Sakagura

Doesn't Recommend

Daniel Y.

Joined 1 year ago

be extremely cautious about the wine. Great food but be extremely cautious about the wine (they don't serve wine but call and ask if you want to bring your own wine).

Love the food but the staff was contradictory about the wine policy. We called before about the cork fee (as they don't serve wine) and was told 20 dollars per bottle. When we got to the restaurant, we were told that the bottle was bigger so they need to charge 50 bucks. We asked for 40 bucks (it's a bigger bottle, equals to 2 small bottles) and got an illogical answer - "we are a sake and beer restaurant, we can't open a wine bottle). How ridiculous it is

Yes, it's Japanese, but it doesn't mean they need to learn how to be customer friendly.

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Brad3277

Joined 5 years ago

Top Notch Japanese....If you can find it.. This place is fantastic. Tucked away in the basement of a corporate building in Midtown East, Sakagura offers delicious and fresh Japanese fare along with an extensive Sake list. One thing to note - they do not serve any traditional red or white wines. Sake and beer only. Works for me but may not for some.

Menu offers a variety of fish, noodle, meat and poultry options. Favorites include the Chilled Duck, Fluke Carpaccio, Filet Mignon cooked on a hot stone, Tofu salad, grilled Yellowtail Head and I can go on forever.

Ambience is nice but nothing out of this world (you are in a basement after all). All in all the service is terrific and friendly and tihs place is definitely worth checking out. Note - it can be hard to get in. Reservations recommended although you can walk in but might have to wait a good 45 minutes to sit down. It's that good and has built a loyal following among its customers

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Nativeater

Joined 5 years ago

Fantastic, Unexpected Fare. My boyfriend surprised me with a lovely trip to Sakagura on Valentine's Day, and I was definitely impressed. The food is not sushi, but rather, the Japanese version of tapas--small plates of exquisite food. I have eaten a lot of great and not-so-super Japanese meals over the years, and this was definitely a memorable dining experience. The lobster in white miso sauce, a V-day special I believe, was fantastic. The sake was also quite great.

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foodwineny

Joined 4 years ago

great everything except the staff. Loved everything about the place, including the hard to find location.

What on earth is up with the staff? Not the friendly Japanese style hospitality one would expect...

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Dior46

Joined 5 years ago

Delicious Japanese Food!. I was a little weary at first because to get to the restaurant, you need to go into an office building and then down the stairs toward the basement level. Upon entering the building, the security guard was standing there making out with his girlfriend. Not that it had anything to do with the restaurant but it gave me a bad impression. After entering the restaurant, I felt better. The decor is very cute and everyone is very polite and friendly. It is a tapas type place and it is usually shared among those sitting at the table. I have been here twice and I have not been disappointed yet. Everything I ordered was pretty good. Some better then others but nothing that I disliked. It is expensive considering the portions are very small. They are also known for their sake, and they have a huge selection to choose from. I would definitely recommend this place, it has delicious food and great service.

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foodaddict39

Joined 6 years ago

Can't get better than this place.. The uni pasta is out of this world. I've been to this place numerous times and everytime before I go, I call to make sure that they have fresh uni. Even if you don't get the uni pasta dish, try the uni anyway. You'll be shocked how fresh and delicious it is.

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justaddwater

Joined 6 years ago

Best selection of nihonshu (sake) this side of the Pacific. The selection of nihonshu (sake) at Sakagura is amazing. I think there were over 200 on the menu. They carry all the super premium labels, as well as some very good but obscure ones.

The food is not bad either, but it's about what you'd expect for the price. I only order a la carte. Japanese dinner combos aren't my thing. The fresh/raw items are so-so, but dessert was surprisingly good.

I defintely recommend this place if you are in the mood for sake.

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nealr2000

Joined 8 years ago

Japanese New Yorkers appear to be keeping this place a secret !!. I had to try the place after seeing Tony Bourdain feature it on "No Reservations". My wife and I dropped in on a Saturday evening, and after a 10-minute wait, got seats at the bar. We know nothing about sake, but took our chances on a couple of different ones at the mid-price level. We ordered some different appetizers and they were delicious ... particularly the spicy roe. This place is amazing. You can live in New York all your life and never know places like this exist. It's half the fun to walk into the lobby of this generic Midtown office block, walk down the stairs that look like your heading to the loading dock, and then walk into Sakagura. You have left New York and are now in Japan! I have two things on my to-do list. 1. Either do some sake research, or get a dining companion who knows his/her way around a sake munu. 2. Go back to Sakagura when I've done number 1.

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charkleroad

Joined 6 years ago

Good food & great experience. .My husband and I ate at Sakagura yesterday before a show. When they called in the afternoon to confirm, we informed them about the show. We would only have 45 minutes to eat. The caller said they would try their best. After we were seated at the bar, the waitress said she knew we had to rush and she would try her best to get us out of there on time.

The dishes we ordered were delicious. The staff was friendly. The atmosphere is unique. It made us feel we were in Japan.

They got us out on time. It was a good experience

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gkao007

Joined 7 years ago

More than 400 sakes. To find a restaurant that carries over 400 sakes in Tokyo is a rarity. To find one in Manhattan is just mind-boggling.

This place is great! It's like a little hidden Sake / Pub where you go down this staircase, through some bamboo fenced up broiler room and into what I like to call Shangri-La.

I'll say it again,400 different sake to choose from.