About Prime KO
Prime KO located on the Upper West Side is the third New York City restaurant from Prime Hospitality Group, which owns The Prime Grill and Solo restaurants. Prime KO is a Japanese steakhouse that blends modern and authentic cuisines from Executive Chef Makoto Kameyama’s native Japan offering delectable steaks with an Asian twist and highlighting distinct flavors from the region.
The Chef hand picks the freshest fish from the market daily and only serves USDA Prime cuts of meat, following in the footsteps of its sister restaurant The Prime Grill. Prime KO serves classics like Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu and more modern dishes like Buffalo Chicken and Red Snapper.
The two story restaurant designed by architect Warren Ashworth blends comfort with chic dining; defining it as a true neighborhood restaurant. The upstairs seats 66 people and offers a fine dining, yet comfortable experience, while downstairs one can find a bar, lounge, sushi bar and dining options that seat up to 100 people. In addition, the downstairs boasts great music and a DJ on many nights.
As with the menu, the design is strongly influenced by Japan and has an almost musical rhythm established by vertical bands of wood in intricate patterns that create an interplay of light and shadow. In counterpoint to these are broad warm white walls of Venetian plaster. The dark, richly upholstered furniture with occasional splashes of color and dramatic accents complete the harmony of the various rooms. The lighting, designed by Steven Katz, envelopes this composition with a warm glow.
Prime KO feels comfortable and casual, but at the same time carries a grace and elegance that is rare on the Upper West Side. Its timeless feel will make this a destination for fine dining for years to come.
About the Chef
Chef Makoto Kameyama brings his authentic and modern style of cooking to Prime KO with classic dishes like Gyu Kakuni and Prime Rib Eye Negimaki. Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1961 Chef Kameyama comes from a family of sushi chefs. Unlike most sushi chefs who are trained in America, Chef Kameyama studied authentic Edo-Mae Sushi (Tokyo style sushi) in Japan, which he brings to his style of sushi served at Prime KO.