Saito

Genuinely exceptional food and service. The fish is of the highest quality. Of special note was the yuzu-marinated salmon, the mouth melting toro, and the delicate Hokkaido scallops. Try also any of the wagyu dishes and the soba, which has the authentic toasty flavor the noodles are meant to have, prepared to the perfect al dente firmness. The chef is a quiet master, supported by a staff who attend to you without ever being obtrusive. This place is a gem.

SAITO is the coolest little izakaya in NYC, hands down! A true hidden gem. We have been going there for years now, almost every time we’re in New York. It has been different but great and gets even better every time.

Visited NYC and met my Turkish gf there. We both enjoyed ordering individually of the dishes then trying the omakase. It turned out to be around the same price but we were able to try more dishes to our liking. Food was 5 ⭐️! However, service for the food delivery was slow and the little room we were in was kind of loud when it’s filled up with people…

This restaurant has been on my list for awhile and finally got to try it. I've seen so many pairs on IG with the tuna rib and couldn't wait to try. It's a must get IMO because it's so unique and fun, scooping out the tuna sashimi with clam shells and wrapping in nori. You can make at least 10 pieces or more depending on how much tuna you use for each piece. We also ordered the sautéed sea scallops with mushroom, which was amazing, the Mirai pork ribs were just okay, the tuna crispy rice and black cod were really good. So glad I got to try and will def come back! Highly recommended!

I had an absolutely amazing dinner at Saito. It’s been on my list for a little while, and I was so happy I decided to make a reservation on a Wednesday. First of all the service was amazing, and the food came out perfectly paced so we always had something on the table. We ordered the shishito peppers, tuna nakaochi, Uni crispy rice and the duck breast. The Nakaochi was so fun to eat as you scrape the tuna. The Uni was nice and fresh. The duck was succulent. I absolutely recommend this for an intimate date night, and can’t wait to come back with friends.

Enjoyed an amazing dining experience with all the other diners sharing half a dozen tuna ribs! Donning gloves and seashells, we took turns scraping delicious chunks of tender tuna off the ribs. Usually I avoid spicy tuna, but this fresh off the bones sashimi is heavenly. Along with the meal was a salad, tuna rolls, beef tendon tripe soup and nori sheets to make your own rolls. Staff vigorously scraped and remaining meat off so there is no waste. Hostess warm and friendly, a must try outing!

TLDR: Sister restaurant of Chef Nakazawa is a little shop in Nolita. Tuna rib, scallops and mushrooms, fish and chips. Popped in for a Friday night to check out this little izakaya on Kenmare. Chef Nakazawa (yes, that Nakazawa) is one of the owners and it seems like his passion project. We got the tuna nakaochi (rib) because you have to. They give you these clam shells to scoop out the meet and make hand rolls yourself with wasabi and crispy nori. While this is delicious, I would suggest sharing with more people as the flavor does get monotonous after awhile. Scallops and mushrooms. This was very good, buttery, savory - lots of scallops. I almost did not order this but glad I did. Pressed salmon sushi and ikura. The fish was seared and the roe provided a nice salty pop with each bite. Wagyu don. Tasty but a bit on the pricier side, think a regular good galbi over rice with egg yolk. Fish and chips. This caught my interest as it's not a common izakaya dish. The potatoes are crispy and sort of rough-torn. The fish is yellowtail, nice meaty, crispy battery and perfect tangy tartare sauce to go with it. Definitely would stop in again if in the area.

What a wonderful dinner experience. Right off the bat, I saw one of my favorite sakes on the menu. The snow aged Hakkaisan Junmai Daiginjo was on the list and I had to get it! We started off with the toro tartar caviar monaka biscuit - I LOVED IT. Highly recommend!! As this restaurant has a lot to offer, you can order a sashimi assortment (like I did) OR you can go into more detailed appetizers that they offer a la carte that deserve a lot more attention than your typical omakase/sushi spot. We probably should have tried the bluefin tuna rib, but maybe next time! The torched madai sashimi was a good choice. Crispy rice is probably something you should not pass on.. as we absolutely LOVED it. We also tried the tsukune, which my friend thought was alright, but although it maybe might have been a bit dry, all the flavors were there in my opinion. The wagyu sushi roll was a nice touch towards the end, but omg was the uni soba the best thing we could have ended with. The uni just tasted so fresh, amazing, and melted the second it touched our tongue. Straight from Hokkaido, it was perfection. We ended off with a sweet potato cheesecake and went home as a happy gal :)

