Outside of Tokyo and NYC, this is the best Omakase we have found in NJ. Flavors were amazing ( although not super authentic or traditional) everything was unbelievably high quality and super fresh. The blends of flavors were outstanding. A bit pricey ($150 for 18 pcs) but will definitely be adding it to our must go to places in
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Failbaddon The Armless
Great Sushi. All the fish was very fresh and flavorful, I was particularly fond of the variety of seared belly cuts they offered. Several pieces also came in interesting combinations or with toppings that help it stand out. Expensive, but worth checking out.
Excellent experience! The food was phenomenal and the staff, extremely attentive. I did the 18 piece and went solo, booked last minute reservation as I was craving sushi but wanted the omakase experience close to home. I was a bit disappointed in the Big Mac because the beef was too chewy to swallow but still this place is highly recommend!
Phil Manez
Best sushi experience of my life, including high end Omakase in NYC and Tokyo. Every piece was a flavor bomb that was perfectly constructed. Definitely recommend going for the 18 pieces. It’s not cheap, but those last 6 pieces were the perfect finish to the meal. Additional feedback based on some conversations we overheard, this place is for true sushi people. You’re not going to find California rolls here. If you don’t like raw fish, this might not be your spot. That being said, the Wagyu pieces were incredible!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Omakase Menu
Rachel Manez
The best sushi we have ever had. Each bite was an insane flavor bomb. The fish is so fresh. The waitress/hostess was amazing and very sweet. The only thing was the music was very loud but would come back again and again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Shari A.
Finally! A high quality sushi place which specializes in omakase. Cannot believe it took me this long to get to this Essex county gem. I guess I had lost faith that there could actually be great sushi in NJ. (Admittedly I generally go to the city for my omakase fix) The chef restauranteur was there the entire time overseeing it all. We loved our seats closer to the chalk board, this spot allows you to see all the prep going into the creation of each piece. We opted for the 18 piece omakase for $150 which I thought was a fair price. The fish quality, cuts and presentation were spot on. We had only 1 piece, the hamachi which was so so. But everything else was delish. The wagyu was delish, they had the seasonal goldeneye snapper which was also lovely. They do a few cool unique preparations for the last three pieces. One is tuna with a raw quail egg topped with uni. It's a pretty amazing decadent bite. The sushi rice is yummy too. We learned by speaking with the chef/owner that this location will be converting to an all omakase place with a standard 15piece omakase which will include a handroll and dessert. This is I being done as they prepare to open a new concept place called Fat Buddha with 150 seats down the way in Caldwell. I am going to continue to patron this little hole in the wall omakase place. It is so exciting to have a spot like this less than 15 minutes from my home. No tunnel, no parking fees and no hassle of going to the city. Well done Umai. A total winner.
Brandon A.
Thank you to Alan and the other chefs for such an amazing experience.Not traditional by any means, but you can see how fresh this fish is. And if you really know, it's obvious that most of it if not all is flown over from Japan.The quality of his rice is exceptional. Ask him about his rice, there's more than meets the eye.The attention to detail on each plate is hidden if your brain and pallet aren't trained to look for it. There isn't anything that is just cut, opened, and plopped on a plate. Even the garlic....ask him about his garlic.BYOB for now. His new location will have liquor.Please go and make a reservation for the sushi bar for his Omakase experience. Get the 18 pieces, it's well worth it.Eat a light lunch so your stomach can handle each and every piece.Thanks guys for an awesome night!
Sam Walter
Incredible omakase. Wonderful service. Better than many omakase experiences in Manhattan. Atmosphere is fine but not premium, which is a contrast to the incredible food and high prices. But this place is a gem nonetheless.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Jennifer Hadley
Absolutely the best sushi I’ve ever had. I went with a friend who goes there twice a week. Absolutely delicious. Sat at the sushi bar, and every bite was exceptional ?
