IWAK Sushi + Kitchen — Restaurant in New York

The service here is extremely friendly and attuned to providing their customers with the best service possible. They replaced our plates in-between transition from appetizers to entrees, and replaced a plate that seemed a bit stained without us having to say anything, showing that they inspect their silverware thoroughly, which is very considerate of them. Now let's talk about the equally amazing appetizers and entrees.

Appetizers:

Foie gras with raspberry reduction sauce and figs - very smokey and tender bite of foie gras. It was incredibly rich in flavor, which pairs perfectly with the sauce that accompanied it! We saved some to pair with our steak, which was phenomenal and I definitely recommend it since it was both delicious and a pretty big portion!

Torched scallop and fluke - incredibly tangy and sweet, with very fresh scallop and truffle slices to top it off! The fluke was mild in taste, especially in comparison with the incredibly fresh scallop that has a nice bite to it. The tomato and yuzu were both very citrusy and sweet. A perfect melody of flavors!

Entree:

SuSaMa - a beautiful construction of assorted sushi and sashimi as you can clearly see in the picture! Ours came with o toro whereas others I've seen came with uni. The waiter explained that it depends on what's fresh so you can ask them before you order to see if it's too your liking! Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious; highly recommended!

Saikoro steak - incredibly tender filet mignon with a savory soy based sauce that paired perfectly with the mushroom and potato! The sauce infiltrated every piece of the entree and infused it with a sweet ye6 savory flavor. Highly recommend trying this as your main entree, for its incredibly generous and very deliciously filling!

Dessert -

Ginger and matcha ice cream with banana tempura - the ginger ice cream was a brand new experience for us and wow, it was delicious with actual ginger pieces!

Overall, Steve and his colleagues took really good care of us and I will definitely be coming back to try their expansive and ever changing menu, for they are striving to take in customers' feedbacks to better their dishes. Highly recommend giving this relatively new restaurant a try and I promise you won't regret it!

P.S. Get the yuzu mock tail, it's delicious!

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Very bad service! So unprofessional! Had my WORST dining experience in NYC there that we left before ordering.

We got there asking for a table of 2, but there was only a 4-ppl table open. They hesitantly asked us if we are okay with dining on that big table but would move us to a smaller table if one became available, or if we want to wait for a 2-ppl table. We were confused about this uncommon choice and their own indecision, and the servers just left us to decide. They didn’t come back to check on us so we just sat down to wait since we were fine with switching table later.

The host came because he noticed no one was helping and sat us at the 4–ppl table. But one of the previous servers noticed this and the two discussed and the host reiterated the situation, albeit he was confused. We were fine with this situation and already came up with what to order when two smaller tables became available. The host asked us to move to a smaller table which we did. But when we moved to one of them, the server asked us to sit at another table instead of the one we sat in, because they “already gave that table” to two other customers who were AFTER us. That just doesn’t make sense—why were we left with no choice…? Why is it that the communication with us (2 Asian faces btw) and the communication with the other two customers (both white) were so different? I said you could have just asked all of us to wait outside before assigning any tables, and the server answered annoyed and angry saying that they did ask us if we were okay with temporary seating, and they left us waiting because they “had so much work to do.” Girl we were okay with that even when you left us hanging without returning. We were not trying to be difficult. Your attitude just ruined the whole vibe.

Such an unprofessional way to handle the situation. It was so confusing and frustrating that I am writing my first ever Google review just to recover from this distasteful experience. We regret not getting the name of that server. Would not eat there as long as she works there. Such a shame cuz I was genuinely looking forward to their food.

I don’t know if this story was told properly. Maybe it...

I went to IWAK today with a few friends and unfortunately, the service was disappointing enough to take away from the overall experience.

We each ordered a roll and a few small appetizers. The food was decent, nothing particularly memorable, but enjoyable enough.

When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty with just one other table seated, so it wasn’t a busy time. Our server came over and asked for our drink orders, and we requested water. She brought out sparkling water instead. We let it go, assuming it might’ve been a misunderstanding, and most of the table was fine with seltzer.

As the meal progressed, service continued to feel off. At one point, we had an empty glass and some appetizer plates on the table. Another staff member came by to clear the plates, and when I handed over my glass, she responded with a confused and almost irritated expression, as if I’d made an unreasonable request. It was an awkward and off-putting moment.

The final touch point was the bill. After we finished our sushi, the check was dropped off at the table, and THEN we were asked if we wanted dessert. It felt backwards and disjointed, and by that point, we were more than ready to leave.

All in all, I wouldn’t recommend IWAK. There are so many solid sushi options in the city, especially within just a few blocks, that offer both good food and welcoming service. This place, unfortunately,...