Everyone seems to have their favorite sushi place.
But have you ever had sea urchin?
Quail eggs?
Keep watching for some of the best and most creative sushi restaurants in the United States.
New York City is a place where sushi hopefuls go to test their chops, and seasoned veterans
settle to take the art to new heights.
So is the case with Masa.
This restaurant, helmed by Chef Masa Takayama, embodies the Japanese adjective shibui, which
the dictionary defines as meaning an"aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty."
For Takayama, the bounty of the sea has been a way of existence throughout his entire life.
The chef began his journey by working in his family's fish market as a kid.
Honing his skills at a restaurant in Beverly Hills, Chef Takayama eventually arrived in
New York to open the restaurant that bears his name.
Here, the key themes of Masa's sushi have been purity and distinctiveness.
Travel + Leisure Magazine defines the restaurant as:
"One of the premier dining experiences in the world."
The Michelin Guide, having granted Masa three stars, seems to agree.
In early 2020, Masa made headlines by serving an $800 dollar takeaway box.
"Show me the money!
Oh!”
Because, well, that's a lot of money for take out!
Washington, D.C. has long been a foodie destination for those seeking quality seafood.
Frequent visits of diplomats and dignitaries visiting from Japan have led to an evolution
of the high-caliber sushi being common in the nation's capital.
Under these conditions, Sushi Taro fits in perfectly.
The restaurant has been in business on Dupont Circle since the 1980s, carefully crafting
a recognized reputation with every plate.
Before learning sushi, Chef Nobu Yamakazi spent time in art school, a creative period
that he defines as instrumental to unleashing his culinary creativity, according to StarChefs.
After leaving art school to study the craft of sushi making, Nobu returned from Japan
to help lift Sushi Taro to new heights.
The Michelin Guide describes the kaiseki meal at the one-star Sushi Taro to be a full-on
experience.
Here, Chef Nobu's artistic background is on display, course after course.
A stack of chilled boxes is brought to each diner, who then select their preferred fish
to be turned into sashimi on the spot.
San Francisco is a renowned hub for sushi.
Yet, unlike the odd placement of Washington's sushi gem, Akiko's Restaurant benefits from
a central location in the City by the Bay.
Whether diners arrive seeking a unique experience or a casual date night, both can be found
here.
The key component of Akiko's success is the willingness to honor sushi traditions while
exploring modern culinary methods.
As is typical in the forward-thinking Bay Area, Akiko's puts a focus on the ecological,
opting for sustainable seafood from well-managed sources rather than overfished stocks.
"Lemme have the tuna."
"Tuna, okay!
Tuna!
There we go, tuna!"
"Oh, very fast."
At Akiko's, diners can taste bright offerings of ocean trout, freshwater eel, or sea urchin
before moving on to a reasonably priced, multiple course nigiri tasting.
The omakase counter is one of the most sought-after seats in San Francisco.
The Michelin Guide assures that the black truffle topped salmon belly, or really just
about anything we say, is worth the challenge to secure a spot.
A ski town set in the middle of the country, like Jackson Hole, Wyoming, may seem like
a strange place to dine on superior sushi.
However, Suda Izakaya demonstrates that quality seafood isn't only found near the ocean.
The focus of an Izakaya shop is typically on sake, and Suda certainly excels here.
While other Japanese dishes are represented with respect across the katsu, ramen, and
yakimono menus, it is Chef Dustin Rasnick's 10 years of sushi training that shines through
on the nigiri, sashimi, and various maki menus.
Wife Liz Rasnick runs the dining room as sharply as the chef's knives that are slicing through
daily specials.
Here, diners can delight in octopus paired with umami -packed togarashi, or the vegetarian
Ya'sai roll, filled with a grocery store's worth of locally-sourced vegetables.
If you find yourself feeling swayed by the Western ambience of Jackson Hole, satisfy
that rancher's craving with premium A5 wagyu crudo.
Sushi fanatics will naturally congregate to the culinary capital of Los Angeles to get
their fix.
Claiming one establishment as the "best" sushi in L.A. is a futile task.
Still, among the legions of sushi spots that span L.A., there are a few that stand out
as shortlisted contenders to the title.
