Gaijin

This is my all times favorite of Japanese Restaurant in NYC. I have been here more than 10 times and a must go Omakase place every times when I have friends come to NY to visit. Best quality of fish and combination with added condiments to bring the omakase to a new tasting levels. The Omakase sets come in Starter, Full and Premier to choose from and the chef always have something to surprise us and this is one of the reasons I am going back almost every other months. In addition the sake selection in the menu are good too and the chef sometimes has some “special” selections that are not on the menu and you should just ask him about that.

We had a very difficult time rating Gaijin--it doesn't fall clearly into any of our known restaurant categories. The restaurant classifies itself as "modern Japanese," but that immediately invoke Morimoto, which Gaijin is not. As a sushi bar, Chef Mark seems to have gotten a little bit too "creative" and broken cardinal rules of nigiri sushi making such as rolling a whole almond into the sushi rice. Each nigiri pieces had 3+ flavors that the fish was competing to stand out (and failing at times). However, from a culinary standpoint, our taste buds were blown away by these nigiri sushi inspired seafood creations. A few tips if you're planning to do omakase at the sushi bar: 1) make a reservation well in advance, 2) keep an open mind, and 3) get the sake pairing. Otherwise, Gaijin has an awesome Japanese cooked menu that rivals some of the best izakaya places in NYC. Our favorite is their paper hot pot (kami nabe), which we can't seem to locate anywhere else in NYC. Otherwise, the uni pasta, otoro tartare don, and uni don are all great ways to spoil yourself even if you didn't get that sushi bar reservation. From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, we've noticed the meticulous attention Chef Mark put into every detail at Gaijin. The entire experience at Gaijin is something completely unique that only a Gaijin with so much experiences with Japanese restaurants like Chef Mark can create. It's truly a hidden gem in Astoria, and we highly recommend any Japanese food aficionado to try out.

It's pretty good! Overpriced. Flavors are inventive and interesting. Not your typical sushi place. Staff is hesitant yet thoughtful. Really enjoyed the chrirashi -- there was thought in putting that dish together. Great sake selection -- don't know how I feel about sake served in wine glasses. If you want a seat at the sushi bar highly recommend reservations. Music selection was different...all old school R&B. And it was turned up, way too loud. As a result people around you have to speak loudly and meant overhearing lots of people.

Creative, fresh cuisine in a compact but serene setting. The service was impeccable. They overheard that my baby was hot and wanted ice and proactively brought over some crushed ice for him! Tasty ootoro and bonito that almost tasted like steak tartare. Loved the uni chawanmushi and uni pasta. The robatayaki was just meh. I would splurge on the sushi instead. Definitely will be back!

So much hype and so much disappointment. I booked 4 weeks prior for the Omakase Tasting for my partner's birthday. Followed the instructions on OpenTable to book at the bar. We arrived at the restaurant and said the reservation was for a table, not for Omakase. I showed them the email confirmation from OpenTable. The host informed me that they had problems with OpenTable not distinguishing between bar and table and that I needed to call to confirm the bar. If I had known, obviously I would have called, but no where on their website or OpenTable gave those instructions. We were told they couldn't do the Omakase tasting, but we could do the tasting menu. Since we were already there and already excited for the Omakase we opted in for the tasting menu. Since it was a nice evening, we asked if we could sit on the back patio, but were informed you can't do the tasting menu on the patio. Not sure why 10ft makes the difference, but ok. The tasting menu was well done and the food was good, but still a disappointment based on the service.

Amazing little find in Astoria! Fresh sushi, plenty of sake options and great service. Known for it's omakase and tasting menu (expect to pay Manhattan prices). Recommend the ebi and fatty tuna pieces.

Easily one of the top 5 omakase meals in all of New York City. (If you’re in Manhattan, cross that river. It’s beyond worth the trip.) Absolutely exquisite cuts of fish prepared and presented flawlessly. This is an meal not to be missed. Go now before they get a Michelin Star and the wait for a reservation is measured in weeks.

So yummy I seriously started googling "how much sushi can you eat before getting mercury poisoning?" The rice bowl I had for lunch was superb, can't wait to come back and try dinner. And all the other lunches.