A plush, Japanese-inspired playpen on the Upper East Side wows crowds with an all-star ensemble of chefs.

(212) 813-1113

33 E 61st St (Between Madison and Park Avenues)
New York, NY 10021 40.764735 -73.97025

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Neighborhoods: Upper East Side, Midtown, Lenox Hill

GeishaRestaurant.com

Hours:

Mon-Fri 12pm-3:30pm, 5:30pm-11:30pm

Sat 5:30pm-11:30pm

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 11.30.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Romantic Dining, People Watching, Online Reservations, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List, Prix Fixe Menu

Cuisine:

Japanese, Sushi

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Geisha

The Owner

Geisha

Owner

Executive Chef Michael Vernon created the refined and sensuous menu. Working with an Asian palette of flavors and classic French techniques each dish is brought to the highest level of execution. In the Sushi Bar, Master Sushi Chef Don Pham offers and exquisitely fresh and exciting range of new and traditional forms of sushi and sashimi. Consider Geisha for your next corporate or private event. Our private rooms can accommodate up to thirty guests for dinner or up to forty guests for cocktails and hors d'oeuvrs. Monday through Friday we offer a pre-fixe three course lunch menu for $29.

Provided by CityGrid

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Well-heeled wait-listers squeeze into the narrow lounge where a young, international jet-set crowd sips cocktails on mod couches. The downstairs dining room, with anime projections and a splashy sushi bar, is flush with music and fun; upstairs is quieter and more refined. Servers are fast, but fumble often. – – The Food – Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert consults, but it's chef Michael Vernon who's really behind the stunningly inventive menu. Interpreting the exotic flavors of Japan, and utilizing super-fresh fish, he builds bold yet balanced dishes: Wasabi…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
The wine list is small and pricy. The Steele Pinot Noir ($49) pairs well with fish, foul or four-legged fare. Consider ordering off the well-described sake menu or cocktail list; the Litchi martini ($12) piques the palate, without tasting too sweet.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is extremely cool as well.”
  2. “From the mouth-watering sushi, to the unique decor, Geisha is a new favorite Japanese in an area that lacks many others worth mentioning.”
  3. “the food was great, the service was good, the decor and scene was pretty trendy, even for a Tues night they were busy.”
  4. “The decor is pleasant, but two-person tables upstairs are very small.”
  5. “the hostess was professional & fun but the server & food runner did NOT qualify for the price i paid.”
  6. “decor is very geisha but not impressed enough for big occation like Valentines day, food were a bit over priced and taste not much better than other hundreds of japanese restaurant.”
  7. “The atmosphere is impressive, especially the 3rd floor which is not always open unfortunately.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “for dessert we shared the Brulee Tasting which was a seasonal creme brulee trio of cinnamon, ginger, and hazelnut served w/ warm madelines - DELICIOUS though the madelines could?”
  2. “You get an appetizer, choose from several great entrees,, AND get a dessert - all for something like $30 which is great.”
  3. “The blancmanger is creamy coconut cool and refreshing with a touch of dk chocolate.”
  4. “Red bean, green tea and vanilla mochi had a heavenly texture, unlike anything I'd ever had before for dessert.”
  5. “We didn't try the $10 desserts because, well, do I really need to try yet another warm, molten chocolate cake?”
drinks
75.0% positive
  1. “geisha is my afternoon spot i go there anytime i possible can because the food is amazing, It is a very relaxing spot after work were you can choose from a large filling meal or just a nice cup of warm tea.”
  2. “We had a great sake tasting with 3 different high grade sakes and some decent cocktails.”
  3. “The food was subpar, although the cocktails were good.”
  4. “Excellent sushi bar.”
  5. “We ordered an expensive bottle of wine but were scammed into paying for the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu.”
  6. “Red bean, green tea and vanilla mochi had a heavenly texture, unlike anything I'd ever had before for dessert.”
  7. “The bar area is good with nice cocktails and I use it all the time to meet people for drinks.”
  8. “The dining room upstairs is more quiet and intimate, the lounge when you first walk in is good for small groups of friends wanting to have drinks and some food to supplement, and the dining room in the back has anime projected on plasma tvs.”
  9. “We were asked change seats twice, the wine was came from a bad bottle, the food were incorrect, and servers is incompetent and rude, gave us a funny smile by saying "well, what can I do, it must be your lucky day”
  10. “The winelist was of higher quality wines and did not have a ridiculous mark up on the prices.”
food quality
81.82000160217285% positive
  1. “This is a must go to place for fresh sushi.”
  2. “Yes the crowd can get annoying and the servers don't always know what they are serving exactly, but the food has been right-on all three times I have been there.”
  3. “It was a total rip off and, on top of that, the food was disappointing.”
