Where to Eat Japanese Sushi Around the World

Sushi Miyakawa ★ 4.9

Sapporo's only three-star Michelin sushi room. Chef Masaaki Miyakawa works Hokkaido seafood across two seatings at a seven-seat Maruyama counter.

OrderThe full omakase course; chef chooses the season's best Hokkaido catch.

TipReservations open the first day of each month for the month two months out; book through Tableall or call 011-215-0120. Closed Wednesdays.

Yoshitomo ★ 4.9

Chef David Utterback's Benson sushi counter is a two-time James Beard Best Chef: Midwest finalist, built on fish-ageing technique and Nebraska sourcing.

OrderChef's omakase: dry-aged fish nigiri in a style rarely seen outside coastal cities.

Takashi ★ 4.9

Takashi on Market Street, chef-owner Takashi Gibo's downtown sushi room since 2004, runs Salt Lake's defining omakase at the bar plus a full Japanese menu.

OrderOmakase at the sushi bar; the menu's signature rolls plus sashimi for the table.

TipWalk-in only; arrive before 17:30 on a weekday or after 21:00 to skip the wait. Closed Sundays.

Pavilion ★ 4.9

Nick Bognar's 18-course omakase sits in a glass pavilion behind Sado on The Hill, ranked the best restaurant in St. Louis by the Post-Dispatch since 2024.

Book2 to 4 weeks ahead

TipChef-led nights run around $250 and the trained-team nights around $175; book through Sado. Eighteen small courses, so come hungry.

Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten ★ 4.8

Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten in Tokyo's Ginza is the 10-seat counter made famous by Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Yoshikazu Ono runs it; concierge bookings only.

BookBookings via top-tier hotel concierges only ahead

TipThe Ginza main shop no longer takes public bookings; the Roppongi branch (Takashi Ono) is the accessible relative, two stars in the 2026 guide.

Sushi Masuda ★ 4.8

Sushi Masuda on West 1st Avenue is chef Hirofumi Masuda's small edomae counter since 2018, Michelin-starred in the inaugural 2022 Vancouver guide.

OrderThe omakase at the counter; chef Hirofumi Masuda trained at Sukiyabashi Jiro and Sushi Saito.

TipReservations on Tock open 60 days out and book within minutes; one omakase price point.

Masayoshi ★ 4.8

Masayoshi on Fraser Street is chef Masayoshi Baba's small edomae sushi counter since 2014, Michelin one-star from the inaugural 2022 BC guide.

OrderThe omakase counter set, the only menu format; chef Masayoshi Baba sets the pace.

TipReservations open 30 days out on Tock and book within minutes; counter only.

Kosen ★ 4.8

Kosen on Palm Avenue in Tampa Heights holds a Michelin star for Chef Andrew Huang's 12-seat chef's-counter omakase featuring 20-plus courses.

OrderThe signature omakase menu with the seasonal sake pairing; the wagyu course is the standout.

TipReservations through Tock; Kosen held its Michelin star in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 guides under the Noble Rice ownership group.

Koya ★ 4.8

Koya on West Platt Street in Hyde Park holds a Michelin star for Chef Eric Fralick's 8-seat omakase, with bluefin tuna and uni flown from Toyosu weekly.

OrderThe full tasting menu ($295); the bluefin tuna course and uni handroll are the benchmarks.

TipReservations open the 15th of each month at 10am for the following month; the 8-seat counter sells out in minutes.

Sushi Sakai ★ 4.8

Daigo Sakai runs the most-decorated edomae sushi counter in Fukuoka. Three Michelin stars in the 2019 Kyushu special edition, after holding one star in 2014.

OrderWhatever Sakai-san shapes on the night, with the aged tuna midway through.

TipReserve through Pocket Concierge two to three months ahead. Cancellations are charged.

Yui Edomae Sushi ★ 4.8

Yui Edomae Sushi in Las Vegas is chef Gen Mizoguchi's Arville Plaza omakase room, seven seats at the bar, fish flown from Toyosu Market daily and tasting.

OrderThe full omakase at the bar; book the latest seating and skip lunch beforehand.

TipSeven counter seats and three booths only; reservations open 30 days out and fill within hours.

