Let me talk about this place....we came here on Friday the 13th. which also happened to be my birthday. Geez...with the superstitions, come at me. Anyway, I had bookmarked this restaurant since it opened about a year and a half ago so my husband made reservations for us to dine-in tonight. Little did we know, the frenzy surrounding coronavirus provided us a dining experience like no other. Let me explain. We were THE.ONLY. diners in there. It was our first time visiting, so we were new to the idea of signing for fishing licenses and how to properly hook, and reel a tank full of fish. Selecting the fish out in such capacity places extreme guilt over me so I passed on the opportunity. First up was my middle child and as moments pass without him being able to choose a fish, I stepped in to guide him. Very shortly he was noticeably disturbed and hands me the reel because he doesn't want the onus on him for "chopping off the fish head" as my children quite frankly put it. I hook the stripe bass, everyone cheers and we crowd around to take a picture of the catch. Cool concept. Very disturbing -for the animal lover in me. But kids enjoyed the experience. Worth it, right?? Not sure. Then my youngest catches the rainbow trout, my younger daughter also catches a rainbow trout then my oldest son catches the flounder. Each time a grand celebration of cheers and photos. The fish are brought in weekly from Canada, Virginia and the staff are very helpful and knowledgeable always quickly stepping in to scoop with a net to minimize further pain to the fish. Upon sitting down to our table we are presented with a congratulatory Congo drum roll as we clap along. Funny but cool. Since the fish are prepared after we catch them and we have to decide on how to prepare them we had a bit of a wait. Not too long because we were the only ones there. Each fish can be prepared two ways and you select from a gallery of images. Remember though, they do have last call at 10pm. We walked in about 9pm so maybe that attributed to the rush. All in all, our dinner experience was something to look back on. My husband boasted of a memorable birthday...right down to the milk bar cookie crumble rainbow cake I casually eyed at Harvard square the weekend before. Noooo, he did not fly out to pick it up. He found a milk bar in the city....and ordered it for early pick up on the day of. Honestly, I felt a bit awkward to keep the staff at the restaurant to serve us. I also got the impression we were rushed to figure out how to prepare our catch. Our rice bowls had hair (the questionable kind) in them....I didn't bring it up with the kids but my husband was grossed out. We just refrained from allowing anyone to eat anymore of it. Four stars because when do you ever have the entire Zauo restaurant to yourselves?!? They assessed a $10 cake charge and we cut and served the cake ourselves. Very enjoyable experience and it certainly was an exceptional and memorable visit! Next stop, we went to visit Milkbar. Of course.
New School Piano Where Students Become Musicians
Very interesting idea! You actually fish for your dinner! As to be expected in New York City for a novel dinner idea it is a little bit pricey but definitely worth a special event occasion. Dinner for 4 cost $185 plus tip. I think we had four waiters... Slightly disorganized but their intentions were wonderful give it a try
E Resnick
Very cool atmosphere. If you're looking for a quiet Japanese dining experience this isn't the place! After customers catch a fish they beat the drums very loudly. Best to go with friends or a group of people. Even a lively date would work! It is still possible to hear your friends talking. The service was very kind and very enthusiastic. They were even able to answer some questions I had about the fish in more detail. Must try the agedashi tofu. An incredible consistency that you just must try for yourself.All of the dishes are on the smaller side but are packed full of flavor. It's worth fishing too, but if you're on a budget the a la carte dishes were tasty as well. Nothing I didn't like!Only issue was that we while we were celebrating a birthday and a friend ordered a desert for herself and they brought to share for the group as a b-day courtesy it appeared at first and then charged us for it.
Annie Wu
Zauo fishing restaurant took almost a year to open its door in NYC. Pretty cool experience to fishing inside the restaurant. They have a variety of fishes to catch, plus abalone, lobster, and crabs. All seafood are fresh and live. Interestingly you need to sign a waiver form before you can fish inside the fish tanks and I think it’s an unusual practice in US. Overall the food quality are great, the fried octopus, grilled salmon belly, fried chicken Japanese style, the truffle chawanmushi are excellent tastes. The live fishes and seafood are a bit pricey but fair enough to have a large group to go together and share the cost. Most of the desserts are ice creams and sobert, the yuzu shiso sobert is taste so fresh, especially you had all mixed seafood as dinner!