Being on that list would also classify restaurants like The Brothers Sushi as some of the finest
in the country.
At The Brothers Sushi, you're not just trying the best take on a foreign country's cuisine,
you're having an international experience.
Time Out reports that Chef Mark Okuda has delicacies such as toro which is a fatty tuna,
shrimp, and scallops flown in from seafood markets around the globe.
An in-house sake expert makes the meal a well-rounded experience.
The Brothers Sushi offers multiple coursed omakase meals, and the a la carte menu is
always ready should you want to get lost on your own.
Between goldeneye snapper, dry aged ora king salmon, and fresh barracuda, you may want
to let the experts be your guide.
"Oh, sushi.
Oh, I practically live off the stuff."
For a lot of diners, Chicago is synonymous with specialty hotdogs and deep-dish pizza.
For others, it is a city of high-end fine dining experiences.
Kai Zan is a Windy City-based sushi joint that meets in the middle of these two scenes.
In reviews, Kai Zan is described as polished, but not extravagant; modern, yet not pompous.
After all — this is the restaurant with a breathtaking omakase menu that can be scored
for under $100 bucks.
A rarity in the world of best sushi restaurants.
Sushi as good as Kai Zan's Japanese red snapper, the salmon-wrapped Orange Rush, scallops,
or a platter loaded with deliciousness, is an incredible experience.
And it's clean, sharp daily specials like quail egg cracked over toro maki are silky
enough to put a huge smile on your face.
In the city of Las Vegas, indulgence is everything.
As that reputation goes, regardless of having been plopped into one of the world's driest
places, far away from any nearby port of call, Vegas is still the place to find sinfully-good
sushi.
Like its sister city of L.A., Las Vegas has too many top-tier restaurants to count.
You can find any style of food you crave here, and it may just be the best you've ever had.
When it comes to the high-level sushi establishments, it's easier to narrow things down to one chef,
and two locations, according to Las Vegas Magazine.
The sushi master chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his self-named establishments rule the Vegas sushi
scene.
Sushi experts can pick between a visit to the original sushi Nobu in Virgin Hotels,
Las Vegas, or a trip to one of the world's largest Nobu Restaurants in Caesars Palace.
These days, there are locations worldwide.
When it comes to eating at a Nobu outside of the Vegas location, The New York Times
reports that the pomp and circumstance may look different, but the exceptional flavors
and experience remain across all restaurants.
Chef Nobu is an original, and his name still serves some of the best fish around.
A lifetime of experience is valuable in the sushi world, but it doesn't take long-time
royalty to slice a prime piece of fish.
Chef Ryan Roadhouse has made Nodoguro of Portland, Oregon an example of this.
Portland checks the "seaside city" box, making it a reasonable place to expect to find some
of the country's best sushi.
Here, chefs have exceptional access to lush, just-harvested ocean critters.
Superior ingredients considered, sometimes it is best to let the food do the talking.
"What's that?"
"Sushi."
"Sushi?"
"Rice, raw fish, and seaweed."
This is how Nodoguro began: Supreme sushi, served in pop-up style, no restaurant walls
needed.
Eventually, Chef Roadhouse opened a brick-and-mortar.
Even with steady digs, the 13 to 21-course menu of kappo-style sushi is planned only
days before service, remaining constantly in flux and dependent on whatever is popping
up in the seafood markets.
That flexibility has been crucial in allowing Roadhouse to move with the times.
In 2022, Roadhouse made the call to decline reopening Nodoguro's Southeast Portland address,
after the pandemic closed many restaurants in Portland.
However, this seems to have given him time to take his sushi game back to its roots.
A social media post writes that Chef Roadhouse is planning to bring Nodo's world-class cuisine
back in pop-up style, but as for a spot at the sushi bar, as of 2022, that will have
to wait.
In America, there are few sushi establishments as historic as Maneki.
Conde Nast Traveler writes that this establishment has been a pillar of Seattle's Japanese community
since 1904.
Eons of salmon fertilized the ground that Seattle was built on, and for over 100 years,
Maneki has specialized in serving that fundamental local foodstuff in the purest way possible,
even when cooked.
