Kaizen: Omakase & Hand Roll Sushi Restaurant — Restaurant in New York

We heard about a new Japanese hand roll place opening in Flushing and had to check it out. It was a quick drive in from Westchester and conveniently located right over the Whitestone bridge and away from the hustle and bustle of Main street. The restaurant is nested inside a newly constructed glass encased building, next door to the Four Points by Sheraton hotel. As soon as we walked through the glass panel doors, we were immediately greeted by a pink cherry blossom tree stretching up to the ceiling and the omakase chefs busily turning out courses beneath it. The restaurant is large and spacious with tall ceilings and modern decor. Along the right side of the restaurant is a long rectangular bar with a beautiful moss wall hanging behind it and shelves stocked with high-end liquor and Japanese sake. We came during the restaurant’s soft opening week and the restaurant was mostly filled by the time we arrived around 6pm. We were promptly greeted by the staff and escorted to our table without a fuss. A quick look through the menu and we were ready to dive into the courses. For appetizers, we ordered the red miso clam soup, the akami avocado salad and tuna tartare and they were fresh and delicious. The clams in the red miso soup were some of the freshest clams I ever had. You got the sense that the restaurant took great care in sourcing their seafood. For drinks, we opted for cocktails to start and the “Sweet Adelyn” and “Oolong Hsu” came highly recommended. Both cocktails were deceptively smooth drinks that packed a big punch. For the main course, we had the choice between The Original Set or The Premium Set, both five roll sets that come with different types and qualities of seafood. There is also a wide selection of individual hand rolls ranging from classic to premium rolls if a la carte is more of your style. We went with the premium set since that looks to be the best value for the kinds of ingredients that we are getting. In the set, we get an Otoro and truffle rolls, chutoro and caviar roll, a dungeness crab roll, an ebi shrimp and foie gras roll, and a steamed lobster roll. We thoroughly enjoy every single piece in this set. The otoro and caviar roll was the obvious standout for me. The otoro was so buttery smooth, it disintegrated into a pool of fatty deliciousness as soon as it hit my tongue, and the caviar just put it over the top. We were so impressed with the quality of all of the ingredients and the creativity of the rolls, we tacked on quite a few more pieces afterwards. We also couldn’t pass up on the excellent selection of sake and grabbed a bottle of kachou gesseki to share. Overall, our first time at Kaizen far exceeded our expectations. We got to enjoy masterfully crafted hand rolls made with high quality ingredients at a very good price point. And best of all, we got to enjoy all this without having to trek...

First the negative. I give one star for Service only because of the waitress who waited our table. This does not reflect on the one bussing our table as she was very nice and considerate. For some back story, we came for the restaurant week 2025 summer special. I reserved on opentable with that same comment and called in to confirm with manager that we can get that special at the time I reserved for. Great. The moment we walked in the hostess asked if we had a reservation. I gave my info and she said OK table for two for restaurant week special. I said yep. Once we sat down after asking about drinks, she double checked if we wanted the restaurant week special. We said yep as this is our first time here and wanted to try it out first. She didn't try recommending anything special from the regular menu she just confirmed again that we only wanted the restaurant week special. We again said yes at least for now and we'll see later on. The most concerning part was the tone of voice in the questions. It was the obvious condescending tone and moment we confirmed twice that we just wanted restaurant week special her response felt like one of those ok what ever. Mind you we were dressed business casual and other tables about only three i.e. restaurant was 90% empty at the time were pretty much same or even less casual so it shouldn't be due to our appearance either. I'm ABC so it shouldn't be my English. We didn't know what she had against us. The one bussing/cleaning up our table occasionally as well as the manager had very normal nice tones.

Ok now to the actual food. The miso clam soup was actually the best I ever had. Maybe due to the clam it had a nice natural seafood sweetness to it. The sushi naturally was better than most options in flushing. I've had better in Manhattan but granted those were full course omakase at double the price while this was at half the price and quantity without the omakase experience. Overall the sushi was good especially because there was a good mix of fatty vs lean options. The attitude from waitress was so poor that we didn't even feel like taking pics like we normally would. I vaguely recall we especially liked one or two sushi pieces but when we asked the waitress what they were she couldn't recall and didn't offer to check with others such as chef so I can't even say which two they were exactly....

In summary, for the food offered the restaurant week special was worth it but the service was...

Kaizen is a hidden gem in Flushing, perfect for a sushi lover's treat, and there's convenient parking next door, making it even easier to visit. I came here for their lunch special and ordered the Kaizen Hand Roll Set for just $25—a fantastic deal considering the quality and variety! The set included hamachi, hotate, akami, sake, and fried oyster hand rolls. Each roll was a delightful two-bite experience, with the flavors beautifully fresh and well-balanced. Make sure to ask for a side of fresh ginger; it’s a refreshing palate cleanser that really lets each roll shine.

Before the meal even started, they brought out lemon wedges, a thoughtful touch so you can keep your fingers clean as you eat. I also ordered a few other dishes that really made the lunch feel special. The glazed ribs were outstanding—tender, with a hint of sweetness that didn’t overpower but balanced well with the meat’s natural flavors. The soft-shell crab was another favorite, perfectly crispy, and I couldn’t help but devour it within minutes!

My father, who’s usually a bit picky, loved the miso cod—it was perfectly cooked and rich in flavor, very similar to the cod you’d get at Nobu but at half the price. We also tried the wagyu fried rice, and it was a real standout. The rice was incredibly savory, with tender, flavorful chunks of wagyu mixed in, making it just indulgent enough without feeling too heavy. For a little extra treat, I ordered the Hokkaido uni hand roll, and it was worth every penny—fresh, creamy, and packed with pure umami goodness!

We also treated ourselves to the Lycheetini, a beautifully crafted cocktail with gin, lychee syrup, lime juice, and a touch of butterfly pea flower extract for that gorgeous color. It was the perfect balance of sweet and floral, with the lychee adding a delicate fruitiness and the lime giving it a refreshing kick. The butterfly pea flower extract made it almost too pretty to drink, but we enjoyed every sip—definitely a must-try for cocktail lovers!

The service was excellent, too. Our server, Jeffrey, was attentive and checked in on us frequently, making sure we were enjoying everything. Overall, Kaizen is a great spot for lunch if you have some time to relax and savor the specials. I’ve heard dinner is fantastic too, and I can’t wait to come back to experience...