The sushi was fresh and delightful. The service was amazing. It's pricey but well worth it.

I walked by and the window decor said no spicy tuna and no California roll when all I was thinking about was a spicy tuna California roll. With crunch, you have to have crunch. And spicy mayo, blasphemy without it. I probably wasn't going to find what I needed here, but I could be persuaded. When you just want a handroll, you need a handroll. Mostly when the pictures of the handrolls on Yelp look great too. That's how everyone does dessert right? It's like an ice cream cone of rice and seafood. We were seated promptly in the private dining room for the dessert round/last call on food. Others at the table watched as the first handroll arrived. Envied by all, I was granted the first bite of the night. When you just want one of my blue crab handrolls slow fed into your mouth. Inviting isn't it? Toro handrolls, too. Followed by a nice sip of sake. Our birthday guest at the table also got a hamachi handroll that I will be thinking about until the next sushi adventure. Time to ride out in our toy bamboo-leaf boat. read more

Sasabune - Blue Crab Roll - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

LOVE - one of my favorite restaurants in NYC - amazing service, amazing ambiance and, most importantly, amazing food! Some of the freshest and best sushi you will get in the area, and, given how high the quality is, it is priced super fairly! could not recommend it more! read more

Went to this restaurant by myself for omakase. My feeling is really 3.5/5 The place I was eating at the sushi counter had countless plates and bowls that were not cleared next to me and I thought for the price I should at least not have to look at them. The omakase was refreshing but had high notes and just ok pieces. Also to note the pieces were served 2 at a time instead of one and not spaced out too much. Blue crab was highlight for me here as well as the ponzu starter. The fish all tasted fresh but the pieces weren't brushed with soy sauce. I think the chef was very nice but very, ery overwhelmed it actually wasn't even enjoyable to watch him. I told him he really needed a second hand at the sushi counter and he said he thought it would be slow due to vacation so he didn't ask the guy to come in and it was a week night. Overall if your in the area there are better options available, but you can try and decide for yourself. read more

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What I like about Sasabune is their ode to authentic Japanese sushi. They only serve High quality, sashimi-grade fish, which is the only way to eat sushi. Slathering Mayo on fish is not only disgusting but it signals that the quality is not worth tasting (frozen/old blahh) and You won't find that in sasabune. It's also family owned & operated by a very friendly Japanese family who make their own sauces and marinades in-house. The ikura shots are delicious and highly recommended. We Had the sashimi omakase for two and the 12 courses were good but not plated for presentation like other restaurants with chef inspired signatures, which they are usually proud of. Overall good food and my kind of spot for fresh fish! read more

It is located on the Upper East side of Manhattan, very quiet spot for lunch or dinner. read more

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I ordered take out from here an everything was very good and the fish was very fresh. I ordered the omakase 12 pieces and each piece was extremely fresh and it had a nice variety. I just wish that the pieces were a little more separated because some of the sauces that were meant to be on one piece got on the others. The omakase also comes with a yellowtail sashimi starter which I thought was just ok. It could have been fresher and the ponzu sauce could have had a little more flavor. However, the blue crab roll that it came with it was amazing. It usually tastes too fishy at other places but this wasn't the case this time at all. The tuna roll was also good. It's worth trying this place even just once. read more

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Sat at the bar & opted for their Omakase. Although it wasn't the BEST sushi I've ever had, it was above average. The servers & chef were quick & friendly. Would I come back again? Yeah, I suppose I wouldn't mind swinging by again. They also have an Omakase to go, btw. read more

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Don't expect much in terms of decor-but you quickly forget about that when you taste the 11 to 12 piece Omakase. Reasonably priced at $120. My favorites being the toro and scallop. Super friendly chef and staff. Many reasonably priced sake options with a variety of sizes. Sapporo, Sapporo Reserve and Sapporo light No California rolls or spicy tuna amateur stuff here. Trust the chef- his apron says so read more

