Noz Market

Should You Book Noz Market?

If you have been to Noz Market once, the question on a return visit is not whether the sushi holds up; it does; but whether the format still fits what you need. Noz Market is a compact, chef-driven sushi spot on the Upper East Side at 1374 Third Avenue, run by chef Nozumo Abe. It earned a spot on the Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in North America list in both 2024 (#364) and 2025 (#336), moving up the rankings year over year. That trajectory matters: it signals a kitchen that is tightening, not coasting. For Upper East Side residents or visitors staying in the neighbourhood, this is the kind of place worth revisiting on a regular rotation rather than reserving only for special occasions.

What Makes Noz Market Worth Returning To

The Upper East Side is not short of solid Japanese options, but a venue with back-to-back Opinionated About Dining recognition in a neighbourhood that leans more toward reliable than ambitious is a meaningful distinction. Noz Market fills a specific gap: serious sushi technique without the downtown trek. If your first visit was a quick lunch, a return trip that stretches into the evening will give you a different read on the room and the menu's range. The space itself rewards attention on a second look, the counter format, common to the leading sushi-focused rooms in the city, keeps the visual focus exactly where it should be: on the chef's hands and the fish in front of you.

For regular diners, the consistency of a counter-style operation like this is part of the draw. You are not chasing a rotating parade of guest chefs or seasonal concept shifts. The value here is in watching the same kitchen refine its work over time. Chef Abe's approach is precise enough to warrant multiple visits before you feel you have fully mapped what the kitchen can do. Compare that to Sushi Sho, where securing a seat at all is the primary challenge, or Joji, which pitches itself at a higher price point and a more formal register. Noz Market sits in a more accessible tier without giving up the technical seriousness that makes the category worth engaging.

If you are comparing across the city's sushi options, Shion 69 Leonard Street is operating at a higher level of ambition downtown, Bar Masa offers a more approachable entry point into the Masa ecosystem. For something more casual, Blue Ribbon Sushi is the late-night fallback across town. Noz Market sits between those poles: more serious than Blue Ribbon, more accessible than Shion or Joji, grounded in a neighbourhood that actually needs what it offers.

Practical Details

Hours: Monday through Saturday 12–9 pm; Sunday 12–8:30 pm. Reservations: Booking is rated Easy, this is one of the more accessible sushi counters at this recognition level in New York City, which makes it a smart pick when downtown omakase rooms are locked out weeks in advance. Dress: No dress code is specified, but the counter format and OAD recognition suggest smart casual is appropriate. Budget: Pricing is not publicly listed, but the style and accolades place this in the upper-mid to premium range for the neighbourhood, expect to spend more than a casual sushi dinner but less than a full omakase at a Michelin-starred room. Getting there: 1374 Third Avenue, Upper East Side. The Third Avenue corridor is well-served by subway and crosstown buses. Group size: Counter seating favours pairs or solo diners; larger groups should confirm availability and seating configuration in advance.

How It Compares

Explore More in New York City

If you are building a longer trip around Noz Market, see our guides to hotels in New York City, bars in New York City, wineries in New York City, and experiences in New York City. For serious sushi outside New York, Harutaka in Tokyo and Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong are the international reference points worth knowing. Across the US, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Smyth in Chicago, and Providence in Los Angeles represent the same tier of chef-driven precision in their respective cities. For fine dining benchmarks outside the sushi category, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, and Emeril's in New Orleans are worth comparing against when thinking about where to spend at this level.