Sugiyama Restaurant

The Scene – The long, wood-paneled room is minimally decorated. A small, see-through wall is stuffed with stones, and a tree festooned with lights branches out from the front desk all the way across the ceiling. Service is impeccable, good-humored and informative. – – The Food – Chef Nao Sugiyama serves in the traditional kaiseki style--a kind of tasting menu consisting of between six and 12 small courses. There is extremely fresh sashimi on the menu, but most of the dishes are more exotic. Sea urchin, quail egg and Japanese yam mixed together and served in a shot…

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Know Before You Go:: Diners grill meat courses themselves over a small flame, and the restaurant can get smokey at times.

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User Reviews (35)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“However, the place started growing from Maiko-san attention to the cute decoration, the open chef kichen to the great food.” “The place has a wonderful combination of intimacy, ambience, service and quality food.” “If you just enjoy good quality japanese food and alot of variety, in a nice traditional but not stuffy atmosphere, this is the place.” “The ambiance is beautiful and the waitstaff extremely knowledgeble on the menu.”
dessert	100.0% positive	“For $68 each, you get an 8 course meal, which is very filling, plus dessert.”
food quality	100.0% positive	“Each dish was beautiful, elegant and delicious.” “At the end of the meal, I was totally satisfied with a culinary experience that was delightful both visually and gustatorily.” “Still, I can recommend that those who love Japanese food or have nostalgia for Japan try this place once.” “You can cook seafood or beef on the hot stone, get a variety of small delicacies, service was excellent, knowledgeable and friendly.” “This fine meal is complemented with an excellent selection of sake and finished off with surprizingly wonderful grapefruit jello.” “The service was impeccable - they were always there to help you with anything, especially with explaining everything on your dish.” “The meal was flawless.” “The food, the presentation, the explanation and descriptions of the courses were are perfect.” “Exquisite food, perfect service.” “have enjoyed sushi and Japanese food around the world and this was the worst.” “For $68 each, you get an 8 course meal, which is very filling, plus dessert.” “In the japanese tradition of a kaiseki course meal, each serving is as a gift from this world class chef - combining fine, rare and seaonal ingredients - each presented on beautiful japanese dishes.” “To give a maximum value rating for a $100+/ head restaurant gives a fairly good indication of the amazing quality and quantity of food that you get here.” “To a New Yorker with adventurous tastes, this restaurant can be fresh and exciting.” “great and unforgettable food” “Put simply, this is the most authentic, most delicious, most colorful Japanese restaurant I have ever been to.” “The food is great and the service is impeccable.” “And for much less $$$ we can get the Love Boat & have the best sushi in town.” “The place has a wonderful combination of intimacy, ambience, service and quality food.” “However, the place started growing from Maiko-san attention to the cute decoration, the open chef kichen to the great food.” “The beef seared on the rock so satisfying and delicious, with the meat just needing the slightest of searing.” “Their friendly nature was always courteous and had definately made the meal more enjoyable but beware and make sure you bring out your paycheck.” “But if you want to eat varied, delicious, fresh, original food with plenty of sea urchin, then I cannot think of anywhere better.” “The food was unique, from sushi to uni shots to seafood grilled over a hot rock on my table.” “If you just enjoy good quality japanese food and alot of variety, in a nice traditional but not stuffy atmosphere, this is the place.” “My husband and I lived in Japan for 3 years and love quality Japanese cuisine and decided to try Sugiyama for our anniversary.” “tasty seafood”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“If you just enjoy good quality japanese food and alot of variety, in a nice traditional but not stuffy atmosphere, this is the place.” “The standard 8 course modern kaiseki for $68 is the best value on the menu.” “The ambiance is beautiful and the waitstaff extremely knowledgeble on the menu.” “You can cook seafood or beef on the hot stone, get a variety of small delicacies, service was excellent, knowledgeable and friendly.” “This fine meal is complemented with an excellent selection of sake and finished off with surprizingly wonderful grapefruit jello.”
overall	100.0% positive	“The best Japanese restaurant in Manhattan!” “Such a great place!” “If you just enjoy good quality japanese food and alot of variety, in a nice traditional but not stuffy atmosphere, this is the place.”
service	100.0% positive	“Their friendly nature was always courteous and had definately made the meal more enjoyable but beware and make sure you bring out your paycheck.” “The service was impeccable - they were always there to help you with anything, especially with explaining everything on your dish.” “Staff is excellent and friendly.” “The place has a wonderful combination of intimacy, ambience, service and quality food.” “You can cook seafood or beef on the hot stone, get a variety of small delicacies, service was excellent, knowledgeable and friendly.” “must say that I can understand why some people rave about this restaurant.” “Exquisite food, perfect service.” “The food is great and the service is impeccable.”
value	66.66999816894531% positive	“unique, but expensive, experience” “The standard 8 course modern kaiseki for $68 is the best value on the menu.” “Not worth the money and definitely overrated.” “have been told that the expensive $150+ Kaiseki dinners here are amazing.” “To give a maximum value rating for a $100+/ head restaurant gives a fairly good indication of the amazing quality and quantity of food that you get here.” “This place is overrated and expensive.”
wait time	100.0% positive	“Service was the best I can recall experiencing in a long time.”

