"Shion Uino's nine-seat Tribeca omakase, a Michelin star and OAD top-25, runs $420 — book it for a sushi obsessive's anniversary."
About Shion 69 Leonard Street
Nine seats, eighteen courses, $420 with the tip already folded in. The address, 69 Leonard Street in Tribeca, has cycled through Eiji Ichimura and Derek Wilcox before settling on Shion Uino, who came by way of Sushi Amane and years at Tokyo's Sushi Saito. Uino ages his fish and barely touches the nigiri: two flips and a press. The counter holds a Michelin star and has sat in Opinionated About Dining's top twenty-five in North America since 2023. It stands with the best sushi worldwide.
The Kitchen
Uino learned under Takashi Saito, and it shows in two habits: he ages his fish, and he forms each nigiri in barely a second, two flips and a press. The room runs eighteen courses, but the first six otsumami take the bulk of ninety minutes. His standouts are savoury rather than showy. The tako is marinated forty-eight hours until the skin slips off in the mouth; the kegani, hairy crab broken down, boiled, dressed with vinegar and returned to its shell, is the dish regulars come back for. Sashimi opens with the same flounder aged five days and fifteen, served side by side so you taste the difference.
Sous-chef Hiroto Ochiai runs the small kitchen, but behind the counter it is the Uino show, prep to service. The price is a flat $420 with tip included, at 69 Leonard Street in Tribeca. The counter holds a Michelin star and an OAD top-twenty-five place since 2023. For New York counters built for one, read New York's best counters for solo diners.
The Room
Nine seats, one counter, and a crowd that skews finance and serious sushi diners. The lighting is low and focused on the wood; the sound stays low enough to hear the chef. Seating is forward-facing, side by side, so cross-counter conversation is awkward by design. Dress is smart, since most guests come straight from work in jackets. There are two seatings a night, at six and eight-thirty, and the kitchen keeps the pace, not the table.
Best for Anniversary
Book Shion for an anniversary when the other person loves sushi, because the room makes the meal the event: eighteen courses, a flat $420 with no cheque math at the end, and a counter close enough to watch every piece formed. Picture the aged flounder served five-day and fifteen-day side by side, the forty-eight-hour octopus, a special temaki near the close. It suits two people who want the fish to be the conversation. See more anniversary tables.
Not for
Skip this if conversation matters more than fish. The first six otsumami courses run ninety minutes, the counter faces forward, and talk across it is awkward.
Frequently Asked
Is Shion 69 Leonard worth it?
Yes, if you are a serious sushi diner and the $420 fits. Shion Uino trained for years under Takashi Saito in Tokyo, and his Tribeca counter holds a Michelin star plus an Opinionated About Dining top-twenty-five place since 2023. The fish is aged, seasonal and almost all from Japan. It is one of New York's best omakase counters, priced to match.
How hard is it to book Shion 69 Leonard?
Hard. The counter seats nine across two nightly seatings at six and eight-thirty, Monday to Saturday, and tickets go through Resy. Prime weekend slots clear within minutes of release. Set a reminder for the booking-window drop and keep a backup weeknight in mind. Solo seats sometimes open last-minute when groups split.
What is the dress code at Shion 69 Leonard?
Smart. There is no jacket requirement, but many guests arrive from finance jobs in jackets and the room rewards it. Avoid shorts, athletic wear and strong cologne, since fragrance interferes with the fish at any serious counter. A collared shirt or simple dress is the safe call for a $420 omakase in Tribeca.
What should I order at Shion 69 Leonard?
It is a set omakase, so there is no ordering, but the pieces to watch for are Uino's forty-eight-hour tako, the hairy-crab kegani returned to its shell, and the flounder aged five and fifteen days side by side. A la carte nigiri is available after the eighteen courses finish; ask the chef what came in that morning.
Is Shion 69 Leonard good for a date?
Only for the right date. The forward-facing counter and ninety-minute opening stretch make cross-table conversation hard, so it suits a partner who is into sushi over one who wants to talk. For a true first meeting it is a stretch; an anniversary with a fellow obsessive fits far better.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Shion 69 Leonard Street
Book through Resy. Two seatings nightly, Monday to Saturday, nine seats.
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Practical Information
Address69 Leonard Street, Tribeca
NeighbourhoodTribeca
CuisineEdomae Sushi
Price$420 omakase, tip included (18 courses)
Dress CodeSmart
Seating9 counter seats only
ReservationResy, two seatings (6:00 & 8:30)
