Secchu Yokota 折衷よこ田

This experience really reminded me of Japan. Everything cooked here was made with excellent quality and care. Food: The course I had ended with a Cod entree, which was very good. Made to perfection. The ingredients were very fresh. I don't know if the food is worth the price, however, it is definitely worth it for the experience if you miss Japan. Environment: Cozy restaurant that would make you feel like you stepped into a restaurant in Japan. The Chef, kitchen, environment all would make you feel like you're in a different country.

Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 My hubby took me here for my birthday and it was such a unique experience. I never had a tempura omakase before! The setting is super intimate with only 6 seats, and the chef explains each piece before you eat it, which made it feel extra special. The menu starts with 2 appetizers, followed by 8 tempura omakase pieces, and we added on the Miyazaki A5 wagyu (highly recommend) then dessert. Each bite tasted incredibly fresh, surprisingly light and clean for tempura. What we had for tempura: Tiger shrimp Shishito pepper Eel Japanese water eggplant Japanese Spanish mackerel Sweet potato Hokkaido uni Hokkaido scallop And the Miyazaki wagyu? Hands down one of the best I’ve had outside of Japan, it literally melts in your mouth. Dessert was my least favorite part but overall, this was such a special and memorable experience!

Best hidden gem in the city! I had bookmarked this place over a year ago, and I finally decided to try it out for my 30th birthday. I’m so glad I did, I wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate anywhere else. After nearly three years of living in NYC, I can confidently say this was the best dining experience I’ve had (disclaimer: I’m a foodie lol). The owners, Ari and her husband, Chef Atsushi Yokota, and the restaurant manager Daimu, go above and beyond to create an exceptional dining experience for every customers and you can truly feel their passion. The food was absolutely top notch. Chef Yokota holds incredibly high standards for every ingredient, sourcing them with care to ensure everything tastes like it’s straight from a top-tier restaurant in Japan. The tempura was phenomenal, we savored every single piece. Thank you again for the unforgettable experience. We’re def coming back soon!

Amazingly delicious! They truly captured the omotenashi spirit, with a playful touch of combining Japanese and western flavors. The tempura was perfectly fried - something that's very difficult to achieve even at other restaurants. The service was also so welcoming - omakase can be a bit pretentious at times but this place kept the elegance of washoku while also maintaining a warm experience for the customers. We will be becoming regulars here - such a gem of a place!

Fantastic on all counts. Everything was fantastic. Easily the best tempura I've ever had ever (naturally). Don't worry, it isn't 100% tempura, but it is 100% delicious and unique. Everything goes well with everything. Sake recommendations are worth getting as well, as they give you a few tastes before you need to commit to what you order. The setting is intimate and really special. Seats 6 people. A lot of fancy places are pompous, but this was not. Just really, really tasty, and really special. I will recommend this place to everyone I talk to, and I don't think I will be able to shut up about how good it is for the next month. And it doesn't break the bank; it's not more expensive than any other quality omakase experience in Manhattan (and less than many), but absolutely superior, worth every penny and then some.

Great place to celebrate a special occasion, the intimacy of only six customers allowed the staff to make everyone’s experience unique. I have highly recommend Secchu Yokota to my friends.

Amazing intimate tempura omakase experience from start to finish. Considering how small the restaurant is, the reservation only dining, and the attention to detail and to patrons, the pricing is more than fair. Came to celebrate husbands birthday and Daiimu, our waiter was nothing short of giving us the best experience. My husband really enjoyed ten-don in Japan and nothing we had in the US could compare until this experience. All tempura were lightly and perfectly fried. It’s a long meal yes but it’s because you’re supposed to enjoy the meal as well as the company. Highly recommended and hoping to return in the future.

I've been a fan of Secchu Yokota since I first found it in 2017, and it never disappoints. This place does omakase-style tempura and uses top-notch ingredients from around the world, so everything always tastes extremely fresh. My favorite part is the scallop—it's always perfectly tender. And their wasabi salt is so good, I always ask for extra. The portions are just right, leaving you satisfied but not stuffed, and the timing of the dishes is spot on, making the whole meal really enjoyable. They have an amazing sake selection, and the staff are super friendly and attentive, which makes the experience even better. Watching the chef cook right in front of you adds a special touch. Secchu Yokota has kept up its high standards over the years, so I keep coming back. If you love great tempura and a classy dining vibe, you have to check this place out.

Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 My hubby took me here for my birthday and it was such a unique experience. I never had a tempura omakase before! The setting is super intimate with only 6 seats, and the chef explains each piece before you eat it, which made it feel extra special. The menu starts with 2 appetizers, followed by 8 tempura omakase pieces, and we added on the Miyazaki A5 wagyu (highly recommend) then dessert. Each bite tasted incredibly fresh, surprisingly light and clean for tempura. What we had for tempura: Tiger shrimp Shishito pepper Eel Japanese water eggplant Japanese Spanish mackerel Sweet potato Hokkaido uni Hokkaido scallop And the Miyazaki wagyu? Hands down one of the best I've had outside of Japan, it literally melts in your mouth. Dessert was my least favorite part but overall, this was such a special and memorable experience!

