Scott Laine

It's no secret that Rosella is an East Village standout, but it's taken me a while to visit finally. I met a friend for an obscenely early dinner, but we were glad for it. There were still plenty of people in the dining room, but the staff were super attentive. Most of the seating is counter seating, either in the window, at the bar, or in the back over the sushi chef. There doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the house. There is a happy hour menu, which we ordered a couple of things from, but we were primarily focused on the fish. To get a feel for the menu, we ordered several things. The tuna with pesto and watermelon was terrific, a must-try. My friend said he never seeks out pesto, but this was something special. Next up were two spicy tuna handrolls, which were as promised, spicy and with a nice crunch added for texture. Next up came the sushi, and while my friends were a little delayed by the kitchen, our server was quick to offer us their cucumber salad with yogurt and microgreens to keep us munching. All were delicious and consumed quickly. In terms of beverages, we didn't stray from sake, which was offered on the happy hour menu, but there were many options, including a house-made orange wine from LI. All in, this is a great place to meet a friend, and have a quick bite or sit and chat while you graze the menu. Either way, you will not be disappointed by anything; it's a lovely spot.

Calli McMurray

Took my out-of-town parents here so they could experience fine dining. They had an amazing time—excellent food, phenomenal service and a cozy but not cramped space. Our server was one the most knowledgeable I’ve ever had. She even had anecdotes about the local farmers who sourced one of the ingredients. And don’t skip dessert! We were not rushed at all, which I find to be rare in New York. I highly recommend this place!

+3

Frank Hsieh

This was one amazing culinary experience. Reservations were full but we walked in at 5pm on a Wednesday and got seated at the window with a nice view of Tompkins Square Park. Our friendly and knowledgable server Michael curated an exquisite offering of deliciousness for my wife and me who are not very adventurous when it comes to food. The ceviche was out of this world. My wife is gluten-free and she was very well accomodated. We chatted with Chef Jeff and Sous-chef Maija who were working in the middle of the room but took the time to come by and check on us. It was an outstanding evening and the highlight of our trip to NYC!

+4

Emily Flanagan

A transcendental food experience in New York. The folks at Rosella have nailed marrying fine dining with a casual, approachable and all around friendly atmosphere. Jacob made us feel as if we’ve known him for years and guided us through the perfect tasting menu of their offerings (don’t sleep on the new happy hour). Sarah is the de facto friend who makes sure your wine glass is never empty, approaching with new and exotic offerings specifically tailored to your palette. Unforgettables include the uni toast, fish sausage slider, mussel nigiri, and miso carrot cake. I will never be the same after the farro miso soup. Rosella, you have my heart.

+1

RONDA BACHENHEIMER

Wowwwww. I was so amazed that the food was so outstanding , our server James was so delightful and entertaining! I tried things I never ate before and was blown away My daughter and I enjoyed every bite. A must to come here. I will be back with many Friends

Austin Lite

Rosella delivered one of the most exceptional dining experiences I’ve had this year! Every dish felt thoughtfully crafted, but two sleeper hits stood out: the house endive salad, so good I couldn’t resist drinking every last drop of the dressing—and I’m not ashamed to admit it. And the pickled mussel sushi? Pure magic. I closed my eyes while chewing, and for a moment, it felt like I’d transcended—an out-of-body experience I’ll be chasing again. Outstanding food and impeccable service.

Sheila Xia

Saved this place on my map for a long time and finally got to visit for our anniversary. We sat on the chef’s sushi counter and the experience was incredible. Food and service were both top notch. The flavor was amazing. Wine was great too. We will have to visit again.

+3

Gabrielle

Wow.... we just got home from a dinner from this place and we are absolutely blown away. Andrew was a culinary rockstar and knows flavor like the back of his hand. He had perfect recommendations and paired everything wonderfully. The entire atmosphere is totally fun and exciting, the people who work there were super passionate and seemed to be enjoying their job. Great music, incredible food, and friendly service. We will be returning!

+3

Martiño Prada

The food was just superb, excellent quality of products and preparation, also original, maybe not your regular sushi but very interesting combination of flavors. Loved everything, and the sake was good too. It’s pricey though, so you gotta be ready for that but at least the experience is good enough that you can justify it :) the see urchin toast is one of the best bites I’ve had in the city!

