Sumile

I went here with my husband and 2 year old last night. When we walked in, I was afraid we'd have to leave bc in general, they are not set up for kids and there are no highchairs. But, there was a small section n the front, near the bar, that they lowered one of the tables at so my daughter could reach from a regular chair and we stayed. I am SO glad we did.
The fish is amazing, and the menu unique. Eel guacamole?!!! Never heard of it before but it was terrific. Roles were fresh and not over-sauced, chicken terriaki for my daughter tasty and not rubbery. The hostess, Karen, came over every 30 minutes or so to give my daughter another treat, which kept all of us happy. The only con might be the regular waitstaff was not amazing, they were just good.
I'm already trying to figure out a plan for returning on a non-kid night. Great place!

Pros: Best sushi in a long time

Cons: Wait staff good but not outstanding

Posted 04/03/09

An empty sushi restaurant is never a good idea. Waitstaff and hostess are bored and unresponsive. Food is overpriced. Sushi taste decent, but eating there is lonely since there are no customers.

Posted 02/13/09

I'm a sushi fanatic and I've been to virtually every sushi restaurant in New York. Sumile is hands down the best in the city. The owner takes great pride in serving only the freshest fish and in all the dozens of times I've eaten here, I've never had a piece of sushi that was even mediocre. Every piece of fish is the highest quality. Not only is the fresh fish amazing, but the cooked food is also delicious. Try the miso cod and you'll dream about it! There's also a large selection of sake. When you leave Sumile, not only will you have had an incredible meal but you will be thrilled because you won't have spent a fortune. Can't beat it!

Pros: Food, service

Cons: None

Posted 11/16/08

The ambiance and food are both exquisite. Whenever I visit NY City I must eat here!! I highly recommend this restauraunt to those who want high quality sushi.

Posted 09/06/08

I went there last night with my friends and we were very happy of what we got. the food was amazing and so is the service. all the employees were so friendly and understanding. the decor is romantic and very cozy. and on top of that, two of the casts from Gossip Girl (Leighton Meester and Chace Crawford) was in the same restaurant.

Pros: reasonable price, good food and attentive service

Cons: none

Posted 07/24/08

A perfect dinner for my date, I loved it! It was very romantic. Food, sake, ambiance, service, EVERYTHING is just perfect.

Pros: great

Cons: none

Posted 04/03/08

This is such a wonderful restaurant I don't understand why it's not more popular. We've been a few times, and have been very impressed with the quality of the sushi. We've tried some of their other dishes that are also delicious. Each time we've gone we've gotten very good sake recommendations. Service is attentive but not intrusive. Prices are not unreasonable for a sushi restaurant. The decor is interesting, and the tables are not on top of each other. So why aren't there more customers? I hope that it starts doing better as I would hate to see it go.

Posted 01/14/08

What I have loved about my two visits to Sumile is the elegance and simplicity to the sushi combined with the fun, exotic and delicious appetizers and main courses. Their service is warm and inviting, and the dining room is not so big you feel lost in it. Comfortable chairs, combined service from the waitstaff, management and chef's make it a really welcoming experience as well.

All the ingredients are seasonal and balanced in each dish. The food is unique and constantly changing. Lots of great ingredients, greenmarket sensibilities and a pork belly that is to die for.

I can't think of a single other place in NYC, that really has so much fun with their food, while maintaining serious sushi tradition. The fish is amazing.

Eat here!

Pros: Food, wine, sake, service

Cons: While not exactly cheap, it is worth the money. Every penny!

Posted 06/17/07

I ate at Sumile about a year ago and had a pretty good time. I decided to go again recently, because I knew that there had been a lot of changes. I knew that the chef had left and that they had also added a lot of sushi to the menu. I wanted to check out the restaurant again to see how things were. I have to say, I really had an amazing time! The food was absolutely awesome! I started with some sushi which was impecable..."west coast uni" soooo good! I also had a fried egg with pea greens and a smokey sauce that was delicious. My friend had sliced scallops with cabbage and Japanese citrus which was perfect for a hot summer day. For our entrees my friend had the pork. It was served with seasonal vegetables that the new chef got from the market that morning and pickled mustard seeds! I had the cod crusted with miso. I can't begin to tell you how delicious it was! I'm usually not a fish person, but this was awesome! Service was ok. It needs a little work, but the food makes up for it. We were pretty full by the end of the meal and decided to pass on dessert. The chef made sure to send us out a little something anyway. A strawberry sorbet with chocolate mousse and "shiso". Wow! I will definately eat here again, and I hope I can spread the news about this little gem!