Such an intimate place where you can really feel the craftsmanship of the owner and chef. The place opens promptly on your reservation time and once you are seated. They have an amazing sake list where it lists from the best sake (at least in my opinion). We were able to try a few sakes before we settled on the Zaku one which was so crisp and delicious. We thought it would be a good option to cut into the oil of the tempura but the tempura was not oily at all. Which brings me to my next review. The chef prepares all the ingredients front of you and the oil they use is so light. It does not feel heavy at all and the freshness of each of the ingredients really shine. The staff was also so cute, knowledgeable and we were able to chat about similar interests! The wife of the chef came towards the end and was so sweet and thanked us for coming. We're so looking forward to coming back! We highly recommend coming here to celebrate.

Secchu Yokota was an amazing and intimate experience during our NYC trip that left a huge impression on my friends and me. Let's start with the service--it was warm, engaging, and super entertaining. The main server was full of energy and always took the time to explain how to enjoy each piece of tempura, along with his prime recommendations (which we deeply appreciated). The food? Incredible. Eight courses of tempura, each piece light and perfectly highlighting the ingredient itself. They work with what's in season, so the menu changes throughout the year. During our meal, we learned the chef comes from a French background, which influences his unique style of tempura-- "secchu" meaning "blend." We had such a great time and are so glad we stopped by to enjoy both the food and the company. Come support this spot whether you're local or just visiting--you won't be disappointed!

The service was delightful and very respectful. The space is large compared to the number of diners. There is a small sit down area to finish up dessert. The tempura bar only has enough seats for six. The tempura was meticulously made. However it is hard for me to really compare to other tempura restaurants in the United States since I have not been to any here. I have been to one in Kyoto, so that is my only comparison. The restaurant in Kyoto had a lighter batter and there was essentially never any breakage in the tempura crust when served. The coating was very thin. Although done well here, I prefer the one in Kyoto. The tempura crust here is a little more fried and thicker. The wagyu at the end was delicious.

Right off the bat, this place is AMAZING. Food quality: incredible, so fresh, and with so many different flavors and textures. Service was awesome, especially given the whole show was a two man team. The person explaining each dish as it came out to us gave suggestions on the best way to enjoy each dish (which condiments were best, if any, etc). This place made me discover a newfound love for wasabi salt. The space is very small and intimate, and the multi-course meal is very curated so the whole experience takes about 2.5 hours. This is definitely worth trying once, even if you're not normally into "fine dining" but want to have a pricier treat.

One of those spots that makes you forget you're in nyc. The tempura omakase here brings you to a quiet street in Kyoto with the focused cooking, quality of ingredients, and gentle staff Probs the most intimate and delicate experiences you'll have in the city. Here, the ingredients are allowed to shine on their own. Everything is fried to that perfect airy crispness, never too thick, with just enough seasoning to bring out the natural flavors Highly recommend!!! omakase $145* Secchu Yokota는 시끄럽고 정신없는 뉴욕에 있다는 걸 잠시 잊게 만들어준다. 여긴 진짜 교토에서 먹는 듯한 텐푸라 오마카세를 선보이는데, 재료 본연의 맛을 극대화하는 섬세하고 정갈한 요리를 맛볼수 있음 ‍ 간도 담백하고 튀김 옷도 깨끗한 바삭함이고 직원분들도 너무 따수워서 강력 추천!!

WOW!! What a great restaurant on 3rd Street. Every course was fantastic. This 6 seat restaurant serves wonderful tempura. The service is so warm and friendly. The hard work that goes into such fabulous food, did not go unnoticed. Make a reservation 2 weeks in advance to snag a seat here. We had such a great meal!

I could not sing higher praises for Secchu Yokota if I tried. Even in a city like this, it's rare to find truly unique dining experiences, and Secchu Yokota is one of them. The flavor pairings of each course and component of a course are so well thought out and cohesive. I found myself being blown away from the first course to the final dessert course and strongly recommend adding the A5 Wagyu; it was an incredibly buttery and tasty addition. With each tempura piece, the incredibly attentive and warm husband and wife pair shared their sauce/seasoning recommendations and are quick to provide refills or anything else a diner may need. I truly can't wait to be back!

Don't sleep on this place! It is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of NYC, and you're welcomed into basically an intimate little bubble of a restaurant. Chef Yokota is what I would consider a cool chef - from his demeanor to his music choice, I really enjoyed seeing him in his element. The meal itself was delicious and I loved the deliberate choices of what was served. The meal doesn't consist of all tempura and the non-tempura courses were as delicious as the tempura ones. We were lucky enough to meet Chef Yokota's wife, who is the friendliest person; we definitely gave her a hug before we left. We felt welcomed into their family and we can't wait to be back in the city. A very unique experience, but one I would recommend to anyone living or visiting NYC.

Secchu Yokota specializes in tempura omakase, which includes two apps, a seasonal selection of omakase tempura, and a dessert. We were actually pretty disappointed in terms of the tempura, as we weren't fans of the batter - it was way too dense and chewy, and not as airy and crispy as we though; some of the items used was okay, while others were almost inedible. Service was good, and the ambiance is super casual and laid back. I'm thinking with the all the rave reviews, we just expected something a bit more? +underwhelming tempura omakase

Super intimate counter seating and unique tempura experience in nyc. I booked this spot for my boyfriend's birthday and we really enjoyed it! Heads up def book in advance! We go in and the staff holds onto our jackets and then we are started with appetizers and they are very thorough with explaining each piece. The chef is the owner and the lady explaining most of the stuff was his wife! Each course was filling and fun and the service is amazing there!

