Wow. What an incredible dining experience, from start to finish. I only wish I had taken a picture of the menu so as to remember these dishes more exactly. The Chawanmushi, an assortment of amazing seafoods, a unique kikurage mushroom dish and a signature dessert...so many incredible dishes. We opted for the beef tartare and caviar upgrade. I'm not able to name all the dishes we had (accurately, at least) but check out the pics. We did the beverage pairing as well which had us drinking some delicious sake and a very nice red wine. We were blown away by the quality of the food and professionalism of this restaurant and team. It's worth the price, esp knowing you're supporting a good cause. Oh, and the restaurant itself is gorgeous! So much intricate woodwork. A visual delight found in both the food and decor. A great addition to the Fort Greene neighborhood.

I haven't left a review in years but was inspired to do so tonight. We got an early seating and had the place to ourselves. Food, drinks, service, and ambience were all top notch. We'll be back for a special occasion.

Every aspect of the experience is enjoyable. From the warm welcome you receive when the host/hostess checks you in and remembers if you've been before, to the beautiful decor and ambiance to the food and drinks themselves, which come with fun and interesting backstories for how the dish was inspired. Waitstaff were incredibly friendly and attentive, and always willing to help point you to the perfect pairing for what's coming next. The food itself was incredible. Everything perfectly prepared with vibrant flavors and beautiful plating and designs. Sure it's a little expensive, but you truly get what you pay for here and it doesn't hurt that it's owned by a not for profit that gives back to the community. Just a truly special experience that I'm excited to go back to whenever I can!

Absolutely amazing food and service! The wagyu in particular was one of the best steaks I've had in New York, but everything from the chawanmushi to the dessert was incredible. I loved how intimate the dinner felt and how you got to watch the chefs plate and prepare the food. A top 5 meal in New York for sure

Absolute perfection in every way. Every dish was on point. The service was impeccable. The tunes were not what you'd expect from a Japanese place but in a good way. It felt like a fresh, modern but also utterly wonderful modern take on Japanese.

A perfect tasting menu, a mix of seafood and meats, finely executed kaiseki in new york. Japanese inspired with a touch of Polish. And it is non-profit?! Say no more. Definitely deserve a praise. Glad we got to try it before it gets busy! Ambiance, service, food, timing.. were all perfect.

This is a gem of a restaurant. When you enter you feel like you are stepping inside a private club in Japan. The restaurant is stunningly beautiful with the most exquisite counter of hinoki wood and curved wood paneling. I think there are only 16 seats which face the chef. Beautiful. Everyone who works there brings a sense of pride and calm. The food is a series of small dishes - fish, meat, vegetarian. Besides the opening of freshly baked milk bread and miso butter we were served a fresh salad. Then our favorite interpretation of chawanmushi arrived. Soothing savory pudding with truffle notes and little surprises. Onward to two fresh fish courses flown in from Tokyo. The amberjack was kissed with fresh citrus. The mackerel was blasted with a torch. Both blew us away. A choice of supplements were offered: toro topped with golden osetra caviar or wagyu beef tartar. Our group ordered both and everyone swooned. Another course had carrots cooked and served like eel but peppery with tinge of Szechuan peppercorns, a lovely scented bowl of rice and the most delicious miso soup. Wow. Another dish was Japanese sweet potato with a savory and sweet sauce. A wagyu beef course served simply with perfectly buttery mash -- Followed by exquisitely cooked duck slices. Dessert - of course. The chef combines his Polish grandmothers dumpling with mochi in a light fruit sauce... yum. We have gone twice. We will be back back - but this place is a find and no doubt reservations will be hard to come by. They told us it is a not for profit and money flows to the food insecure. So when the bill comes -- you know two things - you had a mind blowing meal and you are supporting a great cause. Arigato

Loved everything about this place. The staff. The service. The food. The drinks. The ambiance. And they do all of this for a cause- to support food security. Ikigai lives up to its name: "Ikigai is often explained using a four-circle diagram that represents: What you love What you're good at What the world needs What you can be paid for The intersection of these four circles is where you can find your ikigai." You can truly tell the chef has found his ikigai. So looking forward to coming back.

Ikigai is a unique non-profit Japanese restaurant in Fort Greene that leans fruit/vegetable-facing as they take on classic Japanese courses, such as uni, unagi (eel) and sashimi. Ikigai nails it on ambiance and aesthetics, with a dark, sleek interior and more airy open garden where you dine on your first course. Although I'd typically prefer more traditional meat options I was impressed by the technical skills on display here. Service is prompt and attentive and I especially liked the gift they give you at the end of the experience (a set of high-quality chopsticks emblazoned with the Ikigai logo). They even feature a bidet in the bathroom in line with traditional Japanese experiences!

Tucked away in the ground floor of a brownstone, you'll find Ikigai, tranquil and gorgeously decorated, complete with a backyard garden oasis. When you enter, you are taken to the garden for your welcome drink and first round of appetizers. You get a chance to preview the menu and select from a tightly curated list of sake & tea. You'll then be taken into the dining area which feels intimate and inviting. The chef will then take you through each course, explaining each item and telling stories about the significance of certain ingredients to him. It was such a special experience to interact with the chef and the staff since each seating time only accommodates ~10 people. The photos undermine how spectacular each course was. A few favorites were the saba with tomatoes & basil, A5 wagyu with potatoes and fresh wasabi, and the quail "egg in a hole" uni toast. Special mention for the carrot, prepared similar to unagi, which single-handedly made me tolerate carrots. Ikigai is also a non-profit, so all proceeds go toward fighting food insecurity. A beautiful experience for a beautiful societal impact.