The Best Sushi Spots in New York City

Bondi Sushi

Named for Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, this sushi restaurant serves fresh, neatly-packed rolls in royal blue boxes printed with the tagline, “Rolled with Love.” If all this feels as inviting as turquoise water lapping lazily onto a sandy beach, that’s by design. The owners of Bondi Sushi, which has locations all around New York City and in Miami Beach, aim to evoke the relaxed vibes of life at the beach, where there’s nothing better than simply prepared seafood. They…deliver. The Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice (topped with jalapeño and eel sauce) and the Spicy Blue Crab Roll are worthy favorites I think about often. Bondi also offers a variety of ways to customize your order: You can build your own sushi box set or rice bowl, and you can add an array of sauce options, including Truffle Ponzu Dressing and Old Bay Aioli Dressing. And, you can also choose your own rice. White, brown, or cauliflower (yes, cauliflower — don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).

Blue Ribbon Sushi

Given that so many New York City restaurants never make it past five years, the fact that Blue Ribbon Sushi has been around since 1995 speaks volumes. Three years after brothers Eric and Bruce Bromberg founded their first Blue Ribbon restaurant, Blue Ribbon Brasserie — which became known for its fried chicken and is still the neighborhood favorite that the brothers set out to create — they teamed up with sushi master Toshi Ueki. As they say, the rest is history. There are now Blue Ribbon Sushi bars in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami. Simple rolls, like salmon or cucumber, are slightly more expensive than what you’d see at your average no-frills joint, and rolls with premium ingredients like blue crab, lobster, or toro cost a little more. But the quality of the fish matches the price tag, and whether you’re ordering one of their platters or à la carte, you’re getting a great value. (If you’re feeling splurgy, there’s always the 8-ounce Japanese A5 Wagyu for $160.)

Sushi Seki Chelsea

Another classic New York City sushi restaurant group is Sushi Seki, a lauded institution offering high quality fish and inventive touches, like torched tomato atop salmon or garlic purée over hamachi. The first location opened in 2002 on the Upper East Side, and Chelsea and Times Square locations followed. Prices are expectedly high, whether you’re ordering top-shelf sashimi, nigiri, or special maki like the Toro Taku Roll, made with chopped fatty tuna and yellow pickled radish. Omakase boxes, which start at $120, follow suit. But if you’re looking for an exceptional experience from the comfort of your own couch, this trusty New York favorite just might be the answer. Your must-order roll, which has gained something of a cult following over the years? The spicy scallop hand roll.

Sushi Dojo

When Sushi Dojo opened in 2013, it drew attention not only for its non-traditional sushi chef, a white guy from South Florida, who trained and worked for years in Japan and New York City, but also for its $45 omakase menu. While other restaurants offering omakase under $100 have proliferated in the years since, Sushi Dojo was one of the first, and remains a top choice if you’re looking for simply prepared, premium fish. Takeout boxes range from $24 for three rolls, to $30 for the chef’s choice of eight pieces, to $82 for a 15-piece Omakase Deluxe. There are a lot of good deals, especially given the generously packed rolls and high quality of fish and rice. What I also love about Dojo are the sustainable options, like arctic char and Tasmanian trout, that you don’t see everywhere else. The restaurant offers DeliverZero reusable containers, which customers return to a drop-off spot or schedule to be picked-up within 3 weeks.

Sushi on Jones

Sushi on Jones, which has New York City locations on the Lower East Side, in the West Village, in Williamsburg, and in London, became infamous for its timed seatings: Diners got 30 minutes for a 12-piece omakase dinner, and then it was time to hit the road. Order that same omakase — now $68 for 12 pieces — at home and savor your sushi at as leisurely a pace as you like. (They have since done away with the time limit at the Williamsburg spot.) Timetables aside, Sushi on Jones comes from none other than Sushi Dojo founder David Bouhadana, and the fish here is every bit as fresh and delicious as Dojo. If you’re a steak lover, you might also want to consider the Wagyu Gyoza, gochujang-braised Wagyu buns, or individual pieces of A5 Wagyu.

Zest Sushi

Zest Sushi is a real gem on the Lower East Side. Not only is the fish fresh and delicious, but the rice is plump and well-seasoned. Rolls are generous in size and studded with toasted sesame seeds, which lend extra texture and a round, nutty finish. It offers some of the highest quality sushi for its reasonable price point, with specials like three rolls for $17. You must order the Purple Fries, purple sweet potato tempura strips that come with a honey mayo dipping sauce you’ll want to eat with everything. Eat the fries as soon as they arrive, or stick them in the toaster oven or air fryer to resuscitate. It’s a large portion and great for sharing.

