Lovey little restaurant with nice décore. Great service, wonderful food and very friendly. Also had a bit of fun with being our food in flames to the table!
Katherine B.
Stopped for a quick bit around 4pm. I was the only one in the restaurant however as I was leaving the happy hour crowd was arriving. I was hoping for happy hour food specials, but they only had drink specials. Food was fine but a bit pricey.
Ben I.
DO NOT ORDER DELIVERY FROM THIS RESTAURANT. We ordered some sushi and a pork katsu curry bowl and it was a disaster. The packaging was an absolute mess. The pork katsu curry bowl barely had any curry and severely undercooked onions. I would recommend eating here if you enjoy spending money on a giant bowl of plain rice and drops of bland curry with a side of raw onion.UPDATE: I got food poisoning.
Christine C.
I would love nothing than to support chinatown businesses, however, this place falls short of everything. Food quality, service and vibe. A sushi place that serves "white tuna" immediately is a red flag. Refused to turn on the A/C on a hot and humid day. Food took forever considering we were 1 of 3 parties on a Monday night. Takoyaki reinstated from frozen balls. Switching to real crab meat was an additional $10 per roll, keep in mind, menu prices were high teens per dish. Really wanted to give at least 3 stars, but just cant.
Harlan G.
Immaculate vibes, great music and great service! Must go during their happy hour. I went for their sake bomb and the flying tiger drink. 10/10
Vanessa J.
Great little sushi spot in Chinatown. Everything we ordered was great, especially the yellowtail. It was very light and refreshing. We ordered the 16 piece for two which comes with a variety of sushi based on the special for the day and spicy tuna hand roll. I'd highly recommend as everything tasted really good. The drinks were a bit overpriced and not as strong as indicated. I ordered the ghost drink which tasted like another rendition of the Moscow mule but with less sugar. Probably better to opt for just a sake.
Debra L.
I've had Shinsen's Uni Ikura Bowl on my food wishlist for a while, but was disappointed to be presented with a bowl that fell short of the photos I saw.- Uni Ikura Bowl ($48): I've dreamed about this bowl for a few months now and expected to shell out for it but I was disappointed that there were only 4 pieces of uni. The color of the uni was not particularly appealing but taste was still good (not the best). Hard to go wrong with uni and ikura but definitely felt like it was too expensive for the amount I got.My friend got the Mulberry Bowl ($44) and felt similarly about the value. Overall, the ambience was fine (and the karaoke-ers in the back room were amusing) and the food was fine, but the search continues for a more satisfying donburi bowl. Tip: Bring cash! There's a 4% surcharge if you pay by card.
Yvonne Duke Burns
Awesome Sushi !!! Would definitely recommend you stop in.
Jeannie T.
A rare find in Chinatown - a premium sushi spot that offers the Omakase experience or table service. Not your run of the mill sushi spot. This place has a nightclub feel walking in with the bar counter right at the entrance and the neon lights. Lends to the vibe which leads to a cooler, dimmer lit dining room area. The menu offers great snack and appetizer choices if you're a light eater or just want a variety especially while knocking back a few drinks. The rice bowls, sushi plates, whether pre-set, a la carte or custom - so many great choices. The drink menu definitely doesn't disappoint! The food I did get: - Appetizer Takoyaki, so good when it's hot and fresh from the kitchen. Had a good bounce to them.- I thorougly enjoyed my uni and scallop bowl with the chefs choice sashimi. Uni and sashimi selections were excellent but the baby scallops were meh. They lacked the sweetness of a traditional scallop. I could've done without or prefer a roe instead. - Scallop sashimi we ordered a la carte, lovely and sweet.- wagyu sushi was good but not as flavorful as I hoped. - Salmon skin salad was good - just needed to mix the soy sauce based dressing more with the greens. When I got to the bottom, it was very noticeable. So mix it, okay?Drinks are half the reason you're here so give the lychee martini a try.
Corinne J.
