Sushi of Gari UES

Sushi of Gari continues to impress, a testament to their unwavering commitment to quality. Returning after more than a decade, I was delighted to find the omakase experience as exceptional as I remembered, a true echo of the days when Mr. Gari himself graced the sushi bar. The presentation was, as always, a visual feast, each piece a delicate work of art. The flavors were equally sublime, a testament to the freshness and masterful preparation of the ingredients. The friendly and attentive staff contributed to a truly memorable dining experience. It's heartening to see Sushi of Gari maintain such high standards, creating yet another cherished memory. ❤️

Small sushi restaurant in the Upper East Side that serves high quality Japanese food. Besides sushi and sashimi, they have a good variety of appetizers and entrees from their kitchen on the menu. We were a party of 4 for dinner and ordered the pork gyoza, tempura and yuzu tsukune for appetizers. For entrees we ordered a sashimi dinner, a sushi dinner, 2 sushi deluxe and complemented with a la carte orders of uni and ikura sushi. Everything was delicious. We left the restaurant very satisfied.

I had never tried omakase before going to Sushi of Gari with a friend of mine. Since my first visit in 2016, I’ve been back close to 100 times. Never had a bad meal here. Wait staff is always incredibly attentive, fish is always fresh, and the omakase never disappoints. 10/10 experience every time

There is nothing bad about this place. Everything is perfect here. The cuisine and the attention paid to each diner is above and beyond. Get the Omakase, sit at the bar, engage with the chef. Take out a loan to pay for it all, and enjoy the taste adventure.

This isn't a very big place. We sat at the bar. One of the things I noticed was that the sushi chefs were prepping a lot of sushi orders for delivery. We tried the omakase ($166) per person. We spent $400 for two omakase and a glass of wine. We had 15 pieces each. The sushi was not great, but very pricey. The pieces came at a very fast pace. We were full. In general I'm not a huge big fan of omakase since I don't know in advance what I will be getting. We won't be back.

Never, never had a sashimi experience like this! Melt-in-your-mouth tender and succulent. Wow! Just wow. And the service was perfectly attentive & timed exactly without being hovering. Couldn't ask for more...

One of the best sushi in town! We had omakase and all sushi pieces were like artwork! Its very pricey but you get what you paid for. Highly recommended!

Sushi from NYC's old school sushiya, Sushi of Gari. It once it held a one Michelin star but not anymore to my knowledge. It is definitely one of the restaurants that started the sushi culture in the early 1990s for New Yorkers and still keeps its class to some level. For sushi perhaps, I have had better looking ones, however, the full umami flavor from its aged fresh fish was another level. You can copy the look, but the flavor was unique and this place had that depth. Of course out of their own pride or dignity, they are too cool to offer miso soup or a maki along with the nigiri. Nonetheless, I think you still need to try it at least once. I personally found their sautéd tomato garnish over the salmon nigiri very interesting. It was such a surprise how much umami flavor came out from pairing the salmon and tomato. Also, the funniest part is that the $140 sushi omakase comes with fresh wasabi, but the $40 something chirashi comes with cheap soulless dry wasabi lol...you definitely get what you pay for here....or a bit less. Speaking of the chirashi don, even though you are getting low quality, gloomy wasabi, the fish on top of the sushi rice are still very pronounced. The snapper was aged well, as I chewed a few times its flavor hit my tongue. For the akami, I usually feel that it is bland compared to other tuna cuts, but not from here. It is definitely a nice and economical way to taste aged fresh fish flavors. I see many reviews of disappointment with the food or service. However, it is worth trying in my opinion.

The omakase is an incredible dining experience. Sitting across from the chefs as they craft these works of art is mesmerising and it unlocks an entirely new level of appreciation for the food you're eating. Felt very lucky to be there.

I ordered a delivery through seamless to the Cornell hospital for my wife and I (my wife recently gave birth). The order total was a little shy of $200. After I received the delivery and came upstairs, I realized there were no chopsticks or soy sauce. I called the restaurant, and the guy who picked up the phone basically gaslit me and told me that I didn't get soy sauce because I did not select getting utensils. I assume I didn't select utensils. Ok. I can eat with a fork. But not sending soy sauce with a supposed high-end sushi order is crazy. And there is no option to unselect delivery of soy sauce. They sent me plastic soy sauce holders, but because I didn't select utensils, they apparently did not include soy sauce. I have never heard of sushi deliveries without soy sauce. So if you are ordering from a hospital like me, I wouldn't order from this place. Btw, the food is just average and really overpriced.

