Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar

11/13/06

Intimate, Romantic, and Delicious

by ghoulfiend at Citysearch

Foie gras, malpeques, and these little griled cheese sandwich appetizers that will slay you dead. Dozen after dozen of fresh oysters come to you and you can never have enough. The waiters are all very knowledgable about wine pairing and chose a great sauternes to go with the chocolate dessert. Fantastic. I have been there several times and will continue to go again and again.

• Pros: Excellent seafood, knowledgable waitstaff, intimate setting
• Cons: Grilled cheese appetizer is not actually on menu but given as a token by the chef

Charming seafood stop finds a new mooring.

by Kathleen Squires at Citysearch

In Short
Many hearts were broken when this eatery moved from a cozy townhouse to a more generic storefront. But while the clandestine, romantic feel may no longer be there, the gingham wallpaper is, as are the popular raw bar selections and signature fruits de mer platter. The rest of the menu has been revised to feature gentler prices and more casual small plates, like lobster knuckle chowder, salmon tartare, lobster profiteroles and s'mores for dessert.

07/20/06

The good old time

by robino35 at Citysearch

Once you have tried few "great" Japanese restaurants, you will realize that the best are always the small ones with little decoration. Of course, if all the customers are Japanese, there is no brainer. JBK reminds me about Tomoe sushi, my first Japanese restaurant in the USA. IT is a little smaller than I have expected, but service and food are excellent. If you enjoy sushi that literately melt in your month, JBK is for you. If you are looking for celebrites, loud noise, and big crowd, JBK is not for you.

02/20/06

Disturbingly Expensive

by sushi_search at Citysearch

What is everyone talking about?! The prices are obscene just like Jewel Bako. The sashimi/sushi was fresh but nothing special. I tried a huge variety of rolls and was not impressed. Though, on the plus side, our waiter/manager was extremely polite. Stay away from this tiny, tiny place unless all other sushi joints in NYC are closed.

• Pros: polite manager
• Cons: Way too expensive

11/28/05

Great Value, No Hassle

by sko150 at Citysearch

Have always wanted to try this place, but walking buy the rolls and sushi looked a bit pricey. Leaving town soon, so thought I would suck it up. To our surprize you could order a giant roll as your dinner. Add a few pieces of 'melt in your mouth' sushi and you have a delicious no hassle meal (comparible to Blue Ribbon) for $35. Granted it was Monday night, we felt like we could have sat there for hours and not be rushed out. I can imagine the restaurant getting crowded on the weekends as it consists of only about 10 seats at the bar and 14 seats in the main dining room. A . Hahahhomeless boozed up man did waltz in during our meal - not unexpected in the East Village - but he was quickly and politely hussled out by the wait staff.

• Pros: Good Value, Quality Sushi
• Cons: 4 max in group

07/27/05

my current fav sushi spot..

by tonicwater at Citysearch

it's a tiny space, but adorable decor and dinnerware. i thought the host/wait staff was very accomodating and sweet. highly recommend the yellowtail appetizer (the big chunk of toasted hamachi). i actually like smaller portions b/c that way you don't get grossly full, so i definitely enjoyed the sushi, extremely fresh, same quality as the original jewel bako on 5th st.

• Pros: very fresh, cute place
• Cons: pricey, small space

04/09/05

Very fresh innovative sushi, but too little of it

by yukyee69 at Citysearch

The sushi here was phenomenal but there was just too little of it. We ordered the $50 sushi/sashimi tasting menu. The sushi pieces were really small. I left here wanting more food.

Service was alright. The waitress spoke limited English so it was hard to understand what she was saying and ask questions. They really should put an insert of specials in the menu. Also, the waitress did not come by once to refill the water. However, we were treated to complimentary appetizers albeit small and complimentary sakes.

Just keep in mind before you come here, to not bring your full appetite but make sure your wallet is full. Sushi here is fantastic, but they don't spare much!

• Pros: fresh fish, innovative pieces
• Cons: expensive, little food

02/25/05

Amazing sushi; awesome sake selection

by susana_myung at Citysearch

The food is very original & absolutely deliciously fresh sushi. The decor & atmosphere is also great. Wait staff is very courteous & attentive. Would strongly recommend a tasting menu option.

02/22/05

Makimono is numero uno!

by bokchoe at Citysearch

One of the best sushi spots hands down! Excellent service, freshest fish, delicately prepared. Truly a unique experience that I would highly recommend to anyone who appreciates quality sushi! A new favorite of mine.

• Pros: quality sushi, excellent service, great ambiance

09/30/04

The fish is just as pristine as at its parent at this gently priced Jewel Bako spinoff.

by Kathleen Squires at Citysearch

The Scene
This easy-to-miss spot is modest in every way, from its size--just 24 seats--to the minimalist decor. The bamboo dividing the dining room and sushi bar, glowing circular paper lanterns and highly polished service are the only flourishes.

The Food
It's ideal for those low-key sushi nights, when budget and time are at a premium. The menu is dominated by creative, large and filling "makimono"--rolls like freshwater eel with shrimp, golden tobiko and radish; scallops with yuzu zest, scallions and chive oil; and spicy tuna and yellowtail with scallions and cucumber. The sushi's not the only high-quality fish in this tank, however. Appetizers, including braised king salmon dripping with a buttery, briny sea-urchin sauce are also swimmingly fresh. The desserts--little ice cream dumplings with a sweet and sticky mochi coating--are an acquired taste, but everything else wins over the palate immediately.