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Subterranean fine-dining restaurant by acclaimed chef Masa Takayama for sushi & Japanese fare.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 976 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10075
Phone: (212) 906-7141
Website: http://www.kappomasanyc.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: tripleseat.comresy.com
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Related Web Results
Kappo Masa NYC
Experience acclaimed Chef Masa Takayama at the Kappo Masa Restaurant. Located 976 Madison Avenue, NY. Adjoining art dealer Larry Gagosian’s Gagosian Gallery …
Menus – Kappo Masa NYC
Chef Masa’s Menu is Guided by Precision and Purity. Menus at Kappo Masa change regularly based on seasonality and availability of specialty ingredients.
Kappo Masa Restaurant – New York, NY | OpenTable
Located at 976 Madison Avenue below the Gagosian Gallery. Kappo Masa is a collaboration between renown chef Masayoshi “Masa” Takayama and art dealer, Larry …
Reviews
Inigo Arzac
Impeccable service and amazing omakase experience. With unique, artfully prepared and presented sushi paired with the best sake. It was a wonderful “lunch for one” at the counter and a perfect meal.
… moreMaggie J
My husband and I came here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon while we were in town with friends. I was skeptical because it was easy to get a last minute reservation and the reviews on Yelp are incredibly mixed. Upon walking downstairs to the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the large but warm atmosphere of the dining space. Service was quick and efficient and I thought all of the food was fresh and delicious. We ordered a bunch of sushi family style as well as the chicken dumplings, fried chicken, agadashi tofu and mushroom fried rice. I was also delighted to find out that the Brussels sprouts cauliflower dish was roasted and not deep fried. Great restaurant option on the Upper East Side. Only con is that it is incredibly pricey, but everything else was tops.
… moreJosephine Lee
I took my sister here for her birthday–and I haven’t been this ambivalent on an opinion since I watched the theatrical cut of 2001’s Moulin Rouge. Did I like it? Did I dislike it? Was I dazzled by all the spectacle and then left hollow by the empty pretty?
I think that’s where I netted out with Kappo Sono: Empty pretty.
The dishes for our weeknight Abridged Kaiseki were lovely to behold and taste, but felt bereft of real warmth or personality. There was a lot of trademark Japanese hospitality, but it felt performative and rehearsed, not genuine. And for ~$350pp, I guess I expected to walk away feeling better than I did.
The foods:
– Sakizuke: A simple dish of grilled wild prawn with sesame tofu tempura. Not remarkable.
– Zensai: Probably our best course, given the diversity and complexity of the bites. I enjoyed the crab cake wrapped in sakura leaf, dashi-marinated octopus roe, apple potage, and wagyu roast beef with almond miso. Gave my sis the simmered abalone, as it’s not my fav, which she said was good. Overall, well done but not as impressive as similar zensai courses I’ve had at other kaiseki.
– Owan: An okay dish of Manila clam dumpling with fresh kelp and dashi. Nice hot broth, but otherwise rather sterile.
– Otsukuri: Our assorted sashimi was fresh and well cut, but I’ve had more interesting seafood with prettier presentations from other kaisekis like Hakubai. This couse was disappointing.
– Yakimono: Sauteed king butterfish with spring vegetables and butter soy sauce. Nice, but….forgettable
– Nimono: Dashi-marinated golden eye snapper and vegetables. Again, well cooked but otherwise rather bland and forgettable too.
– Oshyokuji: Grilled Spanish mackerel and taro over rice, inaniwa udon soup and pickles. Lovely and homey, but very straightforward with no small twists or surprises to make it feel personalized.
– Amami 1: Japanese strawberry parfait. Our first dessert, and of course it was focused on strawberries. It was tasty but not too sweet–as expected.
– Amami 2: Sakura mochi with vanilla and rhubarb. Our second dessert, and it was a unique creation, though “sakura” wasn’t really the actual flavor (it rarely is). I liked the marriage of vanilla and rhubarb.
– Complimentary cookie box to take home: Free and scrumptious. Wish there’d been more of this creativity in the actual meal.
I think my disappointment with Kappo Sono came down to the fact that the price + difficulty of getting a resy + the chef’s pedigree just didn’t add up to a wow meal. I paid much less for the kaiseki/tasting menus at places like Hakubai and Raymond Yuu and walked away not only dazzled by the culinary talents, but also–and most importantly–feeling like I’d gotten my money’s worth. Kappo Sono was Ootoya cooking at Per Se prices, and in these inflationary times, that just doesn’t cut it for me.
… moreI think that’s where I netted out with Kappo Sono: Empty pretty.
The dishes for our weeknight Abridged Kaiseki were lovely to behold and taste, but felt bereft of real warmth or personality. There was a lot of trademark Japanese hospitality, but it felt performative and rehearsed, not genuine. And for ~$350pp, I guess I expected to walk away feeling better than I did.
The foods:
– Sakizuke: A simple dish of grilled wild prawn with sesame tofu tempura. Not remarkable.
– Zensai: Probably our best course, given the diversity and complexity of the bites. I enjoyed the crab cake wrapped in sakura leaf, dashi-marinated octopus roe, apple potage, and wagyu roast beef with almond miso. Gave my sis the simmered abalone, as it’s not my fav, which she said was good. Overall, well done but not as impressive as similar zensai courses I’ve had at other kaiseki.
