16 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

Background Illustration for Restaurants

Ready to take a bite out of New York? Hope you've come hungry. In a city where creativity is expressed in innumerable ways, the food scene takes center stage, with literally thousands of chances to taste what Gotham is all about. Whether lining up at street stands, gobbling down legendary deli and diner grub, or chasing a coveted reservation at the latest celebrity-chef venue, New Yorkers are a demanding yet appreciative audience.

Every neighborhood offers temptations high, low, and in between, meaning there's truly something for every taste, whim, and budget. No matter how you approach dining out here, it's hard to go wrong. Planning a day of shopping among the glittering flagship boutiques along 5th and Madison Avenues? Stop into one of the Upper East Side's storied restaurants for a repast among the "ladies who lunch." Clubbing in the Meatpacking District? Tuck into a meal at eateries as trendy as their patrons. Craving authentic ethnic? From food trucks to hidden joints, there are almost more choices than there are appetites. Recent years have also seen entire food categories, from ramen to meatballs to mac 'n' cheese, riffed upon and fetishized, and at many restaurants you find an almost religious reverence for seasonal, locally sourced cuisine.

And don't forget—New York is still home to more celebrity chefs than any other city. Your chances of running into your favorite cookbook author, Food Network celeb, or paparazzi-friendly chef are high, adding even more star wattage to a restaurant scene with an already through-the-roof glamour quotient. Newfound economic realities, however, have revived appreciation for value, meaning you can tap into wallet-friendly choices at every level of the food chain. Rest assured, this city does its part to satisfy your appetite. Ready, set, eat.

Ivan Ramen

$$ | Lower East Side Fodor's choice

Ivan Orkin's improbable but true story is one of the many layers that make New York City's restaurant scene so exciting, authentic, and delicious: the self-described "Jewish kid from Long Island" moved to Tokyo and became a ramen-making master, achieving near legendary status in the Japanese capital. In 2014, he opened this Lower East Side temple to ramen, where highlights include the triple pork, triple garlic mazemen, a type of near-brothless ramen.

Sushi Noz

$$$$ | Upper East Side Fodor's choice

Inside this unassuming spot at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 78th Street is a super high-end sushi restaurant offering one of the city's best sushi experiences in a stylish Sukiya-style interior of bamboo and cedar woods. With a seasonal omakase menu curated nightly by Chef Nozomu Abe, known as "Noz" to his friends, including masterfully prepared Edomae sushi with fresh fish flown in from Japan, the two intimate nightly seatings at two counters (an eight-seat 200-year-old Hinoki wood counter and a six-seat rare Tamo Ash counter) are detail-perfect, memorable affairs with Japanese hospitality as authentic as the craft. Chef Noz presents at the Hinoki counter weekdays. But the price, $495, is exorbitant.  

Zenkichi

$$$ Fodor's choice
Modeled on Tokyo's intimate brasseries, this hidden Japanese restaurant serves no sushi: they specialize in exquisitely composed small plates, best enjoyed as part of the eight-course omakase (chef's tasting menu), though you can also order à la carte. Instead of a dining room, guests are seated in private booths separated by bamboo curtains, so other diners are audible but not visible. The gracious waiters can recommend sake to pair with your meal. This might be the closest to Tokyo you can get in Brooklyn.
77 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, USA
718-388–8985
Known For
  • Japanese omakase
  • Private booths
  • Romantic date spot
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential

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Chuko

$$ | Prospect Heights

A small, reliably tasty menu headlines this Prospect Heights institution for buns, Brussels sprouts in fish sauce, and above all, ramen noodles in savory broths. Pork, chicken, and eggs are typical add-ons to any of their flavorful bowls, although any can be made vegetarian. Long waits for a table are the norm—especially during winter months—however, seats at the bar are in constant flux. 