Nobu

I don’t remember when exactly I first tried Nobu’s iconic Black Cod Miso, but the sensation is firmly ingrained in my memory: A sweet and umami-rich marinade is infused into the delicate filet, resulting in a texture that, clichès aside, evokes butter. It’s one of New York City’s most iconic dishes and totally worthy of its global star status. Ordering this famous dish is a treat — a $48 one — as is ordering from the rest of the menu, which is understandably pricey, given the premium quality of the ingredients and preparation. But the thinly sliced Yellowtail Jalapeño served over a yuzu soy sauce and the excellent cut rolls (really a cut above, if I can say that), is money well spent. Nobu has locations in Tribeca and Midtown, and also all around the world. The restaurant’s vegetables are also so tasty that I always add to my sushi and sashimi order sides like the Crispy Brussels Sprouts or Warm Mushroom Salad.

Lure Fishbar

Is it too much to disclose that my first and last blind date occurred at this beloved Soho haunt, decorated inside to look like a boat? While I knew immediately that the guy, although very nice, wasn’t for me, I also knew that Lure was. To this day I love ordering from there when I’m looking for a special meal that is sure to bring me back to my early days in New York City. There are all kinds of seafood dishes on the menu, including a lobster roll and shrimp cocktail, but I generally go with sushi. I’m a big fan of the Spicy Tuna Roll and the Kenai Roll, which is King salmon with cucumbers and fried shallot. I usually add the Tempura Shrimp, with its audibly crunchy coating and spicy sesame mayo, which I remember better than any other detail from said date.

Nami Nori

The U-shaped hand rolls at this sleek temaki spot that has locations in Greenwich Village, Williamsburg, and Montclair, New Jersey, are reliably good, if a little small. What I like most about this place is the interesting combinations that come in various sets — signature, classic, vegan, or custom — such as coconut shrimp, green curry, lime, and cilantro; or cucumber, black sesame, shiso, and plum. The attention to detail extends beyond the ingredients and inventive combinations, though. Chef/partner Taka Sakaeda and managing partner Lisa Limb took inspiration from rice ball wrappers found in Japanese convenience stores to create packaging that ensures the nori arrives fresh and crunchy. The wrappers are compostable too! It feels like there’s nothing this team hasn’t thought of.

DOMODOMO

Given that DOMODOMO is the self-proclaimed first hand roll bar in New York City, it’s no surprise that this Greenwich Village joint serves great handrolls, or temaki. The cone-shaped, crispy nori rolls range from traditional — shrimp tempura or salmon — to more adventurous — lobster with truffle pâté and aioli — and their sets and “domokase” are a good value for the quality of the fish and the amount included. DOMODOMO also serves signature dishes like Uni Pasta with cheddar dashi, Garlic Bacon Fried Rice, and Katsu Sandos with onion jam, so the adventure doesn’t stop at interesting hand rolls. Go for the hand rolls, stay for the extras.

Quan Sushi

A “hole in the wall” in the most endearing way, Quan Sushi has just six tables, dim lighting, and good beats. It’s the kind of old-school spot with graffiti out front that I wish I saw more of in New York City these days, frankly, and that I hope survives for years to come, especially in light of the formulaic, Instagram-ready new neighbors that keep opening around it. The fish is good, the rice serviceable, and the prices are really right. The $16 three-roll lunch special is an excellent deal that I’ve taken advantage of many times in my day when I want something quick, affordable, tasty, and filling.

Kanoyama

Longtime East Village favorite Kanoyama, which held a Michelin Star from 2017 to 2022, delivers omakase-level sushi (they serve a $200 omakase at the restaurant) at prices that aren’t cheap but aren’t crazy expensive for the quality you’re getting. The rolls are straightforward, but the combinations in which you can order them are many: à la carte; Sashimi Deluxe (three pieces each of six kinds of fish, served with miso soup and a side of rice); Sushi Deluxe (10 pieces of sushi and California with Tobiko roll, served with miso soup); a Three-Roll Combo with miso soup. . . The list goes on. No exotic rolls, no gimmicks, just really excellent fish that has kept the neighborhood happy for years.

Maki Kosaka

Maki Kosaka is where I really fell in love with temaki, thanks to its super crisp nori, silky-fresh fish, and thoughtful sauces or finishing touches, like the yuzu miso that comes with salmon. It’s one of those gems of a restaurant I honestly just want to keep for myself, but it belongs on this list of NYC’s best sushi restaurants, so here we are! It’s the more casual offshoot of Kosaka, a fancy omakase restaurant a few blocks south with a much higher price point. Whether you’re putting together your own Maki Omakase, getting the five-piece Grab Hand Roll Set (my go-to), or ordering one of their maki sets, the prices aren’t the cheapest around, but you’re getting a great value for premium fish and a lovely presentation. You can taste that everything is selected and made with extreme care.

