Onigiri Tanakaya

I would not recommend this place. I was craving onigiri after exiting the nearby Barnes & Noble and stopped by this place and I was overall disappointed. I purchased three onigiris, the Shrimp Tempura, Roasted Pork, and Bacon Egg & Cheese. First of all, for an average of $5, I would at least expect these to be warmed up, but no. They sit in odd (and small) shapes waiting for you at the counter, and they just place it and hand it to you. So as people are continuously entering the store and speaking to the workers, all those spit particles are going right over your onigiri. The filling for these were extremely small and all I tasted was rice. I was not sure if this is a small business as to why I only put two stars instead of one, but you may as well take the hassle and go to a nearby Hmart to get your onigiri. Much bigger slices, actually warmed up, and never over $5. Extremely let down. Can still taste the rice in my mouth. Yuck.

Cute little shop with really good onigiri, rolls and snacks. Staff was super friendly. Ikura and truffle egg and cheese. Family enjoyed the mushroom,shrimp and pork.

The sushi rolls are very good here I recommend eating them day of. There’s a wide selection of candy and groceries. The owner is also very sweet

I come here every time I want a simple delicious lunch that's not too filling! 🫶 The onigiri is DELICIOUS- my favorite is the mentai cream cheese. Might take some getting used to if you're used to a crunchier nori, but the freshness and flavor beat every rice ball I've tried in Manhattan.

Onigiri Tanakaya started as a pop-up and now they've opened their first, permanent location in Gramercy. I'm happy to witness their success! They sell onigiri and sashimi style hand rolls (priced around $5 each), along with some Japanese grocery items, snacks and drinks. The onigiri and the hand rolls are made everyday and by hand, which is a plus. During my visit, I tried the California Hand Roll (Imitation Crab, Cucumber and Avocado) and the Spicy Tuna Onigiri. While I loved both, the Spicy Tuna was clearly my favorite as I really enjoyed the spicy kick! They can be a very healthy meal or a quick snack if you're in the area, so definitely check them out!

I used to visit their pop-up on Prince Street, so I’m happy to find out they now have their own storefront. I love their mentai cream cheese onigiri! They offer fresh, handmade onigiri, hand rolls, and spam musubi. They also sell Japanese snacks, drinks, and ingredients.

newly opened cute onigiri cafe! so adorable and very authentic flavors. loved their spicy tuna mayo and mentaiko cream cheese onigiri. the shop is opened by a husband and wife team and the whole space feels very cozy. more in depth review on ig: @jerica.feasts

I’ve been here over five times, and each time I return, it feels like the Onigiri filling gets smaller. Unfortunately, today I ordered the chicken karaage Onigiri and there was practically no chicken inside, just a tiny bit on the outside visible through the wrap.

Onigiri Tanakaya started as a pop-up and now they've opened their first, permanent location in Gramercy. I'm happy to witness their success! They sell onigiri and sashimi style hand rolls (priced around $5 each), along with some Japanese grocery items, snacks and drinks. The onigiri and the hand rolls are made everyday and by hand, which is a plus. During my visit, I tried the California Hand Roll (Imitation Crab, Cucumber and Avocado) and the Spicy Tuna Onigiri. While I loved both, the Spicy Tuna was clearly my favorite as I really enjoyed the spicy kick! They can be a very healthy meal or a quick snack if you're in the area, so definitely check them out!

This quaint little Japanese store opened a while back with a small selection of Japanese goods. They primarily serve onigiri, or in other words, Japanese rice balls, but they also offer sushi. The price selection is a bit higher than at many other stores, but they are made fresh to order, and the quality was pretty good. The closest comparable spot I would say would be Omusubi Gonbei, but I think I slightly prefer the latter as the prices are a tad lower and the quality isn't too different. You can also compare it to Hanamizuki Cafe on the West side (with me also slightly preferring said rice balls there, but this is closer in terms of rating.) The onigiri in general had a nice rice temperature, being not too warm and with a good texture, though it was a bit less flavored rice than some other onigiri I've had. The Spicy Tuna Mayo for $4.99 was very nice in terms of filling, with this being one of the few places where you can honestly taste the good quality tuna. I usually prefer plainer tuna options, but this was tasty. The other one I got was the Ume for $4.59. Ume is short for umeboshi, or sour salted plum, and is one of, if not my favorite onigiri styles, being also one of these traditional ones. This place does it a bit differently in a very tasty way with some shiso on the outside, which adds a pleasant fragrance and texture. There was also another type of flavor in the rice, which added more sourness (possibly ume powder or something similar.) This is a good little specialty shop. They don't make my favorite of anything in particular, but it's a good place to pop in and get a good quality onigiri if you're in the area.

My wife and I love onigiri so when we heard there's a new spot, I knew I had to go. This small hole in the wall is pretty much like any Japanese mart in the city, offering very similar drinks and snacks. The key here is their fresh onigiri and sushi rolls. I picked up 2 spam masubi, spicy tuna and pork onigiri, and yellowtail jalapeno and spicy salmon rolls. They're good. Rice is cooked well and not too much. But would I purposely walk all this way for it, probably not. If I'm in the neighborhood though, I'll be sure to pop in.

