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Sakagura, New York, NY

Sakagura

4.5
4.5
586 Reviews
$50 and over
Japanese
According to Zagat, suckers for sake swoon over the "hidden jewel" near Grand Central offering a "mind boggling" selection of rice wine "categorized by region", as well as an "understated, quiet" setting reminiscent of a "private club"; those in the know say it's "secret location" (in the basement of an office building) make it better.

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Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.


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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Izakaya, Soba
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am - 2:30pm; Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 6:00pm - 12:00am, Friday - Saturday: 6:00pm - 1:00am, Sunday: 6:00pm - 11:00pm
  • Phone number
    (212) 953-7253
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Kozo Morohashi
  • Catering
    Please email info@kioskukiosku.com for high quality bento options, perfect for office lunch meetings.
  • Private party facilities
    Please email events@sakagura.com for private dining information.

What 586 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.5
4.5 based on all time ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

586 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on July 27, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food and sake

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  2. JerseyMike

    Philadelphia

    10 reviews

    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on July 22, 2018

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    We live 100 miles from NYC and make a special trip at least twice a year to eat at Sakagura. The food is outstanding and the menu offerings are unique. The sake selection is second to none. I love that this restaurant is kind of a hidden gem and have no problem with making my reservations well in advance. I'm going to continue come back again and again!!

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 20, 2018

    overall2food5service1ambience4
    Bar service was not attentive and very unhelpful with choosing sake (surprise in a place with so many choices..)

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    1 review

    vip
    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 12, 2018

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    Service was slower than I am used to.

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  5. BBGuy

    Miami

    44 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on July 11, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Incredible flavor, excellent service, close your eyes and you’re in Tokyo. NYC Japanese gem.

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  6. rbgnyc

    New York Area

    23 reviews

    3.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on July 10, 2018

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    When it was a find, and there were few decent izakaya around NYC, Sakagura was a standout. Now, it's got stiff competition from above and below and Sakagura is good but not great. The food is very standard and decent, but there are better places with better value. Still, the sake list is a good one, although they inexplicably leave helpful guidance out such as the sake meter value (SMV) or acidity. Still, the basement location and some of the decor make you feel as if you're in a Tokyo-like setting, but that may no longer be enough.

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    Greensboro

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 6, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Best restaurant in NYC for my taste. Small plates and Sake.

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  8. LuisS

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 4, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great Ambience and great service. Quality food. Took my sister family and aunt here. Everyone loved the food and we stayed for dessert.

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  9. chuck250

    New York Area

    46 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    46 reviews

    Dined on July 3, 2018

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Second time there. Celebrating birthday. Excellent food and overwhelming choice of saki. Has that authentic restaurant look (girlfriend spent time in Japan). Not too expensive if you don't drink too much saki. Wait staff extremely helpful. Read other reviews for food choices or just order what's in red - can't go wrong.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 2, 2018

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    Very disappointed, we’ve been there before but the quality has changed, not as refined as we remembered. Everything was too salty and the presentation not inspiring. The seaweed salad was ou favorite usually and this time it was not as tasty, the beef was over cooked and way too salty. The cod was okay but too salty as well. Not the experience we were looking for.

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  11. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 30, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place

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  12. foodie001

    New York Area

    50 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    50 reviews

    Dined on June 28, 2018

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    The daily lunch specials are a great value for what you get. Anything else on the menu is another thing. I had the Kaisen don. Lots of rice with maybe 3 thin slices of fish, a cooked shrimp, raw scallop, ikura, comes with soba and pickles, for $23. I’m not sure that there was value for money there. The lunch special was the bara sushi with the soba, and pickles. The rice serving is a bit smaller which is fine. There are a lot of choices, but next time I’ll stick with the lunch special.

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  13. Amir

    New York Area

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on June 26, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Absolutely delicious Japanese cuisine and phenomenal service! Hard to get a reservation for the restaurant but it's well worth it 😇☺.

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  14. BennysDad

    New York Area

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on June 26, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Greeted by name, speedy transition from entrance to table, delicious food that takes me right back to Tokyo, superb service by Marcia and her colleagues. This is my go-to restaurant for casual Japanese dining. Tenzaru is my favorite summer meal and this is just like my Japanese mother used to make. The tempura is delicately flaky and crunchy. The cold soba is has just the right mouth feel. I can't say enough good things about this wonderful establishment. I have been patronizing it for nearly 20 years.

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  15. lovingmama

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 20, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Cool, subterranean sake den that serves good food at lunchtime. Reasonably-priced Japanese w/ a selection of soba, donburi, and appetizers. Can’t go wrong. Feels like a secret hideaway.

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  16. TradingCoyote

    London

    5 reviews

    2.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on June 18, 2018

    overall2food3service2ambience2
    L’expérience a commencé par un mauvais accueil à la réception. Ensuite on nous a placé à une table dans le couloir proche de la porte de la cuisine alors qu’il y avait d’autres places. Les plats étaient sans goût et clairement pas à la hauteur de ce que l’on pouvait attendre d’un restaurant japonais aussi cher. Je n’y retournerai pas c’est sûr.

