When you feel the need for a feed outside your normal meat and two veg that won’t break the bank or clog your arteries, while also satisfying your needs, one word comes to mind: sushi.
As busy bees at Urban List, we hear your call for the above. Whether you’re after a quick takeaway fix on your work break, a chill but satisfying sushi train experience, or something fancier with flair, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s where to find the best sushi in Brisbane/Meanjin — we won’t judge your soy sauce to wasabi portions, promise.
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Fine Dining
Full of flavour, fanfare, and intricate presentation, fine dining Japanese restaurants that specialise in the art of sushi are in a league of their own. From the decor to the dramatics, a meal at one of these establishments will never leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Komeyui
191/203 Wharf Street, Spring Hill
Known as one of Melbourne’s best venues for authentic sushi and sashimi, Komeyui has found a home in Brisbane, bringing its delicate Japanese eats to Spring Hill. Here you can opt to sit at the sushi bar for delicate seafood pleasingly plated up, or just nab a table to work your way through the rest of the a la carte menu, which features the likes of pork gyoza, wagyu tataki, braised black pork belly, and tempura prawn and vegetables.
Sushi Room
48 James Street, Fortitude Valley
A member of the STK Group's collective (which includes Hellenika, SK Steak & Oyster and Sunshine), Sushi Room is a moody experience you’ve got to experience at least once in a lifetime. Serving sushi, sashimi, fried and grilled dishes a la carte, on set menus and omakase experiences, Sushi Room's mid-century inspired interiors and location in The Calile Hotel makes it an impressive option for date night.
Boom Boom Room
49 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Boom Boom Room | Instagram
This underground hotspot is a must for all lovers of Japanese cuisine. Boom Boom Room boasts a luxe, sultry interior inside an old bank vault as well as a menu that you’ll be dreaming about for days on end. Order a plate of their soft shell crab or ora king salmon hand roll and get a taste of what the fuss is about.
Takashiya
03/267 Grey Street, South Bank
Taste all the unique flavours of Japanese cuisine at this intimate dining experience with sushi master Takashi Nami. Takashiya offers the palate an array of Japanese delicacies, perfect for pairing with a sake-based cocktail at the bar, so order up.
Sono
39 Hercules Street, Portside
Pairing good food with a good time, Sono is renowned for its teppanyaki, but it’s their sushi platters that keep the masses happy. A traditional Japanese restaurant complete with tatami-clad private dining rooms, Sono diners can enjoy a stunning selection of sushi and sashimi, with plenty of banquet and omakase options for when you want to leave it to the masters.
hôntô
Alden Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: hôntô | Instagram
Blending the finesse of Japanese cuisine with a space that’s dark, brooding, and bold, hôntô takes the cake. With moody, minimalist interiors, long communal tables and a sleek whiskey bar to drink at while you wait for a seat, this dimly lit Valley spot is the place to tuck into elegant fare that's heavily influenced by Japanese dining (with a few twists).
Ippin Dining
Level 2/97 Boundary Street, West End
Sitting pretty above West Village, Ippin Dining comes to us from the team behind some of Sydney’s best Japanese restaurants, so they know what they’re doing when it comes to making standout sushi. A sophisticated fit out provides the perfect backdrop to tuck into masterful Japanese eats. With eight different sushi rolls on the menu (plus the rest), all you need to do is sit back, and sip your sake.
Tenya
1/300 George Street, Brisbane CBD
Arguably the largest Japanese restaurant in town, Tenya also offers up some of the best views from its riverside location in Brisbane Quarter. Start with a cocktail at the bar before heading to your table for a sushi feast. Expect things like the surf and turf roll, crumbed oyster roll, or aburi hotate roll to make your mouth water. There’s also jaw-dropping sashimi platters, hot pot, and more to dig your fork into.
Sokyo
33 William Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Sokyo | Instagram
The Star Brisbane’s resident Japanese restaurant explores cutting-edge cuisine through a contemporary lens. Led by Executive Chef Alex Yu who has been dubbed Australia’s ‘sashimi florist’, each plate here offers artistry and quality in equal measure. Sokyo even has exclusive sake pairings if you’re feeling extra indulgent.