Sasabune - Love this place - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Another great sushi spot on the UES! I opted for the omakasse option and some of my favorites included the albacore, toro, salmon and eel. This omakasse spot has very fresh fish and emphasizes a more traditional flavor that lets you savor and enjoy the fish. The outdoor dining area is great for social distancing and the owners are very nice as well! Will definitely be returning! read more

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Delicious sushi. Was a bit skeptical based on some of the not so positive reviews, so we decided to play it safe and go ala-carte. Vibe was very quiet yet peaceful where you can actually enjoy the meal without having to deal with a party crowd. Tried several items off the menu, Uni/Tuna/Toro/Amberjack/Fluke/Snapper. The black cod sushi was quite the pleasant surprise despite being a fully cooked piece of fish. The hand rolls were also fabulous, we tried the blue crab and toro scallion roll. Overall a very satisfying meal and best part is that gratuity is already included in the price, just like Japan. Hooray !!!! read more

Probably one of the worst omakase experiences I've had. We made reservations to come here on a Saturday night around 8p. First red flag was that there were only about 5 other people who were dining. We got the omakase - priced I think around 120pp. The first few courses were pulled out of the fridge - ie not made to order - which impacted my perception of the food being fresh. Each course wasn't memorable and the sushi chef and staff weren't that friendly throughout our meal. I don't remember each course exactly, but I do remember noting the scallop, uni, blue crab did not taste fresh. We ordered some extra pieces off the omakase menu that weren't memorable. I like going to an omakase spot where the staff helps choose sake pairings for you but we weren't given much explanation and opted for a basic sake. All in all - there are a lot of omakase restaurants in the city that are delicious. Sasabune is not one I'd come back to. read more

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I was looking forward to this place as I've been making the Omakase rotation around the UES. We had the "trust me" Omakase at $135 pp. it was good but nothing spectacular and not worth the sticker price tbh. Other better options around the neighborhood. read more

Simple high quality sushi with top notch staff. We had a group of 5 in the back room with the cool brick wall and ordered Omakase. Discovered new sushi that topped my all time favorites like their blue fin tuna and cod sushi. Pushed my pallette with uni (sea urchin). The service staff first verifies allergies and preferences and the sit back and prep to explore new tastes at the chefs guidance. They told us which to add soy. Would absolutely return. read more

Sasabune - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Sasabune has maintained it's spot as my favorite sushi restaurant in the city for the last 8 years. The quality it delivers is unmatched. I have tried Tanoshi, sugarfish, nobu, you name it. The place is mostly unadorned and very small. It almost feels that their entire focus is mainly on providing the highest quality fish. Each piece they give here melts in your mouth. We got the omakase here for about 90 dollars for Valentine's Day recently. (They have a la carte as well). They gave an assortment of toro (the best), salmon, unagi, scallop, shrimp and so much more. During covid times, I feel they have maybe limited their menu but it was still such high quality and I still left full. They still also take the time and effort to point out which pieces should be eaten with soy sauce and which should not. The also have real freshly grated wasabi and delicious green tea. Currently, they have even built outside stands for customers to dine in. Overall, it's not a place of bells and whistles. Just a place of the best sushi a person can ask for. read more

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Not only is the staff rude the food sucks. Worst rice I ever tasted and the fish is farm fed and not fresh. The rice is actually gross tasting and gave me a stomach ache. I will never come back here. read more

Sasabune - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

We usually get delivery from sushi Noz which is beautifully made and packaged for delivery. We decided to order from here today as this place is fine when we dine in. Got a bunch of pieces and rolls. They have a very limited delivery menu. The rolls were awful! There's almost NO fish on the inside. The rice is so thick it looks like a child made it. The salmon skin looks like soggy discards rather than nicely sliced and crisped like every other sushi restaurant. The toro is so fishy it's inedible! There's literally a quarter inch of rice all the way around each roll. I've see better looking sushi at Whole Foods or Costco. The sushi pieces had the thinnest, tiniest piece of fish on it. When we called to complain, the owner said "so now you will never order here again." I've never seen a restaurant owner take so little pride in what they do. They should be ashamed of the food they put out. Had to throw out the smelly toro. We're praying we don't get sick from the rest of the food! read more

