Sushi Sen-Nin at 33

347-625-1993

30 E 33rd St New York, NY 10016

www.sushisennin.com

view the menu
Raw fish foodies flock to this midtown find for some of the city's freshest sushi.

Categories:

Restaurants, Sushi Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants

Details:

$$$, Dine At The Bar, Local Favorite, Open 7 Days

Bookmark and Share See hours

Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat 4:45pm-10pm; Sun 4:45pm-10pm

Message from Sushi Sen-Nin at 33

Merchant_icon

Welcome to Sushi Sen-Nin, the best sushi restaurant in the exciting city of New York. Sushi Sen-Nin is located on 33rd St. No matter where you are in the city, we are always close at hand. Come to Sushi Sen-Nin and taste the best sushi you?ll ever have. Our Master Chef Matsu has made sushi almost all his life, 25 years, day and night. He carefully selects fish, so you can enjoy the best of the best. To have delicious sushi, freshness is just the beginning. The fish has to be cut quickly and perfectly to hold its taste within. Join us at the sushi bar and order your favorite sushi and watch the chefs skillfully prepare your meal! LUNCH Mon-Fri 11:30am - 3:00pm DINNER Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri 5pm-11pm; Sat 5pm-10pm; Sun 5pm-10pm.

Editorial by Citysearch

The Scene
Though this looks like any other sushi counter, with purple vinyl booths and a koi pond in the small dining room, there are glimpses of superiority. The professional waiters recount the owners' finds at the fish market that morning. The small tatami room is booked most nights with sushi-serious private parties. And prices are high--business lunchers expect $50-plus tabs, and a la carters pay $10-15 per piece.

The Food
The attention to visual details, flavor pairings and freshness are worth the expense. Devotees order seasonal sushi, like fat-streaked Boston blue fin tuna with tartare topping. Platters are budget wise, though no less sublime: each oversized slice comes with a smudge of sauce, from chili-cream for tuna to minty coulis for salmon. The artful rolls, like the two foot long crazy dragon topped with eel, rolled with roe, and layered with tuna and avocado, easily feeds a small family. Cooked dishes, like fried squid and homemade shumai, are run-of-the mill.

Key Points

  • Premium Japanese Cuisine
  • A La Carte Menu
  • Private Parties & Catering

The Inside Scoop

  1. Libations - Not only is the 30-plus sake selection reasonably priced, but the wines by the glass and bottle are well chosen. Try the Lamreaux Riesling from upstate New York, $6 fo $30.
  2. Know Before You Go - Call ahead to reserve the small tatami table room, where squishy pillows and pretty wood accents make for a more charming setting than the nondescript dining room.
  3. Save Money - Unless you ask, you won't get the laminated insert highlighting the sushi and bento box specials for $14.95-$20.

Editorial and merchant content by Citysearch

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Insider Pages Reviews for Sushi Sen-Nin at 33

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excellent sushi - worth every penny

by Iris W. | insider_guru Insider Guru | Rank: 265

My boss treated my office to lunch at Sushi-Sen-Nin as a thankyou for a big client we had just closed. Excellent sushi and kobe beef. Absolutely delectable - very expensive, but for a special indulgence, worth every penny.

Posted 06/09/08 | Report Abuse

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Latest reviews from Citysearch.

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by aznqwest

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Pros: dd

Cons: dd

Posted 06/08/09

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Fantastic Sushi!!

by Bluefin88

Now the person reviewing below me must have some sort of wallet issue because it's common knowledge to order at least 20 dollars. YOU ARE AN IDIOT! 20 dollars is not going to make break ur bank unless ur living on 20 dollars a week. Think before you review!
but I digress.

The sushi is always fresh and the selection varies day to day. Often there are fish selections that are new to me. To many, including myself, selecting my meal is a daunting task and the waiters at Sen-nin are very helpful. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone, anyone looking for a decent meal at a reasonably high price.
Prices go up because of inflation, the staff at restaurants are people too and need to survive, hence prices go up with the cost of living. DUH!
If you'll pay premium for telephones, clothing, television, you should do it for your food as well.

