I see a lot of shows in New York, and have been searching for a Japanese place near the Theater District I can make my home away from home. Ari came up on a search, so I gave it a go - two weeks in a row, so they must be doing something right. Ari is great for getting away from the tourist throngs - head west on 44th. Gives kind of a local vibe, a little out of the way and low-key. No fuss, seated right away both times - just good to take a break between shows on a quiet side street in front of a menu with lots of things I found appealing. What worked best for me: I'm pretty basic when it comes to my sushi, starting with the hot sake (last time I was there it was raining, and the sake saved my life), then usually a seaweed salad to start. Both were superior. I don't know why, but the sake seemed richer, a notch above what I'm used to. And major points for the seaweed salad - shot through with spikes of julienne cucumber that made it truly a salad. What didn't work: The tempura. I love to share some vegetable tempura while waiting for my sushi, and this didn't cut it. Tempura batter should be bubbly, crisp and light. The vegetables we were served at Ari were enrobed in a coating more suitable, say, for a chicken cutlet. The biggest disappointment. As for the sushi itself, well ... y'know, bring it on, watch it disappear, but would I rate this among the best of all the sushi I've ever consumed? I'm afraid not. I don't know, it just kind of sat there for me -- pretty enough, but lackluster overall. On the plus side: Ari's special rolls. Often when I order special rolls, they come covered in glop that overpowers rather than complements the sushi. The two rolls I had at Ari were not covered by anything, and I appreciated that. A case when less is more (if maybe a bit plain). However -- the nigiri. I wish I could be more positive, but the sushi is the main reason I cannot give Ari a glowing review. Would I eat it again? Absolutely, and probably will. Came as a surprise, though, because I did not know sushi could be so ... bland. Perfectly fine, unfortunately, nothing special. That in itself is no reason to avoid Ari - which I do recommend, especially to get away from the theater crowds. My dinner companion had the vegetable fried rice, both times, the second time with tofu (expect an upcharge), and gave it high marks. So give Ari a whirl. I bet you'll find something that will suit you. read more

Food was made fresh and service was friendly. I love their age tuff and all their maki rolls.

I've gone here twice and can't wait to continue to go back! It's a very basic inside, but the food is great. I can't remember which makis and rolls my friend and I got, but it was good! I most recently had the miso ramen. It was more like chicken noodle soup, so slightly disappointing but it was good as chicken noodle soup lol. They have a steady flow of to-go orders and I can see why! I will definitely order more rolls from them in the future! There is a 5% cash discount read more

Ari Sushi - Miso Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Ari had become our pre-theater secret. Very fresh fish. Perfectly prepared and balanced sushi and maki. Friendly service. Very reasonable prices for midtown. No reservations but tables usually available if you have an early curtain. What's not to like? read more

Ari Sushi - Outstanding tuna avocado roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This is the Toro Lounge for $54 you get two pieces of salmon belly, yellowtail belly and toro, a toro scallion roll and miso soup. So here's the thing, places are just too comfortable calling him toro cuts, toro. This was probably salmon belly and tuna was chutoro not otoro, which is fine. I don't think the yellowtail was belly either. Huge pieces. Maybe the largest nigiri I've had. Lot of toro in the roll. But $55 for six pieces. Eh if it was six pieces of tuna toro fine but this was two pieces of tuna toro.I really liked this but I feel like $55 is just a bit too much for this even though it left me very full. read more

Ari Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Love this spot from the moment we walked in! Also impressive at 5p on a Wed we were seated at the last available table. Food order was taken & it felt like just minutes & we were being served our food orders. Everything was fresh & yummy. Absolutely zero complaints. Service was stellar & I can't wait to go back & try more from the menu. read more

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I have been to Ari Sushi several times for lunch and I have always had a good experience here. The food is excellent and the service is friendly and good. The ambiance is really no frills, so don't go for that, but if you want some delicious Japanese food with good service and don't mind a very simple atmosphere then I highly recommend that you go here! I personally love the Kitchen Lunch Box Special. Lunch specials are all very reasonably priced. ;) read more