Sushi Harasho 2 ★ ★ 4.8

Sushi Harasho holds two Michelin stars; the chef seasons only with wasabi and nikiri at a 12-seat unmarked counter in a Nakanoshima back street.

Book4-8 weeks ahead

Wataru ★ 4.8

Wataru is tucked into a saxe building ground floor in ravenna, far from any tourist corridor, with a 10-seat bar and no signage at street level.

Why locals goTucked into a Saxe Building ground floor in Ravenna, far from any tourist corridor, with a 10-seat bar and no signage at street level.

TipTock booking opens at midnight three weeks out; the 19:30 second seating is easier than the 17:00.

Mujo ★ 4.8

Chef Edward Lee Schubert's West Midtown sushi counter in Atlanta opened 2021 and earned a Michelin Star in 2023 for the city's most refined omakase service.

OrderThe chef's omakase: roughly two-hour, eighteen-course service.

TipTwo seatings nightly. Counter only; no a la carte. Drinks programme includes rare sake and an unusually deep Burgundy list.

Fumiki's Sushi Kappo ★ 4.8

Fumiki's Sushi Kappo hides on Barrett Street in Robertson, 25 minutes south of Brisbane CBD. Eight-seat omakase counter, 18 courses Edomae and kaiseki.

Why locals goEight-seat omakase counter on Barrett Street in southern suburb Robertson, 25-minute drive from CBD

Hiden ★ 4.8

Hiden in Wynwood is the eight-seat Michelin omakase counter at 313 NW 25th, behind a passcode door, run by Chef Seijun Okano with fish flown from Tokyo.

OrderThere is one order: the omakase. Choose seat, not course.

TipWait list runs months; sign up the moment the calendar opens and accept any seat offered.

Naoe ★ 4.8

Naoe on Brickell Key in Miami is Kevin Cory's five-seat omakase counter at 661 Brickell Key Drive, the only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star room.

OrderThe bento opener with Cory's family's heirloom soy sauce; the omakase follows.

Book6 to 8 weeks ahead

TipOne service nightly Tuesday to Saturday. Reservations are non-refundable; sake pairing is the add-on locals book.

Kadence 1 ★ ★ 4.8

Kadence on Winter Park Road in Audubon Park is an eight-seat Edomae sushi counter from Mark and Jennifer Berdin, with a Michelin star since 2022.

Book6 weeks ahead

Soichi Sushi ★ 4.8

Soichi Sushi in San Diego is Soichi Kadoya's Michelin-starred (since 2022) omakase room in University Heights, an intimate counter with a six-piece omakase.

OrderThe full omakase, sat at the counter; the local yellowtail is the room's recurring star.

TipTwo omakase seatings nightly; book three weeks ahead on Tock for either.

O Ya 1 ★ ★ 4.8

Tim and Nancy Cushman's O Ya on East Street in the Leather District runs a 20-seat contemporary Japanese omakase in Boston since 2007. Located in South End.

Book4 weeks ahead

Sushi Den ★ 4.8

Sushi Den in Denver is Toshi and Yasu Kizaki's South Pearl sushi house since 1984, with fish flown daily from Toyosu Market in Tokyo via the brothers'.

OrderSit at the bar and order omakase.

TipReservations open online 30 days out and disappear in hours. The walk-in policy at the bar still works if you arrive by 5 pm.

Sushi Sho Hawaii ★ 4.8

Sushi Sho Hawaii is chef Keiji Nakazawa's 16-seat edomae omakase counter at The Ritz-Carlton Residences Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, with a 30-plus course.

OrderThe full 30-plus course omakase; the otoro nigiri and aged Maui bonito are signatures.

Book8 weeks ahead

TipTwo seatings nightly, no children under 12. Reservations open via phone only; book eight weeks ahead.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya ★ 4.8

Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Philadelphia is the eight-seat Queen Village omakase counter behind the front-room izakaya, ranked among North America's 50 Best.

OrderThe omakase counter at the back; the crispy pork gyoza if you sit at the izakaya bar in front.

TipThe omakase books out 30 days at midnight on Resy. The izakaya front room takes walk-ups most weeknights.

