Sushi Seki Reviews

We came in without a reservation at 6pm on a weekday. Little did we know how popular the place is. The host was very sorry that he cannot accomodate our wish to sit at the sushi bar but found us a lovely table in the window alcove. Our waiter was polite and very knowledgeable. He was happy to offer exotiv fish and unuaual combinations. He also tried to discourage us from ordering too much. This was our last meal in New York, so we tried A LOT. Everything was wonderful, fresh, tasky, exact, classical. Raw white shrimp from Japan was new for me and I loved it. They had a selection of beers from Japan (in addition to the popula Saporo, Kirin, Asai), which were interesting and excellent. We had more sushi for desert. The place was full by 6:30 and you could see that a lot of people come there often and know everybody by name. Expensive and worth every dollar. Can't wait to come back for the Kaiseki.

Fresh, with great taste especially spicy scallop. Its great that it stays until really late. Unfortunately it doesn't have any specialty fancy roles, but if you like the basics you should visit this.

Go ahead and tell me if I'm wrong. I'm not. Seki is a genius. (Gari is tie). This place is a home run. Sit at sushi bar and just let them feed you. Every piece is a slice of heaven. And do not insult the chef by using soy sauce. That's the only rule. Sit back and enjoy. Order a Triple Decker, not part of the omakase but worth the 18$ bucks per piece. You won't be sorry!

5 of us - 2 from Hawaii: 2 Californians and a nomad reunion. We ordered several sashimi and meals of black cod with miso and salmon teriyaki. We are (or believe we are) Japanese restaurants aficionados and this restaurant is right at the top. Great place that stays open very late.

I have to hide this review because my daughter loves this place. I find it boring for $200 a person. Yes the fish is fresh and the rice excellent but so are 50 other places at 1/2 the price. Each item is hand served by the chief with a quick grunt. I have tried to love this place but just cannot.

Still my favorite Sushi place in the city. Though Chef Seki is no longer at the upper east location, they are still doing phenomenal without him. It Is pricey, but much more reasonable than Sushi of Gari and the rest of the top tier sushi places. Also, it is much more low key. Still very nice inside with a very classy/high end crowd, but again, more relaxed of an environment.

And that's no joke. If you have been to the location on the UES then you agree with me. If you haven't then you need to drop what you are doing right now....seriously. Drop it and go to Seki now! You can order off the menu if you like but your doing yourself a disservice. You only have two choices here. 1- The Omakase. This will blow your mind. What Seki has come up with and done with fish is amazing. It's nothing you would get anyplace else. 2- the chefs special platter. It's basically a version of what you would get on the Omakase but with a few basics attached. It's for the less adventurous but still amazing. You can not leave here without having a spicy scallop hand roll. If you do, I will find you and heckle you for ever. I have had sushi all over this country and this is by far my go to spot if I had to pick one. Follow me on instagram for fun food pics, quick wit and more. @gma0917

too bad it's closed on sundays...closely comparable to sushi of gari

Hands down the best sushi I ever had in New York City. Don't let the small size or the unassuming decor of this place fool you: prepare for a culinary experience you will not forget soon. I am going back and going back often.

Returning to our old neighborhood after a twelve year absence and learning about the closure of our favorite sushi spot my wife and I were delighted to find this excellent sushi place near our old stomping grounds. The sushi (which I had) and the sashimi were just excellent (except perhaps the mackerel). The service was first rate and even though the place was lacked on a Tuesday night we were not rushed at all. We shall return!

Very good sushi place. If you looking for food late night in New York city this is the place for you, open until 3 AM. Try the chef's omakase

There are many many sushi restaurants in the city that has the same quality of sushi for half the price. Charging $18 for a bite size hand roll is ludicrous.

Now i have to say i am not a real Sushi fan and was invited by friends. So what can i say REALLLLYYYYY EXPENSIVE, my wife who is a fan said a little ordinary and all I can say is that i am glad i wasnt paying as i was really disappointed, but as i said this is from someone that is not a fan. I would say go to Sushi Samba a lot better spot.

Food was amazing and the service was wonderful. Highly recommend stopping here for dinner. Our waiter provided a suggestion for the appetizer and he was spot on correct!

If you’re looking for good sushi near Times Square before catching a show, this is the perfect spot. Simple decor, efficient service, and fresh delicious fare.

Sushi is top notch but very expensive when sitting at the sushi bar which is really the only place you will wish to sit in this small, crowded non descript restaurant. There are better sushi choices available at dinner time, but they do stay open very late.

just worth it if you order omakase, otherwise you're gonna think its overrated

Summary: Very good food. Very original Japanese food. Very expensive. Insane habit of giving valued customers the heave ho if they feel they've been there too long. Review: I really like this place. But I am so reluctant to give it a four star review, even though a three star review just doesn't sound fair. So four it is. The food, if served in Tokyo, would be considered excellent. Yes, there are many Americanizations at Sushi Seki. The presentation is classic Japanese. The interior looks like it could be in Tokyo. The wait staff doesn't look like they would know what they are talking about, but trust me, they do. They are very good at what they do. We were a table of four. Our host spent A LOT of money at our table (we were guests). And we kept the food and drinks coming. But they really and truly moved us to what can barely be described as a table (it was microscopic and looked set unto get people the idea they need to leave, soon) because they said there was another customer that they needed to seat at the table we were at. I find this very un-Japanese (I have spent a lot of time in Japan), discourteous and offensive. Still, I can't get over that the food is so good... You can tell I am ambivalent. For this one thing.

If you want excellent sushi this is it!! The location is very good the only bad thing is that the portions are very small,but everything else was worth it

I feel very similar to other reviews here, Sushi Seki has great service and even better food, but the environment and decor and setup is "bland" like the other reviewer wrote. Its also expensive, $17 for a glass of the house red wine is not cheap by any means. I do recommend this restaurant because the food is so great, and I also HIGHLY recommend trying the "omakase" menu, where the chef delivers individual pieces of sushi....does not come cheap.