So I came here last week as a quick dinner before a concert at Sony Hall, and wow my mind was blown. The food was amazing! The fish was fresh, Kani Salad was one of the best I ever had. Service was extremely fast, I couldn't even finish my Kani Salad before the sushi came out. The food was very reasonably priced, and all the food we got only came out to around $100 for 3 people, which wasn't much compared to how much food we ordered. It was very cozy and felt very homey. I literally walked out and forgot I was in NYC. And we had the sweetest waitress, she wasn't pushy and got our food to us very quickly. Overall, definitely a hidden gem in NYC, will definitely be back on our next trip. read more

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Fairly reasonably priced sushi spot in the city. Our server gal was SUPER friendly and helpful. Our sushi was all good, and the ramen was flavorful as well. We all really enjoyed our rolls/meals. They weren't too busy when we got there, but they got significantly more busy the later it got when we were there. read more

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I thoroughly enjoyed my sushi experience here. I was in Midtown for a quick work trip, but longed for some good sushi. I would go back again if I find my way back to that part of town. I enjoyed their eel, the fatty tuna, and a fantastic rainbow roll. read more

Ari Sushi is a great option for affordable and fresh sushi in the heart of Manhattan. I ordered the sashimi lunch which comes with 12 pieces of assorted sashimi for only $19.95, with your choice of soup or salad, which is an excellent deal for the location. The fish was fresh and prepared really nicely, which I appreciate. The salad was also really yummy and flavorful, it was honestly a meal in itself. The salad dressing was my favorite part, it was packed with a ton of flavor. I also ordered the Ika Maruyaki, which is grilled squid. I enjoyed it because I really like squid, but I would personally add a bit of my own table salt next time to make it perfect. I ordered this meal through pickup and it was ready very promptly. I would definitely order from here again. read more

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Go to neighborhood spot. No frills, fresh food and good selection of sushi at a very fair price. Quick service too - especially for takeout. Haven't eaten in so can't speak to the ambiance. read more

I got take out from here a couple nights ago and it was good sushi! We got the Philadelphia rolled, lobster tempura and the spicy dinner box. The food tasted really fresh and the staff was friendly. I also shared this food with a friend and it was plenty for two people. The restaurant seemed nice too when we went to pick up the food - a little on the casual side but still a good place to sit and eat read more

Ari Sushi - Philadelphia Roll and Lobster Tempura Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a small place with quick and friendly service. Prices are good. For $23 you can get a bento box for dinner! The unagi don bowl was yummy as was the teriyaki salmon. They have sushi dinner specials with three rolls and a salad. They also have some very fancy sounding rolls with fancy prices to match. Place does a lively business and even tho it is small with limited seating don't be put off-they get you in and out quickly. Food is tasty. A nice neighborhood place with a friendly vibe. Give it a try. read more

My husband and I were in NYC and happened to find this great sushi restaurant! The service was really amazing and the sushi was delicious. Great spot! Really recommend. read more

Ari Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Walking in the place fives you your average affordable sushi vibes. The server was nice and very attentive, we ordered apps and sushi, apps came out quick which was good, then the sushi started coming out. As much as I want to say positive things about the sushi, I just can't find it in me. We had about 6 rolls ( 2 dinner combos that comes with 3 rolls each) and from the first bite, it gave a bad taste in my mouth right away. I didn't want to say anything but my buddy felt and tasted the same thing as well. And as I was working (pushing through to eat the sushi) on probably was my 3rd bite, then came a fly that was casually just crawling on the sushi, Thai was pretty much the last straw, the sushi had a weird texture, weird temperature and was just giving us the "we might get sick" vibe. And to which we both just wanted to throw up ( and this was within minutes of eating a few pcs. We asked for the check and barely touched our food. As you can see on the picture, it shows how little we ate. We both walked out do the restaurant feeing very sick and almost throwing up. The lady asked us if we wanted to take it to-go and without hesitation said NO THANK YOU. we just couldn't even look at it anymore. It has now been 4 hours and I'm still very sick to my stomach. read more

Ari Sushi - This is how much we left! We just couldn't take another bite without feeling sick - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I decided to try a new sushi spot for delivery, just for fun, and am so happy I stumbled upon Ari Sushi! I ordered here on Seamless and the delivery was quick and efficient. I decided to try the crispy tuna appetizer. It is spicy tuna on crispy rice and OMG was it amazing! I loved the mix of textures. This is something I would order again and again and again. I also for a spicy salmon roll and the lobster avocado roll. I liked both! They were traditional rolls, but held together well. The fish was fresh and delicious. All in all, this is a great spot for delivery! The crispy tuna app is a must try and you get good quality sushi at a pretty low price! read more

