For when you don’t want to commit to a full omakase meal, both time and price point. Here are four affordable sushi bar counters serving up quality fish for a casual meal. Good sushi for under ¥200!
4 Sushi Bars in Shanghai
Sushi Brother 寿司大兄弟
Address: Inside Foodie Social, Hong Shou Fang, 236 Xinhui Lu 新会路236弄1号鸿寿坊食集1层
Tel: 19101762203
Hours: Mon-Thu, 11am-2pm, 4pm-10pm; Fri-Sun, 11am-10pm
Sushi Brother is a casual sushi bar by Sun-San, chef-owner of Ochiyo. If you’ve been to or have heard about Ochiyo, you’d know that Sun-San prides himself on the freshest, best seasonal ingredients.
Ochiyo is fabulous, but if you don’t want to commit to a high-end omakase experience, Sushi Brother is much more affordable but doesn’t scrimp on quality. It is located at Hong Shou Fang within Foodie Social.
Single pieces of sushi start from ¥18, ranging from ebi (¥28) to tuna (¥48), or you can opt for their omakase, ¥198 for eight pieces of sushi or ¥298 for 3 starters and 12 sushi, plus soup and dessert! That’s a steal. They also have rice bowls, topped with unagi or diced sashimi.
Sushi Brother ranks highest on this list for value, quality fish, knife work and preparation methods.
Sushi 9 奈寿司
Address: 4/F, 509 Nanchang Lu 南昌路509号4层
Tel: 28903376
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Address: 2/F, INS, 109 Yandang Lu 雁荡路109号2楼
Tel: 13062635875
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Sushi 9 has two locations, one above Co Cheese on Nanchang Lu and another in INS. The Nanchang Lu location is a little more weather worn and tightly packed than the newer INS venue, which despite its fancier space, shares a similar selection of sushi.
Order a la carte pieces of sushi via the screen/iPad. Sushi pieces start from ¥22, and they also have blackboard specials listed.
The fish quality is good, and the chefs take their time to prepare your sushi, not rushing you through the meal.
Ichi Roll 鮨卷
Address: No. 2-2, 35 Shaanxi Nan Lu 陕西南路35号2-2
Tel: 15821304017
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm; Sat-Sun, 11:30am-10pm
Ichi Roll is a casual Japanese restaurant serving up hand roll sushi, brought to you by the Sake-X Group (Tomodachi, Sake-Ichi, FuXing Bakery, Sake-Ichi Oden).
There are a couple of sets, from three (¥78) to six rolls (¥188) with dessert. Or you can go for single rolls, which range from cucumber (¥12) to scallop (¥28) to toro (¥68).
Their signature is “The King of Roll” for ¥198, laden with sea urchin, ebi, tuna, and caviar. There are a few simple appetizers and sashimi, too.
Sanchome Sushi & Izakaya 三町目寿居酒屋
Address: 899 Julu Lu 巨鹿路899号
Tel: 64458698
Hours: Daily, 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
Sanchome is a Japanese-run sushi bar and izakaya on Julu Lu. Its entrance is squeezed into the row of eateries, discreet, if not for its welcoming red lanterns. The space is small, yet it still makes room for a couple of private rooms. The bar counter is towards the back.
While I’m here for the sushi counter, Sanchome is more known as an izakaya and drinking spot. To emphasize the latter, there’s a wall of half-finished spirits tagged with names of regulars. I also hear it that it’s frequented by many native Japanese.
The sushi and sashimi is good and serviceable, but some fish fared better than others. The tuna was good but not great, perhaps due to lack of access to quality fish these days. But I shouldn’t complain too much, as it is still all quite affordable. The salmon, eel, and sweet shrimp was excellent.
Single piece sushi starts from ¥12, which includes salmon, and there are plenty of sets, including three tuna cuts (¥88), three popular sushi (¥48), three seared (¥50), etc.
The menu is large, with a la carte sushi and sashimi, sets, izakaya bites, and sukiyaki. I hear their fried chicken is also a must-try. One for next time.