2nd time and still great. Well made and fresh. Traditional Japanese style sushi bar. Service perfect and not pushy. Our server/manager even handled a rude customer in a very professional manner. Great green tea and sake list.

Great sashimi and sushi from friendly chefs. Very surprisingly good. Almost as good as in Japan. Great variety and all freshly made.

We were headed to Broadway, this place was close and open at that hour. It was expensive but it is New York and sushi.

We love to go to this Sushi Restaurant after the Met's performances, it stays open until very late, like 2:00 or even 3:00am. The sushi is New York-Sushi-Stile, so not puristic and straight-japanese, BUT the fish is extremely fresh, the quality is high end everything tastes outstanding. Try to make a reservation, because the place is crowded, and try to sit at the counter, the sushi masters are very good and nice and funny sometimes. The patrons are a bit hectic at times, but basically ok. Don't come even 10 minutes too late, you risk a cancellation of your reservation, they tend not to hold it. Price is ok for the quality, but not cheap. Otherwise you get one of the best sushi in town, with a basic-nice-japanese ambiance. Good choice of sake.

The restaurant itself is unremarkable but for what it lacks in decor it makes up for in the quality of the sushi. Great salad with ginger dressing. Some unusual sushi pieces. Worth experimenting.

Their unique sushi was delicious. Their Sake selection was good, too.

I was there with my two teenager kids - we all loved the place. There you find a good and quick service, with many options for a late dinner ( it closes way later than regular sushi places in town ). We didn't have the Omakase ( I heard it is good ) but we asked the Seki Special for three - great choice ( see picture ). It really reminded us about Sushi of Gari ( what is better, in my opinion )with really fresh and tasty options for non traditional sushis. The rice, however, what not that great ( and rice is very important, as all sushi lovers know ). Anyway, the value was very good for that overall quality. At the end, we find this as a very good choice in New York.

Amazing sake!

Omakase, oh my god, thank you.

The sushi is definitely good.. Not amazing. However, you are paying for what should be amazing sushi.. So I would not recommend going over one of the other top sushi places in nyc

Make a reservation here and you cannot go wrong at this East side Japanese Sushi restaurant. Very clever and very fresh. We went here for my wife´s birthday and she was most impressed. A great Sushi experience.

If you're looking for good Japanese food this is the place !! You have to ask the chef's suggestions everything was absolutely delicious. The service was great !!

Good for late night

I have been going to Sushi Seki for many years and I have experienced it's slow decline to mediocrity. My last visit was the final straw that will make me never go back. I made a 7pm reservation to go there for my daughter's 13th birthday since she loves sushi. We arrived at 7:14 for our 7pm reservation and they gave away our table. After 45min of waiting with no apologies or accommodation, we were left standing at the reservation desk with a nasty Japanese women barking orders over her 3 handheld phones. The place has started to do takeout and seems overwhelmed. I saw folks getting kicked out of their tables for sitting too long after dinner. When we finally were seated and foodmcame it was Terrible! I have has better Tuna from the refrigerator case at the supermarket. The place also smelled of rotting fish. I cannot tell you how badly this place has changed for the worse. I used to come regularly for 10 years and the plac is now beyond repair. Stay away!

This restaurant is not intimidating. You can be delighted with the usual, hot dishes, or a tasting menu. We ordered a variety of rolls and delicious dumplings. Everything that came out of the kitchen was nicely presented. The service was attentive and we were able to order in stages. The server did not encourage us to over-order.

I've tried out quite a few Japanese restaurants during my tirp in the U.S. this time (40 days already) and I was very happy to find Sushi Seki tonight. The server was very patient and listened to my preference carefully and then gave good advise on what to order. When the dishes were served I was more than happy to find that the food was authentic and they even went to the length to take out two sushis with sauces on the top( I had made it clear that I'd like sushis as they'd have in Japan) and replaced with another two. The dinner was a bit pricy but I think the quality of food and service made it all worthwhile.

A great UES Sushi spot. Delicious sushi / sashimi . Try the tasting at the sushi bar you won't be disappointed . Friendly service. Sushi melts in your mouth. Many flavors prepared by an expert sushi staff. On the small size and crowded. Worth the wait.

Went here for dinner with my friends on a Saturday evening. Really nice place, great service (they managed to arrange us a table for six on a very crowded evening) and a great sense of humour in our waiter. Equally important, the food was great. We tried the pan fried pork dumplings, the miso soup, sushi and rolls of various kinds and they all were delicious. The true star of the dinner were the beef rolls in teryiaki sauce, absolutely divine in taste. Highly recommended.

Sushi Seki is one of the most reputable restaurants specializing in sushi and sashimi. There are three addresses (besides UES, there are restaurants in Chelsea and Times Square), the pioneer situated near the Queensboro Bridge, in the UES. The sushi is of very good quality, quite inventive. Do not expect the traditional Japanese sushi; the chefs prepare sushi with innovative combinations, using Mexican spices, for example. Rice, which is an essential component in assessing the quality of sushi, is excellent (temperature and seasoning). It's not a cheap restaurant, especially if the option is for Omakase, but worth the price charged. There is a good wine list and sakes.

I am not complaining about food, it was good, but 382 dollars for 2 people and being still hungry at the end is absolutely insane. I went there with my sister because she has already gone there a few times so she knew that sushi was good. We both took the "omakase" menu which means that you eat what the chef decides. We ate a plate with 3 pieces of sashimi then other 10/12 nigiri each. One small desert to share, we drank 1 bottle of beer asahi and a cocktail for my sister. I'd like to remark that on the menu the "omakase" is written as "market price"...translation: when you ask for the check you will get a slap on your face. We stopped by the following day asking for explanation: somebody called back my sister without saying anything that could explain such a huge amount so we are still waiting for a serious explanation but I am sure it won't come...they just don't care. My suggestion: DON'T GET INTO THAT PLACE!!!!

