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Wasabi Lobby
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
1584 2nd Ave(between 82nd St & 83rd St)
New York, NY 10028
Neighborhoods: Yorkville, Upper East Side
(212) 988-8882
- Nearest Transit:
-
86 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
77 St (4, 6, 6X)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
78 reviews for Wasabi Lobby
Review Highlights
"The spicy garlic tuna roll is great as is the lobster roll..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...Asian food of any kind I've been able to find on the UES."
(in 11 reviews)
"Even my veggie roommate endorses the seaweed salad."
(in 3 reviews)
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78 reviews in English
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Review from Monica T.
New York, NY
11/12/2011
We came here after happy hour this past Friday. Being a little rowdy, i'm glad they served us! We ordered a couple of rounds of sake bomb (this place plays no music) so i am not sure how everyone else felt about us banging the table and chanting SAKE SAKE SAKE SAKE!!
They also played music for us, the server offered to play music from our iphone, and it was so much fun!! PARTTYYY
Lastly, we all ordered sushi, my buddy and i shared soft shell crab as appetizer, and shared Sex in the lobby and lobster roll, they were really good and i must say, i've never been here (and been living on the UES for 2+yrs), i've been missing out!!!! Can wait to come back for more sushi, i promise we wont be rowdy....... -
Review from Art K.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
9/30/2011
I ordered the spicy tuna, spicy salmon, spicy california roll combo. it was typical, nothing special. also ordered the special: spicy garlic tuna roll. i was hoping the special roll would be special, but it was rather mundane. the sushi wasn't the best quality either.
2.5 stars -
Review from Chester N.
Astoria, NY
9/20/2011
I hate to review a restaurant when I stumble into it intoxicated, but I figured Wasabi Lobby deserved one. I was teetering between two to three stars because of my entire experience.
After watching my fantasy football team narrowly squeak out a win by the slimmest of margins, my companions and I decided it was time for some dinner. As we strolled past many inadequate establishment, we finally decided on Wasabi Lobby. Be it the name, the fact I did not want to walk further north, or the sheer appeal of an empty restaurant that drew us in escapes me. Granted it was a sunday night. Apologies to the workers, for I know we were loud. My feeble attempts to quell our party were met with more japes of the hours prior. Regardless, we somehow managed to place an order and consume our spoils. I honestly didn't expect much in terms of food, so I ordered a spicy salmon roll along with beef udon soup. To my amazement, the roll was quite tasty while the udon left me as unfulfilled as a cheap date. The salmon roll was not great, but better than expected, when speaking in terms of relation, puts a smile to my face. The beef udon is a misnomer as there are more root vegetables than udon and beef combined. This renders the dish to be extremely bland. My friend ordered an udon plate where the noodles were pan fried, and I must say the comparison in appearance was unmatched. Her plate looked much more appealing with oil glistening in the dim light, and the color of noodle overpowering the space.
In the end, I probably just ordered incorrectly and was left unsatisfied. First impressions fasten themselves to your mind, and I was left with a meager after thought of how things could have been. Would I dare give Wasabi Lobby another chance? Maybe if my team wins again next week, for it will be enough for me to think Wasabi is my lucky charm. -
Review from Dan S.
9/18/2011
It pains me a little to write this review, because the most important part of the sushi, the quality of the fish, was actually pretty decent.
However, 3 sushi faux pas-
Ichi- rice was just normal hot steamed rice. boo.
Ni- their house sashimi plate came with super white "tuna", aka escolar, aka the fish that is actually banned in japan because it acts like a natural olestra
San- they served teriyaki sauce instead of soy sauce
It's so easy to fix these things too.. either no one cares or the (obviously not japanese) owners don't know enough about sushi to do it right
Upped this review from 1 star because of the the fish quality. -
Review from Lizz K.
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
My boyfriend was hankering for some Hibachi and Wasabi Lobby has a few options that would accommodate his picky-ness. I went for some sushi. Was this the best sushi in the world, no. This is average sushi. The fish was fresh and it was well prepared. I just wasn't wowed by it.
