Sushi Of Gari Ues Reviews

We read good reviews about the place before our trip to NYC, and sure enough they were spot on. Not exactly cheap, but sushi is simply outstanding, matched by fine service. It's best if you reserve a table though: we walked in and just hand a one hour window for a dinner. But the cooks were quick, and as said delivered absolutely fine food. It established new reference for sushi tasting for us!

This is a True Sushi experience...the best had in my life (better than Nobu!). We went here without a reservation, they accommodated us at the bar and we decided to go with the Chef's choices...the best choice! Still dreaming about the red snapper, the marinated salmon with skin and oyster...great service as well. Sushi of Gari is my new top place in NY! Well done to everyone!

I am a big Sushi Fan and this is my favorite among many places I have been around the world. They do really know about combining flavors with the freshest of ingredients. The sake menu is quite an experience as well!!

We went here over the weekend for dinner. I will disclose that we go out for sushi at least once a week no matter where we are. The service was very good and ambiance was ok at best. The menu had some interesting items including seldomly seen beers on the east coast. The sushi was good but at the cost not better than some of our favorite places. The tempura was surprisingly disappointing.

I ate here alone and had the Omakase menu, as i wanted to try the house specialties. Probably amongst the best sushi i have had and definitely on a par with Nobu in London.

I have long been a fan of this sushi hideaway, but as it has increasingly been discovered by Manhattan's sushi lovers, and as the restaurant has opened new locations on the west side (Gari), and the theatre district (Gari 46), success has gone to its head. The sushi remains wonderful. I like to ask for the specials pictured on the iPad, which are out of this world. I recommend the delicacies that include jalapeño topped fluke and tofu topped tuna and the ceviche topping on anything. You'll figure it out. Over the years, what has faded, in my opinion, is the attitude. Sushi of Gari was always a proud place, but the host who welcomes you now has a bit of arrogance and condescension. He insists you wait for your table in a small space that blocks the front door, but which makes it uncomfortable as other guests arrive. The pleasant staff is overworked, and they try to turn the tables just a little too often.

My family and I (3 people) came here last Sunday night for the Omakase. In short, Sushi of Gari is resting on its laurels with respect to its One Michelin Star rating. It should not be rated anywhere near that, let alone receive any honourable mentions, and here's why: Food: The Omakase was beyond disappointing. The fish was not fresh. We are from Vancouver originally, and are used to a certain quality of seafood when it comes to sushi (on occasion, the seafood is imported directly from Japan). However, I would imagine then that our standards should be in line with this one Michelin Star restaurant 's standards. The Omakase consisted of 11 pieces of sushi. The raw (non-Aburi-style) fish was oftentimes warm, and made it seem like it had been over-handled. The rice fell apart every time and the texture was not consistent. A lot of the sushi was Aburi-style, meaning parts of the fish were seared. Other pieces of sushi were overly-dressed up, which made us further believe that the fish was not fresh and the sushi chefs were trying to mask that. The Omakase was $130/person, which is ridiculous given we were only served 11 pieces of sushi. Service: The service was horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. We had the most unpleasant waitress who gave us scowling looks (we don't know her name, but she was one of the tallest waitresses who was lanky and had wavy hair). We were not informed about how many pieces we were getting as part of the Omakase, so by the 8th piece, the waitress came around asking if we would like another bottle of Sake. We said yes, thinking there was more sushi coming. It turns out there was only one more dish coming out with 3 pieces. Why would the waitress do that knowing that there were only three pieces to go? Our feeling is that she did so to rake in more money. The Omakase was not filling and extremely disappointing - we thought we'd order a few more items just so we were close to being full. Those items were OK - we ordered the red miso soup and a gomae. Both were decent, but nowhere near Michelin Star worthy. The judges at Michelin should really re-evaluate their rating on this restaurant. It is not worthy of any Michelin Stars or even an honourable mention. I should note that my family and I were visiting NYC for the weekend from Vancouver. We tried Sushi Nakazawa two days later (Omakase is $120/person for 20 pieces). The food and service were exceptional. It is not *yet* Michelin-Star rated (whether because of the feud between Jiro and Nakazawa, or because the judges are not able to get a reservation at the sushi bar at Sushi Nakazawa). If you are looking for exceptional sushi and service, go to Sushi Nakazawa instead and ditch Sushi of Gari -- an extremely disappointing and unpleasant excuse for a One Michelin Star Japanese restaurant.

Once you taste their creations it's no surprise they have a Michelin Star to their credit. It's a very plain interior something you may find in any local eatery.What they lack in interior design they make it up with some unique creations incorporating different ingredients to make toppings and in some cases even searing the fish or seafood to bring out some additional flavor. Traditionalists will say it is sacrilege to do such things. I was once that way until I learned to appreciate what they do. They are putting new twists on what we have come to expect from a sushi bar. Enjoy it for what it is and you will surely enjoy it. I consider them in their own category. If you are looking for something more traditional head over to Yasuda instead. Have the omakase at least once for the experience especially if you are coming from out of town. Finish it off with the flavor of the day mille crepe. It's pricey but always worth it.

This is the best sushi in town. You have to go an do the Omakase. A part of the fresh sushi is the hole expirience. The Omakase is only done at the bar and its done and served by the executive chef (not the owner that is also a chef). You can eat with you hands while enjoying a great cup of green tea or sake. The service is also excellent!

3 people: we got the omakase, bottle of sake (around $70) and paid about $160 each. Food was excellent, but for that price I'd expect something more. Above all in terms of atmosphere, which I found quite basic in that restaurant. Service is also good but nothing exceptional. For $160 I believe that the whole package has to be high-end!

This fish is so fresh you can feel the ocean in your mouth, truly authentic sushi we ordered the Omakase .

Every time I can, I come back to order the Sushi Omakase! Always tasteful, with fresh ingredients made to perfection. Lots of inventive toppings, but also other traditional ones. The service is always good and discrete, as it should in a Japanese small restaurant. Decoration wise, they could keep the traditional style, but inventing on a 'face lift'... The waitress was Japanese and recommended some great options for sushi in Tokyo and Kyoto. My favorite Sushi place in UES NY!!!

If you haven't been there you cannot imagine!!! I had the menu where you sit in front of the cooks at the bar and you have a cook who makes sushi for you (anything he wants) and gives it to you right away and you can tell him to stop whenever you think you 've had enough. Each one of the pieces was incredible. It was like all the suchis I had had before, wasn't the real one. Like they were cheap copies.The probleme is that since then, I don't like sushi elsewhere and I don't leave in New York. If you go order this specific menu! You will remember me!

"Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover" comes true to Sushi of Gari! Unassuming is its exterior, in fact dingy was the entry's carpet! Yet, once the first plate of sashimi came to our table, there was no doubt we were in for something special! Happy we were to be seated precisely at our reservation time with a hostess smile and nods by the chefs; extremely lucky to be seated at a corner table for three; and, omakase is the way to go with our server listening carefully to allergy restrictions! Every plate served was a masterpiece of art! Starting with the subtlety of fresh sashimi, gradually elevating the texture and taste of each piece of sushi as the evening flowed on by! Surprising us to the very end with a foie gras and a salmon mousse sticky rice sushi! Absolutely Lovely! A heavenly evening it was! When next we visit, if not three or more in our party, I will make sure to reserve sitting at the sushi bar, more entertaining and less cramped with a table of twos it'd be! Happy Travels Y'all!

Some of the best Japanese food we have ever had (including in Japan). The quality of the fish is simply incredible, everything is prepared and presented with the utmost care and precision. You hate to take the next piece because you don't want to give up the taste of the previous one, but when you do you find that it's even better. An entire universe of subtlety. Excellent sake to complement the food. As near to perfection as you can get.

I recommend sitting at the sushi bar here. Much different experience from sitting at the tables. Order the omakase and you have the choice between Only sushi or a sushi/sashimi combo. The sushi is brought to you piece by piece. Each piece is special. it is not the normal piece of fish on rice with some wasabi and soy. Other things such as over-easy eggs, sauteed tomatoes, garlic, etc. Everything goes very well with the sushi even if you'd think it does not. The rice is also above average. Food was A+ here. At the same time, the price is extremely high here. Not totally sure it is justified.

Maintaining any type of Michelin star status must be overwhelming. Perhaps I depend too much on Michelin reviews. That was the main takeaway from my experience at Sushi of Gari. My husband and I went there for a special occasion but came away confused. The food was serviceable but not even close to great. In fact, we were almost shocked at how mediocre it was because this restaurant has a Michelin star.

