Some restaurant reservations require setting an alarm. The one at Sushi Saito in Tokyo practically requires you to be a regular already. For three nights next month, New Yorkers will have another way in, provided their dinner budget has plenty of breathing room.

Chef Takashi Saito, the celebrated chef behind Tokyo’s famously exclusive sushi counter, is heading to Sushi Noz on the Upper East Side from November 5 through 7. The residency is part of the restaurant’s 2026 Japan Series, and it offers a rare chance to taste his omakase without securing access to his Tokyo restaurant or buying a plane ticket. According to Time Out New York, which first reported the details, Sushi Noz says the dinners mark Saito and his team’s first collaboration in the United States.

The price of admission runs between $1,200 and $1,800 per person. Saito will personally lead Sushi Noz’s Hinoki Counter at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. each evening, making for six seatings over the three-night run. The setting suits the occasion: guests sit at a 200-year-old hinoki wood counter in a room surrounded by a dozen types of cedar, with a traditional icebox behind the chef.

There is a second option. Chef Hiroshi Ishikawa, who leads the private room at Sushi Saito in Tokyo, will serve the same menu in Sushi Noz’s six-seat Ash Room at 5:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Anyone for whom watching Saito work is the entire point of the splurge should pay close attention to which counter they book.

Sushi Saito once held three Michelin stars before it moved away from public reservations, a shift that took it out of the guide. Its reputation, by Time Out’s account, has hardly suffered, and access to the Tokyo counter remains exceptionally difficult for anyone outside its established clientele. Both restaurants specialize in Edomae sushi, a Tokyo tradition that emphasizes the preparation and seasoning of fish and rice.

The menu itself has not been announced, so diners should keep their fantasy fish lineup flexible. A limited-edition wine and sake pairing, selected for the omakase, will be available as an add-on.

Reservations are open through Sushi Noz’s booking platform, with a waitlist once seats fill. The fine print is strict: the restaurant cannot accommodate dietary restrictions or menu modifications, all sales are final and nonrefundable, and corkage is prohibited.

For the right diner, then, it is a considerably pricier alternative to refreshing a Tokyo reservation page, and it comes with a three-night window that closes the first weekend of November.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Chef Takashi Saito hosting dinners at Sushi Noz?

Chef Takashi Saito will host omakase dinners at Sushi Noz on the Upper East Side from November 5 through 7, 2026, as part of the restaurant’s Japan Series.

How much does a seat cost at Sushi Noz’s Saito dinners?

Tickets cost between $1,200 and $1,800 per person, depending on the counter option chosen.

What is the difference between the two counter options at Sushi Noz?

Saito leads the Hinoki Counter at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. each evening, while Chef Hiroshi Ishikawa from Sushi Saito Tokyo serves the same menu in the six-seat Ash Room at 5:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

What are the booking and cancellation terms for the Sushi Noz dinners?

All sales are final and nonrefundable, corkage is prohibited, and the restaurant cannot accommodate dietary restrictions or menu modifications.

Why is Sushi Saito in Tokyo so hard to get into?

Sushi Saito once held three Michelin stars before moving away from public reservations and out of the guide, and access now remains exceptionally difficult for anyone outside its established clientele.

Editorial Transparency. A first draft of this story was produced with AI-assisted writing tools, then reviewed for accuracy and tone by the named editor before publication. More on our process: Editorial Policy.