Sushi Sakuta ★ 4.8

Rose from one to two Michelin stars in the 2025 Singapore guide. Chef Yoshio Sakuta's Edo omakase; seasonally sourced Japanese fish and a specific rice blend.

OrderThe full omakase; the rice-to-topping ratio is a particular obsession of the kitchen

TipThe counter seats only twelve; booking opens 30 days ahead and fills in hours.

Sushi Masaki Saito 1 ★ ★ 4.8

Sushi Masaki Saito on Avenue Road runs an edomae omakase counter on a 200-year hinoki bar, Michelin one-star in the 2026 guide after two stars 2022-2024.

BookBookings open 60 days out on Tock ahead

Minamishima ★ 4.8

Minamishima earns three Good Food Guide hats for Edomae nigiri omakase: one set menu, 40 seats and one of Australia's tightest reservation systems.

BookReleased first of each month at 12pm ahead

Sushi Sho 1 ★ ★ 4.8

Sushi Sho in Stockholm's Vasastan seats 16 at a single counter for Carl Ishizaki's omakase, Edomae-style with Nordic fish, Michelin star since 2016.

OrderThe chef's-choice omakase; the cured mackerel and tuna belly courses are non-negotiable.

Book4 weeks ahead

TipTwo seatings a night, Tuesday to Saturday. The 17:30 sitting is calmer; the 20:30 has more energy.

Izakaya Gaku ★ 4.8

Izakaya Gaku in Sydney: japanese sushi room. Five Dock omakase-style izakaya from a Tetsuya alumnus. 12 seats, sake list deep enough for a third.

Why locals goFive Dock omakase-style izakaya from a Tetsuya alumnus. 12 seats, sake list deep enough for a third bottle, far enough from the city to remain a local secret.

TipBookings open four weeks ahead; ask for the bar counter to watch the line.

Sushiya no Saito ★ 4.7

Chef Akira Saito's Ezomae-style sushi counter at the south edge of Susukino, working only Hokkaido catch into Kiwami and Miyabi omakase courses since 2000.

OrderThe Kiwami evening omakase, 8 to 9 plates plus nigiri progression.

TipCounter only; reservations essential. The Miyabi course is the slightly shorter option for first-time visitors.

Sushi Saito ★ 4.7

Sushi Saito in Tokyo's Roppongi is Takashi Saito's eight-seat edomae sushi counter in Ark Hills South. Three Michelin stars 2009-2019, concierge-only.

BookConcierge-only since 2020 ahead

TipTop hotel concierges and a few private members handle bookings; cold-call requests are not accepted.

Tojo's ★ 4.7

Tojo's on West Broadway runs chef Hidekazu Tojo's omakase since 1988, the kitchen credited with inventing the California roll and the BC roll.

OrderThe omakase at the sushi counter; chef Hidekazu Tojo invented the BC roll here in 1974.

TipThe omakase counter books two weeks out on OpenTable; the dining room takes shorter notice.

Shunji ★ 4.7

Shunji on Ocean Park Boulevard is Santa Monica's serious omakase counter, a chef-led 295 dollar procession of aged and marinated fish booked via Tock.

OrderOmakase only; the aged marinated tuna nigiri is the anchor

TipThe room is tiny and reservations go through Tock; aged marinated tuna nigiri is the signature move.

Sushi Minazuki ★ 4.7

A Michelin-starred Kitashinchi omakase counter; Chef Sato sources Seto Inland Sea fish direct from fishermen to a 14-seat pale-wood counter.

OrderOmakase course

Sushi Kashiba ★ 4.7

Sushi Kashiba in Seattle's Pike Place Market is Shiro Kashiba's bar: the chef who opened Seattle's first sushi counter in 1970, now back behind glass at 86.

OrderThe 14-piece omakase at the bar with Shiro Kashiba himself if you can get the seat.

TipThe omakase is bar-only and takes 90 minutes; book the 17:00 seating on a Wednesday for the chef and a quieter room.

Omakase Table 1 ★ ★ 4.7

Chef Leonard Yu's Omakase Table relocated to Buckhead Landing in 2025 and holds a Michelin Star since 2024 for a 20-course Edomae omakase with Koshihikari.

OrderThe 20-course chef's omakase at the eighteen-seat counter.