If you don't want to dish out the cash then go to the local corner store, buy prepacked sushi and enjoy the excessive bowel movements to follow and the nasty flavors that accompany the "sushi" sold at those supermarkets.

Thank you Sushi Sen-nin for staying around for so long! I look forward to my next visit!

Pros: Sushi is great, wait staff knows the food well

Cons: wait staff could be more knowledgeable with alcoholic beverages

Posted 02/11/09

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Good sushi, nice restaurant, but fail to warn you of the "20 dollar minimum per person"

by fezirebel

This restaurant was very good looking, they are all welcoming as you come in, and the sushi is very good and fresh. Unfortunately, after already getting our drinks and ordering our sushi, the waiter comes back to let us know we have to have at least a "20 dollar minimum each" which he "forgot" to tell us earlier. We ended up getting another roll of sushi, and it was good, but they should def. warn you about the minimum ahead of time, it was very rude and shady how they threw that in there.

Pros: good, fresh sushi

Cons: minimum amount per person

Posted 12/15/08

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Just Sushi

by amandamor

Sushi Sen-Nin at 33 has been our favorite sushi place in NY for more than 1 years. The menu has gotten fancier over the years. To me, what excel in this restaurant is the quality of their ingredients and how they handle them. Both of the master sushi chefs before and present are some of the best in the country. 5 stars for the sushi and 3.5 stars for the fancy creations

Pros: large menu

Posted 10/03/08

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very classy

by gonzagoesgreen

i would recommended to anyone interested in sushi. The presentation is outrageous. I love sushi and many places in Manhattan are very dissapointing.

Pros: presentation

Posted 09/17/08

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sushi timee

by Hopper78

This quaint little restaurant makes my taste buds happy. The fish tastes fresh to the best of my knowledge, and isn't tough at all. The rolls are simple and not overloaded with rice or sauce. They could have been rolled a little tighter though, as they were falling apart on the plate. "Spicy" is not spicy at all, but sweet with a tiny kick at the end. I especially like the spicy tekka don, or tuna dipped in their spicy sauce, served over rice. Service is really friendly, but it's hard to understand them sometimes when they speak because of their accent. Be patient though, you'll get your food!

Posted 08/14/08

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Excellent Buttery Fish

by sushi_search

I wasn't expecting fish this good. Don't have the over-priced rolls just order sushi and sashimi. Prices are on the high side, especially the kobe beef entree. Overall, very good.

Pros: Succulent Fish

Cons: Pricey

Posted 06/28/07

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Coby

by serbliz

this is a great sashimi place. But I mainly go there for the kobe beef. I had heard about it and seen it on the menus at other restuarants but it is always too expensive to try (usually around $100). But here you can order it for ten bucks and not only taset it (which is great) but also impress your date withou going broke.

Posted 06/25/07

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The BEST SUSHI i've ever had

by jean_gabrielle

I came to this restaurant last week. That was my first time. And i feel really satisfy with all the service and the food that they provided to us. I like the place. We had the house special menu. I think that's call house special for two. It's quite expensive i think but it's worthed. For that kind of price you will get lots of fresh sushi and sashimi. The best i've ever had (after i tried some other japanese restaurant in New York). We also tried a couple piece of the kobe beef wagyu. It's worth for $10 per piece. You can do sushi or sashimi. I'm not suggesting you to have it as rolls. The beef meat is directly imported from Japan. If you read the article i'll bet you will be so surprise by the way they treat them. But you got a good taste of it. :) I recommend you to try their sushi... :)

Posted 03/10/07

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Sushi nirvana!

by judibean

I came here with my husband for an early dinner because it happened to be in his work neighborhood. We were first-timers here and were very hopeful, given the reviews here. We were not disappointed. Between us, we ordered:
- a spicy scallop roll (the best I've had anywhere- what do they put in that sen-nin sauce?)
- young yellowtail (good)
- monkfish pate (great taste- never seen it anywhere
else)
- eel (husband said it rivaled yasuda's in taste and he
would not stop smiling!)
- kin medai (golden eye snapper- delicious)
- madai (snapper- delicious)
- hamachi (yellowtail- good)

The freshness of the fish was refreshing, given the mediocre stuff we've had elsewhere, like at tomoe and ginza. My heart still belongs to yasuda and gari, but I would say this is a close third for the quality of their fish.