The owners of Maneki reckon that its long history means that it was the first sushi
house in all of Seattle.
In fact, it is one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in the country.
The expansive menu covers all the sushi basics a hungry eater wants, and plenty they never
knew they needed.
Miami brings all the glitz and glam of a fine-dining mecca and combines it with an abundance of
locally available fish.
For 20 years, Chef Makoto Okuwa has sharpened the method of edomae -sushi.
His approach has been formed over a lifetime of work in the craft — Makoto began apprenticing
under sushi masters at just 15 years old.
His study of sushi has taken him across all the major American sushi cities, from Washington
to New York, from Las Vegas to Bal Harbor, Miami.
Despite now owning restaurants in Panama and Mexico City, Chef Okuwa calls the Miami-based,
eponymous Makoto home.
At Makoto, the sushi is experimental and faultless, according to reviews from the Miami New Times.
The bright sushi at Makoto is inspired by the gleaming scenery of the area, and ingredients
are carefully selected with the same influence.
When foodies think about the cuisines of Texas, it's barbecue and fusion Mexican foods that
probably come to mind.
These days, however, getting top-notch sushi is just as easy as finding tasty brisket.
As Business Insider has it, there is one restaurant that is better than just being Austin-worthy.
Uchi, and its spinoff Uchiko, has some of the best sushi in the country.
Chef Tyson Cole spent 10 years studying across Tokyo and America.
He has received a James Beard Award for his efforts at the delightfully small Uchi.
Since 2003, the bungalow has been a pilgrimage destination for those seeking a non-traditional
taste of uniquely prepared sushi.
Selections from the toyosu menu have arrived all the way from Tokyo's premier seafood market
just to be present for your meal.
Uchi translates to "house" from Japanese, and this meal will make you feel at home.
"You like your sushi, huh?"
Atlanta has always been a reliable place to find a proper homestyle meal.
Since the early 2000s, there has been a dedicated focus on making it a city where you can find
supreme sushi.
Chef Tomohiro Naito leads the charge.
After an education in theater and a career in seafood sourcing, Naito took up residence
in Las Vegas, training under the previously mentioned sushi master Nobu Matsuhisa before
bringing his talents to Atlanta.
His restaurant Tomo has had several homes around the city, each location a temple to
quality sushi.
Atlanta Magazine describes Tomo's most recent spot as having the sort of theatrical quality
Naito studied in school.
It's a large production where Chef Tomohiro delivers a learning experience with his dishes;
One signature dish includes Japanese mackerel sashimi topped with ginger, scallions, and
garlic ponzu.
In any conversation about unrivaled seafood, you can't forget to mention Boston.
For better or worse, Boston is like Chicago: It is a place where regional cuisines are
intimately tied to the character of the city.
Despite a never ending association with lobster rolls, Boston has carved out a name for itself
as a singular destination for flavor hunters seeking other exceptional dining experiences.
In 2008, The New York Times's Frank Bruni titled O Ya the best new restaurant in America.
The newness may have faded over a decade-plus in business, but the experience of O Ya remains
original and unparalleled.
"You know I can do this job just as good as any man."
"You want to become a sushi chef?
You go try another restaurant."
As Bruni has it, the name O Ya is derived from the Japanese term for curiosity.
That emotion is never far when dining at O Ya.
The omakase menu ranges from 17 to 20 courses, each one an exploration of what is possible
in the world of sushi.
At O Ya, the cuisine is creativity.
And, to top things off, in order to provide an all-encompassing experience, co-owner Nancy
Cushman became the city's first sake sommelier.
Sushi Ota is nestled into a strip mall.
In 1990, two coworkers at nearby San Diego mainstay Mr. Sushi struck out on their own,
according to The San DiegoVille.
Yukito Ota and Noriko Toyama began to build a steady reputation through dedication to
their craft and a willingness to never make prices unapproachable.
Thirty years later, Sushi Ota remains some of the best in the country in terms of quality
and affordability.
Conde Nast Traveler details that the specialty at Sushi Ota is fresh uni served over rice.
The sea urchin arrives just harvested from San Diego's docks and is a nationwide benchmark
for how such a delicacy should taste.
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