Found this by accident when looking for sushi near me while I was on an 24 NYC layover. Stopped in for an early evening (5pm first) dinner. Service was good, food was great, and it had a cool atmosphere. I would visit again.
Underwhelmed by the food and quality of the fish. I shared a couple of things and the best thing was the kani salad which doesn't say much. The fish had a fishy taste and I didn't like how the pieces were cut and the variety provided. The spicy tuna hand roll was not edible. The gyoza were just okay not fully cooked. The crispy rice with salmon wasn't actually crispy and I didn't love that the jalapeño on top was pickled. Wouldn't order again.
Kris B.
This is my FAVORITE sushi spot, hands down.Shinsen is unassuming but cute and unpretentious. They have a window with cocktails to go, and a lot of people grab one and keep going. BUT THE SUSHI!I've been here a few times and have loved everything I've tried. The simple sushi rolls (salmon, salmon avocado, yellowtail scallion, spicy tuna) all have great flavor and aren't overloaded with rice, but have a great amount of fish.The uni is out of this world amazing. I've had the uni cucumber roll and the uni appetizer and it is heavenly. Fresh and sweet. They have a special roll called the umi kasai that comes out on a flaming plate. Delicious, highly recommend.Their sushi is also fantastic. Salmon, salmon belly, scallop, tobiko, ikura-- everything is so fresh and the cuts are high quality. Great sake selection as well as cocktails and beer, and the service is always super friendly. I'd be here every day if I could.
Elizabeth X.
Came in for drinks on a Wednesday, early evening. The bar offered a 30% happy hour on our drinks. Drinks were fruity and to the point. No big frills. Price was reasonable.We stayed until around 7 but no one came in for dinner. I haven't tried the food but the location is good, the restaurant is clean and spacious. I'd come back and try their rolls!
WB R.
Yum. Great little place just down the street from Hotel 50 Bowery. You have to try the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice.
Nadya F.
so enjoyed dinner at shinsen! the sushi deluxe meal was so worth the money. i have celiac so i appreciated that they had gluten free options and gluten free soy sauce. the service was a little slow despite it not being very busy, so it's maybe not the best choice if you're in a rush. but our waitress was very kind and the atmosphere was cozy
Lovey little restaurant with nice décore. Great service, wonderful food and very friendly. Also had a bit of fun with being our food in flames to the table!
Stopped for a quick bit around 4pm. I was the only one in the restaurant however as I was leaving the happy hour crowd was arriving. I was hoping for happy hour food specials, but they only had drink specials. Food was fine but a bit pricey.
DO NOT ORDER DELIVERY FROM THIS RESTAURANT. We ordered some sushi and a pork katsu curry bowl and it was a disaster. The packaging was an absolute mess. The pork katsu curry bowl barely had any curry and severely undercooked onions. I would recommend eating here if you enjoy spending money on a giant bowl of plain rice and drops of bland curry with a side of raw onion.UPDATE: I got food poisoning.
I would love nothing than to support chinatown businesses, however, this place falls short of everything. Food quality, service and vibe. A sushi place that serves "white tuna" immediately is a red flag. Refused to turn on the A/C on a hot and humid day. Food took forever considering we were 1 of 3 parties on a Monday night. Takoyaki reinstated from frozen balls. Switching to real crab meat was an additional $10 per roll, keep in mind, menu prices were high teens per dish. Really wanted to give at least 3 stars, but just cant.
Immaculate vibes, great music and great service! Must go during their happy hour. I went for their sake bomb and the flying tiger drink. 10/10
Great little sushi spot in Chinatown. Everything we ordered was great, especially the yellowtail. It was very light and refreshing. We ordered the 16 piece for two which comes with a variety of sushi based on the special for the day and spicy tuna hand roll. I'd highly recommend as everything tasted really good. The drinks were a bit overpriced and not as strong as indicated. I ordered the ghost drink which tasted like another rendition of the Moscow mule but with less sugar. Probably better to opt for just a sake.
