Sen Sakana

What Sen Sakana does

Sen Sakana is a single-location, upscale glatt kosher Nikkei restaurant operating at 28 W 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 2017 as a non-kosher Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) concept, the restaurant was closed for most of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in 2021 under owner Allan Wartski as a fully-certified glatt kosher establishment supervised by Rabbi Berach Steinfeld of Dover Tov. The concept blends Japanese technique with Peruvian ingredients and flavors under Executive Chef Mina Newman (2009 Chopped winner) and Chef Taku Nagai, with signature dishes such as Ceviche Nikkei, Miso Braised Short Ribs, Lomo Saltado, and Salmon and Tuna Tacos.

Revenue is generated across five streams: full-service à la carte dining (lunch Monday-Thursday 11:30am-4pm, dinner Monday-Thursday 4pm-10pm and Sunday 5pm-10pm), a Monday-Thursday happy hour (3pm-7pm), a premium $150-per-person 90-minute omakase experience at a six-seat sushi bar (6:30pm and 8:30pm seatings), a private event program accommodating up to 50 seated or 75 cocktail-style guests with A/V capability, and a glatt kosher catering line booked through a dedicated phone line. Gift cards are sold through the Toasttab e-commerce platform but are not redeemable against catering orders.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, with awareness driven by earned media (Jerusalem Post, Tasting Table, Eater NY, Fleishigs 2023 Restaurant Guide) and active social profiles on Facebook and Instagram. The primary customer segments are kosher fine-dining enthusiasts in the NYC metro and Midtown tourist traffic, supplemented by corporate and private event hosts seeking certified kosher catering and event space. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, subsidiaries, or additional locations.

Name

Sen Sakana

Website

https://sensakana.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sen Sakana is a single-location glatt kosher Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, serving upscale kosher diners, Midtown tourists, and corporate/private event hosts via à la carte dining, a $150 omakase, catering, and private events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Kosher Fine Dining Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (7225), Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly) (HSACAGAH)

Keywords

• Kosher restaurant dining
• Nikkei fusion cuisine
• Japanese Peruvian cuisine
• Catering services
• Private event dining

Headquarters

HQ city

New York, NY

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: In-restaurant dining service featuring signature Nikkei dishes, sushi, and a curated omakase experience. Revenue generated from food and beverage sales during lunch and dinner service.
2. Omakase Experience: Premium 90-minute multi-course omakase dining experience at the sushi bar with personal sushi chef, priced at $150 per person. Offered Monday through Thursday at 6:30pm or 8:30pm, limited to 6 guests per seating.
3. Catering Services: Glatt kosher catering for private events, office parties, meetings, trade shows, and corporate events. Contact number (212) 245-1020.
4. Gift Cards: Gift card sales through Toasttab online platform for gifting dining experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sen Sakana operates a single-location full-service restaurant in Midtown Manhattan serving Kosher Nikkei cuisine—a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions. The core offerings include regular dine-in lunch and dinner service, an intimate 90-minute premium omakase experience at the sushi bar ($150 per person, maximum 6 guests), glatt kosher catering for private and corporate events, and private event hosting in a dedicated dining room for up to 75 guests cocktail-style. The restaurant is certified glatt kosher by Rabbi Berach Steinfeld of Dover Tov.

Product overview

Sen Sakana is a single-location glatt kosher restaurant offering Nikkei cuisine (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) in Midtown Manhattan. The core offerings include the regular dining experience (lunch, dinner, happy hour), the premium Omakase Experience at the sushi bar, private event hosting, and glatt kosher catering services. The restaurant operates as a traditional dining establishment with no software or technology product components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dining Experience Full-service restaurant offering Kosher Nikkei cuisine (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) in Midtown Manhattan, with lunch (Mon-Thu 11:30am-4pm), dinner (Mon-Thu 4pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-10pm), and happy hour service (Mon-Thu 3pm-7pm). Includes signature dishes such as Ceviche Nikkei, Miso Braised Short Ribs, Lomo Saltado, and Salmon and Tuna Tacos.
• Omakase Experience Intimate 90-minute multi-course omakase tasting menu at the sushi bar with a personal sushi chef, priced at $150 per person. Offered Monday through Thursday at 6:30pm and 8:30pm, limited to a maximum of 6 guests per time slot. Requires credit card to hold reservation with 24-hour cancellation notice.
• Glatt Kosher Catering Certified glatt kosher catering service for private events, office parties, meetings, trade shows, and corporate events, featuring hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, plated entrees, large platters, and sushi. Contact via phone (212) 245-1020.
• Private Events Private dining room hosting up to 50 seated guests or 75 cocktail-style, equipped with A/V system, projector, and 5'x5' drop down screen. Suitable for small parties, business meetings, and intimate gatherings.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards sold through the Toasttab online platform, redeemable for the dine-in experience (not valid for online catering orders). Used for gifting authentic Nikkei kosher dining experiences.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dover Tov (Rabbi Berach Steinfeld)coreOthersDover Tov provides glatt kosher certification for Sen Sakana. Rabbi Berach Steinfeld serves as the Kashrus Administrator with over twenty years of extensive kosher experience, having been the administrator of the KIC in Flatbush and Field Representative of Kehilah Kashrus. The organization also operates a Shul in Flatbush.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• Sushi Yasuda: Iconic upscale NYC sushi restaurant with a similar omakase/EDOMAe tradition. Comparable in premium sushi bar experience and Midtown-adjacent clientele.
• Sushi Tokyo: Kosher sushi restaurant in NYC serving a similar premium kosher Japanese offering. Most direct overlap with Sen Sakana's sushi and omakase product.
• Cholita Restaurant: Kosher Latin American restaurant in NYC, similarly blending a non-traditional cuisine with kosher certification. Comparable in fusing an ethnic culinary tradition with kosher observance.
• 2nd Ave Deli: Iconic kosher Jewish delicatessen and restaurant in Manhattan, multiple locations. Directly comparable as a kosher New York dining destination serving a similar observant Jewish clientele.
• Noi Due Carne: Italian kosher restaurant in NYC offering kosher fine dining similar to Sen Sakana's premium positioning. Comparable in upscale kosher price point and Manhattan clientele.
• BondST: Upscale Japanese restaurant in NYC's NoHo serving a similar premium, ingredient-driven tasting and sushi menu. Comparable as a high-end Japanese competitor in the same NYC market.
• Reserve Cut: Upscale glatt kosher steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan, similarly positioned around fine kosher dining, premium pricing, and a corporate/tourist client base. Direct overlap with Sen Sakana's kosher fine-dining positioning.

Regional players

• Chotto Matte: Japanese-Peruvian (Nikkei) restaurant group with locations in London, Miami, and other markets. Comparable Nikkei cuisine concept but operates outside NYC's primary market.

Broad incumbents

• Wolfgang's Steakhouse: Upscale NYC steakhouse with locations near Times Square. Comparable in Midtown Manhattan premium dining positioning, power-business clientele, and high check averages.
• Nobu: Global Japanese-Peruvian chain founded by Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro; the originator of the Nikkei cuisine category Sen Sakana operates in. Comparable as the segment-defining incumbent but broader, non-kosher, and global.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sensakana
• Instagraminstagram.com/sensakana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sen-sakana

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sen Sakana