you are seeking street parking.
Most hazardous and unsafe place to work in all my over 25 years of experience in restaurants!The head chef cut my left hand with his 16 inch razor sharp sushi knife that cut through tendons and 2 fingers!Was in the hospital for 4 days with an infection!Couldn't move my hand for over 3 months!Owners promised to help with Covid assistance but when they received a heavy pay out,never did!
Not “authentic” enough but I can see it being an interesting and “exotic” experience for non-East Asian customers. Food is mediocre but the service is pretty nice.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 5
gonna miss this place. wish i came more often
Unique.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Omakase
Very cool omakase counter in the sub $200 range that differentiates itself with its trendy vibe and interesting ingredient combinations.Juku does not pretend to be something it isn't. It feels upscale but casual with lofi hop in the background and professional service. The chefs are effortlessly personable and knowledgeable.The nigiri are beautifully presented. The strong suit is the quantity and variety with 17 pieces and a hand roll featuring omakase's greatest hits as well as some less typical selections. Most of the fish are from Spain, Hokkaido, or southern Japan. The highlights included the Hotate with smoked sea salt, the layered chu toro and otoro, the ikura, the yellowtail belly, and the uni but I enjoyed every piece. There is interesting and restrained use of garnish like pickled scallion and even ghost pepper salt. The rice has a clean, tart vinegar taste and a firm texture with discrete grains.Overall the cool and casual vibe here pairs perfectly with the restrained creativity in this quality omakase. I will be back.
The best omakase in
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic sushi and izakaya in a beautiful setting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall this was a great experience. The place is quirky and makes you feel like you've entered an 80's movie. The sushi was great and the drinks also were very good. Our favorite was the Matcha Martini.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I took my girlfriend to the Starlight Lounge for her birthday and everything was absolutely perfect. The sashimi was the best I've had and the service was second to none. They even made a birthday drink for her and a mocktail for me because I don't drink (without me having to mention that). I wish I got our bartender/waiter's name because he was fantastic. Thank you for an amazing evening we won't forget!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A hidden gem in chinatown. Cozy, date night vibe. Relaxed ambience. Great service. Great drinks. Food selection is limited though, so dont come hungry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken, Omakase, Blackened Scallops, Roll, Steak Tartare,
Restaurantji Recommends
We ate at the Straylight level and had just about everything on the small menu because I was there with my starving 21 year old son who just spent an afternoon at the Pokemon Go Fest, lol. Everything was delicious. We shared the sashimi, sushi rice, spicy scallop rolls, alaska salmon avocado, hokkaido uni. My favorite was the sashimi and the super creamy bite size hokkaido uni. I wasn't as much a fan of the spicy scallop rolls just because I love the natural sweetness of fresh scallops and you can't taste the scallops as much with the spicy sauce. In hindsight, I should have got my own sashimi order. It was so fresh and delish. Ambience was a moody, cool vibe. But a bit too dark down in the Straylight level as I would have liked to see my food better! Perhaps some brighter table top lighting?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi Rice
A group of us went here on a whim, stumbling upon it. Straylight was awesome. Great vibe and decor. I was constantly checking Shazam. We agreed this will be a place we come back to.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Juku is a favorite in a growing sea of omakase options. I like it because it’s simple, elegant, understated, and anything but gimmicky. Just great sushi and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
8 seats only omakase counter in downtown Manhattan. Walking through bar and lounge area to upstair omakase counter, you arrive to encounter this gorge personality of this Sushi Boss Chef Kazuo Yoshida in his pink hair with witty smile. Starting straight from nigiri, shima aji, Akamai, otoro, black throat, ikura all the fishes are fresh and original. Especially ankimo (monk fish liver) sushi piece is extraordinary just one of a kind you will get to be served in the city. Like chef's another knick name Uni King, the types of their uni collection is highly impressive. Expect to have a lot of fun and entertainment on top of top notch quality of omakase course. Thanks to Chef Kazou!
Quite possibly one of my favorite omakase experiences in NYC post pandemic. The service at this restaurant is top notch, price point for the omakase experience was very fair. Omakase is a 17 piece chef's choice menu with fish sourced mainly from Japan and various other regions. Our chef Kei was knowledgeable and diligent with his craft. Some notable pieces were the sea scallop, sea shrimp, diced mackerel with ginger and scallion, and Toro with spicy scallion nigiri sushi. The manager Eugene was very friendly and helpful with the selection of sake pairings for our meal. Definitely worth another visit for a special occasion.Kid-friendliness: Not kid friendly. An adult restaurant, menu is not catered for children.Parking: Location is in Chinatown located near the courts. Roads are narrow and congested and there is very limited parking within the vicinity of the restaurant. Plan to park in a garage or park further away if you are seeking street parking.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5