Japonica

This joint has been here since 1978 and still feels bright and alive with the promise of plenty of fish in the sea. Now the bad news: Its waiting area is sadistic. Unless you come at six or just before closing, you’re probably going to have to hover along that zigzagging ramp. Why do so many bother? Because Japonica’s high standards, skilled masters, and huge turnover mean some of the freshest and most varied selection of sushi to be found downtown. It’s an ideal place for chirashi, that all-at-once bowl omakase, and for unexpected choices like quail eggs with ikura.