My friend took me here for my birthday after we missed our flight back home to SF. As always, the sushi was delicious, beautiful and inventive. Our waiter was amazing. He remembered my friend even thought it had been months, maybe even more than a year since she had last been there. For dessert, we had the most delicious matcha cheesecake. I wish we knew where it came from so that we could order one again. Next time I'm in town, I'd love to come here again for a special meal. So good!

This review is on takeout. There is a very high quality of sushi delivered and the mgmt takes customer service very seriously. This is one of the best sushi restaurants in the city. It has much higher quality fish than anywhere in the east village / Les.

Love the sushi pieces, nice to get a change from traditional edo mai style sushi without falling into cringe american philly rolls. Try the snapper with arugula, spicy tuna tofu, fluke with qual egg

This place was beyond amazing. I loved all of the roll selections I ordered. Super fresh, super good. This was really an amazing place. I highly recommend it!!

Ordered Gari's special box to go. Very nice presentation! Very decent experience ! I am glad that I have given a try one more time ! My last experience eating in person was not pleasant at all , so i didn't want to go back at all. This time, all sushi combination , fish and ingredients they paired with was just prefect !! Ordered Sakura Week Menu~ A5 Wagyu Beef Sushi w/uni they are ok , not bad. That's why i took off one star . Fatty tuna roll - very fatty !! Love it ! I see oil left under the box!! Definitely will be back !

Great sushi, terrible customer service. Forgot wasabi for a $100 takeout order and all they can say is "sorry, we're human" and tell us we have to come pick it up. Way to ruin dinner.

The best sushi in NYC; nothing comes even close. Everything is very fresh and melts in your mouth

My favorite sushi in the UES hands up and down! I've sat in a couple of times but this is my usual takeout spot for Thursday :) and will continue to be forevaaaaa!

The sashimi here was probably one of the best I've ever had. It was like butter! And I mean it. I got the chefs special which was awesome- a variety of sashimi that was so delicious between the fatty tuna, salmon, oyster I was in heaven! The place is small so if you can make a reservation head of time you should! I recommended this place though be careful you can spend a few big bucks here!

Pricier sushi spot but very good quality. Each roll costs a couple of extra dollars more than the average and smaller portion of fish. Is it worth the extra cost? You'll have to judge that for yourself. I like the seared tuna roll with garlic sauce. It's an interesting flavor pairing. The service is always efficient and polite. I would order more often but the current hours are 4-9, so they just miss my lunchtime window.

I came here with my friend on a Sunday night and the place was very crowded, though it wasn't hard for me to get a reservation a few days before. We sat down and were asked if we'd be doing the omakase. This did bother me a little because I feel like I wouldn't do an omakase if not seated at the sushi bar, but other than that our server was very pleasant and attentive. My friend and I shared miso soup, edamame, an order of tuna of gari and an order of the sushi special. Both were out of this world. I loved that the sushi pieces were already sauced and each had a nice topping that made each bite unique. Every piece was truly delicious and the rolls were very good as well. We also shared a fried ice cream, which I had never had before. I thought it was good but probably could've done without this (the outer layer wasn't as hot as I would've liked but I had no comparison). The food was not inexpensive but it was a good amount of food and I was very satisfied for the quality to price point. I wish there was one closer to my apartment, but I'll definitely be back to one of the Gari locations soon!

Always amazing and fresh sushi! We are always so happy when ordering sushi from Gari.

Ambience:3 Food:5 Service:4 Value:5 Return:5 Sushi of Gari is one of my favorite nooks at UES. Unassuming is its exterior. Minimal is its interior. Efficient is their staff. Phenomenal is their sushi. On my visits, I always request to be seated at their cozy counter and go for their amazing omakase. There, I can see the intricacies of knife works and special care of ingredients from the chefs. Exquisite is each plate. Starting the meal off with the subtlety of fresh and clean tasting sashimi, gradually building to more complex textures and riveting tastes with each piece of sushi thereafter. Loving every single seasonal piece I have had there while placing each delicately into my tummy. I do save room for their decadent foie gras and sublime salmon mousse sticky rice sushi for the ending. CHEERS!