5/5 atmosphere, attentive service, fresh delicious food, the freshness of the ingredients. The light fluffy tempura batter. It is a small attentive atmosphere. They have different 3pm, 5:30pm, 8pm and they only have 6 spots in each time slots with a 2 weeks advance booking. Although it is pricey but you pay for the amazing hospitality, learning about each items the chef serves. I will definitely be back!

I took my friend to Secchu Yokota for his birthday. He said that it was the most memorable and best birthday surprise dinner he's ever had. This restaurant is impeccable! Delicious and elevated food paired with a friendly and intimate atmosphere. Food This was the first time that any of us had omakase tempura. We were very excited coming to the restaurant and it did not disappoint. We chose the 8 course option that included the A5 wagyu and it was phenomenal. This was probably one of the best tempura meals we've ever had. To start the course, we were served a chilled pea soup and an appetizer sampler that consisted of sashimi and marinated saba. This really got our palate going. Next, we were served a bevy of different chef selected tempuras. Unlike most tempura that we have ever had, the tempura that the chef served had a light batter that made each one extremely crispy and highlighted the natural taste of each of the ingredients. The standouts were the prawn, scallop, and uni. Incredible! My friend loves fried food but this took it to another level. Each tempura was not oily and paired with the salts provided just made each bite sensational. We were also served a A5 wagyu steak that came with bok choy and roasted potatoes. The dish was also exceptional. Although simple, the quality of the wagyu was top tier. Paired with a little bit of wasabi just took it to another level. For dessert, they served us melon, sweet red beans that was accompanied with a fruit sorbet and matcha sauce. As a special treat, they included a candle and a happy birthday tag for my friend. Service and Ambiance The service was top class! The restaurant has a very intimate setting. It only seats 6 persons and there is only the chef and a waiter that was present during service. At times small settings can make one feel uncomfortable but the chef and the waiter really made us feel comfortable and were incredibly accommodating. Although it was an omakase dinner, this was probably one of the friendliest and warmest omakase service that we've ever experienced. The waiter was incredibly friendly and made us feel right at home. Not only did he pay special attention to whether you were left or right handed, he knew each of our names! As he explained to us each dish that was being served, he would quip in a fun fact or two about what we were eating. As they brought out our desserts, the waiter and the chef sang happy birthday to my friend and everyone joined in, not a common occurrence in such intimate settings. It was a really special treat. At the end of the evening, as we headed out the door, the waiter once again wished my friend a happy birthday and thanked us for coming with a big hug to myself and my friend. We really felt that we had become friends with the waiter and the chef, and that felt very special. It is safe to say that this has been one of the most memorable dinner experiences we've ever had and one that we would come back to in the future!

My husband and I have been here a few times already and each time the food was fresh, service was impeccable and every visit was better than the last. As other reviewers have mentioned the restaurant is really small so you get a lot of attention, and the ambiance feels more like a (very elevated) home kitchen. Food: before the tempura courses are a combination of appetizer cold/hot dishes with some French influence. The chef I believe has French training and takes his craft seriously! Everything is always delicious Timing: depending on the time of your seating this could range 1.5 hours - 2 hours. This is by design so if you're expecting a quick meal this isn't for you. There's time to chat with the staff, savor every bite, and enjoy the recommended beverages Value: for this amount of food, service, and quality, the price is a steal in NYC!! I say this reluctantly only because I selfishly want Secchu to be a secret but they deserve the praise & popularity. It's $145 per person, or $175 if you opt for the wagyu upgrade. Just trust that this is 1000% worth your money and time! Great job Secchu Yokota, we'll continue to come back.

THE highlight of my NYC trip, as well as my current favorite restaurant of all time. Beats out all michelin stars/michelin guides I've had. Chef Yokota is brilliant. I LOVED the omakase experience. The service/hospitality made me never want to leave. Then you factor in the AMAZING food? Yeah, even harder to leave. I miss this place so much. Every single dish...from sake and apps, to the entire 8 course tempura, to dessert... blew my mind. I almost feel bad for the other party dining with us at the time because of all my "MMMMs" or "YUMMMMs" after every bite. And I'm not being dramatic about it. Foodgasm galore. The type to make your toes curl. My personal favorite tempura (which is a VERY hard decision).. is the uni and shiso leaf. HEAVEN! The delicacy of the shiso leaf but still perfectly crunchy with the creaminess and in-your-face uni flavor... unreal and unmatched from anywhere else. Every dish is unique and had a story behind it. Not to mention, the dessert was the most texturey and flavorful dessert I've ever had. Thank you Secchu Yokota for leaving a mark on my heart. Counting down the days until I can eat Chef Yokota's art again.

We had an incredible dinner at Secchu Yokota tonight! As others have noted, the service is the best part of this experience. The waiter Dime really made us feel like we were in his house. He gave us a big hug at the end - we loved it!! The food is incredible. We started with several different appetizer bites, including buckwheat noodles, sashimi, foie gras and a poached egg salad. Then we moved onto the main event - the eight course tempura tasting. My favorite pieces of tempura were the eel and the smelt. Next you can opt for a wagyu or fish main dish. And then you end with a beautiful dessert. This meal is so special - everyone should run here and try it!!

