Shuko

The sushi omakase is one of the best I’ve ever had in New York, some sushi pieces taste sooooo good, that I can see fireworks in my head when I put them in my mouth: D

I could literally sit here for hours and eat. I finally came here over the weekend and it was fantastic. Like I said I could literally sit here for hours and just eat everything they have to offer you. I wanted to try everything thats how good their food is.
The atmosphere here is great. Everyone is having a good time and enjoying the food. The service is great. We definitely spent well over $ 500 and it was well worth it. The drinks, the food and just being there was great. I really didnt want to leave. I will be back!

Just got back from a two week trip to Japan where we ate at a half dozen michelin starred sushi restaurants. This place is definitely worth a trip if you can sit in Darry’s section. As with all omakase experiences, I recommend sitting at the bar rather than at a table.

I’ve been dying to come here ever since I saw this old Vice mini sushi episode on Shuko. Finally came here with my boyfriend for my bday dinner yesterday and sat at the far end of the counter. This is probably my new favorite omakase spot (and i LOVED 15 East last year and didn’t think anything could beat that). Shuko was overall just my type of place from the service (wait staff, sushi chefs, and mixologists) being on point and super friendly, the food/​sushi pretty much loved and was wowed by every piece, apple pie for dessert (i hate sweets but i LOVE pies), and the background of hip hop and r&b bumpin at light volumes in the background. It was a pretty epic meal overall.
I feel like the value of everything we got was also great. We both ordered the sushi omakase ($ 135 pp) and that was for 20 bomb ass pieces of sushi as well as an amouse and this awesome crab salad starter. We were over ambitious and ordered a supplemental ribeye and their epic drop the mic piece (uni, cavier, and like negi toro). We were so stuffed by the end of the that we were even struggling on the last two pieces of sushi but it was so goooood.
And I have to give a shout out to the apple pie. As mentioned before I dont like sweets in general but this pie with the burnt bayleaf ice cream was a great combo. And yes obvi this is not a traditional japanese dessert but this isn’t a traditional japanese sushi omakase place. So that should manage your expectations.
All in all this place is bomb and my new goal is to become a regular here. We sat next to a group of regulars and they def got some pretty sweet treatment and was serenaded by the waiter with an opera version of happy birthday. it was pretty good.

Avg sushi and they rip you off big time if you order extra after the set menu. $ 20 for one piece of Uni, $ 25 for one mediocre seared fatty tuna. I would rather they charge more for the Omakase and include extra 2 –3 pcs. Definitely not in the same league as sushi ichimura or even sushi yasuda.

ARGHHH!!! I wish had taken photos of this SPECTACULAR experience. These chefs Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau are absolutely brilliant! If you have the cash to spend and are able to get a reservation. DO IT! Best sushi quality I have EVER had and hands down the tastiest, also the most melt in your mouth Wagyu beef ever!
With extremely simple and ever-​so elegant flavors and presentation this was a meal I will never forget!

Had a pleasure of dining at Shuko the Friday before Valentine’s Day weekend. Now I must say, getting reservations here is difficult. It’s just like 11:59PM the day before course registration goes up for the following semester in college, if you can recall those years. I saw reservations on Open Table for 5:30pm seating and was semi reluctant since A:): early dinner isn’t ideal in my book and B:) I had to secure my reservation with a credit card.
Beyond all the hesitation, and now looking back, I will say that whenever you can snag a reservation, just go! My fiancé and I were really worried that night because NJ Transit was experiencing delays due to Amtrak, and cancelling a reservation meant you’re hit with a fee, a large one! I was worried that I wouldn’t make it on time. Thankfully, they were able to push us back to 6pm, and the PATH saved us, so we were able to make it with time to spare.
We had decided to go with the Sushi Kaiseki tasting at $ 175 per head, $ 40 more than Sushi Omakase. It was a collection of over 17 sushi pieces, plus seasonal dishes to start, and by the looks of other plates who had ordered the Omakase, it was definitely the better and well valued choice. The best meals of the evening were the seasonal dishes, like the Trout with Trout Skin.
Chef Nick Kim was our main man for the night, and really set the tone of our entire experience. A truly down to earth guy, who at the end of the day, is just like any one of us, except with killer culinary skills.
So if you’re on the fence, and feel like giving up on reservations to Shuko, think otherwise!!! And if you’re a die hard hip hop and r&b listener, you’ll get a kick out of their playlist!

So thankful they kindly waived the reservation charge for my friend who got ill and couldn’t make it. Enjoyed the sushi omakase, but was a little let down that they served Santa Barbara uni (even though it was delicious)…was kinda hoping to indulge in Hokkaido uni. Added the special uni/​caviar/​toro piece but wasn’t blown away. Selection of sushi was yummy and fresh. Service was very attentive. The chef was kind and introduced himself at the end and we did a fist bump, which I observed regular customers do when they come in. If only I could be a regular!