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  17. Kenchan

    New York Area

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on June 15, 2018

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    日本の居酒屋と殆ど同じレベルの料理が出て来ます。

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  18. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 15, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food was great. Good experience.

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  19. TrimaineB

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 9, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Very good experience, high quality and authentic. Price point actually was not bad when you consider the value of what you get from having the experience at Sakagura. Will come again.

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on June 8, 2018

    overall5food4service4ambience5
    great sake bar that stays true to its concept. bravo bon yagi!

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  21. NneyaR

    New York Area

    123 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    123 reviews

    Dined on June 7, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Good food, great for a date. Will definitely go again.

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  22. PAUL

    New York Area

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on June 5, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We often get together at Sakagura because the food is creative and excellent, the sake list extensive, the service attentive and knowledgeable and the price very fair for high quality.

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  23. anonymousA

    New York Area

    26 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on June 4, 2018

    overall4food5service4ambience5
    More high-end, but as someone's who's been to Japan, I was very happy with the quality and authenticity of the food. Extensive sake menu!

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  24. VickyS

    Toronto

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on June 1, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful experience and super cool restaurant. Management even came to personally wish me a happy birthday. Food was fantastic.

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  25. FreddyM

    Baltimore

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 31, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great ambience, food was amazing! Very cool spot

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  26. MrPharmacist

    New Orleans

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 23, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    What can I say? It's been here since the 1990s. Their bathrooms are giant sake vats. It's an institution!

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  27. LENOU

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2018

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    unfortunately they offer a lunch menu with a very attractive price but only 100 menus are prepared, no more, if you are the 101, you have to choose Something more expensive.

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  28. TomC

    Philadelphia

    8 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 11, 2018

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Great experience wait staff was very attentive. Waiter made recommendations and they were spot on. Sake recommendations were also exceptional!

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  29. Tigger

    Orange County

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on May 10, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    You never disappoint at their food and service. We had a great lunch!

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  30. CC57

    Los Angeles

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing how so many people find their way to this basement izakaya. There are so many sake and food selections. For four people we spent pretip $192: 4 beers, 1/2 bottle of sake, and 12 items. Every dish was prepared to perfection; authentic. Don’t miss ordering the ebi stick!

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  31. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2018

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    I haven’t been in a real Japanese restaurant in many years since my favorite spot closed decades ago. Sake listing is to die for!

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  32. SamO

    New York Area

    12 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2018

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Nice selection of interesting foods. Was a little steamy downstairs. Probably better in a colder day.

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  33. YummE

    New York Area

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on May 4, 2018

    overall5food5service3ambience3
    Unbelievable food at normal prices, but the very expensive sake list makes dining there very pricey if you have more than a glass or two.

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  34. TroyP

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always very good and authentic food at Sakagura and the lunch special is a great deal.

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  35. singaporesling

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2018

    overall3food4service4ambience3
    Guy who led us to our table was officious and unfriendly. We ordered two appetizers, and they were each only 3 spoonfuls, barely a taste for the four of us. Our sashimi moriawase was skimpy and had only one small helping of radish slivers. Most sashimi moriawase for 4 has many helpings of daikon. Compared to the moriawase which was served to the table next to us, the sashimi pieces were thin; the presentation was different and skimpy; the servings were generally surprisingly miniscule. We ended up having to order way more than at other Japanese restaurants.

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  36. EfrainP

    New York Area

    24 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2018

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Service was Tops

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  37. KojiH

    New York Area

    28 reviews

    4.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on April 27, 2018

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    Overall the experience was pretty good despite of the slow service. Food was decent (I had tempura don) and the price was reasonable ($18?) for midtown. I would recommend for my friend.

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  38. Leandro

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 27, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    A little piece of Tokyo in the middle of Manhattan. Simply outstanding.

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  39. Winterlight

    New York Area

    11 reviews

    3.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on April 26, 2018

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    Not as great as I have expected based on the raving reviews. The best was the sea urchin noodle. Stay away from the specials which were mediocre and over priced. Stay with the classics.

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  40. JodiG

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fantastic food and sake selection! A hidden gem in the basement ...

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FAQs

Sakagura is rated 4.5 stars by 586 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.


Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for Sakagura

211 East 43rd Street, Basement, New York, NY 10017

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
  • Neighborhood
    Midtown East
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am - 2:30pm; Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 6:00pm - 12:00am, Friday - Saturday: 6:00pm - 1:00am, Sunday: 6:00pm - 11:00pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Izakaya, Soba
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    4,5,6,7 Trains to Grand Central Station
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Kozo Morohashi
  • Additional
    Beer, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking
  • Phone number
    (212) 953-7253
  • Catering
    Please email info@kioskukiosku.com for high quality bento options, perfect for office lunch meetings.
  • Private party facilities
    Please email events@sakagura.com for private dining information.
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