Omusubi Gonbei

A must visit!!!! I came here around 9:30am and could see the employees preparing the onigiri case. Each costs around $3-$5 which is an absolute steal for the taste and density of each onigiri esp in this part of town. I got the brown bomb and the oyster and both were so absolutely delicious and satisfying. The brown bomb gave different flavors and textures all blending so nicely. The oyster was perfectly cooked and seasoned with their housemade sauce. The onigiris are quick, packable, cheap, tasteful, and just perfect. I will definitely be coming back to try the other flavors and the noodle soups.

Their bomb rice ball is so good and so convenient. I went from GCT to the store and back on the train with food and tea in less than five minutes. Update: bomb rice ball today was a whole lot of rice and very little filling. See 2nd photo, its own version of shrinkflation? I have recommended this place to so many people so I am kind of disappointed.

Convenience store vibes but hidden in here is restaurant quality food. I got the mentaiko onigiri and the beef udon and both did NOT disappoint. The onigiri’s rice was perfectly seasoned with the right amount of vinegar and the udon broth was sooo umami. 10/10 recommend

Located inside of a japanese grocery store, the onigiri was so warm and fresh and affordable prices I LOVE IT ! there’s a long line to the cashier but it goes super fast

Best onigori I have ever had. Each time I’m in the area I make sure to stop in for a rice ball. Spicy cod roe is my favorite. Always fresh and tasty. You can also find lots of other tasty goods here too including all sorts of Japanese sodas.

I bought sushi from the store for many times. This is the first time like this, a small dead cockroach from my daughter’s sushi roll between the salmon & sushi rice. oh my god, my daughter was freaking out, me too. Were we lucky or what on 4/1. How did that happen? The store people should pay attention when making the sushi. I don’t know when we can forget about this dead 🪳 issue.

Delicious fresh made onigiri for such a low price, i could eat so many until my stomach hurts because they are so good and still have money to buy some for later 🍙🍙🍙

If you are looking for a quick and delicious lunch on Lexington and 41st Ave. There are bento boxes, sushi and ramen. This is best Onigiri in the city. Homemade rice ball with quality Japanese rice.

A must visit!!!! I came here around 9:30am and could see the employees preparing the onigiri case. Each costs around $3-$5 which is an absolute steal for the taste and density of each onigiri esp in this part of town. I got the brown bomb and the oyster and both were so absolutely delicious and satisfying. The brown bomb gave different flavors and textures all blending so nicely. The oyster was perfectly cooked and seasoned with their housemade sauce. The onigiris are quick, packable, cheap, tasteful, and just perfect. I will definitely be coming back to try the other flavors and the noodle soups.

Their bomb rice ball is so good and so convenient. I went from GCT to the store and back on the train with food and tea in less than five minutes. Update: bomb rice ball today was a whole lot of rice and very little filling. See 2nd photo, its own version of shrinkflation? I have recommended this place to so many people so I am kind of disappointed.

Convenience store vibes but hidden in here is restaurant quality food. I got the mentaiko onigiri and the beef udon and both did NOT disappoint. The onigiri’s rice was perfectly seasoned with the right amount of vinegar and the udon broth was sooo umami. 10/10 recommend

Located inside of a japanese grocery store, the onigiri was so warm and fresh and affordable prices I LOVE IT ! there’s a long line to the cashier but it goes super fast

Best onigori I have ever had. Each time I’m in the area I make sure to stop in for a rice ball. Spicy cod roe is my favorite. Always fresh and tasty. You can also find lots of other tasty goods here too including all sorts of Japanese sodas.

I bought sushi from the store for many times. This is the first time like this, a small dead cockroach from my daughter’s sushi roll between the salmon & sushi rice. oh my god, my daughter was freaking out, me too. Were we lucky or what on 4/1. How did that happen? The store people should pay attention when making the sushi. I don’t know when we can forget about this dead 🪳 issue.

