7 editor-picked japanese sushi restaurants across 5 cities.
A guide to japanese sushi restaurants worth a trip, by city. We list operators, signature dishes, and the rooms locals book first.
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.
Signature: Sushi omakase, Edomae nigiri
Order: The chef's omakase: roughly two-hour, eighteen-course service.
Tip: Two seatings nightly. Counter only; no a la carte. Drinks programme includes rare sake and an unusually deep Burgundy list.
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.
Signature: Sushi platter, Salmon donburi, Robata skewers
Order: The bento at lunch; the chef's omakase platter for two at dinner.
Tip: Window banquettes face the Liffey. Lunch bento under EUR 20 is the value play; the kitchen closes between 15:30 and 17:30.
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 plates by the bar.
Signature: Hama chili, Maguro sashimi and goat cheese
Order: Hama chili and the maguro sashimi with goat cheese, both signatures from the Austin original.
Tip: Sit 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.
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.
Signature: Trust Me set, Toro hand roll
Order: The Trust Me set: tuna sashimi, salmon and yellowtail nigiri, toro hand roll.
Tip: The Trust Me Lite is the better-value set for one; rice is warm, vinegar pronounced, fish room temperature.
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.
Signature: Edomae nigiri omakase, Natural-wine pairing
Order: Chef-selection omakase with a pour of grower Champagne from the deep wine list.
Tip: The 90-bottle natural-wine list is the real reason to choose Sushi Note over its peers; ask the server for guidance.
Sushi Tama on Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Grove, is Chef Hideyuki Yoshimoto's Tsukiji-trained omakase room serving fish flown in from Japan three times a week.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, Toyosu hirame
Order: The omakase with hirame, kinmedai, uni and toro flown in from Toyosu market three times a week.
Tip: Chef Yoshimoto trained at Tsukiji; the omakase is shorter than the chef-counter rivals but the fish is unmatched.
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 Pine since 2015.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, Geoduck sashimi, Toro
Order: The 14-piece omakase at the bar with Shiro Kashiba himself if you can get the seat.
Tip: The omakase is bar-only and takes 90 minutes; book the 17:00 seating on a Wednesday for the chef and a quieter room.
More cities are in research. Want japanese sushi covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.