Jewel Bako

Everything was amazing with the small critique that they mentioned one of our entrees came with soup or salad. We also ordered the mixed vegetable appetizer. We had been debating between soup or salad and decided on salad but then comes both. We though it was a treat. The salad was very basic - pea shoots with a spoonful of dressing. Then comes the vegetables and the exact salad is included. We get the check and see we were charged an additional $6 for the first pea shoot salad that came out. We wish they would have checked in to clarify as it should stick out to a server this is not something someone would intentionally double order. A bit of a let down for such a high end expensive place. We didn’t mention this to the servers because $6 is nothing on a $200+ bill, but it should have been more clear.

That said, the fish was so fresh, particularly the Scottish salmon was delicious and the service was lovely! Also the architecture and interior design sets a great mood. Our wine was superb as well.

Still the best omakase ive had in the city! Amazing food and nice quiet atmosphere

Some of the best sushi I’ve had in NYC. I was lucky enough to get a seat at the sushi bar, and it was amazing to see the chef and staff at work. The service was spectacular, all of the seafood was incredibly fresh, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Everything was incredible, it’s my go-to sushi place when visiting New York!

The food, the service was and continues to be absolutely amazing. The best sushi in all the tri stare area.

Excellent!!
Great food!! A very special sushi!!!

They were a little slow getting us seated, but once we were our server was very attentive and very accommodating. The food was excellent and very much worth the price we paid. I would gladly dine here again.

Uncomfortable seating

Fantastic sushi with a sushi chef who is very obviously dedicated to his craft and to customers have an enjoyable and educational meal. We’ll be returning often.

For a michelin star, We expected a lot more. Space is tiny and cramped.

Great food! Great service! Great desert!
Did I say great! We love every minute in jewel bako

Excellent food: presentation, taste, variety of choice - all were amazing. Food was fresh and is apparently flown in daily. Smaller restaurant is very cool but service was slow as waiters had too many tables to handle. Staff was friendly though. Worth the wait though for the food. Outstanding save the slow service.

The food was as anticipated (delicious and beautifully presented) and the whale-like interior skeleton of the restaurant was amazing while slightly challenging ethically - but - the service completely sucked! Zero Stars. While we'd expect a little bit of service attitude from a well appointed restaurant like JB our server was, frankly, arrogant and lacked any basic communication skills. We weren't allowed to order incrementally - we were told we had to order the entire menu including desert at the beginning. We ordered way too much as a result and our table at times resembled an LA freeway in rush hour rather than a Michelin star restaurant dining experience.

It just wasn't enjoyable.

Maybe if you are the submissive do what you are told kind of diner then this is the place for you - but JB can give us BJ for the crappy service.

Food was incredible. We did the tasting menu and everything we received was delicious. Atmosphere was great, definitely recommend to others.

Excellent sushi

The fish was very fresh and the sake delicious. However the sushi rice was not of the highest quality- it broke apart too readily which was not the quality one would hope for in such a Michelin starred restaurant

Insane experience! The owners and his staff were hands down the best restaurant staff I’ve ever had. The sushi was unreal and melted in your mouth. They treated us with so much respect and gave us royal treatment for my girlfriends birthday. This place is somewhere you need to go!

Very disappointing experience for a Michelin restaurant. Two of the three guests found fish bones, an inch in length in their sushi. All three of us had ordered the Omakase and my sister found two bones and I found one. We told the waiter but he did nothing and said OK. It’s not what I expected. I’ve never experienced bones in my sushi and sashimi in any Japanese restaurant.

Jewel Bako was a last minute choice - I needed to eat somewhere relatively finer with a very short notice.

Unfortunately, Jewel Bako managed to underperform my already-low expectations.

Upon entering the restaurant at 8:57pm for my 9pm reservation, I was asked to wait in a side room for 25 minutes before being seated for my confirmed 9pm reservation - and this is not the most underwhelming fact about this restaurant yet.

