Koi Omakase — Restaurant in New York

I have been to Koi Omakase more than a few times now, and up until now it has been a nice experience, with affordable omakase and a nice atmosphere. I came here to celebrate my birthday and have recommended the restaurant to my friends. However, I am hesitant to return after my experience last night.

Koi is currently doing a promotional BOGO omakase for $69. My partner and I reserved a 7PM slot yesterday. Upon arriving around 6:55, my partner went to the bathroom and the chef already began serving the pieces, despite it being before 7:00 and my partner not at his seat. Fine, not a big deal.

But then, it felt as if the chef was giving us our pieces intentionally fast. I’m not sure if it was because he wanted to get it done quickly, or if they needed to clear our seats before a certain time, but the end of our 13 course dinner, (advertised to last around 60 minutes) was FINISHED by 7:10PM. I checked and confirmed the time with my partner. We even tried to slow down and leave our pieces on the serving plate in order to chat and eat at a reasonable pace, but the chef would then place the next piece next to the existing piece on the plate and walk away to begin preparing the next piece.

There was no menu or list of items for the 13 courses, and so unless you’re writing them down, it can be hard to keep track. When the chef told us that we had reached our final piece of the set, I had said to him, “Oh that was the last one? I thought this was meant to be around an hour long dinner.” Keep in mind, it had been exactly 10 minutes. The chef just walked away.

I do not expect the highest quality food and service for such an affordable omakase, but I do think that the service we received made for an unnecessarily uncomfortable experience. If I had come for a special occasion, which I have before, I would have been even more disappointed.

I spoke to the manager afterwards, and while she was very apologetic and nice (and offered us free juices), her explanation was just that it was really busy. I understand that it was the first day of the BOGO promo and how busy restaurants can be stressful, as I’ve worked in many restaurants before. However, I’m not sure if that is an adequate explanation for the chef’s lack of regard for the customer in this instance. There were 2-3 other chefs working, and we were one of his few parties that he was serving. At least 2-3 minutes in between pieces does not seem like a big ask from an omakase restaurant.

I’ve read a handful of other reviews mentioning rushed service as well, and so I hope Koi Omakase takes this feedback into account...

If you're looking for a top-notch omakase experience in NYC that won’t break the bank, Koi Omakase is a must-try. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted by a sleek, modern vibe that sets the stage for an unforgettable meal.

Each dish was crafted with care and precision, showcasing an impressive selection of nigiri and hand rolls. The fish was incredibly fresh, with delicate flavors that really let each piece shine. The balance of textures—from the melt-in-your-mouth tuna to the firm, satisfying salmon—was spot on.

The meal included a miso soup, which was rich and comforting without being overly salty. As for the dessert, it was a sweet and light end to the meal that left us feeling satisfied but not overly stuffed.

One of the best parts of Koi Omakase, though, is the unlimited sake. It’s rare to find an omakase that offers this kind of value without compromising quality. The sake was smooth and crisp, pairing well with the variety of fish and helping to enhance the overall experience.

Overall, Koi Omakase strikes the perfect balance between quality, price, and atmosphere. The service was friendly and attentive, and the pacing of the meal was ideal—never rushed, but never dragging on. This spot is definitely on my list of places to return to. Highly recommend for anyone craving a high-end sushi experience at a...

(3.5/5) trying to eat our way through all of the under $100 omakase spots in NYC. koi was my first omakase spot in brooklyn, though it's very conveniently located near the barclay's center / atlantic terminal.

for $69, you get an 18-course meal + unlimited sake which is an amazing deal! the 18-courses are made up of 15 nigiri, botan ebi atama miso soup, temaki hand roll, and a koi special dessert which, in our case, was matcha ice cream with red bean. one seating is for 75 minutes.

we booked a reservation for 1:00 pm on a saturday and after being seated, we were quickly served water and the start of our complimentary sake (the house sake was actually very easy to drink and quite light). the sushi chefs continued prepping the fish, and we waited about 15-20 minutes before the first piece was served. not sure if that's typical, but the wait felt particularly long since we were so hungry!

the pieces of fish on each nigiri were of a good size; however, the flavors were a bit monotonous and the chef went a bit heavy-handed with the wasabi. multiple people at the counter requested that they get less wasabi on their pieces (not sure if it was because of the quality of the wasabi that made it feel stronger or if the pieces actually had too much on it).

all in all, you get a good deal for the price...