Okay - I won't lie, I probably did what many couples have in the past. We were watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi and the cravings came strong - cooler heads did not prevail. I've been wanting to try their omakase for many years. An impromptu Netflix viewing led to an even more spontaneous splurging of sushi! What can I say? OH MA GAAAAAARRRI. SO GOOD. We sat at the bar and just let it roll. It balanced out to around $150 ~ $160 each. The nigiri pieces here are nice and big - at least for me. Everything was awesome but for me, the ones that really stood out were the chopped mushrooms piece, fluke with poached quail egg, foie gras (girlfriend keeps talking about it), chili garlic and all the other nigiri friends. It's a bit pricey, go for a special occasion or go just because. I promise, you won't regret it and your tummy will love you.

As good as I remember it to be! Sushi chef Alki was superb delivering each artful pieces of Omakase. Ingredients so fresh, the texture dances in the mouth! Their tried and true combinations of every pieces with original sauces and toppings was heavenly to the palate! The outstanding piece for me is their uni from Hokkaido, brilliant orange color, firm texture and sweet taste. So good, had to have two pieces. Service was attentive!

I am OBSESSED with Sushi of Gari. I have been to both this location and the location in the 40s on the west side. More often than not, I get the special sushi combination. I've gotten this for both lunch and dinner and always love it! My favorite pieces are (i) the salmon with roasted tomato (which Gari is most famous for), (ii) the eggplant sushi which is a piece of marinated eggplant made to look like a piece of fish and (iii) the piece with a smoky mushroom topping. I love how unique each of the pieces is and how different Gari is from the other more traditional sushi restaurants in the city. If I could, I would go to Gari every weekend. I have also gotten the omakase, which is a fun experience, but it comes out to about $10 per piece of sushi ($120 total), and I enjoyed the special sushi combo just as much for a lot less money ($55 total). The restaurant is decorated very simply and could probably use a renovation, but you don't come to Gari for the decor, you come for the sushi.

The charm of raw fish on rice! There's no surprise for Sushi of Gari to constantly hold the Michelin stars as their service and food is excellent. This is my fourth visit to the location in upper east and I have to say, sushi of Gari never disappoints me. The interior is not big and the decoration seems like what you would expect for a normal sushi restaurant, with table and bar seats. I would definitely recommend making reservation before you go. I made a reservation for two people, and as soon as we arrived we are directed to our table. But my friend and I ordered the omakase menu and got moved to the bar instead. This is actually different from my past experience but I definitely enjoyed this time more! The chef greeted us and starts our course with scallop nigiri with plum sauce. The scallop is so fresh and the texture is very soft. We got noticed that the omakase menu will be charged by pieces and the chef won't stop serving until you say stop. And we know after the first dish that we are definitely not going to be able to say stop any time soon. The journey went on as we got fed by tuna nigiri with tofu sauce, salmon nigiri with roasted tomato on top, and ten more other super fresh and delicious nigiri pieces. We end up feeling full around the 14th round. I do hope we can get some other dish than nigiri but the food is so soul fulfilling I have nothing to complain. Overall the experience is great. Sushi of Gari is definitely one of my favorite affordable fancy sushi spot in town.

This isn't a very big place. We sat at the bar. One of the things I noticed was that the sushi chefs were prepping a lot of sushi orders for delivery. We tried the omakase ($166) per person. We spent $400 for two omakase and a glass of wine. We had 15 pieces each. The sushi was not great, but very pricey. The pieces came at a very fast pace. We were full. In general I'm not a huge big fan of omakase since I don't know in advance what I will be getting. We won't be back.

Definitely a fan of Gari but prefer the 46th street location more. The staff at this location seem to be a bit less knowledgeable and service overall. Nonetheless still a great omakase. The selections are always fresh (usually not a fan of uni but wow Gari's uni is almost sweet). I love how their pairings are not your standard or plain that you may find at another omakase.

Came here for a date night this past summer. We opted for omakase and sat at the bar. There's no strict price for omakase. You just let the sushi chef know when you're done. I think it's a more than fair concept and if we weren't working with a residency budget, I wouldn't have batted an eyelash; however, we did find ourselves keeping close track of how many pieces we ate instead of just sitting back and really enjoying everything. The lasting impression of their omakase is when the sushi chef reached for a fish that I normally consider boring and wouldn't take a second glance at. He constructed it into something really wonderful and interesting to eat. I feel like that's where Sushi of Gari shines. The dishes are more playful in nature and flavors and textures aren't always the same standard fare. I can't remember our exact cost for dinner; however, I do recall that it felt more than reasonable for the quality of food and service. It's marked not good for kids on Yelp, but I wouldn't have any issues bringing our young children (who are generally well behaved) with us if we chose to dine here again. Staff is warm and responsive. Atmosphere doesn't feel as restrictive like other $$$$ sushi places we've dined at but the quality is still there.