+2

Julia

Food experience was great. But the place itself is tiny, feels crowded. The chairs are very hard to sit on. The drink selection is not that great also. But again, food was amazing. Typical East Village crowd, no one was dressed up. Foodie destination for sure, but not if you are looking for a fine dining experience.

Terry Li

Came here with a group of friends after we were able to get a last minute res on a busy Friday night. The outdoor seating is really cute and comfortable. Our server was friendly and helpful. We ordered a couple dishes to split and everything tasted great but the portions are a little small for the price. Dessert was delicious!! I’m glad I tried it, it’s a nice place for a special occasion.

+3

Andrea

I was really looking forward to coming here after hearing great reviews regarding the food and service. The food was fresh but nothing stood out for us. The service is where I was most disappointed. Our server showed very little interest in us, and at times was dismissive. We asked for recommendations and were barely given any. Towards the end of our meal, we were told another reservation was coming in 15 minutes, so we respectfully got ready to wrap up our dinner. The server then immediately started clearing our plates that still had food on them without asking if we were done. Even though we spend over $200 for two of us, it seems as if we were not spending enough so didn’t get as good of service as others. It also didn’t help that we were seated right by the door on a super cold night so every time the door opened it was quite unpleasant. Unfortunately won’t be returning.

Trevor M

Rosella has decent, if a little unbalanced and over the top, Japanese food. It has a nice atmosphere and is a popular restaurant in the East Village. The issue I had is that our server actively pushed the more expensive menu items on us. When I ordered the salmon avocado roll, he said, "This is the $9 avocado roll." Later, he recommended additional items for us, and pushed a $55 uni and pork bowl (think the uni was domestic, from Maine, and it was kind of rick and cloying) and a $30 glass of sake, which was ok but not great, without mentioning the price. In their defense, they comped us a ceviche dish, which was ok. I don't mind splashing out for Japanese food, and have been to a bunch of Michelin starred Japanese restaurants. But there's a certain amount of quality expected for a $300+ Japanese meal for two people, and one of the many omakase places in the neighborhood could easily do better for that price. It's also the antithesis of hospitality to push more expensive items on diners without mentioning what the price is. It's the principle of the matter. I actually liked the more basic items better, at any price. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth, and won't be back soon.

Josephine Lee

Rosella isn't bad. It's just vastly, vastly overpriced for semi-creative Japanese fusion. Dozens of restaurants in the city can do the same thing, and many don't charge as much as Rosella does. This is sushi/Japanese designed for rich white people who can afford to travel to Japan but still can't tell you what omakase means, and the prices--and clientele--reflect that. Why else would Rosella charge $21 for a Spicy Tuna Roll? Six average-sized pieces containing nothing particularly unique besides avocado, jalapeno and spicy mayo. Oh, I forgot, they added an herb or something in there. I didn't realize dill now cost $21. We let our server order for us, and he got us almost everything on the not-very-big menu, so I can say with confidence that we tried the best that Rosella had to offer. If you want sushi--whether traditional or fusion--this is NOT the place to go, as not only are the rolls overpriced, but also there are only three options in their "Little Roll" (re: teeny-tiny 6 pieces) category, and three options in their "Big Roll" (re: average-sized 6 pieces--this ain't futomaki), and none of them are that special. You're better off trying the cold and hot dishes. I quite enjoyed the creative Ceviche, which came with scallops and kiwi, while the Crudo with monkfish liver was great. Just be prepared to fork over $23+ each for portion sizes that would be classified as snacks at other restaurants. Also, why the hell is Laksa on a Japanese fusion menu? Rosella shines best in its desserts. The Miso Carrot Cake was moist, fragrant and beautiful to behold, while the creamy Coconut Sorbet came mixed with ginger and lemongrass with a lovely basil drizzle. Get these, whatever else you do. Bottom line: Rosella will undoubtedly appeal to hype-following foodies who blindly spend on omakases while having no actual idea what omakase means. For true sushi, Japanese and general food aficionados, the main impression it will leave is a dent in your wallet.

+9