Bugs

Unfortunately Bugs is closed down. I planned to go back again to get the sushi omakase before I write the review but to realize I was too late. The one time at Bugs, I had a great experience so here you go – this is what you all missed out on:
Service — ⁵⁄₅
Decoration — ⁴⁄₅
Ambiance — ⁴⁄₅
Sushi — ⁵⁄₅
Cooked Dish — 3.8÷5
Value — ⁴⁄₅
Bugs was a hole in the wall, laid back, and unlike other good sushi restaurants, it was not jam-​packed or had to make reservation months in advance. Although I did make a reservation on a Thursday week night just to play safe. If you like sushi made fresh and handed to you by the chef in person, then snatch those counter seats. Bugs can seat maybe 20 people in total — not exactly a big place. The rare scene of a woman sushi chef may occasionally make witty remarks upon overhearing your conversation. I enjoyed the interaction with the chef greatly and it added to the experience in my opinion. Honestly she was pretty darn cool! Seriously have you ever seen a female sushi chef before? In an authentic sushi restaurant?
Kaiseki Omakase ($ 70 per person) —
A few courses with small cooked dishes placed elegantly over Japanese plates, mixed sashimi salad, tempura, 5 sushi, and a small dessert.
I loved the sushi a whole lot especially the creamy scallop encapsulating sea urchin!
What I can remember:
— Lightly seared King Salmon with tomato (smokey!)
— yuzu yellowtail (Lovely!)
— Scallop + Uni (Creamy!)
— Tuna (Fresh!)
I would definitely recommend coming to Bugs for delicious-​new-​age sushi (well … if bugs re-​open!)

What a disappointment. I came here ⁸⁄₂₈ @ 8:00 pm, the day before their closing. I had requested bar seats but the hostess/​server informed us they were booked. There was consistently 4 empty seats at the bar during the course of our 1.5 hour dinner.
Since this place was closing we both went with the kaiseki omakase ($ 70) and a bottle of sake ($ 50). I expected a lot more based on all the articles and reviews I read. Perhaps she got lazy her last couple of days or ran out of quality food and gave us what was left in the kitchen. I know that kaiseki changes based on what is fresh that day but what we received was very different from the pictures. There was nothing innovative and different, I regret not trying this place earlier maybe my experience would be different.
Course 1: pickled daikon
Course 2: miso soup with 1 clam
Course 3: edamame with sea salt
Course 4: tuna, salmon and hamachi sashimi
Course 5: 4 different dishes on one plate — tempura white fish, bacon wrapped asparagus, cold shrimp, and tofu
Course 6: 6 pieces of sushi, only two pieces were memorable, the uni/​scallop and chopped mackerel
Course 7: shot of dessert sake
Overall, it was decent food for the price but I would not come back. For $ 15 more you can get the full experience and better quality food at Jewel Bako or Kura. If you didn’t get a chance to try Bugs before it closed, you’re not missing out. No fomo here.

What good does a thorough review serve now? The place closes tomorrow.
All I will say is this: I am very happy I stumbled on the reviews of this place a few hours ago. I called, was lucky enough to get a chair on the bar tonight and I just ordered TWO OMAKASES BACK TO BACK. It was that good.

Sad to see chef Boo go, NYC definitively lost a gem. I just got back from eating at Bugs tonight and thought the sushi created by the Chef was amazing. Everything from the tofu to the risotto to the sushi –nothing was out of place.
I got the omakse and highly recommend the scallop with uni underneath. The only thing I noticed was that the rice on the sushi didn’t stick together but the taste was on point. Please support her and go before they close!

