Award-winning

Tempura Matsui

Name: Tempura Matsui
Address: 222 East 39th Street, New York, NY, United States, 10016
Telephone: (212) 986-8885
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 5

5.0

565 Reviews

$50 and over

Japanese

Top Tags:

Welcome to Tempura Matsui ---A Michelin One Star--
Tempura Matsui invites you to experience the fine art of cooking tempura. Within a serene setting, guests have a seat at our counter or tables and can view the delicate preparation of lightly frying fresh fish and vegetables.
We only serve Omakase Dinner Course for $280 per person at 2 specific times Tuesdays through Saturdays between 5:30PM and 8PM.
Also, we serve a Lunch Course for $160 per person at 12 noon only on Fridays and Saturdays.
Open irregularly on Sundays.
Tempura Matsui is designed to emulate a Japanese cottage with warm woods, slate floors. A five-seat bar allows guests to wait for their seats while enjoying a glass of wine, sake, cocktail, or beer.
You may make a reservation one month ahead and any cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the reservation to avoid a $100 charge per person.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 9, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 12 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Japanese Speciality
Hours of operation
Lunch Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:30 pm–8:00 pm
Phone number
(212) 986-8885
Website
https://www.tempuramatsui.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Koichi Endo
Private party contact
Sayuri Shiroma: (212) 986-8885

Location
222 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN 1 Star 2022
Neighborhood
Midtown East
Cross street
Tunnel Exit St.
Parking details
None
Public transit
Grand Central-42st [4,5,6], 33st [6]
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 565 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

5.0

5 based on recent ratings

5Food
5Service
4.9Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

New York / Tri-State Area
Best Overall
New York / Tri-State Area
Best Food
New York / Tri-State Area
Best Service
New York / Tri-State Area
Japanese
Manhattan
Best Overall
Manhattan
Best Food
Manhattan
Best Service
Manhattan
Best Ambiance
Manhattan
Japanese