Will I go again? Probably. The prices are average for the neighborhood and they do have a lot on their menu. -
Review from Cate S.
REGO PARK, NY
1/12/2012
Just had the lunch roll special -- eel avocado and spicy tuna. It was ok. Not spectacular. I ordered for pickup and they gave it to me in a paper bag with a handle only on one side. I didn't even notice until I got back to work. That thing could've totally ripped on me! Really? You had to give me the one bag that is defunct? Also, they forgot to pack a spoon for the soup. I would think this is standard procedure - so it's just odd to me that they'd forget. Probably won't be going back.
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Review from Hernidia G.
Bronx, NY
12/26/2011 3 photos
I loved their crab salad and miso soup! Everything tasted so fresh and the restaurant had such a nice atmosphere. The waiter was very attentive and provided great service. My sister had the chicken fried rice that was so tasty. I would definitely recommed this spot if you're in for the sushi experience. Oh! Habachi also available here, you are interested.
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Review from Olga G.
Miami, FL
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Crappy restaurant. I ended up there by chance after a show, trying to hide away from cold weather... Cafeteria setup, bad and overpriced sushi (looks like they color tuna with food coloring). Yuck.
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Review from Phil H.
8/17/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Solidly dependable sushi joint. Been going to it since it opened up around fours years ago. Basically I just stick with the rolls and sushi. Don't stray too far off the basics and you will be ok. They make a nice fat roll here so you get your money's worth. They have around 14 signature rolls that are fun and innovative. Sushi is decent and fresh.
Stylish and clean decor, lots of outside seating, and very attentive wait staff. They also do a happy hour until 7PM with some nice deals on beer, cocktails, and select appetizers. Varied menu options with lunch deals too.
Not a destination spot on the UES, but more like a good neighborhood sushi place.Listed in: Sometimes I feel a bit Asian
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Review from Angel C.
11/21/2011
Ordered the uni sashimi, spicy salmon, california roll, and tuna avocado rolls from http://delivery.com. The sushi rolls were all surprisingly generous on the fish and thinnly wrapped in seaweed and rice, which resulted in wonderful mouthfuls with each bite. Uni was as good as can be expected when it's packed up and sitting for 20 minutes before consumption. Everything was fresh, turned around quickly, and it was v affordable. When we picked up, the interiors weren't anything to write home about so we'll probably stick to delivery/pick-up.
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Review from Simon G.
Manhattan, NY
1/28/2012
delicious fresh sushi! never lets me down!
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Review from Colin F.
Brooklyn, NY
11/11/2011
There is nothing Japanese about Wasabi Lobby, it is inauthentic. We had vegetable tempura that was over-battered and 1/3 of it was rather difficult to eat taro root. The tofu teriyaki was a big let-down, it was fried and bland, and the teriyaki sauce was way off the mark. We can't vouch for the sushi, and the avocado cucumber rolls we had were fine, but I can't see coming back again.
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Review from Emaan M.
4/25/2011
Stopped by here on a random weeknight my coworker and it changed my special sushi roll expectations. We couldn't decide what we wanted so finally just closed our eyes and picked and man was it a winner!
The Spicy Garlic Tuna roll is like nothing I have ever had before. Tuna, check. Spicy sauce, check. Avocado, check. Crispy garlic flakes, check!
Every night that I dont feel like cooking (which is almost every day), the battle of whether i should order this amazing roll enters my mind. Wasabi Lobby wins about once a week. I'm sincerely beginning to worry that they know my order as soon as they hear my voice. -
Review from Jaimee A.
5/7/2011
Ok, it took me a while to get past the dopey name but I have to say the sushi is great!
The spicy garlic tuna roll is great as is the lobster roll, naruto roll and red dragon roll. The sushi is fresh and delicious. If you order online you get 20% off. Food was here in 10 minutes with a free can of soda! Can't beat that! -
Review from mary r.
Lynnfield, MA
9/17/2011
I am giving five stars for one particular menu item that keeps me going back over and over and over and over: The Panko Crusted Tuna. NOM.