I write this review with great sadness. Bugs, a not quite traditional Japanese restaurant with a sushi omakase, which has been on my list for some time, will be closing on ⁸⁄₂₉ when the chef moves back to Japan.
Let me put it simply. If you are reading this before 8÷29÷15, you need to book your spot at the bar now. Right. Now.
The food here is not traditional edo style sushi. If Sushi of Gari is a 10 on the non-​traditional sushi, I’ll call this place a 3 on the scale. There are some new flavors introduced that would never be found in Japan, but work so extremely well. Most notable for me was the yellowtail belly with truffle oil. Yes, you heard me. She put truffle oil on the sushi. And you know what? It was awesome. One of the best pieces I’ve had anywhere. The truffle oil just elevates the umami level of the bite. Scallop and uni together was another combination I’ve not seen anywhere, and again, it just worked.
It’s a shame to see a sushi place with such an innovative offering, and affordable ($ 55 per person for 10 pieces of sushi) go, but I am glad to have snuck in a meal before they closed for good. Get out there before ⁸⁄₂₉ if you can!

If you’ve been meaning to try this place out, you better do it now!!! The chef will be closing August 29^th, as she will be moving back to Japan. Sad to see this place go! Such a gem at such an affordable price. $ 55 for omakase. Where else are you gonna get this? Especially everything is so fresh and simplistic. I usually have soy sauce with all my sushi, but here, there is no need. There is a special taste to each piece served. Oh — don’t forget to get the risotto with uni, oyster, scallop.

Sad to see this place go… it was truly a pleasure to dine at Bugs. We went for the Omakase and it was an extraordinary culinary experience.
The appetizers, edamame with different sea salts, were all delicious. The best part was the chef placing each piece of sushi on our plates as we finished the one before like clockwork. Wish I had known about it before!

I recently had the chance to return to bugs for the second time — my 5 star review stands in place for bugs as it did previously. The reason I am writing this is because BUGS IS CLOSING ON AUGUST 29TH!!!
Chef Boo is returning to Japan with no plans to come back to the United States and thus the sushi fantasy of bugs will come to a bitter end after three years of service.
MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE LAST MEAL AT THIS PLACE AND HELP SUPPORT THE CHEF! Bugs is awesome and it is so sad to see it go :(

The idea of having a female sushi chef is basically non existent. Chef Boo has honed her skills at two powerhouse sushi establishments in the city: Sushi Yasuda and Jewel Bako. Chef Boo handled all the sushi, the assistant handled the risotto that my friend ordered and then there was a waiter to round out the staff. The restaurant is miniscule, there is the counter, a few tables and that is basically the restaurant. Honestly, it seemed more like a dive bar than a restaurant, it kinda has a run down, dingy feel to it. I ordered the Sushi Omakase which was 10 pieces of chef’s choice sushi. Overall, I thought the meal was solid but the rice could have used some more flavor. Also, this can take some off guard, but they try to serve the rice as well as fish at room temp. If you are interested in trying the restaurant, you should go soon since they are closing for good on Aug 29.
The food:
Tuna with garlic ginger sauce– The delicate flavor was interesting. It was a nice opener since the tuna and sauce had a very mellow flavor and progressed more as the meal moved forward.
Red snapper with plum radish– This was a nice piece, nothing too exciting though. The red snapper has a nice neutral flavor and the plum radish added a nice pop.
Seared fluke with shisito peppers– This was unique, I enjoyed the texture of the seared fluke, but I wasn’t crazy about the pepper addition. I didn’t feel it complemented the seared fluke.
Striped Jack with yuzu, pepper– This was one of my favs. The simplicity of the Striped Jack was great, the flavor and texture was excellent and the addition of the Yuzu really went well.
Yellowtail with jalapeño– This is another fav. Yellowtail also known as Hamachi is one of my fav fishes and the one here was great. The jalepeno can be too much for some but yellowtail jalepeno is such a great combo.
Chopped Jack mackerel– I really didn’t care much for this, I didn’t like the flavor nor texture of the chopped Jack Mackerel.
Otoro– Another fav, the Otoro was divine, I forgot what the sauce on top was but who cares, it’s Otoro! lol
Salmon with smoked salt– I enjoyed the fish but the smoked salt made the piece too salty for me.
Sockeye salmon– This was another good piece with the shiso and salmon, very nice pairing of flavors.
Sea urchin with scallop– This was the final piece and it was stupidly amazing. It kinda knocked you silly with amazement. The scallop was simply perfection and throw in some Uni? Hell f’in yeah!!!

