Omakase in Union County NJ: Two Counters to Know Before You Book

"We only cut fish for the day's reservations," Carmen Gumina told MyCentralJersey in September. He co-owns Sushi BBY Omakase, which opened in August on East Second Street in Scotch Plains. He also explained how the place works: no written menu, no takeout and no walk-ins. "Even though we could make more money doing takeout, we want to make sure the experience is perfect."

That one policy explains the rest of this story. Union County now has two counters that serve only omakase, the Japanese format where the chef picks every course. Both are BYOB, and both run on fixed seatings. Getting in comes down to the calendar. Once you have a reservation, the meal costs about what a nice dinner out already costs.

From a one-night residency to two counters

In late February, the closest thing Union County had to a dedicated omakase counter was a pop-up. Sushi by Bou spent one night at The Albion in Summit on February 26, serving 16 courses for $115 across four seatings of 12 guests each. That was 48 seats in total, and then it was over.

Less than six months later, Scotch Plains officials held a ribbon-cutting for Sushi BBY Omakase on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in a space that used to be a juice bar near Park Avenue. Six weeks after that, Kome Omakase celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 407 South Ave. West in Westfield.

The full 17-course dinner at Sushi BBY costs $120. That is within $5 of February's 16-course pop-up, and you can now book it on a Tuesday. The shorter option costs $80. Local coverage calls it 12 courses, while the restaurant's own pricing page calls it "12 pieces."

At Kome, OpenTable lists only "$50 and over." The restaurant hadn't posted exact per-course prices on the pages reviewed for this piece, so call 908-373-2082 before you book if price will decide it.

Why the seats run out

Sushi BBY seats 12 guests per seating. With three seatings Sunday through Thursday and four on Friday and Saturday, the counter has 276 seats a week.

The supply is fixed on purpose. When the fish is cut only for that day's reservations, there is no extra to sell at 9 p.m. to someone who walks in. The chefs told TAPinto in August that they already had reservations into October. By Sept. 18, MyCentralJersey reported the counter was booked through October.

The same report found omakase is still rare in Central Jersey, where only a handful of restaurants offer it and even fewer specialize in it. Kome's opening helps, since it adds three seatings a day in downtown Westfield. No source reviewed gives Kome's seat count, but it seats guests at a counter. That format has a hard limit on how many people can sit down each night.

Choosing the room, since you may only get one shot

With seats this scarce, choose a counter based on how you want to spend the evening.

Sushi BBY is built for a night out. Gumina described the room as a "Japanese cyberpunk, cool date-night vibe," with low lighting, neon, modern music and chefs who talk with guests during the meal. The name comes from chat shorthand for "baby." The three partners met while working as omakase chefs in northern New Jersey, and every progression is built around the day's catch. "Omakase is a serious dining experience, but we are bringing a more relaxed and fun style," Gumina said.

Kome Omakase focuses on technique. Owners Eric and Daniel Lin are brothers, and each has about 20 years of restaurant experience in Ohio and Tennessee, including time at a Michelin restaurant. The menu changes daily, and the kitchen places special emphasis on aged fish, using careful aging to develop richer flavor and more refined texture. "At Kome Omakase, we believe that great cuisine does not need excessive decoration," Eric Lin said. In Japanese, the name means rice.

Kome's location matters too. It sits across from the Westfield train station. Daniel Taugher, executive director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation, said that lets people who work in the city meet for dinner without a long trip home afterward. A 6:30 seating within walking distance of the platform makes a weeknight dinner easy to plan.

Before you book either one

These details are easy to miss on a reservation app, and missing them can cost you money.

1. Check your dietary needs first. Sushi BBY says every seating is built around raw fish and rice, with no vegan substitutes, riceless options or fish-free alternatives. Kome asks guests with seafood allergies to ask about that day's selections before reserving.
2. Know the cancellation rule. Sushi BBY charges 50% per person for cancellations made within 24 hours.
3. Arrive on time. Sushi BBY seatings last about 90 minutes, with a 10-minute grace period. If you arrive later than that, you may not get the full progression.
4. Bring your own bottle. Both counters are BYOB.
5. Use the right booking channel. Kome takes reservations through Resy and OpenTable. Kome's website still lists its hours as "Coming Soon," so go by the daily seating times reported at the opening.

When the counter is full

Groups have another option at Sushi BBY. You can book the whole counter for up to 12 guests, and the restaurant also offers off-site events, including "Homakase," which is omakase at home, plus tuna carvings and office parties. Inquiries go to 908-325-1577.

For something casual, Scotch Plains cut the ribbon on a second Japanese-leaning spot the same day. Meet Again Café sits at 1985 US-22, in the building that used to house Dunkin' Donuts. It pairs Italian coffee drinks with onigiri filled with shrimp or eel, sandwiches on fresh-baked bread, and a "Purple Rice Roll" made with red cabbage, purple rice, lettuce, sweet radish and pork. "We want to bring two cultures together, East meets West," said co-owner Tony Chen, who runs the café with Catherine Zhuo.

At The Synergy Group NJ, we follow what opens across Union County, from a 12-seat counter on East Second Street to a new storefront across from the Westfield station. These businesses shape how a town feels on an ordinary weeknight. If you're thinking about where you want those weeknights to happen, we'd be glad to help you plan it, because your next move deserves a strategy.