Akoya: A Modern Japanese Dining Experience in Times Square, NYC

Akoya Introduce

In the bustling heart of New York City, where the energy of Times Square is palpable, a unique and cozy dining experience awaits at Akoya. This modern Japanese restaurant offers a quiet and sophisticated retreat from the city's fast pace, providing a space for intimate conversations and an exploration of creative cuisine. Akoya is carving out its niche by focusing on a select menu of small plates and its specialty, temaki hand rolls, rather than a sprawling list of traditional sushi. The atmosphere is designed to be cozy and inviting, making it a great spot for an after-work gathering, a pre-theater meal, or a relaxed dinner. With its chic ambiance and focus on high-quality offerings, Akoya aims to be a memorable part of your New York dining journey.

Akoya's menu is curated to provide a thoughtful and elevated experience, moving beyond the usual fare to showcase unique flavors and high-quality ingredients. While the restaurant has had a recent opening, it has already garnered attention for its unique approach to Japanese cuisine. Their offerings include a variety of small plates and creative hand rolls that put a new spin on classic dishes. The kitchen is committed to using premium ingredients, such as Australian Wagyu and fresh seafood, to create flavorful and compelling dishes. The restaurant has quickly become a spot for those seeking a modern and intimate dining experience, with a particular focus on evening meals and drinks. Its location in one of the most famous parts of the world makes it a prime destination for tourists and a hidden gem for locals in search of a quieter, more focused dining environment.

Customer reviews offer a balanced view of the dining experience, highlighting both its strengths and areas for improvement. Patrons have described the combination of service and food as "wonderful" and an "enjoyable start" to their trip to NYC. The staff is consistently praised as being "friendly and attentive," with a willingness to accommodate requests, such as a custom mocktail for a child. The ambiance is also a major highlight, with the "vibe nice" and the restaurant being "aesthetically pleasing." However, some feedback from its early days of operation mentions inconsistencies in food quality, with a particular focus on the texture and flavor balance of certain dishes. While the restaurant is in its early stages, it is clear that they are committed to providing great service and a comfortable setting. The positive reception for their cocktails and the specific flavors of dishes like the Lightly Cured Faroe Island Salmon and Spicy Yellowfin Tuna suggest a promising future and a dedication to improving the dining experience.

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Location and Accessibility

Akoya is located in one of the world's most iconic locations, at 6 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA. Its position in the heart of Times Square makes it highly accessible via a variety of public transportation options, including the subway and bus lines that converge in the area. For those in the city, the restaurant is a short walk from countless theaters, hotels, and attractions. Given its central location, it's a perfect spot for a pre-theater dinner or a celebratory meal. The restaurant is also committed to inclusivity, with a notably welcoming atmosphere for the LGBTQ+ community. While parking is limited and often expensive in this part of Manhattan, the widespread availability of public transit makes it easy to reach for locals and visitors alike.

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Services Offered

Akoya focuses on a streamlined set of services to deliver a premium and intimate dining experience:

Dine-in: The primary service is a full dine-in experience, offering table service in a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. It’s an ideal setting for a relaxed, focused meal.
Reservations: The restaurant accepts reservations through platforms like Resy, which is highly recommended given its prime location and popularity, ensuring a table is ready for you upon arrival.
Bar Service: With an onsite bar, guests can enjoy a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, including great cocktails, beer, hard liquor, and wine.

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Features and Highlights

Akoya distinguishes itself from other dining options in Times Square with several key features that enhance the guest experience:

Great Cocktails: The bar is a major highlight, with a focus on crafting excellent cocktails that complement the Japanese-inspired cuisine.
Cozy Atmosphere: The restaurant's ambiance is specifically designed to be a quiet, cozy retreat from the hustle and bustle of Times Square. This is ideal for those who want a more intimate dining experience.
Onsite Bar: The presence of a full bar with a wide range of alcohol offerings makes Akoya a great spot for an evening out or a happy hour.
LGBTQ+ Friendly: Akoya is known for being a welcoming and safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, contributing to its inclusive and diverse crowd.
Table Service: The restaurant provides attentive table service, ensuring a pleasant and comfortable experience for every guest.
Focus on Dinner: As a popular spot for evening meals, Akoya is ideal for a night out, with a menu tailored for a full dinner experience.

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Contact Information

For reservations or inquiries, you can reach Akoya at:

Address: 6 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA

Phone: (917) 244-6007

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What is Worth Choosing?

When you visit Akoya, the menu invites you to explore a variety of unique and modern Japanese dishes. The small plates are an excellent way to begin your meal and sample different flavors. The Spicy Cucumbers are a refreshing start, while the Crispy Rice Trio offers a textural and flavorful experience. The Roasted Shishito Peppers and Miso Marinated Eggplant are also great choices, showcasing classic Japanese flavors with a modern twist. For a truly unique appetizer, the Maine Lobster and Australian Wagyu Tataki are standout options that promise a premium and delicious start to your dinner.

Akoya's specialty lies in its temaki hand rolls, which are designed to be enjoyed immediately to preserve the crispness of the seaweed. While some of the rolls have had mixed reviews regarding texture, the flavors themselves can be quite compelling. The Spicy Yellowfin Tuna and Lightly Cured Faroe Island Salmon rolls are often cited as favorites. The menu also offers a selection of creative dishes in its "Others" section, such as the Simmered Burdock Roll and Marinated Salmon with Ikura, that are worth exploring for their unique combinations of flavors.