Super delicious!! Love this restaurant, everything was perfect. The service was amazing and I loved the sushi. I tried the Foie gras and it was mouthwatering.

Sushi of Gari never disappoints! Definitely make sure that you make a reservation or there will be a long wait time - but worth it for the food! Some friends and I decided to go there for omakase. The omakase is a little expensive, but worth it for the quality of fish and sauces they use. I had the 12 pieces of sushi and was left wanting for more afterwards. However, the sushi was amazing and very well seasoned. Sushi of Gari elevated the simplest pieces of fish by adding a slice of warm tomato, a mixture of sauces or even a small quail egg. This attention to detail and small additions made the food interesting and unique. Additional sushi can be added for their market price. We also got some tempera and Hokkaido Uni afterwards since we were still a little hungry. The Hokkaido Uni is absolutely delicious and a must have!

So this was my first time trying Sushi of Gari and it was by delivery. Maybe that's not the best way to judge this restaurant, but at the same time, it's supposedly good quality sushi and right around the corner from my apartment, so shouldn't it taste amazing when you're not dining in as well? I got a California roll, spicy tuna, spicy salmon roll and miso soup. These are pretty basic rolls, so they should be hard to mess up, right? The California roll was the best out of all, but not the best I've had. The spicy salmon and spicy tuna rolls were not very appetizing at all. I could have gotten these at a much cheaper restaurant and not have noticed a difference. I hate to compare, but Momokawa, which is also in the neighborhood, is around the same price point and the fish tastes 1000x fresher. People seem to rave about this place so I won't completely shun Sushi of Gari, but will probably wait to try it again when I can dine in. :(

We ordered omakase take out box without realizing that $170 price has a portion for one person! 8 pieces of sushi, and 4 pieces of sashimi. Quite a shock to me. The online order menu said 8 KINDS of sushi, and 4 KINDS of sashimi which was misleading. The sushi were very fresh and tasty. You would need to judge for yourself whether the premium price is worth it.

Long ago I decided I'd rather order in high quality sushi every other week than cheap sushi every week. Gari is my go-to when it comes to this as i e been going and ordering from here for the past 15 years. I was so excited when they reopened after the lockdown. While the higher end nigiri is fab (just had the mackerel, salmon roe, fluke, and squid tonight, all DELICIOUS), their rolls are also the platonic ideal of Americanized sushi rolls. Their spicy tuna, spicy shrimp tempura, and salmon skin (so crispy!!!!) rolls are so great, they alone are worth ordering from Gari.

Great sushi. I came here on a Sunday evening and it was pretty busy. We were seated at the counter without a reservation around 6pm. We ordered the omakase. Their omakase system is pay-for-what-you-eat. The sushi chef just makes you a bunch of nigiri sushi until you tell him to stop. He serves them one at a time and based on some stuff he said, I believe he is planning a few pieces ahead at any given time. After 34 pieces for two people (17x2), the total came out to $340 with tip. This works out to approximately $8.5 a piece before tip. I felt this was very fair given the high quality of the meal. Also, the sushi here is not of the traditional style. Many of the pieces come with contemporary changes like shiso sauces, a light searing, or random pastes. They were all well done - I normally react quite negatively to this. The very last one, the "tomato salmon" was probably the least delicious one, despite their insistence that we try it. But 16 of 17 pieces is a great batting average.

This used to be our go to takeout place on the upper east side. Pricey but worth it. After 10+ positive experiences we ordered again last week and the fish was really not good. The nigiri sushi was passable but the tuna maki tasted off. I was surprised. We called them just to give feedback and see if maybe they had changed chefs. They said they would call back and never did. (Plus they raised their prices 10%.). Won't be back.

Ordered take out and the food was honestly amazing! They are on the more pricey side (that's the reason I gave 4 stars), but everything was fresh and packaged so well. They even used empty plastic containers to fill voids, so the nigiri didn't roll around. We ordered a handful of nigiri and a few rolls - nigiri were well worth the money!

Sushi here are amazing! Will definitely come back for sushi - fresh, tasty, great quality! As for the appetizers, I'm a bit disappointed - food is ok, typical Japanese food flavor, not very special or impressive compared to other ones.

