There are days when sushi feels like the simplest choice, and still one of the hardest to get right. A good sushi restaurant does not need to be loud. Sometimes it is enough to watch the chef shape rice by hand, place salmon or seafood gently over it, and let the table stay quiet for a moment, allowing the palate to fully appreciate the delicate flavors.
For this best sushi Singapore guide, I kept the list focused on places where sushi is part of the main reason to visit. Some are hidden sushi bar finds. Others are established Japanese restaurant names with sushi, sashimi, lunch sets, and omakase options that let diners choose based on budget, craving, and occasion. Many of these restaurants boast seasonal seafood flown in directly from Japan, ensuring freshness and authenticity.
Featured Sushi Restaurant Shortlist
| Sushi Restaurant | Best For |
|---|---|
| Sushi To Sumi | Standing sushi, seasonal nigiri, and quick omakase-style dining |
| The Sushi Bar | Casual sushi, chirashi, aburi sushi, and tempura |
| Sushi Kawasemi | Refined omakase restaurant experience |
| Tomi Sushi | Traditional Japanese sushi and sashimi with dessert options |
| Sushidan | Affordable sushi, handrolls, and omakase sets |
| Ganko Sushi | Heritage Japanese dining with sushi platters |
1. Sushi To Sumi: A Tokyo-Style Standing Sushi Bar in Raffles Place
Sushi To Sumi brings Tokyo’s traditional tachigui or standing sushi culture, to Raffles Place. Diners stand at the counter, watch the chef work, and enjoy premium sushi in roughly 30–45 minutes. The format is direct, but the food is not rushed.
Price range: Omakase-style sushi experience from around $108 per person
Sushi offerings: Seasonal nigiri, fresh sushi, fresh sashimi, chef-selected sushi, fatty tuna, and binchotan charcoal-grilled seafood
Best for: Standing sushi, CBD lunches, sashimi lovers, solo diners, and couples seeking quality sushi and high quality seafood without a lengthy dining commitment
The menu follows the catch. Fresh seafood flown from Japan is selected according to season and availability, with the chef deciding whether an ingredient works best as nigiri, sashimi, maki, or over charcoal. Depending on the day, that may mean assorted sashimi, richer cuts, or other premium ingredients prepared with very little interference.
The “Sumi” in Sushi to Sumi represents its charcoal element, bringing grilled seafood and aburi-style preparations alongside the raw courses. Fish bones may also be used for miso soup, keeping the restaurant’s approach close to the way a fishing family treats the whole ingredient.
As one instance of how Japanese dining continues to evolve, Sushi To Sumi shows that premium sushi does not always require hours of ceremony. Compared with broader casual formats such as Genki Sushi, Sushi Tei, Sushi Dan, Sushi Zushi, Sen-Ryo, or Itacho Sushi, Sushi to Sumi is deliberately narrower. You will not find a huge menu of donburi bowls, noodles, udon, soup, and other cooked options, nor is the concept built around sushi delivery, multiple locations, or low prices.
Moreover, at the other end of the spectrum of Singapore’s sushi scene, formal counters such as Ginza Sushi Ichi or Sushi Sato represent a more traditional luxury route. Sushi to Sumi sits somewhere else: serious fish, an open counter, and efficient service designed around a real CBD schedule.
That makes it especially useful for diners who want exquisite sushi without turning the meal into an event. Whether your usual Japanese dining is around Millenia Walk, Dempsey Hill, Pasir Ris, or elsewhere in Singapore, the difference here is the format.
Stand close. Watch the chef. Eat the fish when it is ready.
2. The Sushi Bar: A Casual Sushi Bar for Aburi Sushi in Orchard
The Sushi Bar is not hidden in the same way it once was, but the Far East Plaza outlet still has that upstairs Orchard quality. You take the lift, walk through the mall, and arrive at a restaurant that keeps things casual. The room is not precious. People come to eat well, talk easily, and order more than they first planned.
This is a useful choice for diners who want sushi without a full omakase commitment. The menu includes chirashi, rolls, sashimi, aburi sushi, donburi, and other Japanese dishes that suit both lunch and dinner, plus tempura and fried items that add variety. While some sushi lovers seek the precision of a traditional sushi counter or the standards associated with the best Japanese restaurants, The Sushi Bar offers a more approachable route for diners who want good food without a formal setting. The Far East Plaza outlet is at 14 Scotts Road, #04-28, while The Sushi Bar also lists other outlets such as Stanley Street and Ngee Ann City.
Price range: casual to mid-range; often around $35 per person
Sushi offerings: salmon aburi roll, aburi kaisen chirashi don, chirashi, sashimi, sushi rolls, and seasonal specials
Best for: affordable sushi, group dining, casual Japanese food in Orchard, and a relaxed palate experience
The appeal here is flexibility. It works for first timers, casual gatherings, and even special occasions where you want something less formal. Whether you come for a single bite of aburi sushi or settle in for a full meal, the restaurant’s casual mood makes it easy to enjoy. Online bookings are available for those planning ahead, especially during busy periods.
Located near Orchard MRT, The Sushi Bar remains a convenient choice for diners who want sushi in a familiar setting. It may not be positioned as a premium omakase destination with ingredients flown from Japan or a highly curated progression, but it offers great value for those who simply want to savor Japanese flavours in a comfortable environment.
