The best Japanese restaurants in NYC right now

What is it? A kaiseki restaurant that earned the fastest Michelin Star in New York's history. Offered at a 10-seat tasting counter, the experience guides diners through the cuisine's principles—raw, grilled, simmered, steamed and fried—shepherded by kaiseki master Manuba Asanuma.

Why we love it: Asanuma traverses through the five signifying cooking styles with ease, letting the slices of mackerel and snapper speak for themselves in the sashimi course and sliding bouncy chunks of crab—post a fiery grill session at the counter—underneath a pool of a lightly bitter asparagus soup with tart vinegar jelly. His greatest feat, however, is the slightly chilled buckwheat noodles, made with grains from his family's farm in Japan's Yamagata Prefecture. The desserts are also worth the $295 ticket, using kotoka strawberries for an ice cream course served out of a martini glass.  

Time Out tip: There isn't much of a waiting room if you arrive early. However, they have zhuzhed up their vestibule with leather chairs and heaters to keep you warm from the chill outside. Or, you can always pop over to sister restaurants L’Abeille and L’Abeille à Côte for a drink.  

Address: 412 Greenwich St Penthouse B, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Tue–Sat 5:30pm and 8:30pm

What is it? An omakase restaurant that spawned a wave of edomae-style counters to come. But Sushi Nakazawa still stands as one of the very top, due to chef Daisuke Nakazawa's simple principle of coaxing the true nature of the fish. 

Why we love it: Sushi Nakazawa was made to fit with the ideals of New Yorkers. Meaning the inside doesn't read like a temple, but more like the inside of a sleek subway station or a really nice Apple counter. Regardless of its modernity, the sushi stays in line with the principles of the Edo era, with rice that's vinegary and warm and expertly sliced morsels of fish from crosshatched Spanish mackerel, grouper with flakes of lemon zest and fatty salmon that practically melts the moment it touches your tongue.  

Time Out tip: If you are nearing your limit by course 20, you can always ask the chef to go a bit lighter on the rice. Do what you have to make sure you have room for Nakazawa's tamago dessert, the very one he perfected all those years ago when he was an apprentice under Jiro Uno.

Address: 23 Commerce St, New York, NY 10004

Opening hours: Lunch, sushi counter only 11:45am–2pm; Dinner 5–10pm

What is it? One of the more expensive omakases in the city is Sushi Noz. Grand in its experience (and price, as it is $550 per head) the Upper East Side restaurant acts as a sanctuary to sushi, in terms of its looks and execution. 

Why we love it? Chef Noz’s affection for seafood is displayed like theater, starting with a handsome stage made of hinoki wood, cut down and shipped from his hometown of Hokkaido. Opening players start with otsumami, or seasonal small plates, consisting of steamed rock fish paired with a wonderfully gelatinous monk liver that jiggles like silken tofu, and a clam chowder–like take with a base of white truffle, served out of a golden-tipped shell. But you come for the sushi, know that bellies will be satisfied with firm squid, Spanish mackerel and the fatty jaw of tuna seared at the counter with red-hot binchotan. 

Time Out tip: As formal as it can all feel, chef Noz is down for a little chat between courses, including his favorite sushi in the city and if he still skateboards (he does).

Address: 181 E 78th St, New York, NY 10075 

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 5:45pm–11pm

What is it? A dual concept serving Japanese breakfast during the day and hawking expert ramen when the sun goes down. 

Why we love it: By day, this 12-seat Williamsburg space is home to Okonomi–a breakfast/lunch restaurant specializing in ichiju sansai; the traditional meal set of soup plus three sides. The menu is small, but the food is excellent. It’s the perfect way to buoy your afternoon—expert cookery proving simple is not simplistic. By evening, the space re-opens as Yuji Ramen, offering inventive, smile-inducing bowls of noodle soup with a special emphasis on outstanding seafood-based broths. It’s nice but not fancy. Still, don’t expect to waltz right in, as limited seating and demand mean reservations are a must.

Time Out tip: If you don't feel like playing the reservation game, the team opened a larger location in Nomad. And while both breakfast and ramen are available, regardless of whether you visit during the day or not, time is still a limiting factor as the Nomad restaurant closes at 2:30pm every day. 

