Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar operates three Manhattan sushi restaurants at Brookfield Place, Rockefeller Center, and 22 Vanderbilt, serving office workers, tourists, and corporate clients through walk-in counters, takeout, delivery, catering, and private chef services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar does
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is a privately held New York City sushi restaurant operator running three Manhattan locations: Hudson Eats at Brookfield Place (225 Liberty Street, Financial District), 30 Rockefeller Plaza (Concourse Level, Midtown), and the newest venue at 22 Vanderbilt (Midtown East, between Bryant Park and Grand Central Terminal). The company operates a direct-to-consumer restaurant business, serving office workers, tourists, and corporate clients through walk-in sushi counters operating on a strict first-come, first-served basis, supplemented by takeout, neighborhood delivery, and a catering/private chef services channel. Headcount is disclosed at 101-250 employees across the portfolio. The menu spans sushi and sashimi sold by the piece, maki rolls, donburi rice bowls, build-your-own poke bowls, hakozushi (box-pressed sushi), curated combination platters (topping out at the $225 Blue Ribbon Platter), and a set of kitchen and sushi bar appetizers, with happy hour programs ($7 hand rolls, 2-for-1 sake and beer) at the Brookfield Place and Rockefeller Center locations to drive after-work traffic.
The business model is unit-priced across all menu categories with no reservations or subscription/loyalty layer. Pricing ranges from $7 for a single salmon nigiri to $225 for the premium Blue Ribbon Platter, positioning the brand at the mid-premium tier of NYC sushi. Online ordering is facilitated through a third-party platform (order.online) for pickup, and the company has invested in WCAG 2.1 Level AA web accessibility compliance. Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) dine-in and takeout sales at the sushi counters, (2) catering and private chef services for corporate meetings and events of all sizes (with downloadable PDF catering menus per location), and (3) delivery from each of the three locations serving their respective neighborhoods (Financial District, Midtown, Midtown East/Grand Central). No funding rounds, parent company, investors, partnerships, patents, management team disclosures, or financial figures (revenue, covers, AUV) are present in the source data, and the company appears to be a bootstrapped, owner-operated multi-unit operator.
Strategic positioning centers on prime-location real estate (Brookfield Place waterfront, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central-adjacent Melangerie), the Blue Ribbon brand equity in NYC Japanese cuisine, and earned third-party validation including an Eater NY "Best Way to Spend $50 at Rockefeller Center" feature in August 2022. The customer mix is described as horizontal — primarily office workers and professionals in the surrounding business districts, with tourists as a secondary persona at the landmark-adjacent locations. The competitive profile reflects a location- and brand-led moat rather than technology or scale differentiation, with no disclosed AI/ML, proprietary technology platform, or data assets underpinning operations.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar
- Legal name
- Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar
- Website
- https://blueribbonsushibar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar operates three Manhattan sushi restaurants at Brookfield Place, Rockefeller Center, and 22 Vanderbilt, serving office workers, tourists, and corporate clients through walk-in counters, takeout, delivery, catering, and private chef services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Japanese Restaurant
- NAICS
- Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- In-Store Sushi & Asian Prepared Foods (CRAHAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB)
Keywords
Where Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Dine-in and Takeout Sales: Revenue from walk-in customers dining at sushi counters and takeout orders. The restaurant operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations required.
- Catering and Private Chef Services: Catering services for corporate meetings and events of all sizes, with downloadable catering menus available for each location. Private chef services offered for events.
- Delivery Services: Delivery from all three locations serving Financial District, Midtown Manhattan, and Midtown East including Grand Central neighborhood.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | A-la-carte sushi pieces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sushi and Sashimi Combinations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Donburi Rice Bowls |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Build-Your-Own Poke Bowls |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty and Signature Rolls |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Appetizers and Sides |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels2 records
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is a New York City sushi restaurant operator running three Manhattan locations (Brookfield Place in the Financial District, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and 22 Vanderbilt near Grand Central) where it sells Japanese sushi, sashimi, maki rolls, donburi rice bowls, build-your-own poke bowls, hakozushi, platters, and appetizers for dine-in, takeout, delivery, and corporate catering/private chef services. The business relies on first-come, first-served counter seating, a-la-carte per-piece pricing, and happy hour promotions to drive lunchtime and after-work traffic.
Product overview
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is a single-brand sushi restaurant operation with three physical locations in New York City: Hudson Eats at Brookfield Place, Rockefeller Center, and 22 Vanderbilt. The company offers a unified dining and takeout experience centered on Japanese sushi and sashimi products, including specialty rolls, poke bowls, donburi (rice bowls), and traditional hakozushi (box-pressed sushi). The product portfolio is supplemented by catering and private chef services for events. All three locations provide takeout options, happy hour specials, and delivery service to their respective neighborhoods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sushi & Sashimi (A La Carte) Individual pieces of nigiri and sashimi sold by the piece, featuring Binnaga (Albacore), Ikura (Salmon Roe), Maguro (Tuna), Kani (Blue Crab), Sake (Salmon), Hamachi (Yellowtail), Hotate (Scallop), Unagi (Fresh Water Eel), Kanpachi (Amberjack), and Toro (Fatty Tuna at market price), intended for dine-in or takeout guests.
- Maki Rolls Seaweed-wrapped sushi rolls sold by single, double, or triple roll portions (1 roll $11, 2 rolls $20, 3 rolls $28), with specialty options including California, Spicy Tuna Special, Sakana Sanshu, Spicy Crab, Spicy Scallop, Salmon Ikura, Futomaki, Shrimp Tempura, Niji (Rainbow Roll), Dragon Roll, Avocado, Cucumber, Squash, and Shiitake rolls.