Beyond Sushi

New York’s vegetarian, vegan, and plant-forward restaurants have proliferated and improved so much in recent years that it’s almost unremarkable to open a menu at one of the hottest spots in town to find no or very little meat. That rule doesn’t really apply to sushi, though. Thankfully, for anyone who doesn’t eat seafood or simply wishes to eat more vegetables, Beyond Sushi, which has locations in Midtown and Herald Square, has been offering great vegan sushi since 2012. The rolls are colorful, full of texture, and thoughtfully combined to deliver a final product that doesn’t so much as pass for fish but makes you forget all about it. Whether the chefs are mimicking standard rolls, like salmon or spicy tuna, or serving something entirely fresh, like the Mighty Mushroom Roll, the combination of traditional sauces and ingredients — spicy mayo and sesame seeds, for example — and more creative ones — pickled carrots, toasted cayenne, and jalapeño peanut butter sauce — is impressive.

Sushi35 West

Among the many upshots of ordering from Sushi35 West versus visiting it is the trouble you’ll save yourself from trying to locate this speakeasy — which is really just a kitchen on the second floor of a smoke shop with three tables and folding chairs. The first time I looked for this place, I arrived frustrated at the number of times I had paced back and forth on the block, and dubious of said hallway when I finally spotted the sushi sign behind the weed stickers. Any skepticism dissipated immediately when I saw the serious team of chefs at work in the kitchen and took the first bite of my salmon donburi. Like the name itself (the restaurant is on 35th street), Sushi35 West’s no-nonsense set-up means that all energy goes into the fresh, plump, well-crafted rolls and sashimi, which come in well-priced sets. The lunch deals are solid — two rolls for $19, donburi bowls for $20 — and you’d be hard-pressed to find higher quality fish for the price. This place is the definition of a hidden gem.

Izakaya MEW

No one who’s eaten at the Herald Square stronghold Izakaya MEW will be surprised that it’s been going strong for a decade. The large, underground restaurant serves ramen, sushi, and snacks, alongside drinks and good times. Had I overlooked the sushi at a place like this, I would have missed the substantial nigiri, tender tataki, and perfectly extra rolls, like the Dynamite Roll (crunchy spicy tuna and avocado topped with crab stick, fish roe, spicy mayo with Sriracha, and eel sauce.). I’m not saying don’t order delicious fried or saucy snacks (always order delicious fried and saucy snacks), but consider this midtown spot a go-to for great sushi, too, especially if you’re looking for rolls with a little flair.

Tokugawa

A newcomer on the Upper East Side sushi scene (open since the summer of 2023), Tokugawa quickly grabbed my attention for the tender and well-seasoned rice in its rolls and the buttery fish to match. It’s no surprise that chef Kazuo Yoshida has worked at numerous high-end NYC sushi haunts, including 1or8 in Brooklyn and Jewel Bako on the Lower East Side. The pristine delivery presentation alone told me I was in for something special, but when I had my first Tokugawa Salmon Avocado Roll and Double Tuna Roll (tuna inside, spicy tuna on top), I could practically taste that they had been made behind a sleek bar, backlit by a gold wall of shimmering sequins, in a luxe restaurant on Madison Avenue. This was a first-class experience. The restaurant recently opened a second location in Gramercy, and it’s easy to see why. If you’re looking to drop a little more cash than a meal might cost at your average neighborhood sushi spot, and in return receive exceptional and gorgeously presented fish, made by an acclaimed sushi master, Tokugawa is your new bet.

Tenzan

I love a good ginger salad dressing, especially when it’s made with sweet carrots and it hasn’t been blended into a textureless oblivion. But I’m so often disappointed with these dressings that I rarely order a salad with my sushi unless I know for sure it’s going to live up to my expectations. The simple salad at no-frills Tenzan — which has locations on the Upper West Side and in Midtown East — is solid, and a good harbinger of the meal to follow. Tenzan has great lunch specials — three rolls plus a soup or salad for $19 — and serves up fresh fish in generously sized rolls. Bonus? They make unusually crispy tempura rolls. This place is nothing but fancy, but as reliable as it gets.

Ozakaya

I’ve suffered enough mediocre Brooklyn sushi delivery to say that Ozakaya is seriously impressive. The fish is so plump and fresh that I love this place for its chirashi — raw fish over a bowl of rice — so that I can focus on the fish on its own, before digging into the subtly-seasoned, tender rice. But the loaded rolls are great too — like the Vanderbilt, which is spicy salmon, avocado, cucumber, and tobiko, topped with wasabi mayo, or the Aka Roll, which is spicy Bluefin tuna, avocado, and scallion, topped with more Bluefin tuna, Japanese crispy rice, and a spicy sauce. Where some stuffed-to-the-gills and highly embellished rolls might be hiding lower quality ingredients, that’s not what’s going on at Ozakaya. I look at it like they’re just flexing — as they should.

