Portland is a city with broad access to high-quality fish and nationally renowned Japanese food, Portland knows its way around some sushi. You will get the best Japanese in Portland
Sushi lovers in Portland, OR are lucky to have an incredible selection of really good sushi places. Almost every neighborhood has its own favorite sushi spot, ranging from tiny take-out places like Saburos to posh restaurants with spectacular décor and views such as Departure.
The sushi on offer ranges from traditional maki and rolls to interesting and innovative rolls with sometimes bizarre combinations such as SuBe’s eels and bananas. It seems that vegetarian sushi is accepted as the standard and is now offered everywhere, and with Conveyor belt sushi providing quick fresh and efficient food, Sushi is quickly becoming a healthy version of fast food. You will find Best Sushi in Portland.
While nobody loves eating sushi to-go, COVID-19 has forced people to pivot in ways never expected before. Takeout sushi has become the norm, and with sushi being taken home or eaten outside, the freshness of the fish matters even more than before.
Fortunately, several sushi shops in Portland are rolling maki and slicing sashimi from super fresh, delicate fish, packaged up and ready to take away and you will find best sushi in Portland Maine
Best Sushi In Portland:
In this article, we introduce some best sushi restaurants in Portland for you.
1. Momiji Sushi of Momiji Restaurant:
Momiji landed in Portland after taking over the old Pok Pok Wing commercial on Barbur Blvd. Momiji is a Salem-based sushi chain known for a huge variety of creative sushi rolls, including tempura yam and habanero.
The main attraction at Momiji is that customers must also try appetizers such as octopus salad and blackened tuna. Though not open for dinner, Momiji offers takeout or delivery some distance from the restaurant.
Ingredients:
Momiji Sushi Bar & Grill in Etobicoke features culturally refreshing Japanese cuisine made from some of the freshest and finest ingredients around.
Cost:
Entrees from Sushi Bar
- Sushi Regular ($19.00): Assortment of 8pcs of sushi with one tuna roll or one California roll. With a choice of appetizer, miso soup, or green salad.
- Sushi Deluxe ($22.00): Assortment of 10pcs of sushi with one tuna roll or California roll. With a choice of appetizer, miso soup, or green salad.
- Sashimi Regular ($22.005): kinds of raw fish filets served with a bowl of rice. With a choice of appetizer, miso soup, or green salad.
- Sashimi Deluxe ($23.006): kinds of raw fish filets served with a bowl of rice. With a choice of appetizer, miso soup, or green salad.
- Maki Combination ($15.00): A combination of tuna roll and salmon, yellowtail, and cucumber roll. With a choice of appetizer, miso soup, or green salad.
- Unagi Don ($22.00): BBQ egg on a bed of seasoned rice. With the choice of appetizer, miso soup, or green salad.
2. Sushi Rolls of Syun Izakaya:
A homey izakaya spot in Hillsboro, Syun also offers quality sushi as well. While there are plenty of sushi options to indulge in at Syun, the assorted plates, and donburi really shine here.
With a menu of 60-plus small plates and sushi rolls as well as one of the largest selections of sake in the Pacific Northwest (which sadly, isn’t being offered to-go), the much-lauded Syun is well worth a suburban field trip.
Along with izakaya classics, there’s a board full of daily specials like smoked, grilled octopus, or Copper River salmon nigiri. The restaurant is open for takeout.
Ingredients:
- This essential building block of sushi rolls is referred to as Sushi-Meshi in Japanese culture.
- The combination of rice vinegar with sugar and salt to create “sushi vinegar,” is another fundamental component in the making of sushi rolls.
- You will generally spot Nori on a listing of sushi ingredients. Nori is a thinly sliced sheet of pressed seaweed.
- Other fixings such as raw or cooked fish, tuna, shrimp, crab, and krab (imitation crab). Avocados, gobo (burdock root), cucumbers, and carrots (both of which are often pickled) top the list of vegetables added to sushi rolls. Other sushi ingredients you may find on the menu include cream cheese, caviar, egg roulade, scallions, sesame seeds, and mushrooms.
3. Sushi Ki-Ichi:
A real west side gem, Ki-Ichi serves impeccable fish that is remarkably cheap considering the quality. While many starters and side dishes are negligible in sushi restaurants, in this you will find best Japanese food in Portland Maine, from dashi maki tamago to a variety of udon. Ki-Ichi is open for socially distanced dine-in and take-out.
Sushi Ki-Ichi is a casual Japanese sushi restaurant that welcomes customers with a family-like atmosphere and serves guests fresh, affordable, authentic, and traditional Japanese food.
