Okonomi Brooklyn Reviews

If eating eggs, bacon and french toast is not your thing, head over to Okonomi, a small but calming eatery serving local, sustainable foods in a Japanese "ryokan" (traditional B&B) style breakfast. Under the motto of "mottainai", Japanese word for "its a shame to be wasteful", Okonomi offers a grilled fish plate of your choice with selection of daily vegetable, rice, and soup. It is almost a zen-like experience, eating the food careful prepared by Okonomi's dynamic duo Yuji and Tara, the food you taste here you can be certain was treated with utmost respect and without waste. Its a welcome breath of fresh air in the usual brunch scene in the area, but be prepared to wait as the restaurant is small. And never be shy to order all the extras they may be offering that day.

This is a frustrating review to write primarily because the staff are nice and honestly not their fault that the wait was 1.5 hours for ramen. Yes we waited 1.5 hours for dinner ramen and we are dumb for this but we were interested. After the wait we were seated at a shared table with another couple who were exceedingly exasperating which made our 1.5 hour wait feel even longer. The ramen itself was okay at best... but not amazing enough for the wait. The Uni pasta was good but again not worth the wait and was 24 bucks which was highest price on the menu. Although this joint is a ramen shop it only has a few seats and attract clientele who like to sit for more than 1 hour for each seating chatting away when there are clearly other people waiting. Literally the longest wait for a bowl of ramen I have ever had in NYC LA and all of Japan and not the best or even better than average. It's a shame because the waiter was super sweet but overall was a rather frustrating experience. Would look at other places of your wait exceeds 30 minutes. Otherwise go for it if less than that wait and you in the neighborhood. Such a pity.

Little gem in Williamsburg, what else can I say?! First I had a great breakfast there - it can sound weird to have sashimi-style food in the morning but the experience was beyond what I thought. It was so good and interesting that I came back for dinner 3 days after. Another amazing experience.

The food here was better than I expected. The wait isn't so bad either. We arrived at 11:30 am on a Sunday and there was a 30 minute wait for 3. They take your number and send a text 5 minutes before the table is ready. Overall intimate setting and delicious food. The uni egg is worth it!

Being here for dinner . 5 min Q during the week , easily more in the weekends . Reservation recommended. f you dont like "proper" japanese cuisine dont go there . Ramen was very delicious , appetizers were even better . Good service , 70$ for 2 person .

A delicious, delicate, and healthy traditional breakfast that transported us to Japan for a short visit. Enjoy if you're looking for a relaxed, unique, excellent breakfast experience.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Been here probably a dozen times. Brunch is great. A total contrast from the usual eggs benedict or avocado toast that you can find elsewhere. Brunch is Japanese style with fish, rice, soup, veggies, and some other artfully made side dishes. They also do an omakase on weekend dinners. If you are able to get reservations for this, you should definitely try it. You won't be able to find something like this anywhere else in NY. Small place so there could be a wait from time to time. George, Yuji, and the rest of the staff are great people too!

Three of us enjoyed our lunch here. I had the bluefish collar which tasted fresh and not oily as bluefish can usually taste. The tsukemono of radish in gorgeous colors was maybe my favorite part of the meal. The servings, though quite small, were exquisitely plated. Service was excellent reminiscent of what one would experience in Japan.

What an amazing place! It feels as though this place is straight from Japan. (After being in Japan for 2 months and coming back I can really say that) Open in the mornings, they have a set Japanese breakfast which is superb & super authentic. The preparation and presentation of the meal is wonderful. You have to see it to believe it. During the evenings they have a rotating set of Ramen & Sushi that are both top notch. Everything is fresh and made right in front of you in the open kitchen. As they have a very NYC style of reservations, you have to come by and put your name down to be seated. You have to show face and make an effort if you want to eat there, which ads to the appeal. On weekends they have an Omakase Ramen set, but you have to sign up for this - see their website. The staff is amazing, they are knowledgable and very friendly. The space is small so make sure to show up early. This is the perfect neighborhood spot + its like a secret gem!

