Best Japanese Restaurants in Murray Hill
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Sushi Ryusei
Chef-driven omakase with quietly serious fish and technique.
Notable Picks
#1
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.
#2
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.
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Tucked inside Katagiri’s Lexington Avenue grocery, Brooklyn Ramen runs a compact counter turning out shoyu, tonkotsu, and veggie miso bowls in disposable containers. It’s a low-frills but flavor-forward option for commuters who want real ramen instead of deli soup before or after a Grand Central train.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shoyu Ramen, Tonkotsu Ramen, Veggie Miso Ramen
What makes it special: Ramen counter hidden in a historic Japanese grocery, serving serious bowls in a grab-and-go format.
Worthy Picks
7.8
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Hidden Gems Heaven
A Katagiri-grocery counter built around handheld onigiri that hit best as a fast, affordable Midtown meal with zero ceremony. Pick two rice balls with contrasting flavors, eat them fresh, and treat it as the quick win it’s designed to be.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grilled eel onigiri, Spam musubi, Spicy tuna onigiri
What makes it special: Handmade onigiri variety inside Katagiri for fast Midtown fuel.
#5
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.
#6
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.