We order takeout all the time from this place. We have eaten on site once, and left stuffed. The quality of the food is very high. We would particularly recommend the tempura soba (a bargin) and the house special tuna sushi. Not cheap, but then cheap sushi is not a good idea.

Our host recommended Sushi Gari and there're many good reviews on TripAdvisor... however, the Omakase dinner was really disappointing. It was a bit unusual and uncomfortable for us that there's no set number of sushi that one gets from their Omakase dinner, instead, you pay by piece (yet we were not told the price of each piece). We didn't like the first few pieces of sushi mainly because the fish didn't taste fresh and the sushi rice seemed to be a bit too sour. So we asked the waitress to switch us to some sashimi, and the quality of the sashimi wasn't much better. The restaurant was very loud and it was very hard to hear the servers and the chefs. Overall, we didn't enjoy our meal and will definitely not return to Sushi Gari.

Delicious sushi by a very good service. Chef's counter is another experience so please book in advance.

Me and my baby ordered the tasting Manu it was fresh and clean the fish was like heaven only 500 $ with wine our water was naoyuki he was good and nice

If you have the funds, try the tasting menu. The sushi chef dishes out one sushi dish after another and explains to you what they've made. It might end up costing you some $$$ but it's a pretty cool way to dine. The other dishes on the menu are great too. The sushi is fresh and the appetizers are delicious. They have huge windows so if you nab a window seat you can have fun people watching while you eat.

We knew the sushi was going to be expensive, but we had heard it was the best in NYC, and we weren't disappointed. We had the pre-theater omakase at the bar, which meant that we would be given pieces of interestingly prepared sushi, one at a time, until we said "uncle", and we would pay by the piece. We enjoyed every one of them, and it was a perfect way to enjoy the sushi and not be overwhelmed by the amount of food.

This is my all time favorite. Every time I fly into NYC first dinner is always here. However: You NEEd to sit at the bar, NOT the tables (its just not the same at the tables), order the sushi that they chef prepares, tell them what you don't eat/like and enjoy! They give you one piece at a time, each piece is a little recipe that makes you smile and want to clap....its absolutely amazing! Careful with the Sake as it get get pricey and also: The bill is random....not sure if it depends on the time spent there or what, but I always pay it with a big smile....Just amazing.

Excellent sushi and dumplings in small space that feels adequate but slightly sterile. Our waitresses helpful attitude made up for the fact that she did not speak english well. The host made room for us even though we had incorrectly booked for another night. It is pricey but the sushi is delicious.

Went to Sushi of Gari to celebrate my son's birthday, who is a big sushi lover. It's a really small place and we were given this cozy table in the corner, just intimate enough for a great family meal! The decor is simple, nothing much to write about. The service was as expected at a Japanese joint ;) We did not opt for the omakase menu as a 10 year old can be quite picky and not as adventurous as an adult. We would have ordered plenty, and I mean plenty of rolls, sashimi from their menu and also their deluxe sushi platter. Each one was better than the previous! There was pure ecstasy with each piece :))) I don't eat fish, so was left with a sea-weed salad...and I don't even like Japanese cuisine but this was better than expected and better than what I have eaten before. Having just moved from Mumbai to this city, the benchmark that we held was that of Wasabi by Morimoto (at the Taj Palace) and both my son and hubby endorse that the sushi was as good, if not better than that! And that speaks a lot...:) We paid approximately USD 110 for a meal for 2 people (including a bottle of sake), counting me out, as a salad does not really count me in, and this was a great value meal - eapecially considering that we paid USD 300 for a similar meal at the Wasabi at the Taj Palace, Mumbai last year on exactly the same day...Kudos to Sushi of Gari!! Keep it coming on...because we are definitely coming back for more!!!

Superb quality fish, perfectly formed, full of flavor, mix of textures and absolutely original sushi! Happy to have tried over 16 types of these mouth pleasures! Service was not bad but I expected quite a bit more for the price and quality of food. The atmosphere is nothing out of the ordinary for a sushi restaurant.

Not to be missed. This restaurant gives a new twist to sushi and sashimi and i would say it is unmissable for sushi lovers. Service is friendly, efficient, attentive and very professional.

Simple. Authentic. Clean. Well prepared. No pretense. So good. The only place my 26 year old son dreams of going to when he visits N.Y.C. Never ever disappointing. ....occasionally we get a lousy waiter or waitress...though not often. not enough to ever stop going.We love Sushi of Gari.

Food was delicious but they were fairly strict about when we were going to leave. We made a reservation but they still made sure to let us know that we needed to be out by a certain time. I know it is a small space but that was uncomfortable for us. Food was delicious overall. They do not have boosters or highchairs for kids.

In this tiny frenitic restaurant service is prompt and accurate. Our two boys ordered an assortment of shushi and round one for my wife was shrimp tempoura .I had the meat goyza. My wife left most of her shrimp on her plate as being too greasy, and ordered two pieces (they came large ) of tomago that were delicious. My gyzo were tasty but also far to oily. Dinner for four with no drinks was $209.59 not including the tip. I probably would not go back for my wife and myself.

It is not cheap but you get what you pay for. My wife and I joined our two friends out here for dinner. They opted for the Omakase and we went with the Tuna of Gari. Our food was simply exquisite...and without any reservations some of the best sushi I've ever had. The Tuna of Gari is eight different pieces of Tuna on rice with different sauces and methods of preparation accompanied by a regular six-piece Spicy Tuna roll. We paid $55 per person for that. Our friends also enjoyed the Omakase, the chef's special and what Gari is really known for. That was 12 pieces of sushi in three courses preceded by a amuse bouche of some type that I dont remember. They loved almost every single thing put in front of them - tuna, salmon, black cod, lobster, prawn, etc in delectable and unexpected ways. That was $110 per person but it doesn't say so on the menu so beware. You can go past the 12 pieces of sushi in the Omakase if you want but you'll pay more on top of the $110. Price aside, the experience was great and I recommend this to anyone who wants to experience truly great sushi for a special occasion.

Individual sushi pieces were excellent. Yet I was surprised to not find the typical assorted combo rolls on the menu. I am used to ordering spider rolls, rainbow rolls, etc. but Sushi of Gari does not have these nor any combination rolls on the menu. You can design your own rolls but normally rolls such as these are standard on a sushi menu. Fortunately they did have a soft shell crab special so I was able to eat my "spider roll". However the pieces were gigantic and very cumbersome to eat. Dining area is also small and feels cramped.

Visited with family and friends mid week. Restaurant was busy for a small site. Sushi fish was incredibly fresh, but that was the main redeeming quality. If you want nigiri or sashimi that is incredibly fresh then this place is for you. If you want anything creative, in any way creative, then quickly pass this restaurant by. The few items that attempt creativity land flat or bland. This is for hardcore raw fish fans, rather than those looking for creative combinations of flavors curated into great sushi that features fresh fish.

Unreal Omakase. Go with the flow. These guys know their stuff. Amazing flavors, fish and variety. One of the best in NYC!

The worst experience ever! We call asking if they have gluten free sushi, they said yes, but once there a very rude waiter told us that the rice have gluten...so no sushi. The manager give us no explanation and do not apologize.

Booked this restaurant as a treat for myself. We don't have much in the way of sushi in Scotland (surprisingly, given the easy access to some of the beat fresh fish in the world), and although I'd tried a few sushi places (and enjoyed the food), I was keen to see the best that sushi could offer. Although traditional sushi is available if you order a la carte, if you opt for the Omakase menu (and i recommend that you do) it won't be traditional food. What will get will be an out of this world sushi experience, something that i understand is not quite available anywhere else. The unusual combinations highlight the quality of the fish, and are some of the most amazing and inventive flavour combinations I have ever experienced. Although I can't remember exactly what sushi and sashimi I had recieved, it was all beautifully presented, perfectly seasoned, and wonderfully fresh. Salmon with a tomato relish was certainly one of the highlights for me, and I can't speak highly enough of the fluke fin with quail egg and truffle oil! Sit at the bar if you can, and you can watch the masters at work. The waitress recommended the omakase menu, which I instantly accepted, and before recieving my first sushi she enquired as to my likes, dislikes, and allergies, I particular asking if I was okay with fois gras; a sensitive approach that really went the extra mile and demonstrates the importance of providing the best meal for the customer. The service, both from the waitress and the sushi chef, was exemplary, and both were keen to give the best possible experience. All the items served were introduced by the chef, and the waitress was particularly keen to personalise my experience, being curious as to what was my favourite piece of sushi. I finished off my meal with a chocolate Mille Fuille cake, a beautiful light way to finish of a perfectly balanced meal. Then came the bill... Yikes! Even without ordering alcohol, it came in at around $150 before tip (and the service was so exceptional that I really could not justify leaving any less than a 20% tip). That said, I was quite reluctant to stop the omakase, which just got better and better, and of course opting for sashimi is going to push the bill up a bit. Time to get the Benjamins out, or for a quick call to the credit card company... But for the quality of the meal and the service, I wasn't too grumpy about ponying up the cash (even if I am Scottish!). It may have been the most expensive meal of my life, but I'm happy to say that it was certainly one of the best. I'm certainly glad that I splurged at least once whilst in NYC, and I'm glad I chose here. The sushi was beautiful, and was presented perfectly (and, even If you aren't going for the omakase, the traditional offerings certainly looked just as beautifully presented) and the service is easily the best I have experienced on this earth. I'd highly recommend a visit here if you can afford it... because at the end of the day, you only live once.