I've had Shinsen's Uni Ikura Bowl on my food wishlist for a while, but was disappointed to be presented with a bowl that fell short of the photos I saw.- Uni Ikura Bowl ($48): I've dreamed about this bowl for a few months now and expected to shell out for it but I was disappointed that there were only 4 pieces of uni. The color of the uni was not particularly appealing but taste was still good (not the best). Hard to go wrong with uni and ikura but definitely felt like it was too expensive for the amount I got.My friend got the Mulberry Bowl ($44) and felt similarly about the value. Overall, the ambience was fine (and the karaoke-ers in the back room were amusing) and the food was fine, but the search continues for a more satisfying donburi bowl. Tip: Bring cash! There's a 4% surcharge if you pay by card.
Awesome Sushi !!! Would definitely recommend you stop in.
A rare find in Chinatown - a premium sushi spot that offers the Omakase experience or table service. Not your run of the mill sushi spot. This place has a nightclub feel walking in with the bar counter right at the entrance and the neon lights. Lends to the vibe which leads to a cooler, dimmer lit dining room area. The menu offers great snack and appetizer choices if you're a light eater or just want a variety especially while knocking back a few drinks. The rice bowls, sushi plates, whether pre-set, a la carte or custom - so many great choices. The drink menu definitely doesn't disappoint! The food I did get: - Appetizer Takoyaki, so good when it's hot and fresh from the kitchen. Had a good bounce to them.- I thorougly enjoyed my uni and scallop bowl with the chefs choice sashimi. Uni and sashimi selections were excellent but the baby scallops were meh. They lacked the sweetness of a traditional scallop. I could've done without or prefer a roe instead. - Scallop sashimi we ordered a la carte, lovely and sweet.- wagyu sushi was good but not as flavorful as I hoped. - Salmon skin salad was good - just needed to mix the soy sauce based dressing more with the greens. When I got to the bottom, it was very noticeable. So mix it, okay?Drinks are half the reason you're here so give the lychee martini a try.
Found this by accident when looking for sushi near me while I was on an 24 NYC layover. Stopped in for an early evening (5pm first) dinner. Service was good, food was great, and it had a cool atmosphere. I would visit again.
Restaurantji Recommends
Underwhelmed by the food and quality of the fish. I shared a couple of things and the best thing was the kani salad which doesn't say much. The fish had a fishy taste and I didn't like how the pieces were cut and the variety provided. The spicy tuna hand roll was not edible. The gyoza were just okay not fully cooked. The crispy rice with salmon wasn't actually crispy and I didn't love that the jalapeño on top was pickled. Wouldn't order again.
This is my FAVORITE sushi spot, hands down.Shinsen is unassuming but cute and unpretentious. They have a window with cocktails to go, and a lot of people grab one and keep going. BUT THE SUSHI!I've been here a few times and have loved everything I've tried. The simple sushi rolls (salmon, salmon avocado, yellowtail scallion, spicy tuna) all have great flavor and aren't overloaded with rice, but have a great amount of fish.The uni is out of this world amazing. I've had the uni cucumber roll and the uni appetizer and it is heavenly. Fresh and sweet. They have a special roll called the umi kasai that comes out on a flaming plate. Delicious, highly recommend.Their sushi is also fantastic. Salmon, salmon belly, scallop, tobiko, ikura-- everything is so fresh and the cuts are high quality. Great sake selection as well as cocktails and beer, and the service is always super friendly. I'd be here every day if I could.
Came in for drinks on a Wednesday, early evening. The bar offered a 30% happy hour on our drinks. Drinks were fruity and to the point. No big frills. Price was reasonable.We stayed until around 7 but no one came in for dinner. I haven't tried the food but the location is good, the restaurant is clean and spacious. I'd come back and try their rolls!
Yum. Great little place just down the street from Hotel 50 Bowery. You have to try the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice.
so enjoyed dinner at shinsen! the sushi deluxe meal was so worth the money. i have celiac so i appreciated that they had gluten free options and gluten free soy sauce. the service was a little slow despite it not being very busy, so it's maybe not the best choice if you're in a rush. but our waitress was very kind and the atmosphere was cozy