The other appetizers and specialty sushi is good (very similar to Nobu) as are the rolls. -
Review from Lauren J.
New York, NY
3/31/2010
Not the worst sushi, but certainly not the best.
Service is definitely attentive, but a little TOO attentive. Was at the point where I felt like every time I took a sip out of my water glass speedy gonzalez would run over and fill it back to the brim! I understand the importance of good service, but this was just a little too over-bearing/borderline intrusive for me.
As far as the food goes, I would stay away from the rock shrimp appetizer... the batter and yellow sauce on it was pretty gross. The simple non-spicy rolls were decent... fish tasted fresh... and good mixture of rice and fish... I had a tuna avocado roll and salmon roll... butttt....
do NOT order the spicy rolls. My girlfriend ordered a spicy tuna roll and after spitting it out into her napkin with a disgusted look on her face made me try it. Reluctantly I did... and the result? two pieces of half chewed spicy tuna rolls in wasabi lobby napkins. Gross. Not sure if it was the spicy mayo that had gone bad or poor quality fish but it was disgusting. To be honest I am getting sick just thinking about it again.... gotta go.... -
Review from Lindsay K.
New York, NY
7/1/2007
Tasty sushi, sure, but nothing that made me "love, love, love" Wasabi Lobby. Fairly cheap eats... I stuck the to a dinner of Lincolns... $5 shumai, $5 edemame, $5 tuna and cucumber roll, $5 shrimp and avocado roll. All yummy, but standard.
What really killed me was the service. It took nearly half an hour to go from our apps to our sushi... and we didn't order much. And a different person sat us, filled out water glasses, took our order, brought our food, cleared our plates, and handed us the bill. Unbelievable! It was like the clown car of bad waiters.Listed in: UES Good Eats
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Review from Katie Z.
New York, NY
5/11/2009
Despite the super cheesy name, the quality of fish here is pretty good. They also have the super tall cans of Sapporo and tall bottles of Kirin. Score.
I do feel like it's a little overpriced -- the sushi and sashimi for two at my favorite sushi place in Park Slope - Jpan - is $48 whereas theirs was in the high fifties ($56, I think). And I like Jpan's better. The platter comes with ample sushi and sashimi and a godzilla roll (spicy tuna with avocado) and is decorated with a votive with a neon green light in it on which they lay some of the fish. Maybe that's worth $8 extra dollars.
In nice weather they do have ample outside seating, which is nice. -
Review from Melody C.
New York, NY
7/23/2008
WOW. I've been a loyal Yelper for a while but have never gotten around to writing a review (yeah i'm lazy, so what) BUT after ordering in from Wasabi Lobby last night with my boyfriend I had to honor them with my review.
DO NOT EAT AT WASABI LOBBY!! Please, save your money and your time. This was without a doubt the absolute WORST sushi I've ever had in my life. I literally spit out my roll and threw up. I do not have a weak stomach.
We ordered the following:
1. Miso Soup - Very Good
2. Avocado Salad - Decent, Poor Avocado--very dry
3. House Salad - Decent
4. 3 Orders of Naruto Roll - Cucumber wrapped around Salmon, Tuna, and Avocado -- I don't know what was so bad, but it was EXTREMELY fishy and poor quality sushi. This is what I attempted to eat and threw up from.
5. 2 piece Salmon Sushi (my boyfriend tried and spit out too)
6. Tuna Wasabi Dumpling which was great but very fatty
I have NEVER spit out or threw out sushi. If you're in the UES go with Sushi Sen-Nin or for a more affordable option, Sushi Hana has always been consistent.
Oh yeah, speaking of affordable, Wasabi Lobby may want to update their website and menu because they completely jacked up their prices from what was listed.
NEVER ordering from here again..hope I spared you from a bad meal! -
Review from Elizabeth T.
Manhattan, NY
7/9/2011 2 photos
I applaud this place for making rolls that have so much fish and very little rice. Your money goes a long way here! I am such a fan of their specialty rolls ($15-$17.) They are so big, that one roll is a perfect entree. Come here for happy hour and order the Lychee Martini ($5). Its subtly sweet flavor goes well with your salty savory meal.