The food in this restaurant is worth one star in the Michelin guide , but it is very expensive !!!!We took de chef choice with a bottle of Sancerre and paid up to 350 euro with is quiet expensive ! But i have to say that the quality of the food , the level of the ingredients and the love with whom they are prepared is superb ! I would recommend this place to my best friend , advising to take bubble creditcard ! The service is good but not at the same level as the food , eating on a white paper napkin ! serving french wine not correct and the level of the dessert is disaspontend ! But once again the sushi on itself is the best i ever tasted !

I can still remember the taste of the Shrimp Tempura Roll on my mouth, absolutely amazing sushi in this place!!!!! It's a small place, so reservations are a must. The plates are tiny, so it's better not to share, but it is definitely worth the visit. Superb food!!!

It’s a bit overpriced but otherwise very good. Presentation is awesome. Fish selection is good. Prices are a bit silly as setting and locations are nothing special. We always eat at the sushi bar and have chef selections. Worth a visit if you are not going too far out of the way.

I have been meaning to write a review but i never found the time. Sushi Seki is a gem. My best advice for anyone coming here is to let the chef feed you. You will not be disappointed. The food here is superb. You order sushi here by the piece, not rolls. That's the way to go. One piece at a time. My favorite is the Uni, Toro, oyster and jalapeño piece over rice. To die for !

Met up with some friends in NYC for the Big Apple BBQ Block party. In the evening we searched for this place because of the great reviews I've heard about it. We were close to the Chelsea locatio. Most of us went with the omakase. We had a fantastic assortment of fatty tuna, scallops, seas urchin, and much more. I lost track of how many pieces we had, but I do remember finishing off the night with an amazing scallop hand roll. This will be a must visit on all my future trips to the city.

Went to this place for sushi with friends,the service is so so,food is average but too expensive for having sushi here,not worth it.there are other better sushi place than here.

Had a wonderful anniversary dinner at Sushi Seki on Friday. It was just has good as I remembered. The sushi is so delicious, the presentation so beautiful. The service is immaculate, professional and very personal and warm.

One of the best Japanese restaurant in NYC honestly the food in there it's amazing, really tasty , fresh product which make lot of difference, the place it's really beauty and the service it's really good , I have any complains . She I was walking through I was getting exited looking dr deco. I totally recommend the place.

I don't mind spending money on phenomenal. The problem is my local Wegmans grocery store sushi is better that I can get for $20-$30 and I spend $312 here for just OK sushi. If it's the best sushi in the city like some reviews say people have never had great sushi. We had the Okayama where they pick their favorites. Very bland, no risk with flavors. My 3 star is generous as they were nice people.

Friday night my fiancée and I sat across from the sushi bar encompassing over $300 for a minimal amount of despairingly underwhelming deli quality food with two highly overpriced, short poured glasses of saki. Mid-meal four chefs determined to leave early, quickly commenced wrapping all raw food while sanitizing the glass cases with a caustic eye burning, vapor toxic cleaning agent permeating the entire restaurant. Nauseating by any possible rudimentary standards. Our rapid departure begrudgingly paying the exhorbetent tab was sequenced by their staff demanding a gratuity. Really ?? No apologies, no compensation. STAY FAR FAR FAR FAR AWAY FROM THIS EMBARRASSING UNPROFESSIONAL ESTABLISHMENT.

The food was delicious and fresh, worth the money, not disappointing, sushi seki only about Japanese cuisine, affordable relative to quality.

I went here a few months ago with my friend living in NYC, who said they had just opened..(?). Decent sushi using fresh fish from Tsukiji. Not authentic but more like fusion. If you like Sushi of Gari, you'd like this place. Some pieces were a bit stretched out (weird garnish on top of sushi). We had omakase sashimi & sushi (9pcs), a couple of more pieces of sushi. Sake selection is rather limited, so I had a Sauvignon Blanc and Chabli, both French. They were OK. I wouldn't mind going back here but only if other options are unavailable. I like very traditional sushi.

My favorite place to go to for sushi.

I grabbed a quick dinner here this evening. The food and service were excellent. The food was less pricey than I expected based on prior reviews but still a bit higher than your average good Japanese restaurant.

We had dinner last night on 1st July, we didn't book Omakase but sitting at the counter must do the Omakase dinner. The booking was not clear which was made by the hotel concierge. Anyway, we were asked the 2 prices for Omakase, $100 or $150 but when the server came asked for the order was asking what appetizer we would like and the ending with Sushi if we would like to have and did not make it clear it was not included in the Omakase price. The type of sushi was all marinated so we couldn't tell really was it the first grade of fish or not. 10 pcs cost $100 in additional the salad and soft cell crab sushi. The food bill was so expensive $234 before tax. The Agedashi Tofu didn't have the right batter and tofu was hard. The seaweed salad was dry and not cold, it was an disappointing dinner we ever had in New York City

I have traveled to NYC many times and have eaten in most of the"fancy" sushi restaurants. A friend suggested this restaurant on the far east side. It was excellent! The restaurant has a small front but expands into the rear. The menu is extensive and my 6 varieties of sashimi were excellent - both in flavor and presentation. My only regret was that the abalone ran out as I was ordering. This is an excellent choice for sushi comparable to those "fancy" places.

The sushi was perfect. Beautiful presentation and creative dishes. This is a crazy busy place and we did feel rushed. Two of us in and out in 35 minutes. Well worth the price tag but I like to rest a bit between servings.

My friend just introduced me to this place, which I have walked by and never noticed. Great menu, casual atmosphere, cool vibe. Definitely a great place for a weeknight dinner out.