Sasabune - 2 salmon skin roll. $17 each. They have the nerve to put out such poor quality food for that price. - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

$150 per person omakase, including two sashimi plates, 16 nigiri pieces, and two hand rolls. Fish were amazing, fresh, high quality, and they gave you A LOT of food. My two biggest complaints, hence the three stars, are (1) rice was wayyy too warm, I felt like it was at the point that the rice was overtaking the taste of fish. (2) Our waiter, as sweet as he was, was lurking over our shoulders after every plate, and the second we were done eating, he popped out behind us to grab the plate. Not sure at that price point, I'd be back. With that said, I'd say the fish quality is among the top places I've been to. read more

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So it has been some time since I have visited Sasabune. This is in no way your usual sushi restaurant. Their moto is "trust me" and "no spicy tuna". There are no menus and beer, wine, sake, or soda are available. Course by course they give you their offerings of the day. What you will experience is the best sushi not just in NYC but even possibly the best sushi in America. read more

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If you really like authentic Japanese sushi, you should try this place. Their "omakase" which means "trust me" is exceptional. Perfect texture of rice for a fresh seafood on top - it melted away on my tongue. Best sushi place in Manhattan! Trust them! read more

Sasabune - "Trust me" Japanese style. - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Incredible omakase. The fish was incredibly fresh. Wonderful place with excellent service.

A hidden gem indeed! Amongst the myriad of sushi restaurants you'll find in New York, Sasabune is a no frills, authentic sushi restaurant. Their tagline is "no spicy tuna, no california, trust me". Sasabune goes by the omakase only policy, something that I don't see much in NY at all. This caters only to a select group of people and perhaps is the reason why Sasabune doesn't get as much buzz as other places. Anyway, the food! The omakase is a series of courses starting from several types of sashimi, 6-7 courses of sushi, and a hand roll at the end. My bill came out to be a little over $100, which I found to be a great price for the quality of sushi I got! Below is a list of what I ate... not exhaustive because I couldn't remember the names of some of the pieces by the end! Sashimi: Kumamoto oysters Octopus with yuzu kosho Crab wrapped in squid Fresh abalone Orange clam with yuzu kosho Albacore tuna with ponzu and scallion Ankimo Abalone liver Sushi: 2 cuts of bluefin tuna Fluke Red snapper Cooked butterfish Yellowtail Salmon with kelp Uni from catalina islands Ikura Fresh scallop Giant clam Some other kind of clam Spanish mackerel .... and a few other pieces I don't remember Handroll: Blue crab So as you can see... there is a LOT of food! Everything was extremely fresh and served to you 2-3 pieces at a time so you can really savor each piece. Some pieces were served with a sauce already, which was a nice break from the soy sauce drill. My favorites of the night were definitely the oysters, uni, fluke, and clams. Sasabune does shellfish really well! My friend really loved the butterfish, which was also quite delicious! It was two BIG chunks of light and fluffy :) Overall, a great sushi experience! Sasabune is a must go for all sushi lovers! You'll eat a huge variety of different kinds of fish and shellfish. What's there not to love? read more

