Kate Adamick-Diaz
LOVE this place. The Eel Empire is culinary perfection, the seafood bisque is sublime, and the beef on the hot stone is delicious. The chef’s creative twists on traditional Japanese cuisine are refreshing. The staff is friendly and professional, and the wine list is excellent. It’s our go-to place for a quiet, romantic, affordable break from the rigors of the big city. In sum, the dining experience at Wasan surpasses that of far more expensive restaurants.
… morePierre Mégevand
This is a unique place. My favorite restaurant in New York! This is Japanese cuisine mixed with Western influences, and you will find weirdly delicious creations such as foie gras sushi. Meats are excellent, but even better are the dishes with eel, such as the broiled “eel empire” (see what they did with the name?) and the fried eel and rice bowl. We’ve practically sampled everything on the menu, and everything is delicious. The presentation is always perfectly elegant. The staff are extremely welcoming. The setting is sober but cosy. Anytime you don’t know what to order, just go for the tasting menu, at $60 it’s an actual steal. I always have an Echigo rice beer, its light taste complements the bold aromas of the food perfectly. The sake flights are great if like me you don’t know anything about sake. Seriously, go there, and go there often. You won’t be disappointed.
… moreCharlie Shay
Good quality Japanese food at a very reasonable price, with an unassuming exterior (with hardly any signage, making it a it tough to find). The prix fixe dinner menu, at $45 pp, is a steal. I ordered a la carte and went with a bunch of small plates/appetizers, and the price is still comparable to the set menu. I ordered, and liked, most of their appetizers (foie gras sushi sounded weird, but was actually quite good). The only slight let down was their uni over rice. While the amount of uni was generous, the quality (in both taste, texture, and the color) felt a bit sub par. The bowl I got felt a bit too watery, and I really missed the rich creaminess I normally associate with uni. Other than that, it is definitely a restaurant worth visiting!
… moreVicky Dap
Walked in there randomly, had a fabulous meal at a reasonable price considering the quality and interesting flavors. The ume shiso roll was perfectly balanced and the toasted sesame and natural wasabi just took it over the edge. Dessert was also impressive, and the service was impeccable. If there was a vegetarian version of the tasting menu, it would have earned a fifth star. (If you eat meat, consider it a five star).
… moreLisa
Bougie Japanese place – be prepared to spend $$$$!
I went with my friend as she raved about the uni lover. Being from California, we have plenty of cheap sushi options- which my NY friends constantly remind me of. So this uni lover is just uni on this shrimp chip like thing. You have to order a minimum of 2 at $9 each. Meh. Skip it
The next course we had was the teriyaki duck with the foie. We saw that in the pre fixe menu but asked for it a la carte. It was around $40 and it was 10 pieces of duck with a small piece of foie. It was good… But not good for $40 as it couldn’t even fill me up!
I don’t know. Maybe I’m cheap. But I wouldn’t really recommend this place to anyone visiting NY
… moreKiersten Gourlay
The food was okay, not my favorite. We had tons of dishes, but the eel empire was the best. The service is excellent. Friendly and fast. It is a classy atmosphere with a small garden in the front. No outside seating, but the front wall opens up.
… moreJosh Raymond
Thia place is the best. Fantastic owners and climate amongst their employees. I stopped by randomly late (midnight) and the place was full of the employees and previous employers because they love the people who own the place. I highly recommend this place! Get the Takoyaki and the Ramen.
… moreSatoshi w
The kobe beef not that good! ‘Eel Empire’ so good, and other not bad, I will go back again. (=’.’=)
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