3. Sushi Kawasemi: A Refined Omakase Restaurant on Telok Ayer
Sushi Kawasemi is the most focused omakase restaurant on this list. It sits along Telok Ayer, where the day crowd thins after office hours and the street changes pace. Inside, the experience is more deliberate. You are not here to rush through cheap sushi or compare it with Sushi Express. You are here to sit down, slow down, and let the chef decide the sequence.
The restaurant describes itself as a contemporary fine-dining omakase restaurant. The menu is built around nigiri, sashimi, seasonal seafood, and Japanese ingredients prepared with care, boasting a strong emphasis on the season’s best offerings. Sushi Kawasemi is located at 120 Telok Ayer Street, with opening hours from 12pm to 2:30pm and 6:30pm to 10:30pm, Monday to Friday; Saturday dinner only.
Price range: premium; lunch courses have been listed from $98++
Sushi offerings: nigiri sushi course, premium sashimi, temaki, tamago, binchotan-seared otoro
Best for: a splurge, special dinner, or serious sushi-focused dining with a refined palate
4. Tomi Sushi: A Japanese Restaurant for Traditional Sushi in Katong
Tomi Sushi brings the list east. Its Katong outlet feels more like a steady Japanese restaurant than a hidden counter, and that is part of its appeal. Families can dine here. Friends can share a table. Diners can opt for sushi, sashimi, rice, or a set meal without needing to follow an omakase course.
The restaurant has roots in Niigata, Japan, and the Katong branch pays attention to details like sushi rice, soy sauce for sushi, and soy sauce for sashimi. That quiet specificity matters. Tomi Sushi is at 30 East Coast Road, #02-14/15/16, Katong V, with lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm and dinner from 5:30pm to 9:30pm.
The focus remains on quality preparation, from raw fish and sashimi selections to carefully made sushi pieces. For diners who appreciate the traditions behind Japanese dining, the experience connects with the wider philosophy of Edomae technique, where precision, timing, and respect for ingredients define the meal.
While some sushi enthusiasts look for seafood stories connected to markets such as Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, others prefer accessible restaurants that allow them to enjoy fresh seafood in a comfortable setting. Tomi Sushi sits within that space, offering a relaxed dining experience that works for families, groups, and diners discovering Japanese cuisine at their own pace.
Price range: mid to upper-mid; assorted sushi sets may run from about $35 to $74
Sushi offerings: today’s nigiri, osusume nigiri, Tomi nigiri, jyo nigiri, tokujyo nigiri, maguro otoro, chutoro, sashimi, and a dessert selection
Best for: traditional sushi, East Coast dining, and a reliable family meal with a welcoming staff
5. Sushidan: A Japanese Restaurant That Makes Omakase More Affordable
Sushidan at Raffles City is a newer kind of sushi restaurant**: bright, accessible, and priced so more diners can step into the format**. It sits in a different part of the sushi world, where people can enjoy handrolls, à la carte pieces, and omakase-style sets without a hard splurge.
The first Singapore store of chef Hiroyuki Sato’s Sushidan offers à la carte sushi from $1.99 per piece, handrolls from $3.99, and omakase sets from $19.90. It is located at Raffles City Shopping Centre, #B1-44C, and opens daily from 11am to 10pm.
Price range: affordable to mid-range
Sushi offerings: engawa nigiri, negitoro takuan handroll, chawanmushi, handrolls, omakase-style sets
Best for: lunch, quick dinner, and diners who want sushi without stretching the budget, with convenient location and friendly staff
6. Ganko Sushi: A Heritage Japanese Restaurant With a Sushi Bar Feel
Ganko Sushi near Dhoby Ghaut feels like a good middle step between casual sushi and a more formal omakase dinner. It is polished, but not difficult to understand. The menu includes omakase, premium sashimi, handcrafted sushi, hot dishes, and weekday lunch sets, giving diners a wide variety without losing the sushi focus.
The restaurant is at 9 Penang Road, #01-01, UBS Building, close to Dhoby Ghaut. Current listings show daily service around 11:30am to 2:30pm and 6pm to 9:30pm, though delivery and pickup hours may differ. Ganko Sushi boasts seafood sourced thrice weekly from the Osaka Fish Market, ensuring seasonal freshness.
Price range: mid to premium; weekday lunch sets and sushi platters make it flexible
Sushi offerings: sushi platter, chirashi don, premium sashimi, omakase courses, seasonal ingredients from Japan
Best for: a balanced sushi meal, business lunch, or dinner when you want something worth reserving, complimented by attentive staff
Finding the Right Sushi Table
I like that these places do not all ask for the same kind of attention. Some are quiet. Some are busy. Some are built around a chef’s hand, while others are made for a table of people ordering freely. That variety is what makes sushi dining in Singapore interesting. There is always another place to find, another piece to enjoy, and another meal worth slowing down for under the sun of Singapore’s vibrant food scene.
For those interested in exploring more Japanese flavours beyond sushi, you can view our guide here to iconic Japanese eateries serving Japanese curry, or check out Hidden Eats Around’s list of great izakaya spots in Singapore.