Book30 days ahead

TipWednesday through Sunday from 17:00-20:30; reservations required. Two seatings in two separate rooms.

Sushi Wakon ★ 4.7

Edomae sushi inside the Four Seasons Kyoto, in Higashiyama. Eight counter seats and a ten-course omakase from the team that opened the original Sushi Wakon.

SignatureEdomae sushi omakase

Book3 weeks ahead

Soseki 1 ★ ★ 4.7

Soseki on West Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park is a ten-seat omakase from chef Michael Collantes, with a Michelin star through the 2026 guide.

Book4 weeks ahead

Omakase Experience by PrimeFish ★ 4.7

Omakase Experience by PrimeFish in Myers Park is a six-seat counter from Robin Anthony, a 2026 James Beard Best Chef semifinalist, with Toyosu-sourced fish.

OrderThe omakase counter; that is the only menu format.

Book3 to 4 weeks ahead

TipSix seats per service. The wider PrimeFish dining room next door takes the larger walk-up crowd.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya (omakase) ★ 4.7

Royal Sushi omakase in Philadelphia is Jesse Ito's eight-seat Queen Village sushi counter behind the front izakaya, on North America's 50 Best 2025.

OrderThe full 18-course omakase; trust the counter on the order, do not request swaps.

Book30 days ahead

TipResy opens at midnight 30 days out. Saturday seatings book in the first 60 seconds.

Edomae Sushi Matsuki ★ 4.7

Edomae Sushi Matsuki on Venturska 18, tucked off the main square, brings Edo-style sushi technique to landlocked Slovakia with chef-led omakase nightly.

OrderThe omakase counter seats; the kitchen runs Edomae technique end to end.

TipCounter seating is eight covers only; phone or email two weeks ahead to confirm.

Sushi Noz 2 ★ ★ 4.7

Chef Nozomu Abe's two-Michelin-star Edomae sushi counter on the Upper East Side runs eight seats in New York City. Cypress counter, 90-minute omakase.

Book8 weeks ahead

San Omakase 1 ★ ★ 4.7

San Omakase is a Leblon sushi counter led by chef André Kawai, serving a nine-course omakase and holding one Michelin star in Rio de Janeiro.

OrderThe nine-course omakase at the counter, finished with a dessert by pastry chef César Yukio

BookBook ahead through Tock ahead

TipThe counter is on the first floor of a shopping centre on Rua Conde de Bernadotte, shop 103; reserve online through Tock.

Raw Omakase DC ★ 4.7

Raw Omakase DC in Washington DC is Chef John Yi's Logan Circle Japanese tasting counter on the third floor above Takara 14 on 14th Street, a sub-ten-seat.

OrderWhichever nigiri course leads the run.

TipThe 18:00 seating is the 15-course $125 menu; the 20:15 seating is the 18-course $150 menu. Reserve via the website Tuesday through Saturday.

Sushi Shiro ★ 4.6

Shiro's Yakuin counter runs edomae sushi with a la carte alongside the omakase. Eight seats, intimate, chef sets the tempo across a small a la carte board.

OrderOmakase nigiri course; ask for the chef's a-la-carte add-ons at the close.

TipReserve two weeks ahead through Pocket Concierge. Counter and one table.

Other Mama ★ 4.6

Other Mama in Las Vegas is Daniel Krohmer's seafood-driven sushi room since 2015, a Morimoto Philadelphia alum's industry hangout off West Sahara.

OrderThe crispy whole fish with chili-lime sauce; daily catch from the sushi case.

TipHappy hour 5 to 6:30pm runs a half-price oyster and crudo list at the bar; it is the cheapest way into the kitchen.

Kabuto Edomae Sushi ★ 4.6

Kabuto Edomae Sushi in Las Vegas is the Chinatown 14-seat omakase room since 2013, fish flown from Toyosu and traditional aged nigiri at the counter.

OrderFull omakase at the counter; the aged tuna programme runs longer than most US sushi rooms.

TipCounter seating only; reservations open 30 days out at 09:00 and fill quickly. Closed Mondays.

Akaoni ★ 4.6

Akaoni serves traditional Japanese cooking and sushi at Mission and 6th in Carmel, a small room listed in the Michelin Guide and booked by phone.

