A list of some of the best omakase restaurants in Shanghai — high quality ingredients hand-picked by chefs I trust, ones that I frequent and keep going back for more.
I love a good omakase meal.
It’s the satisfaction of being able to sit at the counter to watch the exceptional mastery and art behind sushi and sashimi making. There’s also the lighthearted banter, the cheeky toasts of sake, and the dynamics of my dining companions that truly make it a memorable meal.
I also find that the omakase experience gets better the more I go. Getting to know your sushi master is similar to getting to know your bartender, and familiarity does add to the experience.
Without further ado, here are my picks of omakase restaurants in Shanghai.
Note: Ingredients change based on availability and season.
Best Japanese Omakase Restaurants in Shanghai
Ochiyo
Sushi Oyama
Hulu Sushi 葫芦寿司
Uni Shushi (best value)
Love Sushi
Kappo Yu 鮨割烹·遊
The Dome
Sushi Naoki 鮨直輝
Ochiyo
Ochiyo is one of my top choices when it comes to Japanese omakase in Shanghai. Led by chef Sun-San, it’s a step above in terms of experience and sushi cuts (especially since he imports most of the fish directly from Japan). Every dinner is different, from seasonal baby eels that are only available for a couple weeks to whole slabs of top-grade tuna fresh off the plane from Japan.
Sun-San is also from the Oyama school and spent his formative years doing kaiseki at Ochobo (now closed). Ochiyo has since moved from the 上方花园 lanehouse to Changning. Sun-San also runs a small import company, which is how he is able to get some lesser-seen Japanese ingredients.
Kaiseki is a multi-course meal, and the more noticeable differences (if you’re not a sushi snob) are the inclusion of multiple techniques used in the creation of a kaiseki menu. This includes courses of amuse bouche and soups, grilled and simmered dishes, tempura, etc. It’s not just nigiri sushi and sashimi.
Omakase at Ochiyo is ¥1,280 per person.
Ochiyo
View the listing here.
Sushi Oyama
The name Sushi Oyama is possibly the most iconic name when it comes to omakase restaurants in Shanghai. Named for its master chef, Takeo Oyama, a highly experienced and talented legend of the Shanghai dining scene.
He first rose to prominence in Shanghai in 2010 with the original Sushi Oyama on Donghu Lu, which remained wildly popular until its closure in 2018. Oyama-san is widely considered a trailblazer of the city’s omakase scene, known for his unique style that balances traditional techniques with contemporary interpretations, all delivered with his characteristically boisterous nature.
Chefs from Ochiyo, Hulu, and Kappo Yu all trained under him! Expect a fun-filled experience — be sure to kanpai with Oyama-san — one that showcases chef’s dedication to the art of sushi.
The omakase menu is priced at ¥980 or ¥1,280 per person.
Sushi Oyama
View the listing here.
Hulu Sushi 葫芦寿司
Hulu Sushi is a 12-seater omakase restaurant in Shanghai located within Pirata on Xingfu Lu. These two restaurants are symbiotic, as they are after all, run by a husband and wife team. Both restaurants just reopened this August, previously located in Columbia Circle.
Chef/owner Liu-San founded Hulu Sushi in August 2018. Before that, had spent seven years as a sous chef at Sushi Oyama, a wildly popular omakase restaurant in Shanghai. Oyama has long since closed but is still talked about to this day as a barometer of excellence. (Coincidentally, three other restaurants on this list are headed by chefs who come from the Oyama school of sushi.)
While Liu-San’s style inevitably shows echoes of Oyama, he has really come into his own. His is a steady paced meal accented with flavor bombs like torched toro crowned with uni and the layering of ebi, scallop, and even more sea urchin. And he’s also quite the entertainer.
Omakase at Hulu Sushi is ¥1,080 per person.
P/S: If you’re feeling cheeky, ask Liu-San if you can have a “biantai sushi” (变态sushi). He’ll know you came from here.
Hulu Sushi
View the listing here.
Uni Shushi
In my humble opinion, Uni Shushi is the best value omakase restaurant in Shanghai. It’s an intimate 12-seater restaurant at PAC in Jing’an, led by chef Wang Yang, a disciple of Sun-San and student of the legendary Oyama-San.
