Photo: Matsunori
Feb. 14, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
A new Japanese restaurant specializing in hand-rolled sushi has opened its doors in Long Island City.
Matsunori Handroll Bar, which already operates a location in Boston, celebrated a soft opening at 27-05 Thompson Ave. on Sunday, Feb. 9, and is currently offering a limited menu as it gets to know the local community.
Matsunori co-founder Kevin Liu said the restaurant aims to provide the best value and highest quality food to beginner and advanced sushi eaters alike. He added that he hopes to make sushi accessible to people who have never tried it before.
Liu added that Matsunori guarantees a 50:50 rice and fish ratio, stating that other sushi restaurants typically give customers 90% rice and only 10% fish with a common order.
“We usually tell the chefs 55% fish, 45% rice, and the best part is that you can use your hands for beginner sushi eaters. We don’t require chopsticks,” Liu said.
At present, Matsunori offers a limited menu with a diverse range of seafood, including bluefin tuna, king salmon, bronzino, eel, and Spanish mackerel.
Liu added that Matsunori aims to provide an affordable experience for all customers, pointing out that the restaurant does not offer dishes above $19, including its high-end Kaluga Caviar Roll.
He said the Long Island City location will offer roughly 90% of the same menu as the existing Boston restaurant but said he plans to tailor the remaining portion of the menu to the desires of the local community.
Matsunori’s Boston location offers a variety of signature dishes, including mango shrimp, snow crab, miso butter cod, and spicy scallops. The restaurant also offers a range of appetizers, such as salmon cups and truffle edamame, and desserts, such as matcha tiramisu and matcha mochi ice cream.
The restaurant currently only offers a limited menu. At the same time, Liu plans to add take-out and delivery services in the near future before expanding to a full menu and hosting a grand opening celebration at a later unspecified date.
Liu added that he hopes to provide a Japanese restaurant that is “welcoming to all,” stating that it is “quite lovely” to operate in the Long Island City community.
Matsunori employs around 15 staff members and can seat around 30 people at a time. The restaurant is currently open from 6-10:30 p.m. seven days a week.
However, Liu hopes to soon expand the restaurant’s opening hours to include lunch offerings, stating that he plans to expand Matsunori’s hours at around the same time that he adds delivery and take-out options.
Photo: Matsunori
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