Best sushi in the West Village

Nami Nori specializes in temaki sushi (hand rolls) so don’t expect to find omakase or nigiri on offer. Modern and minimalist, the restaurant is the perfect locale for a first date you wish could last a lifetime, especially if you score a seat at the sushi counter.

The menu has a handful of tantalizing appetizers (don’t sleep on the miso soup and shishito peppers), but the hand rolls is where this popular West Village sushi restaurant sings. The spicy crab dynamite is a non-negotiable order in my book, but if you’re having a hard time choosing, opt for the signature set instead and let the chef do the hard work for you.

If you’re the type that celebrates momentous occasions with splurge-worthy omakase, this one’s for you. Omakase Room by Mitsu is helmed by Mitsunori Isoda, the lauded veteran chef responsible for Jewel Bako’s Michelin star.

Warm and inviting, the intimate subterranean restaurant seats eight people. Intentional so, the chef is keen to enjoy every guest at his table. Those with decision fatigue will find respite for the evening because there’s only one dinning option offer. Mitsu’s Omakase ($220, includes one appetizer, 11 pieces of nigiri, one sweet egg omlette and miso soup).

To the untrained eye the price might seem unreasonable, but locals know better. The fish is flown in directly from Japan daily, with an emphasis on hyper-seasonal, difficult to find species. Dining at Omakase Room by Mitsu is a unique West Village sushi experience, I can’t recommend it enough.

Tokyo-trained sushi chef Keizo Seki graced America with his magnum opus when he opened Sushi Zo in Los Angeles in 2006. Within three years, the restaurant bagged a Michelin star and Seki set his eyes on New York, opening a sushi restaurant in the West Village by the same name in 2015.

On par with Seki’s reputation, excellence is top of mind, no detail overlooked. Taking a no-nonsense approach to omakase, the chef’s omakase ($200) is the only option for the night.

Dishes are presented one at a time, at the perfect moment when the temperature, texture and flavor are in ittai-kan (perfect harmony). Finding that harmony is Seki’s unrelenting life pursuit and we are all better for it. This a great place to oblige your mild sushi obsession.

Chef Daisuke Nakazawa, protégé of Jiro Ono (of Jiro Dream of Sushi renown) helms the 10-seat counter at Sushi Nakazawa, a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in the West Village.

Remarkably tender fish served atop expertly-seasoned rice, the melt-in-your-mouth nigiri isn’t easy to forget. The omakase menu consists of twenty pieces of nigiri priced at $190 for the counter ($160 for the dinning room). Sit at the counter to see Nakazawa work his magic.

The palatable prices are surprising, especially considering the uncompromising quality of fish and the chef’s acclaim. The entire experience is magnificent from start to finish, which is why Sushi Nakazawa is a personal favorite of mine.

Sushi 456 is an unassuming no-frills restaurant quietly tucked into a stretch of Hudson Street. Venture inside and you’ll discover one of the most affordable sushi restaurants in the West Village, where omakase can be enjoyed for less than $100.

Sitting at a table gives you the option to order à la carte (the king crab hand roll deserves a shout-out) while opting for the counter sets you up for the omakase route. The prices can’t be beat, 10 pieces for $70 or 15 pieces for $100, don’t sleep on the lunch specials ($35 for 6 pieces of nigiri and one roll). This local gem is on constant rotation in our household.

Dating back to 1991, Marumi is one of the oldest sushi restaurants in the West Village. It was opened by two Japanese expats, Takashi Sando and Mamoru Tsunoda, who met while working at another sushi restaurnt.

Eager to introduce Japanese food to the neighborhood, the duo has been serving authentic Japanese fare and sushi in the West Village for the past three decades. Warm and inviting, the restaurant dishes up high-quality cuts at reasonable prices and the ambience couldn’t be cozier, it’s the perfect place for a laid back sushi date.

A Park Slope transplant, Sushi Katsuei graced the West Village in 2017. Offering a full dinner service and sushi bar experience, the restaurant serves more than 30 varieties of fish, most sourced directly from Japan. You can choose between omakase, chef’s choice sushi and sashimi course ($90) and chef’s choice sushi ($65). The à la carte menu is reserved for incredible appetizers that enhance the overall experience.

Known for great sushi and quick service, Sushi on Jones limits the omakase experience to 45 minutes (on par with their motto “less talk, more eat”). Priced at $68 for 12 pieces or $120 for 20, this some of the most affordable omakase in the West Village. If you’d prefer to linger, opt for the à la carte menu and don’t sleep on the sake and Japanese whisky offered.

Confession time, Umami isn’t necessarily worth a detour, but this little sushi restaurant gets the job done when you’re in the mood for quick and affordable sushi. Case in point. Five course omakase for $30. Better still, the lunch special (weekdays 12-4pm) gets you two hand rolls, soup and salad for $13. It scratches the itch when you need a quick bite.