Ari Sushi - Crispy Spicy Tuna Appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Ari Sushi is such a hidden gem! Wasn't expecting much when I came but was happily surprised by how great the sushi rolls were. My boyfriend thought the Spicy Girl and Sleeping Beauty were fantastic -- the fish was super fresh and the flavors were great. They also had a ton of vegetarian options. The avocado roll was solid and the sweet potato tempura roll was perfect (definitely one of the better ones I've had). The place itself is pretty casual (more of a chill lunch/dinner spot than a date night spot) and the service is solid. Definitely planning to make this my go-to sushi spot in the neighborhood! read more

Ari Sushi - Spicy Girl Special Roll Sleeping Beauty Special Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Large portions and excellent service, but the food was a bit bland. We ordered the sashimi and sushi platter, tiger roll, tempura udon, and seaweed salad. read more

Great basic sushi! Ordered on DoorDash and it was ready for pickup in like 10 minutes, so so fast. The yellowtail and special rolls were both delicious and would definitely get again. The tuna avocado roll was good but a little fishier than the other two. If you're looking for good quality, no frills sushi, this place is for you. read more

Ari Sushi - Tuna Avocado Roll, Yellowtail Scallion Roll, Triple Belly Special Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I hate to say this because the sushi was delicious, but... we saw not one but TWO very large cockroaches scuttling around the dining area during business hours as if the room were empty. It was very disruptive to our appetites and made me consider purging after we left. read more

When our primary sushi place went out of business we were left broken hearted. Well, Ari has saved the day and is now our regular weekly indulgence. Fresh sushi and attentive service. Enough said. read more

I had an amazing time here in this cozy restaurant, I found the prices very fair (~$15-25 per person) for NYC. I ordered salmon avocado sushi, miso, and chicken teriyaki, each were respectable portions. As a matter of fact, there was a LOT of chicken for the chicken teriyaki, something very appreciated! For all sushi-loving tourists who visit Times Square, definitely check this place out! read more

Ari Sushi - Chicken Teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Torn between leaving 2 or 3 stars but I'm settling for 2 because the inflated ratings are what caused me to visit in the first place. I'm not sure if there are fake reviews at play or if this place is just frequented by people who don't know what good sushi restaurants are like. The food is decent but not great. Definitely edible, but not even close to impressive, and not authentic. The best way I can describe this place is similar to an average mediocre sushi restaurant in a small flyover city. Spicy tuna in my handroll was like a pureed bright orange fishy mush; all of our nigiri pieces were massive, twice the size they should be - while that might seem like an attractive value proposition, it detracts from the experience of eating it, nigiri should be bite-sized. Fish quality was OK, I don't feel like I'll get sick from it, but again, not impressive at all. Service was fine. Ambiance is like a typical cheap sushi/pan-asian restaurant in any part of the country. It's clean but relatively nondescript with weird vaguely Asian decor like potted bamboo and rice paper parasols hanging from the ceiling. Pop music radio playing. Overall it was cheaper than most other sushi you can find in midtown Manhattan NYC, but not by much - a simple lunch for two with no drinks still cost $80 after tip. I would consider this place if coming with picky eating kids, or maybe to quickly and cheaply satisfy a sushi/japanese craving for those who live in the neighborhood. If you're going on a date or visiting NYC and looking for the best sushi experience for a reasonable price, stay away from this place. There are plenty of options in New York which will leave you far more satisfied for the same price. read more

Ordered crispy tuna and spicy salmon roll for lunch. Spicy salmon roll was decent. Well seasoned. But nothing remarkable. The crunchy tuna roll was very fishy. I don't know why but either the tuna is not fresh or they use oil that previously used to cook fish to fry the rice. A shame. The seasoning was very good tho. 2 stars - need some improvement. read more

Ari Sushi - Crispy Spicy Tuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Great standard sushi place, eat here weekly. The servers and proprietors are incredibly pleasant as well.

