The Best Affordable Sushi in New York

When Noz 17 opened four and a half years ago with its intimate six- and four-seat counters, founders Josh and David Foulquier envisioned it as the wilder, more experimental cousin to their Upper East Side hit, Sushi Noz. In June 2025, they made a bold move: slashing their $465, 20-course menu down to $195 for 14 courses in a bid to become the neighborhood's go-to sushi spot.

Don't mistake this for a downgrade. Chef Junichi Matsuzaki is still working with the same pristine seasonal Japanese seafood—he's just streamlined the experience. The new menu weaves hot dishes between nigiri, kicking off with a small starter like a savory parfait layered with kiwi, slippery mozuku seaweed and tomato, topped with tomato water, before launching into 11 pieces of sushi, miso soup and tamago. It's the same meticulous approach, just now more approachable.

With four locations between New York, New Jersey and Miami, a trio of Masa vets launched this design-forward, blonde wood bedecked casual temaki (open-faced hand rolls) concept six years ago in the West Village. The Japanese menu has expanded since then to include more small appetizers like nori chips, and clams poached in sake, but what Nami Nori is best known for is chef Taka Sakaeda and Chef Jihan Lee’s creative and traditional temaki. Many diners opt for one of the five-piece pre-designed assortments like $32 The Signature Set, which includes mini open-faced hand rolls crowned with toppings like scallops in x.o. sauce, coconut shrimp and black sesame-laced cucumber. Pair it with a Japanese-leaning cocktail such as the Nori Highball with Mars Iwai Tradition Whisky, nori syrup and yuzu juice.

In a neighborhood dominated by red-sauce Italian joints, Kevin Chen was the first, four years ago, to introduce an omakase sushi bar. Tucked inside a compact, 600-square-foot blue-and-white space anchored by an oak counter, the Shuko alum offers two modern omakase experiences: an 18-course menu for $125 or a 12-course option for $75, each served over 75 minutes. Both menus feature the same premium seafood—roughly 70% of it imported from Japan—and begin with starters like a mini uni ikura don, topped with Hokkaido uni and house-marinated salmon roe over red vinegar-seasoned rice.

What sets Neta Shari apart from other accessible sushi spots is Chen’s meticulous focus on dry aging. He uses the technique to intensify umami and improve texture across a wide range of ingredients, including 25-day aged bluefin tuna, 35-day aged Ora King salmon, and A5 wagyu rested for up to 120 days to achieve maximum complexity. The drink list complements the menu with a curated selection of sake, Japanese beers, and cocktails made with ingredients like yuzu.

Local ingredients are the guiding philosophy at Rosella, the nearly five-year-old contemporary Japanese restaurant, sushi spot and wine bar from Uchi, Austin alum Jeff Miller. Beyond bonito brought in from Montauk and bluefish caught off the New Jersey coast, Miller uses short-grain white rice grown in the Hudson Valley and soy sauce produced in Connecticut.

The intimate, 24-seat space—defined by blonde wood and deep ocean-blue tile—offers an à la carte sushi menu, but Miller is happy to craft a personalized omakase on request. Prices typically range from $75 to $100 and might include dishes like lobster ceviche in coconut milk or nigiri topped with cured shrimp brushed with shrimp-head oil and pickled mussels. There’s also a newly launched daily happy hour that features five pieces of nigiri for $25. In keeping with their commitment to regional sourcing, the beverage list leans on small-batch wine, cider and beer from nearby producers.

When former Ito chef Cheng Lin opened Shota in Williamsburg nearly two years ago, he single-handedly put Brooklyn on the omakase sushi map. Lin lured New Yorkers across the bridge with an 18-course, $195 traditional Edomae menu packed with top-tier Japanese seafood—think auction-grade uni and kinki rock fish draped over organic rice. In a sleek, charcoal-toned space, Lin has commanded the main 18-seat U-shaped counter since opening, but this past February he finally opened up his second 10-seat Gentei Counter where he now serves an even more exclusive 19-course menu for $255. This is where he showcases the real unicorns: rare, hyper-seasonal catches like mehikari (greeneye) and katsuo (skipjack tuna) in three-month house-aged ponzu. The latest development? Shota just scored a full liquor license. Soon, alongside small-production sakes, Lin will be pouring rare Japanese whiskies.

Sushi Ikumi, the compact 10-seat sibling to nearby kaiseki staple Hirohisa, quietly delivers some of the city's best bang-for-your-buck omakase. Chef Jongin Jeong charges $220 for 18 courses at dinner and $150 for 16 at lunch. The relative affordability comes from the smart sharing of seafood between the two restaurants—specific cuts are allocated to each, minimizing waste.

Since opening nearly five years ago, Jeon’s omakase has remained under the radar despite a seasonal menu built around sterling Japanese seafood, including standout bites like striped jack in a house-made ponzu sauce and his signature futomaki roll, packed with a rainbow of tuna, sea eel, egg, spinach, shrimp and gourd squash. To drink, guests can order up to a dozen sakes by the glass, alongside a deep collection of premium and seasonal bottles chosen by Jeong and owner Hirohisa Hayashi, some of which are offered as monthly-changing by-the-glass special pours.