DONT EAT HERE IF YOU LIKE SOY SAUCE WITH SUSHI! This is the third time I have eaten here and while the fish is fresh and the rice is good, they do not put enough soy on the sushi. So this time I politely asked for soy to dip and was refused. I then asked if the chef could kindly coat some on the sushi for our omakase plates. It came back with just additional rice vinegar splashed on top. We were hungry so we ate it but all we could taste was vinegar. I showed the waitress that it was not soy sauce that was added but just vinegar. I am Japanese and have eaten sushi in Tokyo, Kyoto and all over the world. I am very familiar with real sushi chefs painting soy sauce on their pieces or using salt or uzu only and I gladly eat those well balanced pieces. But even in Japan if the customer wants extra soy or even if they want wasabi on top of what the chef has put on they do it, sometimes reluctantly but never rude about it. I never write bad restaurant reviews as sometimes places have an off night but the owner made a point to come to our table and lecture me and was so rude to me and my wife. We were expecting a wonderful evening out with good food, not to be demeaned by the owner. He did not want to hear anything I had to say and pointed to his tiny packed restaurant saying that they all like sushi his way and he did not want my business. Reminds me of a certain character serving soup on Seinfeld....NO SOY FOR ME!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jason Moser
This place deserves 10 stars. The fish quality was out of this world and the omakase was the best I've ever had. Each selection was purposely crafted and tasted exquisite. The owner /founder was there and we enjoyed great conversation and laughs with him and friends. We were made to feel right at home! We drove 1.5 hours to try it and we would likely drive double that far now that we know how good it is. GO!
Still some of not the best sushi I've ever had and that includes Nobu , Blue Ribbon. The place is always packed and for good reason. However, the waitress service is not good for a place where your paying money like that. They sit at the corner of the sushi bar on their phones waiting for their orders. No checking back on you. If your paying that price you need far better service. Also, if you're getting Omakase you are definitely treated much better than the tables. The owner pays attention to you. In a place the size of the shoebox he should be making the rounds. That said., its is a must go to place.
Marc B.
Chef Alan has hit a home run,after my second experience in an many weeks I came away with the conclusion that Umai Sushi is North Jerseys sushi Superstar! An absolute must experience.Try the Omikase program it is the freshest largest variety of flown in daily authentic Japanese fish I have found anywhere in Jersey and anything in NYC comes in at crazy prices! Outstanding service even with a packed house!Make your reservations while you can. As more people discover it will be harder to get in
Kaufman Ng
Highly recommend the omakase. The style of sushi is more fusion than your neighborhood sushi restaurant.
Yummy sushi with Vito.
Outside of Tokyo and NYC, this is the best Omakase we have found in NJ. Flavors were amazing ( although not super authentic or traditional) everything was unbelievably high quality and super fresh. The blends of flavors were outstanding. A bit pricey ($150 for 18 pcs) but will definitely be adding it to our must go to places in
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great Sushi. All the fish was very fresh and flavorful, I was particularly fond of the variety of seared belly cuts they offered. Several pieces also came in interesting combinations or with toppings that help it stand out. Expensive, but worth checking out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase Menu, Toro Tuna hr
Excellent experience! The food was phenomenal and the staff, extremely attentive. I did the 18 piece and went solo, booked last minute reservation as I was craving sushi but wanted the omakase experience close to home. I was a bit disappointed in the Big Mac because the beef was too chewy to swallow but still this place is highly recommend!
Best sushi experience of my life, including high end Omakase in NYC and Tokyo. Every piece was a flavor bomb that was perfectly constructed. Definitely recommend going for the 18 pieces. It’s not cheap, but those last 6 pieces were the perfect finish to the meal. Additional feedback based on some conversations we overheard, this place is for true sushi people. You’re not going to find California rolls here. If you don’t like raw fish, this might not be your spot. That being said, the Wagyu pieces were incredible!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Omakase Menu
The best sushi we have ever had. Each bite was an insane flavor bomb. The fish is so fresh. The waitress/hostess was amazing and very sweet. The only thing was the music was very loud but would come back again and again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Finally! A high quality sushi place which specializes in omakase. Cannot believe it took me this long to get to this Essex county gem. I guess I had lost faith that there could actually be great sushi in NJ. (Admittedly I generally go to the city for my omakase fix) The chef restauranteur was there the entire time overseeing it all. We loved our seats closer to the chalk board, this spot allows you to see all the prep going into the creation of each piece. We opted for the 18 piece omakase for $150 which I thought was a fair price. The fish quality, cuts and presentation were spot on. We had only 1 piece, the hamachi which was so so. But everything else was delish. The wagyu was delish, they had the seasonal goldeneye snapper which was also lovely. They do a few cool unique preparations for the last three pieces. One is tuna with a raw quail egg topped with uni. It's a pretty amazing decadent bite. The sushi rice is yummy too. We learned by speaking with the chef/owner that this location will be converting to an all omakase place with a standard 15piece omakase which will include a handroll and dessert. This is I being done as they prepare to open a new concept place called Fat Buddha with 150 seats down the way in Caldwell. I am going to continue to patron this little hole in the wall omakase place. It is so exciting to have a spot like this less than 15 minutes from my home. No tunnel, no parking fees and no hassle of going to the city. Well done Umai. A total winner.