Perhaps I am unfair if I compare the Upper East side location of Sushi Gari to Sushi Yasuda in midtown or to top sushi places in Kyoto, Tokyo or Hong Kong. Sushi Gari is not at that level. We ordered a la carte although the waiter tried hard to sell the chef's omakase to us, without any serious indication as to its likely price. The tempura we ordered was very good and probably the best part of the meal. Sushi was good but not top, and sashimi was good to very good. The sake list is extensive if fairly pricey.

Nice service. Decent space. Impressive presentation. BUT, Sushi is a cuisine into itself. Why tinker with it. While the fish was very fresh, i was distracted by pine nuts, garlic, tomatoes... Too much to get in my mouth. And too complicated, in my opinion.

Omakase Menu. It's worth the money. When I die, I can at least tick that "best meal ever" box.

It's insulting to Gari to call them a Sushi restaurant. Gari is so much more...reservations are a must and the service is excellent! With notice you can have Gari make your meal....OMG! You will not and cannot be disapointed !!! except your wallet ....very expensive but worth the price if you love sushi and japanese cuisine.

Try the omakase, it's the best of the best!! You will be given the chef's specials, so basically you're gonna get a mix of sushi or sashimi. Don't worry if you don't like a particular thing, you can let the waitress know, so that they will prepare the sushi accordingly!!!

I am sorry but I have to agree with other reviewer about the average interior atmosphere. We had beef tataki, assorted tempura and a selection of tuna, shrimps and calif rolls. Tempura was good, the tataki tasted really good although both quantities could have been more for those prices. Unfortunately my negative feedback is about the rolls: taste and presentation were boring. There are much better places in the city. Overall too pricey!

I have had the pleasure of dining at two Sushi of Gari in NYC. They are both EXCELLENT. Very fresh fish and all the accompaniments.

2 appetizers, 1 salad, 2 sake (cheapest kind on the menu), 12 pc sushi omakase ($120), 12 pc sashimi omakase ($200), 10% tip, =$480. rushed service. cramped tables. black cod appetizer was decent. yakitori was terrible....dry white meat chicken obviously heated up in a microwave. hijiki salad was very good. omakase arrived in 3 courses. 4 pieces on a plate and unceremoniously dumped on the table. it was very good and that is about all I can say about it. several of the pieces were charred with a butane torch and had a noticeable aftertaste. overall table service was sub-par. not even close to being worth the money.

Food was good to excellent, but I have to knock the rating down a bunch for what I consider to be deceptive business practices. We didn't have a reservation and came in at 6:30pm on a Saturday. There were two seats at the sushi bar available. We were a bit put off by the "B" grade from the NYC Dept of Health for "Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas." We decided to give them the benefit of the doubt though give the excellent reviews. We opted for the sashimi omakase. We asked how much the omakase would likely end up being, and the waitress very carefully explained that they don't have a set price for the omakase and it depends on how much you eat. She said that for the sashimi omakase the chefs use more fish, so it can cost a little more than the sushi, and then she explained that the omakase dishes vary between $4 and $16 and that on average they are about $8. So we were going on the assumption of $8 per course. We had 9 courses (two of us). The charge for the omakase came to $270, pre-tax, pre-tip. No breakdown of any kind of how much each piece had cost. With 3 glasses of wine and tip, we paid $390. We were incredulous. $270/18=$15 a course. Double the average is not "a little more", sorry. We consider ourselves pretty savvy diners as we have lived in NYC for a while, and this is at the very least deceptive practice and frankly feels like a straight-up scam to us. Oddly enough, a family member had a similar experience with the Upper West Side Gari. They gave them a fixed price for the omakase course, and at some point in the meal they asked them a question like "are you ready for more"? They said "yes, sure". Turned out they were ordering a second omakase course. The food itself was very good - an excellent toro dish, yellowtail, a really innovative salmon piece with sautéed tomato, snapper with pine nuts and lotus root, tuna with tofu sauce and others. If you go to their website and click on the photos next to the menu, you can get a good idea of what the omakase courses will be like. But it wasn't worth the price by any means. Soto downtown is better, and cheaper too.

Sushi of Gari at the Upper East Side of New York is an excellent sushi restaurant (although expect really high prices). The type of sushi that they offer is completely different (in a good sense) of sushi. Nevertheless, be very careful. It seems that the owners of the restaurant have decided to make profits from the reputation of the restaurant at the Upper East Side, and they have opened branches at other locations throughout New York. My wife and I went yesterday to the branch in Tribeca. The menu (and the high prices) are exactly the same than those at the Upper East Side, but sushi is disgusting.

Truly amazing sushi! The service is a bit rushed, but as so many people want to enjoy the place, it is understandable

we had a fabulous meal at Gari. Even tho we had no reservation, the hostess was so accommodating and we waited only minutes for seats. We were given the opportunity to sample a few types of saki before making a selection.

Dont let the drab interior and cramped quarters deceive you as this is one of the best sushi spots in NYC. Masa Kuruma-sushi and Nagasawa will charge you MUCH More but this place started some new trends (although their excellent Tokyo branch closed).

I go here probably once a month or sometimes twice. Very cozy. Reservations are a must if not then you hAve a long wait

From the minute we arrived, we were greeted by lackluster service that was stilted and mechanical. To be fair, we waffled between the different types of omakase and we did confuse the waitress.I don't blame the staff though. As with any other business, when hostesses and servers are unhappy, it is often due to issues with the owner and management, the "trickle-down" effect. We decided on the sushi omakase ($130). Sashimi based omakase would have been $160. Omakase sushi was presented on one communal plate, when individual plates would have been preferable, given the price. In terms of taste, quality and freshness, it was mediocre. It looked slopped and unappetizing. We eat a lot of sushi (Vancouver, Canada and in Japan). Total bill came to $600 for 3. Not worth it. I'd just order a la carte. The miso soup was good. I had to order that because I was still hungry at the end of the meal. My suggestion is to try Sushi Nakazawa instead. Michelin stars can ruin restaurants and this is what happened here. Can't speak for the other Sushi of Gari restaurants.

We have been to this restaurant many times before and we knew that this is not a place known for its atmosphere, but the food is usually a stand out. Tonight was not good at all, on any level. Upon arriving, the staff was not welcoming. The dinner went downhill from there. We would have rather gone to a fast food restaurant or a diner. The food was decent, but nothing great. The service was inexcusably awful. Our waiter forgot to bring our drinks and sides several times, and he was completely rude and unapologetic. My daughter had her hand resting on the table, and the waiter pushed her hand so he could reach across the table to clean up. I was extremely disappointed with my experience at Sushi of Gari. We will NEVER return there again.

The sushi rolls were incredible, melting in your mouth. We ordered a la carte, drinking beer (not wine) and found the price to be more than acceptable for the quality. We will go back! Da provare!

Friends recommended I try this place when I visited NY. It's small and not impressive to look at, but the sushi is exceptional. I was told to order 'omakase,' which is basically the chef's selection. It was intimidating at first, as I am used to ordering the same rolls every time I go out at home, but what an experience. Flavors I have never had before and sushi at a whole new level. It was very expensive. I guess for the price, I would have liked a more upscale setting. So go for the food, not the environment.

