The best sushi in New York: 5 counters the Michelin Guide has awarded stars

New York has more serious sushi counters than most cities can name, and the choice is hard to make from reviews alone. We do not review restaurants ourselves, so this guide uses a single recognized yardstick: stars in The MICHELIN Guide to New York City 2025, the most recent edition we could find. Every place below is listed there as a sushi restaurant.

What the honor means, and what we could not find

The Michelin Guide awards one to three stars to restaurants its inspectors rate for the quality of the food. One star is described as a very good restaurant, two as excellent cooking worth a detour, and three as exceptional cuisine. The 2025 New York guide lists one sushi restaurant at three stars, three at two (Masa, odo and Sushi Noz, the last two being Japanese counters) and many more at one.

The title of the topic we were assigned mentioned the James Beard Awards as well. We looked at coverage of the 2026 James Beard finalists (Resy, amNY) and did not find a New York sushi restaurant among the Best Chef finalists we could read. Those snippets were partial, so we make no claim either way, and we have left the James Beard Awards out of the picks.

Five Michelin-starred sushi counters

1. Sushi Sho: three stars (new in the 2025 guide)

Honor: three Michelin stars, 2025, the only sushi restaurant at that level in the ceremony list. Where: 3 E. 41st St., by the New York Public Library in Midtown. Price level: $$$$, the top tier on Michelin’s page. Reserve: through Tock or by phone, 646-863-2023. Hours per Michelin: Tuesday to Sunday evenings, closed Monday. Note: the restaurant’s Tock page blocked our automated check, so we could confirm its status only from the Michelin listing, which shows no closure notice. Call before you plan a trip around it.

2. Masa: two stars

Honor: two Michelin stars, 2025. Where: The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Circle. Price level: $$$$. Reserve: through the restaurant’s site, which links to Tock, or by phone at 212-823-9807. Its site lists Tuesday to Saturday service with no closure notice. Michelin’s own page text still refers to the restaurant as three-starred in a related article, but the 2025 ceremony list places it at two, which is what we use.

3. Sushi Noz: two stars

Honor: two Michelin stars, 2025. Where: 181 E. 78th St., Upper East Side, between Lexington and Third Avenues. Price level: $$$$; Michelin warns to expect an expensive bill. Reserve: via the booking link on sushinoz.com or by email. The site lists four seatings a day, Monday to Saturday, and shows no closure notice.

4. Noda: one star

Honor: one Michelin star, 2025. Where: 37 W. 20th St., Flatiron area. Price level: $$$$. Reserve: through noda.nyc, which links to Tock. Michelin lists Tuesday to Saturday evenings. Noda’s own hours section was blank when we checked, so confirm dates when you book.

5. Sushi Nakazawa: one star

Honor: one Michelin star, 2025. Where: 23 Commerce St., West Village. Price level: $$$$. Reserve: through Resy, linked from the restaurant’s site. Michelin describes a ten-seat counter and daily service. Its site loaded but gave us little text, so our status check rests on the Michelin listing.

Other sushi restaurants in the same guide

The 2025 ceremony list also gives one star to Jōji, Kosaka, Noz 17, Shion 69 Leonard Street, Shota Omakase, Muku and Yamada, among other Japanese restaurants. We have not verified those for this guide, so we leave details to Michelin.

How to book a counter like these

• Most use Tock, Resy or SevenRooms and ask for payment or a deposit when you book. Read the cancellation terms first.
• Counters are small, so book the week slots open, not the week you want to go.
• Tell the restaurant about allergies when you book, not at the counter.
• Prices are not shown on most of these sites. Michelin’s $$$$ tier is the only price signal we can cite, so check the current menu price on the booking page.

FAQ

Which New York sushi restaurant has the most Michelin stars? Sushi Sho, with three, in the 2025 guide.

Did Masa lose a star? The 2025 ceremony list shows Masa at two stars. Coverage of the guide says it was the longtime three-star holder before the 2025 edition.

Is a star the same as the best meal? No. A star is an inspectors’ rating, and taste is personal. It is a useful filter, not a verdict.

Will the list change? Michelin usually publishes a new New York edition in the fall, so check for a newer list.

Sources: MICHELIN Guide, all the stars in New York City 2025; MICHELIN Guide pages for Sushi Sho, Masa, Sushi Noz, Noda and Sushi Nakazawa. Details were read on the dates of publication and can change. This guide is information, not a review.