Best Sushi Restaurants in Upper East Side-Yorkville
12 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Sushi Goda
Contemporary omakase and composed nigiri served in a chic, intimate room.
Notable Picks
#1
Sushi Goda
8.7
Sushi Goda is an intimate Upper East Side sushi dining room where a contemporary omakase format and composed nigiri plates headline the experience. Guests come for the 15-course ContempOkase, polished service, and a room that feels special without tipping into white-tablecloth formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
ContempOkase 15-course omakase, Chef’s selection nigiri platter, Brownie & Matcha dessert
What Makes it Special: Contemporary omakase and composed nigiri served in a chic, intimate room.
#2
Sushiya Uo
8.4
A cozy sushi bar that offers traditional Japanese sushi and sashimi with a modern twist, perfect for an intimate date night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chirashi Bowl, Salmon Belly, Spicy Tuna Roll
What Makes it Special: A small, intimate sushi spot offering a unique twist on traditional dishes.
#3
Ooki Sushi
8.4
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Ooki Sushi is a long-running Yorkville standby pairing a clubby, dimly lit dining room with a sprawling sushi menu and full bar. Locals use it for dependable rolls, sashimi platters, and sake or cocktails, especially at lunch and early dinners when the neighborhood crowd packs the booths.
Must-Try Dishes:
Red Snapper Ceviche, O-Toro Tataki, Yellowtail Jalapeño Roll
What Makes it Special: A high-volume neighborhood sushi workhorse with a full bar and expansive menu.
#4
Ikyu
8.3
Ikyu is a family-owned sushi and Asian-fusion spot where tri-color sushi, specialty rolls, and generous lunch deals anchor a compact, modern room. It’s the move when you want cleaner-feeling rolls and chirashi at fair Upper East Side prices, either for dine-in or frequent delivery.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tri-Color Sushi, Volcano Roll, Chirashi Bowl
What Makes it Special: A modern, family-run sushi shop known for fresh rolls and strong lunch sets.
#5
Sushi Ren
8.1
Vibes:
Hidden Gems Heaven
Family Friendly Favorites
Business Lunch Power Players
Comfort Food Classics
A neighborhood standby that works for repeat visits: straightforward rolls and nigiri, reliable timing, and a dining room that stays low-drama even when it’s busy. The best orders lean classic—one sashimi/nigiri anchor plus a couple of rolls—so the meal feels clean instead of overloaded.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sushi & sashimi combo, Chirashi bowl, Hamachi kama
What Makes it Special: Reliable neighborhood sushi with a calm, repeatable rhythm.
Worthy Picks
#6
Sushi Para
7.9
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
A high-traffic option built around value and volume, with a broad menu that makes it easy to assemble a full sushi night without overthinking it. The strongest experience comes from focusing on a few reliable standards and one cooked item, rather than trying to “sample everything.”
Must-Try Dishes:
Sushi boat, Ika yaki (grilled squid), Sashimi lunch special
What Makes it Special: Value-forward sushi with a big-menu, group-friendly setup.
7.9
Isohama is an old-guard Upper East Side Japanese restaurant that has served Yorkville for nearly two decades with sushi, sashimi, and warm noodle dishes. It functions as a dependable neighborhood option for maki, combo platters, and bento-style meals in a no-frills, slightly dated room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sushi and Sashimi Combo, Rainbow Roll, Manhattan Roll
What Makes it Special: Long-running neighborhood Japanese spot balancing classic rolls, sushi combos, and hot dishes.
7.8
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Comfort Food Classics
A neighborhood workhorse with a huge menu that makes it easy to find something that fits the moment—lunch specials, rolls, and sushi-bar starters that come out fast. It’s strongest when you order with restraint: one crisp starter plus a tight roll set rather than chasing novelty across pages.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crispy rice w. spicy tuna, Yellowtail jalapeño, Chirashi lunch special
What Makes it Special: Big-menu neighborhood Japanese that’s built for repeatable convenience.
7.7
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
An all-you-can-eat-driven sushi spot where rolls are the main event and the winning strategy is discipline, not volume. Treat it like a curated AYCE run—pick a few repeatable rolls, add one or two nigiri staples, and stop while everything still tastes fresh and sharp.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy salmon roll, Eel avocado roll, Tuna roll
What Makes it Special: AYCE sushi that rewards a focused, repeatable roll strategy.
#10
Akami Sushi
7.7
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Hidden Gems Heaven
Akami Sushi is a compact First Avenue shop known for its value-driven lunch deals, bento boxes, and straightforward rolls geared toward takeout and delivery. Diners rely on it for quick, customizable sushi meals rather than a drawn-out omakase experience.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lunch Bento Box, Spicy Tuna Roll, Salmon Avocado Roll
What Makes it Special: A value-focused sushi shop with strong lunch combos and efficient takeout.
7.5
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Hidden Gems Heaven
A sushi-and-poke hybrid that fits best as a quick, reliable stop: simple rolls, customizable bowls, and a pace designed for takeout and fast meals. The cleanest order is one poke bowl or a small roll set—keep it tight and it delivers exactly what you came for.
Must-Try Dishes:
Poke bowl, Spicy tuna roll, Salmon avocado roll
What Makes it Special: Fast sushi plus poke bowls for clean, no-friction meals.
#12
Suki Ichiro
7.5
Suki Ichiro is a long-standing Yorkville sushi restaurant where classic maki, value-forward lunch sets, and a full lineup of hot Japanese dishes keep the dining room busy. Its roll-focused lunch specials and consistent execution make it a go-to for everyday sushi that feels a bit more polished than barebones takeout.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sushi Lunch (5-piece sushi & California roll), Spicy Tuna Roll, Spicy Mango Shrimp Roll
What Makes it Special: Old-school neighborhood sushi spot with roll-heavy lunch specials and dependable quality.