OrderSushi from the day's fish list, called out at the counter.

TipSeats are few and hours are short; call ahead, and remember lunch only runs Thursday through Saturday.

Kabooki Sushi ★ 4.6

Kabooki Sushi on East Colonial Drive is chef Henry Moso's modern sushi room with an omakase counter, an a la carte list and a Sand Lake second location.

SignatureOmakase nigiri, Wagyu special rolls

Addiction Aquatic Development ★ 4.6

Addiction Aquatic Development in Zhongshan keeps its standing-sushi bar pouring sake and serving chirashi until 02:00 Fri and Sat, 24:00 other nights.

TryStanding-bar sushi and chirashi

TipSushi bar 11:00-22:00 weekdays, 11:00-02:00 weekends Kitchen close differs from bar close.

Cafe Sushi ★ 4.6

Cafe Sushi is a japanese sushi room in Cambridge. Twelve counter seats only; book on Tock 30 days ahead. Take-out bento boxes are the off-menu deal at lunch.

Why locals goA 1984 sushi counter on Mass Ave near Harvard Square that closed its dining room for five years; reopened December 2025 and most Boston eaters do not know it is back.

TipTwelve counter seats only; book on Tock 30 days ahead. Take-out bento boxes are the off-menu deal at lunch.

Uchi Denver ★ 4.6

Uchi Denver is Tyson Cole's Hai Hospitality sushi room in RiNo since 2019, the Austin original's third location running the Uchi omakase template.

Book3 weeks ahead

M Sushi ★ 4.6

The Triangle's first omakase counter, M Sushi brought Japanese precision to downtown Durham using domestic and sustainably sourced Japanese fish.

SignatureOmakase nigiri, House-made tofu, Seasonal sashimi

Sushi Sasabune ★ 4.6

Sushi Sasabune in Ala Moana Honolulu is the omakase-only sushi counter chef Seiji Kumagawa opened in 1996, building its Hawaii-mae style around as much local.

OrderThere is no menu, only omakase. Trust the counter; the Hawaiian fish sequence is the point.

TipSix-seat counter, parties of six max. No substitutions, no soy on the rice; the chef directs every bite.

Mustard Seed ★ 4.6

A 12-seat counter in a quiet Serangoon residential neighbourhood where chef Gan Ming Kiat reimagines Singapore's national dishes through a Japanese omakase lens. The 8-course menu changes every two months, turning laksa, rojak and chilli crab into something both familiar and surprising. One of the hardest reservations in Singapore.

Order8-course omakase (full menu), Laksa course, Singapore sling dessert

TipReservations open on the 1st of each month at 10am for the following month and sell out in minutes. Single-diner spots available on select days.

Uchi Houston ★ 4.6

Uchi Houston is the Montrose outpost of Tyson Cole's James Beard-winning sushi house, on Westheimer since 2012, with a hama chili and untraditional Japanese.

OrderHama chili and the maguro sashimi with goat cheese, both signatures from the Austin original.

TipSit at the sushi bar, never the dining room, and order omakase off-menu. Sushi happy hour 5 to 6:30 is the city's best deal.

Wicky's Innovative Japanese ★ 4.6

Wicky's in Milan's Centro Storico is chef Wicky Priyan's 12-seat omakase counter, opened 2009, the Sri Lankan-trained sushi master who put Italian fish.

OrderThe full omakase set at the counter; do not order off the carte.

TipBookings open 30 days ahead and sell out within hours. Lunch omakase at 12:30 is cheaper than dinner; vegetarian option available with notice.

Kaido Sushi Bar 1 ★ ★ 4.6

Kaido Sushi Bar on Carrer de Xile in Valencia is chef Yoshikazu Yanome's one-Michelin-star edomae sushi counter, the city's only Michelin sushi room.

Book4 weeks ahead

Sushi Hidetaka ★ 4.5

Chef Hidetaka trained at Sapporo's Michelin-starred Sushi Zen before opening this eight-seat cypress counter. Located in Susukino. Priced at ¥¥¥¥.

OrderOmakase; the dry-aged tuna progression is the house signature.

TipCounter only; reservations open six weeks ahead. Cash-or-card and bring time to talk.

