Ume is a stunning, minimalist Japanese restaurant in Williamsburg that looks like a little cottage you’d stumble upon while exploring off the beaten path.
But it’s not your typical omakase restaurant–here, you dine on the floor (literally, there are no chairs) and build your own omakase!
When entering you’ll wash your hands and place your shoes in a cubby before walking past the chefs preparing the omakase in front and heading out to the stunning outdoor patio where you’ll sit criss-cross applesauce on a floor cushion.
And once you’re settled the fun begins!
Ume offers a $78 pre-fixe sushi set that comes with 12 different sashimi combos, seasoned sushi rice, miso soup, nori, and flavored salts, including ghost-pepper and truffle sea salt–but it all comes deconstructed on a sushi board so you can build it yourself!
The restaurant does give diners a recommended set of instructions to follow–drink the soup first, try all the sauces individually before pairing, eat the fish from left to right, and play around with the seasonings–but you do have full reign to be the curator of your own meal and create whatever combinations you’d like!
If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at being a sushi chef, this restaurant lets you live out those dreams.
Beyond the build your own option, there’s also an à la carte menu with dishes ranging from $20 – $60, including options such as the Everything Roll, Literally Everything Don, Uni Ikura Don, and Scallop Uni Salad.
You can also opt for the traditional omakase experience, where you’ll enjoy 15 pieces of sushi for $125 while seated at the restaurant’s sushi counter.
Whether your build your own omakase that looks like something a high-end spot would actually serve, or they look, well, exactly how they would if someone with little to no experience made them, we can promise two things: they’ll taste delicious either way, and you’ll have a fun experience.
Learn more about Ume and make reservations here.
📍 237 Kent Ave, Brooklyn