Delicious fresh made onigiri for such a low price, i could eat so many until my stomach hurts because they are so good and still have money to buy some for later 🍙🍙🍙

If you are looking for a quick and delicious lunch on Lexington and 41st Ave. There are bento boxes, sushi and ramen. This is best Onigiri in the city. Homemade rice ball with quality Japanese rice.

If you love a classic rice ball with various fillings to start your morning, as an afternoon snack, or late night bite, this is the spot for you. I already have one location that I go to for rice balls but this is going to be my second spot to get rice balls. The reason for it is because it's made on the spot (I usually come in the morning when it is being made) and they offer a variety of fillings with no frills, your classic rice balls. My personal favorite is the Karaage Ball because they are generous with the fried chicken filling and you can't go wrong with a fried chicken rice ball. This is technically a supermarket or mini mart with indoor seatings. So it's quite lively with shoppers and people eating in this one space which adds to the experience. The rice ball section is the first thing you'll see when entering and the lady who took my order was kind and packed my order neatly. This is a bit of tucked away/hole in the wall kind of spot since it is nearby Grand Central Station. Highly recommend finding it and trying it out for yourself while in the area or leaving Grand Central Station

Sweet lady working the front of the house. They have lots of omousubis available. I picked the salmon and the spicy tuna. My tot loved the salmon one and at a lot more than I expected. The spicy tuna was great as well. The rice was warm and puffy. If you can, ask for the non-saran wrapped ones because the rice is not squished. It is much better. Will definitely be getting take out from here again!

Stopped in here for some onigiri based on the stellar reviews. I am not sure what I'm missing, this was horrible. First off, all of the onigiri is left out, not made fresh whatsoever. Room temperature fish is...interesting. I picked the shrimp tempura and the spicy tuna. The shrimp tempura was a mushy mess. 80% rice and a small little soggy shrimp tempura slice. The spicy tuna was the worst though. It's not reaaaally spicy tuna. It's canned tuna with spicy mayo, major letdown. 1 star for price, $3.50 for two onigiri. You get what you pay for, I suppose.

What a delightful surprise!! This little market might be easily missed if you're not looking, but it shouldn't be missed. Their omusubi counter offers a great assortment - I had the grilled eel and the shiso, both of which were amazing - and I snagged a spam and cheese musubi for later. All for less than $10! I had to make a second trip to the register after finding their sushi fridge and candy section. Anytime I can find Pocky sticks is a win!!

A small shop that serves up some righteous musubi. Enjoyed the ume and chashui musubi a lot. Nice place to satisfy your cravings for bento too.

4.5 stars. Quick, filling, tasty. There is a large variety of premade onigiri here and they are all for a fair price. It's located in a small japanese market where there are many fresh fish bowls. If you're looking for a quick grab and go meal, this place is a good spot.

Great spot to go for lunch break and quick meal. I got there around noon and the line was fairly long, however the cashiers move efficiently. I've had the eel bowl and chicken curry bowl from here; both were tasty. Beware, the chicken curry bowl has a piece of fried potato that although tasty fooled me into believing it was fried chicken before taking a bite. I really like this place. Although it gives me a grocery store vibe, you'll be guaranteed to get good portions for a great price. Tip: Be sure to come before 12 to escape the busy bustling lunch rush.

*** 4.5 stars *** Located inside Katagiri Market (the entrance is on 41st), there is perhaps the largest selection of rice balls that I have ever seen. I came specifically for the spam musubi, but also picked up an eel rice ball (and wanted to get about 5 others!). For under $8, this was the perfect quick little meal. I have been on the hunt for the best spam musubi in the city and have to say, so far this has been the best. Not too salty as some tend to be, and the perfect amount of balancing sweetness. I don't usually prefer musubis that have egg but in this case I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. I will definitely be back to try some others!

What a wonderful spot! We found this as we were walking around the city. The Chashu pork and Karaage chicken onigiri were both delicious. The market also has a ton of snacks and drinks to choose from as well! It was quite busy on a Friday night but service was quick.

