50 Best Japanese Restaurants in New York

“The Japanese and Italian flavors mixed well and are to come back for. I stayed in the hotel where the restraunt was attached. In the area, with a focus of cocktails and table service for an upscale environment, it was delightful.

I love cocktails, and the servers were personable. Nothing pretentious. They focus on service and taste! Our food was excellent and the drinks were even better. It's a pleasant experience.“

“Wonderful and friendly staff. Delish food.“

“A great menu with each dish and skewer perfectly cooked. Great char and amazing flavour from the grill. It would have been good to see a wider variety of skewers and accompaniments as they were mostly chicken and very simple.
I was a little disappointed that the meatball skewer was not served with an onsen egg.
The wonton soup was unique and had a silky texture. Loved how the menu finished with a comforting bowl of ramen and a smooth caramel purin.
Staff were attentive and welcoming. Overall a fantastic experience!“

“Party of eight and we all enjoyed everything we ate and drank. 👍 for the kitchen staff on doing everything perfect and quick. The staff was amazing and service was great. I highly recommend the burger 🍔. Will definitely go back.“

“Más que un restaurante, es una experiencia!“

“Absolutely amazing food was delicious and the attention of the staff unique.“

“Ended up here accidentally on a layover: Hands down, the best ramen I’ve ever had (springy, slurpy perfection), amazing cocktails (if you like gin the Japanese 75 is a must try!), and whatever the whipped cream, creme brûlée’d banana dessert was tasted like heaven. I even ordered another tonkotsu ramen to go (all the way to Florida) to bring back to my fiancé. They separated all of it, packaged it so it wouldn’t leak, and wrote directions on specific timing for heating up each item! Very impressive service. I’ll be back again!“

“Second to none! The ingredients are fresh and chef skills are world class.“

“Please disregard old reviews, the team has changed completely since a year or so and you have (for now) a 3 star restaurant disguised as a 2 star one. The menu we were offered today was a masterclass of flavors, textures, balance, originality and quality. I cannot recommend this place strongly enough. I would fly to New York from Europe again just to dine here again.“

“The best homemade udon in town , strongly recommended“

“Ramen is good ! Soup is good not so oily Yakitori good with Asahi Beeru !“

“The meal is fast, the food is delicious, and the links are elegant and warm.“

“Before I start my review I just want to add a tidbit about actually finding Kono. It's in a dimly lit, long, but narrow corridor, similar to streets you might find in Japan. If you think you found it you're probably right. It took me a minute to venture down this little alley.

Let's start with the atmosphere, it was a small venue but despite that you could easily have your own conversations. If you're sitting on the side like myself, you're in for the pleasure of watching them prepare all the food over the charcoal grill. Who doesn't love dinner and a show.

All of the food was fantastic and midway through you can even order some Alla carte items that may have not been on the chefs selection for that experience. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I really appreciated they also took the time to explain each cut and which seasoning or none may go with it.

All of the staff were not only friendly but just very professional and helpful. The hostess at the front was also extremely kind and friendly.

I would totally recommend this spot for a date, taking a client, or even just solo dining. Truly a hidden gem, I'm shocked this flew under my radar for so long.“

“A very warm and friendly atmosphere. The food was quite proper and delicious. Since the weather was great, the fact that there was only a fan inside and no air conditioning didn’t bother me at all. I prefer fresh air over AC anyway. The service was very calm and they nicely provided information about extras you could get without being pushy. In my opinion, it’s a very good choice for having decent, tasty food“

“Went on a Wednesday at 8pm and there was hardly anyone there. Ambience was cozy and not too bright or loud — something I have come to appreciate when dining out in the city. While we were here on a summer night, I could easily see this being a go-to winter spot. Food was delicious and came out very quickly. We got the spicy lamb yakisoba and the addictive cabbage — enough food for a light meal for two!“

“Perfect Food, Great Service, Nice Atmosphere“

“This was our second visit to Noz Market. They never fail to impress and satisfy. The cuts of fish are large and wrap all the way around the rice. The nigiri are seasoned perfectly, skillfully and with precision. The chefs here truly practice the art of sushi. The two omakase options are reasonably priced, and you can add extra pieces at the end of the experience. My Japanese fiancée emphatically approves, which should tell you what you need to know about this restaurant. Not too difficult to make a reservation a few weeks ahead of time, but definitely make one in advance. We will most certainly return.“

“Great Omakase It will make you fell, that you are in Tokyo“

“THE BEST BIRTHDAY DINNER WE’VE EVER HAD !!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥🇮🇩🇺🇸👍“