Where do I begin?! This place is a GEM and you need to RUN to eat here. We came on a weekend and chef's wife Ari was working alongside the manager Daimu, and oh my goodness, I felt like I was family inside their home. Some of the best service I have ever encountered across the globe. They were both so attentive, accommodating, and genuinely friendly- something I feel has been seriously lost amongst many restaurants post-Covid. Exceptional service aside, the food was amazing! The appetizer course was quite large and full of variety. Every piece of tempura (8 course) was perfectly cooked and there is so much attention to detail, as each course comes with recommendations on how to best enjoy it. Standouts were the scallop, uni, and lotus root. Also HUGE portion of A5 wagyu if you opt for this optional course- I had to take some home because I was quite full. We were celebrating my husband's birthday, and they sang happy birthday when bringing out the dessert course. Not only that, but they played music we had told them earlier in the meal that we really enjoyed, and made a personalized birthday card for him. I still can't believe how wonderful the staff here was. New lifelong fans here, and will be telling all my friends and family to eat here. Will 100% be back.

What a great intimate dining experience! Per reviews, the place seats 6 guests, but there were seven of us and it didn't feel cramped at all. The service was top notch! It was a little bit on the warmer side as the chef started frying the tempura pieces but it was manageable. We started our omakase meal with a delicious cold soup like a Japanese version of a gazpacho made of beefeater tomatoes topped with caviar. It was excellent. Then we moved on to a pre tempura plate of four small dishes including soba noodles, fatty tuna pieces and seaweed with fish dish. They were all very enjoyable. Then the main part started with the chef meticulously frying the tempura pieces. Our favorite was definitely the scallops and the shrimps! The lotus root tempura was interesting. The fried uni was also unique but I prefer it in the non-fried version. I didn't think much of the pepper or the eggplant tempura. My friend added the wagyu special for his gf and me! Less to do with the meal than with my own preference but I'm not a huge fan of wagyu or Kobe due to its extreme fat content. We finished our meal with a delicious coconut flan! This was overall a great experience!

Honestly at a lost for words about how amazing this place is. The chef and especially the assistant made this meal so great. I've never had such an intimate meal and the setting was just perfect. The best restaurant I've ever been to hands down. Worth all its praise! A whole in the wall that's deserves all its success!

I am so happy to see Secchu Yokohama still stands strong post-Covid. N I am very excited for their new menu choices. Everything is perfect. N this is probably the best tempura omasake you can get in nyc.

This is a genuinely unique omakase experience that you won't want to miss! It's tempura! And each piece delivered the crunchy freshness that you really want from a tempura. Let me start at the end, because the owner's wife is such a sweetheart and was the perfect host; guiding us throughout each course with explanations of the pieces and how to eat them (I know, you didn't think you'd need instructions on how to eat a simple piece of tempura, did you? But trust the process!). She explained to us that the concept of this place was inspired by her husband's (the chef) background with French cooking techniques (he is a 3rd generation chef after all) and his love of tempura (so much so that he just wanted to eat more of it, so he started this restaurant!). She was so warm, and she even gave us a hug as we were leaving! Ok, now to the courses. To get started, we had an amuse of Burdock ikura rice crisps, dashi julep. Altogether, those flavors blended so well and provided an amazing mouthfeel. The second course consisted of 4 pieces (which I believe can change from day to day, so I can't really tell you want to expect), but my favorite of that set was the Foie gras biscuit with ginger jam (!!!) that literally changed my perspective on what ginger can be in a dish! The rhythm of the courses alternates between fish and vegetables. Each piece felt like it complemented the one that went before. My personal favorite was the Shiso Uni tempura. And it's Hokkaido uni, so you know you're getting the real deal! Ambiance wise, it's a very intimate setting, with seating for just 3 couples. I find that smaller is usually better with omakase in general, because it allows for a more detailed and personal experience, so I appreciated this aspect. I highly recommend Secchu Yokota!

One of the underrated secrete tasting menu restaurant hidden in the village. For $120 it's quite a great value there. Revisited in May 2022, still enjoyed! Sea Eels was delicious, mild in a proper way. Love all the vegetable tempura as it's very fresh. Most seafood were frozen ones but still very tasty. Very friendly Japanese couple running the business.

