This post is written to help you locate the best Sushi restaurants near you. As such Sushi Near Me is designed not only to give you insight on locations where Sushi is served. It goes beyond opening you up to basic things you need to know about Sushi. Only keep reading.
A Guide To Sushi Menu
Before we refer back to history – let me drop this, if you have stayed away from sushi thinking that they are meant for Japanese tummies only or those who understand the culture. I bet you’ve missed so much. It’s about time to come out of your cocoon and discover the exotic flavors of this oriental cuisine. After all, how long can you live on burgers and pizzas anyway?
What are the Constituents of Sushi?
Sushi is a staple rice dish of Japanese cuisine, consisting of cooked rice flavored with vinegar and a variety of vegetables, egg, or raw seafood garnishes and served cold.
Sushi – The History You Never Knew
To begin with, Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish of prepared vinegared rice, usually with some sugar and salt, accompanying a variety of ingredients such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is “sushi rice”, also referred to as share or sushi.
On the other hand, Sushi is traditionally made with medium-grain white rice, though it can be prepared with brown rice or short-grain rice. It is very often prepared with seafood, such as squid, eel, yellowtail, salmon, tuna, or imitation crab meat. Many types of sushi are vegetarian. It is often served with pickled ginger (gari), wasabi, and soy sauce. Daikon radish or pickled daikon (takuan) are popular garnishes for the dish.
That said, Sushi is sometimes confused with sashimi, a related dish in Japanese cuisine that consists of thinly sliced raw fish, or occasionally meat, and an optional serving of rice.
View our curated list of the top sushi restaurants in the US. No matter where you are or where you plan to roam you can quickly locate sushi near you. Simply browse the Sushi Near Me map below and find your new favorite sushi restaurant!
While traditional sushi is served raw, modern sushi often comes with several cooked additions and has evolved to meet the expectations of American foodies. Cooked crab, shrimp, and steamed clams are just a few modern additions to sushi today.
Sushi Near Me – What Sushi is in today’s World (Modern Sushi)
Sushi, the artful dining experience once uniquely Japanese, has now evolved to another level beyond the traditional Japanese methods.
Thus, Western influences have given rise to new styles of sushi, such as California rolls and the many elaborate ‘fusion’ creations at upscale sushi restaurants. The history of sushi is a long one, at least 1,800 years in fact, but the current iteration is popular around the world, and rightly so.
Be it as it may, it is not often that something so singly cultural can not only take the world by storm but also influence the direction of food in other cultures.
But you need to know that demand for sushi is only increasing and seems to be continuing to evolve. Traditional sushi restaurants sit alongside ‘fusion’ restaurants and both are popular for their own reasons. The history of sushi is still far from over.
Sushi Roll
Sushi is probably Japan’s most famous dish – but it can be expensive. At traditional omakase-style places, you can usually order a set of sushi with a fixed price, which comes in handy for group outings, or you can order your favorite sushi pieces as you eat your meal.
For reasonably priced sushi, there are places called kaizen-sushi, where the sushi plates circle around the eating area on a conveyor belt. These restaurants are to be found almost everywhere in Japan. When you go to such a restaurant, you wait until your desired sushi plate passes near you, and then pick up the plate from the moving belt. If your favorites aren’t available, you can also order them from the kitchen. Prices for this inexpensive kind of sushi vary.
There is no lack of incredible sushi restaurants in Japan. Perhaps the most famous is Sukiyabashi Jiro – a small eatery in the Ginza neighborhood of Tokyo. If you’re lucky enough to eat here, you’re in for the most authentic Japanese sushi in all of Japan.
Sushi Near Me – The Best Way to Eat Sushi
To begin with, no matter if you love traditional American sushi rolls, or more authentic sashimi and nigiri, eating sushi is always a flavorful, delightful experience.
But if you haven’t had much sushi in your life, you may be confused about what you’re supposed to do while eating sushi – and be nervous, and not sure how to eat it properly.
Be it as it may, I will suggest the best two ways highly recognized and recommended for eating Sushi.
Eat Your Sushi Upside down
So you’ve decided to eat some sushi. And you head to your local sushi joint using the Sushi near me locator, sit down at the counter, place your order, and before you know it you’re being handed piece after piece of gleaming nigiri (thin slices of raw fish pressed over rice, as opposed to making rolls).
Soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger are common sushi accompaniments, but they’re not all supposed to be eaten in one bite along with the sushi. Most good sushi chefs already put a small amount of wasabi under the fish, and piling wasabi onto a fresh piece of fish is like dunking a dry-aged ribeye into ketchup.
But what’s the right way to eat a piece of nigiri sushi? It’s actually a lot easier than most people make it out to be. Start by pouring a small amount of soy sauce into your dish. Pick the sushi up with your thumb and middle finger (no need for chopsticks).
Then, flip it upside down and dip it in the soy sauce fish-side-down, avoiding the rice (dipping the rice in soy sauce will absorb too much soy and throw off the rice-vinegar balance that chefs work hard to master). Finally, pop the whole thing in your mouth; it’s a big bite, but you can handle it!
Sushi is a Finger Food
Sushi is meant to be enjoyed in one bite. It is seen as a work of art, crafted by the chef, and biting into a sushi piece is considered rude. If the sushi is too big, or you’re feeling self-conscious, you can request the chef make smaller pieces and they can adjust the portions. Unless you’re eating a hand roll or temaki, you should be able to pop a piece in your mouth and enjoy it whole.
When eating sushi, you should place it on your tongue face down, so you get the full flavor and freshness of the fish. Sushi is meant to be appreciated as a whole experience. From flavor to texture and even presentation, take the time to enjoy each bite!
