Fortunately, for those seeking the freshest sushi in Miami, there are incredible options to choose from. From classic hidden gem spots for sushi, such as Matsuri on Bird Road and Katana in Miami Beach, to delicious restaurants that are worth the splurge, like Hiyakawa and Uchi in Wynwood, these restaurants will satisfy your longing for fresh sushi in the Magic City.
Although there are plenty of omakase restaurants to consider, for those looking for classic, sit-down menus with individually priced menu items, look no further. Without further ado, listed in alphabetical order, here are the ten best sushi restaurants in Miami.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
336 21st St., Miami Beach305-800-0404
eatblueribbonmiami.com Located in the Plymouth Hotel in South Beach, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill serves a menu packed with traditional sushi and sashimi, complemented with inventive rolls and signature hot entrées prepared on Japanese charcoal. Take a seat at the simple, uncluttered indoor dining room or at the airy hotel poolside patio to start your lunch or dinner meal with a heart of palms salad tossed with Japanese peaches, shiso, and yuzu honey vinaigrette, or an order of burrata served with heirloom tomato, Thai basil, and lemon miso dressing. Move beyond tuna, salmon, and shrimp sashimi maki options and opt for the Blue Ribbon roll combining lobster tail, shiso, and black caviar, or the neg toro, stuffed with fatty tuna belly and scallions. Consistently solid, the sushi platters make a great journey into the restaurant's freshest seasonal fish. Don't leave without tasting the signature key lime and yuzu citrus pie with Oreo cookie crust topped with yuzu meringue and vanilla ice cream; it makes for the best sweet finale.
Hiyakawa
2700 N. Miami Ave., Miami305-333-2417
hiyakawamiami.com This traditional Japanese restaurant offers some of Miami's fanciest fish of the freshest quality, meticulously prepared as one would expect. Here, you can order à la carte across a broad range of nigiri, sashimi, maki, and moriawase — large sashimi platters for sharing. The menu features a bevy of seasonal fish and ingredients flown in daily from the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo, along with regular offerings from some of Miami's small, local purveyors. Think plump Hokkaido scallops, creamy Japanese uni, and unique accents like toro caviar, Okinawa-sourced salt, and Japanese mint. Hiyakawa's whimsical ceiling is pared down with light wooden fixtures and white walls, and the staff is dutifully attentive. Pro tip: Be sure to make a reservation, as the restaurant restricts capacity to a limited number each night.
Katana
920 71 St., Miami Beach305-864-0037
katanamiamibeach.comA hidden gem adored by locals, Katana is a compact yet vibrant Normandy Isles spot that boasts a 25-seat circular bar where skilled chefs whip up an array of dishes in a veritable sushi-go-round. The restaurant's pricing system, indicated by the color of the plates, adds an element of surprise and exploration to the experience. From classic items like California rolls and gyoza to fancier treats like salmon roe and sea urchin nigiri, Katana's menu hits all the right notes. Reservations aren't an option, so swinging by on a weekday or arriving at opening on weekends is your best bet. They have implemented a digital waitlist, but if you do find yourself with time to kill, there's a bar next door where you can kick back with a drink until your turn at the table arrives.
Makoto
9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour305-864-8600
makoto-restaurant.comSituated on the third floor of the Bal Harbor shops, Stephen Starr's restaurant Makoto is faultless in its preparation of Edomae-style sushi. The menu offers more than 25 sushi and sashimi selections, with pricey offerings that include toro cuts of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail alongside Hokkaido-sourced scallops and uni. A simple selection of rolls includes both hosomaki (seaweed outside) and uramaki (rice outside), many with single ingredients meant to let the quality of each cut of fish truly shine. Those wanting to go beyond sushi will find a myriad of flavors in dishes like braised beef yaki noodles with tamarind soy and ginger aioli; whole cauliflower with whipped feta tofu; and tuna pizza, prepared here with anchovy aioli, grilled tortilla, and micro cilantro.
Matsuri
5759 Bird Rd., Miami305-663-1615
matsurimiami.com Since 1988, Matsuri — tucked in the middle of a strip mall on Bird Road just west of Coral Gables — has been one of the best restaurants in Miami for authentic, fresh, and astonishingly affordable sushi. The spot is a hidden gem among locals in the "the know" for lunch and dinner any day of the week. The menu contains dozens of options, ranging from soups and tempura to sashimi plates to deep-fried seafood and à la carte sushi and sashimi. The biggest draw, however, is the numerous traditional Japanese delicacies rarely found in the States. They're often scrawled on the specials board at the front of the dining room, where you'll see everything from ankimo monkfish liver (often likened to foie gras) to nama uni, sparkling-fresh sea urchin that tastes like a delicate custard with a salty kick. Always available: toro, the buttery tuna belly, at far friendlier prices than you'll see at higher-profile Miami restaurants.