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Takeaway
Craving something fresh on the go? Takeaway sushi is a popular choice for good reason. Made fresh and wrapped for your convenience, picking up a quick, healthy, and delicious meal is made easy thanks to these.
Issho Sushi
730 Sandgate Road, Clayfield | 13/162 Barrett Street, Bracken Ridge
With a belief that happiness is better pursued together, Issho Sushi are committed to delivering good vibes through their love of Japanese food. With a menu that spans across nigiri, aburi, hand rolls, tempura, bento box, and more, hunger pangs have no place here. Speaking of which, Issho Sushi also offers catering which can be ordered online, so your guests can get their fix too.
Sushi Sushi
Multiple locations
With aspirations to take high end Japanese dining and make it accessible to the masses, Sushi Sushi has seven Brisbane stores, and more than 150 nationally. Dreams do come true. Known for their fresh, healthy, on-the-go meals, they focus on premium quality, authentic Japanese ingredients, and treat their craft as an artform. Pair that with the fact their takeaway sushi comes packaged in an environmentally-friendly and recyclable box that features art by Australian artist David Bromley, and Sushi Sushi is almost too pretty to eat.
Moshi Sushi
Multiple locations
Good news for those who like variety—Moshi Sushi has more sushi roll options than you can poke a (chop)stick at, plus more to go like their hot rice bowls, onigiri, and poke bowls. Packed with freshness and rolled with flavour, each dish here is perfect for picking up on your lunch break or commute home from work.
Niko Niko
8/243 Edward St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Image credit: Niko Niko | Instagram
Grab and go from Niko Niko, and return to your desk feeling full in the best kind of way. Their sushi menu features all your faves, so if you’re after something easy, healthy, and convenient on your work break, you know just where to go.
Sushi Hub
Multiple locations
With almost 200 stores across Australia, it’s safe to say the people love Sushi Hub. Quick, convenient, and deliciously satisfying, they make grabbing a healthy meal on the go a breeze.
Sushi Edo
Multiple locations
Not a fan of dining in? Sushi Edo will do you one better, and deliver your meal to your door. With an extensive list of various nigiri, aburi, gunkan, rolls, udon, salad, and more, you’ll curb all those cravings at once. And the best part? Every plate on the menu is only $4.80. Say less.
Sushi Trains
Whether you're grabbing something off the conveyor belt or ordering from the booth, there’s more fun with every bite when you dine in at a sushi train restaurant. It’s a feast for the eyes (and your belly). Park yourself trackside, these Brisbane sushi trains are about to round the bend. Next stop: stack city. Climb aboard.
Ichiban Sushi
111 Boundary St, West End QLD 4101
All aboard Ichiban Sushi at West Village, where the sushi is fresh, sashimi is tasty, and the bento boxes come with a punch. A popular destination for those looking for an enjoyable lunchtime fix, Ichiban serves up signature dishes and regular favourites. Better yet, this sushi train spot offers BYO options, making it suitable for those looking to up the ante.
Wara Sushi
Multiple locations
Image credit: Wara Sushi | Instagram
You best believe we’ve funded half their rent with our karaage orders—Wara Sushi has climbed the ranks of Brisbane sushi trains quicker than you can say ‘Irasshaimase’. You’ll find stacks on stacks of Wara’s sushi across nine locations, each plating up rolls the size of your head, and nigiri worth crossing the city for.
Mista Boo
Multiple locations
Find your soy-mate at Mista Boo—where sushi rolls, ships, and hot food hits the spot. With seven locations across Brisbane, a good feed is never far away. Order plate after plate of their signature favourites like tender sashimi and crispy chicken katsu nigiri to get you filled and fulfilled, or let the izakaya menu transport you to the electric streets of Tokyo with big beers, sake and plates of gyoza, edamame and fried chicken.
Sakura Sushi
3a/229 Lutwyche Rd, Windsor QLD 4030
Proof you should never judge a book by its cover, Sakura Sushi is unassuming, but brings the flavours you love to your next meal. Making plates fresh to order on demand, this little haunt on the northside dishes up some of the best sushi we’ve eaten (and more than once). Their agedashi tofu is some of the best in the biz, so make it your business to visit and pile up your plates.
Main image credit: Komeyui | Instagram
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