Try Yakitori Taisho or Oh! Taisho, both on St. Mark's Place (8th Street) and 3rd Avenue. My all-time favorites and you feel like you're in Japan, there are so many Japanese there. It's an izakaya and is not a fancy place like your Nobu, but the food is amazing. Order the chicken skin yakitori, ribs, or buta mayo (pork sauteed with mayo) - extremely good.