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-- Extremely overpriced for such mediocre dishes -- For someone who has had the best sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market, Hong Kong, NYC and SF, I can say with no hesitation that this is the worst sushi I've had at this price! Ordered the chef's choice when we went last week. We started with a few seafood pieces (oyster, octopus, abalone, scallop) which are decent and fresh. Moving to the sushi part, it's just disappointment after disappointment. The red tuna is fine while the o-toro is neither fresh nor "fatty". Red snapper, halibut, salmon are worse than average. You can distinctively taste the sourness in the meat. The worst parts are the urchin and salmon roe. Both are just screamingly bad! It smells and almost compelled me to vomit! There is a clear cut between fresh and non-fresh urchin. If the chef of Sasabune is reading this, I DARE you to have a bite at your own urchin and tell me with conscience that this is worth what you are charging! The fact that it's on the upper east side may justify the price but sure as hell does not justify why the dishes is so shitty. Overall huge disappointment. But there is more. A tasting menu featuring sushi is suppose to showcase fish that are less common, yet I see NOTHING uncommon in this menu. If the sushi tastes bad cuz you used some wield-ass fish, that's one thing. To mess up salmon roe and urchin, that's an ATTITUDE problem! For a restaurant featuring authenticity (with all Japanese staff and decent omakase setup), it's so shallow on the inside. You might as well be serving spicy tuna and Californian roll after all. Attaching my standard of 1-5: 5 - so good that you should fly there just to try it. Innovative and delicious. Strong menu overall. 4 - outstanding in its category locally. Would worth up to 1h drive. Strong dishes here and there. 3.5 - great food here and there but unstable quality. Would be a good choice for take-out but definitely not constitute a good date night dinner. 3 - if you come with expectation of 3-star food you won't feel disappointed. Mediocre at best. 2 - subpar food / service. Something might come out to ruin your experience. 1 - no, just no. read more

Updated this review from 2 to 1 star a year later because the experience still haunts me. If you hold any basic standard toward sushi you'll be confused where all those 5 star reviews come from. We had the omakase menu which ended up 136 per person and charged by piece (???). There's no communication about the format through out the process and we ended up with a sashimi appetizer and 13-15 sushi plates. The fish selection was ordinary but ok (a few plates served from the fridge). Anything else is just poor. Why is the rice so warm and the seasoning on the rice is so heavy? It was an unacceptable experience for me to have to drink water to balance out the soy and vinegar. In addition, the rice were falling apart as we picked up the sushi which reflects poor technique of the chef, who looks very inexperienced. read more

Sasabune is sort of the icon on UES. With Zagat ranked it as the best sushi restaurant in the neighborhood and NYT giving it one star, Sasabune definitely has shined in its own way. A tiny sushi bar, four small tables, and that was it. Sasabune is more like a little hole in the wall, yet never underestimate this place based on its size. Chef Takahashi is serving sushi Omakase style, or in another word "trust me". Started with the soy marinated tuna sashimi, I could subtly figure out that Takahashi-san was "sauce-centric". Small appetizer the squid filled with blue crab was nothing but a perfect kickoff to our main course. Contrary to other sushi bars, where tuna was reserved till the end, Sasabune chose to bring it on at first, calling it "the red plate", with blue fin tuna and fatty tuna side by side. "White plate" was brought to our table subsequently, followed by sweet shrimp, scallop, even the miso black cod! First time miso black cod sushi! Oh my god. I would call my uni piece "sushi-of-the-day", fatty, creamy, nutty, and even a bit complex, that is the legit way to conclude my sushi Omakase! A la carte is available upon finishing of the original, yet you will probably be left more than stuffed. It was indeed, as many people described, a bit rushed, if you let them control the speed. Next plate of sushi would be put in front of you once you finished the previous plate. My friend and I decided to slow down by ourselves, so we did not feel too rushed. Order sake, instead of wines, as they do have many interesting sake options on menu. read more

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A sweet little hole in the wall with five star quality sushi and a down to earth aesthetic. It's a very casual establishment but with first class food. We both got an omakase - 10 pieces for $70. A great deal because the pieces are quite generous (large) and all very fresh. Service is also included! Highly recommend this place for a casual, comfortable, first class sushi meal. read more

Ordered for pickup last night and it was probably the best sushi takeout I've ever had. I got the 10 piece omakase, which comes with a cut crab roll as well as edamame - everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. I also got a piece of tamago sushi on the side and it was perfect. Since dining outside isn't possible for so many upscale sushi restaurants, I highly recommend treating yourself to some incredible quality sushi for takeout and supporting Sasabune! They're also offering 15% off all bottles of Sake :) read more

Extremely fresh, authentic sushi with well balanced flavor. I ate there today and had another order of omakase to go. They are well packaged and still taste amazing after a 45 min drive home. read more

Sasabune - Omakase to go (hand roll not pictured) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Definitively gave me food poisoning, so that was fun! Beyond that, the food was extremely mediocre and the service was incredibly awkward... read more

