Kinzan Omakase — Restaurant in New York

I’ve never been treated this disrespectfully by a restaurant before. I called 6 hours prior to dining to ask for a reservation, which was accepted. When we arrived, we were surprised to see only one chef despite a full restaurant, all who had arrived at different times and were at different points in their service. We waited 20 minutes before receiving our first course. The chef was clearly overwhelmed - he dropped fish, and at one point, our server asked him how to cut a piece of fish, but then he did it for her. From then, we waited an hour, and had received only 5 of the 15 courses. Due to this slowness and the fact the chef was clearly overwhelmed, I wasn’t enjoying my meal and asked if we could pay for what we’d had and leave early. The server informed me their other sushi chef was out sick. I asked why our reservation had been accepted when they did not have the capacity to serve guests regularly; especially because they allowed several walk-ins during our hour there even when the chef was already overwhelmed. Instead of offering to charge us for perhaps half the service, the server charged us a la carte prices, which caused us to pay more than what we would have for the omakase service. I was utterly floored by the price, but, attempting to be respectful and not cause a scene in a full restaurant, I paid and left, intending to return the following day and attempt to resolve the matter privately with the restaurant. I came back the next day shortly after opening. No one else was in the restaurant. I began speaking with the server, who told me she is the owner. I asked if I could receive a partial refund and thus pay for half the service instead of the very high price I was charged. The server/owner immediately became very upset with me, raising her voice and speaking to me condescendingly, insulting me, making rude gestures, and shouting. She claimed I had agreed to the price, and that she couldn’t refund me, saying I should “throw up the food,” which shocked me. I asked her to please try to lower her voice and that I didn’t appreciate the unconstructive conversation, especially since I specifically came when no one else was there to try to resolve the problem in a civil manner. I asked her to refund me a total of $56 - about a third of what we paid, for five courses - and she steadfastly refused. She claimed she is also a chef and had been helping, but she perhaps cut one thing while we were there, while the sushi chef prepared every single piece of nigiri and sashimi. Frankly, I’m floored by the way she spoke to me, and the fact that she was more willing to deal with disputing the credit card company (which I calmly mentioned I would like to do, stating that it would be my only option if we did not come to a respectful compromise) in addition to the fact that I told her I would share an honest review of my experience publicly, rather than refund an unhappy customer $56, which is not a significant amount in the grand scheme of things. This is a clear hallmark of a resentful, spiteful person. The West Village is full of wonderful omakase restaurants, many of which I have been to, and many of which cost less than this. Do yourself a favor and go to one of them. I have a strong suspicion this review will receive quite the angry response from the owner, so if you happen to see it below this review, well, that only proves my...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Kinzan Omakase, and I must say, it was a truly fantastic experience. Considering the typically high prices for Omakase in NYC, Kinzan offers an incredible value with its top-notch ingredients and impeccable service.

As a relatively new establishment, having opened just two weeks ago, Kinzan has already set a high standard for itself. From the moment I walked in, the warm and inviting ambiance made me feel at ease. The attention to detail in the decor and layout was admirable.

The Omakase journey at Kinzan was nothing short of a culinary fantasy. Each course was a masterpiece, meticulously prepared and skillfully presented. The selection of high-quality ingredients truly stood out. From the freshness of the fish to the precise balance of flavors, every bite was a delight to the senses.

What impressed me the most was the chef's expertise and passion for his craft. His mastery in creating unique combinations and showcasing the true essence of each ingredient was remarkable. He took the time to explain the dishes, sharing insights about the origin and preparation techniques, enhancing the overall dining experience.

The service staff were attentive (Thank you Mika & Kenny!!) knowledgeable, and friendly. They were always available to answer questions and ensure that every guest felt comfortable and well-cared for throughout the meal.

Overall, Kinzan Omakase exceeded my expectations in every aspect. The combination of its reasonable pricing, high-quality ingredients, skillful execution, and attentive service makes it a hidden gem in the bustling NYC culinary scene. If you're looking for a memorable and exquisite Omakase experience, I highly recommend Kinzan. It's a true testament to the passion and dedication of its...

I feel bad leaving a bad review but hopefully they take it to heart and improve. And it's possible it was a one-off.

Came here for Valentine's Day omakase, my GF and I like going to the "budget" omakase options every now and then, and this was the worst one we've been to.

The food was just super bland. The sushi rice had next to no vinegar in it so it just tasted like plain white rice. And none of the fish really stood out to us. It wasn't like fishy, spoiled or unpleasant or anything, it was just bland. We usually leave raving about a few pieces but after leaving here, we were just like "meh"

The chef we got (out of 3 or 4 working) was clearly a new chef in training (he was reading off a list, didn't know how to make a couple of the pieces/made a few of them sloppily and had to be shown by the manager etc). Not a problem, everyone has to learn somewhere and I don't expect the best sushi chefs in the world at these lower cost options, but my only problem with it was he didn't tell us what any of the pieces were. So on top of the bland food it felt a bit more impersonal. And also he didn't ask us about allergies, wasabi taste (I like extra!) etc. Which maybe could've helped with the blandness. Maybe he made the batch of rice too and that's why it wasn't good, who knows.

They have generally good reviews so maybe our experience was a one-off, not sure. Would maybe try it again one other time in like a year to see if they've improved -- but with the tons of other budget omakase spots popping up all over, it becomes hard to repeat at one that wasn't a...