Stela Lungu
Great experience!
Emily R.
My husband took me here for a surprise dinner on one of our monthly date nights & surprise I certainly was! This is just such a fun and interesting way to have dinner! Catching our own fish was a great experience (despite how easy they made it for us) and I think it's important for people to consider where the food they eat comes from. Well that night my food came from the end of my little fishing pole! They give you ponchos and plastic gloves to keep your clothes from getting wet if your (or a neighbor's) fish gets feisty. Part of me struggled with whether this was particularly humane and if there wasn't another option to having disposable ponchos/gloves. I do wish that they would put the caught fish into another container of water to cut down on the amount of air they're suffocating in. This is why I docked a star. Regardless of my moral struggle, I still enjoyed myself thoroughly and best of all... the fish was REALLY good. We just got a small trout grilled simply with some rice. It was beautifully cooked, the daikon, gari, sauce and seaweed that came with it went really nicely. We also got some spicy rolls & kara-age which were delicious! I got that deviled egg with uni off the menu, bc i love deviled eggs and uni - but unfortunately I think the execution wasn't great. I was hoping for more creamy egg yolk to compliment the rich creamy uni, but they had kind of a crumbly yolk mixed with cucumber. I couldn't really taste the uni and it was a massive shame. Especially since it was so expensive. Don't tell my husband I didn't enjoy that app... The service was fiiiine.... but I think it could have been better. The folks helping with the fishing were nice, but def running around. For some reason we had like 3 different staff give us updates on our food which was a bit strange. Maybe they were severely under staffed that day and were trying to support each others tables? idk. Anyway, GREAT place to bring kids or groups of people. TL;DR: Recommended to those who love super fresh seafood & can negotiate the murky waters of ethical fish treatment enough to enjoy delicious fish.
Stephanie Z.
Came here for the fishing experience but the food also turned out to be fantastic! The staff was super friendly and helpful in answering our questions about the fishing process. She also helped recommend the size and cooking style according to our preferences. We got the medium size rainbow trout and had it cooked in tempura style and simmered with soy sauce. Both tasted fresh and yummy! The surprise, however, was the Tori Karage because the chicken was super juicy and the sauces they provided (tartar sauce, spicy mayo, curry salt) were perfect for the dish. Would definitely come back!
Maria I.
Really enjoyed the experience here! My fiance and I went for his birthday on a Monday night. Given the day, there were only a few other customers there so we received really great service - each staff was very thorough in explaining how to fish, how it can be cooked, what they recommend, etc. My fiance fished for the striped bass and was able to catch one within minutes! There was another couple that struggled a bit... took about 40min. You can ask the staff to just catch you one if you are struggling but they didn't give up! We got our striped bass cooked two ways - with soy sauce and then as shabu shabu. We also got the uni deviled eggs, mentai ika and pork belly. Everything was delicious (and as someone who is Japanese, I can confirm it tasted like home). I do think it's a bit on the pricey side, I'd want to come back for another special occasion, maybe as a group next time!
Dawn Q.
Came here with a group on a Tuesday night - the place was pretty dead but I imagine it's busier on the weekends. The restaurant itself is two levels with a fishing tank running through the middle of the space. We were seated upstairs which was a fun vantage point to observe other people fishing. Our waitress was helpful explaining the menu choices and she was attentive throughout the meal. If you decide to go fishing, you have a number of options based on price point and type of fish. We opted to go for the cheapest fish (rainbow trout). But be warned - the fish come in 3 sizes and if you catch a big one then you pay the highest price. Once you decide which fish you want to catch, the staff give you a poncho and a fishing rod with bait and help you set up. We spent a solid 30 minutes fishing - those darn fish did not want to bite! For people who are over it, you can always ditch the fishing rod and grab a net and pull one out. It was super fun once we caught one. The staff have a fun ritual involving hitting a drum and chanting. The best part is once you've got your fish, you get to choose among 13 different styles of cooking. And pro tip: you can do your fish half and half if you want to try different styles. We ended up choosing to get our fish two ways: grilled and simmered and soy sauce. I think the grilled fish could have used a little more salt/flavor, but the soy sauce simmered version was quite good. We also ordered a number of additional dishes including the vegetable tempura, the uni and fatty tuna handrolls, the spicy salmon roll, and the matcha tiramisu for dessert. To be honest, none of these dishes were really standouts, but they were fine. They're also pretty small so you end up needing to order quite a few dishes to feel full. We also split two carafes of sake to accompany our meal. In the end, the bill was about $55pp which isn't crazy but not the cheapest either. Overall, you're going to this restaurant for a unique, hands-on fishing experience. This would be great for a family or even a date activity. I wouldn't expect the most mindblowing food, but that's not what you're going for anyway. Would recommend!