Me and my son had a feeling of having a small bite. We both had ramen and green tea. The food was alright. The food didnt satisfy us

Every now and then, life provides you with reasons to smile. We feel grateful that these kind of places exists in NY. Living in Japan part time, this little corner is all I dream when we miss homely food with a sophisticated edge. Everything was executed wonderfully. Perfection, except for parking, with is truly a challenge.

Okonomi is the sister or brother to Yuji Ramen. Am not sure of their actual hours and what type of Japanese food is served. Breakfast consists of traditional Japanese items, miso soup, fish, etc. We came for dinner and had really spectacular ramen, tsukemono, sashimi, uni, miso soup and a genmai cha that really makes me think of Japan. The place is really tiny - 2 tables and some counter space. No worries. We sat at the Blind Barber with a glass of wine and the host came and got us when our table was ready. Very authentic and with a great deal of attention paid to the menu and guests. Will come back again!

Something Different ! Fantastic and healthy brunch. Expect ~1h wait where they will txt you 5 minutes prior and there is plenty to do in area. Environment is cute and cozy (seats 12), friendly service. Brunch consists of a choice of seasonal fish, pickled vegies, rice with option for egg, miso soup which is quiet satisfying.

This place has (I think) thirteen seats. It's mentioned in Lonely Planet! It's mentioned in Gourmet Traveller! It's in Brooklyn! It serves the freshest seafood! Well, folks, you are probably going to have to wait in a queue. We waited ten minutes for a table for breakfast. It is a "no choice" set menu, although you usually get the option of a soft-poached egg for your rice, plus maybe one optional side-dish. Otherwise, the emphasis is on fresh and sustainable seafood, with an almost religious approach to the meal and all its ingredients. The price for breakfast or brunch, with all the Japanese tea you can drink is about $25 per head. The atmosphere is very pleasant, and the care taken with the food makes this a very good experience.

Okonomi piqued our interest as it had been several years since we last had a traditional Japanese breakfast. Not only were we not disappointed, the experience was one of the finest breakfasts we have ever had. We arrived on a sunny Saturday morning ten minutes before the restaurant opened and were greeted by a cheerful proprietor who assured us they would open shortly. This warm, friendly demeanour continued throughout the entirety of our visit. Okonomi is a simple, elegant spot with wooden walls and decor reminiscent of traditional Japanese architecture. As we were about to discover, the food matched this aesthetic perfectly. When it came to ordering we opted for everything that was offered to make for a complete Japanese meal. Between us we chose two of the three fish choices with the intent to share and thus expand our experience. I ordered the blue fish that had been cured in salt before being grilled and my wife ordered perch that had been wrapped in kelp as part of the preparation. Our first course was an exquisite sashimi with a subtle hot pepper condiment rather than wasabi. A perfect opening, it left us eager for the meal to come. Later in the meal we were informed that the ingredients were grown on the roof of the restaurant. The main meal included miso with okra, rice with bonito flakes into which one poured a soft, perfectly poached egg and the fish, surrounded with a selection of Japanese delights. The fish was delicious and everything came together in perfect harmony. I could go on about this meal but will leave it for you to experience for yourself. If you happen by Brooklyn don't miss Okonomi for a sensational dining and culinary experience.

We got here later in the day than we had expected, so breakfast turned into lunch. No matter. Once we arrived we had a 30 minute wait for a table, and should have gone for a walk, or for a coffee but instead went to the loose tea / handmade pottery shop above. Ordering was easy once we had been seated in the restaurant since the only option was what fish to choose. Everything was thoughtful, artfully presented and cooked with precision and tasted sublime. It was pretty perfect and amongst the best food we ate in NY. We didn’t realise that similar to the Japanese philosophy, there is a No Tipping policy, so that felt a little awkward as we were on our way out of the door to be called back, but we’ll certainly know for next time.

Let me preface this with the fact that I used to live in Japan. I live in Williamsburg and was excited to try this place. Size of a shoebox, unremarkable decor...but most frustrating was the fact that they do not take reservations (either online or on the phone)...they do not even have a telephone number to call to inquire about current wait times. When I arrived, I was told there was over a 2 hour wait for 2 people. When I noted how I was frustrated because of the lack of courtesy regarding people's times, I was given a very disingenuous apology. This was in fact, very non-Japanese, in every possible way. Terribly disappointing.

