UOGASHI

"We’re on a perpetual hunt for excellent sushi that doesn’t cost $100-plus a person, so we were excited to check out this East Village spot that does a $75 omakase - and which got some rave reviews elsewhere. Unfortunately, we didn’t love it, and there are much better options in this price range. Because $75 (which is over $100 once you factor in tax, tip, and maybe a drink) is still a lot of money. The omakase does get you a lot of food, but the sushi pieces are weirdly oversized in a way that’s not particularly appealing and the fish variety wasn’t very impressive either. It’s a decent option for a few rolls or pieces a la carte, but it’s not a must-visit. At all. The space is somewhat sanitary-feeling, and has those plasticky wood floors that give the room a bit of a cheap feel. Want to spend between $75 and $100 on some really, really good sushi? Go to Sushi Katsuei, Sushi Dojo, or Tanoshi. Want to spend less, somewhere in the East Village? Try Kanoyama or Hasaki." - Hillary Reinsberg

"There are three omakase options at Uogashi, whose original East Village location burned to the ground in October 2018 and quietly reopened in a new Theater District location in 2019. The restaurant is owned by a Japanese conglomerate that also includes a fish supplier in its holding, which is what allows Uogashi to serve quite high quality fish at a relatively low price point. While the new location isn’t anything fancy decor-wise, the sushi selection makes up for it. Choose from a $95, $135, or $175 omakase; a reservation is required for the last offering." - Lorelei Yang

"For the price and the quality — a platter for $45 to $48 and omakase meals starting at $95 — it gets two stars, the critic writes. Now located at 318 West 51st Street at Eighth Avenue, Uogashi looks less impressive than it did when it was in the East Village, with a “boxy” dining room, and tables “wedged in wherever they would fit,” he writes. Sure, it was good originally, Wells writes, but at the new location, Uogashi is even more remarkable — especially when sushi restaurants are getting so expensive. Highlights include gizzard shad, touched with salt and vinegar, which is “like eating a bite of pickled herring and chasing it with a gulp of very dry, very cold Champagne,” and engawa: Uogashi opened in the East Village in 2017 and gained a reputation for offering affordable, high quality sushi there, with Eater critic Robert Sietsema praising the selection. A fire erupted in its building in last October. Wells points to the pedigree of the chefs behind the counter — former colleagues of Sushi Noz chef Nozomu Abe. Uogashi is ultimately “better than anyone cheaper and cheaper than anyone better,” he writes. Two stars." - Caleb Pershan