Delicious fish if on the expensive side even for sushi. But very unwelcoming service. We arrived without a reservation (decently dressed to be clear) and were told we had the table for less than an hour. We agreed and despite no familiarity with the menu ordered quickly. We also were eating quickly. All three of our servers were unwelcoming if not downright rude. We saw them acting very differently toward other diners. My British friend was picking up the bill. On a $250 tab she left a $6 tip. At first (as a New Yorker who routinely tips 20%) I was shocked. But on reflection, it was what the servers deserved. I have waitressed myself and that behavior was all on them. Sorry Sushi of Gara, there are lots of fish in the sushi restaurant sea. Won't be recommending your place.

have been to gari before and love it, but this time i was just too shocked at the 200$ per person price tag. yes our chef's choice of sushi sashimi was excellent, but not exactly abundant, and we only drank hot sake', which does not carry the ridiculous price tag the cold sake does. the question is, was it "200$ a person" good...nope!

Last night I went to Sushi of Gari on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I grew up and live in New York City. I went to Sushi of Gari based upon friend recommendations and because I was given a gift certificate to the restaurant. After the meal, the manager refused the certificate, as it had `expired'. I have never experienced a restaurant not taking a gift certificate purchased at their establishment. As I discussed this with my waiter (who was also the manager), he became increasingly curt and rude. This was in stark contrast to his attitude as he convinced me to purchase the most expensive Sushi package. At that time smiles prevailed. While the food was of very good quality, their policy on the gift card ruined the experience. I went with my 10 year old daughter who commented `I guess they don't want any repeat business'. Even a 10 year old has much better business sense than this high attitude Japanese restaurant. Luckily there are a ton of alternatives. Sushi of Gari--say good bye to my business and to any who asks me.

This is a great Sushi place . Please do not miss the opportunity to ask for the Omakase - a set of different sushi that are unique and special creation of the chef . Or ask the Tuna of Gari, a selection of the best tuna sushi . Take a look on the address - there are 4 Sushi of Gari in NYC , the only is unmissable in on 72st .

Just walked in to Sushi of Gari on 78th St., I understand they don’t need business but was greeted (not actually) by 2 of the rudest people I have encountered in a very long time. They spoke Japanese to each other making me feel like I was from the 3rd world. I would never go back or try one of their other spots. The only thing they had available at the sushi bar was “omikase” ❗️❗️❗️Which I know is expensive & which I could certainly afforded.

Most creative and unique Omakase I've ever had. Very pricey; highly recommended for special occasions.

thousand words can't discribe my experince with Sushi of Gari....do expect a culinary journey and prepare to indulge yourself. Worth every penny.

Our friends introduced us to this place on Columbus Circle. It was a bit pricey, but the sushi was very delicious, each piece is made differently with different sauces and spices.

There are multiple locations in NYC, but we have been to the one on theater row. Great Omakase. Great sakes and wines. And the regular sushi was delicious too. Seemed rather busy though, be sure to make reservations.

This restaurant is just amazing. Even if you don't like all type of sushi... go go go ! You will be very surprised. It's not food it's Art ! The picture is just one exemple. Even it's expensive it's a unique experience.

Sushi of Gari The story goes that Chef Gari was appalled by the fact that American sushi eaters were slathering too much soy sauce and wasabi on his sushi creations (which they do) and masking the delicate tastes of the fish and rice. So he first tried to convince his guests to go light on the sauce. When that didn’t work he took the soy sauce bottles off the sushi counter and dressed each piece of sushi with the appropriate kind and amount of sauce, sometimes just a slight brushstroke of soy and a bit of real wasabi, other times more elaborate and unique sauces. And the Sushi of Gari of today was born. This story is about Sushi of Gari’s Omakase menu at the bar – there are a la carte menus at the tables – which is slightly different from the typical Omakase menu. It is unique in that, instead of a fixed number of pieces and a fixed price for the experience, the chef just keeps supplying you with new delights until you say “keko desu” (I’ve had enough). The other variation from today’s Omakase offerings is that you can ask that specific favorites can be added to the mix. We love to end the meal with uni and asked for “Uni to uzuru no tamago” (sea urchin with a raw quail egg yoke) as our last piece. (The uni was from Hokkaido.) Another difference in the rarefied world of Omakase, no prices are mentioned until the non-itemized bill is presented. You have to trust the chef, and, as the saying goes, if you have to ask you can’t afford it. Sushi of Gari is a small sushi bar and restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York (there are other locations on the Upper West Side, the Theatre District, the Financial District and in Hollywood, California). The Upper East Side version is presided over by Executive chef Aoki-san, who was our chef. He was very friendly, explaining what each fish was called in Japanese as I furiously took notes for this post on my iPhone. He also tolerated my bad Japanese. He masterfully kept track of four or five different groups working their way through the various courses and timing the presentations perfectly (the pace is deliberately slow.) Before I turn to the centrepiece sushi, I should mention that Sushi of Gari offers an excellent range of Sakes from modestly priced to very top shelf. Our (Japanese) waitress helped me find a very nice karakuchi (dry) Sake. The wine list is also excellent, my wife and daughter, who aren’t big Sake fans found a very nice Sancerre, which paired great with the fish, for $90. (There are less expensive wines available.) There is also a full range of Japanese and other beers. We started the feast with a small amuse bouche (there is an equivalent Japnese term for that but I forget) of Tofu skin with wasabi soy sauce jelly. Simultaneously, different but excellent, it set the stage for the rest of the evening. Here are the sushi items we ate. Although the pieces were correctly sized (i.e. not oversized as you get in some non-authentic sushi bars, I was surprised when I added up all the items: we had eaten seventeen pieces! Here’s what we had. Caveats: some of the fish are variants on typical sushi bar fare; some of the sauces were unknown and/or hard to describe; there were fish I didn’t know (which after eating adventurous sushi for more than three decades is unusual). I was furiously taking notes on my iPhone but I wanted to enjoy the experience as well. So here we go. I’ll just number them and plough through: (1) Scallop (Aoki-san remembered that our daughter Ariel did not like scallops and she got amae ebi(sweet shrimp); (2) simply dressed Sea bass from Japanese waters; (3) melt in your mouth O-toro with a touch of real wasabi (best O-toro I can remember); (4) a sliver fish from Japan that is in the Aji/Saba family but I couldn’t quite get the name; (5) another unidentified white fish seared lightly; (6) lightly dressed Yaki Uni from Hokkaido; (7) Hamachi Yubiki (a variant of the more common Yellowtail); (8) Shimagi (seasonal Horse Mackerel) topped with jalepeño; (9) tiny Fairy Squid with a sweet soy sauce dressing (only available seasonally in the Spring); (10) Alaskan Sockeye Salmon; (11) medium grade Tuna with chili oil and crème fresh; (12) a first for me: Japanese Trout tempura style served as nigiri; (13) Japanese Sea Bass with shiso leaves; (14) Salmon with a hot tomato sauce (yes it is very usual but it works); (15) basic Aji; (16) lightly seared Yaki Toro; (17) and finally by request Uni with quail egg. You could keep eating beyond this point if you wanted to. The bill came to just a shade under $1,000 with the tip but that is a bit deceptive. That was for three persons, not two and included about $250 worth of top-shelf Sake and wine. Also, as noted, we had seventeen pieces of sushi each. A couple could get by for a lot less. Reservations are highly recommended. Eat at the bar, not a table.

Visiting family in New York is always good fun, especially when the 'catching up' takes place in one of the many great restaurants in this city. The missus and I love Japanese and we leaped at the suggestion of having dinner at Sushi of Gari. We went 'omakase' which means to leave it in the hands of the chef. The names of the sushi that we were served escapes me now, but I can assure you that they were absolutely divine. We left the restaurant thinking 'If only we could teleport Sushi of Gari to London...'

We've mainly been to the UWS site however the sushi here was great too. Whether it's up there with the very best? I think not.

One of the worst dinners I have had in New York. Sushi of Gari must get its reputation from people who would just as soon eat sushi from a supermarket or during a bar mitzvah cocktail hour. A knowledgeable sushi eater would not tolerate an Omakase assembly line that had the chef looking like Lucy and Ethel at the candy factory. A knowledgeable sushi eater would not tolerate room temperature fish that looked like it was pre-cut hours before. Pushy rather than attentive service and a drab, tasteless and depressing ambiance completes the picture of a chain restaurant that may have once been decent but is lacking in all measures.

They have 3 locations in NYC. I visited the Upper West Side location. Get the salmon or tuna sampler. The unique presentations and flavors was awesome.

Its good not great, I have a feeling the one in Aoyama is probably the best

this shushi bar offer normal shushi and shashimi menu as well as a chef menu.the chef menu is interesting but one can not say its original .i would dare and say the its inspired by messa of newyork but to a very limited extend. the food is good fresh the prices are normal for this type of restaurants.