This is one of just a few Japanese restaurants in Portland that are actually owned by Japanese people and prepare the food the way they would in Japan. The Service was excellent. The place was clean.
Cost:
Some of Sushi Ki-Ichi’s sushi roll’s cost is listed below:
- Cucumber Roll / Kappa-Maki 6 Pcs ($1.80)
- Pickled Radish Roll / Shinko-Maki 6 Pcs ($1.80)
- Avocado Roll / Avocado-Maki 6 Pcs ($1.80)
- Rainbow Roll 8 pcs Tuna, salmon, yellowtail, sea bream, eel, krab salad, and avocado ($12)
- Tuna Roll 8 pcs Tuna, cucumber ($6)
4. SHO Shushi:
Sushi Sho was founded in 1983 and the owner and chef Aki Kawata has kept the tradition of Edo Mae style (Tokyo) and Kansai style (Osaka) sushi alive for over 30 years.
Everything on their extensive menu of traditional Japanese dishes is made from scratch using the best possible ingredients – homemade sauces, soups, dressings, as well as fresh seasonal vegetables and seafood.
Ingredients:
Their sushi, sashimi, and specialties are made with the best ingredients available on the market. Each dish is prepared plain and simple and balanced to bring out the unique flavors of each ingredient.
Cost:
Some sushi prices of SHO are as follow:
- Albacore Sashimi ($8.95)
- Salmon Sashimi ($8.95)
- Seared Tuna Sashimi ($10.00)
- Tuna Sashimi ($10.00)
- Yellowtail Sashimi ($10.00)
5. Yoshi’s Sushi:
Working on a small Multnomah Village cart doesn’t stop Yoshi Ikeda, a former chef at Bamboo Sushi, from serving high-end sushi. Yoshi’s serves a small menu of innovative rolls and rotating nigiri, as well as sporadic omakase dinners and the occasional handroll.
While some of the specialties and desserts aren’t currently on offer, Yoshi’s carefully seared scallop nigiri with yuzu pepper marmalade remains the star of the show. Yoshi’s is currently take-out only and is packing everything in carryout boxes.
Their Sushi is an authentic Japanese art form and is about culinary expertise where the Itamae strives to master his skill while performing for the delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colors, mouthwatering tastes, and tingling sensations.
Cost:
Some sushi costs of Yoshi are as follows:
- Alaska Roll ($8.50)
- Matsu Roll ($9.95)
- Mira Mesa Roll ($9.95)
- Ocean Beach Roll ($9.50)
- Spicy Crispy Roll ($9.50)
- Salmon ($8.50)
- Tuna (9.50)
6. Fish & Rice Sushi:
After over a year, Fish & Rice is bringing a new version of sushi to Portland. Here guests will find a garden of beautiful plants, bar-counter sushi at modest prices, and a curated list of craft beer, wine, sake, and whiskey.
The basis of the menu is the huge roll list, but the highlights are usually on the menu, from yellowtail collars to Miyazaki’s Wagyu Nigiri. After the complete changeover to a counter-at-the-door situation, Fish & Rice only offers to take away and deliver caviar.
Cost:
The restaurant’s name speaks literally to the extent of the menu:
Fish and rice, in the forms of sushi ($6-$14), nigiri ($4-$7), and poke bowls ($10-$13), all distinguished with a dash of experimental house sauces. The simple Pacific roll ($8) is a slab of salmon, red pepper, and garlic aioli, dusted with furikake.
Then there’s the Red Panda ($13), and the albacore tataki-salmon special roll that includes asparagus, radish sprouts, takuan, avocado, and homemade basil oil (basil, spinach, olive oil, mirin, and lime).
An octopus poke bowl costs the same, featuring cucumber, wakame, radish kimchi, takuan, and the K-pop sauce, which is a combo of Korean red chili paste and sesame oil. If you still seek adventure, peruse savory starters like steamed dumplings ($7) and sesame-squid salad ($5).
7. Masu Sushi:
The old but good, Masu has been serving a fine sushi menu downtown for over 15 years. A defining feature of Masu is the modern space and menu with a wide variety of sushi, including some outstanding vegetarian rolls.
It has happy hour but still has the full menu. Masu is currently only open for takeaway and delivery and is offered through DoorDash and GrubHub.
Masu has been around since 2004, offering superb Japanese fare, including original sushi made with the freshest seafood possible. Portions are large – the sushi comes in eight pieces, perfect for sharing.