Hibino

$$ | Cobble Hill
There’s something almost zenlike about the food at this open, airy restaurant. The traditional and modern sushi rolls, the Kyoto-style obanzai (Japanese tapas), and the smooth, creamy homemade tofu served in small glass bottles will leave you feeling relaxed and satisfied. The reasonable prices and daily specials keep locals coming back for more.
333 Henry St., Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
718-260–8052
Known For
  • Traditional and modern Japanese
  • Daily specials
  • Zenlike atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends

Ippudo

$$ | East Village

Crowds still form for the ramen at Ippudo, the first American branch of the famous Japanese chain. Loyal patrons say it's all about the rich pork-based broth (there is a vegetarian version available, though it lacks the depth of flavor), but those in the know also order sleeper-hit appetizers like the peppery chicken wings or pork buns. There are several other locations around the city.

65 4th Ave., New York, NY, 10003, USA
212-388–0088
Known For
  • Heaping bowls of addictive ramen
  • Worthy appetizers
  • Classy but bustling atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted

Nobu New York Downtown

$$$$ | Financial District

At this impressive location in a unique setting of Botticino marble that's part of a century-old building lobby, the sushi stalwart serves the innovative Japanese cuisine that namesake master chef Nobu Matsuhisa made famous (though he's rarely in attendance these days). Count on fresh, colorful, daring dishes, or just put your meal in the chef's hands with Nobu's tasting menu ($225), or omakase, then let the kitchen do the rest.

NR

$$ | Upper East Side

This Meiji-era influenced ramen and cocktail bar draws upon this period of Japanese history when Western influences began shaping port town restaurants. Spearheaded by Shigefumi “Shige” Kabashima, the drinks menu offers 21 inventive cocktails—from the cold or warm served "Apple Pie" with cider, Calvados, and gin, to a Japanese hot toddy with yuzu and honey—served in antique drinking vessels. High balls, sake, wines, and Sapporo round out the list. The food menu is more succinct. Among five types of ramen, the Kyoto consists of a rich soy, chicken and fish broth combined with pork belly, bamboo shoots, garlic oil, and an egg. Other dishes extend to pork buns, curries, and an oyster of the day along with a beer-steamed mussel adorned with cotton candy. Weekend brunch is also offered.

339 E. 75th St., New York, NY, 10021, USA
646-226–4874
Known For
  • Oyster of the day
  • East-meets-West cocktails
  • Delicious ramen
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch

Odo

$$$$ | Gramercy

Some of the nation’s most highly regarded food has emerged from the kitchen at Odo, which serves elaborate multicourse Japanese meals known as kaiseki for lunch ($135) and dinner ($245). With just 14 counter seats around the small open kitchen, the experience is essentially a delicious kind of theater.

17 W. 20th St., New York, NY, 10011, USA
Known For
  • Local and seasonal foods rather than imported Japanese specialty items
  • Reservations essential
  • Impeccable service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. No lunch Tues., Reservations essential

Sake No Hana

$$$ | Lower East Side

Instead of walking straight into the Moxy hotel, go to the large door to your right and head down the curved stairs to one of the most beautiful new restaurants in the city. Perfect for a fancier date night, Sake No Hana serves traditional and fusion Japanese food with a wide array of menu options. The wafu (a Japanese-style vinaigrette) carbonara is a must (they whip the poached egg yolk into the noodle dish right at your table), and the spicy tuna tartare with fresh crunch radishes is so stunning-looking that you might not want to eat it—just make sure you take a photo before you do. 

145 Bowery, New York, NY, 10002, USA
212-249--0315
Known For
  • Impressive decor
  • Maine lobster
  • Temaki and sushi
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations recommended

Sushi Nakazawa

$$$$ | West Village

It's all omakase at this acclaimed sushi spot from master Daisuke Nakazawa, who practices an old Tokyo style of sushi making—putting all his extremely fresh fish on a thumb-size bundle of rice (sorry, sashimi fans). They only take reservations two weeks from the day. Fans of the 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi might remember the chef as the apprentice to the Tokyo-based sushi master Jiro Ono, who spent the near-entirety of the film trying to perfect the egg custard; Nakazawa finally succeeded, just as he has succeeded in wooing even the most finicky New York diners.

