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Came here given its growing popularity and it definitely lived up to expectations! Would recommend calling ahead of avoid a 20-30 minute wait (as the owners makes everything to order)! We got the shrimp and chicken sandwiches, and both were incredibly fresh and stuffed with lettuce, carrots, avocado, and katsu style meat preparation. The rice is perfect as well. So worth it!
Cuisine: 7 Service: 9 Decor: 6 Value: 9 Overall: 8 If you know the owner Oda, then you will know why everyone in the neighborhood loves this place. You can come here for a beverage or a snack and find him always serving the customers with a smile. The claim to fame at this cafe is their Japanese style Onigirazu, a sanwich made with fried tempura, white rice, cheese and veggies, all wrapped up inside of toasted sheet of seaweed. Oda makes a bunch of them from all sorts of seafood to cuts of pork and chicken. Here are some thoughts on the ones I have tried so far. Scallop - Very tender. Wish the pieces were bigger. Oyster - My favorite. Crispy and slightly briny. Soft Shell Crab - Flavorful, but a bit too much batter. Fried Mackerel - So good and not fishy at all. Pork Katsu - Slightly dry. Not one of my favorites. If you are lucky enough to eat an onigirazu while it's fresh and the rice is warm, then most of the sandwiches are 7s and 8s, maybe even a 9. Unfortunately, they are often pre-made and sitting in the refrigerated counter. Once the rice cools and hardens, I would drop the score by a point or two. I also had the Shrimp Tempura Onigiri, which I wasn't a big fan because the shrimps were too small and batter was too heavy. Anyway, if you living in Jackson Heights and near 969 Cafe, then consider yourself lucky. This is a unique shop that is one of a kind in NYC.
In my honest opinion, it's OK. The Instagram algorithm tipped me onto this place since it's nearby one of the Blink gyms I frequent, so I figured, why not? The place is small, felt packed with a number of people here, so the place does get good business. I left unsure of what I wanted to order because there was no menu for food, only coffee and tea, which I had no appetite for at the time. They didn't even have Iced Tea, just a few drinks kinda close to it. I had an idea for a sandwich but didn't know what they had because once again, the place had no food menu, so I just went with the Chicken Teriyaki onigiri. The onigiri itself is good but felt too light, it did not really fill me up at all, maybe I could've ordered something bigger but the place was already packed with customers and I didn't want to wait on more food so I just settled with it and an apple and grape fusion soda with no sugar. The drink...wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't want it again anytime soon. This place may be a hit with others but, it just wasn't it for me. Nothing bad about that, not everything is gonna be a home run and it's not even a knock on Japanese food as a while because I'm a fan of their style of food. It ISN'T for me for lack of better words. I wish this place the best of business, not sure if I'd return here but they'll be fine without me.
Small locally owned shop that does onigiri and onigrizu or rice ball sandwiches. I can understand the confusion regarding how to order or how much anything costs. The moment I walked in the owner immediately asked me what I wanted and so I felt pressured to order right away. There is no menu- you really just look through the deli glass to see what he has available. I had an idea of what I wanted so I got the shrimp onigrizu. Paid, Packed it in my bag and stayed back for a minute to keep browsing (there was one person who was in the shop and so no it was not crowded) and the owner became concerned I needed something else or something was missing from my bag. So I can understand why some people can get put off by the service since you can't take a look at what's offered. I'm not one to linger at small shops but this just felt kinda weird? Despite this- this was a handy small meal to try in the neighborhood. I think my sandwich cost 9 dollars- again nothing is really clearly labeled... so that may bother some people as well. For the size of what I got, I think the price is kinda fair but it may not fill some people up.
Ordered: Large Iced Matcha Latte (~$5) Beef Onigirazu (~$10) Moshi Sparkling Yuzu (~$3): white peach flavor Karamucho Chips (~$3): spicy curry flavor Aya's take: We stopped by for the very popular matcha & onigirazu. Let me cut to the chase - get the Beef Onigirazu. Not only is it filled with layers of ingredients that vary in flavor and texture which I enjoyed, the beef was plentiful and super tender. It's such a satisfying bite to have when you're not quite hungry enough for a full meal but have enough room for a snack. The Iced Matcha Latte was underwhelming for me, it tasted like a powdered, low-quality matcha to me. I would skip it. They have tons of Japanese snacks and drinks to choose from, as well. If you find yourself in Jackson Heights, definitely stop by and get the Onigirazu!
