Started 15 years ago by the same people who brought us the ever-popular nightclubs Harlot and Ooh La La, Sushi Groove’s ambiance exudes the same vibe as its owners’ other businesses: chill and lounge-y. The bar and lounge area are situated in a cozy nook around a raised platform that highlights the chef’s station.

From any vantage point in the restaurant, anyone can easily see the Head Chef, Miyako, skillfully concocting some of the best sushi in the city. Frequenter favorites include: New Zealand Greenlip mussels, which are served on the half shell and blended with spicy ponzu and tobiko and topped with a quail egg, and clever, new favorites such as Barack D House maki, which is seared Hawaiian Ono and shrimp tempura topped with ginger onion puree and tsume sauce.

GetWize: Ask for Simon Sez when you drop in. Just four years old, wildly popular, and known only to regulars, this roll features every delicious ingredient under the sun: tempura tekka (tuna) is wrapped in rice and seaweed, then topped with maki and spicy kari (crab), garnished with aioli, and then drizzled with tsume and unagi sauces.