Food: chefs here are clear veterans who understand both the history and culture of omakase. They had innovative omakase styles with different house made sauces like Fiji apple sauce and daikon sauces that put the already premium sushi to the top notch! Environment: not the most sleek environment but it has that look of one of those top sushi joints in japan. Cost: expensive for sure but it's worth it if you're a sushi lover. You're looking to spend $130/person without drinks for about 10 courses. Overall: I would recommend the omakase style and have the chef here surprise you with amazing pieces they have created!

One of my favorite sushi spots in the city. Their signature sushi is imaginative, and perfectly combines unique ingredients with the freshest fish to create unforgettable bites and an overall fantastic dining experience. Thinly sliced tomato without pulp or skin, under a thick slab of fresh tuna - not what you would expect from sushi, but it literally will blow your mind. Worth the price, you won't forget your meal here for years to come!

We got this sushi delivered for a party of 5 and the sushi is pretty good. Nothing to run home about, they have good cut rolls! The quality of the fish is very good and their customer service is great. The prices are okay, not too expensive. The spicy tuna didn't really taste spicy, but I like how you can customize it and add to your rolls. Overall pretty good!

The food was fishy today;( not like usual. Sorry guys you need to fix this! The service was sub par as well. Food took a while and the fish was not fresh. Unfortunately, I felt sick afterwards.

An advantage about this omakase is that you don't need to book far in advance. Their omakase is solid but not something I consider off the charts given the price you pay. Would have been more satisfied if dessert were included or if the price were lowered a bit. Fresh fish though - wish 3.5 stars were an option.

Casual, unpretentious quality sushi. Omakase at the bar is highly recommended. I've tried many places across the country and this by far is my favorite. Ingredients are flown in and the sushi chefs are authentic and masters of their craft. I would recommend anyone to try this for the ultimate sushi experience.

The best omakase I had so far!! In my opinion, it is better than sushi nakazawa. they charge by the piece and would not stop serving you until you say stop, but the sushi and sashimi are just so fresh and tasty that I cannot stop!! For the sushi, just look at the texture, every piece looks like a piece of art. I liked how everything is very fresh, and at the same time, they didn't make it all bland, but with the right amount of spices and stuff that's not overpowering the fresh fish taste. The pieces I liked the most are the toro and giant crab. I had tempura ice cream as dessert, the matcha ice cream is really good, the matcha taste is rich, and the tempura is nicely fried on the outside, the house made strawberry sauce is a bit sour but quite tasty, complemented the ice cream well Not only the quality of the food, but the service is superb as well. The waitress would drop by from time to time to make sure you are enjoying everything, and she would exchange a hot and fresh cup of green tea each time

Always excellent Consistently consistent Interesting sushi not your ordinary sushi place interesting sauces, preparations and flavors.

One of my favorite omakases in NYC. You'd think this restaurant looks like a tiny place with mediocre sushi but if you know Sushi of Gari you know it's the good stuff! My friend and I sat at the bar and both did omakase. We had 13 pieces each and shared one ice cream dessert and the bill came out to $277. I tried some new items I haven't had before and they were delicious !!! Snow crab in a little baked bowl with seasoned rice - that was incredible Definitely coming back as always :)

Very good sushi joint. The place is a bit small for my liking but over all a great experience. What I liked: -Super fresh fish, their fish is of amazing quality and you can tell a lot of tender loving care went into it. -baby peach, OMG. I have never tasted anything like it. It tasted just like all those Japanese peach candy or drinks I've ever had! This is the real deal! -sushi rice, the rice always gets over looked in a sushi joint, but I can say that this place is good because of their sushi rice. Special quality rice, cooked to perfection, made with the perfect firmness and amount to have the fish lay on top of it, perfect harmony. Their sushi wouldn't be half as good if not for their rice. -squash or cucumber appetizer... (look for my photos) it was very delicious What I didn't like: -glorifying their sushi, they tried to be creative with their sushi and some are good and some are just overkilled. Wish they would have just did more traditional sushi than trying to present wireless spectacles. -communication, waiter's English was meh, so it wasn't easy although he was super friendly. Cleanliness : 5/5 Deliciousness:5/5 Friendliness:5/5 The only reason I did not give them 5 stars is because 1) I had higher expectations of them for the price they charge, and 2) I also hope they offer more traditional sushis rather than putting hot sauce on top of tofu paste on top of a fine piece of tuna sushi ....@&¥%#^!!!!!. I mind as well go have a burger ..... But I will definitely come back. Must try: Tuna O'gari Baby beach Omakase

Ordered take out here since they still aren't open for dine-in (please note they have limited hours, not opening until 4pm). The sushi is more expensive than nearby places but you can taste the different in the quality and presentation. It's fresh and packaged beautifully! They have a wide range of sushi starting from the classics to different exciting rolls (I tried tuna with pureed tofu - delish!). It's a small restaurant and not much in the way of ambiance but excited to visit once they re-open.