It's a nice spot with some interesting bites. I enjoyed the sushi sandwich. It was rice wrapped in seaweed with beef and american cheese.The matcha was bad, very bad. The person behind the counter threw the matcha into the cold water with milk. When we told him that's not normal he said it's the tea. Matcha is supposed to be dissolved in hot water and mixed with a specific brush. They don't make matcha properly here. The drink came out clumpy and was not the beautiful green a matcha drink is supposed to be. The iced coffee was okay, just watery without the buzz of caffeine. Mera's Tip: grab a quick bite
We went there around 4:40pm on Sunday. The store was almost closed so there was only one small light on. However, the owner was very friendly and willing to make fresh 3 onigiraisu for us. Everything was so tasty. My daughter especially loved the oyster so much. I will try to revisit the store earlier so I can have more stuff to purchase.
I've been to this spot twice over the years, most recently because I wanted to try their sandwiches. We got the soft shell crab, oyster, and shrimp sandwiches, and some of my friends got drinks. All of them were fried, which I loved lol, but my favorite / most standout was the soft shell crab. My friends found the oyster and shrimp ones a little too salty, which I did also feel but it didn't ruin things although I do think they added a bit too much salt. It was fun to try, but I'd probably not go back out of my way unless I was really in the mood for this type of food. I will note that there's no public bathroom for customers, which only makes it extra impressive how busy this tiny little place got when we were last here. Their credit card machine was also down when we went so we had to pay in cash. On another visit, I've tried their onigiri and enjoyed it and would probably get that next time.
stopped by here during a queens food tour. we got a few orders of the onigiri (Salmon, Tuna, and Plum flavors) and I wasn't particularly impressed? I think the prices are decent and comparable to prices anywhere else but I wouldn't say that this is a store that I would go out of my way to spend at. The indoor seating seemed a bit limited when we were there but that's partially because our group was of decent size. there is a lot of water dripping from the ceiling near their entrance and it makes part of the walkway a bit slippery and a nuisance to get through. the service, however, is quite solid. I had nothing poor to say about the politeness of the employees and also the speed at which our orders were put out.
Came on a Friday morning at around 9:30am. There weren't a lot of onigirazu options left, but there there were still plenty of onigiri. Seemed like they were making more during the morning. There were some in the display with cheese and some without. I got a mackerel onigirazu without cheese. The mackerel onigirazu was better than I thought it would be. Although the rest of the toppings, cabbage, carrots, avocado, etc., were bland, the mackerel provide much needed salt. The fish was still crispy despite being left out. The rice was on the colder side too. It was less than $9. There's a $15 credit card minimum, so make sure to bring cash unless you plan to get a lot. There's a sign in the store that states it's better to call ahead 10-15 minutes to order. They might have more options if you do, and you'll get it fresh. Not sure if you can customize though.
I came here on a rainy Saturday just before 11am & it was not busy. I asked the owner if he could make an extra tonkatsu onigiri & he said whatever is available is what you can order. I found that part weird because the shop opens up until 6pm. And if there is a menu w/ the different types of onigiri - one would think that customers can order what they want. I just ended up getting whatever was premade - 1 tonkatsu & 1 spicy chicken onigiri. It was good, but not the best onigiri I have had. I am just happy to try it because I have bookmarked this place for awhile & was in the Roosevelt Avenue area.
A great pit stop in any Jackson Heights food crawl -- we stopped by for onigiris in the afternoon. A lot of the pre-made ones were already sold out, but they made some fresh! The Tuna Onigiri was delicious -- super light and plenty of fish filling. The store itself has some seating on the inside, but would probably just grab to-go.
