Chef Manabu Asanuma’s precision kaiseki tasting menu at 412 Greenwich Street earned its first Michelin star just two months after opening, making Muku the fastest-starred restaurant in the city’s history
A New Standard in a City That Thought It Had Seen Everything
New York has more than 20,000 restaurants. It has Japanese restaurants in every borough, omakase counters ranging from neighborhood sushi bars to destination dining rooms that require months of planning to book. It has Michelin-starred establishments representing cuisines from dozens of nations. And yet Muku, a kaiseki counter tucked into the penthouse level of a Tribeca address best known as the former home of Sushi Ichimura, managed to do something no restaurant in New York City’s Michelin history had done before: earn its first star within two months of opening service.
What Is Kaiseki and Why Does It Matter?
Kaiseki is the most formal expression of traditional Japanese cuisine — a multi-course progression that moves through textures, temperatures, and techniques in a carefully choreographed sequence. At its best, kaiseki is seasonal, hyper-local, and reflective of a chef’s complete philosophy rather than a single signature dish. The five foundational techniques — raw, grilled, simmered, steamed, and fried — serve as a structure within which a skilled chef can demonstrate extraordinary range. Chef Manabu Asanuma, who previously worked at Sushi Ichimura in the same space, has carried that tradition forward while giving it his own distinct voice. The Michelin Guide to New York has maintained one of the most competitive restaurant evaluation programs in the world since entering the market, making a star recognition within any timeframe a significant editorial statement.
The Food at Muku: A Close Read
Time Out New York food editor Morgan Carter visited Muku and filed a detailed review that places the restaurant’s achievement in honest context. The grilling courses stood out most: rockfish with a white miso marinade that caramelizes under direct flame, and king crab seared over open coals and served cold as part of a composed soup that Carter described as among the best dishes she had encountered in 2026. The soba course, made with buckwheat sourced from Asanuma’s family farm in Yamagata Prefecture, demonstrated an ingredient relationship — chef to land to table — that is rare even in Japan’s most celebrated ryokan kitchens, let alone in Manhattan. Servers finish the course by adding starchy pasta water to the remaining duck broth, creating a warming, deeply savory liquid that closes the grain portion of the meal with elegance. The atmosphere at the wooden counter is slightly more relaxed than the most formal omakase experiences in the city, which Carter noted as a minor critique of presentation in some courses but ultimately as part of what makes Muku feel alive rather than ceremonial.
Practical Information for Prospective Guests
Muku is located at 412 Greenwich Street, Penthouse B, New York, NY 10013. Seatings are offered at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. The tasting menu is priced at $295 per person. Reservations can be made through the restaurant’s booking system and should be secured well in advance given the counter’s size and the level of attention the Michelin recognition has generated. The counter accommodates a small number of guests per seating, which is integral to the experience — Asanuma and his team are present throughout service in a way that large restaurant operations cannot replicate. Time Out New York’s restaurant coverage tracks openings, closures, and critical evaluations across all price points and cuisines in the city.
For Families Visiting the City: Beyond the Star Counter
Not every visitor to New York will book a $295 kaiseki tasting menu. But the city’s extraordinary dining landscape encompasses options at every price point and for every age group. Families visiting with children have access to a parallel food world: the giant slices at Koronet Pizza on the Upper West Side, the pastrami on rye at Katz’s Delicatessen on the Lower East Side, the soul food at Melba’s in Harlem, the cannoli at Veniero’s in the East Village. Mommy Poppins maintains a locals’ guide to showing family around New York City that covers neighborhoods, free attractions, cultural institutions, and dining options across all five boroughs — an invaluable resource for visitors navigating the city with children. Whether your table costs $295 or $3, New York’s food culture is one of the great arguments for why this city remains incomparable.