Address: 150 Ainslie St, Brooklyn, NY 11211; 36 W 26th St, New York, NY 10010

Opening hours: Williamsburg: 9am–2:30pm, 5:30pm–9:3opm. Nomad: 9–2:30pm

What is it? One of Greenpoint's Michelin-starred restaurants specializes in French cookery heavily influenced by Japan. Oh, showmanship is as much as the experience as the food. 

Why we love it: Chef–owner Yuu Shimano has a love of the theatrics, the deep blue, velvet curtain that dramatically opens when service begins can tell you that much. But this tasting counter is much more than show lights, as diners taste grouper delicately aged with kombu and king crab hiding under translucent slices of veggies. His dry-aged duck pie is certainly the richest dish, layered with minced duck leg, foie gras and spinach. Now, if the $300 price tag is too much to bear, the restaurant recently rolled out an abbreviated four-course menu for $65. Fittingly served at their four-course counter at the wine bar, the meal includes seasonal selections, including a consommé soup, miso-marinated black cod croquette and a sirloin flap steak with red wine sauce.

Time Out tip: Restaurant Yuu's greatest marvel, the duck pie, is also his most time-honored, as it has been on the menu since the beginning. In fact, each diner receives a little card indicating which pie they will be eating for the evening ahead. 

Address: 55 Nassau Ave #1A, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 5:30–11:30pm; Sat 4–11:30pm

What is it? The only Michelin-starred tempura restaurant in the U.S., where lightly battered and fried cuisine is cause for celebration.

Why we love it: In the world of three-figure omakase thrills, sushi reigns. But tempura never received the same fine-dining fawning—that is, until the late Masao Matsui commanded fryers for decades at Tempura Matsui, creating well-paced parades of the marquee dish. Executive chef Koichi Endo continues the work here, lightly frying the likes of sweet uni and lobster, priced at $295 per person. 

Time Out tip: There are no walk-ins here, only reservations. So make sure to secure your spot before visiting. 

Address: 222 E 39th St #24d, New York, NY 10016

Opening hours: Tue–Sat, seatings at 5:30pm and 8pm

What is it? A ramen shop from Shigetoshi “Naka” Nakamura, one of Japan’s four “Ramen Gods.”

Why we love it: While there is plenty of excellent ramen for self-styled experts to slurp across the five boroughs, the LES’s tiny Nakamura is undeniably among the top-tier. Owner/proprietor Shigetoshi “Jack” Nakamura (formerly mad scientist at the dearly departed Ramen Lab) dreams up new spins on the noodle + broth equation, offering something spectacular for everyone. This spot is especially great for the vegans in your life, as the no-compromise, spicy XO Miso ramen is a flavor bomb well worth an order, even for the most carnivorous of us. The room is small, though, so we don’t recommend exceeding a party of two.

Time Out tip: If you are a spice fiend, the Szechuan mapo bolognese is numbingly spicy and hearty, with ground beef and tofu clinging beautifully to the chewy noodles.

Address: 172 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002

Opening hours: Mon–Thu noon–9pm; Fri, Sat noon–10pm 

What is it? A yakitori restaurant hidden behind a nondescript door in Noho. 

Why we love it: This titular street-meat/izakaya mainstay (wherein bits of chicken are skewered and grilled over coals) is usually served à la carte alongside big pitchers of beer. Not so at Torien, where it's an exquisite 13-course omakase tour of the form. A meal in Torien’s 17-seat dining room is as much about showing you what you didn’t know about chicken as it is an exemplar of peak ingredients and cooking methods.

Time Out tip: They go through every bit of the chicken—thigh to gizzards to heart. So come with your open-minded dining friend.

Address: 292 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Wed–Mon: 5:30–10pm

What is it? A basement izakaya where the sake is cold and the punk variety tunes have been bumpin' since the 90s. 

Why we love it: Sake Bar Decibel is part of an interesting ongoing food/bev conversation between Japan and New York; highly-Grammed corners of this too-cool-for-school LES Sake hub could fit in with Tokyo’s Shinjuku Golden Gai bars. It’s a cool trick—a graffiti-splashed cultural doubling back that totally works—especially at dive-bar prices. The food includes gyoza, shumai and karaage, but you’re going to Decibel because you’re either A. a sake aficionado, or B. want to sit at the cool kids table.

Time Out tip: Use the glowing "On Air" as a signal that the bar is open, and dip down the graffiti-covered basement stairs to find it.  

