If you've never sat at an omakase counter before, the concept can feel intimidating. No menu to read. No choices to make. Just you, the chef, and whatever arrives in front of you. That's exactly the point — and once you experience it, very few other meals compare.
What Does "Omakase" Mean?
The word omakase (お任せ) comes from the Japanese verb makaseru — to entrust, or to leave it up to someone. When you sit at an omakase counter, you're placing complete trust in the chef. There's no ordering. No deliberating. The chef decides everything based on what's freshest, what's in season, and what will create the best progression of flavors for you that evening.
It's the opposite of a typical restaurant experience — and for most guests, it's the most memorable meal they'll have in New York City.
"The best omakase isn't just about the fish. It's about the rhythm — the way one course opens into the next, building until the final handroll."
What to Expect at the Counter
At KAWA, every guest sits directly at the counter facing the chef. This is deliberate. You're not just eating — you're watching the meal take shape in front of you. Each piece of nigiri is pressed to order. Each course is explained as it's placed in front of you.
A typical omakase at KAWA moves through 14 courses over roughly 90 minutes:
- Appetizers2 small courses — often a soup, a small bite, or seasonal vegetables
- Nigiri10 pieces — the heart of the meal, pressed to order
- Canapé1 course — a composed small bite between nigiri and the finish
- Handroll1 roll — always the final course, meant to be eaten immediately
Etiquette at the Sushi Counter
Eat each piece as it's served
Nigiri is pressed at the perfect temperature and seasoned to be eaten right away. Waiting even a few minutes changes the texture of the rice and the fish. When a piece is placed in front of you, eat it.
Hands or chopsticks — both are fine
In Japan, eating nigiri with your hands is completely traditional. At KAWA, do whatever feels natural. There's no wrong answer.
Skip the soy sauce on nigiri
Each piece of nigiri at KAWA is already seasoned — brushed with house-made nikiri soy or finished with the right amount of salt. Dunking it in soy sauce covers the flavor the chef intended. For sashimi courses, soy is appropriate.
Tell us about allergies before you sit down
Omakase menus are built as a progression. If there's something you can't eat, we need to know when you book — not when the course arrives. Email us or add a note on Resy when you reserve.
It's okay to ask questions
Chef Tony and the team explain every course as it's served, but if you want to know more about where a fish came from or how a dish is prepared — ask. That conversation is part of what makes the counter experience different from a regular restaurant.
What Makes Omakase Different from a Tasting Menu?
A tasting menu at a Western restaurant is usually fixed — the same dishes served to every table, every night. An omakase changes constantly. At KAWA, the menu is rebuilt around whatever arrived from the fish market that morning. A cold front off the coast of Hokkaido, a particularly good haul of bluefin from the North Atlantic — these things shape what you eat.
That's why regulars come back. Every visit is a different meal.
Is $88 Omakase Really Worth It?
Omakase in New York City typically runs $150–$400 per person at well-known counters. At $88, KAWA is one of the most accessible omakase experiences in Manhattan — without compromising on fish quality or technique. Chef Tony sources from the same suppliers as top-tier restaurants, keeps the counter intimate, and focuses entirely on the food.
For a first-timer, it's one of the best ways to experience what real omakase feels like without the barrier of a $300 price tag.
Ready to Try It?
14 courses. $88 per guest. East Village, NYC. Reservations required.
Reserve on Resy