Carli Clesmere A small, unassuming door somewhere in Ridgefield might not look like the entrance to one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in Bergen County, but that’s kind of the point. Sushi by Sea is part omakase, part culinary journey, + part dinner party where, somehow, everyone feels like they already know each other. And yes, our resident honorary omakase gal on the TLG team, Carli, can confirm: this one absolutely lives up to the hype. As for the exact address? Nice try. Keeping with the whole secretive experience, we’re keeping that one under wraps. Read on for more about Sushi by Sea, a hidden omakase experience in Ridgefield, New Jersey.
About Sushi by Sea
Sushi by Sea started during the COVID-19 pandemic as a series of secret pop-ups, but the vision was always much bigger than that. The concept came from Jay and Chef C, who had met just a few months earlier and quickly bonded over a shared love of omakase. They loved that in New York City, diners had access to so many fun, intimate omakase experiences, while the concept still felt relatively undiscovered in New Jersey.
So, they decided to create their own.
The two started hosting secret pop-ups, bringing guests together for an omakase experience that felt just as much about the people in the room as it did about what was on the plate. The pop-ups began selling out, and what started as an experiment between two people who had recently been strangers themselves quickly turned into something much bigger.
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That idea of connection became central to Sushi by Sea. Jay and Chef C started as strangers, became friends, and built an experience designed to create that same feeling for everyone who walks through the door. The team’s mantra, “arrive as strangers, leave as friends,” is woven into the entire experience, from conversations across the counter to the energy of the room and the way a meal can somehow turn into a night you do not want to end.
After the pop-ups took off, the team knew Sushi by Sea needed a permanent home. Today, it has grown into an intimate omakase experience centered around food, hospitality, + connection.
The team brings Korean, Brazilian, South African, + Japanese cultural influences to the experience, with dishes inspired by its collective backgrounds and years spent in the hospitality industry. The result is an experience that feels personal, playful, + anything but traditional. Nom nommm.
The Omakase Experience
For anyone new to omakase, the idea is simple: leave it up to the chef. Carli, our Managing Editor, is a seasoned omakase pro, so she went into Sushi by Sea knowing the drill, but this experience takes the secretive omakase vibe to another level.
Guests receive the address just one day before their reservation, along with a password needed to get inside. The drive brings you to a completely unassuming entrance, and when you arrive, Jay is there to greet you and ask for the password. Once you give it to him, he walks you inside and…mic drop. The interior is dark, sleek, intimate, + immediately sets the tone for the night.
Guests sit directly at the chef’s counter, and once everyone is settled in, Jay kicks things off with an introduction. We will not spoil that part for you. Then Chef C and the team come out, and the omakase officially begins. Part of the fun of omakase is not knowing exactly what is coming next, so we are purposely not taking you course by course through the culinary journey. We will give you a tiny hint, though: some of Carli’s favorite bites involved caviar, uni, + salmon. That is all you are getting from us.
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The approximately two-and-a-half-hour experience includes 16 courses, plus something sweet at the end. Carli described the portions as some of the biggest she has ever seen at an omakase, which is worth noting for anyone who has ever left a tasting menu wondering where they should stop for food afterward. Spoiler alert: you will not need a post-omakase snack after Sushi by Sea. Like, at all.
Each dish is presented by the team, with Chef C at the helm sharing more about the ingredients, preparation, + inspiration behind what is being served. But this is definitely not the kind of dinner where the chef quietly prepares your food while everyone sits in silence. The interaction is a huge part of the experience. Chef C pulls guests into the story behind the meal, while Jay moves around the room chatting with everyone, alongside Julian, the maître d’.
The space feels exclusive without ever feeling stuffy. There is a major emphasis on making everyone at the counter feel comfortable, and somehow the night starts feeling less like a formal tasting menu and more like hanging out with a group of people you have known much longer than a couple of hours. Sushi by Sea is also BYOB, so guests can bring along their drink of choice for the experience.
That feeling of connection really becomes clear by the end of the night. When Carli was leaving, she found herself personally saying goodbye to the other guests around the counter. At one point, the sentiment was essentially that you cannot just leave without saying goodbye to your friends… which felt like the perfect full-circle moment for a place built around the mantra arrive as strangers, leave as friends.
Sushi by Sea recently celebrated five years since its beginnings as a pandemic-era pop-up, and while the experience has come a long way from those early days, the original idea is still very much there. A great meal is obviously the goal, but leaving with a story, a new favorite bite, + maybe even a few new friends is what makes the experience stick with you.
And for Carli, who has eaten her way through plenty of omakase counters, Sushi by Sea walked away as a new top contender for one of the best omakase experiences in the area. She will absolutely be back.
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