While visiting New York I originally wanted to dine at Sushi Nakazawa. I figured it would the closest thing to Sukiyabashi Jiro, but on weekends he is not there so we ended up at BUGS in the East Village.
Now this place is not your typically sushi joint. Example #1, the sushi chef that night was a chick, a cool chick at that. Of all the sushi places I’ve been to I’ve never had a female sushi chef. It was a nice change (GIRL POWER!). We ended up ordering the 10 piece omakase. Definitely worth it if you’re up for a progressive view of sushi. Very innovative and creative with the use of wasabi mayo, jalapenos and garnishes of tomato! It wasn’t enough to let the fish stand alone, but she needed to add a little something to let the flavors explode in your mouth. For me, it worked. It was exciting to try something completely different than the norm. Overall fresh fish with a modern twist… definitely worth trying out.

Let me preface my review by saying I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn last night but I have seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi, so classify me Sushi Snob.
I found out about Bugs through a friend who was taken here on a date. She highly recommended this hidden restaurant. To my surprise Bugs has stayed relatively under the radar for such a unique experience in dining. Like many people have pointed out, the place is tiny. A couple of bar seats and tables. Standard for traditional «sushi restaurants» in Japan. At least thats what Jiro documentary tells me.
I was able to call Thursday for a Saturday reservation for 2 at 830. Prime time, but no issues. My girlfriend and I got there and decided to get the full experience and sit at the bar. An up close view of the action. We both got the Chef’s tasting menu and a bottle of wine. We arrived STARVING and left with ABSOLUTELY no room for dessert. The food was out of this world. Every dish had a purpose and full of an explosion of flavors. We clearly enjoy eveything about Bugs, from service to atmosphere and obviously food.
The most enjoyable part of our experience was the simplicity of it all. However dont mistake it for being bland. Bugs is unlike any place Ive ever eater. Highly recommended.

My new favorite sushi spot, my friend brought me here yesterday as a surprise and I love love love this place. This place don’t look like much from the outside but the sushi is sooo good the flavors dance in your mouth. LITERALLY! We ordered the edamame which was flavored with plum salt and it was yummy. A little more on the firm side but still good.
We also ordered the spicy tuna tacos and it was pretty much tuna tartare with a hint of wasabi I believe. And a lot of onion on a crispy taco shell it was definitely a good choice I actually liked this one more one Than the edamame.
Last we ordered the omakase sushi $ 55 it only comes with ten piece of sushi but it will probably be the best ten piece you ever had, it’s hard to explain it but I felt like each piece complimented the others and every piece has their own unique flavor to enhance the fish (truffle oil, wasabi, shallot, etc)
The interior is small and simple, it’s dimly lit with candles and lantern lights. I highly recommend making reservations and coming with one other person, there is not much seating for a big group. I liked that they don’t rush to kick us out after we finish and my friend and I were able to talk and catch up. Only negative I have is that they didn’t have lemons. I prefer my water with lemon :(
P.s their chew toro is really good, I was in Japan about half a year ago and this was the closest chew toro I’ve gotten to the ones in Japan in NYC