We made a reservation for 5 people on a Sunday for dinner. It's a small intimate place that seats only 6 people in total so our party were the only ones there. We each had the tasting menu with the wagyu. Everything was meticulously prepared, it was amazing to watch Chef Yokota up close and we could clearly see his passion into each piece. The manager and his wife was also there and they were both so nice and welcoming. They took turns explaining how best to each piece and told us stories behind the ingredients and the chef's background. We love the experience and food was phenomenal. The tempura dishes were all so light and delicious. The wagyu was cooked perfectly. The dessert at the end (the ice cream was soooo good). Definitely recommend~

Came here for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend and it was like a dream. Everything was amazing and I had a blast watching the chef prep and make everything. It was also really cool to get recommendations on which garnishes to use for which tempura. And it was also fun going in my own route of garnishes that I enjoyed. The server was super bubbly and kind and the ambiance was fancy and cute. Very cozy vibes

Prob the best tempura you can get in nyc! We came here for their tempura omakase tasting menu and it was phenomenal. All ingredients are super fresh and great quality, especially the scallops and uni, chef's technique is just unbelievably amazing. Our server is super friendly and professionally trained! They explained how the dishes are prep and cooked, even recommend which sauce and seasoning we can pair it with. Most important part, he likes anime The place has limited seating, 6 total. It feels very cozy and the ambiance is great

After learning about this place through YouTube, I celebrated my birthday here. They only have 6 seats per time slot (3pm, 5pm and 7pm). Made a reservation 2 weeks before on their website. The price was $150/person (with the Miyazaki A5 wagyu upgrade), not including taxes and gratuity. Appetizer: Butternut squash cold soup Maguro Ankimo (monkfish liver) Mentaiko soba Duck breast Tempura: Kuruma ebi Chrysanthemum greens Japanese whiting fish Japanese eggplant King crab Lotus root Uni wrapped in shiso leaf Scallop Miyazaki a5 wagyu with sticky rice and vegetables Dessert The appetizers blew my mind! Different textures and tastes that were properly combined. Delicious!! As for the tempura, the batter was very light and crispy. My favorite was the uni wrapped in shiso leaf. As for the service, Secchu Yokota was the best! Amazing service, everyone was extremely nice and informative about every dish served. We were told what it was, where it was from and what condiments they recommended to pair with each dish. Definitely try them out for a special ocassion, you will not be disappointed.

An absolute incredible experience from beginning to end. This hidden gem is easily overlooked and I walked by it dozens of times. The spacious, but 6 seat counter restaurant has a course that is meticulously planned daily by the chef owner. If you are there on the weekend, you get the pleasure of meeting his wife, Ari as well, whose explanation of the food comes from her heart, literally. If you have never tried a Tempura Omakase, you are in for a real treat. While the course does start with other seasonal treats, the tempura is the real show stopper. Having eaten is many of the best Tempura restaurants in Tokyo and Osaka, I would say that this one holds its own. I also love that if you take the earlier seating, they have a small lounge seating area that you can move to for dessert, so they do not push you out the door like many of the other sushi omakase high end locations do.

Very cool take on Omakase with a more tempura focused menu. The Good: The chef was very quiet, focused on his craft...SO... the owners made their way around and chatted and walked everyone through each course. Simply superb way to allow the Chef to focus and the owners to connect with clients. I was impressed. They were so lovely and engaging, explaining about the sourcing of the food and even sharing some photos to help explain. The courses were unique, and I particularly enjoyed the Uni in Shishito leaf done tempura style. WOW. The salty crunchy tempura contrasted against the smooth, creamy sweetness of the Uni. It was definitely delicious. This was my favorite of the tempura courses. There was also some kind of eel-type fish in the tempura course, that the owner showed me a picture of. That was so good as well. The wasabi salt plus lemon on it, just knocked it out of the park. There was a tempura scallop course and a beginning plate with tuna sashimi. Perhaps my favorite touch was the wasabi oil mixed with the soy sauce for dipping, and then a healthy amount of wasabi salt you could sprinkle on your tempura (or dip in if you prefer). This was a different take on what I was used to and certainly the chef has a bit more fun with the menu. Loved the fried pepper and Japanese egg plant. The egg salad sandwich was actually kind of cool. I've been to Japan, yet never tried one. So this was my first go at it. There were quite a few vegetable dishes, so just be prepared, if you were expecting majority protein. Also, you can add additional courses, including the 5oz Wagyu steak. That's a pretty sizeable course to tack on, but so worth it. The Bad: And not really even that bad, just probably wouldn't have minded a few more fresh protein courses, like additional sashimi in the beginning. The tuna was so good, I would have liked a bit more fresh fish to balance the later fried courses. The soba noodle dish and tempura mountain yam were just ok. These were my least favorite dishes. OVERALL: So glad to have tried this place. Certainly deserves the stars for being unique in the courses and also having owners who really care about the customers. This might be the first Omakase where I walked away completely FULL. Let's be honest, everyone has a little room after most Omakase experiences. You won't be stopping for a slice of pizza after this one.

My first experience of a tempura omakase. The restaurant itself is smaller than I expected and more like a home kitchen. The service was absolutely beyond level. However I think there was a bit lack of interaction from the chef since the restaurant is designed with an open kitchen. Usually when you were able to watch the chef making the dishes you would expect some level of interaction. Food itself was yummy and creative - most of them was def the first time and the best I've ever had.

Secchu Yokota is an excellent choice for tempura omakase. For $120, you get an 8 course tempura omakase with some appetizers to start and a dessert at the end. Though we opted for the $150 omakase which includes wagyu beef at the end. For that day, we were served the following - Sweet corn soup Appetizer plate (sea eel, tuna, wheat noodles, ikura salmon with poached egg and salad) Shrimp Togarashi hot pepper Baby sweet fish Duck eggplant Snow crab from Hokkaido Shiitake mushroom Hokkaido uni wrapped in shiso leaf Hotate scallop Gyudon with miyazaki wagyu Wagyu with broccoli rabe, also rice with beans Vanilla coconut sorbet I was fond of our meal, and I can say some standouts for me were the mushroom, snow crab, and scallop. The tempura is fried with skill and precision. Every bite is crispy, not chewy or too greasy. I really enjoyed our experience. The place is pretty intimate, seating only 6 guests around the counter at a time. The meal lasts about an hour and half. I'd say you can live without the wagyu, though it was very good. I would definitely return.