Shuko is one of the best sushi restaurants I’ve been to! It was my first time at a sushi bar (I usually sit at the regular tables at sushi restaurants), so it was reassuring when the chef was able to walk me through each step and introduce each fish to me. The fish were very fresh and the toro (tuna belly) is definitely a favorite! The ratio between the fish, rice, wasabi, soy sauce, and toppings was perfect, and I was really able to taste the difference between each fish. They also paired the sushi tasting with a special sake (flowery one) which was phenomenal!
The service was great too and our waiter was so good at checking up on us and making sure that everything was going well. The atmosphere was great and I didn’t have to talk over loud music or people.
All in all, it was a great time of amazing food and service!

Yeeeees.
Excellent excellent food.
Kaiseki recommended, worth th $ 40 difference.
You get savory dishes from th kitchen not the bar that is super tasty.
The sushi itself is (of course) delicious. Toro was my fav. Oh. And the seaweed «taco» soooooo good!
Alcohol paring is very generous. You. ll feel tipsy when you hop off the stool.
Cheers!

My heart is broken! I wanted to love this place for so long and our meal was totally ruined. The service was aloof and miserable. I can’t even imagine why we were treated so poorly but $ 650 later (two tasting menus, a wine pairing, a few beers, tax and tip) I wish I never set foot here.
Let’s talk about the price because $ 185pp is insane for dinner. I’m not cheap and many tasting menus are worth the price. I thought Shuko would be an amazing experience but it was totally basic and at times, uncomfortable. The sushi was OK and the muscular, tattooed sushi chef was super cool and talkative. But other than that, the service left me feeling like I just wanted to leave.
This place ruined my birthday and weirdly, I haven’t ordered sushi since. I wish I never went.

This establishment by Chefs Kim and Lau deserves a Michelin star or two.
So far, kaiseki here has been one of the best this year. Spend the extra and get the kaiseki, instead of the sushi omakase. It’s actually a good value, considering that they are using many expensive ingredients.
Not your typical traditional Japanese kaiseki; They prepare very unique, creative dishes.
1 starter, 8 hot/​cold dishes, 17 sushi, 1 palate cleanser before dessert, & 2 desserts.
Was surprised to see home made apple pie and a unique flavored vanilla ice cream as the last dessert; that pie was amazing.
The ambiance was very nice & service was impeccable.
One thing that stood out was how extensive the staff was and how well-​organized the restaurant was run. The pacing of the dinner was flawless.
Highest recommendation.
: A

Best sushi experience I’ve ever had.
I live in LA and have visited Tokyo more than once, so I know good sushi. This sushi is fantastic. The quality of the fish is top notch. Service is relaxed but so friendly and professional.
I opted for the sushi Omakase at $ 135. It’s really a steal for the food you get. Each bite was more impressive than the last. Flavors exploded in my mouth. Of note were the toro roll and the lobster supplement. Wine list is excellent.
Rap music makes the atmosphere light and fun even though the food is serious.
Apple pie is a must for dessert. I cannot wait to go back!

Kaiseki was SO MUCH food. I wish I had more room for sushi because that was the best part of the meal.
Hot food was ok nothing too memorable but the Toros! Yum. The chef came out and seared them toro and I probably had like 5 pieces myself. All other fishes were fresh and the amount of rice was perfect for the sushi. They paired a cocktail, sake and wine for us and everything was excellent.
Come hungry!

The great thing about New York is that there’s a never ending stream of great sushi spots that constantly open up. I’ve been wanting to come to Shuko since it opened to the point where I was afraid my expectations were too high.
I got the $ 135 menu and it was probably one of the more creative omakase’s I’ve had (similar to what they do at Gari). Each piece had its own twist — although they had the classic toro, uni and scallop.
In all I would say we had around 20 pieces, but fear not! I was pretty intimidated that I would be stuffed walking out, but the chefs do a great job of balancing the rice to fish ratio and I didn’t feel like I was being force fed rice like I am at some places.
And as with any sushi place — definitely try to sit at the counter instead of a table.

We chose to do the kaiseki meal which was, to be honest, way too overwhelming. It started with hot dishes and ended with sushi. I think it makes more sense to start with the sushi since its taste is much more delicate. By the time we got to the sushi dishes we were almost full and so couldn’t enjoy the freshness of the fish as much.
The hot dishes were good but not great unfortunately. And for the price point and the hype that Shuko gets, I was really expecting to have my mind blown with each dish. All the hot dishes were average and it felt like each dish was «trying too hard». My favorite was the wagyu add on — simple yet wonderful — the meat was super tender and juicy and only seasoned with some sea salt.
The sushi part of the meal was quite good! If I come back next time, I’d stick to the sushi meal. Also make sure you sit at the sushi bar to get the better experience.

