Sendo
Sushi restaurant · Midtown West ·
Affordable Japanese-quality fish, curated sets, counter seating
Affordable Japanese-quality fish, curated sets, counter seating
"Countering skyrocketing restaurant prices — particularly among omakases — this affordable sushi counter from Tsuyoshi Takahashi is adding a second location in Greenwich Village this fall. The original earned a reputation for one of the city’s most affordable, high-quality omakase experiences, often drawing two-hour waits." - Melissa McCart
"At Sendo, a 12-seat sushi bar hidden up a set of stairs in Koreatown, the sushi glistens. There’s a simple explanation for that—it’s brushed with soy and ponzu—but still, the effect adds to the experience. There’s an eight-nigiri set for $38, but the 16-piece for $50 is a much more gratifying experience. The sturdy, hinged box is packed wall-to-wall with scallop, toro, yellowtail and more." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
"Sendo in Koreatown is modeled after the standing sushi counters in Tokyo, where you can grab a quick bite of sushi for a relatively cheap price. There are actually seats inside this speakeasy-esque sushi bar—and a bit of a wait to get one—but once the eating commences, you can still get out in under 30 minutes. The chefs move quickly through handroll sets of three to six, with base prices ranging from $18-$28. Sendo’s fatty cuts of tuna and salmon rival those at more expensive spots, and you can also add some luxury options like toro taku, scallop, and botan ebi prawn for an extra charge." - neha talreja, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick
"I am tempted to gatekeep such an impressive, well-priced, and high-quality sushi spot, but it undoubtedly belongs on this list. Sendo may look like your classic hand roll bar or omakase counter, but they are anything but. The offering here is simple: a Tokyo-style sushi bar on the second floor of an NYC walkup, masterfully led by Head Chef Kevin Ngo, an alumnus of Sushi Nakazawa and Masa. At the core of Sendo’s mission is speed and affordability—you can walk into this no-reservations spot (go for lunch or their first dinner seating to avoid a long wait) and be in and out in under 30 minutes. Menu items include sets of nigiri and hand rolls for $45 or less, or you can order as many pieces of buttery Otoro as your heart desires à la carte. Everything on Sendo’s small but mighty menu has been meticulously designed to a T, and the craftsmanship here is palatable (literally and figuratively!)—their team went through a 6-month testing period to choose their favorite strain of rice, a smooth and polished short grain from Hokkaido, and then thoughtfully crafted a vinegar to pair best alongside it. While you can likely find this attention to detail in other expensive corners of the NYC sushi scene, no other players have perfected the top-tier reasonably-priced option quite as well as Sendo has. Sendo’s menu is also entirely gluten-free aside from their unagi eel—an incredibly difficult, and appreciated, accommodation to find in the world of sushi. —Emily Adler, associate social media manager"
"Two hundred years before every block of downtown Manhattan featured a sub-$100 omakase joint, sushi was more of a casual street food sold from stalls and carts. Sendo, from a Nakazawa alum, wants to bring that back. Sort of. The restaurant is opening on the second floor of a Nomad building, and it’ll have room for exactly 10 people to stand at a counter. (No chairs in sight.) Expect nigiri, handrolls, chirashi, and sets that range from $30-$50." - bryan kim