What an intimate and amazing experience! This spot can seat up to 6 people. We came to celebrate a friend's birthday. Amazing service here and they are so knowledgeable about their ingredients. They also were great in helping us choose the sake by allowing us to sample some. Great meal and once in a lifetime kind of experience. Highly recommend!

TLDR: Super unique experience. Secchu Yokota will make you rethink tempura beyond that soggy thing floating in your udon. Yes, it's worth it and no - you won't feel gross afterwards. This was definitely one of the more difficult reservations to make. I almost gave up out of frustration but I tried and was successful. So glad that we went. This is a small restaurant with the chef, a manger and Ari (chef's wife) who is fabulous at hosting. I wasn't really sure of what to expect but I went in with an open mind. The only place I've had a tempura tasting before was Japan. I wondered how much Secchu Yokota would live up to the memory. Far exceeded my expectations. It was better than that meal. We waited patiently as chef prepped our appetizers. A luscious cut of bluefin tuna, wasabi oil to dip and this fantastically cooked slice of daikon. Perfect balance of fat and flavor, I would totally buy bottles of the wasabi oil - it's that good. A Japanese egg salad sando. The bread scorched with beautiful grill marks, the egg salad was creamy and constantly reminded me that I need to eat more egg salad. The cold noodle dish was refreshing and the duck breast was a great way to prep us for the tempura tasting to come. What I absolutely love is that they take the time to explain each piece in intricate detail. Everything from what makes that ingredient special, how to best eat it and what seasonings to ideally pair them with. For seasonings you have a wedge of lemon, wasabi salt, bamboo charcoal salt and a tempura sauce with bonito flakes. You can of course do whatever you like but I found myself taking their recommendations mostly and constantly reapplying that wasabi salt. They also provided grated daikon in ponzu to palette cleanse between each piece so you can appreciate the individual courses. Everything is awesome. The seasonal vegetables from Kyoto, the shellfish but of all of them - it most definitely was the sea urchin wrapped in perilla leaf. Crispy, delicate, rich, nutty and oh so fabulous. You can upgrade your final savory course to an A5 wagyu beef for an additional $30. This is more than reasonable for this quality meat and is the right amount. It doesn't feel stingy but won't leave you feeling like your arteries are failing. Desserts have been excellent on both occasions I've dined here. Every bite will have you wondering why you hadn't discovered this kind of dining before. Between the awesome food and Ari guiding you through the meal, one of the better tasting courses I've had. I really can't think of anything that I was unhappy with. Secchu Yokota is not a meal, it's an experience that's worth having and you'll have a tough time finding it elsewhere. Go!

Booked a reservation here for an omakase tasting after watching StrictlyDumpling's video about it! I can say that I went in with high expectations. The service was great. The waiter was quick to refill our glasses of water whenever they were less than half full. He also introduced each dish with detail and for the tempura dishes, provided recommendations for which dipping salt or sauce to eat it with. The interior feels very modern and sophisticated. There's a classy feel to it while also maintaining that Japanese restaurant vibe with the wooden chairs and counter. First course, daikon soup! I've never had salmon eggs before so this was a new experience for me. The bonito jelly (?) and salmon eggs added to the salty flavor of the soup which made it overall too salty of a dish (for me and my brother at least). Second course, mini sampling plate! Not a fan of raw foods and the tuna sashimi did not make me a fan. Some people are a fan of tuna but sashimi is not the way to get introduced to it (I suppose). Not to worry, you can totally request no raw foods (which in hindsight I probably should've done). The egg sandwich was amazing with the soft buttery bread holding egg salad in the middle. The sea bass (?) over soba noodles in a...jelly broth had potential but the wasabi oil made it hard for me to enjoy the dish fully as it was too spicy. Duck with vegetables was pretty good, it was a good two pieces of duck! Tempura time! An assortment of ingredients fried in the lightest tempura batter and served piping hot. My favorites were: the tiger shrimp, the crab leg, the mushroom and the scallop. There were also broccoli, fish, eggplant and sea urchin wrapped in shiso leaf. I opted for the A5 Miyazaki wagyu add on...and wow the beef sure was juicy! It was cooked medium rare and served alongside mixed grain red bean rice with half a...baby potato? It was just alright, I guess I have to go to Japan if I want really good A5 wagyu! Waiter was so nice to let us pack up what we couldn't finish in takeout containers! So don't worry about not finishing your meals because we were absolutely stuffed. Our dessert dish was raspberry sorbet on top of candied red beans served next to a slice of mochi cake. A cup of piping hot buckwheat tea is also served along with dessert (I may or may not have poured my glass of water into the glass of tea in order to cool it down). The raspberry sorbet was the star of the dish (for me), I wouldn't mind another scoop of that! Overall it was a very intimate dining experience as it felt like we were getting VIP service as we could see our food being made and our waiter was very attentive. This was a good experience for an omakase in NYC.

