Jewel Bako
Gari
Sushi Den
Sushi Yasuda

What say ye?

Sushi yasuda

Sushi Yasuda followed by Sushi Sasabune is my vote.

Japonica on University Place never disappoints. It's almost takes on the feel of sushi "comfort food" if that makes any sense. It's been around for years and has a very loyal following. Although it's a little more expensive than your typical neighborhood sushi bar/restaurant, the pieces of sushi are so large that you order less (unless, of course, you order the sushi deluxe, where you're locked into the higher price). They also do a number of interesting "cooked" sushi items, like a cooked yellowtail roll or a cooked salmon roll - sublime. I hate spending a lot on restaurant meals, but I always feel like I'm getting my money's worth at Japonica. I feel the same way about a good steakhouse - I'd rather spend $40 on a filet mignon at a good steakhouse than $35 or $40 for a small uninspiring entree at a trendy restaurant.

What about UWS? Gari is hit and miss, I'm afraid. Any thoughts?

Come on , Japonica? We're talking sublime sashimI here, not just good neighborhood stuff

Also, "large pieces of sushi" are so NOT Japanese that it is obvious this place is for "Americans"

ph41, Japonica is sublime to me. However, I do understand that you're looking for high-end recommendations. I simply don't subscribe to over-hyped or over-priced restaurants. I'll never forget how ripped off I felt after spending way too much at Nobu. Yes, it was good, but hardly worth anything near the price (in my opinion), and I didn't have anywhere near the satisfied feeling that I have after eating at Japonica. Look, I respect that we are all entitled to our opinions, but I can comfortably say that, without exception, everyone that I've ever brought to Japonica has loved it.

I completely agree that Japonica's approach is "Americanized" but I love it and that's what counts.

Please don't let this chain devolve any further. A question was asked about the best sushi. I presented my choice with my basis and I'll leave it at that. No more defense of Japonica, etc. We're adults and I hate seeing these posts go off the deep end.

Interesting, since Yasuda puts its patrons on a timer, If you don't finish on time you have to eat standing up.

I can't get over how much sushi costs in New York. You can get ordinary sushi (off a conveyor belt!) for Y100 ($1.25; used to be less and could be again soon) everywhere in any Japanese city -- but when you get a hankering for good old fashioned Western-style meat, you're stuck paying that much more for real steak!

There's a lot more Masa-level expensive (hundreds of dollars per meal) sushi places in Tokyo than in New York.

At the coneyer belt you are getting farmed fish put toghether by someone of moderate skill. The top chefs have years of experience , many of the fish are of limiited supply and flown in.

Yasuda's quality has gone down since Yasuda moved back to Japan and I'm not a huge fan of Sasabune.

I like Jewel Bako, Sushi of Gari, Seki, and, when I really feel like splurging, Kuruma. On the you-don't-have-to-spend-a-lot-for-great-sushi end, there's the omakase at Yuba, Inase, or Neo Sushi Studio.

Anything on the UWS? Please?

dollar, I can't think of any Japanese-owned Japanese restaurants in UWS...maybe "Dan" in Lincoln Sq...but not sure. You just don't get good sushi at Japanese restaurants owned/operated by the Chinese or Koreans, and I'd say 9+ out of 10 NYC Japanese restaurants are Chinese- or Korean-owned. So, there's a reason why there isn't a good sushi place in UWS.

turquoise, I agree about Yasuda. It has become inconsistent at best in the last 5 years--and I have experienced more misses than hits in the recent years. Gari is good, but they are too gimmicky with their creative sushi...

I think Kurumazushi, by far, is the best in Manhattan. For Osaka-style sushi, though, Ise on 49th is probably the best.

Sushi azabu, inside Greenwich grill in TriBeCa gets my vote. For cheap sushi, poke on the ues is hard to beat

Blue Ribbon.

The West Side lost out when Lenge closed. It was very Japanese.

I do have to laugh when I hear I hear Bond Street or Nobu mentioned. Definite tourist traps and certainly not real authentic however back in the day I was impressed. Interesting how tastes change. Anyone try Sushi with Champagne?

Sun Chan is pretty authentic (104th and Bway). Try the sushi for two.

Gari is hands-down my favorite. Just be prepared to empty your wallet.

Oh, and the trick with Gari is to eat at the bar and get the omakase. The omakase is the way to go no matter where you sit, but at the bar you will basically be spoon-fed by the chef. And he'll keep feeding you til you either cry mercy or your money runs out.

Ive mostly eliminated carbs from diet for over a year now and one food on that list which I do greatly miss is rice. Not big on sashimi so I haven't eaten sushi in quite some time.
But I used to eat a lot.

Riversider, I agree on Bond Street, one of the most overated sushi restaurants for any category. However, Nobu and Next Door Nobu I found to be so far above and beyond all the others. For me it's them and then everyone else. Gari is OK. Ive still never eaten Blue Ribbon.

As far as authentic, what is?
We have a zillion italian restaurants and Ive eaten at a thousand. Not one compares to the worst Ive eaten in Milan or Florence. (one exception maybe, the lobster canneloni at Piccolo Angolo)
Chinese food? Please. Though Flushing,Queens has a couple that are close, it's still a bit off.
Middle Eastern? Falafels at obscure bus stations in the middle of nowhere, Israel are better than any Ive had here in any middle eastern restaurant. Mahmoun's? please.
And I much prefer arab (green) falafel to Israeli (brown). Chummus here is awful too.
Anyone missing tahina, lemon juice,garlic, or cumin in their recipe is not hummus

I do have to give props to Sushi Samba on 7th though.
I think it was the first place I had a saketini (love those).
Yes the food is mediocre. The props are for ambiance and comfort.
99% of sushi restaurants share the same trait. Square, rigid, uncomfortable furniture and no "hang around and enjoy" ambiance.
I thought Sushi Samba was the first place when it opened to enjoy some sushi and cocktails with a social atmosphere.

truthskr, have you tried Jerusalem on upper Broadway?

