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Sushi Yasuda
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
204 E 43rd St(between 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 972-1001
- Nearest Transit:
-
Grand Central - 42 St (7, 7X)
Grand Central - 42 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Grand Central - 42 St (S)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 12 pm - 2 pm
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Best Japanese and Sushi in Manhattan!
761 reviews for Sushi Yasuda
Review Highlights
"I had the omakase and everything I had was delicious."
(in 175 reviews)
"My personal favorite, sea urchin from Maine."
(in 47 reviews)
"white king salmon, alaskan king salmon, and new zealand..."
(in 17 reviews)
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761 reviews in English
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Review from Josh W.
Still my favorite sushi place in the city. This place is amazing. Amazing quality and freshness. The pre fixe is a great value. For about $25 you can still get 4 pieces of sushi, 3 types of sashimi, 1 roll, and a dessert for about $25. I got this plus, I added on some additional pieces of sushi plus an appetizer.
The flash fried prawns were great, you add your own salt. Monkfish was good. The sushi rolls were also very good. I also got the CA uni, which was amazing. Very fresh and you had a large chunk of uni with the rice. Got the toro as well, which was very good. Delicious, fatty, and fresh. One of the best sushi places I've been too.Listed in: Nice places to eat
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/6/2011
This was hands down the best sushi that I've ever had. Granted I've never been to the Masa's or… Read more »
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Review from John N.
Manhattan, NY
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
After living in NYC for over a year now, i finally got a chance to try Sushi Yasuda(supposely the best sushi in NYC). I would have have been here a few times before hand but each time I call in, I got that RUDE guy who take care of all of the reservation. He act like he doesn't care if you come in or not and if you do come in, he can fit you in a time slot but you have to be out in a 1 1/2hr. This time I just swallow my pride and say yes LOL w/out wanted to talk back to him. We got there on time and got seated right away, we order the eels sprine for the appetizer and the rest of the things were ordering all sushi/sashimi.
Eels sprine-it was goot and tasty and I can eat this like a bag of chip
Sushi- we pick all of the usual sushi and the one that we like(uni, amber jack, all different types of mackerel, giant clams, etc). The sushi was good but nothing like people rave about and it isn't the best sushi that I ever had so a little disappointed.
We keep ordering more but my guest wasn't happy so I just ate by myself. Mostly all handrolls w/different types of fish.
Overall this was a ok experience for me, the price is extremely expensive and I was still hungry. I don't really eat much but I had to go to a burger joint afterward. The bill came out to $200 buck and the time we ate was under 1 hr. WOW, this is the shortest amount of time for a nice restaurant. Would I go here again, nope...I rather save my money and go somewhere else to try. The best piece of sushi that i had in NYC has to be at 15 EAST and they have a sushi called iwashi= horsemackerel.....i can eat that forever!!! -
Review from Mark M.
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great sushi and sashimi.
I have to say I came here with very very high expectations, as one of my foodie friends said that this place had the "best sushi in the United States." I have always taken the food opinions of this friend very seriously.
My wife and I had both their regular menu items and some high end items. The fish was all very very good and fresh - although sadly, not the best I've had in the U.S. The toro was not as rich as some I've had, although toro really varies from fish to fish sometimes.
My biggest complaint about the meal was all of the rice was overcooked. Whether it be the bowl of rice or the sushi nigiri, the rice was all overdone...
On the other hand, maybe the whole dining experience here was ruined by the girl sitting next to us who was clearly on a first date and who could not stop talking about herself because she wanted to sound interesting. It's hard to think about your food when your neighbor is talking so loud about her food and everything outside of the restaurant...
Conclusion - maybe this was just a bad night. However, the people here clealry take their fish very seriously, so it is hard to imagine that you can go wrong by coming here. -
Review from Face S.
New York, NY
2/1/2012
I've heard about this place as having the best sushi in NYC. When a special occasion came up, the bf and I decided to go.
We were a little intimidated before going. They said we only had 90 minutes, and they said absolutely don't be late, and to confirm the reservation in the morning. It sounded like the sushi nazi.
This place is easy to miss. It doesn't say Yasuda anywhere -- the awning just has a tiny fish on it. We came 10 minutes early and were seated promptly.
