"Tanoshi literally means "fun" in Japanese, but what that actually translates to at this Upper East Side restaurant is just a looser, chattier, less formal-feeling omakase—with no compromise on quality. The BYOB policy, with ice buckets waiting on the counter, definitely helps fuel the lively chatter in Tanoshi’s two narrow dining rooms. So do creative bites, like the indulgent Triple X, with ikura, uni, and a quail egg yolk. The omakase is around $125, and you can add on pieces a la carte too. If it’s your birthday, you’ll get a mini chirashi bowl with a candle in a stemless martini glass." - willa moore, will hartman, allie conti, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah, bryan kim