I had Sashimi and California rolls here... Excellent taste!! Really good! My only comment why I I'm only giving 3 stars it is because my Tuna and Salmon Sashimi looked like Bacon... Very small and thinly sliced for $4 each (2 pcs per serving). The waitress is very knowledgable and nice tho. I agree with the others too that the place is soo quiet and just plain sit and eat. read more

This place is a hidden gem. The sushi is fantastic. Service is great. Perfect for a snack or a full dinner. Love this spot so much I hesitate to write about it for fear of overcrowding read more

I cannot emphasize enough how this is my favourite sushi place ever, I prefer it to the OG Sasabune on 73rd st. The fish is so fresh and the uni is amazing, but my favorite has to be the blue crab stuffed squid. The staff are amazing, and George will make an omakase out of the sushi you order: serving sushi with a exciting different twist every time. The Hispanic staff are awesome too! I don't live in the city anymore but I have cravings about this place and always make a point to go when I visit. read more

SOOO Good for the price. Almost don't want to write a review so people don't go and take up the small amount of space there. All I can say is ALBACORE!!! read more

This is the best of the best sushi-grade fish in the city at cutthroat prices. Unheard of. I am a sushi and Sasabune expert - and the reviews this place is getting are deplorable. Is it the $250+ omakase you get from the original LA, NY and Honolulu restaurants? NO (and I've been to them all) But the prices you pay are absurdly competitive ($6/roll, $4/nigiri) at this incarnation. If you know good sushi, you can not beat this value for the price. I was SHOCKED at how delicious and fresh the fish was based on the former BS reviews. From what I gather, Kenji (the original LA transplant from Sasabune, who serves up the omakase further uptown at the namesake) buys all the fish for this outpost as well. Basically, he buys in bulk the sushi staples (think tuna, yellowtail and salmon) and this place serves up the extras at discount prices. What you get is the basic (there are no specials, no unagi, no roe, etc) but the quality of the tuna at $6 a roll is absurd. This is a no frills outpost for amazingly fresh fish and a super intimate settings. Don't come expecting Michelin service and setting for these prices and then give it a bad review. They are still the utmost of Japanese service, but this is not a dining experience. It's the best of the best fish at cutthroat prices. Screw the a-holes that reviewed this place on the saltiness of the soy sauce or the ambiance. They were expecting sushi from Cafe Metro - which is ridiculous. Know where you're going and what you're getting. If you want amazing sushi, come here. If you want a song and dance, go elsewhere. read more

My office ordered lunch from this place. Never been there myself, so I can only judge the food and not the service or seating. Thought the sushi was alright. The ginger could have been more potent. The sashimi tasted bland too. Maybe American soy sauce is mild because I tend to dip my whole sushi in it before consuming it but when I dipped a piece in their soy sauce, it was wayyyyyyy too strong. Don't know about you, but I like my soy sauce not taste like a pure salt shaker. read more

Do you love california rolls? Or how about a dragon banana rainbow celebration roll? Oh, you should probably go to Haru then. But if you actually like sashimi and hate the smell of rotting fish, you should go to sasabune express. If I got taken on a first date here I would think, "Why is he taking me somewhere with no atmosphere? The prices are so low, so he's probably cheap...bite... Oh, this is pretty good....slurp... Oh I get it. This guy is smart, but too bad he's so short." Then I would go back without him all the time. In summary, fresh tasty sushi, no frills, friendly sushi chefs. read more

The Sushi is OK. Not as good as Sasabune. The service is rude to the point of being unpleasant. Stay away from the yellow tail. The fluke ia good. They don't have good quality tuna belly. read more

Very good value for money. Limited selections by design, as it's "express" service, but there were several special appetizers available off-menu that were very delicious and creative. read more

I love Sasabune Express! It is a tiny restaurant with few a few tables next to the sushi bar. The staff are down to earth, wonderful, and courteous. The fish is fresh and delicious. I always get the 6 piece sushi and often add more if I want. This is a great place not to be missed. read more

This place is a hidden gem. The food is so fresh and delicious. This is not your typical sushi spot where they charge you 15$ for fancy rolls that all end up tasting the same. No, this place thrives on it's simplicity. The staff is incredibly courteous and the small space atmosphere is cozy. I came here with my fiancé , but would totally come back alone with a book. read more