: A foodgasmic sushi omakase with a twist :
Reservation needed? YES! I made one a month out. I would also request on the phone to sit with either Jimmy or Nick, the two head chefs
| Food |
— We tried the $ 135 sushi omakase with the addition order of seared Wagyu beef. I knew I was in for a spectacular sushi feast when the first piece of sushi that landed in front of me was Toro. We were fortunate to have Jimmy, one of the co-​owners, serve us and I loved the way he prepared every single piece. All the pieces were traditional with a slight twist to it that bring out or compliment the fish that it is served with. For example, my favorite toro chopped scallion roll had ginger wrapped up inside. Each piece was so unique and it’s funny to say that the most «boring» of them all was that first piece of Toro! My favorite 12 pieces were (see collage):
1. Uni Toro Caviar with gold flakes roll
2. Toro Scallion roll
3. Hokkaido Uni
4. Ocean Trout with Jalapeño
5. Chill Toro Sinew
6. Soft Shell Crab
7. Maguro tuna with garlic
8. Sea Bream with shiso pickled plum
9. Spicy Ocean Trout
10. Spring onion and mushroom over crispy rice
11. Shiso with pickled lotus root
12. Kampachi with spicy potato
The meal ended perfectly, but nontraditional for a Japanese restaurant, with apple pie and ice cream. The apple pie had a special flavor and I found out it came from miso which isadded to the dough to help with umami. Arigato Jimmy! Still thinking about this meal and can’t wait to visit again!
| Ambiance |
–The ambiance is louder than that of most traditional sushi bars which I liked because it felt more relaxed and comfortable. Sometimes it can be intimidating eating at the sushi bar with the sushi chef staring at you while you eat each piece, but Jimmy made us feel right at ease and joked around with us too while we ate :).

Must have walked past the place 3 times until I saw the number on the door. It’s one of those «almost» hidden places.
Walking in the vibe is great! Where else do you hear drake & Jay Z while eating omakase? The staff was extremely personable & that beautiful wood counter made the space so visibly pleasing.
We went with the sushi omakase being we weren’t extremely hungry. When the first piece was toro I knew this place was going to make me a very happy girl! All pieces were delicious, only thing I may possibly change is the size of the pieces. Tended to be on the smaller side. Then again, there’s 20 coming your way and I’d have to say I was full after dinner, 3 additional pieces, & dessert.
The standout piece for me was the seared toro (had a different name) wrapped in nori. Lordddddddddddd was that amazing. I could eat a whole 20 piece meal based on that alone. Dreaming of it now actually…
Oh, apple pie was bomb. My boyfriend kept making fun of me when I said we get apple pie here! And asked the waitress if this amazing Apple pie exists to try to test me. BOOYA, I do my research.
Add shuko to your sushi list people! You won’t be disappointed! And will most certainly be back.

The food is great but I’d say the atmosphere and interaction are severely lacking compared to restaurants in the same price bracket (emp, ichimura, etc). It seemed like chefs Kim and Lau were so inconvenienced with having a successful restaurant. They hardly interacted with their patrons even though this place was 20 or so (cramped) seats.
The place felt like it was too small for both the patrons and the chefs. They were constantly running each other. If you want to spend this much for an intimate omakase /​kaiseki I’d go elsewhere.
To be fair the food and drinks were great. The fish was incredibly fresh and seasoned perfectly. Even the rice was flavored expertly and was the right texture and temperature. I’m sad I missed out on the squab Pete wells raved about but tonight we had a veal cheek instead. Veal cheeks were perfectly tender and had great balance.
I’m not sure if I would be back based on the lack of interaction with my chefs. I can say though that although chefs Kim and Lau were too busy a lower level chef did a great job talking to me and my companion and kept us entertained. He was the saving grace service wise.

Tuesday night dinner for 2 @ 8pm.
We got the kaiseki ($ 175/​pp) and a bottle of sake. The kaiseki includes mochi appetizer, a salmon dish, dungeness cucumber salad, tuna and caviar on milk toast, lobster-​bacon-​mushroom-​cauliflower dish, scallop and vegetable tempura, squab with purple carrots and a clear mushroom soup to cleanse the palette before the sushi course. Standouts were the tuna topped caviar and squab. The dishes came out super fast. As soon as we were done with our last bite the next dish was in front of us.
Chef Nick Kim is the man! He is so friendly and personable. He really made our experience at Shuko. When we were served the sushi course, he was very quick and efficient assembling the sushi while conversing with us. The sushi pieces come with less rice than your normal omakase sushi pieces, probably half the amount. So on top of our kaiseki, we requested 4 additional uni pieces each — Santa Barbara, Maine (x2) and Hokkiado. All were fresh and delicious! I’m a fatty so I didn’t think I would get full but by the end of the meal, I was nursing a good buzz and a food baby.