Such a fun experience for Valentine's Day! Reservations can be a bit tricky, but I made one a couple weeks in advance with Ari. I was able to secure their outdoor bubble tent for 2/14. Anyone considering the bubble tent should totally do it! It was 70degrees inside with 2 heaters and an air purifier, and we felt so cozy and private even being ok the street in the East Village. We each ordered a beer/glass of wine and enjoyed a bottle of sake with our meal - definitely the way to go drink wise IMO! The omakase is a great experience, and like everyone says - the tempura is a highlight. My favorites were the head on shrimp, scallop, and king crab. But everything was amazing and cooked delicately and perfectly. I'd love to come back and enjoy seated omakase at their bar to watch the chef work and appreciate the ambiance of the restaurant. But I'm the meantime, the outdoor seating was a great alternative. Will definitely be back to continue to support this unique and worthy small biz!

I probably had one of my favorite meals in the city at Secchu Yokota. It blew me away. This place is a two-man team: one chef and one server. As such, the meal does take a while to finish. However, watching the chef do his thing and expertly craft the omakase with such attention to detail is riveting. The server is funny, entertaining, and helpful. Each course, each tempura, was amazing!

Excellent food and service from this two person team! A super fun experience and felt very traditional!

I don't know how I've never published a review for one of my favorite restaurants! Eating here feels like eating in someone's cozy kitchen. The food is always excellent. Always impressive. The service is the best in NYC. This is a family owned business and the same people have worked here for years. They are the most wonderful people! You will be impressed with the food but the service and the vibe will keep you coming back. I love this restaurant and was so happy to go back after Covid and find it quite the same. Great place to go with a group of 6-8 and have the whole place to yourself! Highly recommend.

Secchu Yokota is a small six seat tempura bar on the Lower East Side. While it is small and unpretentious, it may well be the best tempura in New York City. The chef carefully makes each piece in front of you before delicately and lightly frying it. This is the style of tempura we have come to know from Tokyo (and greatly miss since the Pandemic has not allowed us to make our regular trips). The chef's wife tells you which salt to use on each piece. The two plus hour omakase set is truly a memorable experience.

Outstanding nouveau tempura omakase. Creative and everything is crafted from scratch. Simple but homey decor is inviting and comfortable. My wife and I grew up in Tokyo and return at least a couple of times/year so we are picky about the Japanese cuisine we eat. Service is attentive, professional and friendly. Not well-known and only seats 6 people at a single counter. A great hideaway to take foodies for a very memorable experience. We have eaten at Secchu Yokota about a dozen times. We have brought many guests ... all have had a terrific experience.

This place tempura omakase is to die for. Their food here is made fresh, it is fresh and it tastes amazing! The staff were so nice and you get to meet the husband and wife owner as well. Love the coziness and friendliness of this place. All seatings are at the bar and they only serve a max of 6 seating per meal, if you want personalized service this is the place. They explained everything that you are eating, where they came from, how it was prepared, how best to eat it. Totally worth the price.

SIX STARS if i could give it. But I suppose FIVE STARS will have to do since that is the max Chef Yokota's selections and cooking were so amazing!!! My fiance and I have had omakase sushi many times but this was our first time having it through tempura!! The breading was so crisp but also light, and we had the best time here and would highly recommend to anybody. Daimu was THE BEST server we have had as long as my fiance and I can remember (basically the best of friends as opposed to just a server) as he politely and thoroughly explained every dish, drink, and his suggestions during the meal. My fiance still jokes that Daimu is my new best friend. We have been to many michelin star meals but to be honest this one stood out through the overall experience - outstanding service, food quality, and creativity throughout the meal.

Don't understand why I only gave it 4 stars - I was probably too spoiled at that time... This is actually the restaurant I came back several times

A 10 star experience. Everything written about this restaurant is true. Like dining in your foodie friend/family's home. It is so cozy and friendly and inviting . Every bite of food and sip of drink was impeccable and delicious and beyond our imagination. The best food we had eaten all year and definitely in our top 5 food experiences of all time. And we have dined out ALOT! The chef is so masterful and it was wonderful to watch him quietly And deftly execute every dish to perfection. The whole experience was like being in a theatre show and what was supremely nice was how intimate it was . There were only 6 guests in total including my husband and I and 3 staff ( chef , his charming wife and an excellent server) Be prepared for a 2 hour show with amazing food to tantalize you visually as well as your tastebuds . At the end of the meal we received a special drink as part of our anniversary and the staff hugged us too. I was nearly brought to tears at this very personal dining experience which I never thought in a million years I would experience in nyc ! You must put this restaurant on your bucket list !!!!!! Note: Reservations can only be made 2 weeks in advance as they want serious clients .

We went for tempura tasting menu. The restaurant itself was smaller than I expected. Overall it was a great dining experience. Food quality was great. The servers were attentive.