Really impressive chow... professional service... excellent, super fresh sushi. Unbelievable toro... clean, amazing. Cooked items also excellent. All around fabulous place that's open late. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

this is amazing sushi i think its the best in the city

We went for the first time and opted for the sushi tasting menu. What a treat! None of the usual tuna, salmon, bla bla bla sushi. Every single piece an original, perfectly explained by the chef, beautifully executed and simply a feast. We will be back for more!

Sushi Seki is very underrated in my opinion, it's got a very relaxed and casual atmosphere, but the sushi and especially omakase is the best around, and not as expensive as others.

mainly it gets 4 stars for staying open until 3am on weekends :-) great, fresh sushi, nice small-sized cuts. not as amazing as gari though.

We went here Friday night around 1030- everything else was closed. It was ok at best. The server never came back and the manager cashed us out. If she had- I would have ordered more food. They said the kitchen was closed so sushi only which was fine except people that came in after us ordered hot apps out of the kitchen. Very odd. Would not go back

I ordered delivery delivery service and had a very pleasant dinner. Try the snow pea salad, the fatty toro tuna, and some of the creative sushi rolls. good attentive service, and assistance picking dishes. I found the portions very small and pricy.

We researched a lot of sushi places before deciding on Sushi Seki. Didn't want to go to one of the super high end ones with three kids and Sushi Seki sounded like a good option. We eat a lot of sushi, probably once a week and so we know what we like and what to expect. We did not get the omakase meal, too much unknown for us though it's supposed to be amazing. The sushi bar seating is only for those who will order omakase. We had between us a couple of rolls, some sashimi, some sushi and an order of teriyaki chicken. The fish was all fresh and tasty, the beers were cold. Other than that it was just kinda meh. The rolls were nothing special and they did not have soy paper as an option. Our bill was over $300 when we were done which is twice what the meal would have cost at home and I'm thinking we could have gone somewhere more high end for not too much more. The atmosphere here is basic and quite cramped, the food presentation is plain and uninteresting. All in all, adequate but far from amazing or even above average.

decent and reliable sushi joint, bit pricey. One the draw is that it is open late - it does get its share of UES douche clients, especially late at night when they tend to be drunk.

This review is long overdue! My husband and I have been there a few times and have to say that the sushis been great each time, although I have not been there in a year and half. Its a casual atmosphere Upper east side restaurant that serves great sushi well...

After initially being scared off by the price of the omakase, we decided to go for it and it was truly the best sushi and sashimi we ever had! Fresh, tasty, roll your eyes in the back of your head delicious!

We've been to Sushi Seki on 23rd four times now, and have enjoyed it more each visit. The food has always been good and the service grows more confident and assured each time. I typically order an omakase or a chef's special dinner, and the components have varied significantly. This indicates the chef is actually picking the best selection available that day, as opposed to other restaurants that see little change week to week. The variety of hand rolls is very good, with spicy variations that are more than yesterday's fish with a bit of spice. Excellent sake selection, as well as some interesting cocktails, both sake-based and otherwise. The setting is very clean and modern, with a pair of semi-private tables for parties of up to eight. We've had birthday parties for both our daughters here, and management was very accommodating for each. Overall, a very good addition to our local restaurant scene, and worth a trek from other neighborhoods.

My experience at Sushi Seki was so good that it has compelled me to write this online review – something I have never done before. On a Saturday night in late December, my friends and I left this fine restaurant convinced that it was the best sushi meal we had ever eaten. For this reason alone, I am writing to show why you will not find another sushi restaurant that compares in both quality and service to Sushi Seki, making it a must-go for all sushi lovers. My friends and I showed up five minutes late for out reservation, but were seated effortlessly despite the long line of anxiously waiting customers. We ordered the omakase – or chef’s taster’s menu – and the food was brought out in waves of delicious and unique individual sushi pieces. The waitress described each individual piece by its name and content, something that was quite new to me. I have never had such tasteful sushi pieces in my life. Sushi Seki’s flawless service and incomparable omakase make it the best New York City sushi restaurant that I have ever tried. This experience has led me to make multiple visits since, and after my third visit in three months, I am yet to be disappointed. If you consider yourself a true sushi lover, you will not go anywhere but Sushi Seki for your next meal!

Have not been here in while, came back with my brother and his fiancee. Despite having a last minute reservation, we were sat at a table for two in front of kitchen entrance. People zooming in and out. I asked to be moved outside where they had 4 two person tables empty. I was told they were for reservations. I said I had one as well and the manager looked me into eye and said "We told you on the phone it would be a small table...If you don't like it go elsewhere. " She was rude and not being truthful. I got up and left and made sure my brother would be fed as he was starving. It is NOT ok to treat your guests like this. Unless you want to be treated like crap, go elsewhere, tons of good places in the city! Cheers!

Sat by the table just near the bar. Treated like a second class citizen. All the service was at the actual bar. Fish was fresh and tasty but hot items were cold and cold items were closer to room temp due to the poor service. Prices were steep but would be worth it if executed properly delivery wise.

This was my first visit to Seki Sushi after the pandemic and I was disappointed with the service and what the atmosphere of this restaurant has become. What used to be an expensive and silent Japanese restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere became just another NYC expensive restaurant. The restaurant entrance blends with the delivery center. When I arrived there were 2 hostesses, clearly overwhelmed by having to manage phone orders, bookings, receiving guests who, like me, had made reservations and worst of all, the delivery guys who were all in a rush to get their orders. There’s a tiny entrance where there were at least 6 delivery guys, the guests, the staff passing with food, Total mess. Service at the tables was very slow and the sushi is very good. I won't be back so soon

Excellent selection and presentation. We sat at the bar and the chief/owner did all the selections until we were full. $600 for 3 of us all in.