That said, Sushi can be eaten with your fingers or with chopsticks, so if you’re not the best at handling these utensils, don’t worry! Sushi is the ultimate finger food and you’re encouraged to eat these delicious bite-sized pieces with your fingers. Eating with your fingers is considered more polite than the stabbing tactic!
Top Five Sushi Restaurants in the United States
If you happen to be in the United States and you are looking for the best Sushi Restaurants near you. Thus, you can easily go to these top Sushi restaurants that people frequent. Be it as it may. There are also other places that you can eat Sushi. When you scroll down, you will see them all.
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Soto, New York City
While Soto may fly under the radar in terms of hype, it’s consistently top-rated by Zagat and Michelin. Soto’s menu features several varieties of fresh sea urchin, thinly sliced Long Island fluke, and of course the sushi fare we’ve all come to know in love. With a small serene dining room and a top-notch sushi chef, this NYC staple is well worth a look.
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Mankato, Washington DC
At nearly 30 years old, Nobu Yamazaki’s Dupont Circle fixture gleams as brightly as it did when his father opened it—if not even brighter, its polish extending from the handsome decor to the smooth execution of multiple menus. You can take an à la carte thrill ride through orders of spotted-parrot snapper nigiri, live-scallop sashimi, soy-simmered eel liver, and ginger-blossom tempura.
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Sushi Ota, San Diego
From the outside, Sushi Ōta just looks like the average sushi restaurant tucked into an unassuming strip mall. But following the old adage of “good things come in small packages,” this cozy space is a favorite among locals. With top-notch sashimi and monkfish, the brigade of top chefs perched behind the counter can make sushi that rivals that of any major city.
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Uchi, Austin, TX
Tyson Cole swears he didn’t set out to transform the Austin dining scene when he opened Uchi in a 1920s bungalow 12 years ago; he simply wanted the “creative freedom to get other people as addicted to Japanese food as I was.” But he did both, becoming the first American to receive a James Beard Award for Best Chef and opening a larger but no less warmly chic spinoff, Uchiko, along the way. Cole’s menus change often and range wide enough to appeal to novices and connoisseurs, who can compare, say, three different kinds of sea urchins while their warier companions sample tempura-fried Brie alongside “clean, crisp, light” sakes and white wines.
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Tomo, Atlanta
If you’re in the Atlanta area, Tomo is a must. With fish flown in bi-weekly from Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji market, bright flavors, and their famous Lobster a La Musso; there’s a little something at Tomo for everyone. The restaurant boasts clean lines and modern decor, perfect for a special night out or just a night spent treating yourself.
Sushi Near Me in the United States
- First, Alabama: Bamboo on 2nd (Birmingham)
- Alaska: Sushi & Sushi (Anchorage)
- Arizona: Harumi Sushi (Phoenix)
- Arkansas: Kemuri (Little Rock)
- California: Urasawa (Beverly Hills)
- Colorado: Sushi Den (Denver)
- Connecticut: Miya’s (New Haven)
- Delaware: The Cultured Pearl (Rehoboth Beach)
- Again, Florida: NAOE (Miami)
- Georgia: Tomo (Atlanta)
- Hawaii: Sushi Sasabune (Honolulu)
- Idaho: Maru Sushi (Boise)
- Illinois: Juno (Chicago)
- Indiana: Blue Sushi Sake Grill (Indianapolis)
- Iowa: W-Tao Sushi (Des Moines)
- Kansas: Sushi Uni (Lenexa)
- Kentucky: Osaka (Lexington)
- Louisiana: Asuka Sushi & Hibachi (New Orleans)
- Maine: Miyake (Portland)
- Maryland: Shoyou (Baltimore)
- Massachusetts: O Ya (Boston)
- Also, Michigan: Noble Fish (Clawson)
- Minnesota: Kyatchi (St. Paul)
- Mississippi: Fuji Sushi House (Biloxi)
- Missouri: Bob Wasabi (Kansas City)
- Montana: Dave’s Sushi (Bozeman)
- Nebraska: Yoshitomo (Omaha)
- Nevada: Sushi Hiroyoshi (Las Vegas)
- New Hampshire: Mint Bistro (Manchester)
- Then, New Jersey: Kenko (Lincoln Park)
- The New Mexico: Fareast Fuzion (Albuquerque)
- New York: Sushi Nakazawa (New York)
- North Carolina: O-Ku Sushi (Raleigh)
- North Dakota: Oahu Hawaiian BBQ Sushi Bar & Thai Cuisine (Bismarck)
- Ohio: Ginko (Cleveland)
- Oklahoma: Tokyo Japanese Restaurant (Oklahoma City)
- Oregon: Bamboo (Portland)
- Pennsylvania: Royal Sushi & Izakaya (Philadelphia)
- Rhode Island: Nami (Providence)
- South Carolina: Hachiya Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar (Charleston)
- South Dakota: Fuji Sushi & Sake Bar (Rapid City)
- Tennessee: Samurai (Nashville)
- Texas: Tei-An (Dallas)
- Utah: Takashi (Salt Lake City)
- Vermont: Hana Japanese Restaurant (Burlington)
- Virginia: Matsu (Centreville)
- Washington: Kisaku (Seattle)
- Washington, DC: Sushi Ogawa
- West Virginia: Ogawa Japanese Restaurant (Morgantown)
- Wisconsin: Screaming Tuna (Milwaukee)
- Lastly, Wyoming: King Sushi (Jackson)
In the End
To cap it all, if you read to this point, I trust the post was helpful. But, if proved otherwise. As a result, if there is a fact or info you would want me to correct or add to the post. Maybe a question, best of all, a thank you comment. It’s no big deal, use the comment box below. I delight to hearing from you.
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