Worker drones of the area will be pleased there is a brighter food star amid this corner of Queen's onslaught of subs, burritos, and pitas. Ematei is tucked away just up the block and is so inconspicuous that after three years of working next door I only noticed/tried it on a colleague's recommendation. It seems plenty of other proletariat are in the know, because there can be a wait if you saunter in mid-lunch hour.
You'll pay more here than at Sushi Queen down the block, but the difference in quality more than compensates the marginal price difference. The atmosphere feels authentic, and the staff are Japanese. I stick to the sushi lunch with sashimi ($15), and the quality is always good--the sashimi is cut thick and is fresh, and the sushi is pre-loaded with wasabi like it is in good old Nippon. Unlike many low- to mid-priced sushi places, they try to add a reasonable amount of sesame dressing on to the standard-issue iceberg wad that comes with the miso.
If it's a Friday (or an annoying day), I'll grab a pint of Sapporo to accompany the fishies. The service is good but not over-friendly, and the ambience is dark but cozy--it's refreshing respite from fluorescent Microsoft Outlookery.