Ingredients:
Try Nemo; it is a whole meal in itself, consisting of shrimp tempura, Dungeness crabs, avocado, whitefish, salmon, ponzu, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and smoked flakes of bonito. The bar offers a large selection of high-quality sake and specialty cocktails.
Cost:
Some Masu Sushi & Robata Menu costs are:
- California Roll ($7.50)
- Firecracker ($14.00)
- Masu Roll ($16.00)
- Chicken Teriyaki ($7.00)
- Rainbow ($15.00)
8. Murata:
Located just across the street from the Keller auditorium, this traditional Japanese gem serves everything from Japanese hotpot dishes to house-cured mackerel. Murata’s greatest strengths are in the sushi sets and fish choices that allow guests to either hand over control to the chef or choose their favorites à la carte.
Social distancing measures have been taken while Murata is still open for dinner. Murata also offers pickup and delivery options through GrubHub and Postmates.
The place offers a wide range of sushi and sashimi variety and has a traditionally set and vibrant dining space that is hip and fun.
Some of the specialties of the restaurant include yamakake, tsukimi, yakitori, chawanmushi, ika- natto, agadashi tofu, and ikura-oroshi. The restaurant also serves vegetable options, chicken specialties, salads, appetizers, and sides.
9. Bluefin Tuna & Sushi:
Originally from South Korea, bluefin tuna and sushi expanded northeast of Portland. Bluefin is probably best known for the cute round sushi it serves, which has a different aesthetic than most Portland sushi restaurants.
The name “bluefin tuna” is not just for show: Bluefin offers various pieces of bluefin tuna at market prices. Bluefin offers dining experiences through reservations and delivery through UberEats and GrubHub.
Ingredients:
Bluefin is the most valuable fish in the world. The most expensive sushi is made with fatty meat, known as toro, from the belly. The rest of the fish is called maguro. Skipjack, yellowfin, albacore, and bigeye tuna are generally worth 10 to 15 times less than bluefin. A highly prized sushi ingredient known in Japan as “kuro maguro” (black tuna)
Generally, tuna found in cans are made from one of these fish. The best toro is pinkish; orange in color Sushi restaurants can purchase special oil that can be applied to cheap, dark red toro so pass off it off as expensive toro. This is the most expensive sushi is made with fatty meat.
Cost:
The fish has already found its way to some of his sushi joints, where, if priced only at cost, it should come in around $96 per piece. Per tiny sushi piece, which means you’re talking about $500 just to get a snack.
10. Zilla Sake Sushi:
Zilla Sake Sushi is known for its meticulous sourcing and quality sushi options, the effortlessly cool and casual Zilla has become a destination for rare sake and fresh sushi. Chef Kate Koo serves fun oddities such as monkfish liver and wild fluke alongside classic sushi-like salmon and tuna.
This year Zilla started sharing her current sushi selections from Oregon-caught wild king salmon to Hokkaido scallops. The restaurant is still cutting sushi for takeout and patio service.
Cost:
The sushi price ranges from $10 – $15
11. Nimblefish Sushi:
Portland’s very own Edomae-style sushi restaurant, Nimblefish serves stunning cured and fresh fish in its most traditional form of nigiri or sashimi in a tight-quarters cafe.
Due to COVID-19, Chef Cody Auger has pivoted the business in a different direction for takeout and outdoor dining, now offering Bentos and sushi in custom red boxes for takeout.
Patrons looking for their luxurious sushi options will still find lots of king crab and salmon roe on donburi, as well. To add richness to its sushi, Nimblefish has created a yuzu-mayo, in place of more common options like cream cheese, and it always dismisses artificial crab for the real deal.
12. Nodoguro sushi:
Chef Ryan Roadhouse serves some of the most extraordinary sushi in Portland at Nodoguro, the elegant and relaxed omakase-style restaurant on SE Belmont.
Although the dining room is now closed, Nodoguro still offers its customers takeaway chirashi and bento options. Items must be purchased in advance through the Nodoguro website, but Tonari next door has a walk-in yellowtail sashimi option.
Nodoguro or black throat seaperch has become to be known as a high-grade fish in recent years. It is sometimes seared before being made into sushi, which melts the fat, giving it a luxurious texture.
Ingredients:
This expensive fish is especially popular among the marine products of Ishikawa Prefecture. It has an unusual amount of fat for a white fish, a delicate sweetness, and a rich flavor. It is even called “whitefish toro” (fatty tuna).
A tip for grilling it is to bring out the flavor of the fat by grilling it lightly because it has a lot of fat on the skin and in the flesh underneath. It is usually grilled with salt. It can be served as sashimi with its skin seared. Then you can enjoy its fatty-yet-firm flesh.