The omakase menu is priced at ¥498 for lunch and ¥698 for dinner — considerably affordable for Shanghai, yet doesn’t skimp on quality. Sure, your menu might rarely feature prized tuna belly (otoro), and you may never get shirako served, but the white fish, grilled bites, and akami tuna is all excellent and prepared with care. And yes, expect to get at least one bite with sea urchin!
With just six seats at the bar and six in a private room, it’s cozy, intimate, and designed for sushi appreciation. Two dinner seatings available. If you’ve experienced Ochiyo, you already know this is going to be good. Like, really good. Whether you’re popping in for lunch or settling in for dinner, Uni Shushi delivers.
Uni Shushi
View the listing here.
Love Sushi
Love Sushi (瑷鮨) is a 10-seater omakase restaurant in Shanghai located on the top floor of Plaza 66 in Jing’an. It’s helmed by chef Ma Shifu, a 20-year veteran who specializes in kaiseki, following a more structured rundown with appetizers, sashimi, seasonal hot and cold dishes, grilled items, etc.
First-pick fresh catch of geoduck, sea urchin, abalone, and king crab finds its way onto the menu, as Love Sushi has ties to Sun-San’s empire, which commands strong ties with suppliers. Love Sushi’s regular menu is excellent, but this is where you go to request the off-menu stuff, in advance of course.
One of the newer omakase restaurants in Shanghai, opened late 2025.
Lunch is ¥690 or ¥980; dinner is ¥980 or ¥1,280.
Love Sushi
View the listing here.
Kappo Yu 鮨割烹·遊
Kappo Yu is one of the longest standing omakase restaurants in Shanghai that I know of, at least one that is located downtown. It opened in 2010, almost immediately after Sushi Oyama burst onto the scene. Kappo Yu does kaiseki style, led by Niu-San, who is also from the Oyama school. He’s been at the helm since 2018.
It’s a small restaurant with a bright red counter that snakes around the centerstage. There are a plus a couple private rooms, too.
Fun fact: The quirky projections that run on the back wall throughout the meal are developed by founder Hirano Naoya, theatrics that later inspired the creation of Anthologia, an immersive theatre-style Japanese restaurant.
Omakase at Kappo Yu is ¥1,100 per person.
Kappo Yu
View the listing here.
The Dome
If you’re looking for an omakase dining experience with a bit of whimsy set to the backdrop of Shanghai’s iconic Bund view, look no further than The Dome. Situated right on the waterfront, this is one of the newer additions to the glitzy Bund, combining Japanese dining, omakase, and nightlife all in one space.
The eight-seat omakase counter is run by chef Terada-San, who also operates Chez Bulizo, his more intimate restaurant in Changning. The meal is more kaiseki-style with courses start include soups, creative starters, sushi, sashimi, fried courses, and hot dishes. The meal culminates in DIY hand-roll sushi, where you get to pick the ingredients for your roll from a beautiful display box.
Honestly, it’s one of only a couple of omakase restaurants in Shanghai located on the Bund, and The Dome is the one that’s more fairly priced. Plus, after dinner, you can also head upstairs to Skyline Dome for a cocktail and a view of the Bund.
Dinner is ¥988 per person.
The Dome
View the listing here.
Sushi Naoki 鮨直輝
Address: 虹梅路3911号10号楼, 近延安西路
Tel: 54730595, 18121390595
Hours: Mon-Sat, 6pm-11pm
Address: 46 Yancheng Lu, near Xizang Nan Lu 盐城路46号, 近西藏南路
Tel: 63120655
Hours: Mon-Sun, 5:30pm-11pm
There are two outposts of Sushi Naoki, one in Gubei and another in Huangpu district. It’s run by chef Kevin Lin, a Taiwan-native who spent the last 20-odd years honing his craft.
He does a high-end brand of omakase, and uses premium ingredients like Triton’s trumpet sea snail, abalone, puffer fish milt, and sujiko kasuzuke in his menu. I’ve been going to Chef Kevin as far back as 2017. Sushi Naoki is one of the pricier omakase restaurants in Shanghai, but that’s because he tends to select rarer ingredients from time to time.
Omakase at Sushi Naoki is ¥2,500.
2 comments
Hi Rachel
Which one would you recommend the highest? If you had to pick one
I’d choose Ochiyo (the one in the lanehouse)