My only disappointment was that there was no koi pond in the dining room, unless there was an upstairs, which we didn't see.

-

Pros: Quality fish, elegant surroundings

Cons: Where's the koi pond?

Posted 11/16/06

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Best and Freshest Sushi in Manhattan

by kojikabudo

Every time I travel for Business to New York, I must visit Sushi Sennin. The Fish, the Tuna, the rolls are just magnificently fresh and the best tasting sushi you can ever have. You get to enjoy each piece, bite per bite, making your dining experience an unforgettable one. The specialty rolls are to die for, for not only do they look so beautiful ,they taste so delectable too. One thing I'd recommend is their Aburi Sushi, I've never seen any other Japanese restaurants in Manhattan that has a full service Yakitori Bar and a Magnificent wooden Sushi bar in one place, that's why their Aburi Sushi is by far the best I've had.

I'd occasionally order from their Entree's and my top picks are their Chicken, Chilean Sea Bass and Beef Teriyaki.

Basically, this restaurant is the place to be for after work cocktails or just a meal you'd want to treat yourself to after a long day at work. It can get a little pricey, but I always believe that you get what you pay for. Nothing comes cheap that's really fresh and as excellent as what you can get in this place. I will continue coming to this place and recommending them to my friends.

Pros: Aburi Sushi, Toro, Teriyaki Selections

Posted 10/04/06

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Something Special

by lindsloveslife

The sushi is fresh and the rolls are works of art. It is one of the top sushi restaurants in all of New York City. The waiters are friendly and the service is speedy. Everytime I leave there - I am happy. I actually think about how good the Toro sahimi and ginger dressing salad is for days after I have eaten there. I can't for my next meal there..

Posted 09/26/06

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Avoid this place at all costs!!!

by doodles313

Came here for dinner last night and had the worst meal imaginable. We ordered sushi and various kinds of terriaki. After waiting one hour... our food still hadn't arrived and no one even came around to apologize. Finally after waiting an additional 30 minutes, our three terriakis and sushi arrived. The sushi had excessive rice and the terriakis came with freezing cold vegetables and crunchy rice. Then when we asked to speak to a manager regarding the terrible experience we had just had, we were told he was at the other location and after 5 minutes the assistant manager came over claiming that there was nothing he could do except give us free dessert and mystery shots. When we said that was unacceptable, he didn't care and walked away. We will never go here again!!

Pros: Strong Drinks

Cons: Long Wait for food, cold veggies

Posted 09/13/06

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AVOID!!!

by kimbrrrleee

I went to this restaurant last night and the experience was terrible. First we waited an hour and a half for our food and then the food was horrible. The restaurant has a strange smell and the tables seem like those in a cafeteria. The rolls had way too much rice in them, not to mention brown rice when I never asked for that. The broccoli was cold and the terriyaki chicken looked like that from a fst food restaurant. Also, it took a long time to get drinks. There is not even a manager to complain to. The assistant manager there is useless and offered us nothing besides dessert for our terrible experience. Of course we did not want dessert after that, nor did we want the shots they gave us which tasted like cold medicine.

Posted 09/13/06

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Great bartender

by freedonna

I am their regular customer since when they in the 34st. Now, they have really great place, two tatami room, nice bar with excellent malaysian bartender, maiter'd who always make you smilling. Nice roll, excellent mojito, fresh fish, even over price. It is surprising that the owner is chinese. Anyway, the service need to be improve. Compare to another restaurant with their level, they have low knowledge server and manager. They even don't understand what I was asking.

