Best Japanese Restaurants in Murray Hill & Kips Bay (10016)
9 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Tempura Matsui
Tempura-focused omakase that treats frying like fine dining.
Notable Picks
8.9
Tempura Matsui is a quietly luxurious counter focused on tempura omakase, where a chef fries each course to order in front of you. Diners come for precise technique, pristine seafood, and a rare opportunity to treat tempura as a full tasting menu rather than a side dish.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tempura omakase menu with seasonal seafood, Shrimp tempura with shiitake and vegetables, Tendon bowl with tempura over rice
What makes it special: Tempura-focused omakase that treats frying like fine dining.
8.7
Perched inside an actual hotel suite, Sushi Suite 1001 runs an intimate, reservation-only omakase with just a handful of seats and full bar service. It feels like a private sushi party in a friend’s luxe apartment, with a longer, more indulgent progression than the downstairs bar.
Must-Try Dishes:
Signature omakase progression, Seared wagyu bites, Hokkaido uni nigiri
What makes it special: Speakeasy-style omakase held in a converted hotel suite.
#3
Sushi Ryusei
8.6
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Sushi Ryusei is a refined Murray Hill counter where the chefs serve composed omakase flights built around pristine fish and precise knife work. The room is calm and quietly upscale, making it feel more like a chef’s studio than a busy neighborhood spot.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal omakase, Chu-toro and o-toro flights, Uni nigiri
What makes it special: Chef-driven omakase with quietly serious fish and technique.
#4
nonono
8.4
NONONO is a bi-level yakitori and ramen spot where skewers, small plates, and big bowls share equal billing. Its illustrated menu, cocktails, and late hours make it one of Nomad’s busiest Japanese grills for casual dates, friend groups, and after-work hangs.
Must-Try Dishes:
Charcoal-grilled yakitori skewers, Karaage fried chicken, Rich bone-broth ramen bowls
What makes it special: High-energy yakitori house with ramen, skewers, and cocktails under one roof.
8.3
Tsumo Omakase delivers a casual, timed omakase in a compact Kips Bay room, focusing on high-quality nigiri at accessible price points. Expect an 11–13 course progression of bluefin-focused sushi that feels polished but relaxed.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lunch omakase flight, Bluefin tuna nigiri, Toro hand roll
What makes it special: Accessible, reservation-only omakase that stays relatively affordable.
#6
Wokuni
8.3
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Business Lunch Power Players
Hidden Gems Heaven
Trendy Table Hotspots
Backed by a Japanese seafood company, Wokuni runs a big, lively Murray Hill dining room built around sashimi, chirashi, and cooked seafood flown in from Japan. It works as well for omakase-style dinners as it does for groups sharing rolls, grilled fish, and sake.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bara chirashi, Sashimi omakase set, Grilled whole fish specials
What makes it special: Sea-to-table Japanese seafood with serious sourcing in a big room.
Worthy Picks
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Oishi Bay is a long-running Kips Bay Japanese spot where sushi rolls share space with teriyaki, udon, and hibachi-style plates. It’s a dependable option for affordable combo dinners, big takeout orders, and mixed groups who don’t all want raw fish.
Must-Try Dishes:
Salmon avocado roll, Sushi and sashimi dinner, Chicken or salmon hibachi
What makes it special: Affordable sushi-plus-hot-dishes menu that serves many use cases.
#8
Phoshime
7.7
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Phoshime blends Vietnamese comfort dishes with a full sushi bar, giving Murray Hill diners pho, buns, and rolls under one roof. It’s especially useful for mixed groups that want both brothy noodles and maki without splitting between multiple restaurants.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chef’s sushi lunch specials, Pho with choice of protein, Grilled chicken or shrimp buns
What makes it special: Hybrid Vietnamese–Japanese spot where pho and sushi share the menu.
#9
Bento NYC
7.6
Bento NYC is a compact sushi and bento counter on Third Avenue that leans hard into lunch combos and takeout. Office workers and locals rely on it for fast maki sets, teriyaki bentos, and straightforward rolls that are easy to grab between meetings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Maki roll combo lunch specials, Chicken teriyaki bento lunch, Any 3-roll lunch set with miso soup
What makes it special: Grab-and-go sushi and bento shop built around efficient lunch specials.