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Whether enjoyed as an affordable takeout option or a pricey tasting-menu situation, sushi is on regular rotation in the New York diet, so it’s no surprise that some of the best sushi restaurants in NYC also double as some of the best sushi restaurants in America, full stop. And in a recent ranking by Yelp, several homegrown options have cracked the review aggregator’s Top 100 Sushi Spots in America list.
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For the list, the restaurant network “identified businesses in the Sushi category and then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews,” per Yelp. “All businesses were marked open on Yelp as of April 4, 2024. When available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of April 4, 2024.”
And among the top-five sushi venues in the country was one NYC spot: Omakase by Korami, an intimate, menu-free operation in Hell’s Kitchen (400 West 50th Street), came in fifth. Though options change at the chef’s will, selections might include super-fresh stuff like spotted prawn, strip jack, sea urchin and salmon roe. The midtown omakase spot was joined in the list’s top rankings by Kauai Sushi Station in Lihue, Hawaii, a pair of California spots (Imari in Upland and Hamachi Sushi Express in La Habra) and Taneda Sushi in Kaiseki in Seattle, Washington.
But New York also popped up elsewhere throughout the list, from NYC sushi dens to Greater New York spots. Akanomi in Altamont up in Albany County ranked at number 28, while Sushi Lin—an NYC chain with locations in Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Soho, West Village and the Lower East Side—wasn’t far behind with its 335 Flatbush Avenue outpost, ranked at number 32. Out on Long Island, Kenko Asian Cuisine in Merrick clocked in at number 92, while Yasuda up in Kingston, NY followed directly behind at number 93.
And rounding things out, Long Island City’s own Ooi Sushi & Bar (42-36 Crescent Street) snagged the final spot on the 100-venue restaurant list, popular for its make combos, bento boxes, poke bowls and more.
“There’s no denying that Americans love sushi. The Japanese dish — made with perfectly seasoned and vinegared rice and fresh raw (or cooked) seafood, and sometimes vegetables or meat — is one of the top-growing U.S. dining categories, according to Yelp’s 2023 State of the Restaurant Industry Report,” Yelp shared in a blog post. “Yelp reviewers have identified the best places to find expertly made sushi all across the country, from a food truck in Hawaii to an intimate sushi bar in New York City.” Check out the brand’s full rankings of the Top 100 Sushi Spots in America below: