Rocco Smith
If you’re visiting the Big Apple, you may have only considered activities and places to visit in Manhattan, but New York City has four other boroughs with an abundance of personality, landmarks, and history of their own.
A case in point is Queens. Queens has many multicultural neighborhoods, but one of the most popular for locals and visitors is Astoria. Astoria’s rich history, multicultural makeup, and laid-back vibe make it both a great place to live and to visit.
Film buffs will love the Museum of the Moving Image. Young professionals will find hopping nightlife locales in the Ditmar Steinway district. Families can picnic and swim in the gigantic pool at the beautiful Astoria Park, with incredible views of Manhattan and the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.
Astoria also has an incredible restaurant scene with every cuisine deliciously represented. I recently traveled to Astoria with a hankering for sushi and found a wealth of excellent options.
If you’re wondering where to get the best Astoria sushi, I have compiled a list of restaurants that encompass all types of dining experiences and affordability. Read on to discover where to get the best sushi in Astoria.
Watawa Sushi
33-10 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105
Phone: 718-545-9596
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Located in the trendy Ditmar Steinway neighborhood, Watawa Sushi is a contemporary sushi and Japanese restaurant in an intimate industrial-chic restaurant with elegant Asian sculptures and centerpieces. Watawa is an excellent option for a multicourse dinner, but they also have great lunch specials daily with discounted prices on two or three-roll selections that come with a soup or green salad.
Their beautiful bento-style lunch boxes are a delicious and affordable option if you want to grab lunch to go. Choices include crispy shrimp, teriyaki chicken, and mixed tempura, all served with gyoza, a California roll, and your choice of fried rice or white rice.
Bai Sushi
37-03 Broadway, Queens, NY 11103
Phone: 718-956-7445
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Bai Sushi is a casual and affordable 20-seat restaurant, offering innovative sushi and Japanese cooked dishes with a “new-wave” concept. Like sushi bars in Japan, Bai Sushi has a long sushi bar where patrons watch sushi chefs prepare their meals in real-time. Bai Sushi lies in the southern region of Astoria, a short drive north of Long Island City.
If you can’t reserve a seat in the small dining room, Bai Sushi has a fast and budget-friendly take-out and delivery service. I loved their traditional Okonomiyaki, a fried Japanese pancake with squid, sprout bean, cabbage, onion, and pork, topped with fish flakes that appear to be dancing in the wind.
Aji Sushi House
36-06 Ditmars Blvd, Queens, NY 11105
Phone: 718-777-8889
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Aji Sushi House is a casual, budget-friendly, fast-dining pan Asian restaurant and sushi bar within walking distance of the beautiful Astoria Park. They use the freshest ingredients to make all their delectable dishes, paying careful attention to presentation and taste.
Aji Sushi House’s menu is enormous, featuring not only dozens of sushi options, but also numerous sushi dishes like Udon, Soba, Pad Thai, and Chow Mein, as well as traditional Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Japanese entrees like Teriyaki, General Tso’s Chicken, and fried rice. I’m a fan of their spicy yellowtail and jalapeno roll and the tempura shrimp and mango roll.
Sushi Yasaka
251 W 72nd St, New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212-496-8460
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Located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Sushi Yasaka is a casual sushi bar and Japanese eatery with a fast-paced yet friendly vibe. They also have a sake and imported Japanese beer menu along with family-style combos of sushi, sashimi, and nigiri that streamline the ordering experience for large parties, so they can enjoy a sampling of the best rolls without the hassle of choosing from an a la carte menu.
Of course, there is an a la carte menu for customers who know what they want. Their specialty rolls have stellar options for fish lovers and vegans alike. I loved the fried oyster roll with fried Japanese oysters, avocado, cucumber, and lettuce. They also use Japanese pickles in their mixed vegetable roll, giving it a unique and delicious salty kick.
Kondo
29-13 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106
Phone: 347-617-1236
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Located halfway between the Noguchi Museum and the Museum of the Moving Image on the famous Broadway boulevard, Kondo is a fine dining Japanese sushi bar curated and run by Chef Kaori Kondo. Its small, intimate dining space, along with top-quality sushi dishes with stunning presentations, make Kondo an excellent option for date night.
They have an excellent choice of fried appetizers like scallop and burdock tempura, fried oysters, and my personal favorite, fried chicken with soy mustard sauce. Their sushi and sashimi selection is small, consisting of curated combos that include a mix of sashimi and rolls. There’s also a daily special that your friendly server will inform you about.
Pink Nori
36-06 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
Phone: 718-685-2365
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Located a few blocks from Astoria’s Athens Square, Pink Nori is hip and trendy Japanese fusion restaurant specializing in creative sushi rolls and Asian takes on classic favorites like pizza. An excellent choice for dining in or takeout, Pink Nori has fast service and friendly yet unobtrusive staff to compliment their unique and delicious creations.
Their presentation is literally a work of art on your plate, with rolls and sauces arranged in the form of dragons or pickled vegetables shaped into beautiful bouquets. They also serve excellent tropical Asian cocktails like a lychee martini. Their chicken katsu was terrific, and the yellowtail and jalapeno roll appetizer with special Pink sauce was both beautiful and tasty.
JJ’s Fusion
37-05 31st Ave, Queens, NY 11103
Phone: 718-626-8888
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JJ’s Fusion is a local favorite in the heart of Astoria, a few blocks from the Broadway metro stop, offering modern twists on Japanese hot dishes, sushi, and Chinese food. They use only the highest quality and freshest ingredients to make their sushi, often incorporating sweet ingredients like banana and strawberry sauce.
Their vast and varied menu features noodle dishes, hot and cold entrees, bento lunch boxes, fried rice, and so much more. I recommend ordering from the Chef’s special menu as it features the most creative selection of rolls and sashimi. I loved the Volcano roll with shrimp tempura and mango inside a crunchy outer layer and topped with spicy salmon.
Nobu Fifty Seven
40 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-757-3000
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If you are a sushi lover, I’m sure you’ve heard of Nobu, one of the most internationally acclaimed fine dining sushi restaurants on earth. Nobu has locations on nearly every continent, with two locations in New York alone. Nobu Fifty Seven is just south of the Central Park Zoo inside a spectacular dining space replete with a marble bar decorated with a mobile of old sake barrels and stunning shell and coral art hanging from textured ceilings.
Whether you’re looking for a power lunch or a world-class multicourse dinner, Nobu Fifty Seven’s immaculate menu created and curated by celebrity chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is as close to perfect as food can get. It’s hard to recommend just one roll or piece of sashimi, so I’ll pick one favorite of each. For sashimi, I recommend the Japanese red snapper, and my favorite sushi roll was the spicy scallop and smelt eggs.
Sushi Yasuda
204 E 43rd St, New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-972-1001
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Located one block from the United Nations and Grand Central Station, Sushi Yasuda is a traditional sushi bistro dedicated to preserving the authenticity and artistry of the sushi-making tradition. Under the leadership of venerated Sushi Chef Naomichi Yasuda, his team of skilled disciples create the ultimate Omakase experience. To say that Sushi Yasuda is a unique experience is an understatement.
Since its opening in 1999, Sushi Yasuda has consistently been praised in the New York Times and other notable press like Zagat and The Wall Street Journal. The dining menu features a la carte appetizers followed by a choice of various chefs tasting Omakase depending on your party size and budget.
HAMA
11 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-757-7103
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HAMA is a refined yet no-frills sake and sushi bar and Japanese kitchen located right in front of the famous Rockefeller Center. Its casual and sleek interior has an entire wall lined with old wine and sushi bottles illuminated with backlighting for a colorful décor centerpiece.
Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you navigate the extensive wine and sake menu to achieve the best pairing for your meal. They have a sushi bar menu, a hot entrée and appetizer menu, and a signature sushi roll menu. I recommend their Hamachi Kama with grilled yellowtail collar served with yuzu ponzu sauce.
Hatsuhana
17 E 48th St, New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-355-3345
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Located in Midtown, a block from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Hatsuhana is one of New York’s oldest sushi restaurants, opening its doors in 1976. Unlike the new wave sushi restaurants and fusion Japanese concepts, Hatsuhana has had its sole focus on traditional sushi without all the bells and whistles. With over 40 years in business, you can bet they’ve perfected the art of sushi.
You can choose between a pre-fixe Omakase or an a la carte sushi, sashimi, and nigiri menu. They also have a wide variety of combination meals with tantalizing descriptions. Reading the menu is half the fun and will leave you wanting to return to try every unique combo.
Sakura
35-15 Ditmars Blvd, Queens, NY 11105
Phone: 718-777-2188
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Located in the Ditmar Steinway neighborhood of Astoria, Sakura is a casual and affordable sushi and contemporary Japanese eatery. They are a neighborhood favorite, known for their quick service, especially for take out and delivery. Their extensive menu comes with all your favorite Japanese specialties served with soup and rice included.