KenScale: 8.5/10 Sushi of Gari in its original location on the Upper East Side is a place to go if you want to try the most inventive, avante garde sushi dishes from chef Masatoshi "Gari" Sugio. Since its opening, the restaurant has opened in places such as Midtown West and TriBeCa. If you're willing to splurge for a special culinary experience, definitely go for the omakase option. You'll be charged for each individual dish until you are full and stop eating. I went for a sushi and sashimi combination option, and was delighted to try so many dishes that featured not only incredibly fresh fish but also a lot of other ingredients that worked so well with the fish, such as jalapeno, garlic, and pickles. I absolutely loved baked osyter piece, as well as the foie gras piece. The restaurant is relatively small and cozy, yet it is not too difficult to secure a reservation if you book a table around a week in advance. Make sure you get a seat at the sushi bar (always best to eat each piece as it comes directly out of the chef's hands). The restaurant also has a nice selection of sake as well as wine (I ordered a bottle of red wine, and it surprisingly worked very well with the dishes).

We had omakase. It was not as good as I thought, honestly. I wish waitress and chefs can be more attentive since this restaurant is not cheap at all. And yes I took a few pictures to try to make the best of it.

No piece of sushi or sashimi will be bad here; it is only a matter of good to amazing comparison. They do charge by piece so I will dutifully proffer the very best to the ones you can skip. It is like a revolving door with quick and attentive service here; like a well-oiled machine, Gari knows how to turn over it's shi-shi clientele. We sat at the bar and had the jolliest chef but I had to tickle it out of him. Standing elbow to back with 3 others, space was limited but the chefs each knew exactly what to do minutely. We were never rushed even though the seats on either side were changed twice before we had finished our 2 hour omakase. Our gracious server even brought 3 tastings of sake because I couldn't decide if I'd wanted a glass. Without further ado... The foie gras. The liver just bursted with a buttery, fat emulsion that coated the sweet rice, poached pear and bits of jelly, teeing off the most perfect bite. Hands down, one should start and end with the foie gras. Although we didn't start that way, otoro was not a bad way to start. Delectable, rich, otoro here was brushed with sweet dashi and served sashimi styled dolloped with a ginger confit. That is Gari's MO- lightly brush each piece of fish with a signature sauce or simple soy and then, layer it with intricate toppings or a sprinkle of whimsy, but everything is treated and thought out. We had the fluke with a bit of crunch topped with salad, lotus and scallion oil. Simple and clean. Stronger in fish flavor than its predecessor, yellowtail sashimi with heat from jalapeño oil was not favored by my companion but it was right up my alley. Next, the salmon belly sushi was a feast for the eyes and the tongue. I asked for uni for a change of pace and our little pots were filled with saccharine, crabby, goodness. Next came chef's Japanese smoked snow trout sushi with quail egg, a splendid combination. But honestly, we could eat a bowl of delicious rice and egg mixture alone. I had a glass of fruity Nabeshima junmai ginjo sake that went well with the fish. Chef decided upon grilled baby octopus with uni and of course, I didn't mind it one bit. I asked for mackerel and was delivered the Best Japanese or of another origin, mackerel I've ever had. It was a beauty. Sweet and salty, cured mackerel where the skin melds into the meat as one, was crisp and silken. A gentle chiffonad of shiso and pickled shallots, a douse of soy to dress the mackerel- it was Fcking divine. My companion had called it quits 3 pieces ago but I was having such a good time at the flavor buffet I didn't pay mind to how full I really was. We had other pieces of less than stellar quality fish as well. Ikura for a palette cleanser was fun. I asked to end on a high note and was served none other. Seared foie gras sashimi with balsamic reduction is that mouthwatering last piece that would kill you if you eat it or if you do not. It was my birthday that I was treated to such a good meal and my companion would not leave without everyone knowing so. Be warned, if you ask for singing, it's like a moment of the Price is Right when you've guessed the right number and the entire concession reverberates with song and dance. Gari did just that and it was hell of embarrassing for 8 whole seconds. But the lovely patrons clapped and I felt uber special soon after; I would not have this night end any other way.