They have a set menu, so don’t bother to worry about what to order. The food is so fresh and tasty..

There is something great about a simplistic approach to breakfast or brunch in NY. The Ichiju Sansai set meal sets you free of decision-making fatigue as the meal comes as-is with the only variable being the type of roasted fish you would like to eat. There is nothing on the plate that shouldn't be there with the only choice in sides (as protein boosters) are your choice of poached egg, fresh uni, or ikura (sake marinated salmon roe.) The meal portion is "just right" not too much in carb-filled gut bombs and perhaps just enough to tide you over until dinner. Dinner here is not to be missed during "Uni Season" (which is through the months of October - January). Their infamous signature Uni Miso Mazeman is an unctuous, gooey, chewy, and crunchy goodness that encapsulates the flavors of the sea in a bowl and is a true feat of creation by chef Yuji.

I've never had a Japanese breakfast, fish isn't appealing for me in the morning, but it is now. A really lovely little place, only 15 seats, so you must book ahead as people do book and queues form outside. In Williamsburg this little gem is a must visit. The breakfast is simple, choose one of 3 fish, and that's it. They do the rest. It's very light and exceptionally tasty and also beautiful to look at, you almost don't want to eat it as it looks like art. The staff are very friendly and helpful too. The tea alone is worth a visit! It's very cosy, so if you are alone or in a couple, expect to be up close and personal if you are seated on the bench, but it's very good and very traditional.

I visited this morning right when they opened at 9am for the Japanese breakfast. The restaurant is in a beautiful setting in a small old Brooklyn shophouse. There are only a dozen or so seats so as I understand you usually have to go right away if you want to be seated immediately, especially on the weekend. It got about half full on my very rainy weekday visit today. The staff are very kind and professional. The breakfast is a set menu and you get to pick one of several styles of fish, so the price varies a bit (from $19-23 today; plus tax my total was $27). You can pay cash, debit or credit. I picked mackeral poached in sake lees, which was great. Sides vary a bit, but today included miso soup, red chard, a very traditional sweet and creamy tamago, lightly pickled vegetables and long grain rice. I ordered a poached egg in soy side as an add-on for the rice, which is definately recommended. The server was very helpful and kept my hot mugi cha barley tea glass filled. I have had similar Japanese breakfasts in Japan and here in NY, but this is of much higher quality than is typical. Interestingly, at night it turns into a ramen restaurant. So in summary, this is a soothing and tasty experience well worth going out of you way for. FYI - If you have to wait a bit for a seat Gimme Coffee coffee shop is nearby.

I am a Japanese national, living in the US for over 25 years, and this was the best Japanese food I've had in the US. Menus is decided based on what's fresh, and care is given in preparing every ingredients. For example, if you eat Ikura (salmon roe), most of the time it has already been processed - taken out of the sack - at a processing plant. They buy sujiko (in the sack) and hand pick them out. You can taste the difference. Blue fish was so fresh and well prepared that it tasted as clean as snapper. As much as I would like the place to be a secret, I really want people to try this hidden gem. (They also serve Ramen for dinner, which I must try next time!)

LOVE the space, the decor, the staff. Okonomi is a quaint and cozy Japanese restaurant that serves up traditional (with some twists) Japanese breakfast, which of course includes fish, in a set course meal. Everything is prepared well, service is impeccable, and you'll leave knowing you'll be back.

Enjoyed a perfect dinner with friends on our last night in NY by recommendation from locals. Food was A+, service was attentive and genuine and the sake was beauuuutiful!

Pay attention! They serve and charge you the food you didn’t order. There’s a lot of small dishes in their meal set and they don’t even have a printed menu. You won’t figure out if one of the dishes is included in the meal set or not and they insist on charging you for the food you eat. The server was very rude and kept saying ‘But you ate it!’. Pay attention to your dishes and pay attention to your bill.

The restaurant is a bit small so if you want to go there, make sure you arrive early so you can book for later -> we arrived at 6.30pm and we ate around 8 pm. The food is amazing : in one dish you'll feel multiple tastes and it will surprise you. Waiters are very nice! We had a wonderful night.