My brother treated us to omakase here as a gift. It was AMAZING -- one of the best meals I've ever had. Highly, highly recommended, and have omakase if you can. The rolls and nigiri they brought us were not on the menu for a la carte ordering and every one was delicious, even the ones made with fish I don't usually care for when I order sushi. I will happily stuff myself with salmon, tuna, and yellowtail nigiri, and if you do that here you'll be eating absolutely top-notch fish, but the omakase sushi here was really something special.

Good sushi but not the best

We went to Sushi Seki, based on the excellent reviews and ratings. We expected something really special. It is played up as the best sushi on the Upper East Side, and that is what we were hoping for. Perhaps this relates to the level of my disappointment. In the last couple of weeks I have been to Sasabune and Ko on 2nd Avenue, both UES and both excellent. The sushi at Seki was merely ok, not awful, but nothing special. The portions were minuscule but the prices were not. Speaking of the prices, it was insult to injury that not only were they astronomically high, but they were dramatically higher than the prices on their website. I would have rated it average, but because of the disparity between the prices, I have subtracted one rating level.

REAL sushi. Soft, moist, sticky rice, ridiculously fresh fish, real Japanese manning the sushi bar and floor. Good selection of sake. Many non-fish options for those who are not so into it. Vibrant atmosphere. This is real tuna, real salmon, real rice, not those neighborhood knock-offs. One must pay the price, but it is worth every penny. Love Sushi Seki.

amazing sake tastings, delicious fish and lots of attention...doesn't hurt it's only a block away!

Open late, tasts good, but little pricy

Not a spectacular location, for Japanese food-purists not exactly the top: soba was not impressive, nor were the saba (mackarel) and the anago (eel). However, the tuna was good and the uni (sea urchin) absolutely excellent. Lastly, the service is very good. Food is reasonably priced. Ideal, among other things, for a quick bite.

Been everywhere- sasabune, gari, nakasawa... Seki is the best sushi in nyc. Sit at the sushi bar and get the omakase.

Second only to Sushi of Gari. Must sit at the sushi bar though... otherwise the service isn't worth it.

I highly recommend this place. The sushi chef is a master at his craft. My wife and I didn't order off the menu. I simply asked him to prepare a sushi dinner us, something that he felt we would enjoy. He had free range to do as he pleased. His creation was as visually pleasing as it was delicious. We enjoyed a varity of fresh fish, from tuna, snapper and salmon. The rolls and sea weed were delicious as well. It was one of, if not the best sushi meals we've ever had. Good sushi is not cheap. Bill for the two of us, including drinks and tip was about $230 . I wasn't not looking for cheap sushi this evening. We were so impressed, we came back the next evening but were out of luck as they closed early that night. We had to settle for the burgers at the 24 hour diner down the block.

From the outside it does not look like much and the same applies to the inside. small, dark and crowded; obviously the decor is not what they have spent money on. But oh the food...Japanese cuisine does not come any better. No wonder it is imperative to reserve.

The first sign of a good sushi restaurant is the clientele. Packed with Japanese? Pull up a stool. None? Move on. But this was the only option for late night sushi within a dozen blocks of 50th on the East side, so... $400 later and seriously unimpressed, we headed to bed. The nigiri and sashimi was ok. That’s it. Very small. 20 pieces of assorted pieces, two bottles of beer and two small carafes of sake, $350 plus tip. Wonder what the omikase went for. Not long after we sat down at the sushi bar (an Asian woman and white guy were the only other customers), white privilege arrived in the form of four Ivy Leaguers in their late 20s and a couple of younger girls. They swarmed in with their suitcases straight from their flight from Palm Beach (as they loudly announced). But restaurants can’t be responsible for their customers, so we will leave it at that.

Faultless food in classy surroundings. Very attentive service. No problem getting a table on a Saturday night. The price matches the quality of the food.

They are open until 2 am i guess and they have very good quality sushi. Miso soup is also very tasty

If you are looking for a good sushi fix in this neighborhood and not exactly scheduled for a flight to Tokyo and enjoy the sublime Dai Hwa sushi at Tsukiji, then Sushi Sekiyu is your answer. It is small and packed like all of them seem to be. 3 of us ordered the chef's Omakase sushi at $80 and I went one up to the Sashimi Omakase which is $100 since I'd feel less stuffed without all that rice. For the extra money, I got an oyster, 2 chuo toro, 2 seared salmon pieces and a white fish tartare upfront while others had more salmon and tuna sushi. Thereafter everything was the same- more and more salmon and tuna sushi dine slightly diferently. I was disappointed that a) our Omakase lacked variety much of the same thing and b) I didn't get more variety of sashimi. Our son came out best: he ordered Udon noodle, a salmon skin roll and a spicy tuna roll. Plenty of satisfying food at less than a third of our expensive takes. Lesson learnt? Stick the simple stuff.

By far the best sushi in NYC. Try the salmon sautéed tomato piece You will never be disappointed with quality and freshness of sushi. A bit on the expensive side.

Come for excellent sashimi, sushi and a well stocked saki bar. Omakase is the way to go at this top notch if very drab local. Expensive worth every penny. Sit at the bar if you can snag a spot and learn from your sushi chef how to eat the right way

Loved this place! The sushi was beautifully done, and quickly prepared! Service was attentive but not overbearing. My cocktail was yummy, ginger-y. Sushi was very fresh. My daughter got udon noodle in broth, with tempura shrimp and veggies. The broth was rich and not overly salty, the tempura was perfectly light. It was my birthday, and they brought me a lovely plate of unique sweets. I would absolutely come back.

The food is always great here, but there is something divine about dining at 1AM or 2AM and having a truly spectacular meal. This boy makes such inventive sushi. So here's the deal, go hungry, go through about 10 traditional sushi dishes (they will be great!) THEN tell him to rock out and go very inventive. You will then enter a realm of the imagination only a very few can dream of. Simply outstanding.

