RFK Cuisine · Omakase · New York
Best Omakase Restaurants in New York City 2026
Omakase · New York City · 6 counters ranked · Updated June 2026
Compiled by the Restaurants for Kings editorial team · Published June 20, 2026 · Updated June 20, 2026
Three Michelin stars came back to New York sushi in November 2025, and not to Masa — they went to Sushi Sho, Keiji Nakazawa's idiosyncratic Midtown counter, the first New York sushi room to reach three stars since Masa first did it. That single ceremony reset the city's omakase order: Masa slipped to two, a clutch of two-star counters firmed up beneath it, and the gap between a $950 bucket-list dinner and a $170 Edomae classic stretched as wide as it has ever been. New York now eats sushi at a depth rivaled only by Tokyo. These are the six New York omakase counters worth booking in 2026, ranked on the cooking, the room and what the bill buys, with the move to make and how to get a seat at each.
1.Sushi Sho
New York's only three-star sushi, Keiji Nakazawa's idiosyncratic Edomae counter; book Sushi Sho for the best omakase in the city.
Sushi Sho, Keiji Nakazawa's Midtown counter, became the first New York sushi restaurant to earn three Michelin stars since Masa when the November 2025 guide landed. Nakazawa ran the original Sushi Sho in Tokyo for decades, and his New York omakase is personal and unorthodox — heavy on aged, cured and marinated fish, with a sake program to match and a running commentary across the counter. It is a long, generous sequence that pushes past pure nigiri into the chef's own idea of Edomae. Dinner runs into the high hundreds. For the most accomplished and characterful sushi in New York, this is the seat. Book the moment reservations open; the counter is small and the demand is now extreme.
Reserve direct, as early as you can; the full omakase, the aged-fish nigiri, and the sake pairing.
2.Masa
The most expensive seat in New York, now two stars after fifteen at three; book Masa once for a bucket-list occasion.
Masa, Masa Takayama's hinoki-wood counter in the Deutsche Bank Center at Columbus Circle, is the most expensive restaurant in the city — and after fifteen years at three Michelin stars it moved to two in the 2025 guide. The omakase is still an extravagance without peer: the rarest fish, fresh wasabi grated to order, toro and uni gilded with white truffle, at around $950 a head before drinks. The room is serene and the service total. The demotion is a talking point, not a reason to skip it; this is still a once-in-a-lifetime occasion rather than a regular indulgence. For a landmark splurge with nothing held back, book the counter well ahead.
Reserve direct, weeks out; the full counter omakase, the toro and uni, and whatever luxury is in season.
3.Sushi Noz
Nozomu Abe's two-star Edo-style counter on the Upper East Side; book Sushi Noz for pure, exacting nigiri in a hinoki shrine.
Sushi Noz, Nozomu Abe's restaurant on the Upper East Side, holds two Michelin stars for an exacting Edo-period omakase served at a counter built from a single piece of hinoki, in a room modeled on an old Japanese house. Abe works almost in silence, the focus entirely on the rice — warm, vinegared, pressed to order — and a procession of nigiri made from fish flown in from Toyosu. It is the most traditionalist of the city's serious counters, and the experience is closer to a tea ceremony than a dinner. Expect around $550. For pure, classical Edomae sushi with no theatrics, this is the room. Book a couple of weeks ahead for the main counter.
Reserve direct; the main-counter omakase, the seasonal nigiri run, and a quiet, attentive seat.
4.Odo
Hiroki Odo's two-star kaiseki counter hidden in Flatiron; book Odo for a seasonal Japanese tasting that runs beyond sushi.
Odo, Hiroki Odo's two-Michelin-star restaurant tucked behind a tea bar in Flatiron, is the one counter here that is as much kaiseki as omakase — a serene, minimalist room where the chef builds a seasonal Japanese tasting menu that moves through cooked courses, sashimi and a run of nigiri. Odo blends tradition with his own creative touches, and the meal feels personal and unhurried rather than a straight sushi marathon. The hidden entrance and the calm room make it one of the city's most atmospheric Japanese rooms. Expect around $450 to $550. For a seasonal Japanese tasting that goes well beyond sushi, book it a week or two ahead.
Reserve direct; the full kaiseki tasting, the seasonal sashimi, and the closing nigiri.
5.Sushi Nakazawa
Daisuke Nakazawa's one-star West Village counter, Jiro-trained; book Sushi Nakazawa for a warmer, more attainable serious omakase.
Sushi Nakazawa, on Commerce Street in the West Village, made its name when Daisuke Nakazawa — the apprentice from Jiro Dreams of Sushi — opened it to a rave from the New York Times, and it holds a Michelin star today. The omakase is a generous twenty-odd-piece nigiri run with a warmth and friendliness that the more austere counters lack, the fish ranging from buttery toro to a famous egg custard finish. There is a table option at around $150 and a counter at around $250. It is the most welcoming of the city's serious sushi rooms and a fine first real omakase. For a star-level counter without the four-figure bill, book it a week or two ahead.
Reserve direct; the counter omakase, the toro, and the tamago to close.