This restaurant had great rolls for a great price. My 2 friends and I spent ~$20 each and were very full. The service was great. I love some rolls with avocado so this place was exactly what I needed. All the rolls we got were yummy, but if I had to rank them here's the order: 1. Crazy Salmon - A yummy salmon roll, just like I expected. 2. Times Square - The wasabi tobiko was super good. 3. Mermaid - The only reason it's ranked 3rd is because the veggies kind of overpowered everything else. read more

Ari Sushi - (left to right) Times Square Special Roll, Crazy Salmon Special Roll, Mermaid Special Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I cannot eat scallions & to order anything to replace items already made with scallions there was an up charge of $2 even though the fish being substituted was a less expensive fish. Avoid this place like the plague! read more

Pretty decent value and friendly staff. The sushi is great for the three rolls for $16 (comes with salad and Miso). I would recommend this spot for a quick lunch or delivery. I would approach this spot from a value side. Would visit again! read more

Really enjoyed the sushi here. Prices were decent for the area. The service was good as well. Wish thé décor of the place was a little nicer it would be a good date spot. read more

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This spot just opened up in Hell's Kitchen. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. When I went today they have a 10% off grand opening special. First time I went I got takeout (sushi deluxe) but I've since gone back for dine-in lunch (sushi lunch special) and dinner (chirashi). There's no outdoor dining, but they will occasionally open the front windows completely to ensure good air circulation (unless it's a sweltering heat wave). The prices are very reasonable and they have some good dinner and lunch specials too. The fish selection is great. And everything was fresh and well proportioned (I feel like giant pieces of sushi are always a bad sign). No alcohol yet but they look like they plan to have a modest selection of sake, wine and beer once their liquor license comes in. read more

Ari Sushi - Sushi Deluxe - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here on a weekend for their lunch special but realized it was only for weekdays. Nonetheless the sushi rolls are pretty good, but a little bit pricier. I would come back if I'm ever around the area for their lunch special. read more

Ari Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Terrific place for sushi. Prices are reasonable, menu is extensive (sushi rolls and specialty rolls, sashimi, ramen, bento boxes, etc). When we went they did not have alcohol. Thought that was weird, since they had in their menu a list of about 12 sakis. On a Monday night around 6:30, the place was pretty empty but more people came in as the evening progressed. read more

This is a great neighborhood sushi place ! It's the only place near here that I will go to because it's pretty reasonable and the people are friendly. read more

We got the lunch 3 roll for $18 - California, spicy tuna, and Alaska rolls, plus a spicy salmon roll. All the rolls were super delicious! My fave was Alaskan but they all melted in your mouth and you could tell the ingredients were very fresh. Highly recommended. read more

Great sushi and service is perfect. They are all SO on it. Highly recommend! Ambiance is nice as well.

Definitely one of the hidden sushi gems in NYC! Went here last night and we quickly got seated. I ordered the crazy salmon roll and my boyfriend got the eel roll and the avocado roll. Might I say this is some of the best sushi I've had in awhile and at a very affordable price. Sushi was sooo fresh and the fish were all so buttery and flavorful. Also got the vanilla tempura ice cream at the end and that was life changing. Such a good combo and it was the perfect amount of sweetness!! Definitely coming back again! read more

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I'm visiting from LA and this is my first time in New York. I heard great things about this place and walked quite a distance based on their reviews. However, the service was disappointing. When we arrived, a lady with glasses and a bun approached us without greeting and rudely stated, "We close at 10." I checked the time and it was only 8:30. I asked her again, but she repeated herself in the same rude tone. When I tried to show her the time on my phone, she just walked away without saying anything. This kind of service is unacceptable and does not reflect the positive reviews I read. I hope management addresses this issue to prevent future customers from having a similar experience. This makes me not want to eat here , I did not felt welcome and just wanted to leave. Don't come here. read more

Really great sushi. We picked this place for sushi, because it was near Times Square area, wasn't super expensive and was open later than other options. We very surprised how good it all was! I highly recommend. read more

Be prepared to spend more than wherever you're from, it's New York. Fast, friendly service....had unagi (eel) sashimi, $4.50 for one piece...the sashimi pieces are big as are the tuna, also had tamago (egg), both on rice (nigiri). Wife had a dinner bento box which had a variety of food items, which she enjoyed. Had two large hot sakes ($8 each), bill was over $100, but it was all good. When back in the area, will revisit. read more