Very good sashimi/Omakase.... but price was not mentioned on the menu... Be aware of that!!!. We asked before oredering; we were told it is usually 120$ each! We were told it was a good suhi restaurant, so although the price was high we orered the Omakase. I did not count the exact number of different fish (you should coun if you order the Omakase!!) The final bill after 15-18 servings was 175$/each; with the wine (48$), the 15% service, the bill was 525$ for two persons; we found it very exaggerated: be aware; ask the price of each dish and stop ordering the next service when you achieve the announced 120$, not to be fooled!!!!! We had the feeeling they were abusing the tourist«!!!! We will not come again

So fresh, amazing fish. Ask for the Omasake is worth it. Service is good but the food is really what it's all about. Very small dessert selection and drinks. But again, it's all about the fish.

There are many wonderful sushi restaurants in NYC. Sekis is a standby with marvelous fresh fish and interesting combinations. Their style is variation on the classic Tokyo presentation. For normal hours reservations to sit at the sushi counter are a must. The restaurant is open late and it is a wonderful place to go after theatre if you are staying on the Eastside. Seki frequently is in the #one position and is marvelous to talk to; he will kindly accept a libation.

Went here several times during my stay in NYC. Every night the fish was excellent. By far my favourite sushi place in NYC. The spicy scallop roll is my favourite dish, but they have more unique dishes. The restaurant looks a bit casual, staff is very kind and friendly and the sushi is absolute perfect.

My husband and I loved this restaurant. The sushi was the best we have ever had! It was so fresh and so light and packed with fresh fish and vegetables and flavor!! The gentleman who served us was friendly and helpful and made our experience wonderful. As Zagats has pointed out the food is rated "Excellent to Perfect." That pretty much says it all!

If you can, try their Omakase. So delicate yet sophisticate flavor and textures make this a wonderful and full flavored experience. The spicy scallop roll is one to remember. Crunchy, soft, velvety and full of flavor! OMG, so good.

This place is special. They close late night. It's always a good choice in terms of japanese food. Fresh ingredients and perfectly performed. No turists.

Having lived in Tokyo for many years, this restaurant was recommended by others as an authentic Japanese sushi experience. However, whilst the experience wanted to appear authentic Japanese, it's much more a Americanized version. This isn't necessary a bad thing unless the restaurant is trying to tell you its Japanese-style. As normal in Japan, we always eat sushi at the counter and interact directly with the chef for their recommendations of the freshest dishes. This is essential for getting the best and freshest fish. Despite asking for this, we were ushered to a table and ordered directly off the menu which become hit-and-miss with some good and not so good options. Expensive and overpriced when you have to order like this.

Still our favorite NYC sushi place to go to. The open omakase is simply awesome. Very creative combo of ingredients and sauces. Still delivers after all these years.

Nice restaurant to eat the sushi in USA we found the name by Internet and we was happy with the food It's great if you like to feel the good sushi but the price it's expensive

Always amazing and perfect. Make a reservation for omakase served by Seki. bring like $150 per person.

Until this weekend my Sushi dining experience was a Philly Roll, Edemame and tempura. I was taken to Sushi Seki and ordered the $100 Omakase. It was fantastic. Every piece of sushi I ate was excellent. The toppings and sauces were perfection. Each piece of sushi, even plain, was melt in your mouth. If you eat slowly and savor the flavor, the combinations were so good. I can't say if it was the best but, I can say as a non sushi eater, I loved everything I ate. It is on every list of top sushi restaurants in NYC and some top ten lists of all restaurants in NYC. You may find a fancier restaurant but I doubt a much better one. It is on the upper east side. Small so I would recommend reservations. Also, when you order a beer they give you a frozen metal cup that keeps the beer really cold. Even if you normally drink from the bottle try it.

This is the best sushi restaurant I've tried. The spicy scallop roll is as good as promised and all the fish is fresh and flavorful. It is has a very relaxed feel inside which I appreciate. The focus is not the ambiance, just the wonderfully perfect sushi.

We had a great meal here before seeing Hamilton. The sushi was very fresh and we had some great pieces as well as sashimi. While not as refined as a place like Sushi Yasuda, the quality and flavors were top notch. This little stretch of 46 has a few sushi spots which is interesting. There are several levels and bars at seki and I am thinking late night there is probably a lot of traffic. As we were there early it was a bit quiet- yet was great to be in and out in time for the show.

Boring locale, boring sushi, boring is the word to describe this experience. The team was very sweet but the menu has nothing interesting to offer, a tiny selection really... There just isn't anything special about this restaurant.

The Sushi Seki restaurant was recommended by John Mark, the concierge at the Lowell Hotel (see separate TA review) and it was definitely an excellent choice and a place that I’ll definitely visit the next time I’m in NYC. While they have a very good a la carts menu their specialty is their Omakase. Omakase is a Japanese word that the menu claims means from the heart but I think it could also be translated as “Feed Me.” There were three of us and we had the mixed sashimi/sushi Omakase plus one negi- toro roll. The sashimi platter came out first and the fish was super fresh and delicious. The real taste sensations were in the platter after platter of sushi each one with taste, flavor and textures I have never had anywhere else, for example, avacado topped with deep fried unagi ball, or sake (salmon) topped with a delicate sliced of fried tomato. After many platters the last dish was a hand roll of chopped hotai (scallop) with flying fish egg. It was crunchy and creamy at the same time. We finished the meal with a selection of ice cream filled Mochi balls...delicious! VERY IMPORTANT: make reservations!! We arrived at 7:30 and they were turning walk ins away unless they were willing to wait until 10:30 to get a space at the counter.