Their hot dishes are as plentiful as their sashimi, nigiri, and sushi offerings. If you want to stray from the traditional, try their Philadelphia Roll with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado. My favorite special roll was the spicy mango lobster roll with lobster salad, mango, and breaded avocado wrapped in soy paper and topped with special sauce.
Sake Kawa
32-05 36th Ave, Queens, NY 11106
Phone: 718-777-0117
Sake Kawa is a cute little sushi and ramen bar located a couple of blocks east of the Museum of the Moving Image in the heart of Astoria proper. They’re open for dine-in or take-out with an efficient lunch program and an elegant yet accessible dinner with options for traditional Omakase at an affordable price.
I wanted to sample a variety of hot and cold items at Sake Kawa, so I opted for one of their dinner bento boxes. That said, if you go with a crowd, you must try their delicious pork gyoza, traditional steamed dumplings as an appetizer. If you want a true taste of funky fusion, try their spicy tuna pizza.
Koyo
37-12 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
Phone: 929-328-2890
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Meaning “autumnal foliage,” Koyo is a unique fine-dining seasonal omakase sushi house located a block from the hopping Broadway nightlife scene. As their main emphasis is on seasonal specialties, the menus change at Koyo according to the seasonal availability of fresh ingredients. The Koyo team of chefs deem their dinners a Kaiseki omakase in which specialty dishes are arranged deliberately for a highly aesthetic visual and culinary experience.
The Kaiseki Omakase is a pre-fixe menu with a set price per head, with seven courses that place perfectly cut pieces of fish atop elaborately decorated vegetable and rice foundations. Also, if you’ve never tried Japanese milk bread, Koyo has some of the best in town that they toast with soy sauce and top with uni, toro, and caviar.
Mochiron Izakaya
34-18 30th Ave, Queens, NY 11103
Phone: 347-808-9089
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Located in Long Island City, Mochiron Izakaya is Astoria’s first Japanese gastropub. With over ten years of working in some of the best Japanese Izakaya and noodle houses in NYC, owner and chef Haru opened Mochiron Izakaya to wide acclaim. The fun, quirky wooden bar space is decorated with old-school Japanese cartoon drawings, movie posters, and wood slabs with carved Japanese characters.
“Izakaya” is a term that refers to a Japanese tapas bar, and Mochiron Izakaya fits its name perfectly, with an extensive sake, cocktail, and imported Japanese beer menu along with expertly crafted small plates and hearty ramen bowls. Their ramen was spectacular. I got the spicy miso-based ramen with marinated torched pork, an assortment of vegetables, and a boiled egg.
Suzuki Shokudo
38-01 31st St, Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: 718-472-3778
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Suzuki Shokudo is a neighborhood favorite Japanese restaurant located in the Dutch Kills area of Long Island City. Its cutesy, quirky interior and delicious and affordable meal combinations have garnered accolades from locals and visitors. Suzuki Shokudo won awards from Yelp and Tripadvisor as the traveler’s choice for excellent sushi and Japanese food.
Their menus offer dinner and lunch boxes with tempura, teriyaki, ramen, and sushi sets, including a California roll, salad, fresh fruit, and miso soup. For a more traditional, multi-course sushi and omakase, there are omakase and a la carte sushi and sashimi menus. I loved their Astoria Roll with mango, avocado, jalapeno, white fish, tobiko, and cucumber wrapped in soy paper.
Moriyan Ramen & Curry
25-30 Broadway, Queens, NY 11106
Phone: 929-410-0025
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Moriyan Ramen & Curry is a trendy and modern ramen and curry house specializing in Kagoshima ramen from the south of Japan. Kagoshima ramen has a special broth known as tonkotsu that uses pork and chicken bones, vegetables, anchovies, kelp, and dried mushrooms. You’ll be blown away by the flavor of this broth!
The menu is simple, with a section for ramen and a section for curry. I recommend going for date night and splitting one of each. I had the special black garlic tonkotsu ramen with black garlic, pork, chicken, and fish broth topped with pork, mushroom, cabbage, bean sprouts, garlic flakes, and scallions. My curry recommendation is fried oyster curry over rice. The best part is that all dishes are under $15.
Whether you’re looking for dining in or take out, fine dining or a casual Izakaya, sushi or ramen, Astoria has every possible combination of dining experience and culinary specialty. You’ll love every restaurant on my list of the best sushi in Astoria and will surely come back for seconds.
If you’re looking for other great places besides sushi restaurants in Astoria, check out my more eclectic compilation of pizzerias instead!
Did we leave out your favorite sushi spot? Let us know down below in the comments!