Wade Trefethen
The food was great. The atmosphere was great. There is a damn boat and.like 7 ponds of fish in this place. Pretty amazing. The service was a bit disjointed. I think we had 3 servers so they missed a few things. But we would definitely come back again.
We love the fishing experience. And enjoyed an amazing fish courses for dinner !
Luis Roldan
This is a fun meal! If you can catch it!! This is a fun restaurant for a medium size group or even a date. Here, you have the option to fish for your meal and have the fish cooked in a variety of ways. The salmon we caught was prepared in 4 different ways and I'm happy to say, it was delicious in every way. Teriyaki was my favorite! I highly recommend this restaurant! Give it a shot on your next visit to NYC!
Simon Spector
Great service - and so much fun to catch your own fish! Definitely a fun time, and great food.
Keith Wortman
the food and service were outstanding
Luba C.
The most fun and unique experience! Catching your own fish wasn't as easy as we thought lol... but don't worry they won't let you go hungry! Staff is working with you, changing a bait to keep it exciting ( I bet that isn't normally in the job description when you are looking wait tables ). After 15 or so minutes we got 2 fish, that was cooked 3 different ways ... talking about exciting flavors and variety! Just one thing... don't bring your vegan friends with you...you will never hear the end of it! Definitely coming back! Excellent for big groups and dates !
Let me talk about this place....we came here on Friday the 13th. which also happened to be my birthday. Geez...with the superstitions, come at me. Anyway, I had bookmarked this restaurant since it opened about a year and a half ago so my husband made reservations for us to dine-in tonight. Little did we know, the frenzy surrounding coronavirus provided us a dining experience like no other. Let me explain. We were THE.ONLY. diners in there. It was our first time visiting, so we were new to the idea of signing for fishing licenses and how to properly hook, and reel a tank full of fish. Selecting the fish out in such capacity places extreme guilt over me so I passed on the opportunity. First up was my middle child and as moments pass without him being able to choose a fish, I stepped in to guide him. Very shortly he was noticeably disturbed and hands me the reel because he doesn't want the onus on him for "chopping off the fish head" as my children quite frankly put it. I hook the stripe bass, everyone cheers and we crowd around to take a picture of the catch. Cool concept. Very disturbing -for the animal lover in me. But kids enjoyed the experience. Worth it, right?? Not sure. Then my youngest catches the rainbow trout, my younger daughter also catches a rainbow trout then my oldest son catches the flounder. Each time a grand celebration of cheers and photos. The fish are brought in weekly from Canada, Virginia and the staff are very helpful and knowledgeable always quickly stepping in to scoop with a net to minimize further pain to the fish. Upon sitting down to our table we are presented with a congratulatory Congo drum roll as we clap along. Funny but cool. Since the fish are prepared after we catch them and we have to decide on how to prepare them we had a bit of a wait. Not too long because we were the only ones there. Each fish can be prepared two ways and you select from a gallery of images. Remember though, they do have last call at 10pm. We walked in about 9pm so maybe that attributed to the rush. All in all, our dinner experience was something to look back on. My husband boasted of a memorable birthday...right down to the milk bar cookie crumble rainbow cake I casually eyed at Harvard square the weekend before. Noooo, he did not fly out to pick it up. He found a milk bar in the city....and ordered it for early pick up on the day of. Honestly, I felt a bit awkward to keep the staff at the restaurant to serve us. I also got the impression we were rushed to figure out how to prepare our catch. Our rice bowls had hair (the questionable kind) in them....I didn't bring it up with the kids but my husband was grossed out. We just refrained from allowing anyone to eat anymore of it. Four stars because when do you ever have the entire Zauo restaurant to yourselves?!? They assessed a $10 cake charge and we cut and served the cake ourselves. Very enjoyable experience and it certainly was an exceptional and memorable visit! Next stop, we went to visit Milkbar. Of course.