“Hole in the wall sushi spot. It’s a small and cozy spot in the LES. The size allows you to enjoy the food and chefs on a personal level. I also genuinely have not had fresher fish than here, every piece was mind blowing, the fact that it’s only $68 for 12 pieces! I’m so impressed and I truly can’t recommend it enough. Better than any Michelin I’ve ever had! Also if you love uni like I do, it’s a must.“

“Amazing experience at Sushi Yasuda! My chef Moriyama from Kagoshima prefecture was perfect, a typical Kyushu man with a great personality and spectacular at serving up delicious sushi. My server Tsuzumi from Okinawa prefecure was also very attentive and did a fantastic job making sure we had everything that we needed. The whole team was amazing, I’ve eaten sushi in every corner of the world, including Japan, and I can safely say that Sushi Yasuda is up there with the best! Thank you again.“

“Awesome Delicious Sushi, I can’t believe how quick they prepared and delivered our food...“

“Absolutely loved our experience yesterday. The basic omakase was delicious at $38, no hidden charges, and staff were lovely. Only slightly minor quibble was everything seemed a bit rushed and a little less peaceful than other places I've been to, but fair enough at that price. I was also a bit surprised at the rudeness of a customer talking on her phone when the staff were trying to engage her. That's not the restaurant's fault but maybe worth having a sign about using phones less and being in the moment more?!“

“Had such a wonderful dinner at Hirohisa — definitely one of the most memorable omakase experiences I’ve had in New York. The food was absolutely delicious, with every course made from fresh, seasonal ingredients that really stood out. You can tell how much thought and care went into the preparation.

The plating was simple but beautiful, and the dishes they used added a special touch to the whole experience. What really made the night stand out, though, was the service — both the chef and staff were so friendly, warm, and attentive. It felt personal in the best way.

I’ve also been for lunch and loved it just as much — the quality and attention to detail are always there. Hirohisa has always been my favorite Japanese restaurant in the city, and this visit just reminded me why. Can’t wait to go back.“

“Haven’t eaten this well since I was last actually in Japan late 2019 before you know what! Loved the Korean flavoured belly pork.“

“Great food very good service“

“Just awesome. Fast. Efficient. Great.“

“Shion does have excellent dishes - the two kinds of uni alone are worth the price. Honestly I am kind of tired of everywhere serving omakase because after a while it just becomes a flex as to the quality of fish the chef can get their hands on. Have I had better? Sure. Better and cheaper? Absolutely. But Shion does care about his dishes and definitely has the experience.“

“Great Service and the foods was delicious. Will come back here again.“

“Put this place on the map!!!! A tried a true, best of the best, MUST go to spot when visiting (or living in) NYC. No exaggeration, my boyfriend and I haven’t stopped talking about this place since we visited last year. We’ll finally be back in town next month and are beyond excited to be dining with them again. Did we book a trip just to eat here!? Maybe… probably… because seriously, this place is exceptional. The owner is the sweetest, most delightful human with an incredible story and the food/service is an unmatched experience. Plus, you simply can’t beat their affordable omakasi prices…but the bigger bonus??? BYOB. Bring your wine, bring your tequila, bring neither or bring both. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a party in the most intimate sense. I never write reviews, but Sushi YOLO is a 10/10, so please, do yourself a favor and go see them before they earn that Michelin Star!“

“Great Sushi and Ramen place on Hudson Yard, been here many times. I love their new ramen Shiromaru Classic, signature maki, Suram bowl and Omakase. Their staff very friendly, helpful, great recommendation. Special thanks to Cristian and all his team, fast service.

The place is clean, and surprisingly they got bigger room inside. Cristian explained to me, the room can be booked for special event. Very nice and comfortable. ??? definitely will be back and inform my friends“

“Have been here twice. Date of most recent visit was February 2025. Went with a party of 4, sushi counter for dinner. 2 of us availed the Premium Omakase and the other 2 with the wine pairing. Superb food. Exceptional service. We were served by the Executive Chef Shawn Li, awesome funny guy! All of the sushi were fresh, flavorful and well presented. You need a reservation to get in, and they fill out quick, i recommend reserving as soon as the spots open. Overall, 100% recommend and will definitely come back on special occasions.“

“Chefs Isaac, Ivan, Kathlin and server Daniel all played a part in making our anniversary dinner one for the books! Loved the ambience, loved the view and the omakase was so good even the palate cleansing ginger deserves a shoutout (delicate like apple slices); but the highlight for me was the octopus + orange in greek yogurt sauce. I knew it’d be delicious, didn’t know it’d leave me speechless“