Bugs, like its namesake (since bugs tend to congregate together), is a place where people can come together and enjoy delicious, freshly-​made sushi.
It is slightly ironic then, that the tiny interior (~3 tables and bar countertop) doesn’t really lend itself as a space to accommodate many people to come together in the first place. Given the lack of space, the dim lighting also gives this place a colder feel than I would have preferred.
That aside — since I didn’t come here to talk about the venue — the food at Bugs, specifically the omakase, is out of this world.
First, I want to mention that I’m normally all about the sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish/​meat, for those unfamiliar). And while the sashimi at Bugs is delicious, mostly due to freshness than anything else — the sushi (vinegar-​ed rice with toppings) here is the real attraction.
As many people have said, Bugs takes a nontraditional approach in making sushi. Their sushi leans heavily on the toppings — from salmon roe to shiso to ume — in delighting your palate. You will notice that no soy-​sauce is accompanied with their sushi as its supposed to be eaten standalone.
Each piece of sushi is handmade on the spot, and brought to the customers one by one. This gives you time to truly enjoy and indulge in each and every bite. Note that even when getting the omakase (chef’s selection, basically), you can still let the chef know your preferences (so if you don’t like unagi or uni, let them know!).
Anyways, I would really recommend getting their normal omakase ($ 55 for 10 pieces of sushi) or sushi and sashimi platter ($ 60 for 5 pieces of sashimi and 6 pieces of sushi). The kaiseki omakase ($ 70), basically a more varied tasting menu that includes soup and appetizers, isn’t worth it in my opinion.
There’s also a couple of sake/​beer options, so expect to drop $ 80 – 90 on dinner & drinks.
Given the quality of the food here, I would highly, highly recommend coming here, if just to experience a nontraditional sushi meal.
My goal is to eat my way across NYC, but if I were ever to go back for seconds, Bugs is at the top of my list!

I recently dined at the counter and had a delicious meal. I came with friends and we chose to order a number of dishes and eat family style and there wasn’t a dish we didn’t like. We were in the mood to try a number of dishes and therefore skipped the omakase this time. We would have ordered one of the sushi /​sashimi sampler options, but they all came to ~$ 6 per piece, so we stuck to larger format dishes on this occasion as I found that a bit pricier than I had expected given the restaurant’s looks.
Regarding ambience, the restaurant feels as though you are eating at the counter in Chef Boo’s kitchen. There are only 15 or 20 seats in the entire place, but I would definitely sit at the counter. It’s amazing to watch her make all of her food using just a few hot plates, a couple of microwaves, and, occasionally, a blow torch. I actually found the atmosphere really charming, though I could see where others might be turned off. I don’t know how, but using the minimalist set-​up at Bugs Chef Boo is somehow able to put together a fantastic menu. Below are the dishes we tried:
Edamame — standard fare, done well here.
Shishito Peppers — same as above, both were well-​seasoned with the right proportion of salt.
Buffalo Chicken — a surprise winner. I was extremely skeptical but my friend was intent on trying this dish, and I’m glad we did. Chef Boo made a delicious Japenese-​influenced version, while somehow managing to also retain the flavors of a classic Buffalo chicken plate. Bravo.
Fried Octopus Ball — this was the most unique dish we ordered and it was enjoyable. The Octobus ball was set in what I can only describe as mashed potatoes, which sounds bizarre but worked quite well. I’ll admit it wasn’t my favorite plate, but I’m very happy to have had a chance to try it. The sauce complemented the starchiness of the potatoes really well.
Spicy Tuna Tacos — my friends liked this dish the most, though I would actually call it a very slight second to the Stuffed Squid below. The Tuna tacos were executed flawlessly, though. The crunchy taco, fresh fish (not overpowered by the other ingredients, which I find rare), and a spicy mayo with an awesome kick to it. I wanted another and would definitely recommend it.
Japanese Risotto — The Japanese risotto was good, but not amazing. The risotto was cooked well, the seafood was flavorful, and there was a nice variety of seafood. I guess I just found it predictable. It was a good dish, don’t get me wrong, it just didn’t blow my mind.
Stuffed Squid — This was my favorite dish. The squid was grilled perfectly and not chewy at all. The rice stuffing was also cooked to perfection, and the shishito peppers on the side added a nice amount of salt to the dish when eaten interchangeably with the squid. I could have ordered another easily. All of the flavor profiles and textures blended seamlessly.
In the future, I will request that all of the appetizers be served prior to the entrée dishes, and wonder if I would have enjoyed the Fried Octopus Ball more if I hadn’t had it as my last dish. Otherwise, I really have no complaints.
As I mentioned previously, we weren’t really in the mood to foot the omakase bill, but from everything I’ve read Chef Boo does excellent sushi and has a flair for infusing some phenomenal non-​traditional flavors, so I will have to come back and give her omakase a chance. If the other dishes were any indication, the sushi won’t disappoint. Plus, I really want to sit at the counter while she uses the blow torch…

