"Every dish I was served was the best thing I had ever tasted up until that point, and each dish was better than one before. Soto's small plates and appetizers are the definition of refinement and balance, served in near perfect progression by a the very talented Sotohiro Kosugi. Having eaten at Le Bernardin, Per Se, Jean Georges, Marea, and Eleven Madison Park, I can honestly say the quality and creativity of Soto's dishes stand up to all the heavyweights, while often besting them in a more casual and relaxed environment. Judging on cuisine alone, Soto earns a place at the top of the ladder in NYC. Go early, sit at the sushi bar, in clear view of the master, and you will probably avoid the service pitfalls bemoaned by many of Soto's critics"
Dined on 5/16/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, hot spot, special occasion
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"the food was so special - tastes and aromas I didn't even know existed. It's not just the sushi (that was splendid), every course was was a feast. My favorite was Uni cocktail. all in all it is the place for people who like sea-urchin."
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, special occasion
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"We like Soto a lot and wanted some family visiting us to discover it. But even if our reservation was not late : 8:30 pm on a Wednesday, it was a mess No more Steamed Lobster and enough Black Cod 45' to wait for the last and delicious cold course. I spoke to the manager (behind the sushi bar) and he didn't seem to care (no discount on the bill...)"
Dined on 5/08/2013
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"We have been to Soto several times and really enjoy the omakase option. The cuisine is outstanding and service usually top notch.
During our most recent visit, however, Soto San seemed very angry and slammed cupboard doors and yelled several times. These outbursts immediately hushed the entire restaurant, creating a slight aura of fear in the ambience. It unfortunately detracted significantly from an overall lovely experience."
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"soto is very different michelin 2 star, very small , 8 tables and one bar, "japanese from the kitchen" which was tasting was good suschi is not the one of the best I eated,suchi is above the average only. Price is very high and drink list is weak, so if you want a good "japanese from the kitchen" this is the place"
Dined on 4/30/2013
Special Features: special occasion
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"We used to LOVE Soto for the fresh sushi and artistic presentation. But, alas, with popularity something gets lost. On this visit, service was not poor, but severely lacking. Perhaps it was just too busy, but our order was not taken for a good 20 minutes and water glasses were not refilled regularly. The noise level was unbearably high with loud chatter and we had a grossly over seasoned lobster sashimi order. Otherwise, the food was excellent, but the atmosphere and service has seriously declined."
Dined on 04/23/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"We love uni so when I read about Soto in Zagat I booked a reservation. Specific dishes that stood out were the uni cocktail, the uni tempura, and the karei karaage. Soto respected the delicate nature of uni but also beautifully enhanced and embellished its taste. Worth every penny."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion, hot spot
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"I can say it's around top sushi in NYC, specially UNI. But, there are too much time gap b/w the foods. Also, you need to share some dishes with your company. I have to share one Uni and one lobster dish with my friend and it's really small........ I saw four people share a small plate in my next table. It's LOL......"
Dined on 04/12/2013
2012
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"Have been to "Soto" at least 4 times. It is probably my favorite Japanesse restaurant in New York City. The Omakase has always been terrific. It is truly one of the great sushi experiences at the world !"
Dined on 03/25/2013
2005
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion, hot spot
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"While the food is simply spectacular (and one surely pays up for that), many factors make dining at Soto very frustrating. The wait time between tiny appetizers is 20-30 minutes. Add the 12 piece omakase menu (to four appetizers) which comes very slowly and you have a three hour dinner where you are still quite hungry at the end. To make matters worse, the service is quite poor as they appear clueless to the diners' frustration."
Dined on 03/22/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Great food, but sushi chef is severely overworked. The restaurant is too big for him to serve. My friend and I both had the nigiri sushi omakase and it took over 90 minutes to get the meal."
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"I ordered omakase, I could pay what I wanted, but the waiters were unable to explain what the difference was between f.ex. $135 and $200. I was then recommended to pay $170, which I did - but then ended up with only 4 pieces of sushi at the end. Not exactly what I was told at the start of the meal. I was ready to pay much more than $ 170 and told the waiter so at the beginning of the meal. What I really wanted was a great food experience. The clumsy way this was handled made the experience less valuable. I ended up ordering more sushi so I got what I needed, and paid no more than what I perceived the value to be - but the whole experience was unnecessary clumsy and makes me less eager to recommend the restaurant."
Dined on 03/12/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"The food was very good, however, it took four hours to deliver it all to our table, even though we did not order that much food and we were only two of us. It was a Saturday night and they appeared to be significantly short staffed."
Dined on 03/09/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"This small restaurant offers a real treat and a quick jump directly to Japan. Every dish is stunning both in looks and in taste. We enjoyed ourselves tremendously and will be sure to visit again."
Dined on 03/01/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Such a fabulous menu. Wonderful staff. Creative, elegant, and above all, full of wonderful flavors. An Uni lovers dream come true. At the moment this is quite possibly my favorite restaurant in lower Manhattan. Well Done!"
Dined on 03/04/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"The food is outstanding and made with the freshest ingredients. However, the price is really over the top and at the end of the day, Soto is not worth it."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Excellent, had the omakase and each course was better than the next. However, we expected sushi at the end only to find out that it was priced additional to the omakase which was unexpected. That said; do not let that stop you from this experience."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2007
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Review 25 for Soto
Overall rating
(Outstanding)5/5
My wife and I had a Valentines
OpenTable Diner Since
Dined on 02/14/2013
2001
Dined on 02/14/2013
2001
Food
(Outstanding)5/5
Service
(Outstanding)5/5
Ambiance
(Very Good)4/5
Noise Level
Moderate
"My wife and I had a Valentines Day dinner here, maybe our fifth time dining at Soto. We had the omikaze, which shows off the skills of the kitchen as well as the raw fish. We had an absolutely outstanding meal; yes, we were there 2 1/2 hours, and were appropriately cautioned about the time it would take, when we ordered it. There was no special meal prepared for the day; there didn't need to be. It continues to be just an outstanding restaurant, worthy in our opinion of its 2 Michelin stars."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2001
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"note only the freshest and most delicous sushi I have found, but the prepared hot foods from the kitchen are also wonderfully prepared and worth a try."
Dined on 01/31/2013
2002
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"Incredible meal and a great value (for super high end Japanese). One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Nice small spot, super attentive service and really great, very creative food. Lots of Uni and plenty of unexpected combinations and ingredients. Highly Recommended."
Dined on 01/21/2013
2003
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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