  4. “The service was lovely, the space is tres chic and the food, which is what this should be about, is delicious.”
  5. “Of course, many of us have had bad sushi experiences where the fish quality was low grade and our stomaches would be turning when we got home.”
  6. “The sushi was like warm butter.”
  7. “Grilled lamb, crispy tart of zucchini, yellow squash, tomato confit, goat cheese, caramelized onions, natural lamb jus - PERFECT!”
  8. “you can't get great dishes like these in other restaurants.”
  9. “The sushi rolls are original in concept, but I think they forgot the ingredients-I'll give Geisha kudos for serving VERY fresh fish, but $18 for just fresh isn't worth it.”
  10. “My fave entress is the miso glazed salmon which is a slice of heaven.”
  11. “Excellent food, annoying owner”
  12. “The food is great but the crowd is no longer what it used to be.”
  13. “I've been to Geisha twice and both times the food was excellent!”
  14. “The evening continued with poor service, hit-and-miss food and an unbelievably pretentious crowd.”
  15. “other than that, it was an enjoyable meal and the staff is very courteous and attentive!”
  16. “However the second time I went the food was great.”
  17. “geisha is my afternoon spot i go there anytime i possible can because the food is amazing, It is a very relaxing spot after work were you can choose from a large filling meal or just a nice cup of warm tea.”
  18. “The food was great in the back, but the bartender was such a complete moron without any sense of decency that I will not ever patronize this establishment again.”
  19. “Roasted Maine Lobster, udon noodles, wild mushrooms, leeks, asparagus tips, pea shoots, black truffles - very good, they were generous w/ the lobster but I did feel like the dish was heavy and slightly greasy.”
  20. “It's a really nice restaurant with really good food without trying too hard to be 'trendy'.”
  21. “Then there's the huge slab of fish on top of some buried rice you can't see.”
  22. “The mussels appetizer and the halibut with curried spinach were both yummy, but I enjoyed the chef's plate the most (sushi and sashimi, you can pick $50, $75, $100 or more).”
  23. “but you can get great sushi in a lot of places in NY.”
  24. “We were asked change seats twice, the wine was came from a bad bottle, the food were incorrect, and servers is incompetent and rude, gave us a funny smile by saying "well, what can I do, it must be your lucky day”
  25. “Anything nutty is delicious, I've had them all!”
  26. “Caymus16 regularly eats stale doritos, chicken breast marinated in wishbone dressing and soft supermarket baguettes.”
  27. “decor is very geisha but not impressed enough for big occation like Valentines day, food were a bit over priced and taste not much better than other hundreds of japanese restaurant.”
  28. “get to try the sushi but the main courses sounded too good.”
  29. “had the shrimp on a skewer appetizer, which was quite good.”
  30. “The saketinis were expertly mixed, the crab salad memorable, and the service was wonderful.”
  31. “Boring food that's overpriced for what's served.”
  32. “The dining room upstairs is more quiet and intimate, the lounge when you first walk in is good for small groups of friends wanting to have drinks and some food to supplement, and the dining room in the back has anime projected on plasma tvs.”
  33. “The Lobster with noodles is amazing.”
  34. “very fresh and delicious plate after plate - try the martini glass app- yum!”
  35. “Amazing food!”
  36. “The quality and freshness of the sushi was great.”
  37. “The food was subpar, although the cocktails were good.”
  38. “Served simply with a few mushrooms and a couple of scallions - it is my favorite japanese dish in all of manhattan.”
  39. “Yes, it Sounds ghoulish, but this is simply the most divine slice of fish you will ever sink your fangs into.”
  40. “The food was great but not enough to buffer the trashy crowd!”
  41. “But have you ever had a mediocre sushi experience?”
  42. “The food was excellent but service left something to be desired.”
  43. “Great food in back, but the Bartender is an incompetent moron”
  44. “The food was outstanding and everyone was trying different dishes with postitive results.”
  45. “the food was great, the service was good, the decor and scene was pretty trendy, even for a Tues night they were busy.”
  46. “our lobster was over-cooked and the grilled chicken salad was really bad.”
  47. “The sauces that the chef create are so simplistic, yet amazing and compliment the super fresh fish.”
  48. “From the mouth-watering sushi, to the unique decor, Geisha is a new favorite Japanese in an area that lacks many others worth mentioning.”
  49. “the best comfort food.”
  50. “the hostess was professional & fun but the server & food runner did NOT qualify for the price i paid.”
  51. “for dessert we shared the Brulee Tasting which was a seasonal creme brulee trio of cinnamon, ginger, and hazelnut served w/ warm madelines - DELICIOUS though the madelines could?”
  52. “dream about it and being a lobster lover, find myself eating up with the noodles which make the lobster more of an unnecesary, yet delicious accesory.”
  53. “The sushi was dry, the lobster was tough, the chicken salad way too salty!”
  54. “everything i had was great--the shrimp skewers were tasty as were the fried oysters and the lobster with udon noodles was excellent!”
  55. “buttery thick udon noodles in a broth with perfect fresh little veggies.”
  56. “anyway, it is too difficult for me to illustrate in words how great this food is.”
