Happy Hours and Hours
Cherin Sushi in the East Village (6th St btwn 1st/2nd Aves) really is an oldie but a goodie. The long + narrow sushi den has been my go-to byob spot for years now and it’s no mystery why; good cheap food, a relaxed atmosphere, and laid back service make for a consistently enjoyable evening out.
This place is still BYOB (with a small corkage on the weekends), but now that they have their liquor license, they’ve really stepped up their game. The specials are absurd; all day Monday and from 5-8pm Tues-Thurs almost any 3 rolls on the menu are $9.95 and the drink specials are excellent as well (beers are $2.50/house sake is $3/wine is $4). The specials are great if you’re looking to get a fun night on, but don’t necessarily want to get “all-you-can-drink” crazy.
It Rolls On and On and On
Beyond the low prices, the food is actually good. They do some interesting spins on the classics like providing a bed of sea salt for the edamame or offering a spicy variation of the miso soup (which is just great, btw). The rolls are small but bite-sized, which I prefer and they’re all really creative. Even the vegetarian rolls bring something to the table (the Crunchy roll with apple in it is my JAM). My friends rave over the Sushi Surfer roll, which has banana, eel and crunch in it, and the Gillian roll, which is made with tuna, shrimp and avocado on top of crunch & real crab meat.
Cherin is good for a party of 2 or a larger party of up to 10. The smaller restaurant can get loud but it’s never too much, which I appreciate as a break from the louder party scenes of most sushi spots with cheap drink deals… plus, your server is always a holler away. I recommend you check it out next time you want a reasonably priced dinner that won’t make you feel like you’re pinching pennies.
Cherin Sushi – now accepting reservations, highly recommended for the weekends – (212) 388-1348.
Rhea Recommends... 