Sushi 35 West — Restaurant in New York

There are a lot of reviews calling this place a "hidden gem", and maybe that was true a few months ago or more, but I assure you there is nothing hidden about it today. It was PACKED when we went. Mostly grubhub drivers waiting to pick up orders, a couple people picking up their own order to go and a few people waiting to eat at the couple small tables provided.

We came to eat before a concert at MSG; we placed our order at 655 and it came out at just after 730, so about 36 minutes just to get our food which is pretty insane to me for sushi, idk. Luckily we got a table so we were at least able to sit and wait, but there are only three two-person tables, and the other option is standing in the big crowd of people waiting.

I don't know if that wait is just how it always is; I didn't see any other review mention a bad wait so maybe it was just a one-off, I'm not sure, but I wouldn't risk it again. It did stay pretty consistently super-busy the whole ~hour we were there, so I don't think we just hit the post-work rush. I'd have to guess the spot just blew up recently and they don't have enough labor to pump out the amount of orders they're getting.

The sushi itself was definitely amazing. We both got the sushi premium and everything was delicious and super fresh. Not much else to say about that, the rest of the reviews cover it.

The rest of the reviews cover the atmosphere (or lack thereof) as well. I gave it one star but not in a bad way, if that makes sense? It just is what it is. It's a grungy hole in the wall. Nobody is coming here expecting some fine dining experience, so there shouldn't be any surprises there. It is pretty small, so if you do need to wait for your order and aren't able to get a table, expect to be packed into a group of 10+ in a pretty tight area near the door.

All in all the sushi was quite delicious to be sure, but I would not come back without ordering ahead of time. I also wouldn't travel out of my way to come here as there are plenty of other well priced and good quality sushi combos to be found in the city, but I would be perfectly happy ordering ahead of time and picking up if I found myself in midtown for a concert or whatever...

My roommates ex-situationship RAVED about this place before she dumped him, and I actually really trusted her rec because she just seemed like the type to really know her sushi. You know what I mean?

I read it was more geared toward takeout, but I always like to see what the vibe is so I came on a Tuesday at 5pm after a 22k step day.

I initially walked into the wrong building, and the doorman directed me to go "through the smoke shop" to get to Sushi 35 West. "Smoke shop?" I said utterly confused. "Yeah, did I stutter?" he responded with... jk he didn't say that he was hella nice.

I took a right as I entered the smoke shop 2 doors down, and took the stairs up to a charming, tiny space. I felt like I had teleported to Tokyo, as the room consisted of 3 2 seat metal folding tables, a big freezer, and styrofoam boxes filled with Bakka Salmon that had "Sushi 35" scribbled in green marker.

The Japanese know how to utilize a small space like this. I sat down at one of the 2 open tables, and looked at the menu. I went up to the little window where there are 5-6 employees going HAM filling delivery orders and ordered the Sushi Premium, as that's what the ex-situationship said was "much better than Sugarfish."

It consisted of 10 pieces of sushi and a NigeToro Roll. After 9 minutes, they called my name and I grabbed my bag. I opened it there and started going to WORK.

"Much better than Sugarfish" is a stretch tbh, but I can't even lie this sushi was TOP quality. I don't know exactly all the cuts of fish that came in this, but the fatty tuna nigiri was head and shoulders the MVP. My god. It melted in your mouth.

I don't even like beer like that, but began to CRAVE a Sapporo as I do when I have any real authentic Japanese meal. Much to my chagrin, however, they do not serve any alcohol.

This spot and Sushi 295 Mercer are the 2 best sushi restaurants I've had in NYC. They have restored my hope in quality sushi at somewhat affordable prices. Don't even get me started on the industry plant that is omakase.........

Ig @jnov_ Tiktok...

HIDDEN GEM alert for one of the best sushi places in NYC and certainly the best value for high quality sushi you're ever going to encounter. This hidden sushi atelier is located on 35th st W in between 7th and 8th avenues in what I can only describe as a creepy hallway pleasantly furnished with a pair of patio tables and chairs.There is a menu board that stands outside on the sidewalk right in front of the entrance that alerts you to the location. You order through a screen door which can see into the kitchen where the chef and his small team of 3-4 are hard at work creating sushi art. We ordered the Premium Sushi and nigiri set which was ready in about 15min. The set came with uni, salmon, 3 types of Toro, 4 different kinds of white fish, and the tuna sushi. The thing that sets this sushi place a part from other lower end sushi places in the city is the quality - not only do they source high quality tuna and uni but they also present the fish at a temperature that makes the sushi melt in your mouth. Whether it was the o-toro or the salmon, the texture of each bit of sushi was perfectly soft and melty like a sushi symphony. Moreover, the thing that sets this place a part from higher end sushi places is the price - we paid only $40 for something that might've went for $100 at a more esteemed sushi restaurant, which combined with the quality, makes Sushi 35 West one of the best sushi in New york!

*2023 update: we came back for the Royal sushi box and the Premium Nigiri box, which were a bit more expensive than last year but the quality did not miss a beat! The only real difference is that there now is a weed store at the entrance haha Still one of the best sushi...