WASAN

Though you could happily order an entire meal, or many meals, without hitting up the sushi at this Park Slope institution, open since 2015, overlook the sushi you should not. The Japanese Fried Chicken and Tonkotsu Ramen may be favorites, but the fish is meaty and fresh, the ikura (salmon roe) juicy, and the rolls well-priced. You can also order a hand roll set for two, complete with an array of ingredients for building 14 rolls. Throw in a bottle of sake and or Sapporo and you’ve got a great date.

Gen

Hat tip to the former co-worker who wouldn’t stop gushing about this spot until I tried it. Yet another great sushi spot in NYC, Gen’s menu stands out for the many vegetarian options and dishes that don’t appear at every other nearby Japanese restaurant. There’s a whole section of the menu dedicated to onigiri, rice balls that are often triangular in shape and wrapped in nori, and these ones are decked out with egg, greens, and fillings like spicy tuna, grilled salmon, tempura-fried seaweed, or braised and chilled burdock root and carrots. There’s also kimchi artichoke hearts and Cauliflower & Broccoli Kara-Age, florets deep-fried in a Japanese technique usually reserved for chicken. The sushi, following suit, tastes like the real deal. It’s no wonder that, in a city where restaurants come and go, 20-year-old Gen has stood the test of time.

Momo Sushi Shack

When I first started going to Roberta’s in Bushwick (stay with me), waiting for what felt like (and probably was) hours for some of the best pizza I had ever had at that point in my life, there wasn’t much in the way of other restaurants nearby. Then Momo Sushi Shack opened in 2010, and subsequent trips to Roberta’s always left me curious about this buzzy sushi joint around the corner. Finally I tried it with a friend who lived in the neighborhood, and sitting at one of the long communal tables, I felt just about as trendy as I did eating pizza at the communal tables around the corner. And as much as I adore Roberta’s, I started craving Momo Sushi Shack’s spicy tuna rolls, with its piquant mayo, and Momo Salad, with its crunchy fried shallots. This place just gets it. Momo Sushi Shack is also known for its Sushi Bombs which are round balls of rice topped with fresh fish. Think eel, cucumber, wasabi, and spicy mayo on top of a seasoned sphere of rice (the Spicy Una Bomb), or Bluefin tuna, pickled wasabi stems, and scallion on top of rice (the Akami Bomb). The menu is long and varied, and you really can’t go wrong. Like its pizza-slinging neighbor, this place is consistently excellent.

Ooi Sushi & Bar

It’s hard to beat a three-roll-for-$20 lunch special, but the dinner roll combinations at this Long Island City spot are pretty great, too. For fresh fish at a good value, Ooi Sushi & Bar is a solid bet and popular choice. Non-sushi choices abound, like Roast Duck Buns, Rock Shrimp Tempura, ramen, and poké. But the long list of special and simple rolls, including all the various combinations of sushi and sashimi, is where it’s at. After all, how could you say no to a Rock ‘n Roll (pepper tuna and avocado topped with chopped toro and scallion)? Puns for the win.

Watawa Sushi

The names and presentation of the Bumblebee Roll (spicy crunchy crab meat, cucumber, and avocado, topped with fresh mango) and the Crispy Bites (spicy tuna, avocado, tobiko, and scallion atop a rectangular cube of crispy rice) at Watawa Sushi just make me smile. Thinking about nights ordering in at my friend’s house and laughing for hours on end probably also have something to do with the cheery vibes I get when I think about this beloved Astoria sushi spot, open (impressively!) since 2004. There’s a long list of special rolls and simple rolls here, accompanied by an array of other Japanese dishes. This place is solid, won’t break the bank, and worthy of its status as a go-to neighborhood spot for some of the best sushi in NYC.

Geisha

Geisha has been a Hamilton Heights favorite ever since it opened in 2015. It proved so popular, in fact, that Geisha Asian Fusion opened in Washington Heights just a few years later. If you’re looking for reliably good rolls at an any-old-weeknight price, Geisha is a great choice. The pan-Asian menu has a lot going on, but you’ll find all the standard maki and then some, including vegetarian options like asparagus rolls and sweet plantain rolls. You also must hand it to the Geisha team for creative roll names like the Mummy Roll (shrimp tempura and cucumber, topped with spicy lobster, pepper tuna, avocado, and mango eel sauce); the BMW Roll (eel, avocado, crabstick, and cream cheese in a deep-fried roll, topped with eel sauce and spicy mayo); and, my personal favorite, the Out of Control (tuna, salmon, Yellowtail, avocado, and asparagus, topped with seared Yellowtail, tuna, salmon, scallion, roe, tempura flakes, and a special sauce).