This excellent restaurant demonstrates how a menu can be creative and inventive but not too far out. The restaurant’s philosophy is don’t stop learning. This is what keeps us coming back. We had a bite size fried rice cake with a tuna surprise on top. A salmon sushi combined a tomato sliver adding a new flavour. Ask for suggestions or try the chef’s special dinner.

Location was just ok; atmosphere a bit boring, but HEY...it's a small place and it's NY. I found the sushi sampler interesting...lots of creative couplings of ingredients. Chef suggested we NOT drown each bite in soy and wasabi since many of the pieces had their own sauce. Yes and no. Overall, I enjoyed the food and would eat there again.

It's so difficult to find a place to eat after going to the opera! Fortunately Sushi Seki is open until 02:45am. The food is good, try the spicy tuna roll and the fried eggplant!

Went to this place after our usual go to late night sushi place decided to start closing earlier. We were pleasantly surprised with top quality raw fish in a traditional setting. Great service and really fresh fish. The green tea is awesome as well. We can't wait to return for more.

We celebrated a birthday at Sushi Seki by enjoying a fabulous Chef's Omakase at the sushi bar. The sushi chef, nicknamed Jackie, creates special morsels for each person. After he places your sushi, he will tell you all about it. The first piece I had was medium fatty tuna (Toro), which melted in my mouth! The whole experience lasts between 90-120 minutes. Each person gets about 15 pieces. However, at the end, you could ask for more a la carte, which we did because we enjoyed it so much. We had 2 additional pieces each. The chef's omakase is expensive, but well worth it. For this omakase, the variety of fish is from Japan. Service is outstanding and efficient. One member of our party did not have the Chef's Omakase, but ordered a la carte. She had a wonderful miso soup and enjoyed the best Futomaki she ever had. She also tried for the first time Japanese Malt Beer, Yebisu, which she enjoyed very much. Normally, I don't drink hot tea, but I did have the house green tea, which was quite good. Overall, the experience was wonderful. Reservations is a must...the restaurant fills up quickly. I believe they only serve dinner...opens around 5:30pm and closes around 3am...closed on Sundays.

This has to be possibly the best meal you can eat at 2am in the morning. Last call is 2:30am though I think it used to be later. The only other place I can think of that serves terrific food at late hours is Corner Bistro. Not only the best burger but at 3am in the morning. The only downside at Corner Bistro is the cash only policy and I hate carrying cash. But back to sushi. I tried their omakase several times and although quite nice that you don't have to look at menu, I feel it's too much trouble to pay attention to the chef when he serves and to ignore him would be disrespectful and so I just order ala carte now. Depends really on what you're looking for. For me it is no longer the experience but just relax and unwind and enjoy the meal at my own pace. I must warn you the omakase option tends to be expensive even if you set a limit. The upside is unlimited variety and creativity from the chef. Virtually everything tastes good here. Tried pretty much all their sushi and sashimi and some of their appetizers. Might venture into their other main dishes in the future. Service is terrific and courteous as always. But what I love most are the extremely late hours. You simply cannot eat an amazing meal of this caliber at this hour anywhere else. Also love the cozy ambiance as it is not overly spacious like Yasuda which is too big. It feels like a nice, small, authentic sushi place. There really is no downside except for the price. But sushi at this level does not grow on trees.

Chef Seki's dishes were phenominal. I enjoyed his sushi more than Gari's.

There’s nothing wrong with Sushi Seki—if you like overpriced, average sushi. I ordered a tuna avocado roll for $14, and the soft-shell crab roll was $19 for just five pieces, mostly cucumber with barely any crab. It felt like a total rip-off. The sushi was mediocre at best, and they don’t even offer rice paper. New Yorkers, you can absolutely find much better sushi in this city—no question.

Okay Sushi Seki, in short, you blew it. Your sushi was terrific as usual but your customer service is SEVERELY lacking. We made reservations. We arrived on time for our reservation and asked to sit at the Sushi bar. We were ushered to 2 seats that didn't give you a view of what the chefs were doing, which was fine as that was all that was available. Then 5 minutes after we sat down 2 better seats came available and we asked to be moved to them. After a lot of back and forth between 2 waiters and a busboy, the hostess came over and said no, we couldn't have those seats because they were reserved for someone who specifically asked for them and they were arriving at 715 - 45 minutes from when I asked to be moved. I asked her how does one go about reserving a specific seat? I didn't see that as an option on Yelp Seating or Open Table. She said a "regular customer" likes this seat therefore we can't have it. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Umm we have been to this restaurant multiple times and may not be "regulars" but thanks for ensuring that we will not become regulars. Our meal was fine and because we were seeing a show (we told them when we arrived) we were done with our meal at 710 - before the much anticipated regulars showed up. Next time we get a sushi craving in Chelsea, we will pick a place the treats its "regular customers" and the schmucks who drop close to $200 on a meal on a somewhat regular basis, the same way.

I love Sushi, yet always had it in a very Purist Way, that is, Fish, Rice. Soy Sauce and Ginger. Here you Get a totally Different Sushi, you don't want to tamper with! Very high quality! Freshest Fish.

Aways busy, always fresh, always elegant and efficient. Make the trip it's worth the journey. Unassuming neighborhood and front window has obscured this more than neighborhood Sushi gem.

My partner and I managed to get a last-minute Friday night reservation (always try and book) for sushi Seki. Given one of us is a vegetarian, the staff were very helpful in recommending dishes we could both share. The food was very good and clearly very fresh. The service was great. As with all sushi restaurants it can work out quite expensive, but it was worth it for this meal.

