The Japanese cuisine has always been seen as the healthier – admittedly often sophisticated – dining choice than your average Italian. Those little rectangles of pure deliciousness always satisfy. There’s no denying it, sushi – whether it’s a plateful of nigiri or unagi – is amazing. Since the cuisine was discovered by the western world nearly 30 years ago, swanky sushi restaurants have been popping up all over New York City.
If you are a spider roll aficionado or if you don’t know your sizzling squid from your sashimi, we’ve done the hard work for you and chosen the most popular sushi eateries in Brooklyn.
Here are the best sushi bars in Brooklyn to snap your chopsticks in:
Katsuei
Sushi Katsuei is a pretty nondescript-looking sushi restaurant in Park Slope – white walls, carpeted floor, plain wood tables. It’s not a divey hole in the wall, but it’s also not the library-type setting of super serious Midtown sushi places. So on the surface, it’s nothing too notable. Sushi Katsuei has an array of affordable omakase selections, a diverse menu, and an extensive assortment of quality sakes.
Ki Sushi
Ki sushi at 122 Smith Street, Brooklyn offers plenty of dining options to choose from, but Ki is this trip’s sushi standout. Low-key and proffering good value, it is also a neighborhood favorite. At lunch, find downtown Brooklyn professionals taking a respite from the day’s proceedings. At night, young couples and families routinely pack the room that brandishes a dim and earthy mien.
Sample an array of cold and hot appetizers like yellowtail tartare with yuzu-ginger vinaigrette or rock shirmp tempura with creamy spicy sauce. Follow this with creative maki, or better, yet, the sushi deluxe platter. The skillfully constructed nigiri lineup features an array of fluke, sea bream, amberjack, and mackerel, as weel as a roll stuffed with lean and deliciously unadulterated tuna.
Geido
This neighborhood Japanese spot has been around since the ’80s, and it seems like not much has changed since then. You can get a big bowl of udon for $6, one of the walls is covered in decades worth of scribbles and paint, and the sushi chefs look like they’ve been bobbing their heads to R&B slow jams while compiling spicy tuna rolls since the dawn of time. There’s never much of a wait, and it’s always packed, so take a seat at the triangular sushi bar, and enjoy the D’Angelo.
Saketumi
Saketumi Asian Bistro is a cornerstone in the Brooklyn community and has been recognized for its outstanding Sushi cuisine, excellent service and friendly staff. This Sushi restaurant is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high quality fresh ingredients.
Hibino
From the outside, Hibino looks like a pretty run-of-the-mill neighborhood sushi joint. Step inside and you’ll discover why there’s often a crowd on the sidewalk waiting for a table: It’s actually one of the city’s best spots for quality, affordable sushi.
The fish is super fresh and well-prepared — even the standard rolls feel like they’ve had a little extra attention paid to them. Sushi excellence aside, the rest of the menu merits attention too, like the small jars of mellow, creamy fresh tofu livened up with grated ginger, scallions, and a soy-dashi sauce. “Hibino” means “daily” in Japanese and parts of the menu do change each day; check their website for today’s selection of obanzai (Kyoto-style small plates), which could include anything from soy-simmered pork belly to a yam-noodle-and-kimchi salad.