3 years ago
I'm upset I didn't discover this place sooner since it is so close to my job! One of my fellow Yelpers posted a review on this place and once I started looking at all the pictures and great reviews, I knew I had to stop by the next day. The place itself doesn't look too appetizing to walk into and is a bit outdated but sometimes those are the spots with the best food. The owner kindly greeted me when I came to pick up my food and was very polite. Their prices are extremely fair and they had a nice variety of drinks. The strawberry milk was delicious and not too sweet. The crab onigiri was super fresh and was soft and fluffy. The filling was delicious. The chicken katsu sandwich was definitely my favorite, it was super compact which made it easy to eat. The combination of the chicken with the avocado, rice and other elements just all went so well. The texture of the chicken was perfect and tasty and very filling. I will most definitely be returning to try the other delicious options on the menu. read more
2 years ago
This place is such a cute Japanese onigiri + coffee shop. I am forgetting the owner's name but he is one of the nicest and most hospitable people- I mean he is Japanese after all! My favorite onigiri would have to be their salt fish. The shrimp was pretty good too but a little too doughy for me. The matcha is a must- either the iced or hot one is fine, both are great and he is very generous on the amount of matcha powder he gives. This place is definitely a hole in the wall, but to be fair most places in Jackson Heights are. read more
3 years ago
Great little cafe with ample seating and affordable bites! We got the salmon and tuna onigiri which were heart shaped and dango from the fridge section. I wish the onigiri had a bit more filling. For the price, compared to rice balls sold in Manhattan, I can't complain. The dango was topped with red bean paste- nice and chewy rice cakes, and not too sweet. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Just like I remember as a kid . I had a veggie tonkatsu ... it was so filling I added a bit of Sou sauce . I was gonna order another one with spam but he ran out. Wasn't meant to be. You have to try this place tiny in the corner but many sudden ER types of Japanese street soups and sandwiches . Owner was very funny too lol . read more
6 years ago
This is a small takeout place that has the best rice sandwiches! Looking at the pictures on yelp, I didn't know if it was going to be a long wait. When I walked in, I saw that there were about 10 premade sandwiches in the display counter. Don't worry though- they were super fresh! Definitely made within the hour. The chicken sandwich had cheese, lettuce, carrot, and avocado. It was neither bland nor salty- perfect! I went there very early, at 8:30am (they open at 8am) and there was no wait. I also got an iced matcha latte. I had the option of having it sweetened and I opted for no sugar which is my preference for matcha. If you're a matcha newbie, I would suggest getting it sweetened! I will definitely be back. Will try the onigiri and corn croquettes next time! read more
2 years ago
At first when I went to 969 NYC Coffee I thought the place was going to be big . But it was small but the food was great . The service was great . I think the food came out very quick unlike other places I've been to .I ordered salmon onigiri, chicken teriyaki onigiri and tonkasu ramen . I thought the food was going to be ok but boy was I wrong . The salmon onigiri was so good !! The onigiri was heart shape and there was a lot of meat , even the rice by itself tasted fantastic !!!! 10/10 ! 100 percent would recommend . read more
Coffee and Japanese food. It has freshly made coffees and teas, and mostly premade food. 969 is pretty small inside. Most get things to go. The food is mostly portable so this is okay. Convenient after getting off at the bus terminal a few blocks away. I like getting something here at lunch. They have an Asian menu. It mostly has premade items. This is a convenient place for sushi. It doesn't take that long to get it. They also have mochi. Lots of vegan friendly items. The best is the vegan roll. It's about $8 for it. This is made with avocados, carrots, and cucumbers and tastes better than most premade sushi. It only has a few tables inside. It's best to get carryout. They accept credit cards so bring those. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
I arrived hither in the company of my comrades, and lo, the victuals proved delightful, the cost reasonable (though aye, a lesser sum would have pleased), yet in sum, commendable. I do advise partaking of the shrimp sandwich o'er the fowl. read more
1 year ago
So everyone knows rice balls and onigiris but the concept of onigi-raisu can be traced back to a 1980's manga book "Cooking Papa". Onigi-raisu is where they take a piece of Nori, layer it with rice and other toppings/fillings and then finish it off with another layer of rice before they fold in the corners of the seaweed and wrap it all up in seranwrap to hold it in place and then slice. For an aesthetic presentation they usually make sure the cut is against the placement of all the food so it's presented beautifully. The owner at 969 has brought onigirausu to whole other level. He has fillings of vegetarian with okra and other vegetables, mango vegetable concept that he tried in Hokkaido and decided to make it himself to sell, fried soft shell crab, fried scallop, beef gyudon, fried oysters, fried mackerel, etc. my friend and I decided to share a fried soft shell crab and fried scallop with two matcha lattes. The onigiraisu was filled with a lot of ingredients besides the star of the show-rice, cheese, lettuce, julienned carrots and avocado. All the extra ingredients and the soft shell crab or scallop made the onigiraisu even more tasty and definitely very filling. We also heard a lot about the green tea latte so we ordered a hot one each as well. Very good latte! Really enjoyed it. The meal was excellent and the owner was super friendly. Showed us a YouTube video someone made of his cafe years ago and told us stories as well. Highly recommend if you want a different type of rice ball. He also sells regular rice balls as well for $3. read more
