The Best Restaurants for Omakase Around Atlanta
For bona fide sushi lovers, omakase–meaning “I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese–is the ultimate experience. Consisting of a curated tasting of the chef’s choice of always fresh sushi and whatever the chef believes you would enjoy the most, omakase is always a special treat when you have it at one of Atlanta’s finest sushi eateries. Here are some places around Atlanta for you to experience it! Listed below in alphabetical order.
1. Brush Sushi Izakaya
316 Church St, Decatur, GA 30030
Served at their sushi bar, Brush’s omakase experience is a traditional piece-by-piece nigiri tasting, allowing you to truly savor and appreciate the fresh and premium cuts of sushi and ingredients. Choose from an 11-course, 14-course, or 20-course experience and you can even add on uni or o-toro service. You can find Brush Sushi in Decatur where it’s greater!
2. Nakato
1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
Nakato has been a legendary institution in Atlanta for authentic and quality Japanese food for decades. In fact, this family-owned and operated restaurant will be celebrating 50 years this year! A lot of their staff have been with them for years and years, and it shows in the stellar service you’ll receive every time. You can book one of their private chef’s tatami rooms for an omakase, where you’ll sit in one of their floor pillows and enjoy a multi-course menu prepared by Chef Takeda. Nakato needs 48 hours to prep, so make your reservations in advance.
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3. Omakase By Yun
349 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Chirori is without a doubt one of the Atlanta restaurants that has had to pivot the most during the pandemic. Opened right at the tailend of 2019 as an ambitious and upscale Japanese food and sake bar, they transitioned the space into a Japanese specialty goods grocery store for a period of time, and now they have started to pivot back into dining experiences with their reservation only “Omakase by Yun” offerings. Right next to Wagaya in West Midtown, they are now offering their special omakase experience every week Thursdays through Sundays by reservation only. Chef Jonathan Yun helms the sushi bar, with years of experience from extensive training in Japan and work under Nakazawa Daisuke san of one Michelin star restaurant Sushi Nakazawa in NYC.
4. Sushi Hayakawa
5979 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30340
James Beard nominated Sushi Hayakawa is an experience you’ll never forget. Chef Atsushi Hayakawa renovated his restaurant a few years ago to make the tables bigger, the capacity smaller, and the ambiance even more cozy and intimate, doing the complete opposite of what restaurants usually do to maximize profits. They take pride in offering the finest fish selection in Atlanta, flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu market.
5. Tomo
3630 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326
Tomo has been a revered restaurant in Buckhead since opening in 2007, as well as an Atlanta Eats staff favorite. Started by Osaka native Tomo Naito, Tomo serves contemporary Japanese food with a focus on the absolute freshest and best quality ingredients from around the world. Something unique Tomo has been doing is allowing you to set your budget, beginning at $125/person, and Chef Tomo will create a personalised menu for you around that. Something diners truly enjoy is how Chef Tomo engages with the customer and will talk you thoroughly through each dish–his passion for what he does truly shines through.
6. Umi
Two Buckhead Plaza, 3050 Peachtree Rd NW Suite #1, Atlanta, GA 30305
Umi has long been one of Atlanta’s most glitzy and glam celebrity hot-spots. For omakase, you’ve got two selections: their $150 miyabi premium selection that comes with a starter, sashimi, a hot dish, nigiri and dessert or their umikase at the sushi bar that’s pricier at $190, but we’ve got the scoop on that. Their umi-kase tends to be more untraditional, with both hot and cold dishes, shared plates and sushi boats.
7. Yakitori Jinbei
2421 Cobb Parkway SE, Smyrna; 770-818-9215
A new trend emerging surely has to be at-home omakase, and Yakitori Jinbei is one of the Atlanta restaurants pioneering just that. Pre-order your $70 at-home omakase experience two days in advance and settle in for a takeout meal that’s truly one to remember. This humble strip mall spot was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dive, and this gem really is bringing fabulous Korean and Japanese food to Smyrna.
