SSAW Brooklyn

Staff are passionate about Japanese food and replicating an authentic, high-end izakaya experience. Went for my partner's birthday dinner on a Monday and received spectacular service, ordering a la carte. Staff went above and beyond in providing complimentary sparkling wine, doburoku, and hojicha ice cream in addition to very attentive service. Two of the chefs were from Kagoshima and made time to discuss Kyushu cuisine with us. Our server, Ryosuke, was enthusiastic about their excellent sake list and provided great recommendations and samples from which to select. Food was delicious, with emphasis on fresh and seasonal seafood and vegetables and light on seasonings, and the chilled dishes in particular (scallops chawanmushi and hairy crab with nimono) were great for the heat wave. Dishes are definitely on the smaller side but that's to be expected (we picked up a few slices from Williamsburg Pizza afterwards). Atmosphere is wonderful, with eight seats at the bar overlooking the open kitchen and two small tables by the window. Lighting is sophisticated and the ceramics and glassware are gorgeous. Spoiled by Japanese food while living in Kyushu, I rarely find Japanese food in NYC or the US that's worth seeking out. SSAW's food and, in particular, service stand out from the competition and I would encourage a visit — especially for a special occasion. Looking forward to returning.

After months of newborn bliss and sleepless nights, my husband and I finally enjoyed our first date night since November—and SSAW made it truly special. We indulged in their newly introduced tasting menu, a harmonious journey through seasonal flavors. Each course was thoughtfully crafted, showcasing Chef Yusuke Fukuzaki’s impeccable technique and artistry. Watching him work with such calm precision was mesmerizing. The sake pairing, curated by sommelier and manager Ryo Yamazaki, was a revelation. I’ve never experienced such exquisite sake selections that complemented each dish perfectly. Our server, Pete, provided attentive and friendly service, enhancing our dining experience. The ambiance was serene and peaceful, offering a much-needed escape and a chance to reconnect. Thank you, SSAW, for an unforgettable evening. We can’t wait to return!

My wife and I had a wonderful experience at SSAW this past Saturday. We went for the pre-fix dinner and were genuinely impressed—every dish was thoughtfully composed and absolutely delicious. The flavors were refined and balanced in that uniquely elegant way that great Japanese cuisine can offer. One of the highlights of the evening was the sake pairing. The sake sommelier not only introduced us to varieties we hadn’t tried before, but really expanded our palate and appreciation for sake as a whole. It added a rich layer of depth to the meal. The ambiance of the restaurant was another standout. Calm, quiet, and soothing—perfect for a relaxed night out. SSAW also has a lot of beautiful design touches throughout the space, which made the experience feel even more special. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a refined, relaxing dining experience with incredible food and drink.

The tasting menu at SSAW is exquisite! Throughout the multi-course dinner, we experienced amazing service, delicious and unique-tasting dishes that were beautifully presented on plates and glassware imported from Japan. Throughout the night, our gracious and friendly host curated sake selections that we thoroughly enjoyed. And in the space itself, there was no detail overlooked — the ambiance from the decor to the music playing was perfect. We’re going again soon!

Highly recommend this restaurant, I have been a fan of chef’s cooking since his last restaurant in LES, and the ingredients are always so fresh and seasonal. Both the kaiseki menu and tasting menu are excellent. All the flavors are distinct and yet pair so well together. Shout out to Ryo as well for the always friendly service! Will definitely come back!

We had the most amazing experience at SSAW tonight. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate and the food was beyond phenomenal. The trout melted in our mouths, the turtle ramen was unlike anything we’d tried before and the sashimi with house made ponzu was utterly delicious. The presentation was delightful and the server and chefs went above and beyond in explaining each dish. 10/10 would recommend for a special evening. Thank you SSAW for a magical night!

I would give 10 stars if possible. Excellent service, super tasty food and unique selection of sake. My favorite Japanese restaurant based on my 10 year experience of Japanese tasting in NYC. Shout out to Ryo and chef!!!

Had the loveliest time at SSAW Brooklyn. The vibes were really fun at the tasting bar. The menu was stunning and the sommelier Ryo explained the various sakes and pairings to us. Highly recommend if you’re interested in exploring sake.

I found out about this restaurant through my hair stylist, as the chef is her husband, and decided to come here to celebrate graduating from a nursing program. Food, service, and ambiance were all top-notch. We felt extremely taken care of by the staff. Every course was thoughtful and a delight to the palate. In particular, the taro mochi topped with uni was a revelation, and I could have inhaled 20 more. The delicious food was complemented by a fantastic sake selection, and the bartender allowed us to try numerous samples before we made our choices. Very excited to come back!

TLDR: SSAW is a new kaiseki concept from Yusuke Fukuzaki. Not super stiff but more casual, the flavors are on point. Some really unique dishes that I hadn't had at other spots. I had went to the SSAW pop-up last year and was excited to finally try it for real. The menu leaves much to the imagination as it just lists the key ingredient. It's a small spot and I'd definitely recommend grabbing a counter seat. The first dish was a suppon (soft shelled turtle) chawanmushi which my wife doesn't eat. Chef on the fly, whipped together a kegani (hairy crab) version to accomodate. That is the essence of omotenashi. Everything was excellent but a few things were stand outs for me. The black scraper dish was a hybrid plate of a sashimi and a salad. An assortment of sashimi under a ponzu vinegar jelly. It was crunchy, umami-forward, cool and so many textures. The shirako tempura in white miso was also delightful. Rich, creamy but not overly heavy. The goldeneye snapper or kinmedai in béchamel was also unexpected, especially with the Sichuan peppercorn and yuzu kosho to help balance it out. The washugyu rump served gyukatsu style but with rice crackers for breading was clever and tasty. It paired beautifully with the persimmon. It was a very enjoyable experience and it's cool to see Williamsburg getting some newer things like this. Definitely will be visiting again for the hospitality, the vibes and obviously the food.

Delicious new Kaiseki restaurant in Williamsburg! Chef Yusuke Fukuzak and his team (shoutout to Ryo Yamakazi) have an absolute winner with SSAW. Worth a visit from wherever you are. Cozy intimate counter with 8 seats and a 4 table seats -- try to grab counter seats for dinner with a date or close friends for a great time. Delicious and balanced courses, embraces the seasonal gems of the moment, everything I could wish for in an excellent kaiseki. Yamakazi-san was chatty and great to chat with. I will totally come back even with the long commute

I really wanna keep this place a secret but I also think they deserve all the recognition. Such a gem

The most standout kaiseki I have ever had. So innovative and unique. Each dish was a surprise! Service was very intimate and great!! I would hands down recommend this spot for the experience!!

excellent experience. refined but also homey. I've been making sure to visit at least once a month and I live across the bridge

The food, service and atmosphere was great. It is amazing little spot in Brooklyn. I read previous reviews and seems someone make a bad review campaign just because w upseat. I never seems reviews of people been so focus of what others guess w eating and quantify the amound been serve ( kind of weird ) if you like authentic Japanese food. Just go to this restaurant.

Absolutely cannot recommend enough. Inspired, delicious food! Amazing service, incredible ambiance. Attentive, professional. After reading recent reviews claiming discrimination, I went back to review my photos and those of everyone that dined with me--3 men, 1 woman: we all received 3 pieces of wagyu.

I went to SSAW last night. It was an amazing EXPERIENCE, not just a great meal! It's a very small restaurant (only 8 seats at the counter), so you get incredible attention. To start, we sampled a handful of different sakes. Ryo is EXTREMELY knowledgeable on this front and steered us to the ones that fit our palates best. The food was creative, fresh, seasonal, beautiful ... and absolutely delicious! I loved the rice dish with ikura sprinkled in, but the dishes change each month so you're always going to experience something new and exciting. The staff are extremely warm and competent. I was amazed to find such a top notch restaurant in this neighborhood. I believe it will ultimately earn Michelin stars once the reviewers come through!!

I've never written a Yelp review despite living and dining in NYC for 4 years. Chef Yusuke Fukuzaki is thoughtful, creative, and talented in each course. The whole team is very knowledgeable and conversational! The layout and ambiance of the place is quaint and cozy. I loved how intimate and relaxed the vibe was. Not stuffy and not like most elevated dining experiences. It's a real gem especially if you love chives because it's incorporated in many dishes. Loved every moment of my SSAW (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) experience - ate through the year in one meal :)

Friends and I had a wonderful time at SSAW this past weekend. We frequent alot of establishments in and around NY and this was one of the best culinary experiences I have had in some time. Unlike many typical Omakases, there was actually some high end cookery involved here rather than 12 to 18 "courses" which basically amount to a piece of nigiri with revised fish selections, sauces and or toppings. The dishes were very innovative and not the kind of cookie cutter and copycat courses you see at every Japanese restaurant. No miso glazed cod here. For example, one dish had fiddle fern, another watercress and several dishes had other interesting herbaceous notes. The vegetables seemed to be cooked in dashi broth imparting a smoky flavor that really harmonized well with the accompanying ingredient. Everything was so well balanced. Standouts were definitely the two sashimi dishes, one a sea breem that came with a jelly and the beltfish with the salmon roe. Also, suprisingly not super salty for a high end japanese experience - one of my pet peeves with japanese cuisine in general is how salty, usually to counteract the lack of fat. Here, no need as every dish was so flavorful. Besides this, we did a sake pairing which was a wonderful experience and highly recommended. Unlike many "pairings" the selections here were genuinely thoughtful and very out of the box but went so well with each course. Finally, RYO - the "host" was so engaging, friendly and a blast to have a meal with - I would categorize him more of an MC then a waiter or server. You will see what I mean. Such fantastic energy here Chef Fukuzaki, Chef IO, and Ryo made a great team, and I cannot wait to come back here in the near future. We felt like not only did we get an amazing meal and have an absolute blast which is not what you say with most dining experiences, but we also felt like we made friends at the counter and with the staff. It somewhat took the sting out of turning 50 to have a meal here with a couple of my close friends.

The food, service and care at this restaurant were all amazing. Each dish was unique and I felt like the sake specialist was particularly helpful and knowledgeable. Would recommend!

A truly wonderful experience! The food was delicious and very approachable (even for someone who is a novice when it comes to Japanese cuisine). The staff were professional and patient in explaining items on the menu and assisting with wine/sake selection. The restaurant is cozy and elegant and was lively while not being loud. Perfect for a date night or small group dinner. Highly recommend!