TLDR: Sister restaurant of Chef Nakazawa is a little shop in Nolita. Tuna rib, scallops and mushrooms, fish and chips. Popped in for a Friday night to check out this little izakaya on Kenmare. Chef Nakazawa (yes, that Nakazawa) is one of the owners and it seems like his passion project. We got the tuna nakaochi (rib) because you have to. They give you these clam shells to scoop out the meet and make hand rolls yourself with wasabi and crispy nori. While this is delicious, I would suggest sharing with more people as the flavor does get monotonous after awhile. Scallops and mushrooms. This was very good, buttery, savory - lots of scallops. I almost did not order this but glad I did. Pressed salmon sushi and ikura. The fish was seared and the roe provided a nice salty pop with each bite. Wagyu don. Tasty but a bit on the pricier side, think a regular good galbi over rice with egg yolk. Fish and chips. This caught my interest as it's not a common izakaya dish. The potatoes are crispy and sort of rough-torn. The fish is yellowtail, nice meaty, crispy battery and perfect tangy tartare sauce to go with it. Definitely would stop in again if in the area.

I saw a post of this on Instagram and I really wanted to try it because it looked so fun and fresh! So I booked a month in advance for the first time slot of the day (because when I called, they said the rib rack is limited and first come first serve). You honestly don't need to book that much in advance because I did see reservations open the day of, but I made one just in case! I totally failed to realize that there were two sides of meat haha. So for two people, we took at least 30 minutes cleaning the rib and making our rolls. I took my sweet time, cleaning and scraping all the meat off the bones and enjoyed every moment of it! The rib is extremely fresh and the real wasabi tasted so good with it! I also ordered the grilled squid which was a nice change in texture and flavor! We only had two dishes because it was an early dinner for us but I was very content after my meal! It was such a fun experience at a good price (~$40 for the rib), and if you like sushi and sashimi, you should try this out!!

We went for the tuna rib sashimi we'd been seeing on social media and it was such a cool experience. Really good price for what you get too - $45 for the entire rib. Comes with seaweed papers and wasabi/soy sauce for creating your own hand wraps. Also got the crispy rice which was really good ($20/4pieces), and the a5 wagyu which was good but I wouldn't recommend for the price ($45/4pieces). Too small of a portion even for a5 wagyu (see picture). Split a bottle of sake and made for a great date night!

Came in with a friend on a Monday night a few weeks ago and I'm still thinking about some of the omakase courses. Their signature toro tartar with caviar was a fun experience, the cracker added the perfect crisp to the tartare without diluting the flavor. The A5 Miyazaki Wagyu was probably the best Wagyu I've had. I loved the experience of cooking it on the hot stone and using the 3 toppings they provided. The meat was so tender and buttery, a must must try. The takikomi gohan had plenty of seafood in it. The ikura was very good. The shrimp and scallop were pretty basic but surprisingly the rice itself was the highlight! It had a great texture and the dashi broth added so much flavor to it (and usually I'm more of a noodle person than rice). I do wish we were able to watch them prepare each dish a little more with some more direct chef interaction like you often do with an omakase experience but our waiter did a good job explaining each dish/recommended way to eat it. For $100 I think it's definitely worth it and I would be interested in coming back to order more from their a la carte menu.

I came for the tuna rib, half expecting the experience to be very touristy. What i didn't expect was one of the most delicious meals i have had the pleasure of eating in my years living in nyc. The dishes are all expertly crafted and prepared, with unique, fresh flavors that blew away any preconceived notions i had about what they would be. The black cod was phenomenal, juicy and light. The uni was the best i have had. To top it off the prices were actually very reasonable. Give this one a shot, you wont be disappointed.

Dining experience was nice and the service was good. The only thing that we didn't enjoy was the constant cold air brought in by the restaurant door opening and closing. We were seated right by the door, so any time when the door is opened, we get the chilly air from the outside. I would recommend not having any dining tables by the door. The restaurant has two dining areas, one is to the left of the restaurant (where majority of the tables are) and one is where the sushi bar and the 2 tables right next to the restaurant door. Not sure why my party was seated by the restaurant door, because we made our reservation one week ago, and there were so many time spots opened. I know the left side of the restaurant also has tables for party of four also. Our best dish was the blue fin tuna.

