Sushi & Grill @ York Street — Restaurant in Sydney

(3.5 stars) Fronted by a little takeaway bar, with quite a surprising view, Sushi & Grill @ York Street is actually a moody little underground restaurant. The restaurant downstairs makes all the nori rolls you see at the counter upstairs, so even if you grab lunch on the run, you can be assured that your sushi hasn’t sat there all day. Pulling up on their al fresco padded banquettes to eat my choice of Three Rolls ($8), I was struck by how nice the view is, taking in the green domed cupolas of the late-nineteenth-century Queen Victoria Building, backed by the tower formerly known as Centrepoint. Each of my selected rolls – salmon and avocado, a California roll, and tofu and vegetable – ate like it had been freshly made, with flexible nori, crisp cucumber, and creamy avocado that hadn’t past its prime.

Downstairs the space is dark and cave-like, warmed up with standard Japanese décor elements, including shoji screens that hive off private dining areas. While there’s no natural light, I imagine in winter it would feel cosy and welcoming. Staff are friendly, eager to please, and quick to apologise when your Sushi and Sashimi Lunch Set ($14.50) goes wrong, with only the 8-piece salmon, tuna and kingfish component arriving. The error is quickly rectified with miso soup, salad and tempura vegetables arriving fairly quickly afterwards.

My low alcohol (4-7%) Lemon Sake ($8) cocktail has a faint limoncello edge without being sharp. It’s a nice, day-time drink against the sashimi, which, once on a busy lunch-hour, edged towards thick and crude, though when I dined later, seemed to right itself. Wasabi here is plentiful and strong, presented in the same proportions whether you order cheap items like Avocado Baby Rolls ($4/6 pieces) or larger ones.

On a subsequent visit I checked out the Mixed Grilled Nigiri ($19.50), let down in arrival by staff not explaining what you will be eating. Taking up most of the width of the table, the long, 9-piece nigiri sushi platter included three pieces of aburi salmon lashed with duelling sauces and studded with chives and orange roe. Each piece is gently kissed with the blow torch, then topped with a unique topping, ranging from a ring of red chilli to black caviar on the barely set scallop, all the way to simple sesame seeds on the nori-wrapped grilled eel.

For something a bit decadent, Uni ($27.50) gives you an arrangement of sea urchin roe sashimi and nigiri sushi pieces with cucumber, radish slices, parsley and roe, served in tangled daikon. It’s a lovely celebration of this premium ingredient that makes for a fancy lunch treat to break up a long day...

My friend and I visit this restaurant once, every week for lunch. We book a table to make sure we get in. Sometimes there are queues around midday. The lunch menu is fairly extensive with Bento vibes and is really good value. The full menu is also available at lunchtime, and an alcohol selection is available as well. House wine, beer and sake are favourites. On our most recent occasion, I ordered the Teriyaki Beef Lunch Set ($22) which consists of well sauced, melt-in-your-mouth tender beef, broccoli, onion, zucchini and a good white rice portion on one plate. A small dish of fresh salad leaves and baby tomatoes, as well as the customary Miso Soup with seaweed is served. This meal is one of my favourites, the succulent beef is a standout. My friend ordered her favourite, Salmon Teriyaki Lunch Set ($23) consisting of some tasty salmon pieces, served with carrot, zucchini, broccoli and a good portion of white rice. She also received the Miso Soup and the fresh garden salad. We usually drink tap water with our meals, due to work rules. I often enjoy the Teriyaki Salmon Lunch Set and I also like to the Teriyaki Tofu Lunch Set, when I don't feel like eating meat. The amount of food in the lunch is quite filling and it tastes great. Service can be quick if they know you are going back to work, so let them know when you sit down. Toilets are available inside the restaurant. Staff are warm friendly and helpful and it is always a pleasure to eat here. Lunch at this restaurant is highly...

Amazing customer service ✅ Awesome ambience ✅ Delicious soba with good garnish ✅ Perfect Winter ❄️ meal ✅✅✅ Recommend booking in advance and not be in a rush!

Korean-run, Japanese izakaya-style restaurant. Great atmosphere in the shop with private-ish tatami-style room (feet under table). Love the decorations around the shop. As lunch time approached and I was desperate for hot soba soup, I'm glad I found this place (5 min walk from Myer, Pitt Street mall). Good tempura soba soup is very difficult to come by in Sydney for some reason! The tempura is not greasy, and soup is not too salty. Not necessarily authentic but perfect for my Winter palette. Wouldn't necessarily come here just for sushi/sashimi but definitely worth a visit if you like hot soba soup 👌

Thank you Sushi & Grill for your hospitality. Can I suggest you add oshiruko to your dessert menu. Another thing very difficult to find in Sydney. I will be...