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    Watami Japanese

    4.6 (58 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Damian X.

    The experience was underwhelming overall. Ambience (3/5): Standard setting, nothing particularly memorable. Food (3/5): Sushi was average, texture is off and might not be really fresh. Portion is on the smaller end with thin slices of fish. Value (3/5): Fairly expensive given the quality and portion size. Service (3/5): Slow and unhelpful, with no explanation of the dishes.

    Final toro handrolls that were part of my omakase
    Christina Y.

    The cleanliness and quality of service was what stood out the most to me here. This place is located practically in the heart of Manhattan pretty much right next to Times Square area. It was $80 for the omakase sushi which is standard. I did enjoy every piece of sushi, especially the toro. It was just a bit surprising to me that the rice was not warm compared to other omakase experiences. For that reason, I docked off one star. Otherwise, I had a good experience here. Unsure of how busy it gets because I came to eat pretty early before 12pm.

    Max H.

    This is the Exclusive Sushi Premium from Watami in West Midtown -- $49 before tax, $70 delivered. No soup, but comes with a toro roll. Fish quality? Solid. Toro, uni, hamachi, fluke fin -- fresh and well-seasoned. But the pieces? Tiny. Some of the smallest cuts I've seen at this price point. Presentation was mid, rice came warm. Toro roll slapped, though. Bottom line: if you're gonna charge premium, give premium-sized nigiri. Sushi Noz, 35 West, Sugarfish -- they all get this right. Watami? Not quite. C+ Full breakdown + visuals on my TikTok: @therawreport

    Sweet Heart Roll
    Stefanie A.

    Delicious sushi spot! Very close to 5th ave we worked up an appetite after shopping! The service was amazing and vey attentive. The lady who greeted us at the front was extremely helpful with explaining things I was curious about. We ordered the sushi premium my husband loved it! I ordered the sushi lover roll it was so delicious I wanted a second roll so i got the salmon truffle roll both were delicious and so fresh! It's a very spacious and easy to find!

    Jane L.

    Was staying across the street and stopped in for dinner. The sushi was delicious! It looks much nicer inside than outside.

    Stefanie C.

    My friend found this new-ish spot while searching online, and we decided to give it a try since we were craving sashimi and nigiri but weren't in the mood for an omakase experience. I'm so glad we did--what a fantastic find! We ordered the Sushi Premium Plate, which offers a great variety of nigiri. While you don't get to choose exactly what you'll receive, they're happy to accommodate preferences--big thanks for leaving out the eel for us! We also went for the Sashimi Tasting, along with the Watami Roll and Crazy Girl Roll They offer cocktails, beer, and wine, and though we missed happy hour, it's worth checking out Don't sleep on this place if you're in the area--I'll definitely be back!

    Ashley C.

    I was really surprised that the sushi was so good here. The restaurants overall look doesn't make you think top notch sushi. I only took the plunge after seeing reviews. I would definitely recommend.

    Yellowtail and jalapeño app.

    Service and food quality were very good. Reasonable price and nice ambiance. Quiet. Good for family dinner or a date night. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a break from the overpriced sushi places in Manhattan.

    Rebecca C.

    The fish was high quality for the price but I was bothered because the service was EXTREMELY slow. It took maybe a whole hour to get served my meal - which was the premium sushi set. And then a really long time to pay my bill. I felt the need to stand up and start putting my coat on to get them to take my bill. I did still leave somewhat hungry because the pieces were small.

    A la carte options
    Krystal O.

    Great food! Nice service! Check this place out while in NYC. A friend of mine was talking about sushi earlier in the day. I decided then that I would get some sushi because it's hard to find good seafood where I live. Here are my thoughts: Food (5/5): I ordered so much. And it was ALL good. I ordered the Watami Memoir 2024 which I highly recommend. Each piece was a hit. 9 sushi pieces and one sushi roll. I enjoyed every bite. After finishing the Watami Memoir, I ordered a few pieces a la carte. I was hungry from a day of walking! I had the Miyazaki Gyu Wagyu with Foie Gras, an ebi, and toro sushi pieces. I also ordered the Wagyu toro hand roll. This place isn't cheap but the sushi melts in your mouth. I thoroughly enjoyed my food. Service (5/5): I was indecisive and caused a little confusion and they maintained their professionalism and kindness. The service was great. No complaints! Atmosphere (4/5): the place is clean and unassuming. I suppose for the price I was expecting something more extravagant. I was underwhelmed. And the omakase bar area is not well lit (like maybe a light bulb went out?) So even though I made a reservation to sit there, I opted for table seating. They have so many options to choose from here-- a la carte, a variety of rolls, appetizers, and a few set sushi menus. I highly recommend checking this place out today!

