Top sushi restaurants in Tokyo — 11+ most famous & best sushi restaurants in Tokyo

November 8, 2023

best sushi in tokyo — Sushi, must-try in Japan

Nowadays you can find sushi all over the world, however, nowhere has the taste better than its homeland, Japan – Paradise for those who love sushi. If you come here to travel, you definitely cannot help but taste this wonderful legendary sushi. Tokyo has more than 3,000 sushi restaurants varying in price, menu, and style. So, where to eat sushi in Tokyo? Let’s check out our top rated 11+ top sushi restaurants in Tokyo, best sushi bars in Tokyo, best sushi restaurants in Tokyo, including top 10 sushi restaurants in Tokyo, must eat sushi in Tokyo, famous sushi restaurant in Tokyo, 3 michelin star sushi restaurants in Tokyo as follows!

Sushi, a part of Japanese culinary culture | best sushi restaurants in tokyo

Each piece of sushi is like a work of art | best sushi restaurants in tokyo

Whether you want to try high-end Michelin-starred sushi or cheap kaiten sushi, from classic sashimi to full omakase menus you can find restaurants to your liking in Tokyo. Let’s find out with us the best sushi restaurants in Tokyo right now!

Sukiyabashi Jiro (Ginza) (# 3 michelin star sushi restaurants in tokyo)

Sukiyabashi-Jiro-Lean-tuna-1024x683 — | best sushi restaurants in tokyo

Jiro Ono is a living legend. He is called “sushi no kamisama” in Japan, which means sushi god. Born in 1925, he is still running his restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza, downtown Tokyo. This restaurant is considered the best of the best and famous restaurant in Japan and has received three prestigious Michelin stars. To enjoy sushi here, you just need to walk about 1 minute from exit C6 of Ginza Station.

Former US President and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Jiro | best sushi restaurants in tokyo

Sukiyabashi Jiro sushi pieces are simple but reach unbelievable perfection. He is the one who invented and created many methods in preparing sushi. The classic design style of a traditional sushi restaurant, with wooden tables and chairs and only 10 seats, is located modestly in the basement of an office building in the Ginza area, Tokyo. Surely few people would expect that this is the place where sushi is made makes famous French chef Joel Rabuchon exclaim: “Sukiyabashi Jiro has shown me the true art of sushi!”

At Sukiyabashi Jiro, diners will sit on chairs facing the chef’s preparation table. Once the sushi is finished, the chef will give it to the diners to enjoy right away. Kicking off the classics is sushi with winter whitefish. This dish is quite soft and sensitive, you have to gently pick it up with your fingers or chopsticks and enjoy. Next is Sumi-Ika Japanese Spineless Cuttlefish and Shima-Aji (Striped Jack). Then there are three types of tuna, the symbol of Sushi, whose fatty taste seems to melt in your mouth when you taste it.

Next is seasonal seafood sushi such as Abalone and Aji (Japanese horse mackerel) which are extremely delicious. Sushi Kuruma-Ebi, Torigai, Katsuo are also very popular with diners. The finale includes Uni (sea urchin) and Anago (eel) sushi that is delicate, creamy and tastes amazing. Finish with Tamago (Japanese Rolled Omelet). It’s really soft and sweet like a Castella cake.

For a 30-minute sushi meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro, you should make a reservation several months in advance. If you’re lucky, you’ll get 1-2 spots at this great restaurant.

Address: 4-2-15 Tsukamoto Sogyo Bldg. B1F, Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–8:30 PM/Sunday: Closed

Ichibancho Teruya (# best sushi restaurants in tokyo)

Ichibancho Teruya is a traditional sushi restaurant where you can sit at the counter to witness the chef preparing the sushi. In Japan, this special service is only possible if you can speak Japanese. But don’t worry, at Ichibancho Teruya you have the opportunity to witness the sushi making process and chat directly with the chef even if you cannot speak Japanese because the chefs can use English to communicate with customers very well.

Sushi Sho-style Ichibancho Teruya serves a variety of sushi in small portions, alternating between nigiri (using both shirozu and akazu vinegar) and side dishes. Chef Teruya’s special forte is nigiri dishes with raw fish and fresh seafood. Nigiri sushi is prepared meticulously, meticulously and beautifully like a work of art and has great flavor. Other types of sushi are also worth trying. If you want to enjoy sushi here, make a reservation in advance because there are only 8 seats in the restaurant.

Address: 15-15 Ichibancho SA Bldg B1F, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
Hours: 6–10:30 PM/Monday: Closed

Sushi Dai (# famous sushi restaurant in tokyo)

Sushi Dai is one of the most famous sushi restaurants in Tokyo, hidden just off the main gate around Shin-ohashi street, near the famous Tsukiji fish market. The restaurant is an ideal choice for a sushi breakfast. To get there, it’s about a 5-minute walk from Tsukijishijo Station (Oedo Line) or Tsukiji Station (Hibiya Line). A huge plus point that other sushi restaurants can hardly have is that the seafood here is the freshest because it is caught early in the morning and sold at Tsukiji fish market.

