New York has a substantial amount of nice Japanese food options, from some of the country’s best ramen to gorgeous kaiseki spreads to, of course, the best sushi in NYC. In the following list, we’ve searched and picked 10 fabulous sushi places in NYC.
1. MASA
New York, NY 10019
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2. Sushi Ginza Onodera
461 5th Ave
New York, NY 10017
(212) 390-0925 https://www.sushiginzaonoderanewyork.com/
Pricey, luxe Tokyo-based sushi chainlet Ginza Onodera will cost you a pretty penny, with its two omakases running $300 and $400 for a series of Japanese fish sourced from Tsukiji. Onodera embraces the Japanese ideal of beauty and harmony, from umami-rich ankimo (monkfish liver) presented in a hand-painted Japanese bowl, to ethereally buttery chutoro slick with soy and a swipe of freshly grated wasabi. Nigiri here is excellent and some of the best in the city, with a check to match — though lunch brings $100 to $150 options.
3. Shuko
47 E 12th St
Masa and Neta alums Jimmy Lau and Nick Kim opened their small Union Square sushi bar in 2014, and it quickly became known as one of the city’s best sushi tasting menus. Though the chefs come from more traditional outfits, Shuko’s daily changing options skew more toward the deliciously aberrational. Options have included a black truffle-wrapped sushi roll and a bowl of toro topped with uni and caviar. Omakase: $155; Kaiseki: $195
4. Kanoyama
175 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-5266 http://www.kanoyama.com/
Even before chef Nobuyuki Shikanai nabbed one Michelin star, his simply dressed Kanoyama had already earned a devout neighborhood following for its fairly priced fresh fish. A long menu of sashimi, nigiri, and rolls — in addition to izakaya bites like shumai and grilled salmon belly — run a la carte, but the most coveted seats are at Shikana’s omakase counter. Note, while Kanoyama is open daily and accepts walk-ins, this chef’s choice menu is only served Tuesday through Saturday and requires reservations.
5. Cagen
414 E 9th St
New York, NY 10009
(212) 358-8800 http://www.cagenrestaurant.com/
While the East Village’s Cagen might, in the past, have been known as more of a kappo spot that also served (some very good) sushi, chef Toshio Tomita has changed his tune to focus on fish. Cagen’s omakase is priced at $160 for 18 pieces, with its bounty of seasonal fish sent regularly from Japan. A la carte ordering is available as well, but if dining at Cagen on Sunday or Monday, it’s omakase only at the bar.
6. Sushi Noz
New York, NY 10075
Noz— helmed by former Sushiden alum Nozomu Abe — joined New York’s sushi elite last spring when the Upper East Side, cedar wood-bedecked, eight-seat bar rolled into town with its $300 omakase. Here, guests sit before a sleek bar carved from a 200-year-old Hinoki tree and embark on an Edomae-inspired experience that begins with five or so otsumami (appetizers), before moving into around 15 nigiri bites, followed by miso soup, and finally tomago (egg). Fish is mostly flown in from Tokyo and, as is customary for Edomae sushi, chef Abe embraces myriad aging and preservation techniques. Abe doesn’t have a fridge at the sushi bar to store his fish (aged fish live in a basement fridge); Instead, he uses the old-school approach of keeping his fish for the night in an ice chest built into the wall behind the bar.
7. Hasaki
210 E 9th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 473-3327 https://www.hasakinyc.com/
Responsible for jumpstarting the East Village’s Little Tokyo contingent of Japanese restaurants and bars, godfather Bon Yagi opened his first restaurant, Hasakai in 1984, long before quality New York sushi was a thing. One of the city’s very first establishments to offer an omakase menu, the cozy Hasaki has been slicing traditional nigiri and sushi preps to table and counter diners for over three decades. A wide-ranging list of omakase ($60, $80, $110) and set menus are on offer, in addition to small cooked Japanese dishes, like grilled sansho pepper and yakitori.
8. Omakase Room by Tatsu
14 Christopher St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 367-2067 https://omakaseroom.nyc/
After a decade of slicing fish at Midtown stalwart Sushi Yasuda, chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi has taken over the subterranean eight-seat West Village bar that briefly lived as Akami. He’s offering a fairly traditional omakase, with top-quality fish sourced locally and from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market. While dinner runs $145 a head for 18 nigiri bites plus maki and a handroll, what’s rather unique here is that one can sit at the bar and order a la carte, too.
9. 15 East
15 E 15th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 647-0015 http://15eastrestaurant.com/
The restaurant, which opened in 2009, is one of New York’s most acclaimed sushi houses. And with an omakase sushi bar, a dining room, and lunch service, the serene restaurant remains a stellar option for an upscale meal. All hot dishes use seasonal ingredients from the restaurant’s neighbor, the Union Square Greenmarket. For years, chef Masato “Masa” Shimizu ran the sushi bar, and in 2015, longtime-15 East chef, Noriyuki Takahashi, who trained at popular Japanese sushi restaurant Tsukiji SushiSay, replaced him as the top dog in the kitchen.
10. Noda
6 W 28th St
New York, NY 10001
https://www.noda.nyc/
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Chef Shigeyuki Tsunoda recently relocated from Tokyo — where he worked at one Michelin star Sushi Iwa — to helm Noda’s semi-circular eight-seat dining counter, which launched earlier this year. Within a plush Ken Fulk-designed space that strays from the traditional austere sushi bar aesthetic, guests embark on a $285 (tip included) edomae-inspired omakase highlighting pristine fish, much of which is flown over from Japan. Expect various otsumami (small appetizers) before approximately 11 pieces of nigiri. Pro tip: Come early for a pre-dinner drink at Noda’s Japanese whiskey-hinged bar (presently only open for sushi diners), with seasonal cocktails devised by EN Japanese bartender Nick Krens and Bar Goto’s Kenta Goto.