First time customer of Omusubi and my first impression is while it is a small market and that line is long, this is one of best managed lines I've seen downtown, I was in the line for less than 5 mins and they had a worker for each register. The staff is polite and helpful; guiding me to my order and through the line while also helping me understand the checkout process. The atmosphere is very calm even with the high traffic of people, fresh ready to go plates and authentic ingredients, inside felt like a different place altogether, but well maintained. I had a Waygu Been Tantan ramen bowl and it was done by the time I checked out and showed my receipt, so all in all I was done within 5-10 mins. The bowl is great, nicely seasoned, not too hot or cold, spices are done well, not too pungent and just enough to taste great. I'm glad I stumbled upon this place because I'll definitely be back.

First time visiting this location. Small Japanese market with three venders inside and assortment of Japanese goods. It's very crowded during lunch time so plan evening or morning visit. I shuffled through an intense lunch crowd to get onigiri items but ended up with a few snacks as well. There's an onigiri, sushi, and soup station in the rear of market. Sushi is offered among other ready to eat items. I opted for salmon and oyster onigiri. Decent rice balls but the rice was too mushy. The oyster was my favorite. Snacks picked up were red bean paste, Japanese Belgium waffle, and matcha pocky. The red bean paste is great on a hot day. Mildly sweet but watch out for the powder on them. The waffle was basic but petite. The lines move fast but can get confusing with lunch workers fumbling between the fridge and line. Avoid this location if you don't work in the area. There's limited seating behind cashier by the soup vendor but all purchases are made at cashier in middle of market. Lastly, it's very affordable here for a light lunch or dinner.

Stumbled this little onigiri place inside Katagiri, a cute Japanese market/grocery shop and picked up some onigiri for the road! The nitamago was my favorite. Its so simple yet something about the soy sauce combined with the semi-runny egg yolk and rice wrapped in seafood was super tasty and comforting. I think the ratio of ingredients to rice was perfect for this one. The grilled eel was also a good one cause it featured a good chunk of fish with a nice teriyaki sauce. The fried oyster was also solid; it was still a little crispy on the outside with a nice spicy mayo sauce. I understand these are rice balls but would still prefer a higher ingredient to rice ratio. Service was quick and you pay at the market's cashier. Prices are reasonable. Definitely a good option for a quick on-the-go snack/meal!

Omusubi Gonbei is located inside Katagiri grocery and is right next to the entrance. There were many options to choose from like spam, spam and egg, ume, salmon, karage, unagi, vegetable, seaweed, and many more. I went with my favorite classics and got a spam and egg as well as an Ume. The spam was perfect, salty, the egg was sweet and not too thick. The Ume was sour and delightful next to the rice. Both were purchased for lunch, but I ended up saving the Ume and ate that for dinner. Total was under $7 for both after tax.

It's a perfect quick bite if you are on the go. The place is located in Asia, and it has a lot of exciting things to try. The service is fast and friendly. I was in and out in 5 min; i grabbed what i wanted. I choose three flavors: tuna, scallop, and eel. I would be full with only 2 of Onigiri. I would love to have a little more filling in onigiri, but it was on for the price.

Very nice quick reasonably priced onigiri at this Japanese convenient store. Be aware that the lines move super quick. There's all sorts of onigiri like spam, tuna, eel, and more. There's sushi as well. You could be leaving the place spending $30+

I came for a snack during lunch on a weekday and it was fairly easy to find, located btw Park Ave & Lexington Ave. Once you step into the grocery store, you will see rows of oniguti on the counter to your left. I tried the spicy tuna and salmon. I loved the spicy tuna and the rice was amazing. I'm normally picky with my rice but this was the perfect soft texture and moist without being too mushy. I am definitely coming back just for the spicy tuna. Salmon was disappointing because I had read good reviews but it was just pretty basic. However, I will say there was more filling in the salmon than spicy tuna. But I ate the salmon riceball for the rice, not the salmon. The lady at the counter was very nice. She saw me staring at all the options and asked if I needed any help. I felt a little rushed at the cashier (different lady) but I have no complaints about the quick service.