We were clueless about ordering, so we decided to get the following:
--Pickled vegetable appetizer -- really good, tangy/sour
--They also brought us a tiny radish salad on the house -- the 2 bites were tasty
--We each got the $36 sushi tasting...and let the chef decide the selection. It came with 12 pieces of sushi (fish on top of rice) and 3 pieces of a roll. The selection included tuna, salmon, branzino, oyster, shrimp, whitefish, roe...and some other stuff. The fish is amazing quality...the fillet ones are almost buttery and melt in your mouth.
--green tea mochi ice cream for dessert
The bill came to $95 and we left not super full, but not hungry. We just drank tap water. I can see how it would be really easy to rack up a $200 bill. We're not big eaters and didn't drink. This place is definitely worth going to if you can afford it. -
Review from D K.
New York, NY
2/1/2012
Best sushi I've had in the city. Some tips:
- When you make a reservation, you need to specify that you want to sit at the bar. If you dont, you'll get seated at a table, and then express yelp-rage at being seated at a table. If you snag a rez at the bar, note that you'll be told when you have to show up and when you have to leave, and they'll remind you that your time is almost up. Be warned and be on time.
- You dont have to get omakase. I went with a Yasuda veteran, and he suggested we order straight off the menu. And we did, and we ordered everything on the omakase menu (we were comparing against the people seated around us, who did in fact order omakase), plus more stuff we wanted to try out. The cost was comparable if not better, considering how much food we got.
- Talk to the chefs. They may not appear friendly but that are extremely knowledgeable and will not lead you astray.
- You eat this sushi with your hands. If you sit at the bar, there will be a small tray with a vertically positioned wet white towel. You wipe your thumb and index finger on this after each dish. No one is impressed if you know how to use chopsticks - eating with your hands is the right way.
- Do not use soy sauce or wasabi unless the sushi chef recommends. Trust me, they notice. And they'll tell you when a particular piece needs additional soy sauce. Note that some of the sushi pieces have the right amount of wasabi already included - dont be dunking your fish in wasabi soy sauce. Save that for the regular places.
- Try at least one hand roll. The seaweed here is very different than at other places, and ask the chefs what makes the seaweed so special.
- When in doubt, order both. Or ask which one to order.
Enjoy! -
Review from J. T.
New York, NY
1/30/2012
AMAZING sushi with rice was to die for.
Nice simple and clean decor-great for intimate dinners or small groups.
Make a reservation though, it gets busy fast. -
Review from JY C.
New York, NY
Updated - 2/4/2012
Just went back to Sushi Yasuda with my wife as a "goodbye to NYC" meal. Once again it was a divine experience, with perfect sushi rice, exquisite fish, and solid service. The difficulty in getting reservations and their habit of trying to fit in diners for 20-30 minute slots is annoying, but hey, what can you do when the sushi is this good.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/6/2010
The only blemish on this place is the difficulty in getting reservations and the semi-dead vibe of… Read more »
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Review from Liz C.
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dinner here was somewhat torpedoed by news of Steve Jobs' death.
Consoled by melt-in-your-mouth, (tear-salt) chirashi, a double-scoop of uni, and the empathetic eyes of distant diners in the sparse, simple, cherry-wood dining area, I hoped silently that his rendition of heaven was as softly spectacular, and as quietly perfect.Listed in: Douchy Sushi
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Review from Brian T.
1/17/2012
The sushi here is impeccably fresh, presented simply, upon especially flavorful rice, and the service is pleasant.
But the the pieces of sushi are precious (read: small) and the prices very high indeed.
We ordered the omakase for 2, and were astonished at the small amount of food. Be prepared to order more, and perhaps even more, requests they are happy to fulfill. But the bill creeps onward and upward.
After spending nearly $400 (for 2), and deciding to throw in the towel, we were both still hungry and went someplace else for ramen.
I'll come back when I win the lottery. -
Review from Mindy K.
Albany, NY
1/15/2012
This was my boyfriend's Christmas present to me.
I don't think words do this place justice, but a lot of people wonder why you'd spend so much money for sushi rather than say, a decadent French-inspired fine dining restaurant. Well, you haven't tried Sushi Yasuda or a place of similar caliber then. It's all about the art and the quality. I loved watching the chefs' nimble handles working feverishly fast to mold the rice balls and slice the sashimi. But it's not just efficiency, it's the delicate, dexterous, almost dancing movement of the hands. And the sushi itself was sumptuous. It's definitely a treat worth having every once in a blue moon. I think my favorite might have been the uni, but seriously, I really liked everything.