I hate to say it, but I was disappointed.
Getting omakase at Japanese restaurants is one of my favorite things in the world, and this… unfortunately just didn’t live up to the 4.5 stars on Unilocal.My boyfriend brought me here for a surprise dinner for my 27^th birthday, and it’s so sad it wasn’t awesome :(
The meal started off with a tofu dish with some uni on it, which was delicious! Off to a good start :) but then we were presented with very lackluster edamame… which I could have done without. The miso soup was also just meh.
Since this was a mixture of sushi and cooked foods, we did get to taste a little bit of everything, but I was definitely looking forward to eating the nigiri. As I ate through the pieces, I came to realize that all of them were overpowered by garnishes/​sauces! Another disappointed Unilocaler mentioned this too, so I’m glad i’m not the only one who felt this way. The only piece that I really liked was one with scallop and uni on it — and sadly, the uni was hidden underneath the scallop… why would it be presented like that??? I remember we also got a couple of pieces of sashimi, but it was also drenched in sauces :(
The cooked foods were probably the most disappointing of all. They were presented as 4 little small dishes on one big plate. One of the dishes was a super dry piece of salmon :(There was a grilled rice ball with oyster on top (usually shrimp, but I told them I didn’t like shrimp), which was pretty decent! As for the others, to be honest, I don’t quite even remember what I had. I definitely didn’t end up clearing my plate though, and that rarely happens.
The dessert was a strawberry sake of some type — not bad, really strong too! I probably would have preferred a real dessert though :(
Also, since the restaurant is very small, you can see the entire kitchen working in front of you (the restaurant is also very dark though!). Although that may be cool at times, you also see them put things into the microwave in plain view. I don’t know if it’s bias I’ve picked up from watching chefs say that this is taboo on TV shows, but I don’t feel like a restaurant should ever be using a microwave to heat anything up, or at least not in front of the customers.

This has been on my bookmark list as a ‘must try’ for a couple months, and a disappointment it was.
Venue: (¹⁄₅) The only positive it that it was not hard to commute to from the subway (3 minute walk from the L train). The dimly lit hole in the wall does not have a warm feel. The sushi chef is Korean but born in Japan. A group of guests came in which were Korean and immediately my friend and I were demoted as patrons. Essentially they were served first and conversed with by the chef. When we would ask what kind of fish it was responded with by a snarky answer. The restaurant seats around 8 – 10 around the sushi counter and 6 on normal tables.
Food (²⁄₅) I cannot believe I would say this, but the Omakase is too progressive for my taste. The chef does not allow the fish to stand on its own, so many dressings on the fish that you get lost in the flavors (which are not of the fish).
Risotto (²⁄₅) Ratio of Risotto to Seafood was not good. If you like buttery risotto, then order this. If you like seafood, don’t expect too much.
Fried Tofu (⁵⁄₅) I do NOT like tofu, but this was a winner!!! I’d eat this again.
Omakase (¹⁄₅) skip this, of the 10 pieces I liked one (scallop and uni)
Service (¹⁄₅) read above!!!

Weekday
Dinner
Thursday
9:30PM
From the outside, this restaurant was not welcoming and dark. It reflected the same inside but we walked in. Casual-​divey space was far from usual Japanese establishment, very simple and highlighting minimal.
We took the stools in front of the chef, only because the chef asked. The chef is from Osaka and my dinner date, birthday boy, was from the same city and born in the same year. The conversation in Kansai dialect filled the room between them and they melted each other quickly. When the chef was living in Osaka, she made many trips (3 hours by air) to my island, Okinawan. She had a special friend, woman DJ. After knowing each other well, our conversation got heated even more.
Omakase tasting course ($ ⁶⁰⁄₁₀? sushi)
It was not only delicious but very reasonable. The seasoned sushi (no soy sauce needed) reflected her previous experience working at Jewel Box. Even we couldn’t tell what they were in the dark room but each jewel of sushi were «Wow!» after another.
Fried Tofu — Okonomiyaki style
After the sushi course, we got the chef’s recommendations and one of them was Tofu Okonomiyaki — instead of cabbage pancake, it was replaced by fried tofu. Traditional condiments for Okonomiyaki, bonito flakes, mayonnaise, and Okonomiyaki sauce, on tofu was new and exciting. We love it! The chef said «It’s a healthy choice!»
Dandan noodle
The noodle was delicious, a bouncy and slippery, but the dark sauce was too spicy and strong for me. I wished I had listened the chef’s suggestion, adding very small amount rather than dumping the whole sauce. I don’t recommend to start the meal with it if you have sushi.