Thank you to Alan and the other chefs for such an amazing experience.Not traditional by any means, but you can see how fresh this fish is. And if you really know, it's obvious that most of it if not all is flown over from Japan.The quality of his rice is exceptional. Ask him about his rice, there's more than meets the eye.The attention to detail on each plate is hidden if your brain and pallet aren't trained to look for it. There isn't anything that is just cut, opened, and plopped on a plate. Even the garlic....ask him about his garlic.BYOB for now. His new location will have liquor.Please go and make a reservation for the sushi bar for his Omakase experience. Get the 18 pieces, it's well worth it.Eat a light lunch so your stomach can handle each and every piece.Thanks guys for an awesome night!
Incredible omakase. Wonderful service. Better than many omakase experiences in Manhattan. Atmosphere is fine but not premium, which is a contrast to the incredible food and high prices. But this place is a gem nonetheless.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Absolutely the best sushi I’ve ever had. I went with a friend who goes there twice a week. Absolutely delicious. Sat at the sushi bar, and every bite was exceptional ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Restaurantji Recommends
DONT EAT HERE IF YOU LIKE SOY SAUCE WITH SUSHI! This is the third time I have eaten here and while the fish is fresh and the rice is good, they do not put enough soy on the sushi. So this time I politely asked for soy to dip and was refused. I then asked if the chef could kindly coat some on the sushi for our omakase plates. It came back with just additional rice vinegar splashed on top. We were hungry so we ate it but all we could taste was vinegar. I showed the waitress that it was not soy sauce that was added but just vinegar. I am Japanese and have eaten sushi in Tokyo, Kyoto and all over the world. I am very familiar with real sushi chefs painting soy sauce on their pieces or using salt or uzu only and I gladly eat those well balanced pieces. But even in Japan if the customer wants extra soy or even if they want wasabi on top of what the chef has put on they do it, sometimes reluctantly but never rude about it. I never write bad restaurant reviews as sometimes places have an off night but the owner made a point to come to our table and lecture me and was so rude to me and my wife. We were expecting a wonderful evening out with good food, not to be demeaned by the owner. He did not want to hear anything I had to say and pointed to his tiny packed restaurant saying that they all like sushi his way and he did not want my business. Reminds me of a certain character serving soup on Seinfeld....NO SOY FOR ME!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
This place deserves 10 stars. The fish quality was out of this world and the omakase was the best I've ever had. Each selection was purposely crafted and tasted exquisite. The owner /founder was there and we enjoyed great conversation and laughs with him and friends. We were made to feel right at home! We drove 1.5 hours to try it and we would likely drive double that far now that we know how good it is. GO!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase Menu, Kampachi, Scallop, Mackerel
Still some of not the best sushi I've ever had and that includes Nobu , Blue Ribbon. The place is always packed and for good reason. However, the waitress service is not good for a place where your paying money like that. They sit at the corner of the sushi bar on their phones waiting for their orders. No checking back on you. If your paying that price you need far better service. Also, if you're getting Omakase you are definitely treated much better than the tables. The owner pays attention to you. In a place the size of the shoebox he should be making the rounds. That said., its is a must go to place.
Chef Alan has hit a home run,after my second experience in an many weeks I came away with the conclusion that Umai Sushi is North Jerseys sushi Superstar! An absolute must experience.Try the Omikase program it is the freshest largest variety of flown in daily authentic Japanese fish I have found anywhere in Jersey and anything in NYC comes in at crazy prices! Outstanding service even with a packed house!Make your reservations while you can. As more people discover it will be harder to get in
Highly recommend the omakase. The style of sushi is more fusion than your neighborhood sushi restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5