The one minor thing is that the reservationist is extremely brusque, and upon entering the restaurant itself, the host was pretty curt (is it the culture or somethin'?). Also, I had made a reservation and had the inkling suspicion that the two top open at the bar was for us. But once we got there, which was a half hour earlier than expected, they sat us at a table. Now normally, I wouldn't complain about a table over bar seating. But it would have been cool to sit right in front of the chefs and watch them do their work before me. My assumption is that they preferred to give the bar seats to a older couple who might spend more money, like on the omekase which we would've done also. But whatevs. The service was also all right, but not great for a place this expensive. I definitely thought it could be a bit better.
So in the end, I'd say 5 stars for the food but 4 for the service. -
Review from Meredith M.
New York, NY
1/18/2012
So good, so, soooo good. We walked right in without a reservation years ago, like 3 years ago...so I wonder how it is now? Screw the fancy smanchy Nobu & Megu and opt for the ultra low key, yet freshest fish ever here at Sushi Yasuda.
I love the interaction with the sushi chef and how everything is served on Banana leaves. Very cool touch, makes it feel even more authentic...although I thought Banana leaves were from for forest-filled parts of Asian, not Japan...but I'll take it.
By far one of my favorite sushi spots in the city. -
Review from Christina T.
Manhattan, NY
1/18/2012
Hands down, the best sushi I've ever tasted. We got the Chef Omakase, and everything was delectable. My favorite was the king clam nigiri. We told the waitress we liked uni as well, and the chef made an uni roll for us! I've only ever had uni on nirigi. The roll was amazing.
Definitely worth the price. Ambiance is clean and bright. -
Review from apple m.
Brooklyn, NY
2/1/2012
Great sushi... Finally accepted an invitation from my good friend and she paid. Last time i ate here was five yrs ago... I still love it. Yes the portion is what it suppose to be, small. Nothing worse than to take more than 2 bite into a sashimi....
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Review from Dan S.
1/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I always have an excellent meal at Yasuda. Always sit at the bar if you can, it's so fun to watch them making the sushi and is also the traditional way to eat it.
I think the rice at Yasuda is probably the best of anywhere in NYC. Truly a highlight for a sushi snob. The service will be fast and efficient, bordering a little on rushed, but not to the point where it is bothersome. Definitely has more of a commercial feel.
One thing I don't get is that they slather on this slightly sweet soy-based sauce onto every piece of sushi. While it is good of course, and I have encountered it at many other sushi restaurants in both the US and Japan, I think this is cheating as there are some cuts of fish that really shouldn't need it, but should be served plain, salted, or with a small amount of sea salt + yuzu or other garnish. Last time I went for lunch, literally everything I ordered had this sauce (which I didn't order) on it, so I'm deducting 1 star from an otherwise 4 star rating (the highest I've given to any NYC sushiya to date).
PS Don't be afraid to use your hands! -
Review from David S.
New York, NY
1/16/2012
If you've never had good sashimi in Asia, or you don't know where to find it in NYC, you can come here and pay a huge amount of money for something that is very nice, but way way overpriced and pretentious.
The fish here is very good, but the portions are nutty small, and you are expected to accept this as normal. The service is confusing, the place is noisy. Again, you are expected to accept all of this. You will pay $5 for a single scoop of ice cream. Just smile. The rice can come out crumbly and dry. This is normal. Some of the chefs are not that skilled and don't have much to do. Smile, smile.
But you'll see there are very few Asians dining here. Real fish lovers know it's a gyp. -
Review from Jaimee A.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great Sushi!! We had the omakase and were not disappointed. We didn't sit at the bar but still had a great assortment of fish.
The highlights were the sweet shrimp, the king salmon, the blue fin tuna and the trout. The served a lot of the sushi with coarse salt which was a nice change from soy sauce. We also enjoyed the sea urchin hand roll and sushi - the waiter was so excited that we like sea urchin!
The service was great but a bit too fast. As we were finishing one course the next course was already on the table. We would definitely go back. -
Review from Alyssa Y.
New York, NY
12/28/2011
I don't get it. When I came and had the Omakase, I was unimpressed. I'm all about traditional Japanese food (in fact I prefer it to all the nouveau attempts like Gari) but nothing wowed me at Yasuda. The fish for the nigiri, however fresh, was cut in too short and boxy pieces and the rice was overly hard.
