Takahachi Restaurant

(212) 505-6524

85 Ave A
New York, NY 10009 40.7253 -73.9842

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Neighborhoods: Alphabet City, East Village, Downtown

Price:

$$

Last updated 7.25.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Prix Fixe Menu

Cuisine:

Japanese, Sushi

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Takahachi Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Judging by appearances--blocky blond-wood tables, simple Asian prints and a brightly lit sushi bar that moves at a frenetic pace--you could be at any inexpensive Japanese restaurant in the city. But the crowd, a mix of longtime neighborhood regulars and heavily accessorized hipsters, gives Takahachi an emphatic East Village edge. Service is rushed and monosyllabic, but dishes arrive without a wait. – – The Food – There are three reasons why people love this place: Oversized sushi, innovative daily specials and late-night hours. Very affordable sushi and…

Editor's Tips

Save Money:
Sit at the bar and order the sushi chef's five-course tasting menu for $30--dessert included. Get there early: This deal is only offered between 5pm and 7pm.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Although the atmosphere isn't chic or romantic, the food here is great and so is the value.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “Their service is SUPER friendly (we know the waitstaff by name, they gave us a bottle of plum wine for Christmas, and my sister got a t shirt on her birthday!)”
  2. “If you get in there early, like around 530, you have the place virtually all to yourself; kick back and enjoy some green tea, listen to jazz, and watch the people going by outside while you enjoy the best sushi I've ever found in NYC (and I've lived here ”
food quality
88.45999717712402% positive
  1. “Real neighborhood joint with awesome service and awesome sushi”
  2. “Second to Yama, this is my favorite sushi destination.”
  3. “Ambience is not the best, but who cares when you have a great tasting sushi in front of you?”
  4. “We read what seemed like enthusiastic reviews and went there tonight only to find after perfectly decent miso soup, the special sushi rolls we ordered were tasteless and the consistency seemed too soft.”
  5. “Squishy, tasteless sushi”
  6. “don't always enjoy spending $100/person for a good sushi meal when I can spend $40/person at Takahatchi.”
  7. “Add in some sake and you've got the perfect meal.”
  8. “One of my favorite sushi destinations”
  9. “Although the atmosphere isn't chic or romantic, the food here is great and so is the value.”
  10. “grew up in Japan eating sushi all my life and I love takahachi.”
  11. “Like the spicy tuna hand rolls were good, but just too chunky and the teriyaki tofu appetizer is good, but bad aftertaste- I dunno, there are so many better places- would prolly not go back.”
  12. “The sushi has always been extremely fresh and tasty.”
  13. “If you get in there early, like around 530, you have the place virtually all to yourself; kick back and enjoy some green tea, listen to jazz, and watch the people going by outside while you enjoy the best sushi I've ever found in NYC (and I've lived here ”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Oh, the early bird special is good, nice variety that selections that work well together.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “read the review and expected that it would be quite a real, nice Sushi restaurant, but no.”
return potential
50.0% positive
  1. “Like the spicy tuna hand rolls were good, but just too chunky and the teriyaki tofu appetizer is good, but bad aftertaste- I dunno, there are so many better places- would prolly not go back.”
service
100.0% positive
  1. “Real neighborhood joint with awesome service and awesome sushi”
  2. “If you get in there early, like around 530, you have the place virtually all to yourself; kick back and enjoy some green tea, listen to jazz, and watch the people going by outside while you enjoy the best sushi I've ever found in NYC (and I've lived here ”
  3. “Their service is SUPER friendly (we know the waitstaff by name, they gave us a bottle of plum wine for Christmas, and my sister got a t shirt on her birthday!)”
  4. “The service is good.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “Big portions”
  2. “Although the atmosphere isn't chic or romantic, the food here is great and so is the value.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/04/11

Best Japanese restaurant for me

by eastvillagelife at Citysearch

Not that I want my wait extended for a table for this amazing spot, but the food and service is excellent and should get praised. An great value for the price. They have weekly specials, which always seem to remain the same, but that might be a blessing as they are always delicious. Service is quirky, family style, and makes you feel part of the scene. If I lived in a different state, I would still come back to NYC just to go to this place; it's an experience that is part of my life in NYC.

2 Star Rating: Below Average

02/26/09

Not Real Japanese Foods

by WatanabeI at Citysearch

As a Japanese, I am quite disappointed of their foods' taste. Though services are very nice, their foods taste far worse than real Japanese foods comparing to some other Japanese restaurants on the St. Mark street. I read the review and expected that it would be quite a real, nice Sushi restaurant, but no. The place is kind of too small too. When another customer sat behind me, I couldn't even move my chair an inch. The price is not quite cheap though based on freshness and quality.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/18/08

Real neighborhood joint with awesome service and awesome sushi

by evxplant at Citysearch

I have been going to Takahachi for years. Their service is SUPER friendly (we know the waitstaff by name, they gave us a bottle of plum wine for Christmas, and my sister got a t shirt on her birthday!) and super efficient. I showed up there with a party of 12 for my birthday and our orders were right the first time and arrived quickly. They don't take reservations, but for me, as a regular, they made an exception (which they don't have to do, because they are packed every night!)

Their specials are innovative and reasonably priced, and the portions are generous. They happily accommodate requests for items not on the menu (like special rolls that they're not advertising that evening). If you get in there early, like around 530, you have the place virtually all to yourself; kick back and enjoy some green tea, listen to jazz, and watch the people going by outside while you enjoy the best sushi I've ever found in NYC (and I've lived here all my life).

  • Pros: clean, prompt and super friendly service, neighborhood feel, good price, generous portions, innovative specials
  • Cons: gets crowded.
4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/14/08

Big portions

by sdticks at Citysearch

There was quite a wait I had to endure outside to eat here. I wouldn't say it was the greatest sushi, but it wasn't terrible. It was however, extremely cheap and the portions were extremely large. It's a good deal. I would go back.

  • Pros: Value
  • Cons: Crowded
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/21/07

Love this Place

by rwgw4eva at Citysearch

Very clean. Perfect size portions. Always very fresh and the staff is really friendly. I don't understand why this place would ever get negative reviews. The freshness is always spot-on. It's just not trendy, this place is for real sushi lovers.

  • Pros: The uni is always super fresh

The Details on Takahachi Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • extremely fresh best sushi
  • very nice service
  • good hand rolls
  • great takahachi
  • nice variety
  • favorite sushi destination
  • good sushi meal
  • superb white tuna sashimi
  • bad aftertaste
  • big portions
  • very good japanese restaurant
  • bad music
  • nice sushi restaurant
  • recommended highly
  • enjoy green tea
  • perfectly decent miso soup
  • great place
  • friendly super
  • good teriyaki tofu appetizer
  • great food
  • tasteless sushi