Kinda, Dissappointed. My friend took me here for my Birthday because I wanted omasake. The restaurant bar area is tiny and it feels claustrophobic. The floor is covered in this old green carpet and it's uneven. This place is so quiet, that everyone was whispering. I felt so uncomfortable even taking off my coat cause it seemed like everyone was watching and listening. So the omasake starts and it looks like the most basic slice of fish over mushy wet rice. No art, no decorations, no effort. The fish was flavorless and mushy. So I think after 12 ish pieces the omasake was over and the bill came. $400 plus tip. FOR THAT???? We were sooooo dissappointed and felt so ripped off. I will never ever come back here again. Terrible. read more

I'm going to set aside the sushi. It was good, if expensive. But the back room smells kinda musty. If I'm going to drop 135 dollars a piece for a set sushi meal, I'd like the place to at least smell fresh. Service was fine. read more

Food is great service stunk. The food was phenomenal cant say anything about it. But when we came in there, they gave us a menu and the waiter waited until we chose the most expensive omakase dinner and then as we chose it he looked at us and said sorry guys this isn't the price. Then he looked at the (what I'm guessing) owner and told us it's now $27 more per this plate. While that's not a big deal the unprofessionalism is right there. They could've crossed the old pricing off and put in the correct pricing. We even asked them as a principle to honor the pricing they provided and they said no although they showed us the pricing they were charging before. I also didn't see any other customer receive a menu at all. We still ordered both of the dishes, but that was a major turn off. In a place where you are spending a minimum of $350 plus tip you'd expect a little bit more professionalism. My wife was so turned off that even though the food was exceptional we are looking for other dine in places just not to deal with that level of audacity. The rest of the dinner was great though... read more

Ordered omakase for pickup and it was absolutely delicious. The rice was still warm, fish was perfectly fresh. I was so impressed! Highly recommend! read more

Sasabune - Omakase to-go - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I have been eating lunch with KENJI (the owner)since Sasabune opened, once or twice a month. When in LA I will eat at Sasabune on Wiltshire Blvd in WLA, both when it was at the original location and now in it's present location. KENJI is from Hawaii, mentored at the Origanal Sasabune in WLA and moved to NYC 10-12 years ago. The sushi there is as good as you can get. Very fresh fish he sources himself at 4:30 in the morning at the fish market twice a week. The rice is warm, which is as it should be. It is very simple in its presentation. There are no endowments. If you like fancy, this is not your place. If value best quality, it is. You are a paying guest to have what he wishes to feed you. It is a privilege. Californian living in New York read more

Unpretentious and simply awesome. I hate dressing up - wearing heels and skirts in the snow? Hell no! That being said, Sasabune is a place where you can get fresh and elegant sushi without the formalities. It has a casual and down-to-earth atmosphere. Albeit it is a little small, they make due with what they have. I had the daily special: "Trust Me." Below is a list of some of the notable pieces I had. The TWO STARS of the show: Tuna and Toro (tuna from the belly) - After diving into this set, I became speechless. My friend,, concerned, asked what was wrong and well, I was overwhelmed. I was literally streaming tears of joy. I needed a moment to myself to collect myself to savor every grain of rice, every part of the fish.THAT is how good it was, and I don't know if I can ever be as happy ever again. (Unless of course, I get it again.) Blue Crab Handroll: This is a simple, cylindrical handroll that is packed with rice and hearty chunks of delicious, fresh, 100% crab. It is not to be taken lightly. The quality of this piece is quite high and deserves its place in the omakase order - saving the best for last. Honorable Mentions: Octopus, Abalone, Orange Clam - My friend's mother thought the abalone was amazing. My friend thought the orange clam was delicious. I thought the firmness of the octopus was the most notable. Chances are, you too, will find some serendipity in this plate. Salmon with Kelp - Fresh and distinguished, dressed with a rectangular piece of kelp and sesame seeds. Most of his sushi is presented with simple elegance, that is minimal garnishes and sauce. I like this because it doesn't distract you from the experience of the fish. Yellow tail Belly - Yellow tail, traditionally very firm, shows its soft side here. From the belly of the fish, it is transformed into a buttery masterpiece. Orange Clam, Giant Clam, Scallop - Beware of the clams! My sinuses were immediately cleared after stuffing each in my mouth. The spicy surprise definitely jarred me awake. Scallops were fresh, soft, and delicious! Total Damage was $275 for 2 including tax and tip. Your price may vary since they cut you off when you are full. We didn't order any additional items and I think we got full a dish or two before their regular omakase. We also did not order any beverages. Cry. I wish I was a cow with four stomachs so I could eat more! Conclusively, come here, get happy! read more

