Sushi Aozora, translating to “blue sky” in Japanese, is the kind of omakase I want to gatekeep but won’t. In a city crowded with omakase counters, it distinguishes itself with the highest quality fish, perhaps some of the finest and fattiest I’ve had in New York. Tucked in the heart of Union Square, just steps from the subway, Aozora keeps things focused and unfussy. With only two nightly seatings at 5:30 PM and 7:45 PM, the 16-course experience delivers a Michelin-caliber meal for $165. There’s no fluff here, no grand welcome, no lengthy explanations, not even a menu. You sit down, and the omakase simply begins.
The Inside
Sushi Aozora isn’t an Instagram spot, but it is a spot that nails down all the details. The counter seating is spacious, sparing diners the elbow-to-elbow closeness common at most omakases in the city, while still keeping everyone close enough for easy conversation and the occasional shared nod of sushi approval. The room itself is intentionally mimimal: simple walls, understated cutlery, and little to distract from what matters most; the fish being prepared directly in front of you. And while the atmosphere is decidedly no-frills, thoughtful touches remain. Case in point: a heated toilet with bidet, just like the ones you’d find in Japan.
The Chef
Helmed by veteran sushi chef Ben Chan, Sushi Aozora is guided by the belief that great sushi isn’t only about technique, but rather about giving each ingredient its moment. Chan has been shaping his craft with dedication for more than two decades. His journey began at just sixteen in Hong Kong, inspired by the Japanese manga Shota no Sushi, which sparked a deep respect for the precision and patience behind the art form (we’ve written about another chef inspired by the same manga before. Clearly, it leaves a mark.) Chan moved to New York in 2002, spending the next 20 years refining his skills at renowned Japanese restaurants, including O Ya and Sushi Ishikawa, to name a few.
We visited during a six-week pop-up led by longtime collaborator, chef Gang, when the restaurant offered an intimate 18-course omakase limited to just six seats per night. Around the room, other guests explored the à la carte menu or settled into the standard 16-course tasting. At our counter, wedged between a hoodie-clad Parisian tourist and a financier in a perfectly tailored suit, the six of us traded stories and sat impressed at the rarity of scoring a Friday-night reservation at a 6-seat counter.
Chan moved through the room with an easy warmth – curious, and quick to raise a glass of sake with guests. It was a reminder that, at its best, sushi is as much about connection as it is about craft.
The 18-Course Tasting
If you think of the evening in arcs, the 18-course omakase moves from delicate to oily, from rich to cooked, before landing somewhere between gentle and restorative. Ingredients are sourced everywhere from Japan’s Toyosu Market to New York’s Union Square Greenmarket, reflecting Chef Chan’s globally minded approach.
We kicked the night off with five appetizers, each plated with quiet precision. There’s no rhyme or reason with the flow of courses here, and that’s part of the experience. Uni, often saved for later, appears early on as the second course, sitting atop clarified and diffused Aoriika, better known as bigfin reef squid. Japanese cod roe follows soon after, another intentional departure from the usual rhythm.
Being a Chinese native, we were especially drawn to several of chef Gang’s Chinese-influenced delicacies. A crab prepared over mochi rice was a nod to his hometown in the Fujian province, while a course of monkfish liver paired with octopus was accented with oolong tea sourced directly from the same region.
The miso soup made with amadai (Japanese tilefish) and clam broth arrived warm yet and wildly complex. Luxurious interludes kept us wow-ed like a Toro Lobster Tart topped with caviar and gold flakes, and multiple generous helpings of uni.
Then came 12 courses of sushi. Every cut of the knife felt almost choreographed, and somewhere along the way, it became impossible to keep count of the nigiri. The progression moved from pristine snapper to cooked sea eel, gizzard shad, and impressively fatty cuts of tuna. A precise layer of wasabi was tucked beneath each slice of fish before it was placed atop impeccably cooked rice. Cubes of ginger appeared as a palate cleanser, while Chan glanced up repeatedly, catching our raised eyebrows and shared nods of approval from over the counter.
The night winds down with a bouncy sliver of Tamago (a sweet, grilled omelette), infused with Kinmen kaoliang and caramel, followed by Hojija ice cream and Basque cheesecake, finished with a splash of Nikkai whiskey poured on top.
Where flashier counters and theatrical omakase earn their predictable accolades across Manhattan, Sushi Aozora returns omakase to its purest form. Much like a clear blue sky, the experience is light, calm and refreshingly unobstructed.
Sushi Aozora
15 East 15th Street, New York, NY
Hours: Tuesday–Thursday: 5:30 PM – 11:00 PM | Friday–Saturday: 5:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Website
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