Simply amazing! Unequivocally the very best sushi I have ever had. All four of us went with the omakase and even though the bill (with drinks) made our eyes bug out a little it was well worth it for this near spiritual sushi experience -- a meal here that will not be forgotten. Every piece of nigiri and sashimi was perfectly crafted, full of flavor, extremely tender and practically melted in my mouth. It really was one of those experiences where after eating every piece you would want to exclaim, "Oh my God!" and chuckle a little bit because of how ridiculously good it was. I've had great sushi numerous times before, but here everything was just better; the best actually. Even the medium fatty tuna (chu-toro) was much better than any o-toro that I have ever had before. The final course was a slightly seared piece of foie gras which was awesome since we can't get that in California anymore. Didn't leave full, but satisfied (stomach and soul).

First, I don't like Japanese food. I have been to Tokyo several times and I could never order my food there. This time, I was expecting the same thing, since I was in a larger group and some else order for the table. I truly don't know what I ate, but it was mostly sushi and the best I have tried in my life. After Gari all other sushi are now boring. I tried other places to beat Gari, including in London, but this place is unbeatable for sushi. Luckly, I did not pay the check, but depending on the sake, you can pay a small fortune here.

This is quite frankly the best sushi in the neighborhood. Unpretentious environment with simple, Japanese charm, and fresh sashimi. Sit at the sushi bar.

I actually visited earlir than marked. Absolutely delicious, calm atmosphere and attentive chefs. I sat at the bar, solo, but felt welcomed. I was not rushed although it is a small restaurant.

We wanted to introduce grandson # 3 to high-end Japanese food. What better place than this very small hole in the wall restaurant that serves a wide variety of beautifully prepare food. The serve is excellent and the waitress most patient with a 16 year olds introduction to an unknown world. It was a first time for us at this restaurant and it will not be the last. But please remember--just don't show up--call and make a reservation. Be forewarned: It is not a cheap place if you are ordering the omakase or beef teriyaki!

We have eaten at this restaurant about 10 times during the last 10 years. Although the quality of the sushi is excellent the prices continue to rise into the stratosphere. If you want to sit at the sushi bar and order the good stuff a lunch can easily cost $400 for two people with a Small decanter of saki or a few beers.Hastuhana is a much better deal and the fish is just as good.

We took the chef's menu (choice of shushi and shashimi). Outstanding quality but very very expensive: we paid above 350 dollars and this for an dinner for two. The wine list is a little bit rediculous: some great french wines but without mentioning the chateau or domaine which is bizar. And althoug I love french sancerre wines (we live in europe near the french border) I never heard of a "chateau de sancerre"....

We ate here twice on a recent trip to NYC. We really love Japanese food and are quite fussy with our sushi and sashimi - we found this to be lovely and fresh tasting. It is certainly on the expensive side and the waiters can be a little difficult to understand but still a great meal. My biggest recommendation would be the stacked crepe dessert... To die for!!!!!!

Excellent food , service and ambiance. The cheff's choice plate blew are minds. Excellent appetizers as well. Will definitely return for more....

I have been twice to this restaurant after someone recommended it the first time I went to NYC. So if I visit New York City again, I will certainly have dinner here again. The chef's menu is excellent, every bite better than the previous one. It is quite pricy, but totally worth it.

The quality is still great, but we would expect some changes in their sushi omakase... they keep the same pieces for years! It would be a good time for a change! Also, their ‘per piece’ price policy increased the check considerably! Way too expensive assuming other less inventive options in NYC.

Under the Plaza Hotel, there is a food hall. Very good assortment of food. I love the snack/fast food maintained by Gari who is mainly on the Upper west side. For $20 you have a great Japanese lunch including a beverage. Better than a regular fatty sandwich! Go for it.

We had a great date night at the sushi bar. We were first placed at a regular table, but then moved to the sushi bar for a better experience with the Chefs Omakase. Watching the chef artisically piece together their delicious melt-in-your-mouth fish creations make it all the better. All of the sushi was amazing and we would not hesitate to go back.

Sushi of Gari was recommended to us by friends who visit NYC frequently. This was a fabulour place to get a truly great Asian dinner. We strongly recommend the black cod.

Fresh, awesome Sushi. Excellent service and attention to detail.

I travel to NYC every year and I come to this restaurant every time. I order their Omakase (tasting menu) and they never fail to amaze me. Even the sushi rice tastes deliciouse!! You don't need soya sauce with the sushi because every piece comes with toppings which absolutely complement the fish. Very creative and innovative!

The Omakase is the must have. It is practically the chef's creations of the day which you discover when served. You can tell the waiter if you like or dislike something and the chef factors it in. You can start by 8 pieces and go to 12 (100 usd for the 12 pieces) or more if you are still hungry. Anyway you pay per piece. Except that we could not understand all the above from our waitress and the communication problem ruined my dinner because some other members of our party of four ate my Omakase not knowing it was mine. The waitress might have been over loaded because we couldn't ask her 2 questions in a row, she was constantly running away. Do not expect a fancy decoration for this tiny restaurant that has 1 Michelin star, but you can count on having one of the best sushis ever. Do not miss the signature mille crepes on the desert menu, coming from Lady M.

You don't experience love at first bite very often. When my husband picked Gari for our first anniversary celebration, I couldn't be happier. I had already heard great things. A friend took his mom here once, and he said she cried of joy. I'm having what she's having! Oh, and we did. The Omakase was out of this world. When it was over, we ordered more. Could this be a dream? Maybe I don't want to wake up.

If you like sushi this is the place to go. Fantastic food!

A regular spot for dinner when I'm in NYC! Fantastic omakase and sake that has been reliable over the years. The chefs constantly seek to surprise us with new flavours and textures, which combined with great service, makes Gari one of my global Japanese favourites!

Fantastic sushi as always and great service, but the ambiance was terrible (again, as always). We were three people squeezed onto a tiny table right up next to the window, with hardly enough space on the table for our plates, let alone the sushi that came. It is a real shame there cannot be a little more space and sense of tranquility in this place, but I can understand the pressure to get more covers. You can either go for their omakase and their inventive sushi or, if you prefer more traditional sushi like me, you can just order off their a la carte menu. Their fish is excellent as is the rice and serving temperature. The diners were as always very mixed, from formal business diners to very casual local residents and tourists.

Excellent sushi, and very original indeed. I have been there more than 10 times in the 5 years I have lived in NY. Go for the omakase. Yes the omakase is expensive, but Gari no Sushi (Japanese name) is expensive, so if you go there, you should be ready to spend a few hundreds, otherwise you can get much better value for your money elsewhere. The Omakase is just an experience, the signature sushis you get there cannot be found anywhere else, they are stunning, delicious, and you will not regret your dollars. In short, excellent culinary experience, top sake list, ok service, but you don't care because you want to sit at the bar, order the omakase and try your Japanese with Itamae-san. On top of this you are likely to spot some famous upper east sider among the few tables. Enjoy.

The restaurant is not glitzy or elegant, but it does have the best sushi I have ever had. We let the sushi chef send us courses and it was just mind-blowing. They don't believe is any sauces or soy sauce (you won't find a bottle anywhere) because the flavor is so fantastic. It is NOT CHEAP. Very expensive, but you get what you pay for when it comes to sushi. So if you are in the mood to spend your week's paycheck but walk out with a full stomach and a smile, then this place is for you!

This is a New York classic small very high end Japanese restaurant - you let the chef(s) run the serving and decide the dishes according to the best Japanese Ryokan tradition You will not be let down ! The place is NOT cheap but worth it It can be very busy and must be booked

This had a nice relaxed atmosphere - you can pretty much turn up wearing what you like which was nice. Nothing pretentious about this place. Starters were ok, as was the sushi. I think the sushi is fresher than your average sushi place but not amazingly fresh (as the ginger). Wasn't too surprised by the bill as knew it was on the pricey side. Wouldn't head back there again but wasn't disappointed.

Sushi of Gari is a high end Japanese restaurant. There fish is outstanding, but their dishes lack the creativity of competing fusion style Japanese restaurants. There decor is "fair" at best and the service is, while OK, is not consistent with their pricing. High end Japanese sushi restaurants that charge commensurate prices ought to have better decor, service and creativity. In summary....great quality fish but over priced given the entire picture.

love it every time I come here and of all the locations this is still my favorite. go for the omakase and leave it to the capable chefs to wow you!

I have been here many times and also all different locations in Manhattan but I think upper East side is the best. Never disappointed so far and I would recommend to eat sushi at counter. Great sushi !

Sushi of Gari is probably my favorite sushi restaurants in NYC. I love the sushi main course and the appetizers. It's also incredible value for money compared to the other restaurants in its class. I always recommend it to friends and family visiting NYC. BTW: They also deliver which is great now that we have kids.