Hello 400th! I like my milestones and it's Omakase and 5 stars, so 400th it is! Sasabune is considered one of the top tier Omakases in the city and for good reason. Chef-owner Kenji Takahashi opened up shop in 2006 and truth be told, his restaurant isn't the most popular or the most talked about, but that's OK because his food says everything it needs to say. His restaurant sits 10 at the bar, four tables in the dining room and a side section with a few tables. So when one does Omakase, sitting at the bar is the way to go, it's an experience in itself and you are given the food directly from the chefs themselves, which you should accept with both hands(it's polite in Japan). One of the things that did surprise me was the pace at which everything was served. Once we sat down, the sashimi plate was served and everything after that was bang bang, dish after dish, it was an onslaught of food. This was easily the most pieces of Omakase I have ever had, it was close to 30 pieces of sushi and sashimi, and the most gut bustingly full I have ever been from Omakase. The price for two plus a bottle of Yaegaki Nigori sake, which was excellent, ran about $400, the price of tip is already included in the bill. Also, the service is worth mentioning since it was wonderful, the meal does feel a tad rushed, but our server was quick, efficient and extremely pleasant. P.S- the sushi may induce inappropriate sex noises as was the case with the two guys sitting next to us. lol A few notes about the details, the California rice was a tad on the mushy side and it too easily falls apart at times, it was also warmer than any other sushi rice I ever had. It was also a little surprising to see the items paired together on plates of 3-4, I am used to one by one or maybe 2 on a plate. The home made eel sauce that was dabbed on a few of the pieces was a tad too sweet for me. I thought it was very unique that he makes the soy sauce and the "wasabi sauce" in house, it was a little step but says a lot about his quality control. The food: Omakase plate 1- Norwegian Mackerel(Saba), Octopus(Tako), Santa Barbara Abalone, Orange Clam adductor. The Mackerel was wonderful, super buttery yet not fishy at all. The tako was the most tender and best tako I ever had. The Abalone is a very expensive piece of seafood and while nice, the crunch on it was a little weird. The Orange Clam adductor was amazing, so incredibility tender and flavorful, it seemed like a mini sweet scallop. Omakase Plate 2- Monkfish liver(Ankimo) and Baby Abalone liver. The Ankimo was nice, it was different than any I have ever had before since it was like firm jelly, I am used to a more firm piece. This was really good, but the sauce was too sweet. The abalone liver was weird for me, it was kinda unpleasant actually, prob my least favorite thing of the night. Omakase Plate 3- Stuffed Squid with Blue crab with homemade eel sauce and Miyagi Oysters. I was shocked how much I liked the stuffed squid, the squid was so tender and the blue crab added a nice tender, fatty note. The Oysters were wonderful with a dash of ponzu and scallions. Omakase Plate 4- Med fatty tuna(Chutoro) and Tuna(Maguro). Chutoro was wonderful and perfectly flavored, the maguro was good but a tad sweet for me and the fish was slightly mushy. Omakase Plate 5- Fluke, Red Snapper, Black Snapper. I really enjoyed this plate a lot with the Black Snapper being my favorite. Omakase Plate 6- Albacore Tuna Belly, Whitefish and Japanese Saltwater eel(Anago). The Tuna belly was the only one served cold and it was nice, the White fish was served hot, it was good but not amazing, the Anago was served hot and it was excellent, but the homemade eel sauce was a tad sweet. Omakase Plate 7-Orange Clam, Scallop(Hotate), Giant Clam. Oh the taste of the ocean, the Orange clam was wonderful, the scallop was perfection and the Giant clam was good but a tad too oceanic. Omakase Plate 8- Bonito, Salmon with kelp(Sake) and Spanish Mackerel. The Bonito was good but the fish was a tad mushy, the salmon with kelp was excellent and the Spanish Mackerel was wonderful. Omakase Plate 9- Yellowtail(Hamachi), Amberjack, Salmon Roe(Ikura) and Sea Urchin(Uni). The Hamachi and Amberjack were good, I was surprised that I liked the Ikura because I normally think it's too fishy and the Uni was perfection. Wonderfully creamy and bursting with flavor. Omakase Plate 10- Blue Crab Roll. The nori was perfectly crispy and the taste of the crab was really nice, it did have a tuna fish salad feel to it, but still good. read more

