Andrew Gyokudari is the CEO of Gyokudari Inc., a company specializing in the hospitality and technology industries. He is the co-owner of Yoshino New York, GMO OMAKASE, Sushi Sagawa, Sushi Kuranami, Savoy Pizzeria, Domi-La, Woodstock Japan, Fukujin, Ozaki Yukitaka, Hazuki, and Umizaru/Fukuei Suisan. He also provides advisory services to various corporations around the world and also provides sourcing consultation for top sushi and kaiseki restaurants. He is also a brand ambassador for Google Japan (Team Pixel) and is a member of GOURMANDS at Tagpic Inc. Andrew is an avid international diner and is ranked 3rd on the OAD Top 100’s global reviewer list. Andrew started his career as a sushi apprentice and enjoys eating sushi more than 200 times a year.
Andrew: “This is the third iteration of this list and Aiste and I have agreed to expand it to 20 restaurants this year. The aim is to provide a list of excellent sushi-yas that are bookable, when planned strategically, normally within a few weeks.
Without further ado, here is the list for 2024:
[prices are inclusive of tax]
Sushi Mikata is a hidden gem in Mita, near Keio University, and is one of the best values in Tokyo. Chef Ando trained at high end sushiyas in Tokyo and opened a “standing only” sushiya in 2023, paying homage to the fact that sushi started out at fast food in the Edo era where diners stood at the counter to quickly eat sushi before they went back to work. The quality of the fish here is impressive considering the price point and the sake list is solid as well. You can only stay for an hour (unless you book the last seating for lunch or dinner) but it’s lots of fun and you can order plenty of add-ons (from the iPads at the counter) if you’re a fast eater.
Seatings: 12:00pm, 1:15pm, 5:30pm, 6:45pm, and 8:00pm.
Closed: Wednesday and Thursday
Course: 6,600JPY (8 pieces) and 8,800JPY (10 pieces) plus optional add-on’s.
Seats: 7 at the counter
Reservations: via TABELOG
Chef Watanabe manned the counter at Sushi Kanesaka in the Palace Hotel Tokyo before going to Sushi Arai to head the private room counter. He also briefly spent time at Sushi Ryujiro before opening his own restaurant in 2022. The tuna is the highlight here and the menu composition is very similar to Arai.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm, Sundays only), Dinner (6:00pm and 8:45pm)
Closed: Mondays
Course: 50,000 JPY
Seats: 10 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Kiyota is well known as the most expensive sushi restaurant in Tokyo and hence the general demand for seats is far below sushi-yas at half the price. Chef Kimura, who mans the Hanare (the sidecar counter apart from the main counter), is one of the old school legends and only serves four diners a night. The focus here is ultra high end ingredients, especially the tuna (Kiyota gets the top catch from Toyosu Market’s tuna monger, Ishiji) and conger eel.
Seatings: Dinner (6:00pm)
Closed: Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays
Price: 88,000 JPY + 10% service charge
Seats: 4 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Chef Ichikawa is one of legendary sushi master Araki’s protégées, and the only one that runs shop in Tokyo. Ichikawa is far from flashy, unlike his peers who spun out of Araki (e.g. Gyoten and Kazui), but sticks to the basics. Chef’s training at Kikunoi (3 star kaiseki) shines in the appetizers and the double servings of toro is an Araki (or rather, old school edomae) signature.
Seatings: Dinner (6:00pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Course: 44,000 JPY
Seats: 10 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
After a brief internship at Tenzushi, Chef Masuda moved from Kokura to Tokyo and started working at the famed Sukiyabashi Jiro for nine years before opening his namesake sushiya in 2014. After closing his restaurant and moving overseas for a few years, he returned to Tokyo in 2022. It’s a mystery why it’s possible to grab a seat with relative ease, given that the restaurant was one of the hottest sushiyas before he moved (and was awarded two stars). His steamed abalone with liver sauce remains a fan favorite.