Wow! Creative sushi with crisp nori at reasonable price. Good ingredients and some unique sauces. Small but charming place. Until now, I'd take out from Katagori only in this neighborhood, but it's really just a grocery. Sesabune is a real find if you like sushi. read more

Anyone giving less than five stars clearly is a sushi eating amateur. These guys are the real deal and the sushi is one of the highest qualities around. Compare it to sushi Yasuda or sushi of gari read more

Amazing. Sat at the bar service was excellent food was outstanding. Loved the flavors and the presentation. Ambience is ... Interesting but good - I think there is elevator music playing ... But the sushi is fantastic read more

It's a five star sushi spot with the cheapest prices I've ever experienced for this high quality of fish. This is for sure the best around the upper east for the price. Order the combination b. Also albacore belly sashimi is a must. And the salmon is unlike most and Scottish instead of Alaskan and you can taste the difference and you'll keep wanting more. Favorite sushi joint on the upper east hands down!! read more

This is probably my favorite hidden gem in NYC. The food is delicious and so fresh. My sister and I always split Party B - the blue crab and salmon are two of our favorites read more

Very good quality fish and very good alternative to the real sasabune which only has omakase and can sometimes be too filling. At sasabune express you can pick different combinations or even choose a la carte and they even sometimes have specials - a lot of which you see in the sasabune omakase. If you are looking for a chill casual setting (it is very quiet) and just want good quality fish - this is the right place. read more

Fish quality is comparable to its uptown place which means its top notch, highest quality in town. Its an amazing bang for your buck when compared to most other sushi joints in town. Its a great little secret for now. read more

I have walked past that place several times and finally decided to get in for dinner...its small and not that noticeable so easy to miss..but it was a great choice. Small cozy comfortable environment , all Japanese style and following Japanese rules. Menu is small compared to other sushi places but adds more authenticity to it: you can get from your safe known sushi rolls to more adventurous delicious options: chef recommendations always a must try! Quality is amazing, from all Japanese places around definitely this one is OUTSTANDING if you are a sushi/sashimi lover that likes the taste of fish. Price, accounting for that quality is good, and tips not accepted per Japanese tradition. Authentic Japanese neighborhood gem! read more

I was so excited to see that this place had a 29 Zagat rating and not-crazy prices. Sadly, I think the Zagat rating is for the actual Sasabune and not the express version, and that it is very deceptive to have the rating in the window. We ordered the special that came with donburi (yellowtail) and 6 nigiri pieces. The yellowtail tasted as if it had been soaking in some vinegar solution for way too long. There was no yellowtail flavor at all, just sort of this weird mushy consistency and weird vinegary flavor. The nigiri pieces were also a let down - with the exception of the tuna, which was ok. Especially meh was the boiled shrimp nigiri, which was very chewy. This is not great sushi. read more

The best sushi at unbeatable prices. The menu is a little limited however they more than make up for it in quality of fish. This is the only place I will go to for sushi from now on. To be fair it is a little awkward sitting there with no noise; however the guys are really friendly and you can tell they love what they do. read more

As part of the Michellin starred Sasabune, one would expect something, but my overall impression was "awkward". Narrow seating in a tiny space (former wine bar), silence (no music), and the menu all seemed awkward. We felt awkward sitting and eating there. These things may improve over time but I was not very happy with the sushi either. The menu seems somewhat limited as well as the fish selection. The sushi chef said they serve the same fish as Sasabune but the nigiris we had didn't taste particularly good or fresh. The rice seemed of lower grade with too much vinegar. It was also awkward they charge for a tea bag of regular green tea. I do not think I will eat there again, at least for a while. There's no delivery, just pick up. read more

High-quality fish at reasonable prices. The prices are the same for lunch and for dinner, so it may tend to be on the spendier side for lunch. Love the quiet, almost zen-like atmosphere. It was snowing on the day I went and there were only 2 other customers in the restaurant, so it was very peaceful. read more

Absolutely phenomenal food and service at the smaller more intimate version of Sasabune. The quality is not lost by coming here. The fish is fresh and well prepared as expected from this quaint but high quality place. The fluke is amazing but certainly try their other fishes. I continue to return for a reason! read more