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There's a diminutive but assertively worded sign outside the cramped dining room of Sasabune, "No California Roll. No Spicy Tuna Roll". This level of outward contempt isn't common in the usually reserved Japanese culture, but the commitment to perfection certainly is. Settle up to the counter, order the omakase, and you'll be immediately greeted with your first course, which in this case was a duo of screamingly fresh kumamoto oysters with a ponzu vinaigrette. They'll only give you a moment to relax, perhaps to order a bottle of sake from the limited but well curated menu, before the next course arrives. Before this whirlwind experience of gustatory pleasures is over, you'll have tried at least 17 pieces of sushi, including familiar favorites - salmon, giant clam, fluke and the like, to the exotic, such as monkfish liver, and a whole raw abalone, in all of its oddly crunchy glory. Included in the menu, there's the rare and the dear, such as contentious blue fin tuna, the yawn inducing, such as yellowtail, and the truly decadent, such as a nearly grotesque pile of creamy delicious uni. In the end, your sushi Chef will politely thank you, and ask if you'd care for a second helping of any of his creations. You should oblige and perhaps order another piece of the buttery black cod or that jaw droppingly good uni. Unfortunately he doesn't offer you a moist towel to wipe the silly, well fed grin off your face. On the wall, there's another sign, just as bantam, playful and assertive as the aforementioned. It says, "Today's special: trust me" - and trust me, you should heed that advice. read more