The service was a hot mess. Sushi bar was okay but waiters and waitresses were whispering in Japanese (which I understand) left and right across the restaurant floor and they all just seemed confused. People kept crowding by the entrance which was not my cup of tea to watch. Also, I'm sorry, but if we're paying bank for your food can you PLEASE get real chopsticks and napkins?! Think of the environment!
Just GO TO AZABU. -
Review from Chen J.
Brooklyn, NY
2/1/2012
Good sushi the fish was fresh, and the chefs were great. So good Bought we them a round of beer.
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Review from G O.
Brooklyn, NY
12/26/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I think Yasuda is good but not great. Lunch is a bargain if you order the lunch specials. Let's face it though, you are not coming to Yasuda for an inexpensive meal.
The Uni from Santa Barbara was delicious and quite fresh. I actually enjoyed the SB Uni better than Hokkaido, which is unusual since I lived in Sapporo two winters ago. The Aji and Pacific Salmon were very fresh and tasty. The miso is good but not amazing. The scallop/hotate were excellent too.
The sushi rice is excellent every time I eat here. I think the Omakase is the way to go, even if you can navigate through the menu. The offerings in general are creative and unique vs. other sushi shops.
I think the reservation system is antiquated. There should be a way to circumnavigate the announcement. I think the days for attitude at a sushi shop are over.
Overall, the sushi is very fresh and there are fish here you do not get in many other restaurants. I think there needs to be some creative juices or objective taste buds from Yasuda sans staff. If I compare this to Sushi Jiro in Tokyo you would never rush to eat here. -
Review from Kevin K.
Arlington, VA
1/10/2012
If you are going to eat sushi, and yes I am including all the craptastic small shops in the city that people think is great....Yasuda is one of the best places to eat sushi in NYC.
The omakase is great but I have to say that belly up to the sushi bar for a real treat. You will not regret the money spent. You will not regret your return on investment.
Cheers and Happy Eats. -
Review from Jay C.
New York, NY
12/28/2011
Critics have it right on this one -- Yasuda definitely out-classes every sushi restaurant in town when it come to the singular focus on sushi. fish so fresh, so seasonally appropriate, so perfectly cut that it goes down in one swift single bite. sushi rice, cooked to perfection, a culinary art in its own right, a perfect companion to masterfully cut fish.
This is a temple of sushi and you go for the celebration and enjoyment of it, nothing else really. There is no wine list. There is no sake list, just a handful of selection of drinkable stuff. there is kirin beer by the draft and couple of other beers. that's it! go to Masa if you want a deep wine and sake list and a willingness to drain a suitcase full of cash but even Masa (nor Karuma Zushi) compares to Yasuda when it comes to the pure enjoyment of sushi, in my humble opinion. -
Review from Picky E.
Manhattan, NY
1/5/2012
Oh my. goodness.
I went for the second time and was as blown away as the first. I tried the omakase both times at the bar (neither times was I served by Mr. Yasuda) but the other chefs are amazing. The sweet shrimp is seasonal (February, peeps) and one of the highlights and I have no words to describe how delicious and amazing every single piece of edible art the chef puts on your dish is.
I am sure every place has great tomago, but I'd finish it off with that. So delish.
Anticipate eating ramen the rest of your week if you go here and have to pay for yourself.
IT IS SO AMAZING. -
Review from Holly F.
Jersey City, NJ
1/18/2012
All the annoyance I felt about being seated next to the bathroom, being rushed by the waiter and feeling dumb about sifting through so many menus melted away when the Freshwater Eel Sushi melted in my mouth. Literally, as in you do not need jaw muscles to consume this thing. Made perfect with their divine rice, all the sushi had this non-fishy quality about them which you can't find anywhere else. The Eel was my favorite though. I walked out of the restaurant wanting to convert my currency unit to Sushi Yasada Freshwater Eel, as in, please pay me in SYFE, I only accept SYFE from now on.
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Review from Margaret L.
Seattle, WA
12/10/2011
So expensive, but worth it imho.
Came here with my friend, who wisely sat us with a sushi chef. -
Review from Ashwin T.
New York, NY
12/15/2011
Had a delicious meal here. After originally being recommended to sit at the sushi bar by a friend, we ended up sitting at a table just to facilitate some easier conversation (the hosts were very gracious and helpful in making the change). Not sure if that was the right call, but it worked out well either way. I had been warned that the cost at this place can add up, but I actually found it fairly reasonable when making use of a couple of the very reasonable combination specials.