This is a very good sushi restaurant. It is not Masa or Nobu, but it is comparable to top Sushi restaurants in New York, and easily the best on the UWS. Service is friendly, but front desk is a tad arrogant. Reservations are a must. The decor is plain and the outdoor tables lack charm.

This is truly remarkable sushi! Probably the best sushi I have ever had. OK, it is expensive, but it's at a totally different level than most other sushi restaurants so definitely worth it for a special occasion or to take a client that appreciates great food.

We had really good sushi there, we tried the omakase, but the price was outrageous (200$ per head for 14 pieces of sushi, with reasonably priced wine, after tax and tip). Service was OK at most. We ordered a bottle of Meursault and they put it in a plastic wraparound wine cooler like those you buy at Walmart. At that price I would expect a nice wine bucket and not to have to pour the wine ourselves... Overall, goog but not worth the price tag. If you have 400$ to spend on a meal, there a muche better places around to do so!

Incredibly fresh fish - go for the Omakase. It's a bit expensive, but it delivers amazing flavor combinations, unlike 95% of the Sushi Restaurants in NYC. Be prepared to step out of the box!

During our visit in NYC we booked a table at Sushi of Gari Upper East Side for one evening. We love Japanese food and especially Sushi. Although we booked a table, we decided to sit a the Sushi bar. The restaurant is quite small and busy, but with a nice atmosphere. Our waiter was just great - very professional and thoughtful - during the whole evening we did not have to ask for one thing - he was always there, asking for our wishes when we finished a drink. We choose the Omakase tasting menu - Sushi only. The special Nigiri pieces are made directly in front of you, served piece by piece until you decide to stop. And you only pay the number of pieces you had. What shall I say? Quality and variety of the Nigiri were superb. One better that the other. It was simply delicious. We ended up with 12 pieces each plus dessert and Sake. Price was high (like nearly everywhere in NYC) but not as high as expected and the qualitiy of food, drinks and service was absolutely worth the money. We liked it so much that we went for Lunch the other day again to Sushi of Gari.

What can you say about Gari Which has not been said already... This is truly a raw fish experience like no other. The fish is ethereally fresh and comes with unobtrusive service which, helps lessen the blow of the not so ethereal tabs. Yes! you pay for perfection and...It is worth every penny. Thanks to Hisae for making our experience perfect. She was well versed in the menu and picked the PERFECT Sake for my pallet. With a short and deliberate Sake list, the most discerning diner will find the perfect compliment for the meal. I previously have dined at the 46th street location which was equally as good. Save some Benjamin's, Take out a second mortgage or call your rich uncle!!! Visit Any of the Gari locations (this one is my favorite) and taste fish as it should be. Bonsai!

This is the best sushi I have had outside of Japan, where I lived for decades. Anyone who knows sushi will understand this: the rice is delicious, properly seasoned and warm. The tempura soba was also excellent.

I had the Omakase at $160,00 per person. So I expected fantastic food. It was good, not fantastic. But the worst was the stand offish attitude of the staff. I think they thought they were doing me a favor for me to dine at their establishment. Too bad

We have eaten sushi/sashimi in many places around the US, Mexico, and Europe. This is the best! We only had sashimi, as after the first two dishes we decided we didn't want to waste space with rice. each dish that was presented was either "WOW" or "OH MY GOD". Our friends who have been here MANY times, kept telling us about this place they go that has the best sushi and they were correct. Aside from the individual tastes of each dish derived from a combination of the fish and delicate seasonings, the presentation was beautiful. I don't consider myself a gourmet, but I do know what I like and what is good. This was superb!!! If you go, let the chef bring you his specials...just tell him what you DON'T like prior to eating and let him surprise you. You won't be disappointed. Be advised: Gari's is NOT CHEAP, but not, in my view, overpriced.

Everything here from the food, the service, to the ambiance is outstanding. I called to make a reservation and was told the tables were full yet the phone lady tried every possible way to find one for us, and she did. We ordered the tasting menu, which was just so divine everyone at my table had to make it a second round. My mother, who doesn't usually like sushi, finished every single drop of the sauce and every bit of the fish. I have eaten at many sushi places around town and could arguably say that garino sushi has one of the freshest, top quality fish!! They were so divine I felt like I've lived my life. We also ordered the soft- shell crab, which were perfectly fried just to the right crispiness and served with the delicious ponzu sauce. I love you garino sushi!!!! I'll see you again for sure when NYC calls!!!

The specials are really special. Let the wait staff just bring you some of the best sushi you have every had. The staff is very friendly. The bar is ok, but that is not what you go to this restaurant for. You go for Sushi, Sashimi and all of the other dishes which are imaginative and delicious.

This place is typical of NYC, amazing for 5 years or more, and then falls off a cliff. This is in the category of the formerly great. Much better off at Sushi-seki, a few blocks down. It's sad what happened to this restaurant.

$$$$ BUT amazing, lovely atmosphere, beautiful and tasty sushi in a comforting place... Fresh, creative, memorable. Absolutely will return

The food was great, went with a special sushi and a special sashimi to share with my girlfriend, the food is as simple as it gets and you can really feel the taste of everything in an whole other way then the everyday shushi. The thing for us in the end not giving it 5/5 is that for this price i have eaten more interesting Japanese food, more experimented, more flavours. Maybe we can't take in the full quality of the simplicity of this food, we definitely don't regret that we went here but will not any time soon go back, just because value for money in the end. (also had to wait a bit before getting service and was not always as great at explaining as we would hope for a restaurant of this rank)

Was taken as a birthday gift by my beloved wife on a Saturday night, make reservation in advance ...the place is worth the money and you will get some after this one...google omokase if you are not familiar with the term, the damage was beyond 400$ for two ppl, a humble tribute for a unseen sashimi assortment (toro, toro tartar, toro with tofu among many other) and some california wine as well as some Japanese wheat beer 3 hours of taste and visual display which for us I have to say was very fresh, you are aware that the restaurant has one michelin star ?? go, have fun and the hell with the money that can get you a new Ipad :-)

I would order anything at Sushi Gari and probably be pretty happy with it. Normally, I have a few specific types of fish that I always have to order when going out for sushi. However, at Gari, I trust them with the chef's suggestions and try out any type of fish really. When food is fresh and good, it doesn't matter what it is.

Sushi unlike the usual. Interesting toppings with a variety.of herb toppings. Next time we'll try the special menu but this was a great intro to the restaurant. Pricier than most run of the mill sushi restaurants but well worth it. They also have some very interesting high quality Japanese beers including a chocolaty stout.

The Omakase contains some really unique ingredients that rival Masa but won't give you a heart attack when it's time to pay the bill. I went to the one on upper west side near the Museum of Natural History and the service is extremely professional and courteous that you would think you're in Japan. Sometimes service, not food, will be the difference between a terrific night and a disastrous one. However, in this case, you will be very impressed with both.

this place is absurdly overpriced for what it was. the service was great and everyone was so nice so i feel bad writing this negative review, but my bill was bonkers. i would never come here again. we got the omakase -omakase should be the freshest fish but we got all of these sort of fusion tihngs-like you tasted the sauce more than the fish-it wasn't bad but for the price it was ridiculous. i am sad to write this but i just wish it was a little more traditional. maybe we ordered the wrong things. seemed like a place for rich white people who don't know or care about food. karen's from the UES. ( i am white btw) i am not sure where to get good sushi in this city. i wish we just got pizza. on the way home we got a slice from a cheap pizza place and it was really nice. sorry Gari.

Recommended by a friend that lives locally and I took along a sushi novice. She raved about it and I was certainly pleased by the Tuna Tartare and the choices of sake. I couldn't pass on the Green Tea ice-cream and it was worth every calorie.

Had a business dinner at this sushi place that was recomended by a friend. Was looking for a place close to the Yotel where i was staying. The sushi is very classic japanese. The problem was the quality was very average for s super high price. Three of us had sushi and two bears each. The bill was $200 before tip and we did not order any fancy treats like toro. NYC is a mecca for sushi. You can find tons of spots that have great quality for a low price. When we left this place, i flet i was ripped off.

This was my second time at the restaurant. First was fine, expensive but interesting as I was by myself at the bar and talk directly to the sushi man. Second was different, service was bad and "osamake" outrageously expensive. Not clear how they charge the pieces. Service was terrible, took forever to bring us the sushi and the restaurant was not full. We were cut in the middle of the experience asthe kitchen was closing. Food was ok, but experience not worth the price.