-
Review from Carrie M.
New York, NY
9/17/2006
Love Love Love.
A friend who lives on the upper east side introduced me to the Wasabi Lobby, and I've been converted. It is fantastic. The roll combinations are unique, delicious, and decently sized. The seaweed salad is great too, served on top of a bed of tomatoes and lettuce.
Not only that, but the service is quick and the prices are very reasonable. Definitely a winner in my book. -
Review from aaron r.
New York, NY
8/15/2008
After my first time eating here a few months ago, Wasabi Lobby has made itself my go-to sushi restaurant. Every time I've been here, the food has been consistent, as has the service. The service is always top notch, in fact, it's is not uncommon for the waiter to take out my chopsticks for me, and place my napkin on my lap...
The roll selection is interesting; always interesting combinations of rolls/sauces, to go along with the more traditional rolls.
I'm sure there are sushi restaurants that have better sushi than Wasabi Lobby in NYC, but the overall experience makes this place my go-to spot for eat in sushi. -
Review from Bill K.
New York, NY
5/4/2008
I guess I am among the category of people for whom obnoxiously attentive service is a bit of a thrill. The water guy actually wanted me to put down my water glass WHILE I WAS USING IT so that he could refill it. For some this would be beyond annoying, for me it's mildly intoxicating.
The sushi here was great. I enjoyed the gyoza as well. For whatever reason, even though miso soup is basically a commodity, I didn't like it here. I think it's that, although tofu is generally a neutral substance not associated with strong emotions, when the little tofu cubes are too small, it drives me crazy. There's something really maddening about a very, very, infinitely small cube of tofu.
Soy issues aside, I would come back. -
Review from Yvonne T.
New York, NY
6/14/2008
Yum Yum Yum! Fresh yummy sushi with great service. They had large sushi selection with the basics and a large selection of special rolls.
Also try the sea food spring roll. Good stuff. -
Review from Kimmie S.
New York, NY
4/15/2009
I have been here a few times and today, I just came back from there and had to share. I had made dinner plans with a friend who lived in the neighborhood and had never been to this place! Since she was a fan of sushi and the fact that it was nearby for future carry out, this was an obvious choice!
I love that the staff is on it. Although you have time to think about what you want, I love that they are quick to get your orders, additional needs adn more. This pampering for 2 girls after a busy day was amazing. I love that they have inventive rolls . My friend fell in love and was pleased that she found a new found friend in this location. -
Review from Drake R.
New York, NY
9/3/2009
Don't let the name throw you for a loop, Wasabi Lobby is one hell of a place to get some good contemporary asian-fusion cuisine. I live close to the place and steered clear of it for the first few weeks thinking "How can a place called 'Wasabi Lobby' be any good?" Boy, was I wrong.
Their menu is very large and gives you a great deal of choices of what to eat. Price wise, this place is on par if not a tiny bit less expensive than most other sushi places on the Upper East Side. With that said, you will not leave this place hungry. Their sushi portions are generous to say the least. Their Maki combo B is a ton of food. For $17 you get soup or salad and three of the biggest sushi rolls I've seen. Their sushi is fresh enough and tastes good.
Another perk, for those who are a bit health conscious, is that they have the calories of their dishes listed (albeit very lightly) to the right of the dish. You do have to squint a bit to see it though because it is in very light gray writing.
They have an outdoor area which is a nice touch when the weather permits and their inside dining area is decorated nicely. The booths are a bit uncomfortable, but not unbearable. The service is decent and their beers are priced competitively ($5 for a Kirin Ichiban).
Overall I have always had a pleasant experience at this restaurant. If you looking for good asian fusion, this is a great place to go. -
Review from Lucy L.
East Meadow, NY
5/24/2010
I've been here a couple of times. I like their avocado and peanut rolls, especially since not a lot of sushi places offer that combo.
Service has always been attentive and friendly. My dining partners have enjoyed their sushi rolls, and have commented that they like the size of the rolls because they get more meat. So there's that.