Very interesting idea! You actually fish for your dinner! As to be expected in New York City for a novel dinner idea it is a little bit pricey but definitely worth a special event occasion. Dinner for 4 cost $185 plus tip. I think we had four waiters... Slightly disorganized but their intentions were wonderful give it a try
Very cool atmosphere. If you're looking for a quiet Japanese dining experience this isn't the place! After customers catch a fish they beat the drums very loudly. Best to go with friends or a group of people. Even a lively date would work! It is still possible to hear your friends talking. The service was very kind and very enthusiastic. They were even able to answer some questions I had about the fish in more detail. Must try the agedashi tofu. An incredible consistency that you just must try for yourself.All of the dishes are on the smaller side but are packed full of flavor. It's worth fishing too, but if you're on a budget the a la carte dishes were tasty as well. Nothing I didn't like!Only issue was that we while we were celebrating a birthday and a friend ordered a desert for herself and they brought to share for the group as a b-day courtesy it appeared at first and then charged us for it.
Zauo fishing restaurant took almost a year to open its door in NYC. Pretty cool experience to fishing inside the restaurant. They have a variety of fishes to catch, plus abalone, lobster, and crabs. All seafood are fresh and live. Interestingly you need to sign a waiver form before you can fish inside the fish tanks and I think it’s an unusual practice in US. Overall the food quality are great, the fried octopus, grilled salmon belly, fried chicken Japanese style, the truffle chawanmushi are excellent tastes. The live fishes and seafood are a bit pricey but fair enough to have a large group to go together and share the cost. Most of the desserts are ice creams and sobert, the yuzu shiso sobert is taste so fresh, especially you had all mixed seafood as dinner!
Great experience!
My husband took me here for a surprise dinner on one of our monthly date nights & surprise I certainly was! This is just such a fun and interesting way to have dinner! Catching our own fish was a great experience (despite how easy they made it for us) and I think it's important for people to consider where the food they eat comes from. Well that night my food came from the end of my little fishing pole! They give you ponchos and plastic gloves to keep your clothes from getting wet if your (or a neighbor's) fish gets feisty. Part of me struggled with whether this was particularly humane and if there wasn't another option to having disposable ponchos/gloves. I do wish that they would put the caught fish into another container of water to cut down on the amount of air they're suffocating in. This is why I docked a star. Regardless of my moral struggle, I still enjoyed myself thoroughly and best of all... the fish was REALLY good. We just got a small trout grilled simply with some rice. It was beautifully cooked, the daikon, gari, sauce and seaweed that came with it went really nicely. We also got some spicy rolls & kara-age which were delicious! I got that deviled egg with uni off the menu, bc i love deviled eggs and uni - but unfortunately I think the execution wasn't great. I was hoping for more creamy egg yolk to compliment the rich creamy uni, but they had kind of a crumbly yolk mixed with cucumber. I couldn't really taste the uni and it was a massive shame. Especially since it was so expensive. Don't tell my husband I didn't enjoy that app... The service was fiiiine.... but I think it could have been better. The folks helping with the fishing were nice, but def running around. For some reason we had like 3 different staff give us updates on our food which was a bit strange. Maybe they were severely under staffed that day and were trying to support each others tables? idk. Anyway, GREAT place to bring kids or groups of people. TL;DR: Recommended to those who love super fresh seafood & can negotiate the murky waters of ethical fish treatment enough to enjoy delicious fish.
