The sushi scene in New York has gone a long way in the previous two decades, with superb sashimi and nigiri available in almost every neighborhood. If you’re visiting New York, you’re probably aware there’s a lot to see and do. In such a diverse city, you’ll immerse yourself in a melting pot of cultures and endless food possibilities.
This traditional Japanese dish has no reason not to be liked, with its vinegared rice, avocado, cucumber, fresh salmon, and many other fresh ingredients rolled in seaweed. For residents of New York, the city has some of the best sushi restaurants, from Michelin-starred places to the quality-driven neighborhood treasure, and we will reveal them all in this article. To assist you, we have compiled a list of the seven best sushi restaurants in New York City, or you can get all the information at nicelocal.
Sushi Yasuda
Sushi Yasuda, located in east midtown New York, welcomes you to a whole sushi experience unlike any other. Sushi Yasuda is one of New York’s oldest omakase restaurants, revered for its fresh seafood. Here, you can order a la carte or go with the chef’s selection omakase while sitting at a table or the bar. Yasuda’s Omakase offers you a feast of 24 pieces of fish and other Japanese specialties.
The menu may appear a little daunting for first-time sushi lovers because it is loaded with countless fish varieties you might not be familiar with. They are renowned for delivering some of the most incredible sushi in the area; the fish is always caught fresh, and the rice is superb, slightly warm, and perfectly vinegared. For the best unagi experience, Sushi Yasuda provides a variety of eels, including sea eels and freshwater eels.
Sushi Nakazawa
Sushi Nakazawa has made a reputation for itself since it was featured on the popular Showtime TV series Billions in 2017. It is the place to be if you consider yourself a sushi lover. The owners intended to establish a classic sushi destination that appealed to an affluent American audience using modern lighting and design.
Chef Nakazawa and his four sushi chefs carefully prepare twenty pieces of fish, each delicate and unique, highlighting their beauty and texture with the least amount of salt, pepper, lime, or other flavors. The meal’s star is the fish chosen with meticulous care. Some of the fish had names so difficult that chef Nakazawa had to deliver them by displaying pictures of them on his iPad. So, to see them, head to 23 Commerce Street, a few steps from the renowned Friends flat in Greenwich Village and close to the Cherry Lane Theatre.
Shuko
The Shuko sushi restaurant is hidden on East 12th Street, right below Union Square. With its unmarked black door and velvet curtain at the entrance, this secret sushi restaurant evokes the feel of a speakeasy-style setting. It is a well-liked location for reserving special events, birthdays, and anniversaries because of its vibrant and exciting environment.
Customers will discover premium materials like caviar, gold leaf, and truffles adorned on the nibbles here, as well as a single omakase with the choice of a beverage pairing. You’ll have your own personal sushi chef here, and your sake or drink glass will never be empty. Shuko’s omakase begins with three tiny portions of prepared food before moving on to 18 pieces of fish, including snapper, ocean trout, and kanpachi, that have all been well cooked. So, come here without a doubt if you want to have a fantastic special occasion meal.
Sushi Ginza Onodera
Sushi Ginza Onodera is a Michelin-starred restaurant determined to escape the cliche of chain restaurants and provide a unique sushi eating experience. It is located across from Bryant Park and serves an Edomae-style meal in a lovely Omakase atmosphere. The environment is inviting, well-lighted, and beautifully decorated in Japanese style. The staff is educated and as appealing and remarkable as the food.
Onodera’s meals are prepared in the traditional edomae method of sushi, where pieces of fish are pre-cut and combined with sushi rice to produce nigiri. They provide three lunch meals and one evening course. Each meal is individually crafted for the guest, so no two are alike. It’s also worth noting that they exclusively serve Omakase chef’s choice courses, with no a la carte options.
Sushi Noz
Sushi Noz, located on a tree-lined street on the Upper East Side, welcomes you to a space that transports you away from New York. Everything here, from the decor to the chef, has been carefully chosen to produce an intimate Japanese experience unlike any other. The sushi at Noz is often traditional, which means that a night here is all about the careful preparation and multi-sensory experience of sitting in a smokey wood room.
Sitting at the Hinoki Counter, you can order an Edomae-style tasting menu with five to six small dishes and a beautiful variety of seasonal nigiri. You can also visit the Ash Room for an equally delectable tasting menu with a choice of sushi alternatives. Diners at each counter can enjoy an Edomae-inspired meal with Western twists. It is worth a try if you have never been here because everything is cooked beautifully using fresh seafood purchased from Tokyo’s Toyosu market and areas beyond.
Sushi Azabu
Are you seeking one of the delicious and satisfying trademark maki rolls? Sushi Azabu is a famous sushi place that doesn’t hesitate to satisfy customers. This modern sushi bar in Tribeca is an excellent place to hide from the world’s end or enjoy a slice of fatty toro when the chilly New York winter comes in. It is an underground bunker decorated in Tokyo style and combines truly fabulous Japanese cuisine with meals pleasing to American sushi fans.
You can order a nigiri set or any piece of a la carte while sitting at a table. But the omakase experience at the bar should be your main reason for visiting. Small appetizers, sashimi bites, soup, a toro sampling, nigiri bites, and a tiny dish in the center dubbed “grilled king crab with miso” are all included in the chef’s omakase, which is an impressive choice of incredible cuisine. Overall, the sushi pieces here are so wonderful that you’ll want to note the fish’s names.
Sushi Seki
Sushi Seki, a restaurant close to Times Square, offers you to eat at their renowned sushi bar on the main floor with Chief Seki and his staff. The restaurant offers inventive dishes such as hot scallop hand rolls and traditional sushi. In addition, an unexpected combination of salmon nigiri topped with sautéed tomato will expose your taste sense to the one thing they never realized they needed.
This sushi chain restaurant is an attractive choice for newbie sushi lovers seeking excellent and creative meals while visiting New York’s major sites because of its minimalist and open space setting. Monday through Saturday, Sushi Seki is open until 3 a.m. so that late-night diners can enjoy delicious sushi.
You can be sure to discover the nearest sushi place in New York at Nicelocal, whether you want to make it a memorable celebration or want a genuine Japanese dining experience without spending too much money. So, feast on incredible, cutting-edge sushi and sashimi at the most fantastic sushi places we’ve suggested, along with top-shelf sake.