565 Reviews

MP
MichaelP
Chicago
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have dined here many times. The service is always impeccable. The food is amazing. This is not a tempura restaurant but it is an experience.
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d
davidl
Pittsburgh
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is the 1st time I have ever written a post but I had to as this place is worth ever penny! What an experience
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I
Intownforfood
New York Area
67 reviews
vip
5.0
67 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Excellent tempura. The batter was light and flavorful and the ingredients are fresh and high quality. Especially enjoyed the shrimps and the veggies. Wonderful service, attentive but not overbearing. The only drawback of the evening was not due to the restaurant but the rather loud guest sitting on the other side of the counter. Everyone else seems to converse normally with no problems.
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HC
HongC
New York Area
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the set lunch and the food is fantastic, as well as the service. We accompanied the dishes with hot Sakes and they are themsleves very deliscious and go well with the food. Definitely will come back for the experience.
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P
Paolo
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely delighted and completely unsurprised that they have retained their Michelin star. Who knew that a tempura master and his incredible team could supplant a therapist and be one’s happy place. 👌
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JR
JRMora
Greater Boston
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Second time dining here; now with my family. By far the best tempura place we had visited in the US. Only a tempura place we visited in Japan compared; yet I liked more Matsui as it had a more balanced omakase experience. The hardest part is that any other omakase will likely feel inferior and ‘oily’. The dinner omakase menu at $280 per person is certainly expensive (not tip or drinks included in the price; tea is included though), even compared to other top omakase places. Still, a great experience to enjoy. Highly recommend!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Wonderful service, excellent tempura. Highly recommend. Not for every day but we will definitely be back!
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CV
CarrieV
Chicago
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My first Tempura Omakase. It was an excellent experience. I was worried about too much fried food but portions were perfect. Timing of each course was perfect. Service was informative and friendly. They guided me through each course giving as much or as little as I needed. I highly recommend and would return.
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MM
MMMM
Dallas
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 29, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Unique experience. Highly recommend. They did a wonderful job accommodating a vegetarian in our party.
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A
Asoms
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 28, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Incredible meal, memorable experience! Thanks to the whole team.
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RM
RMPJ
Philadelphia
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Tempura Matsui is a must-go for those that enjoy learning about Japanese food the way it should be. You won't get a better tempura omakase anywhere else, except flying to Tokyo !
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CS
CorgiSamurai
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 21, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Regular customer here, nothing short of amazing. Highly recommend.
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S
Suzy
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 21, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We went for the wedding anniversary. Traditional, very sensitive and creative for each dishes and the chief always cook and serve them perfect timing for each guests. Hospitality was also outstanding and you can enjoy whole Japanese experiences.
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m
mtltobos
Las Vegas
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on October 21, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic food and service, one of the best restaurants I’ve tried
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 20, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food, very thin crust on the tempuras, all served fresh out of fry right in front of you. Outstanding service from the staff!
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l
lare
Las Vegas
38 reviews
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This place is amazing. Service was incredible and fun. The most traditional tempura in the US. It is a lot of food, do not eat lunch if you're going for dinner. This is a premier restaurant in the city, highly recommended.
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P
Pefuti
Miami
56 reviews
vip
5.0
56 reviews
Dined on September 14, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Literally like being in Japan. Amazing food and wonderful service
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S
Siraj
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 12, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Exceptional as always. A unique experience. A hidden gem.
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SS
SamS
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience overall. Trust the Chef they know what they are doing .
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was the most beautiful birthday meal I ever had. Those were the exact words that the love of my life said after we had left Tempura Matsui and I couldn’t agree more. Some seafood that I used to not be so crazy about like scallops, uni, and squid were beyond heavenly in our lunch meal. However, the real stars of the set lunch course were the Ebi shrimp tempura pieces, the kisu (Japanese whiting fish), anago (saltwater eel), Nasu (eggplant), maitake (hen of the wood mushroom), and so many more pieces that it’s hard to highlight them all. The ambience is very homely and incredibly clean and exquisite at the same time and the service is unbeatable. Chef Matsui is an artist at what he does, so the $160 set course per person is actually a steal for lunch prix fixe - you will not leave the meal hungry like other silly expensive lunch set course meals. Tempura Matsui really shines throughout and stands out as one of the most exceptional restaurants (not just Japanese restaurants), for the fact that it isn’t pretentious at all, and the generosity in what they do is evident. I can’t even think of a better place to take someone special for their birthday. What’s more is I asked Chef and the maître d what the meaning of the shodo (calligraphy) behind the chef’s preparation and cooking area meant. He explained to me that when Tempura Matsui first opened, a highly respected calligraphy artist made it for the restaurant to wish them eternal good luck and to stay straight in the path. He said “it’s an old Chinese writing that saids to stay straight, and do not give up.” This poetry adorning their restaurant was very touching and moving to me and remains an indelible part of my memory. If there was a score beyond 5 stars or A+ I would give that rating to Tempura Matsui. It never disappoints. Please note for lunch and dinner set menus to alert the team of any allergies - we didn’t have any so we ate all of the seafood. ❤️天ぷらMatsui 大好き！
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J
Jimmy
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 23, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food with outstanding service. I didn’t come in expecting too much, but the meal was truly fantastic from start to finish. The dinner price may seem expensive, but compared to other place I’ve been to at a similar price point this restaurant feels like a steal.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 16, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent. Highly recommend. Must visit if you’re in NYC.
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t
thefoodinspector
New York Area
55 reviews
vip
5.0
55 reviews
Dined on August 11, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The absolute best tempura restaurant in America! No one else comes close! They were very accommodating to my 13M old. Eric is the man!
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GW
GordonW
New York Area
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on August 9, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic service, amazing food and a wonderful transporting experience!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It’s an absolute blessing and treat to dine at this place. The passion for food is in every bite. Well done to the team.
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FR
FRANCOISP
New York Area
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Good but over-rated. Sometime a lack of flavor. However, perfect execution and great service. The decor is now old fashion. The chinaware is basic; a visit to Kappabashi would be warranted !
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MG
MichaelG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 28, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and great service, will definitely visit again
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Miami
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and service are one of a kind, great taste and presentation, more expensive than other places
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
The appetizers / non tempura dishes are with bad quality, like those from 20 dollar sushi shop. Tempura lacks good variety and also some of them the coating is a bit too thick
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T
Tony
New York Area
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely experience. Summer menu is back and the chef pairs fish/seasonal veggies extremely well with other ingredients. Wonderful atmosphere perfect for small talks/ zen time/ date. My personal favorite has been the shrimp head which is always the 1st course, and summer menu serves 2/pp (spring had 1). Whiting fish bone was great and the finishing course of uni with perilla leave is very filling. First-class tea to pair for dessert. Already rebooked with no doubt.
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GT
GordonT
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
It's a unique experience at the counter seeing the chef's cook and time all the food coming out of the frying oil. I thought I would get tired of fried food, but they did a good job with balancing with the appetizers and non-fried dishes as well as the sauces, salts, and other additions to complement the tempura. It is a pricey experience, but it's something I think others will enjoy.
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A
Amanda
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
best tempura we've ever had in the US and comparable to japan
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MR
MichaelR
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful example of the art and soul of authentic Japanese tempura.
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P
Paolo
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 2, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always phenomenal! The food is exquisite and the service is impeccable.
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IL
IrisL
New York Area
26 reviews
vip
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was my second time and it was just as phenomenal as the first. Excellent service and the quality of the food was amazing. Love this place and can’t wait to come back.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on June 3, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Probably the best tempura I’ve ever had, but I honestly don’t need that much tempura.
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SC
SamuelC
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on June 3, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
Food was amazing, but ambiance and service could have been more intimate.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Sacramento
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 2, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and service ! Best tempura ever tried !
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on June 2, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was excellent, service was great. It’s a set menu with a lot of dishes and a lot of food. Delicious and not heavy tempura.
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MR
MichaelR
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 1, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have had many great meals all over the world. The one we had at Tempura Matsui was perhaps the best. We recently ate at the best tempura restaurant in Tokyo and Tempura Matsui was even better. The quality of the food, the preparation and pacing and orchestration oof the meal could not have been better. The fact that the wait staff explained each piece and how best to enjoy it elevated the experience. We will definitely go back.
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FAQs

Tempura Matsui is rated 5 stars by 565 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 9, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 12 times today

222 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN 1 Star 2022
Cross street
Tunnel Exit St.
Neighborhood
Midtown East
Hours of operation
Lunch Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:30 pm–8:00 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Japanese Speciality
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Public transit
Grand Central-42st [4,5,6], 33st [6]
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Koichi Endo
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.tempuramatsui.com/
Phone number
(212) 986-8885
Private party contact
Sayuri Shiroma: (212) 986-8885

Tempura Matsui

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

Matsui Omakase Course

Appetizers

Sashimi

Omakase Tempura

Shokuji

Dessert

What 565 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

How is Tempura Matsui restaurant rated?

Is Tempura Matsui currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information