Great restaurant. Cozy, and friendly.
Came for the Omakase. Had the $ 68 set.
Non-​traditional tasting, Has a fusion touch but also homey taste to it. Most sushi and dishes have a heavier flavor than the traditional sushi you get.
Seating is a little limited but it is not too difficult if you book a few days in advance.
My only critic is that the total serving portion is a little smaller than I was expected, maybe it is just because I had a real good appetite that day!

This place is fantastic — one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a while (maybe since Box Kite’s tasting menu!). It’s surprising because the place is so dim and small that it seems pretty unremarkable at first sight, but the food blew me away.
Don’t worry, this place doesn’t serve insects. It’s innovative, fresh Japanese cuisine with a cozy atmosphere.
My boyfriend’s birthday was fast-​approaching and I wanted to take him somewhere special. We’ve tried a decent amount of omakases around the city, with Zenkichi (in Williamsburg) being one of the best thus far.
Unilocal led me to Bugs and I was intrigued that it was a headed by a female sushi chef. Japan has a longstanding belief that women can’t be sushi chefs because their hands are «too warm,» but I call B.S., especially after going to Bugs.
What we ate:
— $ 50 omakase: 10 pieces of sushi selected by the chef. Every piece was awesome but my favorite was the scallop with a slab of uni (!!) underneath.
— $ 68 omakase: This was an excellent deal. It came with an amuse bouche, edamame, 6 pieces of sushi, 6 pieces of sashimi, miso soup, an appetizer sampler (with black cod!), and then choice of mochi ice cream or dessert sake.
— Japanese risotto ($ 18): Uni (!!), scallops, shrimp, and oysters all on a bed of soft risotto. This is an incredible dish if you love uni and seafood.
The chef totally nailed it. The presentation was beautiful, every slice of fish was garnished with something amazing and unexpected, and our dishes were timed perfectly. Our waitress was also really sweet and kept our water glasses full. Best of all? This was one of the least expensive omakases we’ve had in the city.
We both loved our meal and would return in a heartbeat!

Bugs is a (non) traditional sushi place. Beginning with the Aesthetic of the place — the mosaic table tops, gaudy chandelier, paper napkins, and bright red walls — upon walking in, I was sure I arrived at an art-​deco theme Czech style café. I didn’t get the cleanest sense, but it wasn’t gross.
If the dated «vibe» of the place can be overlook, you will notice the kitchen and staff consist of all Japanese people. DAINTY kitchen with a female sushi chef (I believe the owner herself) and a younger guy that works a electric table top stove, microwave and an oven toaster on the hot food side.
Our sushi chef fired away on the 10pcs Omakase in lighting speed, but it wasn’t intrusive she made sure we complete our current piece before the next. Overall the fish was tasty and rice was light and fluffy. I agree with the other reviewer that she infused «non-​traditional» ingredient to her sushi for example «salmon with smoked salt»; «Chopped Mackerel with ume and shiso»; and the last piece of Shrimp nigiri with a sweet glaze over it that tasted like a dessert (eh– not my favorite, a bit too sweet).
But I won’t hesitate to come back based on the value ($ 55 for 10pc– which i think is the smartest thing to order on the menu), accessibility and freshness of the sushi (um –giant HOKKAIDO SCALLOP!). It’s definitely different, so keep an open mind and enjoy the adventure!
P.S I was able to learn the meaning behind the name BUG is the owner’s desire to open a place where people would come together and gather, like what bugs do. (…lol?)