Address: 240 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003

Opening hours: Tue, Wed 6pm–midnight; Thu 6–1am; Fri, Sat 6pm–2am

What is it? Back in 1996, this town started to learn a little more about sake thanks to this basement izakaya. It still stands today, stowed away in an unassuming office building in midtown. 

Why we love it: There’s a particular, heinously overused term to describe establishments off the beaten path that we won’t utter here, but let’s just say it’s easy to speak well of this midtown izakaya. If you can find your way to Sakagura, you’ll be rewarded with a selection of over 250 sakes to pair with your meal, which, in true izakaya fashion, is casual and more or less meant to be enjoyed with friends to blow off steam after work. Portions are not huge, but that’s by design—order more food, then more sake, then more food, then sake ad infinitum.

Time Out tip: You can get an $18 lunch that rotates throughout the week, featuring dishes like a fried chicken rice bowl and chirarishi. Each comes with a side bowl of udon noodles. 

Address: 211 East 43rd Street, B1, New York 10017

Opening hours: Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30am-2pm; Dinner Mon–Wed 5:30–10:00pm; Thu–Sat 5:30–10:30pm

What is it? A tight eatery that houses a few tables, a wooden chef's counter and all of the glorious soba noodles. 

Why we love it: Chefs Yoshihito Kida and Mika Ohie were both born in Japan (Tokyo and Hokkaido, respectively), but met in the kitchens of Yakitori Totto and Soba Totto, before striking out on their own. Most everything at Cocoron is scratch-made. Kida, who owns a soba restaurant in Japan, prepares buckwheat noodles in-house, while Ohie focuses on sides and appetizers, like a cold house-made tofu with scallions, ginger, and bonito.

Time Out tip: If you are nearing the end of your dip noodles, don't drink that broth just yet. A splash of hot water from the server will transform it into a warming soup, readily available to drink up. 

Address: 16 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002

Opening hours: Daily noon–3:10pm; 5–10:30pm

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What is it? Raku sits in the middle of a residential Soho street and serves unfussy Japanese food in a casual setting.

Why we love it: Some of the city's best udon exists at Raku. Like its thin, chewy, alkaline-alloyed cousin–the ramen noodle, udon’s thicker, softer, silkier noodles play spectacular host to a variety of à la carte additions, poached egg, Wagyu beef and mushrooms among them. And the price won’t clean you out, so feel free to take big swings. Seating is limited and it’s a neighborhood dinner favorite, so go for lunch to avoid a crowd. 

Time Out tip: Three noodle shop locations now exist, making it easier to snag that reservation. 

Address: 342 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003; 48 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012; 776 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019

Opening hours: Vary by location

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What is it? From the team behind Her Name is Han comes a bi-level dining hall that's dedicated to all things yakitori. 

Why we love it: Nonono’s expansive yakitori-centric menu of tasty Japanese fare, a nice cocktail program, and reasonable prices make it a crowd-pleaser. The vibes are cool and unpretentious, encouraging you, above all else, to have a good time and give things a try. The space is long and tall with a counter at the rear and a second story above; this place is perfect for a date or large groups who need to push tables together.

Time Out tip: Just keep in mind that certain cherished chicken chunks (skin, oyster, tail, etc.) are in limited daily supply and can only be ordered once per person, and you definitely should. Seriously. 

Address: 255 Smith St, New York, NY 11231

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 5:30–9pm; Fri 5:30–10pm; Sat noon–10pm; Sun noon–9pm

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What is it? A Japanese market that's been a go-to for the midtown luncher with a solid selection of sushi, ramen and a counter dedicated to onigiri.

Why we love it: To exist and work in midtown can be a bit of a sad existence, particularly when that lunchtime hunger pang hits. Not so if you've discovered Katagiri Japanese Grocery. Established in 1907 by two brothers, the midtown grocery houses rows of Japanese goodies, a small alcove with ready-made ramen bowls, and a back corner with cuts of meat and fish. But a midday visit warrants an onigiri or two from the bustling Omusubi Gonbei near the front. However, the cooked items, including the skewers of chicken thigh and chewy chicken skin, are also good options.  

Time Out tip: It is easy to flag down a worker at the onigiri counter and point and choose from the likes of eel, salmon and plum. But if you really don't have the time, there's usually a selection on the counter itself so you can grab and go. 

Address: 370 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10017

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 8am–9pm; Sat, Sun 10am–8pm