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“Suki” translates as “love,” and affectionate touches make this joint a cozy option for South Slopers seeking their own Japanese standby this side of Fifth Avenue. The elements at work here feel familiar—playfully named rolls, free tea, gregarious sushi chefs—but Suki takes it one step further, with big American portions (stout spicy salmon rolls, a Magical roll stuffed with eel, avocado, and spicy tuna). Fresh mango adds a sweet, colorful kick to several specialty rolls, and old favorites like California rolls and homemade steamed gyoza hold their own. In the evenings, scruffy college-aged couples set chopsticks to sushi at a half-dozen square wood tables, elbow-to-elbow with young families feasting on huge bowls of udon. And the eatery is child-friendly, with high-chairs and free cups of Jell-O on standby. — Laurel Fantauzzo

Each day from 11 a.m.—3 p.m., several lunch combos serve shumai, soup, salad and edamame alongside a main dish for less than ten bucks.