The $36 sushi matsu special got us 12 pieces of sushi and half a roll, and the $24 sashimi take special added anotehr 5 pieces of sashimi. After a confusing experience with the not-exactly-fluent-in-english waiter, we figured out that we needed to mark down our choices from a custom list on a sheet of paper. Not being sushi afficionadas, we tried a wide variety of items, and they were all pretty great. The octopus and oyster stood out as things I dont normally taste at sushi joints, but worked very well. The food was delivered promptly, with the waiter giving us inside tips on when to use wasabi, and when to use soy sauce. The meal was rounded out nicely with a green tea mochi. Total cost came to about $40 pp with a drink each.
Only negative (why its losing a star) is that we were told to leave the restaurant promptly at 11.30. I've closed out a lot of restaurants on weekdays in the city (one of the pitfalls of working in finance is late dinners), and the staff is invariably patient and courteous. Usually we end up leaving of our own accord because we feel bad. While being told to leave is not the end of the world (we had already finished eating), it definitely leaves you with a bit of a bitter taste in your mouth (a shame after all the delicious food!) -
Review from Matt L.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent. I can see why Yasuda is considered the best sushi restaurant in New York City. Even for those people who are used to Americanized sushi, they can taste the difference in level of quality and skill of Yasuda. For the connoisseur, no words are necessary.
People will complain and say that the portions are ridiculous since the sushi size here are about half the size at any other fine sushi joints, the price is very expensive. That is true. However, you will never fail here at Sushi Yasuda, no matter who you bring. If you have an important client and you must find one sushi restaurant, this will be the place. If you cannot afford to fail in choosing the right one, you will have to go with Sushi Yasuda. There is no risk to fail. In my opinion, that is why it is worth paying for the premium.
There is nothing good or bad here. All is excellent. Sit at the counter, and leave it to the chef. Give him an approximate of how much you expect to eat and he will go with the best available progression. Yes, the price could jump, but if you are looking for an Omakase, you should go with Yasuda. Yasuda offers many seasonal, and hard to find fishes from all around the world. For example, if you are looking to have salmon, Yasuda could be offering 10 different kind of salmon that has vast differences. It is an exciting experience.
Again, all complaints and taking stars off for being "too expensive" should not be taken into consideration when looking at Yasuda.
One thing that has always ticked me off is the guy who takes reservations. He is a classic A$$hole and is very rude. I have always joked around with friends and said that's the reason why they don't have a Michelin Star. Haha. -
Review from JOHN R.
North Haven, CT
1/24/2012
There really is nothing bad you could possibly say about the sushi here, it's insanely fresh and flavorful , probably the best I have ever had. With that said its not my type of place, I'm not really into the sushi chef making me one piece at a time, putting my wasabi and soy on it for me and presenting me one piece at a time. But then again, where else can you eat sushi right next to Martha Stewart so how can I bitch!
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Review from C B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/18/2012
It's true--Sushi Yasuda has inflexible preparation styles and an unusual ordering process. So what? It's worth getting over your discomfort and eating as much of this delicious sushi that you can afford. Every bite here is one to treasure.
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Review from Tom N.
Manhattan, NY
11/8/2011
If you're reading this then chances are you're either planning on making reservations, or have been invited for dinner to Sushi Yasuda. Pretty obvious, I know, but just hear me out before you make any rash decisions.
Sure, the sushi is delicious, but you can find delicious sushi in many other, much less expensive sushi restaurants. What separates this place? Reputation. It's the crème de la crème (I love using that) of sushi restaurants in the city, and deservedly so. The atmosphere alone is worth the money (if you have that kind of money to throw away on dinner).
It's the type of place you go to if you're trying to impress someone, whether it be a client, your girlfriend, mistress, whoever. Just remember that you'll be paying an arm and a leg for whatever you're hoping to get out of the dinner, and in most cases you'll succeed.
When you boil it down, it's just another sushi restaurant. There are mexicans in the kitchen making the non-sushi, Japanese students working the tables, and a few guys behind the sushi bar who can slice sushi and place them on top of a handful of rice.
It's delicious, the place is beautiful, and it will get you laid. What more do you want for $120 a person? -
Review from Lee G.