My issue is that the rolls are simply too big. There's no way to eat them in a dignified manner, especially an avocado and peanut roll. It tasted good but kept falling apart so it looked like I was constantly making a mess.
So I didn't love that. Maybe not the best place for a date or anywhere where you're trying to make a good first impression re: your table manners. -
Review from mark f.
Cambridge, MA
2/17/2011
Great experience here.
Very reasonably priced standard sushi rolls. Lots of more expensive creative rolls on the menu too.
Good service. Cool looking place inside. Good prices.
Can't think of a single negative thing to write so that's good for 5 stars. -
Review from David S.
7/18/2008
High quality sushi. I've been here twice, both times were very enjoyable thu hard on the wallet. Good sushi is expensive though and this was no more than more of the better sushi restaurants in the city, infact may have been cheaper. I had Toro here for the first time, it as incredible! Oily and fatty, and it melted in my mouth, it was the best tuna i've ever had. Under $10 a piece, good deal. Great sushi.
A few of the roles have sweat sauces on them, which to me really mask the flavors of the fish, and kinda defeat the purpose of eating it raw. I like things a little more simple, but still you have to hand it to them for offering exciting fresh rolls. I do appreciate variety in my sushi. The ambiance is ok, nothing special, a little crowded, but its NYC... Nice staff, thu they try and push the expensive fish on you a few to many times. I do recommend this place. -
Review from Zoe P.
8/5/2008
I love sushi - LOVE LOVE LOVE. And although I was skeptical about Wasabi Lobby given its name (I know, silly, but so is the name!), I've tried it with my mom and siblings twice with pleasant results.
The food is quite good, and the sushi is definitely fresh - I ordered one scallop sashimi from the a la carte section and ended up with an entire raw sliced scallop (I thought I'd just get a piece! Too much, but so so so goooooood). Their special rolls are creative and yummy, and the presentation is great but not too special - I've definitely seen the heart-shaped sushi before. They can be a bit stingy with the ingredients in their regular rolls (not so with the specials), but the roll list is reasonably long.
My gripe with this place is that the service is severely lacking. We practically got ignored both times by our waiter for the entire meal. We had to signal him over to place our order AND just to get water refills, and it took forever just to get our appetizers, at which point our sushi was ready and we were left with an overcrowded table. Plus, the place itself is so popular that they squeeze in as many people as they can, creating a cramped and very noisy space where you really can't serenely enjoy a meal and the company you're with. At least the sushi is good. -
Review from Rina R.
Bronx, NY
7/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
I went here today and had the Lunch special which comes with miso soup or salad.
I got the Salmon Teriyaki, which came with vegetables, white rice and 3 pieces of shrimp shumai.
There wasn't a big lunch crowd and the staff was very attentive. My order came in minutes. The salmon was a bit overcooked, but still tasty. The vegetables were delicious and the shumai was average.
The salad at the beginning was a bit small, but made sense for a lunch special. I actually ended up eating my entire meal, and that doesn't really happen often, so it must have been a perfect portion for me.
I heard their rolls are better than the teriyaki, so next time I'll try something else. -
Review from Liz B.
9/9/2008
I have a really good tip! Read on!
Go to the website and order online... you can customize every single roll (there's actually a ridiculous amount of customizations) AND you get 20% off your first order! My food came fast, correctly, and still hot (the cooked portions of course.) With the discount, I got 8 rolls and 2 appetizers for 38 bucks! -
Review from Josephine A.
New York, NY
10/13/2009
Besides the very cheesy name...this place has pretty decent rolls and a tasty pad thai even though it is made with lo mein noodles... we weren't sure if they ran out of the flat rice noodles or not....
Anywho, three of us went and had two rolls (blue crab special roll and salmon skin roll). Both were pretty good except the blue crab special roll was a little soggy from sitting in the sauce it was plated on. The order of beef pad thai (lo mein version) was VERY tasty... We also ordered the fried gyoza and a bottle of wine. The best part, all together with tip $30 pp. -
Review from Chip S.
New York, NY
3/2/2008
Fast, reasonable, and decent. There are better places out there, but there is a good value to this place. A decent selection of special rolls, most all of them are a good choice.