It is supposed to be a good Japanese restaurant and the only way to reserve is to stop by because hey.... they don't answer the phone! The place is so tiny that they stuff you between the sushi bar and the cashier-- US restaurants are kind of noisy but here you just can't stand the din... Let's talk about the Sake -- "the Chef's choice"-- I am absolutely sure that the Chef has no idea about what a Sake should taste like; even though, in this case, the tepid and watery one I got was $27 for a (super) small carafe... Can we talk about the tempura? They're so greasy that you feel the urge to purge afterwards... Tempura is supposed to be crispy not greasy! I don't want to talk about the service- they rush you, they laugh out loud without being invited to, they just don't know the job-- if only they could go to Japan to learn how to treat a client! But rest assured any true Japanese would certainly ban Sushi Seki...Forever.

Great Miso sauce black cod!

My sister and I went to Sushi Seki looking for good sushi. I've had a lot of bad sushi in New York and was looking for a good mid-range sushi restaurant. The quality of the fish is excellent no doubt about it. However, that is where the positive comments end. The hostess could not have been ruder on the phone and in person, the waitress was in a bad mood, my miso soup spoon was dirty and I found a hair in my sushi. It's too bad the negative experience because otherwise I'd come back.

Went last night and they don't close till 12:30 the waiter Danny came over and said it's last call for drinks so my friend and I got two more rounds of drinks and then Danny put the bill in front of us it was only 12. I said I wasn't done eating and he never said it was last call for food. Regardless we had two more drinks to finish. We were sitting at the sushi bar and the chef didn't mind serving us more pieces. Danny said no we couldn't order more. Unbelievable our bill was over 400$ to be treated like that after such an expensive meal was horrible. Danny was so rude basically kicking us out because he wanted to go home. There were other people there as well. In any restaurant I've been to I've never been treated so poorly. What a terrible experience I will not be back. The chef looked horrified when Danny spoke to us that way even the other people there were in shock. Customer service is very important but unfortunately their staff lacks that and it was very embarrassing to be treated that way. After reading other reviews I see a lot of people say the same thing about the staff. I called to speak to a manager and still haven't heard back. I then called again and the hostess said she's not there and I said I just spoke to someone else earlier and he said she was there. She then said yes she's is here but she's busy just email us. I said no I can wait and she hung up on me. I can't even make this up how horrible the staff is. And mind you Danny actually said he was the manager and when I called I was told he wasn't. Unreal there's so many other sushi places save your money. Also the decor is not nice.

Few words can describe my experience here. After 1am I rocked up for a saki fuelled sashimi fetish. Unmatched par excellence! I tried everything from dry to their best super dry sakis. 300 dollars later I left feeling totally satisfied with the understanding that I had tried the best of something New York had to offer me. For me this was the best Japanese experience outside of Japan. Try the sea urchin and medium toro if you get a chance

i would come here every other week just for the spicy scallop handrolls and sushi obv..CAME FRIDAY , was EXTREMELY dissatisfied . never had sushi at seki and LEFT DISSATISFIED! =[ AJNYONE KNOW WHAT COULDVE WENT WRONG?

I would definitely recommend Sushi Seki as the food was delicious and fresh and the service was tremendous. The only issue was that it was a bit expensive.

From what I've heard, Seki stole just about every ingredient from Sushi of Gari and barely changed anything. If the two restaurants' menus are compared, there isn't much of a difference. The price is not all that different either. When I went there, I had reservations but had to wait 30 minutes. The food was good, I have to admit. But the decor was drab. It looked kind of old school for my taste. The sake list was average.

I found out about sushi seki about 8/9 years ago when I still lived in NY. I've been to all 3 locations and I don't have a single complain. Fish is always fresh, service in impeccable, sushi men always smiling and make my day. I wish I could eat it everyday. Sushi Seki is pleasure!

Definitely one of the better sushi restaurants in NYC. Be prepared for really fresh, delicious food (the spicy scallop roll is amazing), a nice atmosphere that isn't super fancy (which I think is a good thing as the focus is on the food anyway), a bit of a wait (even if you have a reservation), and a pretty hefty bill (especially if you order the Wakatake saki like we do!). We've dined at this and their Chelsea location restaurant many times, and it is consistently a great experience. The Chelsea location is a bit more comfortable, with more space between tables.

Sushi seke is not a modern, hip sushi joint. its a n authentic sushi place reminding me the great suhi places in Tokyo. you don't come the decor or for the ambience, you come here to eat top notch sishi, which if you are a sushi lover, you know what that means. price was 150$ cor a couple. for our first time we tried the tasting menu with a few extras such as the maguro avocado appetizer. make sure the tasting menu has the: salmon tomato, chopped eel, yellow tail jalepeneo and tuna tofu. we also had the miso to start with and drank Sake. for desert we had the fried ice cream which was delicious Enjoy

Friends recommended Sushi Seki as the best in town & we were not disappointed. It's a tad cramped but Wow, what great food. A variety to choose from with friendly & helpful staff. Fresh & tasty, well worth a visit.

Wonderful place: as usual in most of japanese restaurants, diner room is rather tiny, in front of the cook/chefs standing behind their glass-protected cooking tables. Service is fast and very kind; we took the Omakase (in the 100$) which was a perfect discovery of the finest traditionnal and not-so-common dished, including foie gras, warm sushis in the dozen of appetizers-style dishes we had.

The sister restaurant on 61st and 1st has a good selection of creative sushi and featured sushi platters. The dishes are small with generally two pieces per dish (we are accustomed to three when we have it eslewhere). The restaurant is small and a little deceiving because the front is so small and then you go through a hall to a larger room. The limited seating makes sense to make a reservation any day. There are many sushi restaurants on the upper east side to choose from, many with larger portions or smaller prices and larger seating areas.

This place offers very fresh and well made sushi. Fish is fresh although dishes are somewhat small given the fact you pay $6 for one piece of sushi ... I you are craving for Sushi somewhere in the east side make reservation ahead of time (ask to sit on the bar) and make sure you carry enough cash to pay for it.