So at around 9:30pm I was finally seated in a cramped room, with me and my companion occupying a space that at most amortizes to 10 square feet at most, with a table that could hardly hold the menus.

Food served was fine - nothing was particularly appealing or appalling, but far from Michelin standards. For two persons with the omakase (which I regret getting - the food here is not that good), drinks, and tips, each of us paid $160, which was not worth the price. Sushi omakase was served on a big plate rather than individually presented. Food was not bad, but cannot adjust $160pp.

Service was better than I expected. You would expect them to not fold tablecloths in a cramped space like this - I was wrong. They made my half bottle of champagne free since it took them 15 minutes to retrieve it, which was a nice touch.

Overall, I do not recommend Jewel Bako to any serious diners. Getting a few drinks with some high quality food is a good choice, but the place is way too cramped to justify sitting down here and having the full omakase menu.

Very quiet, good for date night, delicious food, but felt like it was a bit stiff. Very quiet soft music, soft spoken staff with full suits, overly fancy. Need to find ways to make it more fun, relaxed.

Awesome night- food was phenomenal and service was wonderful! I can’t wait to go back

Waiting staff were pleasant and attentive. However, head sushi chef was very rude and managed to offend multiple parties throughout the evening.

Worth the Michelin star. Attention to detail is amazing; this isn’t your neighborhood sushi spot so no California rolls.

Only so-so, for a one Michelin star I had a bit higher expectation. My seat cushion felt like it’s been sat on for many years. I ended up sitting on my coat for some cushioning. Food was good, but quality seemed a bit lacking. Maybe if we paid up to sit at the chefs counter it would have been a much better experience.

I was excited to try Jewel Bako but was massively disappointed with the quality of the sushi. One of the worst sushi meals I’ve had in Manhattan in 20 years living here. Lighting was too bright and the server got my order completely wrong. I won’t be back.

Outstanding food and outstanding experience

Great service and atmosphere!

Fish is really tender. Great place for raw fish. Music is too loud for my taste..

Family Holiday party

Mushrooms soup not good

Top notch sushi

Our first time there. Some of the best fish I've had in NYC!

Incredible fish and seafood prepared just right, in the traditional Edo style. The service and atmosphere were wonderful. It was our second time at Jewel Bako and definitely will return for many more delightful sushi dinners. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Food was great and service was good. However, the space is SO SMALL and uncomfortable that I would not recommend it. Service staff bumps into the chairs every time they go by and I get it...the space is cramped. There is no space between tables so forget a private conversation. I wish they would consider removing tables to make it comfortable for the diners!

Had a delicious meal at Jewel Bako. I spent my birthday with friends and was given exceptional service by the staff. The food should not be missed, it’s definitely an east village jewel.

Absolutely spectacular in every way! Showing up as the restaurant opened and having a seat at the sushi counter for the Omakase menu, and interacting with the chef on a 1:1 basis was an absolutely highlight. The sushi was spectacular, the sake delectable and the service impeccable. Would highly recommend the restaurant.

The extra course we requested at the end of the meal was a bit pricey (the server should have informed us that is was a $55 per person for a single piece of sushi given the Omakase menu was $125 per person) but it did not dampen our spirits too much. Diners should just be cautious when asking for an extra course!

The food is as good as the design of the space; that is to say, excellent! We stumbled on it, looking for sushi in the area, and were impressed by the way a normally deep, narrow dining room was transformed into a stylish space using simple curves. The sushi bar and visible prep areas were also very simply but tastefully designed; extremely functional but artistic. It almost had a Danish feel to it; clean, stylish, functional. The sushi was delicious, and the sake selection was extensive. It's nice to have such good Japanese food in a neighborhood known for world-class cocktail bars.

Rushed, expensive

Very good but not sure the price is worth it.

I brought my boyfriend here for his birthday and it was the best meal we’ve ever had. The staff was attentive and fun. We sat at the sushi bar and the sushi chef was chatting with us and made the whole experience super enjoyable. This is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC.

Great sushi at affordable price compared to other Michelin star sushi spots. Wine and service was just ok.