Went for a happy hour deal and really enjoyed it. Staff was friendly and attentive, service was great, environment clean and comfortable seating. Price was 50% off regular price. Intimidating at the first thought of scraping tuna off a huge bone, but it wasn't really a hardcore scraping, the tuna came off easy and the taste was unlike any sashimi I've ever had. Everyone in the restaurant lined up with a plastic glove, their plate from the table and a clam shell to get tuna. When it ran out, staff came to clean it up and make a pile of scraped tuna while they went back for another bone. On the table was some soy sauce, nori and wasabi. Other dishes: Salmon Skin Salad. Nice flavor of the crispy salty skin with the soft fresh mixed lettuce, tang of the vinaigrette and a bit of roe on top. I loved the combination and I'd definitely get it again. Crispy Tuna Rice. Excellent. Slightly spicy tuna on top of a square of fried crispy rice and a artsy drizzle of brown, salty/sweet sauce. yums! Wagyu Stew. This had great flavor, but there were a lot more in it as well which didn't allow the beef to be the star. A glass of sake was a nice touch, and I suppose falls in line with Happy Hour. All the dishes would of been even greater with a small bowl of warm rice, but that was not included. Less carbs made you hungry for a dessert or some sort of sweet treat. Nevertheless, it was fun and tasty. I'd go again.

Going to have to be my new spot because everything here was spot on amazing. We ordered the must have tuna rib which was an incredibly unique and fun dining experience as well as extremely tasty. We also order the cold soba noodles that came in a delicious miso broth and the miso cod. Everything was extraordinary. The service was impeccable. It was just 2 tables being seated but the servers were so attentive and extremely welcoming and caring making sure we enjoyed our meals and were always taken care of. They also gave us so mochi at the end which was also great. I will for sure come back here and take some guests to try that tuna rib again!

We got the $100 omakase tasting menu. Everything was light and tasty but there was enough courses to keep you full. I especially enjoyed the takikomi gohan. The rice was marinated so the dish was extremely flavorful. Definitely get the sake with the snowman on it!! It's so cute and the sake itself is creamy and sweet.

It's a shame for the name. The restaurant feels like a low end Chinese Japanese joint. Started with the chooses of plateware. Service felt pushy on alcohol servings and she kept coming to fill the giant sake cup to the top. Not even sure how to start commenting on the food but remembered we were just eager to leave the spot. The best dish - Squid Leg (grilled?) I think. The acceptable dish - Scallop & Mushroom, but tiny Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, fine but wish the crispy rice is fresher. Scallop Sashimi?, Fine The UGHs - Uni Bowl - & Uni Crispy Rice - Maine uni has a not fresh fungus taste, we refused to eat. Karaage - Thing oddly sliced meat with floury batter texture. How do you mess up karaage? Salmon Skin Salad - supposedly good if they don't pre-mix the salmon skin in the salad so it's not soggy. Skewer - Chicken meatball was so horrible dense and dry; asparagus and shrimp were fine. Overall not a genuine meal and menu.

This is a small, non-descript Japanese restaurant on a busy block in Nolita. If you're not looking for it, you'll certainly miss it, but sometimes that makes for the best type of restaurant. The menu has a mix of raw and cooked selections. The wagyu don is phenomenal - I recommend mixing the raw egg yolk in with the rice before digging in that you can get both the fattiness from the beef and the jamminess from the egg with every bite. It's a decadent dish that's well worth the hefty price tag. I found the sauteed scallops with mushrooms to be pretty good as well, though the portion is tiny and left me wanting more. We also ordered a couple of vegetable dishes but neither were anything to write home about. Service is fast and friendly enough. It's definitely a leanly run operation and reminds me tiny mom and pop restaurants in Tokyo - perfect for someone looking for a little slice of Japan in New York.