12/2/2011
Just brilliant sushi. Fantastic selection from basic sushi / sashimi all the way to Torro. All the food was super fresh, perfectly prepared and delicious. Best sushi in Manhattan so far - for my money way better than Sasabune (the paint wasn't peeling off the wall at Yasuda). Stand outs were the oysters, eel (so I'm told) and Torro.
Décor was pleasant, waiter wasn't. Make sure you ask for the other menu where u can make up your own sushi selection - way cheaper. -
Review from Amy M.
11/10/2011 10 photos
I have been to Sushi Yasuda twice so far. Once last year and once this year. The first time was courtesy of my boss for job well done so he said he'll give me $200 for me to take anyone I wanted to out for a nice dinner. I knew I had to finally try out Sushi Yasuda. And it was definitely the right choice! Then, I knew I had to come back to celebrate me getting a new job back in April. This is definitely an expensive place because each time I came here, I would end up paying about $300+. This is your normal real Japanese sushi place with a sushi bar and regular seating.
The two times we came here. We ordered beer and ordered the Omakase and sat at the sushi bar where the Sushi Chef served us personally. I would recommend sitting at the sushi bar for the true sushi dining experience. He makes any type of sushi and surprises you. Of course you can tell him what you normally don't like and what you do like and he'll start creating stuff based on your taste buds. All the sushi was fresh and amazing! I would recommend having some of the uni and eel. Those are my faves. Of course there was nothing there that we did not like! All the individual pieces are $4 and up, which would explain the total of the bill that you get at the end.
For dessert, we had mochi ice cream in green tea flavor. Nice way to end the night!
And of course, the bill comes and there was nothing surprising about the bill considering it is known to be an expensive restaurant and to me, it is worth every penny and the experience! If I was rich, I would come here everyday!
If you have the money, this is definitely a place to try!Listed in: Awesome Japanese, Sushi &…
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Review from Michael G.
Floral Park, NY
11/17/2011
This is how I imagine sushi would be in heaven! The article below says it all:
http://www.nytimes.com...Listed in: NYC
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Review from Jina J.
Pasadena, CA
10/5/2011
Oh My God. Excuse me while I close my eyes and drool at the thought of Sushi Yasuda.
I first came here in 2009, and have been going back everytime I'm in NY (from LA). Do yourself a favor and definitely make the time and save the money to try this place.
Most of the time I go to Sushi Yasuda I get the Omakase, which is a very very expensive option if your nickname growing up was "bottomless pit." But everytime I go to NY, I ration off a small percentage of my paychecks leading up to the trip just so I don't ever feel limited.
The price for a standard sushi piece is about $4-5, which might sound normal, but that's the price for ONE piece. Still it's worth every bit. Generally for omakase the chef asks you if there are any fish you're not particularly fond of, and then starts the show. The first time I went, the chef prepared "3 ways" (don't flag me) for various fish. Salmon 3 ways (alaskan, white, new zealand), clams 3 ways, eel 3 ways, etc. It was such a great experience to try the different types of one single fish from different regions, or cooked in different ways. It's seriously enlightening.
Each time I get the Omakase, depending on who I go with and how hungry we are, it ranges from $250-400 (2 people). That's not including any alcohol or drinks.
The price might seem steep, or reasonable depending on where you've frequented for your sushi experiences, but regardless the trip is worth it. -
Review from Kelly R.
11/2/2011
The place is unassuming on the outside but very beautiful and classy on the inside. You will have very attentive waiters the entire meal. I absolutely love when restaurants give you a hot towel before your meal-it makes me really happy. delicious. Very upscale-we just had the sushi (four types of mackarel, rainbow salmon, salmon, scallop, fatty tuna and etc etc etc).
I'm going to be all sushi is better at this place. BUT back in Austin, TX Uchi and Uchiko still hold onto my heart for best sushi and tastings+++everything else.
Also, be ready to spend an arm and leg on the bill-it's that sort of place. -
Review from Brady H.
10/10/2011 2 photos
Love.
In an alternate reality where I am a billionaire or on a super-duper-enhanced expense account, this is where I'd become a regular.
This place really ruins you for all other places, though with the price difference, I can make do. -
Review from Ishan G.
New York, NY
11/16/2011
Disclaimer: I am not a big fan of Sushi so my review might be biased.
