New York City has a serious sushi obsession. And rightly so, considering it was here that Americans, some forty years back, first tasted the inimitable combination of raw fish and vinegared rice.

Only in the past few years, however, has the sushi trend really exploded. Now, new Japanese restaurants pop up literally weekly; Chinese, Thai and Korean restaurants have begun installing sushi bars as well, apparently courting the "all Asian people look the same to me anyway" corner of the market; even corner delis have gotten into the act, stocking their refrigerators with (rather disturbingly aged-looking) inari and California roll.

The question, then, is no longer "where do I find sushi?", but "where do I find good sushi?" Hence this guide. Armed with an expense account and fond, fond memories of the sushi I ate while living in Japan, I dined around New York City in search of the very best maki and nigiri, then summarized the best of the bunch herein. Itadakimasu!

Unbeatable:

After hitting nearly thirty-five different restaurants, three stood head and shoulders above the rest. Predictably, they aren’t cheap. However, sushi, even at its most expensive, is still well short of haute cuisine prices – a dinner at any of these three restaurants can be had for about $60 a head.

Sushi Yasuda (204 E 43rd St, 212.972.1001):
Without a doubt Sushi Yasuda is the king of New York City sushi. I said so when I first reviewed it, shortly after its opening two years back, and this year’s Zagat (unfortunately, from a reservations perspective) officially agreed. Chef

Maomichi
Yasuda, (who trained at Hatsuhana at the same time Nobu’s Nobu Matsuhisa did, though now takes a much more traditional approach then his colleague),
starts with one of the city’s widest assortments of extremely
fresh fish, then serves up slightly smaller than average
pieces that literally melt in your mouth. Along with the
flawless sushi, try the nameko (mushroom) miso soup to start
and certainly don’t miss the green tea mochi ice cream for
desert. The perfection is in the details: the chefs vary
the size of the sushi according to the size of diners’
mouths; a different type of tea is served with each course;
the minimalist blond wood decor perfectly reflects the simple
perfection of the food. Book in advance, or learn
Japanese and kiss up to the Maitre D’ (my favored approach).

Tsukiji Sushisay (38 E 51st St, 212.755.1780 ) :
Exceedingly good sushi that comes in a close second to Sushi Yasuda. The sushi chefs at
Sushisay are required to train for a minimum of five years at the
restaurant’s Tokyo branch, which pretty much sums things
up – sushi doesn’t get more authentic than this. With
a beautiful back room, Sushisay also makes a great location
for small private parties or business functions.

Nobu / Nobu Next Door (105 Hudson St,

212.219.0500)
The sushi itself is perhaps a notch down from Sushi Yasuda’s
and Sushisay’s, and trying to book a table is a great reminder
that you’re not an important person, but the exceedingly inventive fusion dishes help Nobu
(and the essentially identical Nobu Next Door) live up
to the hype. As pretty much every restaurant guide says,
go "omakase," and take whatever the chef recommends.

More for the Money:

Fortunately, there’s excellent sushi to be had at a slightly lower price-point as well; both of these mini-chains serve up dinner for about $25 a person, even without a reservation made weeks in advance.

Haru (205 W 43rd St / 280 Park Ave / 433 Amsterdam Ave / 1327 3rd Ave)
In a word: reliable. The selection isn’t unusual, but the nigiri is always expertly prepared, extremely fresh, and reasonably priced. Nota bene: The lines are considerably longer at the (original) 3rd Ave location, though the food is equally good at any of the four.

Yama (

122 E 17th St /

38-40 Carmine St /

92 W Houston St)
The lines can be (literally) around the block, and the atmosphere is more trattoria than traditionally Japanese, but the sushi is excellent, ridiculously large (perfect for those who complain about not feeling full after a sushi dinner) and fairly priced. The appetizers, too, are well above average – consider the

Japanese eggplant with miso paste for a start.

Bargain Basement:

If you’re jonesing for sushi but will be paying with assembled change rather than dollar bills, either of these places can scratch the raw fish itch for under $10.

Takahachi (85 Ave A)
Worth the trip down to Alphabet City, as there’s certainly a lot of sushi for the money. As you might expect, lines can get ridiculously long later in the evening, so it’s best to either go early, or resign to the wait. While their sushi is remarkably good for the price, there’s also an assortment of similarly wallet-friendly high-quality non-sushi entrees – the beef sukiyaki and tempura soba, for example, are both strong choices.

Go Sushi (982 2nd Ave,

511 3rd Ave,

3 Greenwich Ave, 756 9th Ave)
Frankly, their sushi isn’t terribly good, but for sushi dinners starting at $6, what do you expect? The fish is fresh if somewhat inexpertly prepared, so while your palate might suffer the lack of quality, your intestines won’t.

Not Sushi:

Believe it or not, the world of Japanese cuisine extends beyond the sushi bar. While a full summary could easily justify another entire article, here are two excellent (though not sushi-focused) spots more than worth the trip:

Saka Gura (211 E 43rd St.)
This one’s a bit tough to find, as it’s located in the basement of a nondescript office building. Brave the fluorescent lights in the building’s entry and the industrial concrete steps heading down, however, and you’ll enter another world entirely – a slice of 18th century Japan. More importantly, a slice of 18th century Japan that serves up the city’s largest selection of Sakes. Try the tasting sets, which give you little glasses of three or four
different vintages; if you’re looking for food as well, it’s all very authentic – the best bang for the buck are the exceedingly large bento boxes, a favorite with the Japanese ex-pat crowd.

Hyotan Nippon
(19 W 52nd St.)
Like sushi, Japanese noodles (soba and udon) can be found all over the city. Nowhere, however, are they served better than this. Nippon makes their noodles in-house, using buckwheat and rice imported from their own fields and paddies. On icy winter days, take the noodles in soup to warm you through; conversely, noodles served cold are a traditional Japanese summer dish. The only danger: after eating here, you may no longer be able to stomach your corner noodle shop’s pale-by-comparison attempts.