Omakase is like a ballet - it is beautifully staged, every course is a dance of plating, light, taste and smell - one after another, flowing flawlessly, making your eyes light up from seeing pure art on a plate and your mouth water from taste of perfection. Sushi of Gari is tooted as non-traditional omakase, but evolving tradition into something more definitely working in their favor here. We had early reservations before heading for Armory exhibition, so we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy it. No rush, no pressure, flawless service. Place is tiny. You squeeze in between entrance door and hostess barrier - and quickly ushered to your table. Decor is simple, but details stand out - their logo on chopsticks and rest stone is adorable. We ordered sushi & sashimi omakase - and I am glad we did, it was wonderful to try a bit of everything. Snapper & salad was an eye candy - light airy colored fish, topped with greens & crisp lotus. Just surreal - and delicious. I love, love, love salmon any day for it rich & buttery taste - and both salmon belly with shiso & salmon with roasted tomato was simply orgasmic. That roasted tomato was just perfectly seasoned and complimented salmon so well! Main course - freshly seared foie gras topped with daikon & balsamic reduction. Paired with warm plum wine, this was most amazing course. Melt in your mouth dreamy rich goodness... My memory flashed back to Paris to another place & time when I tasted foie gras just as amazing as this. Flavors, plating & preparation is exquisite. Absolutely one of the greatest. Go for it.

My Japanese friend recommended this restaurant and told me to get omakase. I arrived here around 5:15pm on Thursday to avoid the crowd, but it wasn't busy at all. The restaurant is very small, but I didn't feel cozy as there were too many staff. The staff took me to the table and gave me the menu. I asked my server about omakase, and she asked me to move to the counter which I did because they said they would serve four kinds at once at the table, but if you sit at the counter you can get one (two pcs for sashimi) at the time. I ordered omakase sashimi, and they were served two pieces. I liked some of them, and some of them were okay. This was my first time having this unique sushi, but I realized I just like regular sushi. Although quality of sashimi was good, my overall experience was underwhelming which was very disappointing. The prices were overpriced $$$$. The staff was nice. I rather go to other Japanese restaurant and have a regular sushi/sashimi.

Somehow I believe that if you are going to offer Omakase with rushed and initially rude service in an underwhelming divish and dated sidestreet hole-in-the-wallish kinda place then I expect spectacular sushi. What five other of my friends and I received at Sushi of Gari was a spectacularly underwhelming experience. The sushi was good but at $200 a person the sushi wasn't good enough. Neither was the manager's insistence that he put seven people in a six person table and when our seventh friend didn't show the manager demanded that six of us be seated a a recently vacated four top. We protested. After an embarrassing, polite but firm 15 minute exchange the manager yielded. But not before my friend threatened to inform the owners of the five star hotel whose concierge referred Sushi of Gari to him, about the restaurant manager's lack of hospitality. We were ready to walk. We didn't because the final couple of our party had driven from Jersey and were parked. Nevertheless, we had our line in the sand and the manager didn't cross it. Admittedly the restaurant is small. However, several tables were available and there were no people waiting. Nor could we discern that they were being reserved with the exception of our table. I made a mental note at the time we left, that there were at least a couple of tables available throughout our time dining at Sushi of Gari. Please know however that my rating is based on the lack of imagination and lack of value that we received from the Omakase, combined with our peculiar and inhospitable experience. Perhaps the sushi chef was off that day or perhaps we couldn't shake the proverbial bad taste in our mouths from our experience with the manager? I'm not going to learn for some time--if ever--what it may have been. PS I deliberately held-off writing this review for a few weeks to see if my feelings about the restaurant would subside but no such luck.

AMAZING! $$$ but worth every penny! Or at least the man paying said so ;) Omakase- DO IT. You will try garnishes on pieces of sushi you would never normally try. Poached quail eggs, roasted tomato, foie gras, etc. Divine. It's a really small location so call ahead or plan on waiting a good while. Welcome to NYC! The quality of the fish was amazing, great ambiance, amazing omakase, and great service. Definitely a nice place to treat someone or yourself! :)