No Ali I have not. Im a bit of a downtown snob. :)
What are you pitching there, the falafel or the hummus?

And actually now that I think of it, I think there was a Jersualem restaurant briefly open on 3rd ave near 35th street a few years ago. If it's the same ownership I thought their food was "NY okay."
Best middle eastern Ive eaten was a lebanese place called Al Diwan in Astoria that closed a few years ago. I know there is one in the East Village but I don't think it's the same one.

Sorry Riversider (if you wanted to keep this strictly sushi)

truthskr - have you ever tried an izakaya? I call it Japanese tapas. Sakagura is great - 200 kinds of sake and all kinds of "small bites" - actually not the place to go for sushi, so you can avoid rice.

Truthskr, Nobu is known for their rock shrimp tempura and black cod with miso than they are for their sushi and Sashimi. Nobu is more comparable to a Tao, and a very different experience than Gari or Sushiden. It was always very popular with the 20/30 something's that were starting out at the investment banks who didn't quite know what sushi was.

Now if we're talking middle eastern, then I'm fond of a small place in Hells Kitchen, Azuri Cafe.

Frankly, I wasn't counting on "downtown snob"-ish kind, or any kind of extra-extra-extra refined taste buds' analysis. A lot of my clients are in 10024, and I was just hoping for a decent sushi dinner (even delivered, oh horror!) once in a while. About "authentic" ... It's such an American approach that I won't even go there. Just plain good would be nice. So I'll try again: hello 10024/10025 guys! Any sushi place you can recommend? Thanks!

Tomoe on Tompkins St. and SushiDen

Question for you sushi buffs: are words like "omakase" and "izakaya" commonly known to Americans these days? Years ago "wasabi" wasn't and now everyone knows it. "Daikon" is making inroads too.

I'd love to see Japanese style izakaya make it big in the US. Lots of alcohol, filling food, usually cheap. In Japan it's a lot safer to get falling-down drunk, though.

PH41
No haven't tried either. Since Ive gone pretty strictly low carb, Ive avoided all temptations. But the 200 kinds of sake sounds appealing.

Riversider
Best black cod I had was at Woo Lae Oak when it first opened in Soho, late 90s I believe. Im am not a big fan of korean bbq (I think the idea of paying that kind of money to cook your own is food is assinine but the cod was stellar as was the eel served on hot rocks.
But Ive never looked at Nobu as anything like Tao....or Asia de Cuba...or now Lavo for that matter. Maybe more Indochine.
I can say I used to eat a lot of crap sushi. Then one day I went tuna fishing with friends and tried that. Never looked at sushi restaurants the same, 'til I tasted Nobu. It tasted "that" fresh....and consistently so.
But I cant speak for now. Haven't been to Nobu in at least 5 years.

@ triple zero. When I go sushi it's always omakase. Best way in my book, but never heard of izakaya.
Truthskr, As far as Korean....very different experience but I like very much. And very under-appreciated. We nee more Korean Restaurants. If you like Beef Korean gains the upper hand over other Asian cuisine.

Riversider -per wikipedia " An izakaya (居酒屋?) is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are casual places for after-work drinking." The only problem with Sakagura is that it's been "discovered" so it gets pretty busy at dinner.

One of my favorite dishes is the one with 3 tiny eggplants covered with 3 different miso toppings, my husband loves the pork belly, but there are just so many choices. And the sakes are divided by region and by type, and can be ordered by the glass, by the "rice box" (can't remember the Japanese name for it), by a small carafe or by the bottle, so you can sample different ones.

Check out the Sakagura menu http://sakagura.com/menu_list.php?cid=24

Japanica is at best ok. It for unsophisticated foodies. Full of fat tourists these days.
Kanoyama in the village is far better.
15 east is very good.
Also sushi of gari on the upper east side is very good.

Been @ 15East, something about the style is just a little off, Jewel Bako is #1

15 East
Sasabune
Seki
Yasdua
Kuruma
Ushiwakamaru

all at the bar, omakase only.

Riversider
>If you like Beef Korean gains the upper hand over other Asian cuisine.

Very true

>>As far as Korean....very different experience but I like very much. And very under-appreciated. We need more Korean Restaurants.

I've been to Korea many times. Problem with korean cuisine is it's limited and not much variation. After 2 days you've eaten everything there is to offer and not much distinction between breakfast,lunch and dinner.
Kimchee there is like bread here. :)

I really love "Sushi of Gari", the one on 78th between 1st and York, their sushi is phenomenal

Nothing on UWS sadly. Poke is worth the cab ride to UES for inexpensive sushi but keep in mind that they do not accept bookings and are BYOB. They also offer soy bean paper for those who do not like seaweed.

If you are OK with sashimi, you must try Donguri (also UES). Amazing place, tiny and typical Japanese. Best Soba and Udon west of Tokyo. Limited menu and very expensive but evertyhing is fabulous from the sashimi to the tempura, noodles and limited cooked dishes.

Middle Eastern food is seriously lacking but many Middle Easterners like Naya (especially the starters) while a lot of people who don't mind some fusion like Ilili. London is so much better for Middle Eastern food but not terribly convenient.