Pros: Bartender, Sushi, Teriyaki

Cons: Atmosphere, service, parking

Posted 07/05/06

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They moved to a newer, better space on E33rd btwn Madison & Park (south side of street) and are as wonderful as ever!

by nycgirl2002

I hate to review this place only to have people find out about this jewel. However, I will risk it becoming overcrowded to state once and for all that this is my favorite place for sushi in this city after only Sushi of Gari.
Sushi is one of my favorite foods which I could eat pretty much every day and never tire of. However, because of extensive experience, I am also extremely picky and know the good from the great from the really great. Bottom line is that the fish at Sen Nin is always fresh and delicious. I usually get a Sushi or Sashimi Deluxe and they do a similar Gari thing, dress the fresh fish in a little dab of jalapeno tofu sauce or garlic sauce or ponzu sauce such that soy is rarely necessary. This place may not be as out-of-this-world creative as Gari, but for more frequent dining ($30+tax at Sen Nin versus $50+tax at Gari), Sen Nin is a great place. Not to say that it is a cheap eat (I don't ever think I've ever had good experience with cheap fish other than fresh caught and grilled when I'm on a tropical island). Sushi or Sashimi Deluxe sets are rather large portions (not those horrible thick cuts but rather 3-4 pieces of each thing, cut as they should be). At first glance, the specialty rolls might seem a tad steep at ~$30 each, but each roll is basically chock full of an entire Sushi/Sashimi Deluxe-worth of fish and then rolled in roe!
The service is always friendly and the one thing people did not like about the old spot (which was sort of a tacky space) is no longer relevant. This new space is beautiful, with little niches, a yakitori bar in back, a bar in front, and two pretty tatami seating areas for special occasions. I usually opt to drink sake which, despite them having a rather limited selection, has always been solid and enjoyable.
If I had the money to spend $30-$35 on dinner every night, I really would order from here every single night. I can not be happier that they are back downtown and I hope you enjoy your visit there, too!

Pros: delicious food, never overcrowded, friendly service

Cons: I wish I were wealthier in order to eat here more often!

Posted 06/23/06

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Super Fresh, Great Selection, Great Service

by challigan05

My boyfriend and I went on a Friday night after a particularly long day at the office. It was so refreshing to see such a great selection on the menu and in the sushi/sashimi specials, not to mention a huge list of sake! We both had the Chef's Choice Sashimi, which was OUT of this WORLD. Every piece of fish was so fresh, and cut just right so it melted in your mouth. Everything tasted amazing, and I would definitely rate the quality of fish up there with Tomoe and Blue Ribbon. The decor was nice, probably nothing special but certianly not as crowded as some other sushi places where you're practically sitting on top of the table next to you. This place is a bit pricey ($30 for a roll...) so I wouldn't recomment it if you're starving, or you'll rack up quite the bill. But the taste, quality & service, can't be beat. Great find!

Pros: Extremely fresh, great quality, excellent service

Cons: Pricey

Posted 06/18/06

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pretty good but had better

by yukyee69

we tried the omakase for two and were suprised to see so much fish. there was nothing really unique about the fish that was served to us. i didn't think there was anything that outstanding about the fish or the quality, although the fish was very fresh. the chef did put some spicy sauces on the fish which we liked. the sea urchin mixed with salmon roe was heavenly. overall, pretty good, but nothing that special.

Pros: fresh fish, service

Posted 05/10/04

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Unknown Jewel

by mistergourmet

While somewhat expensive, this place very well may have the best sushi in New York. While Nobu may have flashy presentation and atmosphere, this place definitely will give the finest sushi restaurants a run for the money.

Make sure to order a special roll. While pricey ($25+ for the roll), you get amazing presentation and a unique blend of flavors that you can't get elsewhere. Highly recommended for the sushi conoisseur.

Pros: Fresh Fish, Amazing Presentation, Unique Rolls

Cons: Price, Atmosphere

Posted 12/09/03

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NY review

by cdyahng

One of my favorite places to escape the bustle of Manhattan. Reasonable prices considering the quality of the food. Great food, superb service, a pleasant experience every time.

Pros: Great food, Great service, Atmosphere

Cons: Crowded at peak times

Posted 08/02/03

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Sashimi fan?

by ruowen

Sushi Sennin offers the freshest and largest pieces of sashmi. It also has the widest selections I've ever seen in New York. Well, it is good for business lunches since it is quite pricey. Try the tatami room in the back if you have a big group of people.