Sushi Dai is especially famous for its traditional, high-end Edomae-style sushi, leading to long lines in front of its restaurant. Each sushi meal only costs around 2,000-3,000 yen while the Omakase menu including nigiri sushi, sushi rolls, eggs and a special sushi portion costs around 4,000 yen. The restaurant only opens in the morning until the sushi runs out and does not accept reservations, so if you want to be sure to have breakfast at Sushi Dai, start lining up at 5am. The freshness of the food combined with the great taste of the dishes here will definitely make you feel worth the price and time spent queuing.

Location: Toyosu, 6 Chome 5−1, Koto City
Hours: 6 AM–2 PM/Wednesday, Sunday: Closed

Sushi Saito (# top 10 sushi restaurants in tokyo)

Sushi Saito is being awarded three Michelin stars continuously for 5 consecutive years, this title speaks to the excellent quality of sushi here. Sushi Saito Restaurant is located on the first floor of the Nihon Jitensha Kaikan building, Tokyo. It was founded by chef Takashi Saito, specializing in sushi dishes. It has been rated the best sushi restaurant in the world by chef Joël Robuchon, who has the most Michelin stars in the world.

To ensure the freshness and quality of the food, chef Saito goes to Tsukiji fish market every day to buy ingredients. Unlike other sushi restaurants that seek innovation, Saito tends to preserve the traditional style of sushi. Chef Saito is famous for making Edo-style sushi, with a small piece of fish, mixed with sea salt and red vinegar in the rice. In addition, the restaurant’s tuna, abalone, octopus, eel and purple sea urchin sushi are also very popular with customers. You can enjoy the flavors of authentic Edo-style sushi for dinner or nigiri hand-rolled sushi for lunch.

At the small sushi counter you will enjoy sushi from aji (mackerel) with grated ginger and negi (Japanese Long Green Onion) and iwashi (sardines), through different tuna slices (akami, chu-toro and o-toro ) to sea urchins, eels and octopuses. Saito serves small slices of fish and adds a little salt to the rice, which is prepared with mild red vinegar. Tender seafood, perfect flavor worth every penny. If you are experienced with sushi dishes and know exactly what you want, order an a la carte menu. Otherwise, try omakase and trust Chef Saito will bring you an unforgettable sushi experience.

Due to the reputation of Sushi Saito restaurant and the limited space of only 6 seats in the restaurant, you should make reservations several months in advance before going there to ensure a dinner at the restaurant.

Location: 1-4-5 Roppongi 1F Ark Hills South Tower, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12–2 PM, 5–10 PM/Sunday: Closed

Kyubey (# top sushi restaurants in tokyo)

Kyubey is one of the best and most famous sushi restaurants in Japan. It was founded by chef Hisaji Imada in 1935, who is famous as the creator of gunkan-maki. He was also the first to use uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) as one of the ingredients for making sushi. Kyubey’s sushi is so exquisite that it was ordered twice by President Obama when he visited Japan.

Kyubey has a beautiful and sophisticated interior and is the perfect setting to try traditional Japanese sushi. You can enjoy sushi in the Japanese omakase style, with dishes selected by the chef. It’s great when you can enjoy all the dishes prepared by the chef in the best order and manner with the freshest ingredients of the season.

Make a reservation here

Location: 7-6, Ginza 8-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
Hours: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–9:30 PM/Monday, Sunday: Closed

Masuda

In 2017, Sushi Masuda was rated 2 Michelin Stars. Chef Masuda’s main motto in serving dishes is to ensure the freshness of ingredients. Therefore, chef Masuda always chooses the best fish caught daily and the most suitable quality rice. Not only that, all sushi is served at a controlled temperature to ensure the perfect blend of textures and flavors.

Chef Masuda is a student of Jiro Ono, but the sushi here has some unique characteristics. You can order cooked dishes like grilled tuna and raw dishes like the popular vinegar-marinated nigiri sushi rice.

Another popular choice is appetizers along with stews, wine or champagne. Customers can enjoy a two-hour dining period in a comfortable atmosphere or book a private room that can accommodate six people.

Location: B1F, 5-8-11, Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 5–11 PM/Sunday: Closed

Umi

Umi is a famous Michelin two-star sushi restaurant in Minato. A short walk from Gaienmae subway station will take you to Umi restaurant. Stepping inside is an intimate space with warm wood tones and a clean, simple kitchen counter. The walls are decorated with traditional samurai swords and ecru upholstery giving it a rustic feel like someone’s home.

This sushi restaurant has more than 25 types of seafood for you to choose from. You can enjoy chutoro from Funka Bay in Hokkaido to ombre fatty tuna from Oma Port in Aomori, Kyushu area, Shikoku area, etc. Sushi pieces are served gunkan-maki style wrapped in seaweed crispy aromatic nori that melts in your mouth, plump orange bafun-uni sea urchin pieces from Yoichi in the west of Sapporo, Hokkaido. Tender, juicy abalone from Ohara, purple Chiba stands out in contrast to the meat of simmered octopus from Yokosuka. And then there’s the chance to enjoy another type of sea urchin – akauni from Karatsu, Saga.