For dessert, Akoya offers a few simple but well-executed options. The Bread Pudding has been praised for its taste, while the Monaka Sandwich provides a light and classic Japanese dessert experience. It's clear that the restaurant is focused on crafting a menu that is both familiar and new, offering a chance to try unique dishes that you might not find at a more traditional Japanese restaurant. With a focus on unique flavors, high-quality ingredients, and a commitment to great cocktails, Akoya provides a refreshing and intimate alternative to the typical dining options in Times Square. Whether you're a New York resident or a tourist, Akoya is a place to experience a different side of Japanese cuisine in a sophisticated and cozy setting.

Akoya Food & drink

Main
Okinawa Sweet Potato
Daikon Mochi

Dessert
Bread Pudding
Monaka Sandwich
Sesame Cookie

Small Plates
Spicy Cucumbers $14.00
Steamed Edamame $12.00
Roasted Shishito Peppers
Rinated Huiki Salad

Others
Salmon Crudo
Crispy Rice Trio
Simmered Burdock Roll
Australian Wagyu Tataki $11.00
Maine Lobster $13.00
Savory Daikon Mochi
Miso Marinated Eggplant
Roasted Okinawan Sweet Potato $9.00
Marinated Salmon With Ikura $12.00

Akoya Details

Service options
Dine-in

Highlights
Great cocktails

Popular for
Dinner

Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Cocktails
Hard liquor
Wine

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Table service

Amenities
Bar onsite
Restroom

Atmosphere
Cozy

Crowd
LGBTQ+ friendly

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards

Akoya Photos

Akoya Location

Akoya

New York New York County New York Times Sq

6 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA

Akoya Reviews

I’m sorry to write this review, but this was an exceedingly disappointing experience. The staff were all very kind and professional and the space is great for quietly chatting, but the food fell far short of our expectations. If you’re a foodie, I would avoid this spot. My partner & I were in NYC for a short period of time to enjoy restaurant week, and Akoya was our last stop. We took a chance on it despite it being newly opened because of the few high reviews, but we were misled.The crispy rice trio had poor balance of flavor. The fish was mashed up for every single roll, making it difficult to appreciate the taste or quality of the fish, while the microgreens served as an annoying distraction. Spicy tuna is typically a mash, but I was surprised that the yellowtail came in a similar consistency. Combined with the rice that was both too hard and too soft, the food provided little textural interest. We ordered the duck a la carte (bc I’m a big fan of duck). The slices were weirdly grayish and had too much chew, and the sauce was too sour.The most disappointing were the temaki, which is supposed to be Akoya’s specialty. The plastic wrapping did little to keep the seaweed from going soggy, which made each roll difficult to eat. None of the rolls made the fish the star of the show and instead buried it in sauce or other toppings. The chopped pieces of salmon, mixed with chopped mushrooms, were such that they lacked individual texture, resulting in a mash once again. The oyster lacked oyster flavor — it was like an oyster roll for people who dislike oyster. Only the yuzu scallop roll was passably good. However, I did not enjoy the experience of eating it due to the wet seaweed.The bread pudding tasted good! Unfortunately, my partner’s monaka sandwich had a piece of mochi still frozen in the middle. I feel bad for anyone else who was served a similar item.We spoke to the head chef, who comped our meal and explained that they were having start-up issues & were lacking equipment. I hope that they are able to resolve their issues soon. In the meantime, I would not recommend this location. In such a highly competitive market like NYC, food at this price point should taste good.
August 17 · jennifghjkl
Wonderful. The combination of service and food was an enjoyable start to my trip to NYC.We made a reservation on Resy and showed up a little early, I asked to see if a table was open early and it was. The waitress was friendly and attentive the whole time. She even offered a custom mocktail for my 10 year old daughter.The vibe was nice, music was good and the restaurant was aesthetically pleasing.The food was amazing, you will want to order multiple of hand rolls. Our favorites were the Lightly Cured Faroe Island Salmon, Australian Wagyu Tataki and Spicy Yellowfin Tuna. The rice was a great temperature and highlighted the flavor of the fish.I took my daughter to an early dinner here, but I would not say it is a place for kids, more a spot for after work or evening food/drinks.This has only been open a couple weeks, check it out!
May 01 · Kristy Currier
An intimate, elevated dining experience. The food was delicious, beautifully presented, and each dish was so unique. The Grilled Oyster Hand Roll, in particular, was fantastic. Having only been open a few weeks, the restaurant is newly renovated, and being on the top floor of the hotel, it's a quiet and luxurious escape from Times Square. The staff could not have been better - so knowledgeable, welcoming, and kind. It's a small space, so I would recommend making a reservation, especially as the word gets out!
May 07 · Austin Braxton-Smith
In town on business and was on my way to the steak house to be greeted by an attendant telling me about this new sushi rooftop bar that opened TODAY. Well I tried it and it did not disappoint. Esthetically pleasing. Friendly staff. Delicious sushi. Try the wagyu caviar roll. It's absolutely and the scallop roll for a burst of flavor to your taste buds.
April 09 · Rosa Cruz
A great place right in the heart of Manhattan in Times Square to have a delicious and authentic oriental meal with friends, family or a date.
July 22 · Raul Sayrols