– Owan: An okay dish of Manila clam dumpling with fresh kelp and dashi. Nice hot broth, but otherwise rather sterile.
– Otsukuri: Our assorted sashimi was fresh and well cut, but I’ve had more interesting seafood with prettier presentations from other kaisekis like Hakubai. This couse was disappointing.
– Yakimono: Sauteed king butterfish with spring vegetables and butter soy sauce. Nice, but….forgettable
– Nimono: Dashi-marinated golden eye snapper and vegetables. Again, well cooked but otherwise rather bland and forgettable too.
– Oshyokuji: Grilled Spanish mackerel and taro over rice, inaniwa udon soup and pickles. Lovely and homey, but very straightforward with no small twists or surprises to make it feel personalized.
– Amami 1: Japanese strawberry parfait. Our first dessert, and of course it was focused on strawberries. It was tasty but not too sweet–as expected.
– Amami 2: Sakura mochi with vanilla and rhubarb. Our second dessert, and it was a unique creation, though “sakura” wasn’t really the actual flavor (it rarely is). I liked the marriage of vanilla and rhubarb.
– Complimentary cookie box to take home: Free and scrumptious. Wish there’d been more of this creativity in the actual meal.
I think my disappointment with Kappo Sono came down to the fact that the price + difficulty of getting a resy + the chef’s pedigree just didn’t add up to a wow meal. I paid much less for the kaiseki/tasting menus at places like Hakubai and Raymond Yuu and walked away not only dazzled by the culinary talents, but also–and most importantly–feeling like I’d gotten my money’s worth. Kappo Sono was Ootoya cooking at Per Se prices, and in these inflationary times, that just doesn’t cut it for me.
Afa Zada
It is really art place.
Beef juju my favourite
Also sushi amazing
You can also meet celebrities there
… moreBeef juju my favourite
Also sushi amazing
You can also meet celebrities there
Cassie X
Walking downstairs from the gallery, the restaurant scene unfolds before you—what an entrance! The restaurant offers bar seating, regular tables, and counter tables. The ambiance is elegant and intimate, with dimmed lighting and proper spacing. The floral and plant decorations add a lively touch to the room.
We were seated at a regular table, across from the counter, overlooking the open kitchen. It’s quite an experience to eat delicious food while watching chefs artfully prepare dishes in the distance. The service was impeccable. Wet towels were provided every time we were served food that might require hand-picking.
They offer both sushi/sashimi and regular Japanese food. The presentation and taste of the food were truly works of art. The sashimi was incredibly fresh, but the sushi rice lacked a bit of stickiness and warmth. From this perspective, I think sushi here is overpriced.
Overall, I enjoyed the food and service. I look forward to coming back to try other items on the menu.
… moreWe were seated at a regular table, across from the counter, overlooking the open kitchen. It’s quite an experience to eat delicious food while watching chefs artfully prepare dishes in the distance. The service was impeccable. Wet towels were provided every time we were served food that might require hand-picking.
They offer both sushi/sashimi and regular Japanese food. The presentation and taste of the food were truly works of art. The sashimi was incredibly fresh, but the sushi rice lacked a bit of stickiness and warmth. From this perspective, I think sushi here is overpriced.
Overall, I enjoyed the food and service. I look forward to coming back to try other items on the menu.
Catie L
Great food! Quite expensive but very unique flavors and presentations. I recommend the rolls, kale frisee, toro tartare and caviar. The only dish we didn’t like was the steamed egg- strangely very rich and had a very unctuous, off aftertaste. Service and ambience were both excellent.
… moreJason
The food here is so delicious! I highly recommend the deserts of you have a sweet tooth. Everything here definitely comes with a price tag though so be prepared. The atmosphere is romantic and dim lit and it’s best to make reservations for a table. A lot of celebrities come here and I’ve sat next to a few at the bar! You definitely pay for the location and the ambiance here but thankfully the food, the drinks and possible celebrity run ins are worth it!
… moreCorky Luxembourg
My 10th or so visit to this restaurant. Not every time has been perfect. This one was.
Had the Salmon Caviar, A5 w White Truffles, Uni w White truffles, seaweed salad, sautéed spinach, duck tacos, uni w truffles, miso crème brûlée, and sake and half a bottle of champagne. Over $1000 w tip for two people. A lot of money for sure, but this is NYC, and it was top notch. Service, food and atmosphere were as close to 3 Star Mich (like its Masa namesake) as you can get.
… moreHad the Salmon Caviar, A5 w White Truffles, Uni w White truffles, seaweed salad, sautéed spinach, duck tacos, uni w truffles, miso crème brûlée, and sake and half a bottle of champagne. Over $1000 w tip for two people. A lot of money for sure, but this is NYC, and it was top notch. Service, food and atmosphere were as close to 3 Star Mich (like its Masa namesake) as you can get.
Samantha van de Ven
Dreamy place, such kind and attentive service, incredible vibe due to the burning incense, low lighting, thoughtful decor, and the ingredients are out of this world. Don’t skip out on the tuna carpaccio, their sushi rolls, or dessert, they have to die for fresh fruit! I had a champagne mango I will be thinking of for some time now.
… moreGiacomo Sozzi
If you appreciate real sushi and sashimi don’t go here. NYC has many good sushia at many price points. Kappo Massa is an upper east side rip off for people happy to waste their money on low quality preparation. No Japanese chefs in sight here. Rice is not fully cooked.
… more