Pros: Freshness, Large selection

Cons: Expensive, Loud

Posted 04/18/03

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The best Sushi

by j4nd

Have you been in Japan ?. Have you eaten like in Japan which have very fresh fish and so many kind of fish ?. This place is the best sushi which will serve you many special fresh fish with unbelieveable flavour and decoration. My friend who have never eaten raw fish, he like very much.
The fish is very fresh, waiter is so nice, will tell you which is good choice.

Pros: Very fresh, Unbelieveable, Nice service

Cons: Need reservation

Posted 02/08/03

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Speechless

by LongliveLuger

Hands down the best and freshest fish in NYC. Definitely no atmosphere - you go here for the fish. I have been to Yama, Tomoe, Haru, Sushihana, Sushi by Gari, Sushi Samba, Sushi Yasuda, Iso, Blue Ribbon, etc. - none come close on quality, taste or total bill at end of meal. Expensive - but worth every penny.

Pros: Yellowtail, White Salmon, Toro

Cons: Atmosphere

Posted 01/25/03

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Among the best in NYC

by ayeshaider

I eat sushi at least three times a week, and this (along with Tomoe) is one of the best sushi places in town. It's expensive, but the portions are huge and the freshness can't be beat.

Posted 01/17/03

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Rush job

by msr

Good food, but expensive. A $75 lunch for 2 people without drinks is a bit much. Our waitress provided good service. However, after 45 minutes, and without allowing us to finish our post-lunch geen tea, the host rudely appraoched us and asked, "ANYTHING ELSE?" as a none-too-subtle hint to get up and leave. At that price, we did not appreciate being rushed.

Pros: good sushi

Cons: rush you if crowded, expensive

Posted 01/07/03

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Price is not big problem ??

by m4g1c

For Sushi lover, you must come to this restaurant. They sale very fresh Sushi-sashimi which I have never seen. Plus, professional sushi-man who always make nice style and decoration for food. About the waiters, you should enjoy when they make a joke. And don't forget to ask the waiter about the special which they did not write on the menu. Must make reservation.

Pros: very Fresh, quality, nice service

Cons: bad parking, Reservation needed, Noisy

Posted 01/07/03

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Overpriced and Unfair Billing!

by ilonaw

Me and my husband went here for dinner on an average weekday and were incorrectly over-charged for our dinner. We love sushi and realize it is expensive but this place is out of control. Not only are their prices astronomical but they had the nerve to charge us for an extra bottle of sake that we never ordered or drank! When we pointed this out to the manager he did not believe us and took his waiter's side over ours. I recommend to everyone not to waste their time or money at this establishment.

Cons: Expensive, Bad Service

Posted 11/19/02

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Best in New York?

by bestinboston

Unremarkable decor, classic sushi. (The rainbow roll is quite possibly the most beautiful food item I have ever seen.) I am obsessed with sushi and will verify here that Sushi Sen-nin is one of the best New York offers. The wait can be long, but it's worth it--the chefs are making art.

Pros: fresh sushi, good special rolls, fun staff

Cons: expensive, a bit slow

Posted 10/02/02

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great food, bad lunch!

by robardin

The food was excellent with generous portions (having sampled a variety of sushi/sashimi), but I wouldn't go back there for lunch again, at least not on a weekday. I work in midtown and I've been there three times with my wife for lunch, and each time we waited at least forty (40) minutes after giving our orders to get our food!

Pros: excellent quality, nice koi pond

Cons: expensive, food slow to arrive

Posted 09/03/02

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You'd never know it from the outside...

by renhoek

I'd probably walked past this place 20 times without even noticing it before it was recommended to me by a friend. There's definitely nothing special about it when it comes to ambiance, but once the food comes, that won't matter...hands down the best sushi I've ever eaten. Very fresh, excellent presentation, interesting and flavorful sauces and large pieces make Sushi Sen-nin a must try if you're a sushi lover.

Posted 08/16/02

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nothing fishy

by fastpusssycat

Pricey, yes, but worth it, certainly. Fresh selections are prepared beautifully. Portions are large, as well.

Posted 06/08/02

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