We’ve got your next date night mapped out — this one at Kiwami, right by the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO, what I’ll always argue is the most romantic corner of New York City. And no, I’m not saying that because I happened to get engaged here not long ago. While I’ll always have a soft spot for my favorite skyline, Kiwami feels like the perfect little spot for celebrating any occasion or just treating yourself.
Whether you arrive in time for sunset like we did, or drift in later at night, the views alone are worth the reservation. Be sure to take the ferry in if you’re coming from Manhattan. Few things make you feel like you are living in a romcom like a ferry ride at dusk in the city. 
Behind the counter is Executive Sushi Chef Xin Cao. A twenty-year veteran who started apprenticing at sixteen under chef Nobu-San at Kanoyama — where he’d later be part of the team that earned a Michelin star. Cao went on to helm the sushi program at BONDST before opening his own East Village spot, Unique Omakase. His food is grounded in Japanese tradition while quietly doing something a little different. Each course is a little unexpected, and he’s never showy about it.
At Kiwami, Cao plates an 18-course tasting experience for $238. And while that may be steeper than some omakases we’ve visited at Honest Cooking, believe us when we say it was worth every penny. At the eight-seat counter, you’re close enough to watch every slice and torching, but Cao keeps to himself, preferring to let the food and our reactions speak for themselves.
In fact, Kiwami owner, Mond Wu, probably describes the energy of the restaurant best:
“New York moves fast, but Kiwami was created to feel like a pause — a small, intimate omakase sanctuary where guests can slow down.”
Inside, the room delivers exactly that. A dramatic wooden bonsai sculpture frames the entrance. The dining area centers on a pale-wood counter and a softly lit circular backdrop that evolves as the evening falls. Eight seats. That’s it. And from every one of them, you’ve got views of where the East River meets the Hudson.
You’ll sit down to personalized menus with your name squarely in the center. The drink service is swift. Right off the bat, you’ll notice an intriguing list of curated cocktails. I opted for the Matcha Mojito, a mix of sake, matcha, honey and ginger beer. And as someone who almost exclusively defaults to wine with omakases, I had absolutely no regrets. Balanced and refreshing, without leaning too sweet, it’s one that goes with every bite, that you can order again and again. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find Sapporo and Kyoto Yuzu Ale alongside a short but well-curated sake list.
The 18-course tasting menu opens with five appetizer courses that sport some of the artsier presentations I’ve seen of Japanese food. Where most omakases save the Uni course for the finale, this one starts with it. The Ikura Tartare was the first appetizer, arriving in a delicate shell with sweet potato purée, and crowned with a generous heap of uni and edible shiso flowers. Equally interesting is the Ankimo, a braised monkfish liver topped with pickled cucumber and wasabi, then finished with a vibrant shiso sauce.
One of the standouts of the night was another appetizer course, the Unagi. This one, a skewered barbecue eel caramelized with just enough sweetness, then draped table side with shaved foie gras that melted into the warm eel.
Each morning, fish is flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, and you can tell. Not only did it feel like the portion sizes of all the fish are akin to what you’d actually find in Japan, but it was paired with a proprietary blend of three short-grain rices and vinegar.
Highlights from the nigiri courses include classics like the Aji (horse mackeral) and Akami (lean tuna), brushed with soy and ginger. One thing Kiwami understands particularly well is rhythm. As the richer bites begin to settle, the menu pivots toward brightness again: citrus, ginger, shiso, smoke, a dash of wasabi.
Cuts you don’t see on every omakase menu include the Botan Ebi or sweet shrimp, accented with truffle salt and lemon, a week-aged Chu-Toro (medium-fat tuna belly), and Aori Ika (squid). Much like the portion sizes for all of the fish here, the Hokkaido Uni (sea urchin) handrolls don’t mess around either, chef takes the entire first layer of the box of Uni and when you think that’s a big enough helping, he adds a second layer of uni to the wrapped crisp nori.
The tasting wraps up with dessert from an in-house pastry chef. For us it was the Lava Cheesecake, paired with green tea. And just when you think it’s over, Cao sends you home with a little surprise, two handmade desserts wrapped carefully in a Kiwami-labelled gift bag. Perfect for the next morning.
The 18-course experience is absolutely the kind of meal that justifies itself course by course. Kiwami feels less like a buzzy city omakase and more like slipping into a hidden room that the rest of New York hasn’t found yet.
Kiwami
141 Bridge Park Drive, Brooklyn, NY
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