Nobu Next Door

Better than any cheap sushi buffet. It is expensive but it only makes you savour the dishes even more. You won't get anything like it any where else. and the crowd is cool too.

PROS: Classy, tasty and lovely to look at
CONS: Expensive but you pay for what you get

With all the hype surrounding Nobu, I had to experience it for myself. Nobu is owned by the Drew Nieporent-Robert De Niro restaurant syndicate, making it a major celebrity hot spot. It's supposed to be one of the best Japanese rstaurants in NYC -- but I have to say that it is overrated. I went with another friend for dinner, and we ordered all of their signature dishes (black cod marinated in miso, squid "pasta", toro tartar, rock shrimp tempura, etc.), and some sashimi/sushi. The dishes were all good, but not amazing. I may be spoiled when it comes to Japanese food since I've lived in CA most of my life, but Nobu wasn't all that impressive. We were stuffed at the end of the meal, and spent about $80 per person. I think we could've eaten the same meal for half the price on the west coast. That being said though, the service was excellent, and the restaurant decor is really nice -- "trendy" but not overly so, and relaxing. I don't regret going there, because it is a must-try restaurant, but I doubt I will go back again (unless someone else is paying!!). They have three omakase options at different prices, starting at $80 and up. We passed up on that because we primarily wanted "hot" dishes -- but maybe the chef's omakase is much more impressive. Getting reservations at Nobu are a pain -- you have to call one-month in advance of the day you'd like to go, and you will probably get the busy signal a bunch of times before you actually get through. For a cheaper alternative to Nobu, try Nobu Next Door -- they don't take reservations though, so you may be waiting for a while.

PROS: Excellent service; nice, quiet atmosphere; pretty good food
CONS: Overrated; can be a bit pricey