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Once upon a time I took a wonderful trip to Hawaii. It was the first of many to come. I came across a lot of things that I loved on that first trip - one of which was my first experience with Sushi Sasabune. The one in Honolulu was divine - with a respectable sushi master who boasts a simple mantra ... "trust me." The result - some of the most delicious and mouth-watering sushi you can imagine. Fast forward several years and NY finally gets its own Sasabune along with LA and Honolulu. When this place first opened - we immediately checked it out and was blown away by the freshness and quality of the omakase (yes this place is omakase only - you can make individual requests after the course is over). Also do yourself a favor - choose the Japanese omakase. It reflects the true spirit of sushi zen. If you don't like eating exotic fish, or trying new things - seriously don't waste your time or money. Go find a sushi joint that caters to limited palates. Here it is all about tasting the freshest and best fish that is seasonally available. Our most recent visit featured a wonderful selection of various fishes - many I admittedly never even heard of. When I asked about them, the answer was simple - it was the freshest and best seasonal fish available and they were correct. Same goes for the wonderful squid appetizer with fresh oysters. I generally dislike oysters but in the past I always found the ones here to be so fresh and tasty. Luckily I was rewarded with a similar experience. All the other fishes presented to us were incredibly fresh and had a melt-in-your-mouth quality that you only find in top-tier sushi restaurants. They also understand that rice preparation is equally as important in the art of crafting sushi and the mix of perfectly fresh fish and well-prepared rice was ever present during our experience. Even the highlight of the evening for me ... a duo of tuna offerings felt just as good as the other fishes I tried and the cooked butterfish sushi was just divine. As always the meal closed with their signature blue crab hand roll (it's the same in Honolulu as well). When the meal was over, I was very satisfied and pleased to see that the standards haven't fallen at this iconic sushi joint. The sushi chefs also reminded me of the folks in many elite establishments I visited in Tokyo and Osaka. They were very friendly, not overbearing but did strike up a convo with folks at the sushi bar. The staff was also very professional. We did not (and never did) have any issues with making reservations on the phone in all our visits. Again, if you're a true, serious lover of quality sushi and exotic fish offerings, don't hesitate to come here. But if you're all about California rolls and other captain obvious choices, just save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Surprisingly high quality. Excellent value for money. It was through the recommendation of a friend that I got to try this place. I'd heard of this name before but other than that, I'd never had a deep impression. Hence, without any pre-conceived notions, I went to Sasabune on a Friday night for dinner. The restaurant is located nearer to 1st Avenue. The interior decor was nothing to shout about, very plain, functional but also still comfortable. It felt like a regular, low-key neighborhood sushi joint. The restaurant space is split between the main area, which is where the entrance, the sushi bar and some tables are located, and then there is an annex to the main area, which had only table seating. The staff were all Japanese and the service was pleasant and efficient. But oh the food, I tell ya, the food, was quite a different story. The restaurant only serves omakase, ie there is no menu at all, everything is prix fixe and up to the chef to decide. The restaurant however does accommodate food allergies and you may decide at any time to let your waiter know if you have had enough or if you would like to have more of something (not sure what the price differential would be). A generous dish of pickled ginger and wasabi is served right at the start. Everything is served in tiny white plates, enough for just 2 pieces of sushi. Our first course was thin slices of raw albacore tuna, marinated in some oils (perhaps sesame oil) and soy. This was followed by 2 tiny raw oysters marinated probably in some yuzu dressing. 2 pieces of tuna sushi came next. One was dressed with a soy sauce-type marinade and the other was served plain, the two pieces of tuna may have been different cuts as well. I can't recall the exact order/variety thereafter but I definitely remember there was salmon sushi, unagi (tasted like it was freshly-made and not the ready-made, pre-frozen variety) sushi, horse mackerel sushi, hamachi sushi, butterfish sushi and blue crab handroll. Everything was really tasty and perfectly-sized. The butterfish sushi was very memorable, the piece of fish was cooked in a miso-glazed style and placed on sushi rice, the rich buttery, salty-sweet texture of the fish combined with the plain vinegared rice matched perfectly. The albacore tuna starter was also very tasty, although I think most of the taste may have been from the sesame oil marination. The blue crab roll wasn't that great, it was simply crab meat mixed with mayonnaise and presented in a sushi roll; the flavor of the crab meat didn't stand out and there wasn't much texture to it as the crab meat was all mushed up already, but I suppose it was fresh enough. There is no dessert served here and quite frankly, you probably won't need it. I left the restaurant, sans dessert, very full and very satisfied. An observation about the sushi served here is that the sushi rice is usually served up still slightly warm; which may be why the sushi oftentimes fell apart on the journey between the plate and the soy sauce dish. Just a minor inconvenience though, I did enjoy the slight warmness of the rice and the quality of the fish more than made up for it. Another observation is that there's really no need to sit right by the sushi bar as everyone in the restaurant is being served the same thing, unless you are looking for some interaction with the chef or want to know exactly what you're being served before it comes to your table. My check came up to the low $70s (including a nice tip), this was the result of the bill split 4-ways between our party of 4 and included 1 carafe of undistilled sake and one of us had about 3 - 4 less courses. I would totally go back to Sasabune again. read more

Awesome awesome sushi. This is something we randomly came across on the upper east side and I'm so glad we did! Hypes: - Fresh high quality sushi. Took me back to Japan. Insanely good sushi, warmed rice, perfectly vinegared - That wasabi - its a sauce more than just wasabi and it is ahhhhhmazing - People may complain the omokase is priced high - but for the amount of sushi and the freshness, I think its worth it. Waiting to go back until next time! read more