6.Sushi Yasuda
The Midtown East Edomae classic that taught a generation; go to Sushi Yasuda for serious nigiri at a fraction of the star prices.
Sushi Yasuda, on a quiet Midtown East block, is the Edomae institution founded by Naomichi Yasuda, the chef who set the city's standard for rice and fish before returning to Tokyo and leaving a kitchen that has held the line. The blond-wood counter does a clean, classical omakase and an excellent à la carte, the rice served at body temperature and the fish handled with old-school precision. At around $170 for the omakase, it is the value benchmark against which the pricier rooms are measured. It is unfussy, consistent and beloved by people who eat a lot of sushi. For serious nigiri without the splurge, book the counter a few days ahead.
Reserve direct; the counter omakase, the day's special nigiri, and a request to sit in front of a senior chef.
How New York eats omakase
New York's omakase scene runs the full Edomae spectrum and then some. At the top are the destination counters — Sushi Sho's three stars, Masa's grand luxe, the two-star precision of Sushi Noz and the kaiseki-leaning Odo — booked weeks out and priced from the high hundreds to nearly a thousand dollars. Below them sit the attainable serious rooms, led by Sushi Nakazawa and Sushi Yasuda, where a real omakase is within reach of a special-occasion budget. The city's edge is supply: Toyosu-grade fish arrives several times a week, so even the mid-tier counters work with material that would be a luxury elsewhere.
A few practical notes. Counters run fixed seatings, so arrive on time — a late guest holds up the whole bar — and many ask for a card to hold the reservation, with steep cancellation fees at the top rooms. Pricing moves with the season and the day's catch, so confirm when you book, and remember that New York adds tax and a 20 percent tip on top of the menu price, which is significant at these levels. Book Sushi Sho and Masa as far ahead as you can. For the wider city by neighbourhood and occasion, use the full New York dining guide.
Where not to look for it
Skip these for a serious New York omakase
The "omakase happy hour" in the back of a bar, for the real thing. The cheap fixed-price sushi deals that have spread across the city are fine for a quick fill, but the fish grade and the chef's attention are not in the same world as a proper counter. If your budget is tight, the entry-level rooms above — or Sushi Yasuda's à la carte — are a better use of the money.
Masa, if the demotion will nag at you. It is still extraordinary and still the priciest seat in town, but it now holds two stars, not three, and at $950 some diners will feel that difference. If you want the current pinnacle of New York sushi, book Sushi Sho instead, and save Masa for the night the sheer spectacle is the point.
Frequently asked
What is the best omakase in New York?
Sushi Sho, Keiji Nakazawa's Midtown counter, is New York's best — in November 2025 it earned three Michelin stars, the first New York sushi restaurant to reach three since Masa. Nakazawa, who ran the original Sushi Sho in Tokyo, serves an idiosyncratic Edomae omakase heavy on aged and marinated fish. For the grandest, most expensive room, Masa at Columbus Circle is the other landmark. Choose Sushi Sho for the cooking, Masa for the occasion.
How much does omakase cost in New York?
Masa is the most expensive meal in the city, with the counter omakase running around $950 a person before drinks, tax and tip. Sushi Sho's dinner sits in the high hundreds. Sushi Noz and Odo, both two stars, run from roughly $450 to $550. Sushi Nakazawa is more attainable at around $150 at the table to $250 at the counter, and Sushi Yasuda's classic Edomae omakase is the value pick at around $170. All price by the season and the day's fish, so confirm when you book.
Which New York sushi restaurants have Michelin stars?
As of the November 2025 guide, Sushi Sho holds three Michelin stars, the only New York sushi restaurant at that level. Masa, which held three stars for fifteen years, was moved to two stars in 2025, alongside two-star Sushi Noz and Odo. Sushi Nakazawa holds one star. The depth of starred sushi in New York is rivaled only by Tokyo, and the counters trade Toyosu-grade fish flown in several times a week.
What is Masa known for?
Masa, Masa Takayama's counter in the Deutsche Bank Center at Columbus Circle, is known for being the most expensive restaurant in New York — a hinoki-wood counter where the chef serves an extravagant omakase built on the rarest fish, fresh wasabi grated to order, and luxuries like toro and uni with white truffle. It held three Michelin stars for fifteen years before moving to two in the 2025 guide. It remains a bucket-list occasion rather than an everyday meal; book the counter well ahead.
Where is the best value omakase in New York?
Sushi Yasuda in Midtown East is the value pick — the Edomae counter founded by Naomichi Yasuda, where a classic omakase runs around $170 and the rice and fish are taken as seriously as anywhere in the city. Sushi Nakazawa in the West Village is the other attainable option, with a $150 table omakase from Daisuke Nakazawa, who trained under Jiro Ono. For a first serious omakase without the four-figure bill, start with one of these two.
More omakase, by city
More from RFK
Browse the full New York dining guide, compare the global picks on the best omakase worldwide, read the verdict on three-star Sushi Sho, plan a table to impress a client, find a first-date seat at the counter, or open the full RFK cuisine index.
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