Jewel Bako
(212) 979-1012
239 E 5th St
New York,
NY
10003
40.7275
-73.9903
Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown
Reviews & Ratings for Jewel Bako
104 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 104 reviews
Jewel Bako...is INCREDIBLE!!!! A MUST FOR TRUE SUSHI LOVERS!!!!
by Linda1228
December 08, 2008
My husband saw the Bizarre Foods episode where Jewel Bako was featured. He would not stop saying that he wanted to go eat there. So for his birthday this past weekend I took him. I planned 2 months in advance to make sure I would get seats at the sushi bar. Front and center. It was like the head chef was only serving us. It really was incredible!!! We had the spiny lobster sashimi. (must order a week b-4 so they can have it flown in from Japan) It was like nothing we had ever had. We also each had the Omakase dinner. SO WORTH IT!!! Course after course of breathtaking, fresh fish. The wine paring was incredible as well. Only the best wine you can imagine!
We were there about 3 1/2 hours. The most enjoyable, relaxin dinner you can imagine! We truly had a fantastic time. I dont know how we will go back to our local sushi place. This place is top notch!!!!! If you enjoy sushi, Treat yourself! You will not regret it!!!
- Pros: best sushi you will eat.
- Cons: There are none!!!
Not worth it. Service good.
by missladynyc
September 17, 2008
Heard many good things about this restaurant and had to try it for myself. The service was really great. But I didn't think the food was worth the price at all. I had been to many Japanese restaurant with the same price range and got a lot more different varieties. Don't think I would go back again.
- Pros: Service
- Cons: Not worth it
perfection
by toyzkill
July 02, 2008
I've heard so much about Jewel Bako that I had to see for myself. I must say, I was not disappointed. A very friendly and accomodating atmosphere, combined with a pleasant and courteous staff (also very knowledgable with the fish cuts). If you go, the omakase is a must. I you can shell the extra $45, go for the omakase dinner (I unfortunately decided to spend the excess on a wonderful bottle of sake, which was the perfect complement). I will be back but will have to sit at the sushi bar, which is supposedly "the" experience. A must visit.
- Pros: diverse sushi selection, great staff, ambience, location
- Cons: reservations for the sushi bar limited to 3 people max
I Have Been Hooked
by chiway
June 26, 2008
Spending an evening at the sushi bar at this sushi haven is divine. Sit back, relax with a bottle of sake from their wonderful selection, and watch Chef Yoshi bounce around the sushi bar in a frenzy, serving you piece by piece of some of the finest fish in NYC, cut and composed with seasoned rice in masterful fashion. There really is no other way to experience this place. Sitting at a table is an unacceptable substitute. I came here and dined at a table and upon leaving, quickly forgot this place existed. A series of chance happenings led me back to Jewel Bako a year later, and after having sushi omakase at the bar, I became addicted. The only complaint I have is that for the number of seats, the sushi bar is too small and sushi chefs too few. When the place is at capacity, poor Chef Yoshi has to take on an unreasonable workload, and sometimes, I hate to say, his work product suffers from having to rush through backed up orders. Jack Lamb, if you're reading this, get Yoshi some more help.
- Pros: sake selection, fish quality, ambience
- Cons: small sushi bar
Food was great, Owner needs an nicer attitude
by atsugari
June 12, 2008
Delicious food, have to try the uni parfait. The fish was very fresh and each piece had it's own individual taste. The live-lobster thing may be overrated but it's interesting to try. I agree with previous posters if people have a problem with live seafood they should give up eating any meat at all and stop commenting on restaurants that serve meat. I heard the owner doesn't let people photograph the food and he's nasty about it.That's kind of a shame since we cannot share the artistic nature of our EXPENSIVE food with our friends and our own photo records. I guess you don't get everything you paid for.
- Pros: Food from the Sushi Chef!!
- Cons: No Photos allowed by the order of the owner, slow service 1-2 hrs
Great Omakase by Stacey K. at InsiderPages
Contributor
April 23, 2008
This restaurant has wonderful sushi and sashimi. My notoriously picky friends adored the freshness and selection presented to them during the omakase dinner and the selection of sakes and wines were great. The service was incredible as well, just enough attentiveness, but no hovering. Unlike some other high priced sushi places, Jewel Bako takes reservations too. The restaurant itself is very beautiful and quiet. My only con is that the booth/bench seats are a little hard. All in all, a great place to eat.
stop being an idiot
by eatmorefood
April 08, 2008
To the person who said you should sever the spinal cord of the twitching lobster need to get in touch with their high-school biology lessons. lobsters don't have spinal cords. There is even controversy over the whether or not lobsters even have the capacity to feel pain. "The quickest way to destroy a lobster may be to insert a knife into its head and cleave the head in two, thereby destroying two of the most important nerve clusters of the lobster. Some feel that this is more humane than placing the live lobster into boiling water, although it is common for the lobster to twitch for some time even when severed symmetrically in half." Also, to review a restaurant based on a show defeats the whole purpose of this site. Stop this tomfoolery.
Be glad you weren't born an animal
by lovefoodandlife
February 19, 2008
Frightening lack of concern for the pain of the lobster being eaten alive. I can only hope the person doing this death dance lives this hell in a future life. They serve the lobster tail with the living head/body on the plate, moving. Could they NOT cut it's spinal cord so it doesn't have to live the hour or two of insane pain? This isn't food, it's animal terrorism.
Live Entrees: Animal Cruelty is Unappetizing.
by arajka2
September 20, 2007
If you haven't seen Food Network's episode of "Bizarre Foods" in which host Andrew Zimmern comes to this restaurant and eats its specialty, "live spiny lobster sashimi", please Google it --- this popular "delicacy" involves a live lobster being brought to your table, opened, and eaten while it squirms. It's marketed as an experience, as fresher than fresh; it's animal cruelty, plain and simple, and I have to boycott this place until it stops serving live food. I see on the menu that they also serve a live scallop dish. Nice.
- Pros: Amazing food, apparently.
- Cons: Live animals are not food.
loved it
by marlomax
July 08, 2007
This is some of the freshest and most interesting sushi I've ever had. They fly in the fish fresh every day, not twice a week, like most sushi places. My friend and I are very sensitive about fish smells and oily ,fishy-fish tastes. Jack and his staff answered all of our questions, made sure we understood the specials and were accommodated exactly to our palates. Everything from the tuna tartare appetizer to the assortment of sushi including flounder was melt in your mouth, buttery and yummy. They grind fresh wasabe right at your table, there is nothing like it. We also had a great bottle of sake, recommended by the staff. It is an expensive meal, but worth it. A lovely experience all around.
- Pros: fresh, different daily selections, knowledgable staff, hip, romantic, relaxing ambience
- Cons: expensive, but you get what you pay for, here
