Great sushi, cool decor, but moderately priced

[lisabnyc]

So I need to go somewhere around $50/head or less w/drinks this Wednesday night with great sushi, but I would like to have some sort of atmosphere and try to stay downtown if at all possible. Any suggestions?

[dugnyc]

i am 100% with you on Ebisu. although sitting inthe back room is a bit nicer i lover the place. its never crowded and has a great selection of many different japenese dishes, not just sushi, sashimi and rolls. their pork belly is awesome

[trudatnyc]

i like EBISU on east 9th street.. check this site for review & more sushi ideas..

http://www.sushinyc.com/show_rest.asp...

[gracey]

I have never had an experience with the other staff there like this, especially with Yuka, who was my favorite waitress.

[Simon]

Hi Gracey...i think i know the waitress you mean: i don't know her name but i think she's sullen with everyone...Yuka is very sweet, and Aki (the very tall, vaguely gothic-looking waitress) is cool too (she has a jaded vibe and subtle sense of humor)...the rude waitress i am thinking of is the one who usually works on the east side room (not the room w/ the sushi chef in it) and she has wavey-ish hair...she's normally scowling and seems like she hates her job (so don't take it personally)...while she hasn't turned me off to the Natori as a whole, i usually sit on the west side room when it's open...hope that helps?...

[gracey]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the info....we probably both mean the same person, and what you've shared definitely makes me feel better. Anyway, you're a sweetheart, I think that I'll do that from now on, but do you know when the west side room is open, though? (I've bookmarked you so that I could look forward to more of your future posts.)

*Also, if I do have that waitress again, what should I tip her? I've been tipping her the "standard" @17% percent. Thanks!

[Simon]

heya...*smiles*...they seem to open the west room whenever the crowd warrants it or whenever they feel like it...sometimes at 7pm, sometimes at 8, some evenings never...

re: tipping, that's a personal choice...if i went to a restaurant that i wasn't planning on returning to and received that kind of passive, gruff, and unhappy service, i'd prob tip 10-15%...but since i go to Natori often and find the other people there delightful, i still tip 15% to our scowling friend...but i tip the other people there 20% or slightly more...

sidenote: i think Natori could drum up more business if they changed the design of *one* of the rooms...it seems silly that mediocre-to-bad places like Go and Kenka 100 yards west of them are always packed while Natori does only moderate business...my idea is that they should change one room into more of a comfy-yet-divey bar space (their appetizers already fit that izakaya vibe) and make it somewhere where you can hang for a drink or two (as opposed to the bright, strictly casual/utilitarian food joint that it is now)...*shrugs*...one idea...

[gracey]

By the way, in a recent trip to Natori, I've found out that waitress' name seems to be "Emi".

[gracey]

I've been a regular of Natori since 1999, but for the past two? years, there has been a waitress there (on the weekends at least) who is generally indifferent or downright rude to me. I used to think that perhaps she didn't like her job, but have realized that it might be because she is uncomfortable with my stutter, i.e. she stands very far away from me, and does not ask me if I ever want anything else. She doesn't treat other customers like this. I am seriously considering not returning, and alerting management. I am a good customer, and tip well. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[ronherzig]

I'm a regular at Cube 63 but my other (more moderately priced) standby is Natori on St. Marks b/t 1st/2nd. I never leave w/out having the Maguro Nuta. Tuna avo. salad is also a fave as well as the pancakes. Spicy tuna roll gets a unique, simple treatment. It's kind of a hole in the wall but I think it's cool. I'm always amazed it doesn't have a line to get in... They have unfiltered sake. cheers. oops, almost forgot. Sui on spring is pretty amazing, esp the room. ask if they have the sesame soup for desert. FYI the booths are way underpadded and most uncomfortable. they feel like benches. The sushi-esque treat that's loved by all is the blackened salmon cubes w/chevre at Good World - 3 Orchard, below Canal.

[small h]

I second Le Miu (and highly recommend the uni shooter). Also check out Sachiko at 25 Clinton Street, a block or so below Houston.

[olayak]

atmosphere is a subjective thing. :) You want fancy or alternative? I would second the cube 63 thing, but know that it is BYOB. There is a great liquor store down the street.

[LJW]

Aki on W. 4th st. The restaurant is tiny but the food is very good and very reasonably priced.

[ronherzig]

good pick. some one of a kind treats.

[jungirl]

LOVE LOVE LOVE aki.

[krhong]

I'd recommend Le Miu on Ave A btw 6th and 7th. The chefs used to work at Nobu and Megu. The $45 omakase is a great deal, but if you want to keep it under $50 with drinks, you can certainly do so if you just get sushi. Fish is superior quality, given the price.

[jonasblank]

Cube 63 (63 Clinton St) has perfectly good sushi, and is BYOB. Omakase menu there is I think $30-35, so you would be well within budget.

[wleatherette]

cube63 is pretty good, but i think it's fairly pricey - our meal for 2 was about $130 incl tax/tip.

[wingman]

what did you guys order! The omakase is only $35 pp for a decent amount of food - even if you get all specalty roles it's tough to get to $130.

[wleatherette]

i know - it seems excessive. wish i'd known that the omakase was $35/pp. basically, their specialty rolls are quite expensive and that's what my friend likes (she did most of the ordering as it's her regular spot). they're also not very large, so you can easily put away a few. then there were a few rounds of soft drinks and the tip. we were sitting at the bar and since my friend knows the chefs it was over 20% (though not insanely over). it all added up.