Noble Rice ★ 4.5

Noble Rice at Sparkman Wharf runs a Michelin-recognized minimalist Japanese sushi room with bluefin and uni from Toyosu market, plus ramen and small plates.

Book1 month ahead

Sushi Room ★ 4.5

Yōkoso Sushi Room sits inside The Calile Hotel at 48 James Street. Head chef Shimpei Raikuni runs an a la carte sushi list plus dedicated omakase.

SignatureOmakase tasting, Sashimi platter, Nigiri selection

Sushi Iwa ★ 4.5

An eight-seat Edomae sushi counter just off Hanamikoji in Gion, Kyoto, run by chef Iwa with Tsukiji-trained habits. 20-piece omakase, no menu.

OrderChef's omakase, 20 pieces over 90 minutes

TipLunch is half the dinner price and easier to book; weekday seats open up two weeks ahead.

Azuma Sushi ★ 4.5

A mid-range Edomae sushi counter in Higashiyama, Kyoto. The chef trained in Tsukiji; lunch sets sit around 3,500 yen, and the saba-zushi is exemplary.

OrderTokujo nigiri lunch with side of saba bo-zushi

TipLunch is best value; book a counter seat to watch the rice-vinegar pressing.

Henssler & Henssler ★ 4.5

The Henssler family's Hamburg sushi room on Grosse Elbstrasse runs a 20-metre open kitchen above the Fischmarkt since 2001, called Cuisine Pacifique.

OrderThe California-style maki and the teriyaki Faroe salmon.

TipWalk-up counter seats open at 18:00; arrive before to skip the wait.

Shoushin 1 ★ ★ 4.5

Shoushin on north Yonge is chef Jackie Lin's edomae sushi counter on a 200-year hinoki bar, Michelin one-star with fish flown from Toyosu weekly.

BookBookings open 30 days out on Tock ahead

167 Sushi Bar ★ 4.5

167 Sushi Bar in Charleston runs a 22-seat sushi counter on East Bay Street since 2022. Located in Downtown. Priced at $$$. Kitchen leans japanese, sushi.

OrderThe chef's nigiri selection, plus the sashimi platter for the table.

TipBook on Resy. Mon-Sat lunch and dinner; the counter seats are the best.

YOSO 1 ★ ★ 4.5

YOSO in Alcantara, Lisbon: Brazilian chef Habner Gomes cooks a single omakase tasting in kaiseki spirit for ten guests, one Michelin star since 2025.

Book3 to 5 weeks ahead

Bota Sare Oyster & Sushi Bar ★ 4.5

Bota Sare in Split's Diocletian Palace is the Bota family oyster and sushi bar pairing Mali Ston oysters with Adriatic-fish nigiri across a few seats.

OrderMali Ston oysters with the Adriatic tuna nigiri tasting set.

BookFew days ahead

TipCounter seats are the right view; book ahead in July and August, when the room fills with one sitting per night.

Sushi no Midori Umegaoka ★ 4.4

Sushi no Midori Umegaoka in Tokyo is the original branch of the value-sushi chain. Big-piece nigiri, queue-based seating, lunch sets under 2,000 yen.

OrderThe jo-nigiri set; an extra plate of anago and chu-toro brings it home.

TipClosed Wednesdays. Queue ticket machine outside; 60-90 minute waits at lunch.

KazuNori ★ 4.4

KazuNori runs its original-format hand roll bar on Broadway in downtown Santa Monica, crisp nori and warm rice sets rolled the second you sit down.

OrderThe five-roll set, toro and blue crab included

TipNo reservations at the bar; the Friday-Saturday private bar for 7 to 12 was added for the 10th anniversary.

Ippongi Ishibashi ★ 4.4

Ippongi Ishibashi combines kaiseki with edomae sushi across a single course. Held a Michelin star in the 2019 Kyushu special edition. Counter only.

Book1 month ahead

TipReserve through omakase.je. The course alternates kaiseki plates with nigiri.

Soul Gastrolounge ★ 4.4

Soul Gastrolounge on Raleigh Street is Andy Kastanas's NoDa tapas-and-cocktails room, reopened in 2025 after three years away from the original Plaza Midwood.

OrderThe pork-belly tacos and a sushi-tapas plate.