The whole experience starting from making a reservation was weird. My colleague called in on a Tuesday to make a reservation for Friday lunch. He was told to expect a call Friday morning between 9-10 to confirm the reservation and if no one answered the phone the reservation would be canceled. So my colleague stood by the phone as if life depended on it. The 9 am called came, with a warning that the reservation would be canceled if we were more than 5 mins late. So like good students we were there on time. We were greeted by a gentlemen who spoke politely but the kind of person who you wouldn't want to mess around with. Had the aura of a ninja.
The food was 2-3 notches fresher compared to a normal sushi joint. Even the soy sauce and wasabi had a clear difference. I get why this place is rated so high. Is it the most pleasurable sushi experience for me? Not really. But then again I am not a sushi expert. Its definitely worth a try. A bit pricey though. -
Review from charle m.
New York, NY
9/12/2011
Yasuda has been the closest experience to sushi in Japan outside of Japan that I have encountered thus far. The rice is exceptional and, although it should go without saying at this point, so is the quality of the fish.
As some of the prior reviews have stated, this is not your fancy schmancy Manhattan establishment. Dress nicely - upscale casual - but Yasuda is not the place to show off your new Louboutins. If you prefer style over substance, there are less pricey alternatives that can spare you from the atrocities of Midtown.
Let me follow this review with a few sentences of oh-my-god-I'm-so-wonderful. After reading, most of you will want me to trip and fall on an HIV needle but no worries, all self-praising rants will all be over in 1 (update: 2) swift paragraph(s).
*clears throat*
I lived in Tokyo long enough to stop considering ___ (insert just about every USA-based Japanese restaurant name here) to be anything other than a bastardized American version of Japanese cuisine. When you have grown accustomed to eating sushi/sashimi in the sushi/sashimi capital of the world (therefor universe!), you (i.e. me) will undoubtedly notice yourself scrunching up your nose or rolling your eyes when someone starts telling you just how awesome that Japanese takeout was and ohmygod Nobu was so good..... ew (author pauses to shudder at the horror of it all).
Meaning- when I give Yasuda a five star rating it is not because I am not familiar with sushi. I am, in fact, perhaps too familiar with sushi. In Tokyo, a person can walk outside of their door and nibble on something aquatic about 2.5 seconds after it was bonked on the head with a blunt object or gutted with a knife. No, dinner at Yasuda is not the same as breakfast at the Tsukiji fish market. If you want your tastebuds to encounter that uniquely Japanese experience you are going to have to book the flight to Narita and wake up at 4am to get it. Expecting anything similar outside of Japan is, simply put, delusional.
Rant over. -
Review from Jeremy S.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 12/2/2011
Alas, I will not be returning to Sushi Yasuda in the foreseeable future. Whoever takes phone reservations at this establishment is beyond rude, and not who it should charge with handling customer enquiries. There is no shortage of excellent restaurants in this city, and I will happily take my appetite, and money , elsewhere.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/17/2011
My wife and I visited this weekend and had the Matsu Course and a la carte nigiri. Overall, the… Read more »
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Review from Michelle L.
Manhattan, NY
9/19/2011
I brought my bf here to celebrate our anniversary. It was between here and Sushi of Gari. I chose this because the reservation time availability was closest to what I wanted.
We did the omakase which should be noted that the chef simply gives you pieces of sushi to try until you say you are done. We opted for the sushi omakase because of their reputation for the rice. I have to say, the pieces we received were really good.
Several pieces to try is the Spanish Mackerel, King Salmon, Calm, Uni, Tuna, Eel, etc. I loved the our sushi chef because he would serve us two different types of fishes next to each other so we can compare the depths of flavors. I tried not to use the soy sauce too much because it cuts the freshness of the fish. Each piece is dabbed with wasabi and with fish that fresh, I highly doubt the wasabi was needed.
We also shared a mildly dry sake served cold and that was pretty good. Our damage only came out to be 230 which was not bad at all considering all the pieces we had. Make sure you only order one hand roll because they squish/ground the fish together for the rolls and you cannot tell the different between each rolls. Also, their dessert menu is very limited. I wanted the green tea crepe cake and they only offere
I can't wait to try Sushi of Gari for the comparison. -
Review from Marlo B.
Katonah, NY
12/28/2011
Save your money and time. The wait staff was unfriendly and would not help with any recommendations We spent a LOAD of $$$$$$$ and left with empty bellies and a bad taste in our mouths for the RUDE staff..