Great food. The sea urchin sashimi was awesome, and the tuna was really fresh. Only minor problem is that it is so so so eerily quiet, as other reviewers have noticed. read more

I gave a 3 star because the staff was bland, food was ok but the prices are exorbitant for what was served Will not return read more

This place is great if you want A grade sushi for a reasonable price. I must admit though, it was a little awkward sitting there without music. Also, the sushi chef used a little bit too much rice when making my sushi. Other than that, I would come back again. Thanks to Jillian for posting a picture of the menu! read more

Awesome. Little, out of the way place. Freshest fish in town. A la carte as opposed to big sister Sasabune omakase. Can't miss spot. Well worth a visit read more

Whole in the wall but hands down one of my top fav sushi spots in all of nyc! Their spicy blue crab roll is the best and their fluke fin!

This is a great place to sit down and eat sushi. The location is small and meant for take-out (hence, "express") as well as sitting down. There are no bells and whistles in regards to atmosphere and service and that's fine because the food speaks for itself. Service is prompt and the miso soup was good, containing medium sized tofu cubes instead of the tiny variety served at most establishments. The rice bowl topped with eel is delicious and the portion is healthy. There is no brown rice option-for the bowl or sushi-for all those who may want it. The rolls are great and the fish fresh. The salmon is tasty but the blue crab roll-is an experience. Make sure to try it. Don't delay your visit to Sasabune Express. You'll love the texture of the sticky white rice and the freshness of the fish. read more

Take out from this restaurant is incredibly slow - call ahead or be prepared for a 45 min or so wait even on weeknight. Also raised prices recently. No longer a good value. read more

The California roll is my personal favorite, but all of the food there is great. My only complaint is the price, but the quality makes it worth it. All in all, Sasabune express is an amazing restaurant. read more

Last night we were greeted at the host desk with the explanation that the restaurant was at max capacity and they had no more fish. as we stepped aside to make a plan for dinner, a couple walked in, gave their name, the manager looked at an iPad and sat them immediately. when we called earlier we were told no reservations, no call ahead. We go nothing but double-talk from he Manager and were truly offended. The fish may be great but the service from the Manager and the front desk staff stinks like week old fish. read more

I love this place. I go to this place whenever I don't want to throw a lot of money but I still want to have the pure, fresh, authentic sushi and sashimi. The quality of fish was so good, even my husband never liked sushi before, began to fall in love with their sushi. To me, for the money I pay and for the quality of sushi and sashimi I get, it is the best so far I have had. It doesn't have so many choices and the place is a little boring. But still for the money I pay, I am more than happy and no any complains at all. Actually, I find that I prefer their sushi more than Sasabune, I guess because of the rice. read more

The fish was insanely fresh. Me and my boyfriend (who is extremely picky about food) really enjoyed it. The albacore and yellowtail and salmon pieces were out of this world. Everything was simple, but tasted exquisite. read more

This place used to be great when it first opened as a cheaper alternative to their expensive parent. The prices have gone up a lot for a place that is a dump located under the bridge and are now the same as other better quality shops. The fish is not as fresh and they do not bother to season the rice with vinegar which is a basic ingredient in sushi rice.They have a very small variety of fish. I wouldn't be surprised if people start realizing this place is not the good deal it used to be. read more

This place is fabulous and inexpensive! I loved it and was so happy to find it. It is a little hidden and the ambience is nothing to speak about but if you come with friends you can have a great sushi experience and make your own ambience. I had two yellowtail hand rolls, a spicy tuna sushi roll, a Sapporo beer and seaweed salad and walked out of there spending $30 with tip! Go you won't be sorry... read more

I have had okomase sushi for lunch once or twice monthly for the past 4-5 years, when up down mid day. "Trust me" says it all. Very fresh fish the owner/chef selects each morning at 4:00 AM at the fish market. All selections are inventive and beautifully prepared. Only for sushi connoisseurs. read more

This place is excellent, fish is very good quality as is the rice. worth the price. The other reason it's excellent is that it's not crowded even at prime time. Will be returning to this one. read more

This is the "express" version of Sasabune that several gourmands I know very highly recommend. I have not yet had a chance to go there, but this place is the best sushi that I've had so far in NYC. It is also very uncrowded, which I consider a great positive. read more