    Giselle P.

    I was really excited to try Watami since it recently opened and I love to explore new restaurants in the city. Yelp has as a "full bar", not true, they don't have liquor license. Very bright, like a cafeteria, and food was ok. Wasn't bad, but not what is expected for the prices. Service was friendly but not great or efficient for an empty place. Im all for supporting local business but they need some adjustments. Plus, our sushi was "luke warm" not cold, not even room temperature. Made us wonder safety since is raw fish. Hope they can make some changes as they can potentially be a good addition to midtown restaurants one day.

    Tuna Roll Spicy Tuna Roll
    Jueling C.

    UM this spot is a hidden gem. They opened recently and the food was delicious. You could tell the quality is good and it was made with love and care. I really appreciated how nice the host was as well. I definitely need to come back to dine in person. Their omakase deals looked pretty good. Place looks very nice and clean as well. Good spot for a last minute reservation or for lunch

    Small unassuming storefront

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    3 months ago

    Ramen was incredible. Sushi was so good would highly recommend. Excited for the lady Gaga roll next time.

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    8 months ago

    Food poisoning from my lunch here. Never again. Ikura was low-quality and seemed coated with old cooking oil.

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    2 years ago

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    Meiyun L.

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    5 months ago

    Food + service was great! Sushi was fresh and the specialty rolls were fantastic. We will be back!

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    7 months ago

    Very small portions. I was surprised at the size because of the cost. I was disappointed with the portion sizes.

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    Tensai - ebi niku udon ($18)

    Tensai

    4.3(56 reviews)
    0.9 miMidtown East

    This is an adorable, cute and cozy little udon shop. Not good for a large group. Some of the best…read moreudon I have had outside of Japan. I highly recommend and cannot wait to visit again.

    I had stopped by this little hole in the wall a handful of times before stopping in several months…read moreago during a cold winter day. The place was pretty quiet, and the staff was friendly. To drink, I had a Hot Organic Super Matcha Tea for 4.95. It was alright tea, and I wish teas were included in the price point, as otherwise, this place feels pretty traditional. In terms of food, I only ordered from the seasonal menu, so I'm not sure how the rest of the dishes are, but from what I had, I would go back for a light traditional meal. My appetizer was the Dashimaki Tamago/だし巻まき卵たま, or sweet savory omelet with daikon for $6.98. This came with three pieces along with a little dollop of grated radish. The pieces had a light sweetness to them along with a bit of savoriness. They were juicy and a bit bouncy while maintaining some softness. This was standard and good. My main dish was the $19.98 Beef Tan Tan Udon, or ground sirloin beef, spicy broth, baby bok choy, kikurage mushroom, scallions, and sesame seeds. While I have preferred udon from spots like Raku, the udon had a mild chew to it, and they were still good. The broth had a mix of sweetness and spiciness with a nice depth of flavor. The vegetables inside tasted fresh, and the meat added some richness. This was good as well. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to go here, but the food was good. If you're in the area and looking for no frills Japanese dining in a more comfortable atmosphere at pretty decent Midtown East prices, I would recommend this place.

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    Tensai
    Tensai - Karaage

    Karaage

    Tensai - Spicy Cucumber $8.98 (Persian cucumber with chili oil, garlic chips and chili thread)

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    Spicy Cucumber $8.98 (Persian cucumber with chili oil, garlic chips and chili thread)

    Katsu-Hama

    Katsu-Hama

    4.0(1.8k reviews)
    0.6 miMidtown East
    $$

    I am a sucker for delicious Katsu and you'll struggle to find better than Katsu-Hama. Katsu-Hama…read morehas a quaint, Japanese vibe in a small but comfortable dining area. It's not especially big, so you may have a bit of a wait if you frequent right at lunch or in the evening but whatever amount of time you have to wait it will be well worth it. Service is top tier but you come for the food. They have a varied menu with a lot of options so if you're bringing a buddy that isn't up for Katsu, they'll have plenty to choose from. The Katsu is the star and I think what sets this place apart is that they offer Berkshire pork katsu as an option. Arguably some of the best pork, it's great to have the option if you're looking to heighten the experience. I love their pork katsu and go nuts over the chicken katsu curry. It's super crispy, slightly greasy but never off-putting. And it's served with the most delicate and delicious cabbage slaw. I could eat a mountain of this it's so good. Highly recommended.