2 years ago
While I do like that this is more like a hole in the wall, I think I'd swing by if I was in the area but not something I'd purposely go out of the way for. I tried the fried chicken and fried shrimp onigirazu, the chicken one was a bit dry, the shrimp was pretty good. I also tried the matcha latte, I like that he used a large cube of ice to prevent the drink from diluting but the matcha powder itself tasted very light. read more
This is a small, nondescript cafe that was started by a man from Japan whose dream was to open his own business in New York. The menu is mainly various onigiri (rice balls), Japanese snacks, and hot and cold drinks. The onigiri tasted pretty fresh and I assume they are made fresh daily. I saw tuna, chicken teriyaki, bacon and egg, and more flavors of onigiri. If you go later in the day, the selection can be limited because everything else has already sold. You can also get pork or chicken katsu with rice or in a curry, ramen, salads, and a limited selection of sushi rolls. Despite its small menu, the food has an authentic taste and place has a friendly vibe. It's definitely an interesting alternative to all the Latin American restaurants in the neighborhood. read more
What a little gem! This is a coffee shop that also has snacks and light lunch items. I tried the pork sandwich and crab onigiri, and both were awesome. What's not to like about a sandwich wrapped in rice and nori? read more
4 years ago
The venue is understated but the food is not! Decided to check this place out on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We tried the vegetable (okra), oyster, and chicken katsu. From the first bite, I was hooked. Before I knew it the food was finished and I was left with a craving for more. Will definitely be going back and trying the other katsu options especially shrimp and salmon. The venue is understated in the best way. Will transport you to Japan for the 10-15 mins you are waiting for your food (tip: order in advance!). Seating is available but better suited for take-out. There's also an array of Japanese snacks, drinks, and frozen sweets available for purchase. Overall 5/5 - I will definitely be coming back read more
7 years ago
I wish small, savory snacks were more prevalent. Pizza's great, and it usually hits the spot when I want a savory snack, but so often I crave an empanada, a couple of dumplings and definitely onigiri. I just want variety, and 969 delivers. I noticed ramen and sushi on their menu and I can't speak to the quality of those items, but I absolutely love their onigiri. If you're not familiar, onigiri is sushi rice and some kind of protein wrapped in seaweed. In east Asia you can find onigiri at your local 7 Eleven and it is great. My favorite at 969 is one made with breaded white fish, avocado and American cheese. American Cheese is the ultimate guilty pleasure for me and it pairs amazingly well with the components of this onigiri. I also had an avocado milkshake topped with a scoop of black sesame ice cream. So good! Can't wait to return when I'm craving a small savory snack. read more
4 years ago
Very cute cafe serving a variety of Japanese foods from sandwiches, onigiri, rice bowls, ramen, drinks, and snacks! There is no "official" printed menu in the shop, the owner will ask you to look at photos online. Many of the food are made as you order unless the counter has sandwiches available, the wait may be 5-10 minutes but worth it. We ordered the shrimp tempura sandwich (soo good and it was made fresh) and the pork sandwich with spicy mayo on the side (the egg kept falling out and it was a challenge haha). My favorite was the shrimp tempura but everything was yummy, filling, and light. Owner is very funny and nice. He told us that he makes the spicy mayo himself! It is a small cozy space with 4 counter seating inside and 6 seats on the outdoor porch area. Cash and card accepted. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
A small little cafe. It's always busy, so be aware! It's one man working behind the counter, so please be patient. He warned us that it would be a 20 minute wait, but it was so worth it! He was really sweet, and very passionate about his work! We ordered the shrimp tempura and the crab sandwich! Both were sensational! We've had regular onigiri and kimbap, but nothing like this yet! The sandwiches are first come basis because he does run out of ingredients. We paid around 20 dollars for these two, and it was worth every penny! I will be returning here again! read more