Pros: food and sushi

Cons: service

Posted 06/17/07

So I'm pretty sure there've been some staffing in the changes as of late, so maybe this explains some of the less than glowing reviews from last year. But holy mother this place is awesome - and anyone saying otherwise is clearly in need of a taste-bud transplant. First of all, the sea urchin is the best I've had outside of Hokkaido. I had dreams about it for the next week. Second, they made - I kid you not - tempura foie gras for one of the courses on the tasting menu, and it was every bit as awesome and artery-clogging as it sounds. I can barely remember everything in the seemingly endless parade of outstanding dishes I had that night. A lot of fish (obviously) that was invariably cooked to a T, and then wrapping up with this knock-out duckbreast with a foie gras rice bowl....yeah, it was awesome. Oh, and the desserts were pretty killer too. You know those Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies? They made ice cream out of 'em. THINK ABOUT THAT. Oy, I think I'm going to go throw myself at the chefs and offer them my first born child.

Just...so...good....

Pros: The food, the food, dear god the food...

Cons: The song playlist was a little 1999 chick flicky for my taste...

Posted 03/26/07

lackluster is the perfect word for this place. it's nothing special, despite how the wait staff tries to carry itself. the food is nicely presented, but taste average. the decor is just clean and minimal enough that there's nothing noticeable about it. the waiters are attentive, but with an air of condescension. for all its lacklusterness, there's one thing that stands out about this place--the prices on the menu (meaning, the prices are rather high for what the restaurant is selling). no wonder the place was so empty. everything else's ultimately forgettable, including the drinks. i don't think this place is even worth checking out. there's something slightly uncomfortable about being there that leaving it felt liberating.

Pros: plenty of space, as no one comes here

Cons: condescending waiters and average food

Posted 12/14/06

Sumile came highly recommended as the one NYC restaurant we had to try. If your'e palette is ready the food will transport you to a higher plane!

Pros: Foodies Only

Cons: Foodies Only

Posted 10/03/06

fabulous food, but not for everyone. the tasting menu will allow you to appreciate the superb quality of the ingredients (fresh! fresh!) used here and the artful way in which complex flavors are balanced and blended. every dish i have ever had here has been masterful and remarkable. the caveat: dishes are small with a (heavily) exotic japanese slant. if you come ravenous you will leave less than sated. and if you don't like raw fish or appreciate traditional japanese flavors, you would be better served dining elsewhere. (the black sesme dice with raspberry dessert is lovely, TASTY and always on the changing menu)

Pros: FRESH fish, divine food, beautiful space

Cons: small plates, expensive for size

Posted 04/14/06

I went with three friends. The menu is a little pricey. Each course costs a flat rate (ie. the entrees all cost the same amnt), but it was delicious. I had a chicken entree that was incredible. The texture didnt feel like chicken because it almost melted in my mouth and dessert was great too. I wouldnt reccomend the chamomile pudding (i think that's what it was), but the other desserts were good. The decor is modern and the lighting is intimate. The customers were all 20 and early 30 somethings. Definitely a good date spot but be prepared to spend around $90 for two people, if not more.

Pros: great food, attentive servers, intimate ambience

Cons: pricey

Posted 04/11/06

I went to Sumile this weekend with my boyfriend and I absolutely loved it! The restaurant was so cute and romantic and the food was delicious. The menu was japanese fusion and totally original. I had the pekin duck and it was fantastic. They also had a great drink list and yummy desserts! Plus our waiter was extremely friendly and knowledgable I'm definately going back. Its a great spot for dates... maybe Valentine's Day?

Pros: ambiance, unique menu, attentive service

Posted 02/05/06

I've been here twice now, and everytime I leave thinking that I've just had the one of the best meals that I've ever eaten. The apple and wasabi custard, the gulf shrimp, sashimi and the oysters were all impressive. The bass over a corn puree and the hanger steak are both AMAZING. You can tell this place uses the best ingredients. It's a little pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for.

