Sushi of Gari UES

"You can’t debate the best sushi on the Upper East Side without mentioning Sushi Of Gari, a small spot on 78th Street that's been around since 1997. The omakase here includes what is by now a legendary combination of sautéed tomato over perfectly chilled, buttery salmon. Even if you don’t personally understand what “umami” is supposed to taste like, you will after this bite. All of Sushi Of Gari’s pieces are brushed with sauces, and most are topped with additional garments. If you live in the area or you want to better understand the sushi scene in NYC, spend your money here." - bryan kim, neha talreja, hannah albertine

"Perfect for: Special-occasion sushi with someone who won't eat raw fish Despite the fact that people buy sushi with their bodywash at Walgreens now, your partner is still averse to raw fish. But it’s your birthday damn it, and you do not want to spend it in a strip mall sushi joint that’s lit like an office building, just because they also serve chicken teriyaki. Go to Sushi of Gari on the UES (or their locations in Midtown and Tribeca) instead. There isn't a tile floor or fluorescent in sight, and your companion can choose from various teriyaki, tempura and udon bowls. Meanwhile, you can enjoy a buttery piece of salmon nigiri, topped with seared tomato. " - neha talreja

"Any list of best sushi restaurants on the Upper East Side is incomplete without Sushi of Gari. This small spot has a variety of appetizers and à la carte nigiri and rolls, but the $150 sushi omakase is the best option. It includes what is by now a legendary combination of sautéed tomato over buttery salmon. (This perfect representation of “umami” inspired the similar offering at Sushi Seki.) All the pieces here are brushed with sauces, and most are topped with additional garments. This location is takeout/delivery-only for now. Check their Instagram for updates regarding the return of indoor dining." - hannah albertine, hillary reinsberg, neha talreja, kenny yang

"Salmon Yaki Tomato Sushi This Upper East Side omakase sushi restaurant was first opened by a man named Masatoshi “Gari” Sugio in 1997. While Gari is no longer handing you glorious pieces of fish today, a lot of his original ideas are still incorporated into the omakase experience. The best and most legendary of which consists of a sautéed tomato with sweet onion sauce over perfectly chilled, buttery salmon. It’s the definition of umami in one bite, and the sautéed tomato turns the whole thing into an acidic, hot-cold experience." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, carlo mantuano

"You can’t debate the best sushi on the Upper East Side without mentioning Sushi Of Gari, a small spot on 78th Street that was first opened by a man named Masatoshi “Gari” Sugio in 1997. Especially because the original Sushi Seki chef learned everything from Gari himself. While Chef Gari is no longer handing you glorious pieces of fish today, a lot of his original ideas are still incorporated into the omakase experience. The best and most legendary of which consists of a sauteed tomato over perfectly chilled, buttery salmon. Even if you don’t personally understand what “umami” is supposed to taste like, you will after this bite. The sauteed tomato turns the whole thing into an acidic, hot-cold experience. The tomato piece is one of a handful of absolute stand-outs in the omakase (another is the tuna with tofu), but some of the other pieces are slightly overdressed. All of Sushi Of Gari’s pieces are brushed with sauces, and most are topped with additional garments. For the money you’re paying for an omakase (around $120 for 12-ish pieces), you should be able to taste the quality of the pure fish. You certainly won’t taste anything bad, but you might taste fish sauce and a fried slice of taro instead of the beautiful yellowtail it came with. Is the fish here better than what you’ll get at Seki? We don’t think so. But Sushi Of Gari is the institution that Sushi Seki (and many other notorious omakase places in the city) needed to borrow from in order to achieve greatness. If you live in the area or you want to better understand the omakase scene in NYC, spend your money here. Food Rundown Omakase This is why you come to Sushi Of Gari. Sure, you could go ahead and order pieces a la carte, but it’s going to be more expensive and less incredible than the chef’s selection. The rotation of fish changes every day, and there isn’t necessarily a set number of pieces or fixed price for the omakase experience. Think of it as the wild west of sushi omakase in that respect - but you can expect it’s going to cost well over $100 including tip and tax." - Hannah Albertine