The cooked things are okay, but do not get hose as often. -
Review from Liz R.
Manhattan, NY
3/3/2010
So we always passed this place and though 'Wasabi Lobby...what a cheesy name." But one day we were craving sushi and Dungori wasn't open, so we went here.
The sushi itself was great, and the inside was much nicer than I'd expect for a place with a goofy name. HOWEVER-
the service was spotty. My friend ordered a 3-roll combo plate. When they brought all the plates to the table, his was much bigger than expected. After a few bites, he realized there was sashimi on the plate. After finally flagging down our waiter, he says he thinks he got the wrong dish. Waiter runs off to grab the manager, who says she thinks it is too. Sure enough, there's his actual order, sitting on the counter.
When we finally figure it out, my friend says it's fine but he doesn't want to pay extra. The woman sighs and says "well, that's a lot more food." Well, sure, but it's not our fault you served a $45 plate of sushi by mistake. After she tells him "don't eat any more" (wait, are you going to take the rest of the plate and resell it?) and leaves for a bit, she finally comes back and says he can keep eating. Now she's hovering over our waiter, making cracks about his service- when we handed him the bill, she said "Now don't screw up this one!" Which made us all a little uncomfortable. Then they said we were 38 cents short. It was just a long process.
So, sushi was good, atmosphere was alright, but I was definitely put off by the service. -
Review from b k.
New York, NY
3/6/2011
My friend and I initially wandered upon this place on a very cold day, and we decided to go in since we just couldn't be out in the cold any longer. I was really nervous to walk into a place with the word "lobby" in the name, and without having properly researched on yelp...but we have gone back about 10 times since! The sushi is consistently fresh, and their roles are huge. The reason for four instead of five stars is that I have never felt the urge to try their sushi or sashimi. Some places are just not on a level that I feel like I should try those dishes, so I can't call this place amazing, as far as sushi places go. But you should definitely take a group of friends here and get a bunch of roles.
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Review from Jana D.
New York, NY
4/9/2008
The sushi here is AMAZING. Literally the best sushi I've had. I've only had take-out/delivery from here - but it is delish. They have a great selection of rolls and the pieces of sushi are huge.
It is a little pricey (there are cheaper sushi places in the nabe) but they can't be beat for their super fast delivery. -
Review from Ania G.
Brooklyn, NY
1/1/2009
I've eaten here several times in the past year or so. It's what I eat when I'm into having a quintessential UES experience when I'm staying in the area. Or maybe just because it's close. (I think it's more the latter). It's not your classic sushi, it's "fusion"...sushi catered to the UES crowd.
The cons:
The atmosphere is a bit too rowdy for my liking (loud, distorted, R&B music and too-chatty college kids). Families seem to dig this place. It's on the pricey side, but that's what is expected in the area. Last time I was there the edamame tasted mildewy and the tuna sushi fell short of spectacular...it's middle of the road at best.
The pros: I'm in love with their Sex in the Lobby roll, their rolls aren't drowning in sauces (they have them on the side), big portions, and good service.
In the end, I prefer Yuko on York and I think I'll be going there from now on. -
Review from Ben C.
New York, NY
3/8/2009
I loved this place.
We went on a sunday evening that had hints of spring (60 degrees and beautiful). Wanted to sit outside... they had no available todays, so they got one from inside and brought it out. Awesome
Service was quick and friendly. Shumai was good. Two different selections of hot sake. And 22 oz sapporos were available.
Good selection of rolls and everything was fresh. Good selection of "creative" rolls and the spicy tuna hand rolls were good. Yum! -
Review from Brian W.
New York, NY
6/7/2009
We liked sitting streetside at this restaurant for a dinner. 2nd Ave is a bit noisy though. The noodle dish I got was average. My wife had a thai dish that she liked. The service was decent and friendly. Their menu expands on the usual, traditional sushi type stuff, and it looks kind of goofy, but I wouldn't mind trying some of that when we go again.
In sum, a decent place for a casual meal. Not a fancy date kind of place.