23 Commerce St., New York, NY, 10014, USA
212-924–2212
Known For
  • Mind-blowing raw fish (priced to match)
  • Hard-to-get tables
  • Jiro Dreams of Sushi film
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential

Sushi of Gari Upper East Side

$$$$ | Upper East Side

The many options at this popular, casual sushi restaurant range from the ordinary (California roll) to the more unusual, such as miso-marinated cod or Japanese yellowtail with jalapeño. Japanese noodles (udon or soba) and meat dishes such as teriyaki and negimaki (scallions rolled in thinly sliced beef) are well prepared. Some of the inventive non-sushi items on the menu are worth a try, especially the fried cream-cheese dumplings. An omakase-style tasting menu is also available, offering the chef's selections of the day's catch for market price. There are other locations, too, including one across the park on Columbus Avenue and in TriBeCa.

402 E. 78th St., New York, NY, 10075-1676, USA
212-517–5340
Known For
  • Sushi and rolls with creative sauces and combos
  • Omakase option
  • A number of locations around the city
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekends

Sushi Yasuda

$$$ | Midtown East

Founded by a team led by namesake chef Naomichi Yasuda, and now helmed by chef Tetsuaki Otomo (known as Tomo), this restaurant has a sleek bamboo-lined interior that is as elegant as the food. Here you'll find sushi so fresh and delicate it melts in your mouth, as well as fish flown in daily from Japan and the creamiest sea urchin. The fine selection of sake and beer complements the lovely food. Try to sit at the bar, which was handcrafted by Yasuda from imported Japanese materials.

204 E. 43rd St., New York, NY, 10017, USA
212-972–1001
Known For
  • Attractive bar
  • Some special appetizers change daily
  • Good selection of sake and beer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

Tokyo Record Bar

$$$$ | Greenwich Village

An homage to the genre of jewel-box-size restaurant-bars in Tokyo that play vinyl while patrons sip Japanese whiskey and eat feel-good fare, this subterranean, 12-seat spot offers three seatings per night—6:30 and 8:30, and on Thursday to Saturday, 10:30—for a seven-course Japanese-influenced tasting menu. The offerings change with the season and the chef's whims, but expect dishes and libations such as a shiso-wasabi mojito, nuggets of pork katsu paired with shishito peppers, and a caviar sandwich. Take it all in while tunes from Ray Charles to the Beastie Boys to Prince and everyone in between ooze off the vintage vinyl spinning in the corner.

127 MacDougal St., New York, NY, 10012, USA
212-420–4777
Known For
  • Changing fixed-price menu
  • Vintage vinyl on the Hi-Fi
  • Intimate experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch

Wagamama - Midtown

$$$ | Midtown West

Located near MoMA and Central Park, Wagamama is a beloved London import that prizes simple, nourishing Japanese fare built on authentic flavors. Ramen, stir-fried noodles, rice dishes, and an enticing selection of shareable appetizers are filling and reliably delicious. Fresh juices are tasty on their own, or as ingredients in zingy cocktails. The large dining room (with long bench tables or booths) is a welcome escape, as are the outdoor terrace and roomy bar serving excellent weekday happy hour deals on sake, wine, and small bites. 

Zauo

$$$$ | Chelsea
This Japanese chain's first U.S. location takes the concept of fishing-pole-to-fork quite seriously: you actually sit at tables on a boat-shaped platform (amid exposed brick walls) and fish for your meal in a plus-size tank right in the dining room. After your fish is caught—there's trout, salmon, fluke, flounder, and others—specify how you want it cooked (tempura, grilled, as sushi), and a short time later, that once-swimming fish is on a plate in front of you, ready to be devoured.
152 W. 24th St., New York, NY, 10011, USA
646-905–2274
Known For
  • In-restaurant fishing
  • Ultrafresh fish
  • Large sake selection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch