In Tokyo, a seat at Yasuhiko Mitani’s six-seat sushi counter in Yotsuya carries a four-year waitlist. The restaurant, which he opened 20 years ago, takes guests by introduction only. In Midtown, the same chef’s sushi is available through Tock.

Mitani New York opened quietly in May inside the Lotte New York Palace hotel, at 455 Madison Avenue at 50th Street. It is his first restaurant in the United States. The seasonal dinner tasting menu costs $700, tip included. It runs to roughly six appetizers and 10 to 12 pieces of sushi, built around Japanese seafood sourced at fish-market auctions.

The restaurant has two private dining rooms, each with a six-seat, L-shaped hinoki counter. Executive chef Kazuya Tsurta leads the cream-colored Oh Room. He spent five years at Mitani’s Kioicho restaurant in Tokyo and works alongside another alum, Daichi Shimamiya. The adjoining Koku Room is surrounded by charcoal-colored earthen walls. Behind the counters, panels conceal a traditional Japanese refrigerator cooled with blocks of ice rather than electricity. Mitani works behind both counters when he is in New York, about three times a year.

The drink program is what sets the restaurant apart, according to Eater New York, which first reported the details. Mitani calls his approach to pairing “Mariage.” The entry-level version adds $800 to the menu, bringing dinner to $1,500 per person. The premium version starts at $2,000 and can climb higher depending on the selections and diners’ requests. Each course comes with a wine, sake or gyokuro tea, amounting to roughly nine to 11 drinks across an 18-course meal.

Serving wine with sushi is not new in New York. Sushi Noz on the Upper East Side and Jōji in Midtown have poured serious French wines with omakase for years. Eater’s account is that Mitani distinguishes itself by the caliber of its by-the-glass pours, which include aged Champagne, Burgundy and Sauternes. Bottles such as a 2002 Cristal and a 1981 Château d’Yquem are opened for individual pours.

A sample progression described by Eater begins with kuruma ebi, lightly fried so the center stays raw, served with the Cristal. Salmon sashimi topped with Japanese black caviar follows, paired with a junmai daiginjo sake. Fried bafun uni comes with the Yquem in the premium pairing. Later, otoro, akami and chutoro are matched with a 2018 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux, a bottle that can run more than $1,400.

The fish travels from Haneda Airport to the New York counter in under 24 hours. For each piece of nigiri, Mitani adjusts the temperature of the fish and the seasoned rice, what he calls a temperature gradient. Otoro, for example, is served at 59 degrees over rice at 68 degrees.

Mitani’s Tokyo original holds a Tabelog Gold award. He followed it with Kioicho Mitani Honten in 2016 and Kioicho Mitani Bettei in 2021. Regulars book Honten about a year ahead and Bettei about 10 months out. Mitani told Eater he began considering New York five years ago, to create opportunities for his apprentices and to take on what he called the most challenging place in the world to do business.

For now, the Midtown counter offers what the Tokyo original does not: a reservation without an introduction or a multi-year wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Mitani New York cost?

The seasonal omakase tasting menu costs $700 with tip included. Adding the entry-level drink pairing raises the total to $1,500 per person, and the premium pairing starts at $2,000.

Where is Mitani New York located?

Mitani New York is inside the Lotte New York Palace hotel at 455 Madison Avenue, at 50th Street, in Midtown Manhattan. It opened quietly in May 2024.

Do I need an introduction to book Mitani New York?

No. The article states that reservations in New York are available without an introduction, unlike the Tokyo original in Yotsuya, which is introduction-only and has a waitlist of about four years.

Who is the executive chef at Mitani New York?

Executive chef Kazuya Tsurta leads the restaurant’s Oh Room. He spent five years at Mitani’s Kioicho restaurant in Tokyo and works alongside another alum, Daichi Shimamiya.

What makes the drink pairings at Mitani New York special?

The drink program is the restaurant’s main draw, with roughly nine to 11 drinks across an 18-course meal, including bottles such as a 2002 Cristal and a 1981 Château d’Yquem opened for individual pours. The pairing approach is called “Mariage.”

Editorial Transparency. A first draft of this story was produced with AI-assisted writing tools, then reviewed for accuracy and tone by the named editor before publication. More on our process: Editorial Policy.