TipDJ sets most nights. Walk-ins only, with a queue from 17:30.

Marui Sushi ★ 4.4

Marui Sushi works a Japanese counter on Plaça del Progrés in Palma's Santa Catalina, cutting sushi and sashimi alongside small plated izakaya dishes.

OrderThe sashimi selection, cut from whatever the counter has that day.

TipTuesday to Thursday is dinner only. Lunch service runs Friday through Sunday from 13:00.

Sunda New Asian ★ 4.4

Sunda's Gulch room in Nashville runs the city's most ambitious late-night menu: sushi, bao buns, and a deep cocktail list until 23:30 Friday and Saturday.

TryCrispy pork belly bao and sushi

TipBar walk-ins; sushi counter takes reservations for groups of two on the same day.

Heiwa Shokudo ★ 4.3

Heiwa Shokudo on North Lexington is a longstanding downtown Japanese kitchen. Sushi, ramen, omakase, hot pot and hibachi in a casual downtown room.

OrderThe tonkotsu ramen, or the chef's omakase if you book ahead.

TipWalk-in friendly midweek. The sushi bar takes omakase by reservation 48 hours ahead.

Sushi Saito 3 ★ ★ 4.3

Sushi Saito on the 45th floor of Four Seasons Hong Kong is the three Michelin star overseas counter of Tokyo's Sushi Saito, with Edomae nigiri cut from fish.

OrderThe omakase nigiri sequence with Toyosu market shari.

Book6 to 8 weeks ahead

TipReservations open the first of each month for the next month; set a calendar alert.

Sushi Note ★ 4.2

Sushi Note on Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, pairs traditional edomae sushi with a 90-deep natural-wine list, a Valley counter that books two weeks ahead.

OrderChef-selection omakase with a pour of grower Champagne from the deep wine list.

TipThe 90-bottle natural-wine list is the real reason to choose Sushi Note over its peers; ask the server for guidance.

Sushi Tama ★ 4.2

Sushi Tama on Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Grove, is Chef Hideyuki Yoshimoto's Tsukiji-trained omakase room serving fish flown in from Japan three times.

OrderThe omakase with hirame, kinmedai, uni and toro flown in from Toyosu market three times a week.

TipChef Yoshimoto trained at Tsukiji; the omakase is shorter than the chef-counter rivals but the fish is unmatched.

Willoughby & Co ★ 4.2

Willoughby & Co at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town takes no bookings, drawing a queue for its crispy rice sushi and grilled saikyo miso salmon.

OrderCrispy rice sushi topped with spicy tuna

TipNo bookings are taken, arrive right at opening or expect to queue for a table at peak dinner hours.

Mako 1 ★ ★ 4.2

Mako in Chicago is B.K. Park's Michelin-starred 22-seat omakase counter at 731 W Lake Street in the West Loop, with fish flown twice weekly from Toyosu.

Book21 days ahead

TipSit at the wood corner of the counter, closest to the rice cooker; the timing of the nigiri is sharpest there.

Sugarfish ★ 4.1

Sugarfish serves the Nozawa-school Trust Me on 2nd Street in Santa Monica, warm loose rice and cool fish in a set menu that rarely misses a beat.

OrderThe Trust Me set, finished with the hand roll

TipNo reservations; go at 11:30 sharp or mid-afternoon to dodge the wait, and default to the Trust Me.

Kuromon Standing Sushi ★ 4.1

The fishmonger-adjacent sushi counters in Kuromon Market serve market-price nigiri standing up from ¥200 per piece; a five-piece set under ¥1500.

TipArrive at 09:00 for the best selection; pieces move fast and the premium uni is often gone by 10:30.

Yamamori Sushi ★ 4.1

Yamamori Sushi on Ormond Quay in Dublin 1, the riverside sister to the Yamamori ramen room, the city's veteran Japanese counter and donburi lunch.

OrderThe bento at lunch; the chef's omakase platter for two at dinner.

TipWindow banquettes face the Liffey. Lunch bento under €20 is the value play; the kitchen closes between 15:30 and 17:30.

Yamamori South City ★ 4.1

Yamamori on South Great George's Street in Dublin 2, the city's veteran Japanese ramen and sushi room running late on weekends, the south side's late-night.

