Sapporo East

Sapporo is a good sushi option if you're going for the simpler, 6 piece rolls, but you can definitely find cheaper!

my eel & avocado roll and spicy scallop roll were good, but coming from cali i'm not really used to these miniature sized 6-piece portion cut rolls!! (although i guess it's the equivalent of the cali "half-price" menu rolls)

service was fast, food was fresh, & the place was packed even though it was late at night!!

THEY DELIVER, my friends order it at least twice a week!

Consistent quality and reliable freshness has been the trademark of sushi at Sapporo East. Thought it is situated outside the St. Marks area, it is worthy extra avenue stroll further east if you are in the mood for sushi. There is often a small wait during dinner hours and space can feel a bit cramped. The wait staff is always friendly, but it takes a bit of an effort to get tea refills since they seem to have only 2 persons taking orders and serving at a given time.

Prices are reasonable for its Manhattan location and the quality of the sushi. The sashimi deluxe (11 pieces) offers thick slices of fresh fish, and the specialty rolls are tasty and filling. Another option is the sashimi and unaju (eel over rice) dinner combo box with complementary miso soup and salad for $20. Other memorable items include the hamachi-kama, tuna tataki, yosenabe udon, and other combo dinner box options (chicken/salmon teriyaki/tempura with sushi/sashimi).

PS - It should be noted that the listed address is incorrect as the restaurant is actually 164 1st Avenue on the corner of 11th and 1st.

Came here for the first time this past weekend! It was PACKED!! The menu is thorough, with interesting items on it. Definitely try the deep fried spicy asparagus roll. It's basically a couple of stalks of asparagus rolled in nori with spicy crab meat instead of rice.... then deep fried! It's absolutely delicious!

Besides that, I find the items on the menu to be slightly pricey for the quality of food. This isn't a premium sushi joint... it's not even a sushi restaurant to begin with. Really shouldn't be charging $20 for sushi entrees.

This place probably is the best Japanese restaurant in East Village if not the best one in the lower half of Manhattan without breaking your bank.

Lots of authentic Japanese food (I go to Japan a lot so I know) and even Japanese people come here so you know they have to be good. One of my favorite is their miso ramen especially when it's freezing cold outside.

I highly recommend this place.

*Must Try: Tempura and Salmon Teriyaki Bento Box.
*comes with Seaweed Salad, and Potato Salad.
*Tempura is lightly crisped, and not too oily or greasy.
*Salmon Teriyaki is not dry.
*Eel Avocado Roll is amazing.

Located on the corner of 10th Street and 1st Ave, Sapporo East is on the edge of what I consider J-town, so imagine my surprise to see that they were completely packed on a Tuesday night. To me that means that either the food is really good or the pricing is a bargain. Either way it's a good sign, and it turns out that Sapporo East is both. Lucky for us, a table opened up just as we walked in so we were seated as soon as they cleared the table.

We started with the WASABI SHUMAI. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eU83f9q8kzZxCrAuYt7BFA?select=laZ0T89F3Qxu97XkJAm16g These had a great kick. I thought they contained the perfect amount of wasabi, but it also comes with fresh wasabi on the side if you're wasabi crazy or just a glutton for punishment.

For my entrée I ordered the SAKE-DON. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eU83f9q8kzZxCrAuYt7BFA?select=ZgavOkVQ4REv6Fa39Lndjw I also tacked on some uni and white tuna* http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eU83f9q8kzZxCrAuYt7BFA?select=IuSnibSgzo7ZWfZB38wPYA for good measure. Or... because I'm a fatty. The fish was fresh, the sushi rice was perfectly made, and the portion sizes were just right. No complaints here. If you don't feel like sushi/sashimi, Sapporo East also has a good variety of non-sushi entrées, and the SAPPORO SPECIAL RAMEN seems to be the thing to get. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eU83f9q8kzZxCrAuYt7BFA?select=iH3rR_i4Y09L_rogV7dCXA

For drinks, we tried HANA-AWAKA sparkling sake. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eU83f9q8kzZxCrAuYt7BFA?select=iScVzkcEga2O9SThsKS5iQ Light. Fruity. Refreshing. It's the perfect summertime drink, and great for people like me who don't normally like sake.

Sapporo East strikes me more as a neighborhood spot than a place you'd go out of your way to dine at. While they may not completely stand out in J-town, I enjoyed their casual, laid-back vibe and worthy offerings of sushi and ramen.

*White tuna isn't on Sapporo's a la carte menu. If they have it, it'll be listed on the daily specials menu.