The tapioca tart was my least favorite dessert, but the panna cotta in lemon juice was just soooo good!

I wish I could eat here every day! I'll definitely be back.

Pros: Cozy atmosphere, Delicious food, Attentive service

Posted 11/07/05

I never go on this street to eat, so I would have never thought of going here if it was not for a friend's recommendation. I immediately loved the sophisticated yet down to earth atmosphere. It's definitely zen defined by New York City. The food was amazing from the start, with our salads. The greens literally tasted like they just got picked from the ground and the vinaigrettes were like nothing we've ever tasted. My salmon came perfectly seared and my friend's cod was amazing as well. The service was attentive enough w/o being overbearing, which is always a buzzkill. The food here speaks for the restaurant-beautiful, delicious, effortless, chic, yet approachable. Highly recommended!!!

Posted 02/01/05

A few of us went the other night for cocktails (half price!) and ended up staying for dinnerso happy we did. The food was like nothing Ive ever hadIve been to a ton of fusion places in the city (cant help it these days!?), but nothing even compares to Sumile. The crab was absolutely amazing and perfectly balanced and the cod so well cooked, it melted in my mouth. We were all very happy with our meals and look forward to returning soon.

Pros: food, service, ambience

Posted 01/20/05

I'd heard all the buzz on Sumile and decided to check it out with my Mom for Mother's Day. She loved it. We all did. The food is fantastic, and although the portions are a little small, if you order a few, you'll definitely go home happy. It's a little different, but that's what makes it special. Of note are the pulled skate, the chicken and the braised shrimp. And make sure you try their desserts. Everything we tried was great, not to mention beautiful.

Pros: food, creativity, service

Posted 05/09/04

From the reviews, it appears that Sumile is not for everyone. If one expects large portions, then go elsewhere. But, I found the dishes to be excellent, and after 3 dishes, I left stuffed. The area is a bit more cramped than I expected, but there were no glitches in the service either. The only complaint would be a rather small sake list, but what was on the list was decent.

Pros: Creative dishes, Quality ingredients

Cons: , a bit cramped?

Posted 04/28/04

Busoleil oysters...mediocre with a dash of vinegary sauce...I've had better on a dock with Heinz's cider vinegar. Tartare of bluefin otoro...29$ for four bites of bland otoro (good quality) with rubbery chunks of abalone. Soft egg custard...head down to Aki for Uni Mousse and thank me later. Pulled skate wing...consistency of pasta left in too long, droopy, goopy, and dubious. Breast of duck, almost-raw in a mousse who's sole claim to foie gras is its name. Even the expensive (11-20$) fru-fru drinks lacked flavor and quality ingredients.

Even on someone else's dime...I would skip a repeat. We tipped 15% largely for the waitress ability to keep a straight face. Certainly no danger of seeing her again.

The decor, nice at first glance, was just more cheap modern glass and dim blue lights. Thank god it is not too far from Corner Bistro. Everyone was starved.

Pros: quiet, no waiting

Cons: , paltry portions, mediocre food

Posted 04/07/04

It's not the food that was problematic -- that was decent (and would have been great at 1/2 the price) it was the fact that $130 later, we left ravenous. A slice of pizza (total $3.80 for 2) did the trick.
$14 for an "appetizer" -- and they recommended that we each get 3??? Come on. This is New York, we deserve more -- and can get it down the block at Matsuri.

Pros: Food was decent

Cons: , PRICE, PRICE

Posted 03/30/04

Sumile is a rare and welcome accomplishment of culinary perfection. The food is so inventive you wonder if the chef is human. And then another plate comes exceeding expection. The creative drink list is equally well thought out. A concise wine list allows for a perfect match! The staff is gracious and so well-versed in the cuisine, you wonder if they are being paid more handsomely than any other staff in the city. We took the opportunity to test our waiter -- a well-spoken ball of energy with a wit matched only by his charm -- only to find out that he knew every ingredient in every dish single dish. The evening was perfect. I took a first date. Needless to say, there will be a second.

Pros: Good for dates, Friendly staff, An adventure.