This is such a cute little find! I went on a weekend afternoon and found there to be no line. Although, I can see it getting backed up easily because the owner takes so much time to make each drink. I got the honey ginger tea, which was so delicious and have a great bite from the actual ginger chunks inside. The pork sandwich was just okay--with some sauce it would have been great. Going back, I would just get a few onigiri rice rolls as they're cheaper and I found them to be higher quality--they're also heart shaped!!! read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
When I was living in Jackson Heights, I went to this hidden gem regularly! I have to thank Yelp for helping me discover 969 NYC Coffee. The sushi is always fresh and delicious, I love the cute heart shaped onigiri, and the ramen is perfect for warming up in the wintertime. I love their matcha lattes, matcha avocado ice cream shakes, and matcha lemonades too. The owner, Oda-san, is from Japan, very friendly, and has amazing customer service! He always remembers me; even when I moved away from Jackson heights and didn't come as frequently. We've had great conversations! Every time I'm in Elmhurst or Jackson Heights, I have to walk over and grab some food and/or beverages from here! They also have a small grocery section where you can get snacks, candy, desserts, and bottled or canned drinks from Japan. read more
So glad we stopped by this small Japanese cafe for a quick bite. The owner is super friendly and food was all great. We had matcha latte, beef sukiyaki and oyster sandwiches, salmon onigri, salmon and eel avocado rolls. Sushi all tasted fresh and sandwiches satisfying. This is what I love about queens - small family owned diverse shops with great food and warm and friendly service. read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
Hidden gem in Jackson Heights! Delicious sandwiches (highly recommend the beef with cheese and ask for it to be heated if eating there). There are 2 tables outside with maybe 5/6 chairs. Owner is really nice and he said the used to eat the beef sandwiches growing up. This is my first time visiting but can tell from the menu that prices have gone up, likely to adjust for the impact Covid had on their business. It's still affordable (~$8 for a sandwich and ~$3 for onigiri, and ~$8 for per sushi roll). We got 3 sandwiches (beef, pork, and chicken) and they're all very delicious. So good that we went back to get more after we're done with our first round! Their hours have also changed, and now they close at 6pm as opposed to the 9pm advertised here. They are also closed on Thursdays. read more
3 years ago
A cozy little spot tucked off just to the side of Roosevelt Ave. People complain about the long wait times here, but that's not giving enough credit to the fact that it's just one guy running the show making food as he goes, and this place was busy even during the middle of a random weekday. But regardless, the food and drinks are worth the wait! There's also plenty of seating while you wait, and so you can enjoy your food and relax. Also if you don't have time to order a drink off the menu (although I'd highly recommend that you do!), there are cold drinks to go and prepackaged snacks. I find that the best spots for vegetarian food in NYC are places that aren't exclusively vegan/vegetarian, and the onigirazu here makes the cut. (Only one half of the onigirazu pictured here because I forgot to take a photo before I ate the first half). The owner told me it would come with mango; I said yes not really knowing what to expect because I'm not big on fruit in savory dishes, but trusting that this place has good reviews. What a fresh and filling meal! I got so full just from one half that I had to take the other half for leftovers. I don't know what type of mango this was, but it went perfectly with the rest of the onigirazu. The croquette between the avocado and mango was one of the stars of the show, especially with that savory sauce. Avocado was generous and creamy, and never goes wrong paired with the fishy flavor of seaweed (fishy in a good way as in it tastes like you're eating seafood, but it's still vegetarian). The whole thing was also very fresh, and I think the owner made it to order. Definitely not a place where you have to worry about the rice in your food getting gross, cold and bland because it sits in a fridge too long. Matcha lemonade was a good balance of sour/tartness, complimented with the earthiness of the matcha. Neither flavor was overwhelming to the point that the other ingredient seemed like an afterthought, but was just the right levels. read more
Delicious sandwiches. I got oyster, scallop, and soft shell crab. The rice bun is great. They have a sauce inside with a great blend of veggies. Highly recommend. They have a number of diff flavors and a lot of people got their onigiri. I will definitely be going back. read more
3 years ago
This place serves really good sandwiches. I was intrigued by the big sushi looking rolls. I went in, met the owner and he said he makes everything fresh in the morning. He also gave me a special sauce that was super delicious. I had the shrimp sandwich read more
More info about 969 NYC Coffee
37-61 80th St
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
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(646) 203-7304
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https://969nyccoffee.shop
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Is this a good place for a group from 9 am to 5pm?
No, there is very little seating
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969 NYC Coffee - coffee - Updated July 2026
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