“#組長極力推薦 #響紐約可以食到呢個level嘅質素就已經算係禾地嘅福份 😆 😆#紐約食食 #omakasetempura #係我響紐約食過最好食嘅天婦羅“

“Amazing Omakase experience! Every dish was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The chef’s attention to detail and passion really stood out. Great atmosphere and top-notch service. One of the best meals I’ve had—highly recommend!“

“We had an absolutely fantastic experience at Fushimi Restaurant! The food was delicious, from the appetizers we ordered to our main course. Each dish was expertly prepared and bursting with flavor. We also enjoyed a couple of drinks, which perfectly complemented our meal. What truly made our visit exceptional was the incredible service provided by our waitress, Ohmie. She was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. Her warm demeanor and professionalism truly elevated our dining experience. We strongly recommend Fushimi Restaurant, especially because of the outstanding service we received from Ohmie. We’ll definitely be back!“

“This is the best sushi in NY in my opinion. Amazing chef and Shari is just perfect. All Nigiri are great. There are so many mediocre, non-taditional sushi in NY. This place is amazing pure edomae. Highly recommended! I come here many times if I can get a reservation“

“Was visiting my godchild and she wanted to eat here. The staff was amazing as was the ramen. Cozy and cool. We went for lunch on a Saturday and we were seated right away. I would definitely go back“

“Presentation of sushi and appetizers were superb and the staff was exceptionally pleasant and professional-it will be our new go to spot when we come back into NY“

“Randomly decided to dine here before a show at Webster Hall. Every single thing we ordered was absolutely delicious. Teppen gyoza, kimchi beef fried rice, dynamite roll, and mango martini. Definitely plan on returning.“

“Great dinner here on a Friday early evening! We made a reservation but they take walk ins as well. We came with our toddler and they were accommodating and had a high chair! My favorites were the scallop hand roll and the tuna hand rolls.

My toddler loved the udon noodle soup.“

“Had a lovely omakase dinner. BYOB is the cherry on top. Chefs were knowledgeable and it’s definitely a fun date night spot. Favorite bites of the night were the hamachi appetizer with grape tomato and the unagi with foie gras. Already have recommended this to my friends!“

“Just awesome. Fast. Efficient. Great.“

“Sushi onakase Shinzo best“

“You feel welcome once you step into this place. Service is top notch. 12 course dishes are all with very fresh ingredients and very delicious. I would say their Modern Kaiseki is very good even compare to those you find in Tokyo or Osaka. Last, if you are into Sake, you have to try their pairing and the staff their are very knowledgeable on what they pick.“

“Not too bad“

“One of the best omakases I've tried. The flavors go perfectly together, simple and uncomplicated. The fish was fresh and portions are great. Our host and chef were friendly and thoroughly explained everything, their service is on point. I recommend the sake pairing. The sakes go so well with the fish. The flavor of everything is fantastic. I love that they escort you into the speakeasy bar for your last course and you can hang out there for as long as you like and get more drinks.. because what do people like to do after dinner? Find a bar to hang out in of course. Genius. The party next to us was already there for their second? time. I'll definitely be doing the same!“

“Our hidden gem omakase spot in the city. Chef brings true Edomae tradition to the counter, with seasonal ingredients and perfectly paced courses that feel both refined and generous. Each visit is consistent yet refreshing — always something new, always beautifully done. The chef’s warmth and attention to detail make it a joy every time. A place we will return to again and again:)“

“Had a very nice dinner here in an intimate and beautiful setting! It was my first time trying shabu omakase; they cooked the meat in front of us and placed each piece on our plate like sushi omakase. While the cooking is the fun part of shabu shabu and I would’ve liked to control the degree to which the meat was cooked (it wasn’t equal and I kept receiving the more raw piece), it was also pleasant to watch. The pace was a bit too fast for me, because we were the only party in the restaurant. It would’ve been better had they paced it like a full house instead of cooking the next as soon as the previous piece was gone from the plate. (I just kept half a piece on my plate so we wouldn’t get the next one so quickly.)

We got yuzu sake and umeshu in the beginning as refreshments, then got sake for the course which paired well with the heavy meat. The A5 wagyu truly melted in my mouth, but I personally preferred the wagyu after the first bite bc it was less fatty. The whole course might be a bit too much of meat after meat, especially if you’re a smaller person (I couldn’t eat any more after 5-6 slices). Better pacing might have helped with this, or maybe it’s just a lot.

At any rate I was happy by the end of the night and it was quite memorable. Just make sure you can stomach everything or bring someone who can take their portion as well as yours.“

“Great service, great food and atmosphere“