Posted 01/17/04

We sat down for our 8:30 reservation on a recent Saturday night. The place was recommended by a chef friend of mine who runs quite a few kitchens in town. Anyway, I haven't had a restaurant experience quite like this in years. The drinks and the food were exhilarating to our senses. We ordered a mix of dishes and spent the evening passing them around, while anxiously awaiting to try the next beautifully presented dilectable. The hamachi with melon was so impressive we ordered two more. Same with the oysters. I recommend Sumile highly for a completely satisfying tour for your taste buds.

Pros: great food, educated staff

Cons: gets expensive

Posted 12/11/03

If you want to impress someone take him or her here. Because it is tucked away and rather unassuming form the outside, youll impress them just by knowing its there. The food great and because everything is shareable, it is great for couples. The monk fish, oysters, and ebi are a must have. The wine list has something for just about everyone and they have a nice selection of sake too.

Pros: amazing food, great staff, nice atmosphere

Cons: price

Posted 12/09/03

after much debate because of the weather, a friend and i went to sumile last night and had (another) wonderful experience. the service was extremely attentive and the food amazing. this time i understood the menu concept (there are no actual entrees, but all small plates)--we each had 3 dishes, as recommended and shared the "cheesecake" for dessert. everything was fabulous, but the shrimp, hamachi w/ melon and sirloin stick out as favorites! you may not leave stuffed, but you'll leave extremely satisfied and waiting to go back!

Pros: food, service, ambience

Cons: can be loud

Posted 12/05/03

Splitting five entree-sized portions at $14.00 per dish plus one bottle of wine at $40.00 (one of the least expensive on the menu), three of us ended up paying $47.00 per person with tax and tip. We left feeling both hungry and impoverished. The relationship between the price and the quality of the experience is inverse, which is unfortunate since we're always looking for good places in the neighborhood.

Posted 12/04/03

After the glowing review of Sumile in the NYTimes, I was excited to check this place out. It was so overrated! A few of the dishes were tasty, but most were simply average. The room was very loud. It was extremely expensive. Don't bother!

Posted 12/03/03

This place was over hyped. The food is decent, but WAY TOO SMALL of portions for what you pay for. The pricing isn't quite clear and look out for that asterisk on the menu where they add on that extra 6-8 bucks. We were SHOCKED when our bill came out to over $200 and we were still hungry! Totally not worth it.

Cons: EXPENSIVE, Small Portions

Posted 12/03/03

If you'd like to spend over $ 200 for two (with only 2 drinks) and still leave a restaurant hungry, this is the place. The decor is fab and the waitstaff wonderful, but the restaurant is unbearably loud, the tables extremely close together and quite uncomfortable and the food is entirely overpriced. The food is wonderful, but we left still hungry, as the plates (are they appetizers?) are way too small. You'd have to spend well over $300 in order to feel like you had an actual meal.

Pros: decor, waitstaff

Cons: extremely! expensive, dishes too small

Posted 12/02/03

I loved my Sumile experience! The decor is cozy and sexy and the service was superb. The menu satisfies all types of appetites and tempts you to try something new!
Great date place!

Posted 11/04/03

We had the most wonderful dining experience at Sumile the other night. To begin with, the decor and ambience was light and airy, yet still cozy and intimate-- not to mention the voyeuristic glass that gives us glimpes of the kitchen. But what we enjoyed most about the evening was the ultra creative menu-- each dish we tried was imaginative and delicious. Plus, the "design your own tasting menu" theme allowed us to indulge and share in so many of the great dishes. I highly recommend. Oh, and don't forget to check out their sake selection and yummy cocktails- all in all Sumile was a great dining experience.

Posted 11/03/03

Fantastic experience at Sumile! The very knowledgeable servers help you make sense of the very interesting menu. The tapas-style plates allow you to try several of the one-of-a-kind dishes, each of which was extremely tasty and unique. The bean salad is definitely a must-have, and you can't go wrong with the beef. The New York meets South Beach decor make for a lively and fun atmosphere.

Posted 11/03/03

truly pleasantly surprised by the execution and flavor coaxed out of smaller portions...subtle, refined and balanced. not one ingredient seemed "dullish" to me...and the whole night greatly impressed my lady friend. great job, gentlemen.

Posted 10/21/03