The Office of Mr. Moto — Restaurant in New York

Pass.

Pros: Small place, nice little bar in the basement for after-dinner drinks. Waiters are friendly. They try really hard to make it some kind of “experience”. Sake pairing was pretty good, even though all the bottles were available locally, written in English, and easy to find locally or online. The friends I ate with, like any meal, made for a great time.

Cons: Sushi was mid. Out of the 20 or so dishes…aside from 2-3 pieces, it was average. One piece even had two bones left in it — which was pretty nuts b/c we spent about $1300 for 3 to have dinner. If you’re a good chef, you know how to debone fish. You would feel the fish for bones before you make and serve the sushi. They comp’d us some extra sake and apologized — but I’m like “Come on guys”.

The weirdest part was when they come around with a plate of sushi (see photo) and ask each person to pick “one”. In my head, I wanted to try them all — but no, they show all the diners the same box, people can breath all over it, and then they come back and serve you your one selection. What they do with the unselected sushi — who knows.

Scallop on a piece of nori was cooked so overdone that they should have sent whoever made that home immediately. Photo of that charred brick here.

I really wanted to like it, but the fish was just plain, not handled well, tinyyy, chewy often, and just not prepared well. I don’t need the size of Tomoe, but at least give me that level of freshness 75% of the time. Not 15% of the time. Maybe that’s why they cut the fish so small? Or is it to save $? Both?

Overall, their focus seemed to be on riding the silly hype of inventing a pretend “Mr Moto” versus actually laying out some top-tier sushi. For example, the waitress asked for everyone's attention to tell us about the chef, and that if anyone wanted more rice on their sushi, to let them know (what sushi place asks the customers how much rice they want on their sushi? sounds like they are being nice and inclusive, but the best sushi chefs would never ask this, just doesn't happen). I’m sure the investment in PR helped in the short-term, but investing in better quality fish and sushi chef will help this place actually stick around once their fake story get old (I don’t care if he just came from Japan with 50 years of experience — does he actually call, speak to, and plan meals with the buyers in the Japanese fish market like they do at Joji?)

Sorry guys — hard pass. Better off getting some toro and sake at Sunrise Market and making sushi at home with friends. Harsh, but $1300 feels like we were a part of an...

First thing is first, this restaurant experience is NOT for the following people:

Someone who appreciates authentic Japanese food ONLY. Someone who refuses to pay a premium for the atmosphere and any marketing gimmicks. Someone who cannot drink a lot of alcohol and cannot appreciate Japanese Sake. Someone who has a gluten allergy and does not like seafood because of its texture and smell.

The entire premise of the restaurant and its experience is predicated on bringing the journey of this gentleman name Mr. Moto to life on the menu as well as the atmosphere.

I felt like I was at Disney World Epcot Center and I dined at a Japanese themed restaurant for adults only.

Don’t get me wrong, the food was excellent, and the ingredients were well sourced and the presentation was beautiful.

They offer two types of sake pairing to go with your meal. One is $75 per person and the other is $115 per person. We tried the $115 sake tasting and it was definitely worth every penny. If you can hold your alcohol and can appreciate for a higher quality of refined sake then definitely go for the $115 per person selection. Otherwise honestly, you could just drink the water and you’ll still have a wonderful experience.

I believe the reason why it is really hard to get a table at this restaurant is not because its culinary repertoire. It’s because the restaurant only has 12 seats.

There seems to be a disconnect between the phenomenal service that the chefs at this restaurant give you because they are genuinely Japanese trained chefs who have a passion for serving high-quality food to its clientele and the English speaking servers. What was lacking from the waiters and waitresses was in knowledge of the history that they were trying to play on. For example, when they serve you your food, I felt like I was talking to ChatGPT. It lacked a human element of passion for the food that your serving and the history behind it. I felt like these waiters were trained by someone who gave them a book or dictionary or pamphlet and asked them to memorize the words and then just regurgitate them at us when they served each plate. I would have given them a five-star rating if the servers showed more interest and passion in the food and the origin and the ingredients that were used to make the dish to tie it all together. Another example is the servers don’t smile. And if they did try to smile,...

If you're considering a unique omakase experience at this speakeasy sushi spot, let me share my recent visit to help you decide!

Food: I appreciate the meticulous preparation and the use of unique, rare ingredients. The portions were generous, but I left feeling unsatisfied. The menu leaned heavily toward raw, slimy textures without any contrasting elements like crunch or heat. From the challenging cod milt (yes, fish reproductive organs) that was difficult to stomach, to the fatty tuna that suffered from inconsistent rice quality, the dishes felt unbalanced. The Golden Eye Snapper had distracting strings in the flesh. Overall, the meal was one-dimensional—dominated by acidity and lacking in variety. If you're hoping for a well-rounded culinary journey, you might be disappointed.

Atmosphere: The place itself is undeniably cool with its hidden entrance and intriguing décor. However, the ambiance fell flat. While the setup promised an exclusive and engaging experience, the reality was a bit sterile. There was minimal interaction or storytelling from the staff to connect us with the dishes or the culture. It felt like we were observers rather than participants, expected to quietly appreciate the chef's choices without question. If you're looking for an immersive experience with engaging narratives, this might not meet your expectations.

Service: The service was prompt and professional, but it was difficult to hear the whisper of the servers. So, when I inquired about the cod milt, the brief and clinical explanation wasn't exactly reassuring. There was a sense of haste, as if lingering questions were inconvenient.

Value: It was $630 total for two people, including a 20% tip. That means it was $433 on the night-of, after the $200 deposit. We had two glasses of chardonnay ($18/glass) and two beers ($8/glass).

Conclusion: This place might appeal to adventurous eaters who appreciate rare ingredients and a minimalist approach. However, if you're seeking a warm, engaging, and well-rounded dining experience, you might want to explore other options. I won't forget the meal, but not for the...