Seatings: Dinner (5:00pm and 8:00pm)
Closed: Sunday and holidays
Course: 48,400 JPY
Seats: 14 (8 at the counter, 6 in the private room)
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Kurosaki is easily a top 10 sushiya in Tokyo and is probably one of the more difficult to book places on this list, but there is ample availability for the private room counter (run by the sous chef) and if you plan strategically or watch for cancellations, it’s quite possible to book at the main counter. Kurosaki boasts one of the best sourcing in Japan and both his appetizers and nigiris are as good as any other sushiya out there.
Seatings: Dinner (5:30pm and 8:30pm)
Closed: Sunday, Holidays
Course: Dinner (55,000 JPY for the main counter, 47,300 JPY for the private room counter; same ingredients, same menu, different chefs)
Seats: 10 at the main counter, 6 at the private room counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
This hole in the wall sushiya opened in 2022 and has been relatively under the radar since. In the era of high end sushi restaurants starting at north of 30,000 JPY, this one is quite a bargin. Chef Fukushima’s skills shine in many of his dishes and his aging technique is solid. His relative use of fattier fish also stands out.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm and 1:30pm), Dinner (6:00pm onwards)
Closed: Sunday
Course: 8,000 JPY (lunch), 15,000 JPY (dinner), 19,800 JPY (dinner)
Seats: 8 at the counter
Reservations: via TableCheck, Ikyu, or by phone
Chef Saito trained at Hakkoku and the signature red vinegar sushi rice and tuna pieces are definitely highlights but the kaiseki-level appetizers are nothing to sleep on either. This restaurant is very focused on having their diners have a fun time and their attention to entertaining guests is very refreshing. They also have a sommelier to help you pair your sushi with the right wine or sake.
Seatings: Dinner (6:00pm and 8:30pm)
Closed: Sunday, Holidays
Course: 33,880 JPY (main counter, head chef), 30,250 JPY (sub counter, sous chef)
Seats: 10 at the main counter, 6 at the sub counter
Reservations: via Tabelog or OMAKASE
Chef Suzuki spent a decade at various sushi restaurants before joining Sushi Aoki in Ginza. He spent 12 years at Aoki, spending the last three years at the helm of the Nishi Azabu branch, before opening his namesake restaurant in 2015. The restaurant recently relocated in August 2024, just around the corner of their old location.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm), Dinner (6:00pm onwards)
Closed: Monday
Course: 40,000 JPY
Seats: 10 at the counter
Reservations: by phone
Chef Yamaguchi was the head chef of both Sushi Wakon’s Tokyo and Kyoto branches before opening his namesake sushiya in June 2020. Even after being awarded a star in 2022, it’s been relatively easy to book this one. The course starts out with a toro uni (tuna and sea urchin) hand roll mixed with pickled watermelons; his other signature dishes include hamaguri (orient clam) and kinmedai (golden eye snapper) cured in kelp.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm), Dinner (5:30pm and8:00pm)
Closed: Sunday and holidays
Course: 38,500 JPY
Seats: 13 (9 at the counter, 4 in the private room)
Reservations: via Pocket Conciege or Ikkyu
Given the name, this restaurant is frequently mistaken with the other Sushi Sho’s lineage – this Sushi Sho is named after Chef Sho Mitsui, who trained at Harutaka (3 star) and Goryu Kubo (1 star). The fish used is top quality and the sushi rice is more al dente than other places. The appetizers are prepped by apprentices from Goryu Kubo (which owns this restaurant) and the fish sourcing is virtually the same as Harutaka. Be careful not to go to Sushi Sho Masa, which is also located in Nishiazabu, within walking distance.
Seatings: Dinner (6:00pm and 8:45pm)
Closed: Sunday and Holidays
Course: 33,000 JPY or 42,000 JPY
Seats: 6 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Their signature dishes include the three piece tuna tasting using steaming hot sushi rice, the black throat seaperch (nodoguro) rice bowl, and the monkfish liver steamed in sweet sauce (during the winter).
