Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I disagree that most sushi places are generally even in terms of quality. That is to say, most places are good, edible, and will satisfy a sushi craving. But anyone who's had sushi prepared by master sushi chefs can tell the difference immediately. Sushi chefs who go to the fish market early every morning, personally pick out the freshest fish (which sometimes mean not getting every kind of fish, i.e. if the tuna isn't fresh that day, they won't serve it), serves only the finest pieces, regulates the temperature of the rice to each specific piece of sushi, etc. etc. There are only a handful of these places, but they offer a level of quality that is distinct from your run-of-the-mill sushi.

I've never been to Masa, and don't plan to go unless someone else is paying. But great, masterfully prepared sushi doesn't need to cost outrageous amounts of money. I even think that Gari, which is certainly one of the best places in the city, is a little bit pricey. I used to live in Los Angeles, where I find it much easier, and much cheaper, to get high-end sushi (the only thing I prefer about LA). There are a handful of places out here, though, that are magnificent.

I fully second Sushi Yasuda. Sit at the sushi bar....unbelievable sushi and incredibly attentive (yet very discreet) service.

I eat sushi with my hands, and after I ate the first piece, before I could reach down to my lap to wipe off my fingers, a small folded, dampened cloth appeared next to my plate. They had folded a small napkin so the center stuck straight up and placed it on a small tray, allowing me to easily and thouroughly clean my fingertips after each piece.

Outstanding.