Came post book club and wanted a small, quick, and affordable snack. I stumbled upon this Japanese grocery store whilst looking for onigiris in the area. Upon entering, there's a plethora of packaged items from onigiris, to sushi, to hot foods. There's even a ramen counter inside the store to feed your noodle soup cravings, and a fresh fish station in the back! I decided to go with safe options - Spicy Tuna ($2.40) and Salmon ($2.70) onigiris, as this was my first time here. One thing to note is that the fish is cooked in the rice ball, which I was completely fine with. However, the fish was pretty salty to me - perhaps it was too much salt or seasoning on it. With the plain, white rice, I just couldn't get past the really salty tuna/salmon. I think it would've been a nice touch if there was furikake sprinkled into the rice as well. For the price I paid, I'm not too upset and I'd give this place another try - perhaps would try something else. Overall, decent spot with tons of options!

I've been in the mood for onigiri lately, and Omusubi Gonbei is so close to my close, and yet I haven't heard of this place before. The store is actually on 41st street, despite its Lexington Avenue address, tucked inside Katagiri. Most onigiri are made fresh, and they usually fly off the shelves. As for this visit, I went crazy with 5 onigiri including The Bomb, Spicy Tuna, Shrimp, Oyster and Salmon. Each onigiri is plentiful and tasty especially The Bomb. It can really give you a food coma. I'm looking forward to trying other fillings!

Was a bit hungry and in the area so decided to try out this place. It is inside of katagiri Japanese market and it was pretty packed. The rice balls are really good and also really cheap. Cheapest was $2.80 and there was a perfect amount of rice and filling ratio. I got the charsiu, oyster, and the bomb. They were all really good and the bomb, unsure of what it is, but mine was half salmon and the other half was mushroom (?) . Overall, this is a gem in grand central and definitely worth going if you're craving some rice balls or Japanese goods in general for super affordable pricing!

I've been coming to host my Sumoandsushi show and I need the real deal and Omusubi Gonbei it's just like the motherland arigatou

Always a pleasure to grab riceballs. I've been asking for all riceballs to be individually wrap as oppose to just putting in the clamshell containers. It is much easier to eat when it's wrapped (cleaner if your hands are dirty and won't get sticky from the rice). To be honest, I usually come here only when I'm in the area (before or after my doctor's appointments). I usually treat myself to riceballs as a reward or "something have to get" when I'm there. If I live closer or is in the area more often, they would probably see me more often than my 2-3 visits a year. They are that delicious and awesome. Wish: I do wish they have the Nitamago riceballs all year (daily) as they are so simple and delicious. But it is always seasonal during this time.

Omusubi Gonbei is located inside Katagiri Japanese Grocery on the left right when you enter. It is a small space but they have a large selection of musubi. It is quick spot to pick up food with quick service. There are other options (prepared food and ramen) inside the grocery store as well. I got the grilled eel, nitamago, and spam and egg, and the musubi are reasonably price. Everything is decently flavored, but they definitely could use more filling as it was mostly rice. There was also an egg shell in my nitamago. Overall I would return for a quick meal.

Everyday, fresh made cooked onigiri, ramen, poke bowls, and sushi and sashimi. You can also find raw pre-cut meat, Kimichi, snacks, and drinks. I would definitely come back for the fresh sushi and cooked onigiri and bento boxes because... well it's fresh fish. And the onigiri and bento boxes are kept hot so it's a good and affordable place for food. Although, it would be a lot more convenient if the owners decided to put more seats and small bar tables so I wouldn't need to walk to Bryant park. I'll be back!!!! Probably once a week

Amazing grocery store with some prepared foods. Great selection of rice balls and comes in all different flavors. Small seating area near the ramen bar. Service was friendly and quick. Nice clean bathroom. Good for quick grab and go.