TrySalmon donburi

TipFront room runs late on Friday and Saturday; the basement izakaya runs 23:30. Highballs at the back bar from €6.

Moriki ★ 4.1

Moriki holds the ground floor of the Deutsche Bank towers in Frankfurt with sushi, gyoza and pan-Asian mains served across seven days a week.

OrderThe nigiri selection with a yuzu lemonade at the park-facing terrace

TipWeekends are far easier than banking-week lunch; delivery boxes travel well if the towers are your office.

La Camelia Vegan Bar ★ 4.1

La Camelia in Bilbao opened 2015 as the city's first dedicated 100% vegan bar, with vegetable sushi, seitan, tofu and tempeh plates and organic wines.

TryVegetable sushi, seitan plates

Uppi Wine Bar ★ 4.1

Uppi sits above Fish Market on Adalstraeti, a casual Reykjavik wine bar running the same kitchen for sushi and small plates at a lighter price.

OrderA few sushi rolls with a glass of wine; the kitchen is the same as below.

TipThe relaxed way into the Fish Market kitchen without the full tasting commitment. Good for a quick stop.

Nini Hachi ★ 4.1

Nini Hachi runs a kosher Japanese meat kitchen on Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv's Old North, plating sushi, teppanyaki and wok dishes with dedicated kit.

OrderThe table opening deal of six small plates, then the seared salmon Nam Tok.

TipKosher hours apply: it closes Friday afternoon and reopens on Saturday once Shabbat ends.

Sugarfish ★ 4.0

Sugarfish on 7th Street, downtown Los Angeles, applies the late Kazunori Nozawa Trust-Me set menu format to a casual sit-down room since 2012.

OrderThe Trust Me set: tuna sashimi, salmon and yellowtail nigiri, toro hand roll.

TipThe Trust Me Lite is the better-value set for one; rice is warm, vinegar pronounced, fish room temperature.

Shin'zen ★ 4.0

Shin'zen is a Japanese restaurant on Place Stalingrad in Reims, serving sushi, temaki, chirashi and sashimi, open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

OrderA chirashi bowl of raw fish on vinegared rice, then the coconut milk flan Le Bonbon recommends.

TipClosed Sunday and Monday; the house prints 14:00 and 22:00 as closing times, so allow for that when booking a late table.

Madera ★ 4.0

Madera anchors the Tasmajdan park terrace beside St Mark's Church in Belgrade. A gastronomic institution since 1937, Serbian classics plus sushi grill.

Book1 week ahead

Forty Five Degrees ★ 4.0

Forty Five Degrees on Mass Ave is the avenue's sushi anchor. Cocktails, hot-rock cooking and a strong roll list, with a late-kitchen most nights.

OrderTwo creative rolls off the menu, a hot-rock entree, a craft cocktail.

TipLate kitchen Friday and Saturday until midnight. Walk-ins seat at the bar.

Beluga ★ 3.9

Beluga at the Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, has run an Asian-leaning sushi and dim sum menu since 2000, first opened in Green Point.

OrderHandcrafted sushi platter, split between rolls and nigiri

TipIt sits on the first floor of the Art Deco Cruise Terminal, with a wine emporium and a whiskey lounge beside the sushi and seafood dining room.

Toro Sushi ★ 3.8

Toro Sushi rolls creative Japanese plates on Dolores Street in Carmel, running long all-day hours that the village's older sushi counters do not.

OrderThe day's nigiri selection, with a hot plate for the table.

TipThis is the rare Carmel kitchen serving straight through the afternoon, useful when the 14:30 lunch window has closed everywhere else.

Yami Sushi ★ 3.6

Running-sushi ad libitum near the university quarter, with a Japanese sushi chef putting out fresh nigiri and maki on the belt all day. At Norre Alle 72.

TryRunning sushi ad libitum lunch

Hanko Sushi ★ 3.6

Hanko Sushi in the Forum mall sells fixed salmon, prawn and maki sets at fair prices, a fast, predictable sushi lunch in the shopping core of the centre.

TryFixed sushi sets

TipInside the Forum on Mannerheimintie. Not destination sushi, but a cheap fixed set and a fast turnaround at lunch.