Cost:
If you do want sushi, then you have to book the higher-priced “super omakase” or “hardcore omakase” tickets, which cap at about $195. On the night I went with my older sister, we dined on the 13-course menu, which goes for $115. (A beverage pairing with sake and wine costs an additional $45.)
13. Bamboo Sushi:
Bamboo Sushi is a small chain of certified sustainable sushi restaurants, the first of their kind in the world. While using sustainable sources for their fresh fish, produce, and meats, Bamboo Sushi treats its customers to imaginative and original sushi as well as other Japanese dishes.
Their Portland location on 12th Avenue is simple and modern with characteristic Japanese aesthetics, a large mural on the wall, and a lot of recycled wood, in keeping with their sustainability philosophy.
Try some of their more interesting sushi, such as Highway 35, with red crab, spicy sesame aioli, cucumber, avocado, long bean, sake-poached pears, and tempura crunchies, eel sauce, and tobiko. Bamboo Sushi is also known for its extensive selection of high-quality sake.
Ingredients:
- Oz can of bamboo shoots in water.
- Pieces of thinly sliced fried tofu.
- Pickled ginger.
- Cups of short-grain Japanese rice.
- Piece kombu.
- Tablespoons vinegar.
- Tablespoon sugar.
- Tablespoon salt.
14. Samurai Blue Sushi & Sake:
Samurai Blue is a popular modern Japanese restaurant on Mississippi Avenue in North Portland, known for its small Korean and Japanese dishes, a wide variety of sushi, hibachi, and original sake cocktails. The simple decor is dominated by a large mural of the Great Wave by Hokusai.
Sushi choices range from traditional and simple to original house-designed selections, such as Chance of Rain with salmon, avocado, cream cheese, sundried tomato, balsamic teriyaki sauce, and basil, all fried in tempura batter.
Cost:
The price ranges from $21 – $30
If it rains, you get it half price. There is a large selection of interesting sake cocktails and draft beer as well as a small but good wine selection from all over the world.
15. Mio Sushi:
Mio Sushi is a chain of 16 family-owned full-service Japanese restaurants in Oregon and Washington. The cozy ambiance is created by comfortable booths that invite families to come for a traditional fusion Japanese-West Coast meal.
They are constantly searching for local suppliers with the freshest seafood for their delicious sushi. The large selection of sushi ranges from good old favorites such as maki rolls to more inventive ones such as the Samurai with spicy salmon, white fish, white onion, and crab rolled in panko.
Besides sushi, Mio offers Japanese classics such as chicken teriyaki and tonkatsu. Their lunch special is a very good deal and it comes with miso soup, rice, and veggies.
Cost:
- Sushi Combo ($6.95)
- Sushi & Roll Combo ($6.95)
- Roll Combo ($6.95)
- Sashimi Combo ($6.95)
- Yellowtail Jalapeno ($7.95)
16. Saburos Sushi of House Restaurant:
Saburo’s Sushi House is a no-frills tiny cornerstone restaurant in the Sellwood-Moreland district, where customers queue up an hour before opening. This has been the case since 1988; Its popularity is fully justified by the huge servings of delicious super fresh sushi rolls, nigiri, tempura, and marinated tuna.
The menu is huge, there is something for everyone, and the best deals are sushi sample platters with a bit of everything.
The most popular dishes are deep-fried crunchy rolls – try the Alaskan roll with salmon, crab, smoked salmon, avocado, cucumber, lettuce, smelt roe, mayo, sesame seeds, and special dip sauce. They also have a nice selection of cold and warm sake, beer, and a few wines.
Ingredients:
Ingredients of deep-fried sushi rolls are:
- 2 Cups of Seasoned Cooked Sushi Rice
- Fresh Salmon (Or Smoked Salmon)
- Cucumber
- Cream Cheese
- 1 Egg
- 50g of Flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chili Powder
- 100-150g Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 Fresh Lime
- Japanese Mayonnaise
- 4 Sheets of Nori
- About 300ml of Vegetable Oil
Cost:
The cost ranges from $21 – $30
Best Sushi in Portland – FAQs
Best Sushi in Portland – Final Words:
Portland knows its way around some sushi. Still, the sushi scene in Portland has continued to improve over the last few years, from exciting and affordable additions like Fish & Rice and Yoshi’s to nationally recognized staples like Nodoguro and Nimblefish.
In recent years a lot of seafood for sushi has become available all year round, thanks to developments in fish farming, but some fish still tastes better at certain times of the year. I hope this article helps you to select the best sushi for you to eat in Portland.