    This place is a bit hard to spot, but it's on the same side of the street as the sorta famous (50…read moreyears +) Phil's Stationery. Katsu-Hama is about two doors to the Left of Phil's, and has minimal, very discreet signage. I got some tonkatsu...I forget the exact type, but it was essentially the most fatty of the tonkatsu offered. It came with cabbage (with a sesame ginger type dressing), daikon radish (with some type of sauce on top), and the standard sauce for the tonkatsu, along with some crushed sesame seed and hot mustard. I'd have to say...the tonkatsu was quite good....not quite as sublime as my favorite tonkatsu place in Tokyo...but still, very, very good. The dish also came with a bowl of miso soup (good, and not overly salty) and a bowl of white rice, which I considered the most disappointing part of the meal. The rice seemed a bit dried out...not moist.... All in all, an excellent meal. I'd definitely come back.

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    Katsu-Hama
    Katsu-Hama - Oyster and katsu

    Oyster and katsu

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    Izakaya MEW - Salmon Carpaccio

    Izakaya MEW

    4.3(3.3k reviews)
    0.1 miMidtown West
    $$

    Honestly, I really enjoyed my time at Izakaya Mew. I love the underground vibe because it gives it…read morethat cozy dim vibe. The servers were pretty attentive and funny, they'd check on us regularly, somehow managing to convince us to get even more items based on what we liked. As a big fan of seafood, I really enjoyed the Scallop Uni Butter Scallop and the Shishamo Fritters. A lot of the items didn't feel heavy which is always a plus with Izakayas, and allowed us to order and try even more items on the menu. Definitely the perfect place to come with a group of friends after work !

    Great tasting food that will surprise. Tried the toro taku crispy rice, it was a recommended item,…read moreand this one surprised me the most. Great variety of textures and taste. The creamy kimchi udon was ok. It didn't feel like one dish, but tasted good. The una don was great. Good sauce and blend of supporting veggies to enhance the taste. Service was super quick. Everything was rapid fire: order taken, food comes out quick, water gets replinished before asking, plates are taken the moment they are finished, and check comes immediately after asking for it. Interior was cramped and loud. Really fitting as many tables as they can in the space. I saw others mentioning to make reservations. I went without one and got lucky. There was a table opening 30 minutes out. Would recommend having one, but you can definitely try walking in. First come first serve basis Overall, solid spot for great tasting food. Great for smaller parties of 2, but expect it to be tight with spacing

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    Izakaya MEW - Dining area

    Dining area

    Izakaya MEW - Volcano Roll and Chikaten Roll

    Volcano Roll and Chikaten Roll

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    Okatte Tanto NY

    Okatte Tanto NY

    4.5(60 reviews)
    0.9 miMidtown East

    Called beforehand on a Friday night for two and seats were ready when we arrived at 8:30pm. Upon…read moreentering, it felt like I teleported to Japan. Many of the clientele are Japanese so we knew we were at an authentic place. We got: - Fried oysters: the batter was light and crispy and oysters piping hot - Vinegared Mackerel w/ Ponzu Sauce: fresh & tangy - Intestines Hotpot: comforting & light despite the fattiness of the intestines - Creamed Mentai Udon: they split it in 2 small bowls for us since we were sharing. Udon had a nice bouncy chew and sauce was not heavy We also got a bottle of sake, and they poured it in a beautiful sake decanter to keep it cold. First time seeing cold sake presented this way which was very cool. We tried Suntory draft beer since that was the only draft they had, which was odd since most Japanese places carry Asahi/Sapporo, definitely not as light as the other two beers I'm used to. Even though I was stuffed by the end, I didn't feel lethargic, everything felt light without compromising flavor. Service was attentive although our udon came at the very end, we thought they had forgot about it.

    There are a few restaurants in NYC that make you feel like you are stepping into a Japan portal,…read moreand Okatte Tanto is no doubt one of those. As you step into the restaurant, you immediately feel a sense of formality and strictness. It's also very quiet in the restaurant, and friendly to solo diners, adding on more to the Japan-esque feel. The food is high quality here, but the portions are small, and it is pricey. I would budget to spend around $100 a person here after tip and tax, if you ignore the prices on the menu and try a variety of things. The tuna from the bone is the most famous dish here, but I was not able to get it as they sell out very fast. But I tried the sashimi and it was high quality -- just that it was not enough food for me. But that makes it more in line with portions back in Japan. They have an extensive sake list and they also have the casual cocktail options like lemon drops you would find in Tokyo. The atmosphere really transports you straight into Japan if that is something you are looking for. Expect to pay a premium for small-ish portions, but at the same time very well-made and authentic food.

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    Okatte Tanto NY
    Okatte Tanto NY
    Okatte Tanto NY

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    Watami Japanese - sushi - Updated May 2026

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