Sushi Yasuda
They hand you a sheet of the day's fish when you sit down. Most of the names on it are ones you will not know. Say omakase and about twenty pieces follow, for roughly $100 to $130 before drinks from an undated review.
Why go
The room is spartan, honey-toned wood and bamboo slats and nothing else. Yasuda works classically and skips whatever the city is doing this year. The rice arrives slightly warm and vinegared properly. That is the whole test of a sushi counter. Service is the weak half: The Infatuation was fed two pieces at a time and had to race the first one down before the fish warmed and the rice cooled.2
Order this / avoid
- Order: the uni tasting. The guide's inspector pairs Maine uni against Japanese in the same run of nigiri. It is the cheapest lesson in sourcing this city will give you. Cherrystone clam and sayori with shiso are the other two the inspector names.1
- Avoid: a la carte if you are hungry. The pieces are small, and it takes a lot of them.
What locals & experts say
- MICHELIN Guide, New York 2025 selection:
An experience here depends entirely on the itamae in front of you, as their signature style will guide your meal.
1 - The Infatuation, on the roe:
Possibly the best roe we've ever eaten.
2
Good to know
- Booking: essential.
- Where: two blocks east of Grand Central, so it is the rare serious counter you can reach off a train.
Verdict
should-visit — Sit at the counter and say omakase. Confirm the booking and arrive on time, because this kitchen asks for both and holds you to them. And if a piece stops you, ask for another: The Infatuation did exactly that with the scallop and again with the king salmon.