Genki Omakase — Restaurant in New York

Really wanted to like this place but the experience was just simply very underwhelming, both the food and the service. Does not worth the price at all. There are other places that are way better at this price point for the food and the experience.

It was a good start. The neighborhood was quiet, it was not crowded, the place was spacious, we were greeted before they officially opened (they let us in 10 minutes before the opening time), asked what kind of beverage we’d like (but didn’t let us know the price of the beverage, our mistake for not asking).

We opted for the 17 course menu. Oyster was good. After that everything was pretty bland. Couldn’t really taste the freshness of the different fish and pretty much all you got was the additional flavoring that was put on top of.

There was even a fish BONE in my Shima Aji nigiri. I took it out and placed it on the corner of the plate where the chef serves the sushi, without commenting it. That was about half way through the meal and no one noticed it for the remainder of the course. The server didn’t notice it either when the plate was removed at the end of the course.

The first uni course was very fishy and had no sweetness at all. The second uni course that comes with wagyu had a very strong bitter taste that I couldn’t even taste the wagyu. Those indicated to me the uni wasn’t fresh at all.

One of the servers also chose a bad timing to pitch for additional orders. Our skipjack was served in the middle of her pitching. This to me was not appropriate for the omakase experience. It should be either at the end or at the very least not when our food is served.

The server had no response to my “it was a little disappointing” when he last asked “is everything ok”, took our credit card, and still said nothing when my husband followed up and said “there was a fish bone in her Shima Aji”. We had no words other than wanting to get out of this place.

That’s when the chef asked his last “how was everything”, I let him know about the fish bone and he looked surprised. He continued to ask if it was in both of our Shima Aji nigiris and I said it was just mine. He said “I am sorry” without anything else and then kept wiping down his cutting board.

Given the food, the action and reaction from the servers and the chef, I am not sure this place is open and receptive to feedback, or if they care about customer experience. Therefore I’d strongly urge you go somewhere else for a competitively priced...

Spectacular experience!

This was my second time joining them, and I was afraid that I would be disappointed after a very good first time, but otherwise, everything was at the highest level.

Very important: 17 pieces, maybe a bit too much if you are not super hungry. The first time I was at Genki, perhaps I was hungry, but it went super smooth. We took 17 pieces again the second time, and we were so done at number 11 😀 We did not even know how to continue with the rest. Also, perhaps it was the chef’s fault because pieces were coming too fast. Our chef served three people, including two of us, and our three seatings finished the first.

FOOD Their selection of fish is impressive! I’ve tried fish that I have never tried before, and everything is incredibly fresh. Each piece we tried was bursting with flavor. One thing: my second time dining with them, I was missing a little bit of extra wasabi and perhaps a bit extra sauce in some pieces; we had a different chef this time and obviously a bit different style. But I cannot say anything bad here; it is more about personal preferences.

Their menu is seasonal because what I had in August differed from what I had now in April. They also have a great choice of Sake and nonalcoholic drinks.

We had baby squid for an appetizer and were afraid to eat it; it was a bit “too alive” but undoubtedly delicious.

Also, towards the end of your dinner, they offered to add some extra — if you like — but most people are beyond full by the end of 17 courses.

SERVICE There is little of service to value here.

But one thing I would like to see better is for a chef to explain what type of fish we eat, where it comes from, and talk to us about food, as it’s definitely an experience.

The first time I was at Genki, we had a bit of a slippery moment because we were 15 minutes late, and they did not want to serve 17 courses, and I had to argue that — but all went well eventually.

AMBIENCE It is a charming space. I liked that it is not shoe box-size; there is a waiting area, which adds some coziness and makes waiting comfortable if you arrive early. Besides the bar seating, there are no other tables.

I highly recommend this Omakase spot!

As you can see, it has been at the top of my list since I returned there for the second time.

I think it is a solid 4-star review (closer to 4.5 stars). The only reason it is not 5 is that I was missing interaction with the chef and the fast timing. Other than that, everything...

Walked in and was able to get a counter seat for one. Unfortunately, the negative reviews on here are spot on. This is not a top level Omakase. For those with less Omakase experience, who are looking strictly for a more affordable option, without high quality, this is the place. Also, it's BYOB, so no escalated beverage prices on the check which appeals to some. Everyone enjoys getting a good deal in NYC (rare to find) so 17 pieces for $96 was worth a shot, but my expectations were realistic at that price point. Occasionally you can get a nice surprise, as the space is very low-end decor, minimal staff, so maybe the value goes into the food. But not the case here, and anyone like myself who has gone to all the top Omakase's around NYC would be greatly disappointed here. Most of the pieces are low end, and even the "money shots" like the uni were of disappointing quality. Several pieces were fishy and not fresh (still have the taste in my mouth), one tuna piece was dehydrated over the top confirming its lack of freshness as it obviously had been sitting for some time. Also being alone I wasn't distracted and watched the chefs handy work. The already small pieces were being cut too thin intentionally to reduce their food cost. If they remain open this will not get past the knowledgeable sushi guests. And lastly, like others have said the mid meal pushing of the "fun shots", additional pieces to pad the bill, with images of them shoved in front of your face on an ipad lol, was embarrassing for them. Too many "how is everything's?" fishing for compliments throughout the meal. Then when you politely say "fine" obviously with little enthusiasm, they are not interested in what was wrong. They just want to run those credit cards quick and turn things over for the next seating. A young server girl was pleasant I will note, and this business model is not her fault of course. Anyway, very disappointing and...