Blue Ribbon Sushi
New York, NY 10012-3680
Phone: (212) 343-0404
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Between Prince Street and Spring Street
- Directions:
- 1 at Houston St; C, E at Spring St; N, W at Prince St
- Specialties:
- Sushi
- Hours:
- Daily 12pm-2am
Editorial Review for Blue Ribbon Sushi – by Allison Austin
The Scene
It's date-central in the back dining room, where, as the evening wears on, the canoodling gets increasingly less discreet. Seats up front--especially at the sushi bar--are best for those who enjoy watching the swift, masterful movements of the sushi chefs. Since it's a favorite with just about every sushi lover in the city, the restaurant is nearly always packed with everyone from suits to Soho locals dressed in whatever suits their mood.
The Food
Order anything listed on the fresh sheet, even alarming-sounding fish like Japanese horse mackerel--a larger, buttery, less fishy cousin of the ubiquitous sushi standby. Exotic-sounding jellyfish is actually quite tame--rice noodle-like strands tossed in vinegar. The combination sushi plates are the real draw, and, from the salmon to the cod, all the fish is extremely fresh and proportional. There are numerous creative rolls to fill up on as well.
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Insider Tips
The ExtrasThe Brothers Bromberg also own Blue Ribbon Bakery and Blue Ribbon, a popular late-night hangout (food is served until 4am) for chefs and insomniacs.
User Reviews for Blue Ribbon Sushi
09/04/2008 Posted by CoyOctober
I've been to many sushi places and blue ribbon did not live up to the hype. This small cozy sushi hut doesn't take reservations (which, in NYC I hear is a sign that the restaurant is really good). The wait on a Tuesday night for 2 people was about 20 minutes. The waiter tried to be really helpful but it didn't help when he forgot to serve our appetizers. Our main course arrived and when asked about the appetizers the waiter apologized and sent them after we were done with our dinner. (no charge of course, but I'd like to have my dumplings before the sushi, not when I'm getting ready to eat desert). The sushi was good, the rolls were nothing special. The eel was fresh and so was the shrimp, but again- nothing special. I've had sushi that tastes exactly the same way in other restaurants and I don't think I would make a special trip out to Blue Ribbon again. not worth the wait, or the money for that matter.
06/26/2008 Posted by chiway
Blue Ribbon Sushi successfully appeals to the commonly inept sushi palette of American diners. It caters to unrefined tastes with menu items such as their insulting 21 dollar Blue Ribbon lobster roll. The thoughtlessly mundane and bland combination of rice, seaweed, lobster, caviar, and shiso is one where the whole is, at best, only equal to the sum of its parts. Most offensive is their failure to offer proper sushi bar service (piece by piece). It must be noted, however, the fish is of the finest quality, but that only makes it that much more heartbreaking when an avid sushi eater can't get served omakase directly from the chef, but instead, only through the quality and enjoyment mitigating middle-man, the waiter. Sushi cooking ability of the chefs (by this I mean how the rice is seasoned and composed and how fish is cut) is above average, but nothing memorable. Blue Ribbon tries to get away with its lack of sushi knowledge by buying only top-quality fish but fails to present a product whose potential is maximized. If you want to spend $100/person for sushi, go sit at the sushi bar of Yasuda (traditional), Gari (innovative), or Jewel Bako (in-between).
Pros: top-quality fish, decent cooking
Cons: no piece by piece service, high prices
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