Shihou Omakase - Upper West Side

i was in the area for an appointment and wanted to treat myself -- i found shihou (the name on their menus is shiro, weirdly enough) on resy and booked a last minute seat at 7:30pm. you enter tenzan (a different sushi restaurant) and are led up a flight of stairs to the more intimate and cozy shihou, which hosts the omakase bar with a few tables. i got there a couple minutes early, and they needed some time to prepare since the previous diners had spent a little longer than expected, so i was sat at the bar area downstairs to wait. the staff was friendly and accommodating, offering water and taking me up as soon as it was ready. the chef serving me explained each piece thoroughly and was focused on me enough that i didn't feel neglected but not so much that i felt pressured to talk.as for the omakase itself, it didn't disappoint -- i opted for the upgrade to the premium lineup ($116 as opposed to the original $64). personally the surprise standout for me were the four appetizers. they started out with the oyster shooter: oyster, uni, caviar, and yuzu served with a spoon and encouraged to take like a shot -- the acidity of the yuzu worked well with the oyster, and flavor wasn't overwhelmingly fishy or unpleasant in any sense. following were the donburi, trout sashimi, and kanpachi dishes, which all stood up well in their own right.highlights otherwise:- king salmon belly with kewpie mayo and wasabi salt: salmon belly is already a delicious piece with the richness of it, and the addition of kewpie mayo was somewhat unique but complimented it perfectly- tricolor handroll: fish was fresh, the addition of crispy onion added a nice pop of texture and savory aspect- and classic pieces that are usually my favorites (otoro with caviar, hotate)would say that weaknesses were the white fishes only since they were milder in flavor and less bold than the more classic pieces -- they were all still pleasant to eat and seasoned or sauced appropriately. overall, a good experience! would come back if i was in the area again :)

A very solid omakase place for lunch. We got 12 courses for $49/person. You start with a rice bowl with wagyu, salmon and salmon roe, then 9 different nigiris (my favorites were the scallop, stripped jack, o-toro and king salmon), then miso soup and dessert - which was a good way to end the meal. The quantity of rice in the nigiri was perfection, their rice is different because they add brown vinegar and soy sauce so it has a more brownish color. The fish was very fresh but some of the nigiris were just ok that's why I'm giving it 4stars (I would give it a 4.5 if I could!). The service was a 10! Super attentive, kind and knowledgeable. The restaurant was intimate and very clean. I would definitely recommend it!

The two star review from Andy C really fits with our experience unfortunately. If you've signed up for an omakase dinner for two that with a bottle of wine, will run you $450, and end up walking into Tenzan (3.4 on Yelp), you might think, hm, this is weird. A high end sushi place on the inside of a historically very mediocre sports bar sushi place? I get the speakeasy vibe, if say, it's an omakase place below a Korean bbq spot (re: Nonaka), but, good sushi inside a bad sushi place? Idk, weird.The fishy smell hits you right when you walk in the door, and that carries over to the quality in your "upstairs, not Tenzan" restaurant. There was nothing redeeming about the fish here, and was already nervous after the first course - salmon sashimi with... apple? The salmon tasted no different than what I'd order for delivery for $3, and the apple was crunchy and dry. It was, weird (noticing a theme?). We left with a fishy taste in our mouths, a weirdly timed miso soup at the end of the meal (right before mochi?), and a stomach ache. If it wasn't enough that they didn't advertise the $30/pp price increase for Valentine's Day, the quality, along with the fact the table next to us, which sat down 10 min after us (and was complaining about the quality all the way through), somehow got served first despite us ordering first and were paid and gone before we got our check. I feel that I sat down at Tenzan, and got charged a 5x multiple. The wait staff was nice and well intentioned, but, if you want omakase, this is just not it. Disappointed to say the least.

Amazing fresh fishes. Fantastic service. Very quiet and private space. A friend of mine didn't eat any raw fish before. But she ate all the sushi the Chef made today. This is Magical! Highly recommend to come and try it. How come it only allow me to add 10 pictures? I have kore than 10 pictures!!!!!!!! lol

SO and I stopped here to try their $55 lunch special today and were pleasantly surprised with the quality and value.  Since I didn't have breakfast, the donburi was a nice little, yet hearty starter that appeased my hunger.  The next 8 pieces of sushi were eclectic and tasty...our favorites were the o-toro, salmon and scallop...SO loved the o-toro so much that she had another one...check out the pics.  The handroll was a nice mix of a few pieces of quality fish with some crunchy, fried onions...no rice needed.  The miso soup was aged, strong and savory...very tasty!  Finally, the green tea ice cream with some rice crispies was a nice topper. Bottom line, the chefs here are skilled and knowledgeable and the service was excellent. This is one of the best and affordable sushi lunch specials in the area!

Came here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner and it was such an incredible meal I NEED to go back!!! The omakase is above a sushi restaurant so you feel like you're in a completely new area, and the chefs and server were incredible. We got the premium tasting menu with a sake pairing and I will be dreaming of this meal. The fish was so fresh and our waiter (Abi) was so friendly and descriptive of what we were having. He even put together a special birthday dessert and celebration that made the meal even more special. This place is new favorite and I seriously can't wait to come back!! (Also the plates and cups are SOO CUTE I want to have all of them!)

Shihou Omakase just opened their lunch omakase service (7 days a week) on the UWS and it is such a great deal. $55 for 13 courses and we opted to add the ouster and wagyu for $20 more. I can't recommend the experience enough. The service was so lovely and we really enjoyed talking with the staff and chef. They were so friendly and explained all of the courses and how to best enjoy them. I loved every single piece but my favorites were the don buri bowl, the king salmon, toro, and wagyu. I would definitely go back!

This is one of the best meals I have had in NYC. Each bite was incredible -- made better by the explanation by our guide and waiter. He explained to us the difference between each fish. It was clear he was passionate about the food, and made the whole experience amazing. Along with the $105 omakase I also got the honey sake which was the perfect compliment to the meal. My one note is if you go in the summer, bring a sweater the AC runs high.

The omakase here is incredible! It's located on the 2nd floor. They start off with several appetizers. The first appetizer is the oyster which tastes very rich. The uni is very sweet and milky which I love the taste and the texture! The fatty salmon and fatty tuna melt in your mouth. The staff are friendly and informative. They would introduce each dish to you one by one, inform you where the food is from, how they prepare the food, and how you can enjoy the food to the fullest extent. You wouldn't need to add any extra soy sauce or wasabi yourself at all because they are just right already. The quality of the food and dining experience are remarkable!

Eko was amazing ask for him! Food was delicious. 10/10 would recommend and will be back!