MIAGuide
Where To Eat Omakase Sushi In Miami For Under $100
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
In Miami, the word “omakase” has become synonymous with dropping an astronomical amount of money on a lavish, exclusive 18-course sushi dinner. And, yes, you can do that at some of Miami's best sushi omakase restaurants. But there are also places serving excellent chef’s choice sushi for under $100 a head. Like the places on this guide, which range from intimate counters in Downtown to casual restaurants in Wynwood where you can spend as little as little as $26 on an omakase.
THE SPOTS
Some of Miami’s best sushi is being served inside a shiny, casual food hall in the Design District. That’s where you’ll find Sushi Yasu Tanaka, one of MIA Market’s vendors. The small sushi counter doesn’t take reservations, and you’ll probably want to stop by for lunch since they close at 7pm Sunday through Thursday and 8pm Friday and Saturday. The ten-piece omakase platter (plus one handroll) costs $59 and will consist of upscale omakase quality sushi. The nigiri is pretty straightforward—beautiful cuts of salmon, tuna, scallop, and more rotating fish draped over a warm bed of rice. Plus, spending $60 here is so much more satisfying than buying a pair of socks at one of the nearby designer stores.
Wabi Sabi, an excellent Japanese restaurant in the Upper East Side, has several omakase options—and they all clock in at about $100. The nigiri omakase ($100) comes with 12 pieces and one maki. The sashimi omakase ($90) comes with 12 pieces of fish. And the chirashi omakase ($50) is 12 pieces of sashimi served over a lovely bed of sushi rice. They also do a takeout omakase bento box for $105, and it comes with 12 pieces of nigiri and one cut roll. You can enjoy all of the above in Wabi Sabi’s quiet, low-key dining room, but they’re all available for takeout as well.
The ten-course omakase option at this small Downtown sushi counter comes in under $100 (at least before service, taxes, and sake). It costs $79, and the 14-course is $109. You will need to make a reservation and put down a deposit in advance. But not only is the price better than most upscale omakase options in Miami, the sushi will be too. Every piece of fish, uni, or beef that is put in front of you will get better and better and better, like a well-paced action movie. And at the end of the two-hour meal, you’ll be begging for a sequel.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc
Aoko is a sushi restaurant in Edgewater with little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door). Although its beautifully minimalist interior might make you feel like you’re not allowed to touch anything, it’s actually a walk-in friendly spot that plays R&B head bobs. Their concise menu offers three omakase options. The nigiri omakase ($75) comes with 10 pieces including three cuts of tuna that progress from lean to fatty and are topped with surprise clusters of caviar here and there. The sashimi omakase ($85) has 14 pieces, and the bara chirashi ($38) is perfect for a solo meal at the sushi counter. The bowl has heaps of cubed fish atop a bed of rice. Pair any of the omakase options with an appetizer like the cold cha soba salad and you’ve got a perfectly satisfying meal.
photo credit: Courtesy Miss Crispy Rice
Miss Crispy Rice is the sibling (Wife? Sister?) of Mr. Omakase, but the two are different concepts. Miss Crispy Rice focuses on hand rolls and crispy rice instead of mostly nigiri. It’s also inside a mini food hall, so it’s not as intimate. But the two experiences share a couple important characteristics: quality ingredients and a price point that falls below average for Miami’s upscale omakase. This is obviously the one to book if you're a big crispy rice fan. But one of our favorite parts of Crispy Rice's omakase are the seasonal surprise dishes, which could be firefly squid in a sweet chili sauce or little soft shell crabs flown in from Japan. The 14-course option is the only one that comes in under $100, but it will leave you full.
Omakai has locations in Wynwood and Aventura. Both are casual enough for shorts, but still offer a solid omakase experience with options ranging from $26 to about $84. When we went here, we did the $48 Oma Deluxe, which comes with ten pieces of sushi, sashimi, an appetizer, and a couple handrolls. It was all very good, more than enough to fill us up, and, all things considered, a great value. They do accept walk-ins, but a reservation still isn’t a bad idea—especially if you're trying to go to the Wynwood location.
An outstanding sushi spot that’s casual, affordable, and consistently excellent is rare in Miami. But Matsuri is exactly that kind of restaurant, which is probably why you will absolutely have to wait for a table at this classic Bird Road spot. It will, however, be very worth it. They have a few chef’s choice sushi platters. Go for the Masa Special. They offer a Masa Special for two people that includes 16 pieces of sashimi, nine pieces of sushi, and two rolls for $44. And the $66 Masa Special for three includes 24 pieces of sashimi, 15 pieces of sushi, and three rolls. Every bite will make you glad you waited 46 minutes for the table.