  57. “love the rice pudding dish - its like little blintzes with rice pudding inside.”
  58. “The Kobe beef is tasty, but the amount of food is so small you'll want to grab a slice afterward like we did.”
  59. “Perfect piece of fish - cooked rare for perfect flavor - excellent balance of sweet tanginess in the miso.”
  60. “The amazing sushi we had a couple of appetizers, which were unreal.”
  61. “The fried oysters in spicy dipping sauce is divine and the tar tar tasting is exquisite.”
  62. “Great service, amazing food, perfect athmosphere”
  63. “Excellent sushi bar.”
  64. “had the white tuna tartar, which was delicious, and my mother had the special lobster appetizer.”
  65. “Amazing culinary experience (sans sushi).”
  66. “like the food even though the portions are SMALL which is a big turn off for me and on top of that is very expensive.”
menu variety
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “The menu did not look particularly impressive.”
  2. “We ordered an expensive bottle of wine but were scammed into paying for the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu.”
  3. “tuesday. Food was great and the sashimi selections were impressive.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “It's a really nice restaurant with really good food without trying too hard to be 'trendy'.”
  2. “Geisha is my favorite restaurant in NY.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “Hey, we did sit beside Paula Adbul and she was getting incredible service, but I don't think even she would come back.”
service
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “So overall I would say the dining experience was very pleasant, we were seated promptly, the service was excellent, and I will recommend it to my friends.”
  2. “The evening continued with poor service, hit-and-miss food and an unbelievably pretentious crowd.”
  3. “Yes the crowd can get annoying and the servers don't always know what they are serving exactly, but the food has been right-on all three times I have been there.”
  4. “Hey, we did sit beside Paula Adbul and she was getting incredible service, but I don't think even she would come back.”
  5. “The food was great in the back, but the bartender was such a complete moron without any sense of decency that I will not ever patronize this establishment again.”
  6. “The food was excellent but service left something to be desired.”
  7. “The service was not pleasing for a place that got such good reviews.”
  8. “the bartender with the accent and the dark hair looked cool, but it went downhill fast.”
  9. “The saketinis were expertly mixed, the crab salad memorable, and the service was wonderful.”
  10. “Ridiculously prized for the terrible service and awful wait however.”
  11. “Our server was pushy also.”
  12. “The manager was adorable; she took great care of us.”
  13. “other than that, it was an enjoyable meal and the staff is very courteous and attentive!”
  14. “Great service, amazing food, perfect athmosphere”
  15. “The service was very professional.”
  16. “The bar area is good with nice cocktails and I use it all the time to meet people for drinks.”
  17. “Hostess(s)/manager rude and coarse (not even a good-bye even though we had to step between them to exit).”
  18. “The service was lovely, the space is tres chic and the food, which is what this should be about, is delicious.”
  19. “We were asked change seats twice, the wine was came from a bad bottle, the food were incorrect, and servers is incompetent and rude, gave us a funny smile by saying "well, what can I do, it must be your lucky day”
  20. “The service was excellent.”
  21. “The service was rather friendly too.”
  22. “And the hostess was REALLY RUDE and clueless too.”
  23. “the hostess was professional & fun but the server & food runner did NOT qualify for the price i paid.”
  24. “the food was great, the service was good, the decor and scene was pretty trendy, even for a Tues night they were busy.”
value
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “Boring food that's overpriced for what's served.”
  2. “The winelist was of higher quality wines and did not have a ridiculous mark up on the prices.”
  3. “like the food even though the portions are SMALL which is a big turn off for me and on top of that is very expensive.”
  4. “decor is very geisha but not impressed enough for big occation like Valentines day, food were a bit over priced and taste not much better than other hundreds of japanese restaurant.”
  5. “Then there's the huge slab of fish on top of some buried rice you can't see.”
  6. “The sushi rolls are original in concept, but I think they forgot the ingredients-I'll give Geisha kudos for serving VERY fresh fish, but $18 for just fresh isn't worth it.”
  7. “the hostess was professional & fun but the server & food runner did NOT qualify for the price i paid.”
  8. “We ordered an expensive bottle of wine but were scammed into paying for the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu.”
  9. “Roasted Maine Lobster, udon noodles, wild mushrooms, leeks, asparagus tips, pea shoots, black truffles - very good, they were generous w/ the lobster but I did feel like the dish was heavy and slightly greasy.”
  10. “It can be pricey unless you just order maki rolls:-)”
  11. “My lunch here was not a horrible restaurant experience, but there are certainly better places for the price.”
  12. “From the mouth-watering sushi, to the unique decor, Geisha is a new favorite Japanese in an area that lacks many others worth mentioning.”
3 Star Rating: Average