Cuisine: 9 Service: 10 Decor: 9 Value: 10 Overall: 10 This is a way overdue review since I have been a regular from when they first opened. Last night, I was there again, and as usual, had a fantastic time. There were four of us, but we ended up chatting with the other two groups and restaurant staff as well. Secchu Yokota is built perfectly for this type of situation, a warm family vibe where everyone is greeted with hugs. A small eight seat bar (2 seatings per night) overlooking the entire kitchen where Chef Yokota fries impeccable tempura you will rarely find in NYC, while Chef Nicholas (MC of the night) entertains the crowd with his wisdom and stories. Not to be forgotten are the host/wait staff of Ari and Daimu, who are extremely friendly and attentive. Below is a list of courses from our $100 omakase on 4/23/19. It was magnificent. Add ons are indicted by *** at the end of the course. Appetizers: Tomato Gazpacho w/ Trout Roe & Olive Oil Aji (Horse Mackerel) Sashimi, Chicken & Duck Liver Mousse Tempura: Asparagus Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn) Shiitake Mushroom Tachiuo (Belt Fish) Japanese Eggplant Hotate (Hokkaido Scallop) Takenoko (Winter Bamboo) Mehikari (Green Eyed Fish) King Crab Anago (Sea Eel) Aori Ika (Big Reef Squid)*** Uni (Hokkaido Sea Urchin) *** Entree: Gyudon - Ribeye Steak w/ Maitake & Shimeji Mushrooms over Rice Dessert: Ginger Creme Brûlée - Blood Orange Sorbet, Mandarin Orange Compote Gelee, Red Beans, White Sesame Tuille Menu changes regularly, but stays consistently excellent. Atmosphere is cozy and always warm, regardless how cold it is outside. The words "neighborhood gem" is often thrown around too loosely. In this case, I would say that it fits Secchu Yokota perfectly. If you just discovered this unique restaurant quietly doing its thing, then don't waste time and go book yourself a reservation now.

Tempura is very underrated and most people think it's just a regular fried batter. Coming to this place will change your mind. Having the tasting menu will have you in a palette rollercoaster. The starters are amazing starting with the daikon soup, followed by a quad ranging from ratatouille, sandwich, soba, and sushi. This is a must try. Each dish was so unique and dumping with tons of flavors and umami! MUST HAVE.

My girlfriend took me here for my birthday, and it was one of the best meals of my life! The restaurant was very cozy and the food was delicious. What made the restaurant very special were the two person team that ran the restaurant. The waiter was extremely friendly and made us feel like family, and the chef was very kind when serving us food. We cant wait to go back!

Wow, what an amazing experience at Secchu Yokota. The chef, his wife, and the manager were all so pleasant and welcoming into the restaurant. We celebrated my boyfriend's birthday with a great meal. They listened to my birthday request and did not put too much pressure on my boyfriend, which he appreciated. We were given the best seat in the house so we could watch the chef work his mastery. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope to be back soon.

Secchu Yokota is a gem of a restaurant in Alphabet City that offers high quality tempura and an intimate experience. In March 2020, I was meant to travel to Tokyo for a food adventure. Tempura Kondo had been on my list of must eat at restaurants. While my trip to Japan was postponed indefinitely due to COVID, I was still interested in trying a high end tempura meal. After speaking with @tokyomanhattan on Instagram about Japanese cuisine, he recommended I try Secchu Yokota, a tempura restaurant that mixes French techniques with Japanese food as Chef Yokota is classically trained in French cuisine. A few weeks ago, I decided to make a reservation to check out the restaurant with a friend. I did not realize how small the restaurant was from my prior research. It is the size of a studio apartment and the only staff are Chef Yokota and Daimu, the server. We were warmly greeted as we entered and showed to our seats at the bar. Chef Yokota was diligently working on preparing the appetizers as we sat down and ordered a beer. The appetizer courses featured fresh items such as cold cabbage soup, sashimi, soba with eel, and thinly sliced duck breast. I enjoyed tasting the different Japanese preparations. Afterwards, we were prepared for the tempura course. Daimu explained the different condiments we could apply to to the tempura - charcoal salt, hojicha salt, lemon, and bonito soy dipping sauce - and asked us if he could provide his recommendations as the meal progressed. We thanked him and agreed to have him guide us along. Chef Yokota prepared the following for us: Spot prawn with its head Sweet pepper Whole small fish (can't remember the name) Eggplant Alaskan king crab Japanese sweet potato Santa Barbara uni wrapped in shiso Scallop We were then treated to a delicious ochazuke featuring crispy, seared branzino and a wonderful berry sorbet. I was very pleased with how light the tempura batter was. It provides a delicate crunch that accentuates the fresh, juicy seafood and vegetables encased within. At times, I hardly noticed the coating but know that the pieces would taste completely different without it. Just typing this review is making my mouth water again. My favorites were the eggplant, crab, and ochazuke. The amount of food was more than satisfying. At the end of the meal, my friend and I chatted with the staff and reflected on our experience. While I realized that tempura is not my favorite in the realm of Japanese cuisine, I am so happy that I was able to dine with the SY crew. I continue to think back to the care they put into the courses, the server's expertise and hospitality, and the sheer juiciness of the crab and scallop. They crushed it. So if I frame the restaurant in the context of what they offer, how well it fits into its category, how consistent the food was, and how they made us feel, it was nearly perfect. If you are looking to try tempura and enjoy fresh, quality produce and seasonal seafood, I highly recommend Secchu Yokota.