Rabbit House Bar - New York

We came in on a Sunday afternoon to celebrate a friend's birthday. We sat at the counter and Chef Yoshiko explained that she did not have any help that day and she was doing everything on her own so we knew that things might take a bit longer. It was impressive to see how she was able to serve everyone and keep track of courses for the different tables all on her own. You have the option to order from the menu a la carte or do the omakase regular for $80 or the premium for $120. We looked over the differences in both omakase options and I decided to go with the regular since I really wanted the Rabbit which is substituted for lamb in the premium option. I was able to try the premium option and compare it to the regular and I think the premium was definitely worth it if you're a fan of meat. The lamb and kobe beef were beyond delicious and cooked perfectly. Overall the food was very good but this place is quite expensive so I would only come here on a special occasion. When you check in on Yelp you can get up to $20 but in order to use that you need to check in 24 hours ahead, I've never heard of such restrictions especially since I only check in when I'm in the place. Gratuity is also added automatically so just be aware to avoid double tipping as the place is already very expensive.

Rabbit House Omakase Sake Bar is a cozy Japanese joint in the LES featuring a unique omakase experience with sake pairings. Two of my favorite things. It is a tiny venue with a single chef running the show assisted by one waittress/hostess. I'm impressed that they kept the show running smoothly but for that reason do expect a slower meal ours took ~3 hours). I like the counter seating but there are also a few regular tables making it a nice spot for a date night or an intimate dinner with a friend. For the food, they have an a la carte bar snack menu and an omakase option $80 regular, $120 premium). We opted for the premium option that had menu substitutes including fatty tuna, king salmon, lamb, and wagyu beef. There's also a fun sake pairing $46 for 6 kinds) or you can order sake flights as we did. The dishes were very unique. Our favorite dishes were the edamame tofu, king salmon carpaccio, the lamb and the homemade Orecchiette pasta. Each of these dishes was really interesting and flavorful. We were especially impressed by the texture and complexity of the edamame tofu which paired beautifully with the uni. The only dishes I didn't love included the fatty tuna which had a salty marinade and the wagyu which was chewy and fatty. The rest of the dishes however were spot on! Overall, I really enjoyed the meal. It's certainly a departure from the traditional omakase but is a unique dining experience and worth a stop!

Very intimate and full of great food and drink. wonderful sake selection and inventive dishes. go for the omakase menu

The 6 course omakase is definitely an experience for the adventurous type. With it's delicate and Japanese eclectic taste and blend of western techniques. It is definitely not for those looking for traditional flavors or recognizable Japanese dishes. Each course was given a different variety of sake for pairing. Definitely a good date place for the intimate experience.

Truly a hidden gem! In addition to the amazing food, the restaurant was very well decorated. My favorite part of the meal was definitely the exclusive private dining feel to the meal. Chef Yoshiko hand serves every single dish to our table. She told us that it was her dream to open a small restaurant of her own where diners would feel like they are having a private dinner! A must visit for anyone living or visiting NYC! Menus tried (in order of my favorite): 1) Seasonal Rice (duck breast with ginger sauce over chestnut rice) the rice was so addicting and the duck breast was very well cooked, definitely a dish I want to try recreating 2) Seasonal Rabbit (rabbit and Cornish hen Japanese stew) a very hearty dish with quail eggs, Brussel sprouts, carrots, etc. 3) Addicted Spare Rib (overnight marinated pork with sake and soy sauce) falls off the bone, the sake was definitely a game changer 4) Black Chicken Skewers (with black sesame sauce, side of rainbow carrots) chicken was super tender, it was served with a Mayo like dip and ginger sauce 5) Seasonal Fish (poached salmon with kabocha pumpkin kohlrabi purée, salmon roe, bok choy) this dish was a bit bland for me compared to the other dishes but the kabocha pumpkin kohlrabi purée and bokchoy mix was delicious 6) Ponzu Mushroom (4 kinds of mushroom, tofu sauce, and tempura crisp) 7) Artichoke Dip (tortilla chips, paprika, garlic, miso, green tea)