I had a dinner with my friend at the counter table in front of five sushi chefs. We ordered so called 'Omakase', which means various sushis keep coming to our table unless we ask chef to stop making sushi. All the sushis were very delicious, especially, Toro was one of the most delicious sushi I ever had including the experiences in Japan. The total cost including one bottle of sake and one bottle of white wine was 600 USD for two persons!!, which was a bit surprising. However, this sushi restaurant is worth of visiting even for Japanese, who are generally difficult to experience the delicious sushi restaurant outside Japan.

I ate here at the Sushi bar about 6 weeks ago and again with my wife Saturday night . Sushi was excellent as usual. Wife had the tasting and I had SASHIMI plus an eel roll to finish off . Fish is exceptionally clean tasting here , but I must admit it was much better, when I ate alone 6 weeks ago at the Sushi Bar

Had a quick dinner with my wife over the weekend. I've been coming here for over 10 years. A little modest joint who provides quality food. With Omakase, you will get about 12-16 different types of sushi where each piece will give you delicate and unique taste. I've never been disappointed. A good old reliable!

We went to gari's by recommendation of our good friend who lived closed by. Even on a monday evening it was busy. Nice place to check out local new yorkers out with friend or in a business meeting. The sushi is lovely and hard to find on manhattan. So if you are up for fresh fish, just go to gari's.

Lived for 2 years in the city and as I'm coming back often, on my TO DO list of the things I want to do in the city, there is always at least a meal in this restaurant! Wherever you go (3 locations), it's the same quality! Perfect. I would advise you to take the omakase as it's simply the best you can ever taste. I'm a huge fan!!!

had chef's choice - omakaze. bill for two came to almost $400.00. some of the sushi was inventive, all of it was very fresh, some of it was too elaborated - lacked the purity of top quality, carefully prepared sushi. a lot of sauces and a few gimmicks. Very costly for what we had. Good service.

When I visit friends in the Upper East Side of NYC, here is where I want to go, especially if they're paying. We eat at the bar and let the experienced sushi chefs construct their unrepeatably excellent sushi. Outside of Tokyo and Kyoto, you simply can't replicate this experience. Expect to spend $200 plus for an unforgettable meal. I haven't been to the downtown restaurant, but It would be hard to beat these experts.

Great take-out place. Have never eaten in.

I was so put off by the arrogance of the staff that it ruined the whole dining experience. Needless to say, the food TASTED HORRIBLE.

i just wrote about sushi at another restaurant in NY and said that was the maximum. to be honest with you the sushi of gari is probably at the same level and if not at higher level. expensive, but the omakase i had there was not possible to be found anywhere else look at my pics.. simply amazing! enjoyyy!

I went to Sushi of Gari in August of 2012. I was able to get a later reservation on the same day that I dined there. We waited a solid 15 minutes before we were seated despite the reservation, but it was worth the wait. The service is friendly, but not particularly attentive. The restaurant itself is well worn, with spotty paint and tired appointments. We were unfamiliar with the restaurant and menu, but it received pretty awesome reviews from NYMag.com. We stumbled around the menu a bit and finally decided upon a seaweed salad and two Omakase Sushi (e.g., not Sashimi) dinners, despite being the only item on the menu without a price listed. The seaweed salad looked like a 5th grade science experiment gone wrong. Lots of colors and textures that were neither sea nor weed, tasty nonetheless. Then the sushi began to arrive on rectangular plates, ten pieces at a time, in two perfectly arranged rows of five. The flavors were simply celestial. This isn't *classic* sushi; there are great departures from typical Japanese cuisine (e.g., jalapeno), but it works and works phenomenally. I haven't eaten sushi in Hawaii or Japan, but it will have to beat this which I know will prove challenging. The bill was steep, well over $300 (incl tip) for two Omakase dinner, two bottles of cheap-ish Sake and one appetizer (seaweed salad). Was it "worth it"? Probably. Will I go back? Not anytime soon, but I will *definitely* recommend that you do.

Sushi of Gari is one of the best advised Japanese restaurants I have ever been, not only for the food itself, which was absolutely extraordinarily good, but also because the service. Waiters are all the time looking after guests and providing any need, even before you have to ask for it. Of course sushi is the signature dish, and it is as fresh and pleasant as you can expect after reading all the positive reviews. Every pice of Nigiri, Sashimi, Maki and California roll are out of this world, and carefully and precisely cooked in order to offer the best Japanese food ever. Their sake is really smooth and full of flavor, something I haven't experienced before, in any of the many Japanese restaurants I have tried. Taking into account that you are eating the freshest fish in town, at the end the bill was fairly reasonable. Will definitely come back soon.

Went for the Omakase with Sushi(Nigiri) and Sashimi, and was not let down. Great service, wonderful fresh food, great flavors. Also liked the fact that they create the dishes so it's not meant to be drenched in soya sauce. They pointed very politely pointed out that it was meant to be had without extra sauce. Will definitely go back.

Got the Omakase (tasting menu) and it was brilliant. Very creative and unique. The flavors were amazing, very complex and varying. Had things that will go on my all time favorite list. Very expensive meal though, really a special occasion splurge. Service was very professional and friendly and made for a great experience. Only issue was that the food was so good we plowed through it so quickly that for all the money we spent the meal didn't last very long.

Beyond the exceptionally fresh fish one would expect at a restaurant of this caliber, the chef's Omakase menu included some of the most inventive nigiri I have ever enjoyed. With flavors and garnishes including items like truffle oil and quail egg, every plate was a journey and a surprise. As with many NY establishments, the restaurant is crowded, but that did not discourage my enjoyment. The only reason I do not give the full 5 stars is however because of the crowded atmosphere and unimpressive decor. 5 stars by definition could not be better. Gari has the slightest room for improvement, though not when it comes to the cuisine. It is at the top of its game.

there is sushi... and then there is sushi gari... it is the sushi equivalent of molecular gastronomy. incredible melt-in-your-mouth omakase for two with the freshest, tastiest morsels. I think we disliked perhaps 2 out of 24 pieces. we did, however, have to order a couple of extra rounds in order to fill up. the location is the japanese restaurant equivalent of a greasy spoon diner. nothing special and somewhat crowded. we had to be moved because the obnoxious party of four next to us decided they wanted to share their evening with the rest of the visibly uncomfortable patrons. when i asked the waitress to ask them to keep it doen she took it to the manager who, in perfect japanese style, avoided conflict and moved us to another table. the sake was amazing. the dining experience was good, the food was excellent and the bill? $730 for two. Admittedly we had pricey sake but i was very grateful i didn't pay. was it worth it? if you can afford it hell yes.

You must have a reservation there were no walk-ins allowed fully booked every night we were there. I did not know that you have to make a specification of sushi bar or table there are different menus for the sushi bar than there are for the tables the food was delicious and innovative but very expensive for the quantity served excellent service friendly cozy delicious dinner

Very Nice place and convenient on upper west side. The food was excellent !! Reservations accepted and excellent service.

Place is nice, food from the menu is very good, but there was seven of us, two of us ordered different kind of nigiri which was very good and fresh,and the waiter suggested the special Sushi of Gari Signature Omakase (there is no price on the menu and we didn't ask) it was a sushi fusion, the plate looked great, but the taste was not good at all (my wife and family are Japanese) and at the end, each plate with around 10 pieces of nigiri was $150 ouch!

I was brought here by friends who used to frequent this place. It’s small so reservations are needed. They do an American twist on some of the sushi pieces which is a nice surprise!

For japanese food (sushi) lovers interested in high quality fish, creativity and good and friendly service. Have been many times at Sushi of Gari. Atmosphere typically japanese and very clean (don't expect nothing sophisticated). For a real experience, order the OMAKAZE, when the sushi men show their incredible creativity (fusion of flavours - they ask in advance for food restrictions) moving away from the conventional. Booking may be necessary. The price is pretty fair if compared to NOBU.

Sushi of Gari with one Michelin star located in Upper East Side! Here you’ll not find molecular sushi but will find real taste of Japan! My favorite dish is chirashi and I give a strong recommendation to order it!

The sushi at this place is out of control. It is amazingly fresh. I don't know how they do it, but the sushi taste is unique (in a good way). The ginger is the best I have ever tasted. Soft shell crabs were fantastic. The restaurant itself is nothing - a little cramped and no ambience. Very pricey.