Seatings: Lunch (11:30am, Saturdays only) and Dinner (5:30pm and 8:00pm)
Closed: Sunday and Monday
Course: Lunch (16,500 JPY), Dinner (27,500 JPY)
Seats: 14 (9 at the counter, 5 in the private room)
Reservations: via Tabelog or OMAKASE or Pocket Concierge
Having spent 18 years as the sous chef at Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppingi, Chef Mizukami went independent in 2018. Mizukami uses punchy sushi rice similar to Jiro, which changes flavor through the progression of the course. Given the pricing of sushi-yas, the nigiri-only course at lunch is a definite steal.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm), Dinner (6:00pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Course: Lunch Nigiri Only (20,000 JPY or 27,000 JPY), Lunch Omakase (28,000 JPY or 37,000 JPY), Dinner Nigiri Only (27,000 JPY), Dinner Omakase (37,000 JPY)
Seats: 8 at the counter
Reservations: via MyConcierge (through their homepage)
It must mean something when the CEO of the top tuna monger in Japan visits the shop every other month. The tuna, from YAMAYUKI, is one of the best in Ginza, and the eel (both grilled freshwater eel as an appetizer and two pieces of steamed conger eel for the sushi nigiri, salted and with sweet sauce) are two of their signatures pieces.
Seatings: Dinner (any time between 6:00pm and 9:00pm)
Closed: Sunday and holidays
Course: 38,500 JPY + 10% service charge
Seats: 7 at the counter
Reservations: via Tabelog
Koharu is the second branch by Harutaka (Michelin three stars), and Chef Kurita, the long time sous chef at Harutaka, took over the counter in October 2021 during the pandemic. Koharu uses the same top notch ingredients and shari (sushi rice) as Harutaka, but is at a slightly lower price point. Given the ease of booking, this one is a no brainer.
Seatings: Dinner (5:30pm and 8:30pm)
Closed: Sunday and holidays
Course: 29,000-35,000 JPY depending on the selected course
Seats: 8 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
This is the sister restaurant of the popular sushiya Hakkoku in Ginza. If you’re on a budget but want to eat good sushi, look no further than SUSHIDAN in Hiroo. At 3,500 JPY (that’s less than $25!), this place is an absolute bargain.
Seatings: Lunch (11:30am to 2:00pm LO), Dinner (5:30pm to 9:00pm LO)
Closed: Wednesdays
Course: 3,500 JPY (10 pieces) or 5,800 JPY (13 pieces)
Seats: 12 at the counter
Reservations: via homepage
Sushi Saito’s branch in Meguro, manned by Saito’s proteges, has the same menu set up as the HQ. It’s probably the hardest to book on this list but is still is relatively easier to book than the flagship location, which has become members only in recent years.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm), Dinner (6:00pm and 8:30pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Course: Lunch (11,000 JPY or 25,300 JPY), Dinner (25,300 JPY)
Seats: 10 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Sushi Yuki newly opened in 2024 after relocating from Yokohama. Chef Hayashinouchi spent nearly a decade at a Japanese restaurant before training at the legendary Sushi Mizukami, becoming the sous chef by the time Mizukami decided to close shop. Very balanced and refined.
Seatings: Lunch (12:00pm), Dinner (5:00pm)
Closed: Once a week
Course: Lunch (17,600JPY or 28,600JPY), Dinner (28,600 JPY)
Seats: 8 at the counter, max 6 in the private room
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Many people know that Chef Hashimoto was Sugita’s right hand man for a decade before going independent. Hashimoto blends traditional edomae sushi dishes with occasional contemporary dishes (blue cheese chawanmushi, anyone?) and non-traditional ingredients. Seats are not always available but if you check online frequently and diligently, it’s not hard to snatch a seat as they release seats in piecemeal.
Seatings: Dinner (5:30pm and 8:30pm)
Closed: Tuesday and Wednesday
Course: 33,000 JPY
Seats: 8 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
This sushiya technically isn’t located in Tokyo but is close enough and great enough that I always to include it in any recommendation list that I give. Pound for pound, Inomata serves one of the best nigiri courses in Japan. Marrying top quality ingredients with aging technique, the trek is very worth the hour trek from Tokyo.
Seatings: Lunch (2:00pm), Dinner (5:00pm and 8:00pm)
Course: 41,800 JPY
Seats: 9 at the counter
Reservations: via OMAKASE
Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrew_gyokudari, where he shares his inside views on sushiyas and fine dining restaurants in Japan.