03/09/10

Good looking place BUT...

by nbor at Citysearch

I like the food even though the portions are SMALL which is a big turn off for me and on top of that is very expensive. The atmosphere is impressive, especially the 3rd floor which is not always open unfortunately.. Another advantage is that they have home made desserts.

  • Pros: atmosphere
  • Cons: prices, small portions
3 Star Rating: Average

03/21/09

Trendy Place but Small Portions

by uesreview at Citysearch

This restaurant is nicely designed and an overall trendy spot. It is a nice date spot if you have small appetites. The Kobe beef is tasty, but the amount of food is so small you'll want to grab a slice afterward like we did.

  • Pros: Nice decor
  • Cons: Small portions; over-priced
2 Star Rating: Below Average

12/18/08

Great food in back, but the Bartender is an incompetent moron

by bgourley at Citysearch

we had drinks with friends at the bar, followed by dinner. the bartender with the accent and the dark hair looked cool, but it went downhill fast. we were the only people in the bar, and he paid zero attention to us, served us the wrong wine, and hot beer. we had to walk down to get him when we wanted a drink. the kicker ? he added 20% to the bill without asking our permission (for 4 people) and when we only tipped 18%, he sent the hostess to the back of the restaurant to complain while we were in the middle of dinner. this was over $5.00. It was embarrasing, not only for us, but for the establishment. To the manager Lars' credit, I did speak with him afterward, but his apology was too little too late. The food was great in the back, but the bartender was such a complete moron without any sense of decency that I will not ever patronize this establishment again.

  • Pros: sushi is good
  • Cons: the male bartender is a moron
2 Star Rating: Below Average

11/03/08

if this is amazing, NYC has lost its palate. OVERPRICED

by awaken41 at Citysearch

At least the hostess gave a smile, but the sulking waiter didn't exactly add to the ambiance of the cramped table. The lobster dumpling in foam is silly and flavorless. The sushi rolls are original in concept, but I think they forgot the ingredients-I'll give Geisha kudos for serving VERY fresh fish, but $18 for just fresh isn't worth it. The rolls and most of the appetizers were bland, extremely bland. Boring food that's overpriced for what's served. Nice atmosphere, but cramped seating (that doesn't have to be). Here's a new complaint-the food is served too quickly. We didn't try the $10 desserts because, well, do I really need to try yet another warm, molten chocolate cake? The service is marginal. So was the tip.

  • Pros: fresh sushi
  • Cons: bland sushi, bland appetizers, bland food, bland service
4 Star Rating: Recommended

10/22/08

Amazing Sushi

by jfava at Citysearch

Whoa Momma, I want to cry it was so good. Okay, deep breaths, calm happy thoughts, easy, easy. Okay now I'm ready to write my review, thank you for your patience.

The amazing sushi we had a couple of appetizers, which were unreal. Great taste and beautiful presentation. I wish I had noted their names, the best I can do at the moment is give horribly unhelpful description. I'll take better notes next time...but believe me, there will be a next time!

  • Pros: fresh food,service

The Details on Geisha

Place Categories:

  • great comfort food
  • excellent service
  • amazing sans sushi
  • worst restaurant
  • yum plate
  • fresh super fresh fish
  • nice cocktails
  • really loud music
  • subpar hitandmiss food
  • very good maine lobster
  • loved geisha
  • mediocre sushi experience
  • impressive atmosphere
  • truly perfect dining
  • delicious white tuna tartar
  • great culinary experience
  • cool creamy coconut
  • unique decor
  • rich flavor
  • poor unbelievably pretentious crowd
  • great entrees
  • rude hostess
  • fresh little veggies
  • bad bottle
  • great sure everything

Message from Geisha

  • Prix-Fixe Lunch Menu
  • Private Dining Rooms

Executive Chef Michael Vernon created the refined and sensuous menu. Working with an Asian palette of flavors and classic French techniques each dish is brought to the highest level of execution. In the Sushi Bar, Master Sushi Chef Don Pham offers and exquisitely fresh and exciting range of new and traditional forms of sushi and sashimi. Consider Geisha for your next corporate or private event. Our private rooms can accommodate up to thirty guests for dinner or up to forty guests for cocktails and hors d'oeuvrs. Monday through Friday we offer a pre-fixe three course lunch menu for $29.

Geisha