It is hidden gem ! The tuna Ribe was so amazing and service was great!! Also soba noodle was surprisingly good. I will go back there

Wow, what an experience! First off. I don't normally got to these kinds of spots unless it's for a special occasion. To me this is what I call zeee fancy. The chef definitely takes their time making each dish perfect the way it should be. Portion wise. If you hangry. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE YOU WANT TO BE. Just saying. This is more of a conversational palette pleaser. Reservations are recommended if lucky you may get a table or at the bar. The bar fits maybe 3-4 ppl max. Now on to the food. What I recommend? Basically everything. I am serious about that. The menu is short and simple. Is it pricey? Yeah, it's a tad. Is it worth it? Yeah, imo it is. From the crispy rice top with fresh uni, the wagyu beef don, to the fatty tuna with caviar sandwich in this blossom like cookie cone texture. Complimenting with different regions of Saki. My mind and taste buds were blown. If you like that fine dinning experience. I recommend it! Nozomi was extremely pleasant and the chef that made our food. Hats off to him and respect. We finished the night with a pleasant plum wine. Not too sweet. Just enough tart to help cleanse the palette after leaving.

Made a reservation on Resy for an early dinner for 2 at Saito the other day. The restaurant is small, clean and simple. From favorite to least favorite dishes we ordered: - Sautéed Sea Scallop w/ Mushroom - Wagyu Don - Crispy Rice w/ Salmon - Toro Tar Tar Caviar This is definitely bougier than your average izakaya (which is expected bc Nakazawa). But it shows in the quality of the ingredients, sake and service. If I make my way back here, I would for sure order the scallop/mushroom dish again!

More an experience than a meal because it was pretty pricy but the bluefish tuna was delicious so I give them that. My party and I ate it to the bone. Also, the staff and waiters are very amicable. Quiet ambience and nice restroom too. Only negative thing is: idk if it's because the place is small but it felt like we kept getting watched by the hostess. Maybe it's because we were younger than their usual customers and made a reservation only to buy three items lol.

Great vibe. Food was all delicious. Tuna is worth it. Only not 5 star because there was a worm in my (fully cooked) miso cod, which the team addressed immediately.

What a wonderful dinner experience. Right off the bat, I saw one of my favorite sakes on the menu. The snow aged Hakkaisan Junmai Daiginjo was on the list and I had to get it! We started off with the toro tartar caviar monaka biscuit - I LOVED IT. Highly recommend!! As this restaurant has a lot to offer, you can order a sashimi assortment (like I did) OR you can go into more detailed appetizers that they offer a la carte that deserve a lot more attention than your typical omakase/sushi spot. We probably should have tried the bluefin tuna rib, but maybe next time! The torched madai sashimi was a good choice. Crispy rice is probably something you should not pass on.. as we absolutely LOVED it. We also tried the tsukune, which my friend thought was alright, but although it maybe might have been a bit dry, all the flavors were there in my opinion. The wagyu sushi roll was a nice touch towards the end, but omg was the uni soba the best thing we could have ended with. The uni just tasted so fresh, amazing, and melted the second it touched our tongue. Straight from Hokkaido, it was perfection. We ended off with a sweet potato cheesecake and went home as a happy gal :)

My friends and I came here for dinner on a Tuesday night with a last-minute reservation. This is a new Japanese restaurant that my friend had been eyeing. We were seated at an indoor table after getting in. I didn't see any outdoor seating there when I came. The restaurant had a couple of other diners when we came in. The ambience was modern, with a small dining room. Saito's menu is focused on seafood, with some meat featuring here and there. We ordered four dishes to share between the three of us, with only one that contained meat (the mazemen). The food was served in a timely manner. The four dishes we ordered were the tuna tataki, scallops with mushrooms, ajillo, and mazemen. Everything was good but no dish really stood out. My favorite was the tuna tataki. The servings were all on the small side. Based on the food this time, I wouldn't come back or recommend. This might be a good option if you're in the area and looking for an ok Japanese meal.

This wasn't really what I expected when I think izakaya, but I had an enjoyable meal here nonetheless. The Wagyu Don was definitely the highlight for me, but I was pleasantly surprised by the Salmon Skin Salad - the skin was perfectly crispy and well-seasoned. Only the Ajillo was a miss for me; I found the layer of olive oil a bit too thick for my preferences. Service was very attentive as well. As I asked for the check, they noticed that we didn't finish the Ajillo and actually comped it for our meal.

We felt like family the second day we walked in the door. The tuna rib was amazing, so were the scallop dishes and tuna with caviar. They sent extras for my friend's birthday which made it extra special. Will definitely be back.