Came here for the fishing experience but the food also turned out to be fantastic! The staff was super friendly and helpful in answering our questions about the fishing process. She also helped recommend the size and cooking style according to our preferences. We got the medium size rainbow trout and had it cooked in tempura style and simmered with soy sauce. Both tasted fresh and yummy! The surprise, however, was the Tori Karage because the chicken was super juicy and the sauces they provided (tartar sauce, spicy mayo, curry salt) were perfect for the dish. Would definitely come back!
Really enjoyed the experience here! My fiance and I went for his birthday on a Monday night. Given the day, there were only a few other customers there so we received really great service - each staff was very thorough in explaining how to fish, how it can be cooked, what they recommend, etc. My fiance fished for the striped bass and was able to catch one within minutes! There was another couple that struggled a bit... took about 40min. You can ask the staff to just catch you one if you are struggling but they didn't give up! We got our striped bass cooked two ways - with soy sauce and then as shabu shabu. We also got the uni deviled eggs, mentai ika and pork belly. Everything was delicious (and as someone who is Japanese, I can confirm it tasted like home). I do think it's a bit on the pricey side, I'd want to come back for another special occasion, maybe as a group next time!
Came here with a group on a Tuesday night - the place was pretty dead but I imagine it's busier on the weekends. The restaurant itself is two levels with a fishing tank running through the middle of the space. We were seated upstairs which was a fun vantage point to observe other people fishing. Our waitress was helpful explaining the menu choices and she was attentive throughout the meal. If you decide to go fishing, you have a number of options based on price point and type of fish. We opted to go for the cheapest fish (rainbow trout). But be warned - the fish come in 3 sizes and if you catch a big one then you pay the highest price. Once you decide which fish you want to catch, the staff give you a poncho and a fishing rod with bait and help you set up. We spent a solid 30 minutes fishing - those darn fish did not want to bite! For people who are over it, you can always ditch the fishing rod and grab a net and pull one out. It was super fun once we caught one. The staff have a fun ritual involving hitting a drum and chanting. The best part is once you've got your fish, you get to choose among 13 different styles of cooking. And pro tip: you can do your fish half and half if you want to try different styles. We ended up choosing to get our fish two ways: grilled and simmered and soy sauce. I think the grilled fish could have used a little more salt/flavor, but the soy sauce simmered version was quite good. We also ordered a number of additional dishes including the vegetable tempura, the uni and fatty tuna handrolls, the spicy salmon roll, and the matcha tiramisu for dessert. To be honest, none of these dishes were really standouts, but they were fine. They're also pretty small so you end up needing to order quite a few dishes to feel full. We also split two carafes of sake to accompany our meal. In the end, the bill was about $55pp which isn't crazy but not the cheapest either. Overall, you're going to this restaurant for a unique, hands-on fishing experience. This would be great for a family or even a date activity. I wouldn't expect the most mindblowing food, but that's not what you're going for anyway. Would recommend!
The food was great. The atmosphere was great. There is a damn boat and.like 7 ponds of fish in this place. Pretty amazing. The service was a bit disjointed. I think we had 3 servers so they missed a few things. But we would definitely come back again.
Restaurantji Recommends
We love the fishing experience. And enjoyed an amazing fish courses for dinner !
This is a fun meal! If you can catch it!! This is a fun restaurant for a medium size group or even a date. Here, you have the option to fish for your meal and have the fish cooked in a variety of ways. The salmon we caught was prepared in 4 different ways and I'm happy to say, it was delicious in every way. Teriyaki was my favorite! I highly recommend this restaurant! Give it a shot on your next visit to NYC!
Great service - and so much fun to catch your own fish! Definitely a fun time, and great food.
the food and service were outstanding
The most fun and unique experience! Catching your own fish wasn't as easy as we thought lol... but don't worry they won't let you go hungry! Staff is working with you, changing a bait to keep it exciting ( I bet that isn't normally in the job description when you are looking wait tables ). After 15 or so minutes we got 2 fish, that was cooked 3 different ways ... talking about exciting flavors and variety! Just one thing... don't bring your vegan friends with you...you will never hear the end of it! Definitely coming back! Excellent for big groups and dates !