Ozakaya — Restaurant in New York

Ozakaya, my top favorite Japanese spot near Prospect Park, brings Tokyo’s Tsujihan style famous luxury seafood bowl to NYC. It was a showstopping moment when they brought it to our table–so gorgeous!

I can confidently say, no matter what you choose off the menu, it’s going to be incredible every single time. My personal favorites are Ozakaya Donburi Set, Kaishin Don, A5 Wagyu Shabu Shabu, and Yakiniku Don.

＊Ozakaya Donburi Set $39 It was built like a jewel box stacked with fresh cuts of tuna, ikura, salmon, uni (if you add a few dollars more), and raw egg. Remember to ask for a pour-over broth at the end to transform the last few bites into an ochazuke. The broth actually tasted so flavorful that I couldn’t stop eating even though I was very full!

＊Yakiniku Don $25 SO DELICIOUS. They elevated the simplest gyudon to a whole new level. It was topped with a generous amount of sliced ribeye over rice with japanese BBQ sauce.

＊Mentaiko Croquettes $12 A must get for mentaiko lovers. They plopped a generous amount of mentaiko mayo, and the rich scallop cream literally oozed out when I had a bite!

＊Ocean’s Lover Roll $21 ＊Miyazaki Wagyu Roll $39 ＊Salmon Ceviche $22 We also shared sushi rolls and an appetizer. The fresh sashimi truly stood out. My bf particularly enjoyed the wagyu roll, which was rich with truffle and mushroom flavors. However, I found it a bit pricey for what it was.

＊Peach Sparkling $18 Tasty but too overpriced for a non-alcoholic drink.

I’ve had my eye on Ozakaya for a while—especially for their luxurious chirashi bowl. I got to try most of their Spring Special menu, and everything exceeded my already sky-high expectations.

While the prices are on the higher side, the quality of their sashimi and wagyu rivals what you can find at an omakase spot. There were also quite many Japanese customers dining in.

＊Kaishin Don $37 ** If you can only pick one dish at Ozakaya, go for the kaishin don. The portion looked small but it was packed with hokkaido uni, ikura, and minced toro. Everything was so fresh I didn’t even need soy sauce. I loved that you can make hand rolls with nori.

＊Miso Black Cod $26 ** Well-marinated and tender with a buttery texture. There were a few small bones, but they didn’t affect how much I loved it. Easily my fav after the kaishin don.

＊Ozakaya Mini Omakase $69 I have to admit I can’t resist when food is served in mini chirashi bowls that look like little treasure boxes. Every piece of sashimi was buttery, esp the toro and yellowtail. The set included uni, toro, and lean tuna. My only minor gripe was the cucumber maki roll, which felt a bit out of place alongside the premium nigiri.

＊A5 Wagyu Kami Nabe $45 * They recommended cooking the A5 wagyu for just 7 seconds to get that perfect medium rare. The soup was packed with umami and came with veggies, tofu, and mushrooms that soaked up all the flavor.

＊Wagyu Hot Stone $59 It was fun to grill the wagyu on a hot stone. The wagyu was fattier than that from nabe with a richer marbling, enjoyed with wasabi, sea salt, yuzu kosho seasoning and rice. It was indulgent, though the fattiness did get a bit heavy after a few bites.

＊Sake Kani Roll $25 This seasonal roll was a medley of flavors and textures: ikura, salmon, tempura shrimp, and...

The service provided by Lonk and his colleagues were amazing, for they were all very friendly, quick, and attuned! The interior design is also very warm and elegant, with my only complaint is that our table was very close in proximity to the diners on both sides of us; easy fix though!

Now onto the food:

Kani Miso Set: 2.5/5 - A very aesthetically pleasing and unique dish. Unfortunately, the flavor was on the bland side. We tried to remedy it by adding some salt, but the minuscule amount of crab made it hard for us to savor the dish further. For 32 dollars, this dish simply wasn't worth it. However, I believe this can be easily adjusted, by either adding a few more pieces of crab so there's more bite to the dish, or lowering the price for it seems more appropriate if its priced in its low to mid 20s.