When you take a bite, the smell of vinegar spreads in your mouth and it brings out the flavors of all the other ingredients of the sushi. Some of the favorite sushi dishes here are grilled ginko, abalone with soy sauce, tsugani in vinegar, grilled squid, and Japanese-style rolled omelette. These dishes go very well with Japanese sake. You will have a pleasant and surprising dinner while enjoying the food and chatting with the chef right at the counter!

Address: 3-2-8 Minamiaoyama, Minato Ward, Tokyo
Hours: 12–10:30 PM/Wednesday: Closed

Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi

If you can’t make a reservation at the 3-Michelin-starred Sukiyabashi Jiro, which is notoriously expensive and difficult to book in Ginza, try Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi. The owner is the very famous sushi master Jiro Ono, and the chef at the restaurant is his son Takashi, who has the honor of receiving two Michelin stars for his cuisine.

Edo-style sushi restaurant, all wooden, small with ten counter seats and two tables of four. An omakase menu here includes 20 pieces of sushi. Each sushi piece has a particularly savory flavor. When you put a piece of tuna sushi in your mouth, the fat is completely melted with the rice and vinegar and disappears quickly. Strange and sweet sea urchin dish. Each piece of sushi is eaten in the order the chef has presented it on the counter. The seafood is meticulously and beautifully prepared.

Each dish is created by the chef and devoted to the art of sushi making. You can enjoy sake, but traditional green tea is the recommended drink at this restaurant. The price for a 2-hour dining in the evening at Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi is quite high but extremely worth it for what you get to experience.

Address: 6 Chome-12-2 Roppongi Keyakizaka Dori, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Hours: 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM/Wednesday: Closed

Sushi Bar Yasuda

Sushi Bar Yasuda is considered the top Sushi restaurant in Harajuku, Tokyo. This restaurant is owned by Naomichi Yasuda – a chef famous on VICE and Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. The restaurant is quite small, only suitable for the chef to serve about eight guests each night. You will witness firsthand a sushi master preparing delicious pieces of sushi with incredible sophistication and speed.

There are many types for you to choose from, from white fish, tuna, salmon, striped snapper, sardines, mackerel, ebi, uni, snow crab, scallops, toro, steelhead salmon, oysters, sweet shrimp, conger eel, toro green onions, etc. Located a 15-minute walk from Omote-sando station, this discreet spot has some of the best sushi in the city. However, because the number of customers is very limited, you need to book in advance to enjoy a great sushi dinner here.

Address: 4 Chome-2-6, Minami aoyama, Minato, Tokyo

Sushi Isshin

Isshin is a small sushi restaurant in Asakusa, located a 12-minute walk from Asakusa Station (Asakusa Road, Line Line). Despite having achieved a Michelin star, Sushi Isshin is simple, traditional and unpretentious. The decoration is very simple with an L-shaped counter with only 10 seats.

You’ll enjoy some great Edo style sushi. The toppings are super fresh. If you order the omakase menu, you can be sure that you will enjoy the freshest sushi with seasonal seafood. The nigiri sushi dishes are extremely delicious and feature unique ‘shari’ (sushi rice). The rice is cooked over charcoal fire, soft and moist. Shari has a relatively strong flavor with the red vinegar typical of Edo-style sushi and a little more salt than average. You can also order otsumami which includes small side dishes. The otsumami plates include “chawanmushi” (salted custard) and some grilled fish dishes.

Address: 4 Chome-11-3 Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo
Hours: 6–10 PM/Sunday: Closed

Sushi Kuriyagawa (# best sushi bars in tokyo)

Sushi Kuriyagawa is a traditional high-end Tokyo sushi restaurant located near the Westin Hotel in Ebisu. There is no sushi with avocado, salmon or fatty tuna because it is considered a departure from traditional sushi. Koichi Kuriyagawa, the chef at this restaurant said: ‘For ingredients and seasonings, I don’t necessarily use special ones, but I always try to serve my guests some dishes they haven’t eaten yet before’.

One such unique dish is yaki-zushi (grilled sushi), which consists of crab meat, sushi rice and quail eggs placed on a small piece of cedar wood and lightly grilled in the oven. Another dish is makimono-chazuke (rolled sushi in tea), which consists of rolled sushi placed in a bowl with soup poured over it. In terms of creativity, Sushi Kuriyagawa is at the top of Tokyo’s high-end restaurants. Thanks to the chef’s love of children, babies and young children are welcome in separate rooms. During lunchtime during the week, a professional babysitter will care for your children at no extra charge while you enjoy sushi in your private room. However, you need to book in advance to use this service. Sushi Kuriyagawa is the ideal choice for you to enjoy traditional sushi but still with unique new features.

Address: 4-23-10 Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo
Hours: 12–10:30 PM/Monday, Sunday: Closed

Above are the best sushi restaurants in different areas of Tokyo. Although they are quite expensive, the taste of these sushi dishes is definitely worth it. Try to visit at least one of these great restaurants for sushi during your trip to Tokyo!

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