Kaikagetsu NYC Reviews
Submitted by Ben L on 04/11/2022
ben l 5 stars rating.
Damn. On a whim I checked and got a last minute reservation.
First off, this quaint unassuming restaurant stands out amongst the hustle bustle of the LES especially on a weekend. The service is top notch...the server was patient, polite and attentive.. What more can you ask for. He was knowledgeable on everything the restaurant was serving which is not always the case with even high end places.
3 menus... $90/120/160. You get more dishes and the better stuff with the higher end range. I'd say go for the hida beef dishes because that's their specialty here.
Side note... What is hida beef?
Hida beef is actually a variety of wagyu beef. Hida beef cattle are a breed of Japanese black cattle that have been raised in Gigu Prefecture (where Takayama is located) for at least 14 months. What sets Hida beef apart from other beef is its muscle and marbling. Some say that this comes from the fresh, clean air and pristine waters of the Gifu region. Whatever the reason, it results in beautifully tender meat.
Their menu rotates with every season but a constant would be the Hida beef. My attached photos would be the appetizer (eggplant, scallops, sea bream), a sashimi plate (king salmon, fatty Tuna, blue fin tuna, some fancy shrimp, and a type of white fish), miso gratin sea urchin in a half shell, tofu dumpling with sea bream in a dashi broth, the main courses would be a nabe pot (hot pot) with hida beef. The 2 ways of prep would be as a sukiyaki or as a shabu shabu dish. The sukiyaki would be more flavorful... I'd suggest get one of each so you can compare. And lastly, hida beef prepped as sushi over rice in 3 ways. Radish topping, uni topping and the walnut reduction. Take note of contrasting flavors with the hida beef as you sample each one.
All in all... A wonderful experience and well worth the prices. The one thing that I found uninspiring would be the dessert. I mean it wasn't bad... But after the extraordinary meal it seemed very ordinary. I'll definitely check it out as the menu changes again.
Momoneko Hwang 5 stars rating.
Very good deal to have traditional Japanese Kaiseki in lower east side. There were two options on the menu, one with wagyu one with out ($85 only, but one dishes less than the other).
Definitely will visit here in the future.
Submitted by Momoneko Hwang on 07/04/2022
Brittany L 5 stars rating.
Great place for a Japanese set menu with a variety of noodles, meat and fish. Amazing service was provided throughout the meal. It’s a bit pricey but thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Submitted by Brittany L on 07/03/2022
Derek Mushro 5 stars rating.
Did the $130 course dinner. So good and reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. Sad I forgot to take a picture of the waygu nigiri. One of my faves. The staff were also great ????
Submitted by Derek Mushro on 01/07/2022
Stanley L 5 stars rating.
A definitely recommended and most original Japanese Kaiseiki restaurant!
This restaurant changes their menu every season, but it always have Hida beef in the set (one of the most famous beef from Japan).
I would recommend to try their set with Sukiyaki and Beef sushi for the first time. It’s super delicate and delicious.
The beef would literally melt in your mouth, which is a super special experience.
The service here is also overwhelming. They add water almost every minute, pull chair for you, introducing every dish in details, and fulfills almost all of your needs.
To be mentioned, the set is usually around 90 - 135, which is pricy but definitely worth it!
A hidden gem in the east village, really recommended!
Submitted by Stanley L on 11/22/2021
Ziva C. W 5 stars rating.
I had the 6 courses one, which the price is reasonable to me for this quality of foods! And their serve is great, the restaurant is very clean too. I really love their appetizers and the rice dumpling with great fish broth! The beef sushi and sashimis are one of the best in town as well! The only thing I’m little picky about is their sukiyaki, I personally don’t eat much salty things so I think their broth was little salty to me, but everything else is really good! I would recommend others and surely will come again :)
Submitted by Ziva C. W on 09/27/2021
Javier Kohen 5 stars rating.
This was an amazing fine dining experience, Japanese style. Tons of attention to detail, balanced compositions, rare ingredients, and still affordable. Every course was a trip, designed for maximum enjoyment. It's unbelievable that only two people were working the house, one in the kitchen and one in the frontend. I'm excited to go back and try a different seasonal menu.
Submitted by Javier Kohen on 09/26/2021
Cary LO 5 stars rating.
I would give them 10 stars if I could. It’s so far the best meal I have this year. The quality of food was insanely good considering it’s just $115 or $80 per person ($115 sounds expensive but the ingredient itself probably worth that much already). The service was top notch - very attentive server, extremely knowledgeable with the food, very polite and dress so properly. I love everything about this restaurant. I would recommend it to everyone foodies.
Submitted by Cary Lo on 09/16/2021
Judy Chau 5 stars rating.
Had their 5 course omakase with an upgrade. Ohmigod. Fish is so insanely fresh and their service is top notch. Everything was well represented and there’s only one person/manager who handles all the patrons. The place is very romantic and quiet so you get a ton of service. Best of all it’s right next door to insomnia cookie. Lol! The Waygu beef melts in your mouth. I had raw waygu beef sushi and the host explained all our dishes and pieces to us and gave recommendations on how it should be eaten. The bathroom is beautiful and I’m obsessed with their aesop hand soap. I liked it so much I was googling where I can buy the same hand soap. What a great chance in a lifetime experience. Thank you! Fantastic food and service.
Submitted by Judy Chau on 08/21/2021
Grace C Zhou 5 stars rating.
Had a great experience here. The service was amazing, our server was very attentive the whole time and explained the dishes very well. All the food was well presented and tasted fantastic. Definitely worth a visit
Submitted by Grace C Zhou on 08/09/2021