Incredible food. Ordered too much because I thought the portions would be tasting menu size but they were absolutely normal size and my girlfriend and I barely finished everything it was a lot! Scallop carpaccio and toro cracker with caviar were amazing. Wagyu don and black miso cod were great as well!

My friends in New York are always recognizing celebs from restaurants and on the street. I would never be able to point one out. I would however be able to point out famous chefs. Daisuke Nakazawa is one they I could point out in an instant. If you don't know, be was on the documentary Jiro dreams of sushi and opened his own spot in the west village. His restaurant is my favorite omakase restaurant in the city. Saito is Nakazawa's second restaurant in nyc. Unlike his other omakase spot, this restaurant is a sake bar and izakaya. Saito has sake by the glass, bottled, and beer. I opted for a glass of oze no yukidoke okara - which was nice and dry. Foods - Toro tar tar with caviar - blue din tuna with Japanese rice biscuit - my friend and I shared this but it's meant for one person and I wish I had ordered my own. Nakazawa has the best toro so you won't be disappointed - Crispy rice with uni - comes with 4 pieces - one of my favorite bites! Uni from California was nice and creamy - Sautéd squid legs with baby corn - a simple dish that pairs extremely well with the sake - Blue fin tuna steak - although the presentation was not the cutest, I liked this dish. There were some fatty pieces on the edge of the tuna which was heavenly I honestly didn't have much time tonight to get a whole bottle and splurge. All the dishes were great and their sake is top notch. Service was impeccable as always. Nakazawa even came by to say wassup. **super star struck!!** This this their opening week so it was a little slow, but once more people start finding out about this place, it's gonna be poppin! You might leave hungry depending on how much you order, but it's okay. Cuz nakazawa.

Tuna bone was the main reason to come here and was told they didn't have it. As a regular to Nakazawa, my expectation was pretty above the normal for fairy pricy Saito yet had to leave with the heavy disappointment. Small space with no sense of inviting dining element, especially that unattractive open kitchen right in front. Sake list wasn't compelling mostly overpriced. Mini Chirashi had poor quality of leftover end part fishes with overly vinegary rice. Sautéed Scallop with mushroom was as bad with overcook scallop. Grilled Squid was just too big for two guests and it tasted like rubber. And then Karaage, friend chicken, came soggy and dry then we knew we needed to stop ordering any more dish. Only one dish at least decent was Toro Caviar in Monaka Biscuit. No wonder we were the only guests at the entire restaurant. Two stars go to the male server who was constantly hustling our table.

Had dinner at Saito on Friday night. The quality of the food is what makes this as a must try restaurant, however there are definitely things that need to be addressed such as the challenges in navigating the sake menu and the music rotation. Quality: Saito has only been open for a month, so growing pains are expected. The focus on Sake is wonderful, however it is a challenging menu to understand without experience. Flavor descriptions or a true expert to speak about the options is needed. With some Googling we selected the Tenryo Hidahomare Small Bottle and I would recommend it to other beginners. For food, the raw fish is simply fantastic. The Toro TarTar Caviar is a tremendous few bites, the Blue Fin Tuna Nakaochi Rib that allows you to scrape off the fish yourself is fun and delicious, the Three Kinds Of Uni Sashimi is tremendous, and the Sashimi Assortment For 2 highlights the expertise of the chef, though three pieces of each is an odd choice for a dish for two. The Wagyu Don Bowl was okay and I was not crazy about the Seaweed Salad even though it looked beautiful. The Salmon Crispy Rice was solid, and a unique way to end the meal. Quantity: Portion sizes vary greatly, so be sure to speak with your waitress. Value: $37-$52 for Small Sake Bottles. $25 for Toro TarTar Caviar. $38 for the Blue Fin Tuna Nakaochi Rib. $52 for Three Kinds Of Uni Sashimi. $40 for Sashimi Assortment For 2. $28 for the Wagyu Don Bowl. $9 for Seaweed Salad. $20 for Salmon Crispy Rice. Ambiance: Saito is a izakaya and sake bar located in the Nolita area of Manhattan. The space is small, they have two tables in the front space, which has an open kitchen. Then a second room has five additional tables. It is very simple and clean, I assume additional decor will fill up the space with time. They are in desperate need of background music help, they had six songs looped, so during our two hour meal we heard each one about seven times. Crowd: Small space, but most of the tables were filled. I would recommend a reservation. Service: Fantastic, our waitress was lovely and provided fantastic recommendations. Parking: Tough area to find parking.