01/30/09

Perfect

by jjl25

Exquisite food, perfect service. Atmosphere is basic but calm and pleasant. Lived up to the hype, and worth every penny. Brought boyfriend there for dinner -- he had the modern 8 course omakase with kobe -- and he's still talking about the meal.

Pros: Attentive and friendly service
Cons: Fairly basic atmosphere (not a con, but FYI)

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01/19/09

Excellent upscale Japanese Restaurant

by koguma2000

If you want to taste true (non-family style) Japanese food, this is it. They use finest ingredients from all over the world and cook them with excellent skill. You might feel it a little expensive and indeed it is, but you have to pay twice if you were to eat the same food in Tokyo. I strongly recommend this place.

Pros: Uses finest and fresh ingredient. Has true Japanese flavor
Cons: A little pricy

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10/22/08

tasty seafood

by cardozaaa

I came here on the recommendation of an American friend who lived in Japan for a year. The place has a wonderful combination of intimacy, ambience, service and quality food.

My friend and I ordered the grilled fish and left our dining experience in the hands of a master.

The dishes came out at a steady pace, and our server was so cute and sensitive to our needs. Each dish was beautiful, elegant and delicious. At the end of the meal, I was totally satisfied with a culinary experience that was delightful both visually and gustatorily.

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09/27/08

Way Bad

by henrykinney

This restaurant was recommended by a friend who I believe has a sophisticated palate. Boy was I disappointed. Having recently had a meal of a lifetime at Nobu I was hoping for more of the luxury shown there. I cannot tell you how bad this place is. Five of us ordered the $160 meal which had six or seven courses. All bad. We could not wait for it to be over. To top it off the wait staff was rude. Please do not waste your money. I have enjoyed sushi and Japanese food around the world and this was the worst. I have had better sushi at cheap rotating carousels in San Francisco and in Melbourne.

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08/30/08

Not good enough

by jd78

We scheduled a 6pm reservation, and arrived fifteen minutes early to an empty restaurant. Apparently my family isn't good enough for Sugiyama - we were told that the food was "too hot" for children, that they require a quiet atmosphere, and to please leave. My daughters can handle omakase at the bar with Yasuda-san, nine courses at Per Se, but now I'm told that kaiseke is out of their reach. That's unfortunate for Sugiyama, as I will make sure never to return.

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Editor's Tips

01/30/09

Perfect

by jjl25

01/19/09

Excellent upscale Japanese Restaurant

by koguma2000

10/22/08

tasty seafood

by cardozaaa

09/27/08

Way Bad

by henrykinney

08/30/08

Not good enough

by jd78

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