This place is right by my job, and I can't get enough of it. They have a large variety of different onigiris, karaage, and they are located within the Katagiri grocery store. They have fresh ramen, hot foods, cold foods, sushi, Japanese supermarket supplies and beverages. Such a variety filled place with good food and Japanese goodies !

i had the salmon onigiri and it was delicious. it was fresh and was pretty big. i do wish there was a little more salmon though, but this is something i think for all onigiri stores i've tried the selection for onigiri is huge, and you can also find other yummy asian snacks in the store. overall, i would recommend this place!

Onigiri decent, a small Japanese grocer at this random place is exactly why I felt lucky to stay at the hotel nearby. The price for drinks, food, are pretty hard to come by in this area. Employees are nice. However noodle shop closed early than the store hour, make sure you know the hours before coming.

This place was very cute and very convenient where we stayed. Quick bites and even a small dining area where we finished our bento! Prices are reasonable and not over priced which I LOVED. Would recommend coming earlier if you want fresh onigiri instagram: @xcyanneats FYI lines are long during peak hours

Good onigiri--I love the mustard green, shiso, and ume ones the best. I prefer the Omusubi Gonbei location at Mitsuwa in NJ though--you get bigger onigiri there, and more flavors. But this place is still good. Prices on Japanese groceries are fair. Worth stopping in and picking some things up that are cheaper here than at Sunrise Mart, though the selection is a lot smaller here.

Couldn't wait to try this place! located at a little japanese grocery store that serves up fresh bentos and classic japanese street food and groceries. don't make the mistake like me, thinking omusubi gonbei has their own register. NO! Grab any prepared omusubis or order at their counter, check out across the room where there are cashiers!

I wanted to try some musubi so stopped by here and I was amazed. Not only did they have musubi but they have prep food in the grab and go. So many choices to choose from and they also have knick knack things to buy for souvenirs.

Cute concept in a Japanese grocery so you can get your eats, treats and groceries in one spot. The onigiris were pre-made and sitting on the counter. I had the spicy tuna and spam musubi. Always a sucker for my rice balls and as suspected...DELISH. The spicy tuna was actually spicy! The spam musubi was good and the egg tamago in it was sweet and fluffy. Also bought some pastries and drinks for later. All in all convenient, tasty, and fun. Wished the counter was still open though even though the hours said they were, but will have to try them earlier in the day.

I wanted to try the onigiri so we stopped in for a quick snack. It was a bit chaotic in the store and I was surprised that most of the onigiri weren't kept cold? We went with the spicy tuna one and we also got a red bean Seasame dessert. The onigiri was ok- not bad but a lot more rice than filling. The store itself was very interesting, you could get raw fish or ramen or sushi.

A perfect place for an onigiri snack or lunch! It's situated inside a grocery store that has many drinks and a ramen shop. I got the pickled plum onigiri which was SO GOOD! definitely want to come back for more

I've been here many times as I work literally across the street. Even though there are lots of food options, I tend to go here as my go-to spot for easy to eat finger foods. There's many options that you can choose from, but more sushi rice versus the meat inside. It isn't too pricey, nor is it cheap. Average city pricing. Overall, if you want a quick eat and are on the move this is the spot to go to.

Came here for lunch as I love onigiri and found this place was close to work and had them. The line is very very long so plan ahead to account for time in line. I got the salmon onigiri it was ok

fav place to get spam musubi!! store is fairly small, but is packed with so many different food options ready to go, groceries, snacks, or even fresh dishes to order. workers are so quick to check your items out! they offer apple pay, which is great when just grabbing something small for lunch.

Located inside of a Japanese market, Omusubi Gonbei provides a quick lunch or snack for the locals in the area. The onigiri are stuffed with rice, but I wish there was a better filling to rice ratio because the filling is delicious. The unagi was super fresh and seasoned well. The bomb rice ball was good, but it wasn't kept warm like the unagi was. They make the rice balls fresh throughout the day. The places gets pretty crowded during lunch hour and even a little after that. The line can get pretty long since the checkout line is shared between all the other establishments and market in the space, but it moves along pretty quickly.