Born and raised in LA, I've been eating Sushi since before it was cool. I remember my classmates saying, "eewww, you eat raw fish!" Oh, how times have changed. Upon moving to NY over a decade ago there was a bit of culture shock when I found out that an order of sushi was only one piece and not the two pieces that I've grown accustom to. And the prices were higher that what I was used to. At Sapporo East, I don't mind as much

With some of the freshest fish in town, I've never been disappointed in the decade that I've frequented this joint. And trust me, if a sushi restaurant burns me once with fishy or "off" sushi, I will never go again. Never. I guess that's the Virgo in me.

For me, a sign of a good sushi restaurant is if they make their own Tamago. It's a labor intensive egg custard/omelette. While one of the cheapest sushi, most restaurant just buys a frozen block. Sapporo East does not. They also carry Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp) which is one of my favorite. I appreciate the fact that they'll only carry it if it's fresh. I do wish they had the larger variety with the fried heads, another sign of a good sushi restaurant.

In addition to excellent sushi, the kitchen also cooks some awesome dishes. I highly recommend the Japanese-style curry. My only issue with this place is the decor, it's a bit shabby and rundown, however, you're not eating the decor. If you're looking for some excellent sushi with your girlfriend of a year, feel free to take her here.

My absolute favorite place for low-key, casual, totally Americanized/Tokyo-ized Japanese food.

Some dishes that are surebets for me:
Spicy asparagus roll - everyone that I've taken here have LOVED this. It's a sushi roll made from asparagus and spicy crabstick, deep fried and sliced to serve. It's got a good touch of spice from the creamy, spicy mayonnaise mixed with the crabstick, along with the fresh bits of asparagus.

The gratinated seafood avocado appetizer (can't remember what the dish is called exactly) - this is made from a heart-attack-causing mixture of fresh, creamy avocado cubes, crabstick, spicy mayonnaise mixed with flying fish roe and the whole concoction is gratinated and served on a cast iron hotplate. It's very filling, I'd almost recommend ordering this with just a bowl of rice and perhaps another appetizer and you'll be all set for a pretty filling meal.

Curry ramen - this is usually served with udon but you can request for ramen, which I think goes better in this dish. The curry sauce is thick and hearty, unlike other places that serve just a miserly dollop of real Japanese curry sauce with too much watery broth, over here, it's way more curry sauce than soup so you get a really thick, rich satisfaction from this. The curry sauce is also full of yummy chunks of chicken, sweet and soft carrots and potatoes.

Anything fried - they have an assortment of katsus (seafood, chicken, pork), all of these come as HUGE portions and will fill you up with plenty of artery-clogging, panko-crusted goodness. Only word of caution is that the fried seafood is hit-or-miss as it can sometimes be over-fried and a bit rubbery and as another aside, I don't really like the fried chicken roll, it's a bit too dry and plain.

Some friends also enjoy the bento box, which they feel is a very good value for money. You get to choose from a variety including unagi, tempura, teriyaki, fried chicken drumlets, sushi etc.

Everything on the menu here is east-village-Japanese-cheap-and-good. Inside is really casual and lowkey. It's a place you can casually stroll in wearing your sweats or your fancy clothes just before going out on a Saturday night and feel totally at home. You can choose to sit by the bar or at their tables. The wait is often quite long during peak time (weekend dinners) and I don't believe you can make reservations. This place is so worth any wait.

Sapporo East's kitchen special appetizers are the major hotness.

Even though I was so greedy and ordered so much, everything was amazing - a few really really stood out: (the highlighted three are must-gets!!!)

*****Asparagus in spicy mayo, crab stick and melt roe : wrapped with sea weed outside and seep fried (DIVINE)
**** Beef tataki
*****Kaiyaki : minced giant clam or scallop & mushroom. crab stick, & avocado: broiled with mayo and smelt roe (WOW, this is a HIT!!)

Variety seaweed salad

Unaju with house salad
Sapporo special ramen miso flavor with extra pork, extra fish cake, boiled egg and extra veggies.

Hot sake is authentic.

You know what I love most about Sapporo East? This amazing restaurant seems able to go under the radar and doesn't have the ridiculous line like many other Japanese izakaya places. Get seated right away with no reservation on a Saturday. And yet, best food, best service. I highly recommend.

3.5 stars

Had the Sapporo Special Ramen ($9) last night-- deliiiiicious with pork, fish cakes, veggies, etc. in a miso broth. A very large portion. Had to dock a star though, as the broth was wayyyy too salty-- perhaps request that they cut down on the salt when you order.

The friend I was with also said that one of the waiters was really cute-- she's incredibly picky about guys, so I mean that's gotta be a plus, right?