Cute place, makes a great stop while on the way to someplace. Service is basic: you go in, pick what you want, ring it up with the cashier, leave. Employees are nice and the food is good. I e gotten the salmon and spicy tuna onigiris a few times. Fresh-tasting, would get again based on flavor. HOWEVER, the size and price of the onigiris are small and high, respectively. I don't know if I'd get these super frequently, but great weekly snacks! Overall, would recommend at least once.

Onigiri Tanakaya has found its permanent spot near Union Station, as this onigiri place was a popular pop-up in SoHo. They offer handmade onigiri and norimaki, and they do get sold out fast, so make sure you get there early! We tried: +the Spicy Tuna Mayo onigiri +the Mentai Cream Cheese onigiri +and, the Karaage Chicken onigiri The onigiri were okay - they were slightly warm, as we had come here a few minutes they had opened; the Mentai Cream Cheese was the least favorite, with the Spicy Tuna Mayo coming second. Both of these were just bland. The Karaage seemed to taste the best out of the three, due to its seasonings. Unfortunately, the rice was just way too much in all, compared to the filling. This family-owned business has an interesting history, from serving to the locals to famous sumo wrestlers! The place itself is bright and clean, with even a little mart that has pre-made maki, drinks, and basic Japanese groceries (chips, curry, etc.). Staff could have been more attentive in terms of who was coming in of the store; there was no greeting or even an interest in offering assistance. +too much rice in onigiri +no service

Cute spot for a snack (expect to spend $5-6 for a handroll or onigiri). It also sells several Japanese packaged goods/drinks/foodstuffs as a mini market.

Am a fan and supporter of this cute little Japanese market! They offer a selection of onigiri and rolls, in addition to a wide range of Japanese snacks, ramens, grocery items and drinks -- plenty of authentic items you can't find in your typical NYC bodega. Relatively reasonable in price and convenient. Limited seating indoors, but useful if I want to scarf down a spam musubi before getting back on 3rd. Gets busy during lunch and when kids get off school but otherwise is never that busy. My inner child loves to pop in whenever I'm in the area!

Service was lovely. Decor is a bit bare and boring. I was hoping the food would be better than it was given the unremarkable location. The chicken onigiri has one chunk of chicken on top for decoration and the rest of the rice ball had what I assume was just a layer of chicken skin given how thin it was. The salmon onigiri had a bad super fishy smell and we didn't take more than 1 bite. We had a few of the handrolls (tuna scallion, spicy tuna avo, and salmon avo) and they were alright if a bit bland.

Dropped in here for a quick bite with a friend. The space is somewhat small with only a few tables to sit at, but this is def a drop in and out type of place. I found it interesting that the handrolls were cold but the onigiri was warm. I would prefer that the handrolls were at room temperature for the rice but it still soft enough. The onigiri def hit the spot with a good rice to stuffing ratio. Would recommend the spicy tuna.

Got the spicy tuna onigiri. Quality: Best I've had in NYC, definitely comparable to ones I ate in Japan taste wise. They nail the rice seasoning and balance of filling to rice ratio. Size: Quite small for the price ~$6 after tax Overall, great quality but a bit overpriced relative to how small it is.

Delightful selection of goods. Things ranging from pantry staples to unique goods one would only find in Japan if not here. Got a karaage chicken onigiri to snack on. Good portion of chicken. Staff are super friendly.

This place has mastered the art of good cooking. Eating globally provides cultural insights. Staff members performed with the excellence this place is known for. I was shocked by how much food they served. This restaurant deserves more recognition.

Nice in-and-out. Small but functional. Self service with a lot of Japanese products. Do check it out.

LOVE THIS PLACE !! Everytime im in NYC i make sure to stop by. Love the new location, so cute and great items !! Very friendly service

I had the Karagge and salmon onigiri, both were extremely salty. This shop is cute and quaint. They even have Japanese/Korean snacks, which are convenient. However, I was disappointed and I will not ever return!

Worst onigiri I've ever tired. Mostly cold flavorless rice with almost no filling and poorly wrapped. The people serving touch the open part of the onigiri with bare hands :|

This shop is amazing - they make the best home style onigiri in Manhattan. The filling goes all the way, which is a sign of dedication.

Went here and initially Google Maps sent me to the Pop up on Prince Street which isn't there anymore. Or at least it wasn't when I went! Cute little store inside. I got an assortment of some Onigiri. The flavors were good but the price is a bit steep considering the size of them. I'm comparing this to Omusubi Gonbei which is much larger. These are maybe a bit bigger than the 7-11's in Japan but those are less than $2.00. They also have a nice selection of rice crackers as well. Different than the ones found at Sunrise or Katagiri. As always its nice to have variety and another Onigiri place in NYC is always a plus!

Lovely service but too expensive for what it is compare to other Onigiri place in the city. Also Onigiri was cold, it should be little warm or room temperature as hand made Onigiri.

Onigiri Tanakaya is one of my fave spots for a hand roll or onigiri! The prices are so good and the food is authentic and so high quality! Loved all the rolls we tried, it was fresh and perfect for a quick meal! Love all the Japanese groceries as well!

I'm a big fan of Onigiri and these do not disappoint. One call out though is that they're a bit overpriced (at $5/each) and really skimp on the filling. So... while they were yummy, I don't think I'd be spending $10 for basically two balls of rice again anytime soon.

Rice was so fluffy and there was a lot of filling. Loved the atmosphere of the shop and the kind service.