Great sushi. Great staff. Very nice interior. I had a large meal and loved every bit of it. They aren't snobs and will help you make the right choice

Very good sushi. I would say 5 star sushi. But not worth the astronomical price. We got the omakase menu and prob had around 15 pieces each. No alcohol, no appetizers, no dessert. For two people $400+. It was a bday dinner so the expense on a birthday is fine but $200 a piece for sushi and I'm not even stuffed? I dont think so. Very high tech bathrooms. Service is ok. Fish is fresh and very creative but there actually more creative sushi places now. If the price was 3 bills I would say thats fair but over 4 bills, for around 30 pieces a sushi means each piece (bite) was between $8-15 and the worse part was you didnt know how much it was going to cost.

The sushi is outstanding. The people are lovely. But, they seem to overprice as compared to other nearby restaurants.

A cozy, little neighborhood sushi place on the upper east side just knocked my socks off. Omakase at the bar for one at 5pm on a Weds. I was given the corner and was told I would be charged for each individual piece for as long as I could eat. 40 pieces later, I stopped but would have kept eating, if I could; there was a constant flow of new bites, never a repeat, unless you asked for one. The cuts are right-sized, not too big; the rice, appropriate mouthfeel, not too gluey. Especially good: uni, raw kumamoto oyster, chu-toro and o-toro; anago; squid. The service was excellent. Extremely warm and friendly, including the sushi chef. I was being served by the head chef. He was gracious and warmly explained each piece and answered questions. He also giggled when I said I would stay for breakfast tomorrow morning. At the early hour, the small restaurant was dominated by parents with young kids. The rolls that were being served to those tables all looked delicious, varied, and inventive. Yes, the plan is on the expensive side, but not outrageously so. Good sushi is expensive, and you can get a better deal by ordering rolls here. Omakase for 40 pieces plus three carafes of cold sake was an average of 10 dollars a piece. Considering alcohol was included, the price does not seem that outsized.

We ordered the special dishes, the recommend dishes of the chef. The nigiri we got was both original and delicious. I never ate such a unique sushi. The alcohol was also very good. Sadly it was expensive, but it was worth the high price.

Sushi Gari was literally the worst sushi and sashimi I have ever eaten outside of grocery store, cafeteria or fast food chain sushi (all of which I avoid whenever possible). I was with my 80 year old parents who are passionate sushi connoisseurs, grew up in Japan and spend a month there every year. We cancelled the $180 Omakase course 2/3 through because we were completely stunned by the unbelievably poor quality and lack of freshness of the fish. My parents had a long conversation in Japanese with the manager expressing how shocked we were. The manager said he had never before received such complaints and could not understand why we found the food so unsatisfactory. Here’s why. The fish was not fresh. In fact it tasted as though it had been refrozen and defrosted a number of times. We suffered through 8 different sashimi offerings before realising the problem was the same with all the fish. For instance the Aka Tai, which when fresh has a bouncy, almost crunchy texture, was soft and mushy. The very expensive Harakami Otoro, which the server made a big deal of pointing out, had no oil, fat or any Otoro taste whatsoever. Eating it was like biting into a sponge that squirted little pockets of pure water from melted ice crystals that resulted from fish that was either improperly frozen the first time or refrozen. It was the worst piece of Toro I have ever eaten. I could go on and on with every piece of fish we were served. With problems like this it is not even worth quibbling about the fact that their sashimi “innovations” do not work and are so poorly executed and crude that it feels like the kitchen is manned by high school students who have never had a day of sushi chef training in their lives. What that tells me is that we did not experience a day where they got a bad supply of fish. It is clear that there is no commitment whatsoever to producing a quality product. Obviously we had read the rave reviews and made note of the Michelin star in deciding to go to Sushi Gari. However, after our experience we were left wondering if we had stumbled into an episode or the Twilight Zone or if we were like the one honest child in the story “The Emperor’s Clothes.” Even here on TripAdvisor only Audrey W seems to have realised what a sham Sushi Gari is. While we did not have the bad service experience she did, I must say the rest of the menu like the sake list is extremely cynical. Their sake mark-up is 5x-8x. The whole strategy of Sushi Gari seems to be to prey on the ignorant. How they have been able to succeed for so long completely baffles me. I am a restaurateur and own Michelin starred restaurants around the world. As a businessman I desperately would like to understand Sushi Gari’s secret of selling cafeteria food at Michelin starred prices to packed houses. They are absolute geniuses. If, however, you have any inkling of what quality sushi is supposed to be like, avoid Sushi Gari like the plague. You will not only get a bad meal, you will feel like you were robbed of your hard earned money.

I cannot count how many times I've been to Sushi of Gari, but it is still my go to for special occasions. Without a doubt, this is my favorite restaurant. The service is impeccable and the food is even better. The fish is flown in straight from Japan, or at least it tastes like it. Every piece of sushi is artfully crafted and the rolls will redefine your tastebuds. You have not truly tasted sushi until you have been here.

Great sushi, very conservative place, amazing fish quality!! Somehow it made me believe I was in Japan and not NY! A place for a visit of you're visiting!!

We had bunnies dinner over there, the acoustics is horrible in this place, we stayed next to each other and couldn’t talk. The noise is high . Food was greasy and definitely overpriced. The general feeling is that they want you to finish and go so they can sell the table again . Bad experience, simply avoid this place!

I was there with a business partner -- he chose the restaurant and paid. He also ordered - I told him I'd enjoy whatever he thought was good. I loved the food. It was all very good. I liked how the food came in various courses - like raw tapas! Food is food. If you're a sushi snob and think it can only be served one way, then you should beware of any restaurant. But I liked the combined flavors. I liked the service. I don't have any idea how expensive the meal was - that might have affected my happiness with the food, but fortunately I don't know. (They even had a decently varied beer selection - the Asahi Kuromana (black beer) was very good and I'm glad I was introduced to it. My one hesitation was the venue - it was TINY. The entrance was maybe 15-18 inches wide. I know I'm a hefty boy but I could barely get through. We sat down at the table and I felt like I was sitting virtually on our neighbors (which also means that I was included on their every, loud interchange). But besides that, I had a very nice time.

Fresh fish, the sushi Chef choice at the the sushi bar is an unforgettable experience accompanied by a glass of white wine, divine !

For any sushi lover who has not eaten here, it is a must. The food is terrific and creative. At the upper east side location the man that works the door can be a little rude but it’s all fun and the food there and every location is truly terrific.

The restaurant is very small but functional.The fish is outstanding. The service fantastic. They had a special sake that was sooo smooth. Just great overall.

This place is pricey, no doubt, but if you're ready to splurge and you love sushi you just cannot go wrong with the Omakase here. I have been here probably 20 or so times and it has disappointed only 2-3 times. Avoid large groups and always sit at the sushi. Bar, and then brace yourself. I went recently with two foodies from Tokyo and they were ove-the-moon with praise and clear to point out that the sushi was singularly amazing - like nothing they had ever had in Japan. Undoubtedy fresh, just inventive enough to be exciting and somewhat adventurous, but NOT fusion or anything too far away from traditional mouth-watering sushi. I can see only one downside, which is that you will feel compelled more than your pocketbook would appreciate.

Sushi of gari is my favorite restaurant in ny. This is the freshest fish I have ever tasted. I come here on every special occasion and do the occasional take out order because I love near by. You certainly get what you pay for here. The prices are higher then your typical sushi restaurant, but the food here does not compare to any other place. If you go, ask the waiter or waitress if you can see the iPad and order some special sushi pieces. It's better to choose what you like and I prefer it to the tasting menu. Definitely try these sushi pieces: salmon with sautéed tomato, tuna tar tare over crispy seaweed, fluke with truffle oil and quail egg, and tuna with tofu sauce. My favorite roll is the fatty tuna and scallion. The fish just melts in your mouth. If your willing to spend, try the seared fatty tuna sushi piece. It's a 15$ piece, but is worth every penny. It's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted! As you can tell I'm a huge sushi of gari fan and highly recommend this restaurant. It is a very small and casual place do book reservations well in advance.

This restaurant offers excellent sushi with very unique flavors. Definitely go for the signature pieces as they are out of this world good. Love the 78th street location, beautiful area to walk around and enjoy the neighborhood before or after, especially on a summer afternoon. Highly recommend.

This place has fresh delicious sushi no doubt. And the short rib and other appetizers were stupendous. But, be prepared for a surprisingly high bill.

Sushi of Gari's is my favourite restaurant and the UES location still makes the best version of their unique sushi. Must do their omakase if it's your first time here, the only reason to eat here is for their creative and sublime take on traditional sushi.

While the omakase is always incredible, i think the Special Sushi is the best value. You get the sauces on like 9 pieces of sushi and a delicious roll. And the seared cod..... Make a reservation to be sure you can get in.