- Donburi (Rice Bowls) Rice bowls topped with fish and Japanese pickles, including Daily Sashimi over Sushi Rice ($22), Oyako Don ($22), Tekka Don ($25), Spicy Tuna Don ($22), Tuna Poke ($22), Salmon Poke ($22), and Una Don ($24), intended for dine-in or takeout.
- Build-Your-Own Poke Bowls Customizable poke bowl platform with $24 base price; customers choose a base (Sushi Rice, Green Tea Soba Noodles, or Soba Noodles), fish (Spicy Tuna Poke, Spicy Shrimp, Tuna Poke, Salmon Poke), vegetable (Hijiki, Wakame, Spicy Tofu, Eggplant+Mushroom, Zucchini+Quinoa), and add-ons (Avocado $7, Minut Egg $1, Oshinko $1, Edamame $1, Spicy Bean Sprouts $1).
- Sushi & Sashimi Platters Curated platters for sharing, including Sushi ($27, 6pc + 1 Roll), Sushi Deluxe ($37, 10pc + 1 Roll), Sashimi ($29, 8pc), Sushi & Sashimi Combo ($48), and the premium Blue Ribbon Platter ($225, 12pc Sushi + 18pc Sashimi + 3 Rolls).
- Hakozushi (Box-Pressed Sushi) Traditional box-pressed sushi offerings including Sake Avocado ($18), Maguro Avocado ($19), Yuzu Hama ($19), and Unagi Avocado ($26), prepared for dine-in or takeout.
- Kitchen and Sushi Bar Appetizers Side dishes such as Miso Soup ($8.50), House Salad ($13), Edamame ($9), Wakame ($10), Hijiki & Edamame ($10), Poke ($15), Spicy Shrimp ($15), and sushi-bar appetizers including Una Kyu ($17), Salmon Serrano ($22), Hamachi Serrano ($22), Kanpachi Usuzukuri ($22), Binnaga ($21), Tako Sunomono ($16), and Kani Sunomono ($18).
- Catering Services Off-premises catering for corporate meetings and events of all sizes with downloadable catering menus per location (Brookfield Place, Rockefeller Center, 22 Vanderbilt) and phone-based pre-ordering.
- Private Chef Services Private chef offering for events, arranged by phone, providing a Blue Ribbon sushi chef experience at the client's venue.
Quantifiable outcome
- Featured in Eater NY as 'The Best Way to Spend $50 at Rockefeller Center' with review noting 'All the seafood was of scintillating freshness'
Companies that use Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sushi Yasuda: Iconic Midtown East omakase-style sushi restaurant known for high-end Edo-style sushi. Directly comparable on customer profile (Midtown office workers and tourists), dine-in sushi-bar format, and per-piece pricing strategy.
- Sushi Nakazawa: West Village-based omakase destination from chef Daisuke Nakazawa. Competes in the same NYC high-end sushi category with counter seating and per-piece premium pricing targeting tourists and foodie office workers.
- Kazunori: Hand-roll-focused sushi counter concept with multiple locations, including NYC. Overlaps with Blue Ribbon's $7 hand-roll happy hour positioning and counter-only service model targeting quick, premium-leaning lunches.
- Morimoto NY: Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto's flagship Manhattan restaurant offering sushi and modern Japanese cuisine. Competes directly for premium sushi diners and tourist traffic with comparable per-piece and signature-roll menu architecture.
- Sugarfish by Nozawa: Multi-location counter-style sushi brand emphasizing trust-me/no-choice sets in casual settings. Closest peer on multi-unit counter format and accessible pricing, although primarily LA-based.
- Sushi of Gari: Long-running UES sushi brand with multiple Manhattan locations. Comparable counter-style Japanese dining, premium pricing, and reliance on a single NYC footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Nobu Restaurants: Nobu is a globally recognized upscale Japanese restaurant brand with multiple NYC-area locations. Comparably positioned as a premium, brand-led Japanese/sushi operator with strong real-estate choices, but competing at a higher price point and broader menu than Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar.
- Blue Ribbon Brasserie: Sister concept within the Blue Ribbon restaurant group, offering full-service American brasserie fare. Comparable brand equity and NYC hospitality positioning, though menu category differs from the sushi-focused counter concept.
Regional players
- Catch NYC: Upscale seafood-focused NYC hotspot in the Meatpacking District. Comparable premium-sushi-and-seafood positioning, tourist-driven traffic, and high-ticket platter-style menu, though broader seafood concept rather than pure sushi.
- BondSt: Long-running downtown Manhattan Japanese restaurant featuring sushi, sashimi, and modern small plates. Comparable upscale Japanese dining experience and tourist/office-worker customer base in NYC.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar
What does Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar do?
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is a New York City sushi restaurant operator running three Manhattan locations (Brookfield Place in the Financial District, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and 22 Vanderbilt near Grand Central) where it sells Japanese sushi, sashimi, maki rolls, donburi rice bowls, build-your-own poke bowls, hakozushi, platters, and appetizers for dine-in, takeout, delivery, and corporate catering/private chef services. The business relies on first-come, first-served counter seating, a-la-carte per-piece pricing, and happy hour promotions to drive lunchtime and after-work traffic.
Is Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar a public or private company?
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar founded?
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar based?
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Dine-in and Takeout Sales are the primary driver. The others are catering and Private Chef Services and delivery Services.
Who are Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sushi Yasuda, Sushi Nakazawa, Kazunori, Morimoto NY, Sugarfish by Nozawa and Sushi of Gari. Broad incumbents are Nobu Restaurants and Blue Ribbon Brasserie. Regional players are Catch NYC and BondSt.
Does Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar.
What industry is Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar in?
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar's product category is Japanese Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAKAD, In-Store Sushi & Asian Prepared Foods, with a secondary code of THAFAIAB, Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties). Its NAICS code is 72251 and its SIC code is 5812.