Quality food, reasonable prices- stopped in Monday around 11:30 and ordered tonkatsu ramen for lunch to-go, got 3 rice balls - 2 spicy tuna 1 shrimp tempura and a osakana mini sashimi bowl (for dinner). We enjoyed it! Would gladly return.

Well priced and tasty onigiri. Service was quick and very friendly. We would stop by here every morning and pick up some food and drinks to kick off the day. Not sure about their other food (ramen, sashimi, etc.) but the onigiri was consistently good. Give this place a shot if you're around.

I have had riceballs (aka: onigiri) since I could start chewing making them one of my favorite meals/snacks. Therefore I take them rather seriously as I have seen them cost $2 - $7 for one ball. This is my holy gravel, I have traveled to grand central early in the AM just to pick up few to treat myself later on. They are not only delicious by affordable compared to competitors literally blocks away. My favorites: - Charsu (Roast Pork) Ball - Ume (Pickled Plum (sour!!)) Ball - Tamago (Seasoned soft boiled egg) Ball I ordered these three balls and got a nice iced tea for ~$11 in Midtown! You know I am coming back!

I look forward to going into the office, knowing I can grab this for lunch. A Japanese mini market with a wide variety of grab and go food and snacks. There's even a ramen section in the back. I mainly come here for their rice balls, the oyster is an absolute must try... Once in a while I'll grab one of their fresh sushi boxes. Expect a wait during lunch hours, but don't be discouraged, the lines move fast!

Sometimes I just get an insatiable riceball craving, so when I learned that a place like this exists just a few blocks down from my office, I was elated to say the least. I've been here twice and have tried 4 different types of onigiris: 1) Spicy Tuna - always a good choice, always tasty 2) Shrimp Tempura - tasty, but I did wish this one came with a sauce 3) Takana - (pickled mustard greens) - is a nice salty one, I really liked this one 4) Kombu - kelp seaweed - this one tasted salty and sweet, it's good but not as good as the first 3 My favorite part about all of this is the price. I got 2 rice balls and bottled green tea for under $7, which is quite inconceivable for midtown and makes it a little special in my eyes haha I also want to mention that the workers there were super nice both times I visited, which I really appreciate - sometimes the experience makes the food taste better ya know? Anyways, if you've got an insatiable riceball craving, I'd def give this place a go :)

Found this gem here on Yelp. Walked 3/4 of a mile to get here and it was worth it. It's a small Japanese convenience store or sorts. The Omusubi selection was pretty vast and we grabbed a few each to try back at the hotel. I could have spent hours there, and loads of money, trying all the cool things they sold there...maybe another time. We walked back to the hotel with our loot and enjoyed a great mid-day snack. I highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for something quick and affordable with kind service.

Delicious. I love onigiri! They have all yummy kinds. I would return again in a heartbeat. I think the best thing is that they have all kinds of yummy combinations. I see roast pork, plum, eel, salmon, shrimp tempura, seaweed, and smaller versions of the big ones. The tough thing is they close early. Be aware of the hours. There is also a Japanese supermarket attached so you can buy some delicious food to prepare for later. I love this spot. The people who work here are friendly! I would go back.

One of the very few places in the city that offer truly handmade onigiri. It's like they got a sweet Japanese grandma pumping these out in the back. They are all saran-wrapped, and mildly irregular in size which adds to the homemade charm. The flavors were on point too and there's a very wide selection to choose from, including many vegetarian options.

Been searching for a place that has good Omusubi and this didn't disappoint. Tried the salmon one and it was great, only wished I had brought an extra one. The location is located at the front of the market and plenty of selection for picky eaters.

Awesome place! Service, ramen, musubi, all dishes were tasty and plentiful. I wish I could go back ASAP!

Rice balls are more flavorful than most convenience stores! Service is a bit rushed tho but you can pick up more rice balls on the shelves