Sushi Seki

"Sushi Seki is known, first and foremost, for their brilliant nigiri mash-ups: things like tuna with tofu sauce, salmon with sauteed tomato, and red snapper topped with sea salt, which turns out to be a more thrilling combination than you’d think. We also like Sushi Seki because it looks expensive (and kind of is), but the atmosphere is unpretentious and fun. At prime dinnertime, the small dining room gets packed and you might be scooting your chair back and forth constantly to let the waitstaff through. But no one really cares. The lively crowd is too busy throwing back sake and laughing." - willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman, sonal shah

"The most luxurious of sushiyas tend to be very minimalist, serving nigiri with little to no toppings and strict one-stroke soy sauce policies. We’ve spent many dollars at these spots thinking very deeply about the brine on our uni. But when we want to have fun, we go to Sushi Seki. Sushi Seki doesn’t shy away from fun toppings, but their pieces don't go into truffle overload either. For the ideal experience, order some of their special pieces, or go for one of the omakase options ($120-$180). Must-orders include the fatty tuna with pickled radish and the longtime fan favorite salmon with seared tomato. Seki is packed any night of the week, so you can throw back sake in a lively scene and speak at whatever volume you’d like." - bryan kim, neha talreja, hannah albertine, will hartman

"Sushi Seki offers a la carte and omakase menus with all the classic rolls, sushi, and sashimi represented. It’s considered one of the area’s better and more affordable sushi spots in a city swimming with $400 omakase experiences. The restaurant has two other locations, Chelsea and Times Square, but this is the original outpost." - Eater Staff

"The most luxurious of sushiyas tend to be very minimalist, serving nigiri with little to no toppings and strict one-stroke soy sauce policies. We’ve spent many dollars at these spots thinking very deeply about the brine on our uni. But when we want to have fun, we come here. Seki doesn’t shy away from interesting toppings—but their pieces don't go into truffle overload. Must-orders include the fatty tuna with pickled radish and longtime fan favorite salmon with butter-seared tomato. This place is packed every night of the week, so you can throw back sake in a lively scene and talk as loud as you want." - hannah albertine, hillary reinsberg, neha talreja, kenny yang

"Seki is our favorite sushi spot on the Upper East Side because the high-quality fish isn’t drowned out by sauce and accouterments, and you can always expect a late-night scene. Even on their outdoor dining set-up on the 1st Avenue sidewalk, you’ll see a full cast of characters here, including people who have lived in the neighborhood for thirty years and sleepy chefs eating on their days off. If you don’t want the omakase experience, order the $52 special, which comes with nine pieces and a handroll and will give you a sense of their all-time greatest pieces. If you’re closer to Chelsea than the UES, Sushi Seki’s location there is also open for outdoor dining." - hannah albertine