Midorie
3444 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove305-775-2233
midoriemiami.comMidorie Miami is hard to find. The tiny Japanese eatery is tucked behind a courtyard, and friendly folks at neighboring establishments often instruct the lost and hungry to "walk past the bike store, take a right at the trash bin, and if you find yourself on the street, you've gone too far." Once inside, you'll encounter a sushi counter and not much else. Clay pots and a driftwood arrangement decorate the mint-green walls. There are six tables for al fresco dining. There's no music whatsoever. But you're here for the fish, flown in daily from Tokyo's Toyosu fish market. With a simple one-page menu, art dealer turned restaurateur Alvaro Perez (Hiakawa, Wabi Sabi) has made Midorie a haven for sushi purists. A 12-piece chef's choice sushi meal is a reasonable $90, but the restaurant also offers bowls of reasonably priced fresh fish and a choice of rice, salad, or noodles, along with a good selection of hand rolls.
Osaka
1300 Brickell Bay Dr., Miami786-627-4800
osakanikkei.comBlending the Peruvian intensity of flavor and the simplicity of the Japanese food that is Nikkei, Osaka is a stylish, dimly lit indoor/outdoor space in Brickell that sets off many sensory pleasures. The Nikkei bar omakase, with a selection of sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and tiraditos, may be the perfect introduction to the restaurant's sushi offerings, as is the sashimi platter, which features fresh seasonal premium cuts. More adventurous diners will enjoy artful osk-style nigiri like the "Inca," made with cured tuna, ají amarillo, chalaquita, and black quinoa or the hamachi brasa, topped with a perfectly balanced combination of Peruvian chili rayu, roasted almonds, scallion, and lime. The rest of the menu is too enticing to pass on; order signature items like the black cod criollo, a main course bathed in aji amarillo sauce, escabeche pearl onions, and sweet soy glaze, or the satisfying umi meshi, a seafood rice skillet mixed with charred avocado and wasabi chalaquita. Sake and wine options are plenty, and the staff is eager to recommend pairings.
Sushi Erika
1700 John F. Kennedy Cswy., Ste. 100, North Bay Village786-216-7216In 2018, Erika, the daughter and right hand of beloved sushi master Michio Kushi, opened her own tiny sushi spot just down the road from her dad's old haunt, Sushi Deli, in North Bay Village — and she brought many of her late father's classics with her. Don't be misled by the diminutive space — Sushi Erika offers an impressive array of maki, soups, and salads. The impeccably crafted rolls range from a California roll or bagel roll to battera, a pressed mackerel sushi roll. Signature rolls include the North Bay roll made with deep-fried scallops and crab salad topped with two types of fish roe, masago, spicy mayo, and kimchi sauce. Be sure to check the board for daily specials.
Sushi Yasu Tanaka
140 NE 39th St., Miami305-456-3070
miamarket.comYou wouldn't expect to find high-end cuts of sashimi in a food hall, but that's exactly what you'll get at Sushi Yasu Tanaka, the tiny sushi counter at the back of the Design District's Mia Market. Here, locally celebrated sushi chef Yasu Tanaka — formerly of the Den at Azabu — offers an intimate sushi bar that's becoming known for its exceptional quality and attention to detail. The casual atmosphere creates the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable dining experience. You won't find Americanized rolls here, but rather a short-and-sweet tasting menu of composed appetizers, nigiri, sashimi, and hand rolls that allow diners to experience various flavors and textures in a single meal. Order at the counter and watch as chefs prepare your selections with upmarket cuts of fish from melt-in-your-mouth toro to delicate Japanese uni. Items are plated with real fresh-grated wasabi, and nigiri is placed atop the chef's specialty sushi rice (one version's made with akazu red vinegar, and the other with rice-distilled yonezu) made fresh every few hours to ensure a delicious experience.
Uchi
252 NW 25th St., Miami305-995-0915
uchimiami.comJames Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole is the soul behind this Wynwood restaurant, which delivers some of the best sushi in town with a menu dedicated to makimono (sliced sushi rolls), sushi and sashimi, and Toyosu selections — an extensive list of fresh fish flown directly from the Tokyo market of the same name. With a single sliver of kamasu (red barracuda), ebodai (butterfish), kisu (Japanese whiting), or kurodai (black bream), Uchi manages to carry you off to the streets of Japan, proving that good sushi can — and should — be an exploratory experience. If you're looking to experiment further, try one of three different omakase options, a choice of six- or ten-course chef's tasting menu, or a vegan version of the same.