We went on a Thursday night and they weren't busy. Everything was very fresh and delicious. We ordered many dishes to share between the 2 of us. Will definitely go back!

So good! A must visit. Always try the miso cod and crispy rice. Nozomi is very friendly and will recommend the best food!

Really disappointing. Got Chirashi, Sashimi for Two, Karaage, and Brussel sprouts. Very mediocre for the price point. You know a place sucks when almost half the fish in a chef's choice is mackerel.

Excellent food, especially the scallop and the waygu beef skewer was the best I've ever had. Great service as well and cozy atmosphere!

Great experience and the wagyu was the best! Had the omakase selection, right amount of food.

Saito is a new, modern izakaya by the Nakazawa team and serves traditional Japanese with a contemporary twist. It's a great place to swing by for a light dinner paired w/ cold beer or sake. **Note: they don't serve traditional sushi but have sashimi and crispy rice dishes** Recommend: Tuna steak- soft, rich, and buttery with crisp edges (a must order dish!) Mazemen- good portion and flavor balance Assorted sashimi- super fresh, high quality sashimi (great starter) Food: 4.7/5 Atmosphere:4/5 (small but clean/modern) Service:4.5/5 Value:4.5/5

As someone who's eaten at numerous izakaya & omakase spots, this is hands down the worst spot that I've been to to-date. It was over-priced, as in the quality of food wasn't up to par. The scallops were over cooked & greasy. The toasted rice cakes were burnt. The sake bottle literally smashed the second I left the restaurant because they gave it to me in a shitty paper bag. Terrible service, usually restaurants that start off like this, come to an end very very very quickly.

I have been to Japan too many times so I have eaten at many, many restaurants in that country. This place is on par with the best in Japan! They have an intriguing selection of menu choices. We started with the Toro TarTar Caviar while pursuing the menu. We then had the Grilled Cod Fish (delicious) and the Wagyu Don, finishing with the Salmon Skin Salad. We really liked each serving. The staff were quite helpful and very friendly. We certianly will choose the resturant again on our next visit to NYC. Another reviewer moaned about the size of the servings. They are deminutive by American standards but not by Japanese standards where quality is more important than quantity. Don't be reluctant to try an extra menu item. Tom and Christy 10/19/22

This place is sort of an oddity. It's supposed to be an izakaya and the menu reflects that. However, the vibe is like a more high end restaurant... then again it isn't high end either because there are windows that pretty much make the dining section open to the streets. So it's not very conducive to drinking since it's too bright and exposed. It just feels way off from the typical izakayas - dark and comfortable and cozy. This place is exact opposite of that in that it's like a casual Nakazawa. Food is all in all pretty good but nothing amazing to make me want to go back. Overall, mediocre experience like going to a neighborhood Japanese restaurant/izakaya that really isn't either.

This was a fantastic izakaya from the same chef as sushi nakazawa that we look forward to returning to whenever we get a chance. I don't think there was a dish that we didn't like, and especially recommend the stew dishes as well as the crispy rice rolls. The nigiri tasting for the group was also very high quality. Our hostess Nozomi was also great

Incredible meal and fantastic service. The Bluefin Tuna Rib and Fried Chicken were highlights.

Amazing food. Service is impeccable and the sake list is amazing. It is not cheap but worth every penny.

Went last night my friends birthday , Nozomi was very helpful and friendly with her recommendations. Atmosphere and the foods was great , but would be great if portion can be a little bigger .

Completely racist and rude. When my wife and I entered, the lady taking care of the customers at the front immediately walked away from us. After waiting 5 minutes, I asked if we could be seated or make a reservation, but she said that she could not provide service to people like us and that we should leave promptly. Yet as I was walking out, she completely changed her demeanor and tone when an Asian couple entered the restaurant without reservation, to whom she tended a table.

I walked in to ask if I could use the bathroom and the manager completely lied to me even after I said I would sit down and buy food. Terrible service. Awful place. DO NOT GO!

We loved our meal at Saito! Innovative but consistently delicious dishes, excellent quality of ingredients, and a great sake recommendation.