Miami’s Sushi Scene: Top Japanese Restaurants

The iconic city of Miami is known for many things, from a vibrant and never-ending nightlife, a Formula 1 race weekend, and beautiful beaches to a top-class restaurant scene, including popular Italian, French, and Japanese establishments. 

With so many fantastic and high-quality Japanese restaurants to visit in and around Miami, you won’t be short of opportunities to delve into a menu of delicious food combinations, fresh ingredients, authentic flavors, and the best sake and Japanese whisky you can find. 

Ogawa

From the moment you step foot into Ogawa, the styling choices and attention to detail will blow you away. From the Shinto-like shrine in the front entrance to the small zen garden in the back, the stylings of Ogawa have been carefully selected to make their patrons feel like they are dining in Japan itself. 

This is further highlighted by the dinner option, a chef’s choice menu that includes a delicious and unexpected array of roughly 18 courses of sushi and hot dishes, partially tailored to your preferences. Your dining companions at the 11-seat counter will influence the vibe of your evening. But make no mistake: the quality of ingredients and exceptional craftsmanship of the dishes will make the pricey cost worth every cent. 

Azabu Miami Beach

Azabu is a Michelin-star restaurant. Its simple three-page menu perfectly guides you from starters to cold seafood dishes, sushi, robata protein, and more, quickly showing you how it has earned the illustrious honor. 

This fine dining experience is somewhat rare on Ocean Drive and offers one of the most authentic omakase experiences in the entire country. Pass through the beautiful dining room in search of a back door that will lead you to The Den, where a U-shaped sushi counter provides a virtual trip to Tokyo. 

Sushi Yasu Tanaka

Sushi Yasu Tanaka may be an order-at-the-counter sushi spot inside the MIA Market in Design District, but don’t let this low-key location fool you into believing you won’t be eating some of the best sushi in Miami. 

Overseen by master chef Yasu Tanaka, the former head chef at The Den at Azabu, whose attention to detail and passion for authentic techniques and high-quality products, like the rice, which is imported directly from Japan and prepared to perfection, will leave you well-fed and ready to plan your next visit. 

Hiyakawa

Hiyakawa is a foodie’s dream and an architectural masterpiece. Its wooden ceiling, designed to replicate whale ribs arching over the dining room, is adorned with unique design choices that set the tone for a dining experience that feels magical at every course. 

It is important to note that the restaurant takes its omakase-style sushi very seriously, where chatting at the sushi bar is kept to a minimum in order to fully appreciate the artistry of the chefs. It may be somewhat sedate for some, but it is a welcomed quiet relief from the bustling crowds of Wynwood passing outside. 

Hiden Miami

If you have always wondered what Japanese fine dining may be like but don’t have the ability to jet off to the other side of the world, Hiden will offer you the authentic experience you are after, with ingredients flown in directly from Japan itself. 

Owned by chef Seijun Okano, its well-trained staff and world-class chefs will ensure you have a night to remember with brilliant customer service and delicious, authentic dishes bursting with rich flavors, perfectly encompassed by a fine dining backdrop. 

Sushi By Scratch

If the thought of visiting a stuffy sushi bar where you are unsure if you are allowed to talk and spend the entire experience being handed slices of unknown fish doesn’t appeal to you, Sushi by Scratch will be the breath of fresh air you desperately want. 

The highly qualified team of friendly sushi chefs hand over beautiful, single pieces of sushi in what can only be considered dinner theater. Over the course of 17 dishes, they flamboyantly torch rich bone marrow fat or adorn difficult-to-sauce fish and wagyu steak with complicated and flavorful sauces. 

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, located on 13th Street, is a popular Japanese restaurant and winner of the prestigious Hot Concept Award, which is widely considered an Oscar in the restaurant world for those in the know. 

Its embrace of traditional and time-honored cooking techniques to offer the most diverse range of seafood BBQ and other traditional Japanese dishes in a relaxed and welcoming environment has built a dedicated fanbase of loyal patrons. Select from a tasty range of BBQ dishes, including top-quality beef steaks, grilled duck breast, fried shrimp, and Japanese sausages. 

MILA

MILA Omakase is a hidden gem located under the ultra-trendy MILA rooftop lounge below Lincoln Road. This fantastic Japanese restaurant delivers everything you could possibly want from a high-end chef’s counter, with beautiful styling choices and decor items to match. 

The second-floor room is curtained off from the dimly lit MM lounge and accommodates just ten people at a time. It will often feel like there are more chefs behind the counter than patrons, perfecting intricate dishes and molding sushi that feels like a work of art. 

See more travel posts here

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.