Ribeye special: 2/5 - This too was also unfortunately disappointing, for the meat was overly marinated where despite pairing the steak with rice, it was still overwhelmingly salty. What hurt the most was that even though the steak was cooked PERFECTLY medium rare, the fact that it was overly salty sadly ruined it. Lonk was kind enough to replace the dish, and we sincerely appreciate his understanding and friendliness!

Yakiniku don: 4/5 - this was extremely flavorful, which seems consistently congruent with other diners' experience! The sauce is a bit on the sweeter side, but that's just my personal preference! Size and quality was definitely more appropriate for its price!

Uni Ikura don: 2/5 - I think it's important to show it's actual size when taking pictures, so I deliberately paired my picture next to a salt bottle, for sometimes the photos can be misleading in regard to its proportions. The ingredients were very fresh, which is a plus, but the quantity did not match the price. Once again, easy fix by either adjusting the quantity or the price!

Mentai Pasta: 4.5/5 - Now this is how you make mentaiko pasta! It's so incredibly creamy and thick but without it being overly rich! Highly recommend this dish! The only thing I would change is to change it from overly crispy bacon to soft bacon, for the overly crisped bacon were quite hard, which didn't pair that great with the soft creamy nature of the pasta.

Matcha strawberry milk: 1.5/5 - Unfortunately this drink was a miss for us, for the strawberry puree completely overpowered the matcha where we couldn't even taste a bit of the matcha at all. The 9 dollar price tag is also quite steep.

Overall we had a good experience (3.5 stars total); I truly believe Ozakaya can improve and easily fix the issues I highlighted! There is so much potential and I can only foresee Ozakaya to continue to grow and become even more amazing! Will definitely be coming back to try their expansive menu and I look forward to giving Ozakaya a perfect score one day soon!

Thank you for reading and...

*5/5 with a side of “Holy sht, did I just find paradise?”

So, picture this: I waltz, pranced, tworked into a restaurant totally unprepared for what’s about to hit my taste buds. It’s like I stumbled upon a hidden treasure! This place knows what they’re doing, and trust me, it shows.

**Service: From the moment we sat down, I felt like I was crashing a family reunion—one where everyone just happens to be super attentive and there was no family drama. The place was lively, but the waitstaff treated us like royalty, like they were still paying off their student loans and they were in debt to us. 🤣 Seriously though, no complaints here. You’ll leave feeling like you just joined their crew. Super kind, extremely friendly and oh-so-attentive!

**Drinks: We kicked things off with an Ozakaya Old Fashioned and an Ozakaya Mule. The Mule was like sunshine in a glass—light, refreshing, and an absolute must on a hot summer day. Now, let’s talk about the Old Fashioned. I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to this classic, but let me tell you, it was nearly flawless! Arriving in a smoke-infused casing, when they lifted the lid, the smoke swirled out like some sexy mist. TMI? Maybe, but it was divine! Not too sweet, just the right kick of liquor, and that smoky aroma? Oh my goodness! Now, a tiny hiccup occurred when I ordered a second round. It wasn’t as balanced as the first—too much bitters and a bit too smoky for my taste. Still tasty, but it lost some of that initial magic for me.

**Food: Disclaimer: I know this spot is famous for sushi, but my partner and I were on a ramen quest, and boy did we hit the jackpot. We went for the Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen, and it was nothing short of a flavor symphony! Creamy, delicate, and perfectly spiced, I was blown away. But then came the Shoyu Truffle Ramen. Sweet baby Jesus! One sip, and I was ready to track down the chef and make them my bestie. I was practically doing cartwheels! This dish is a must-try. I’m not even kidding—I almost cried it was that good! A solid 10/10, definitely one of the best ramens I’ve ever had. Please go, because you’ll love it.

So, once again, I’m giving this place a solid 5/5 stars! I absolutely love that I’m still discovering amazing gems in New York, and this one will be listed as one of my favorite restaurants for...