Hey folks,

Trying to help out the mods here with some useful omakase info for the sushi fiends who either live in or visit Atlanta, GA. So with that said ... let's get it on.

Unlike cities like NYC, SF, LA, SEA, etc... there isn't a ton of breadth or depth to our sushi scene. As such ... in lieu of a "ranking", I'll just highlight some of the places that offer a true omakase experience and perhaps a list of other Japanese restaurants that serve sushi that also work on some level.

Traditional Omakase

These are places that will actually serve you in a manner most consistent with the Japanese tradition of omakase. Plenty of spots around town have "omakase" listed on their menu, but those are most often just sampler platters. All of these places either require advanced reservation/special notice and/or a dedicated area for omakase. Keep in mind that most omakase experiences come with a price tag that fluctuates based on how much you eat, what kind of fish you eat, etc... etc... I'll put a number by each that should give you an idea of how much lighter my wallet gets when i do these. Tip/Tax/Liquor/etc... isn't really included in this estimate. It's just a number to give you an idea. Also ... i'm not talking about anything other than the omakase experience in this section.

• Sushi Hayakawa - Doraville, GA - ~$130. The best (only actually) sushi-ya in town. This used to be a gregarious establishment but the business has undergone a change. It's now more inline with what you would find in Tokyo. Haya-san's shari is the best in town (and also the most consistent). Great quality fish ... peaceful environment ... just awesome. Haya-san is the only itamae there, so don't go expecting to be out in 90-minutes. Also - no talking on cellphones, and he is no longer setup for younger patrons under-12. Bookings here usually run a few weeks out. That it's our only sushi-ya doesn't mean it doesn't stand on its own. It's great ... I'm there about once a week.

• Brush Sushi & Izakaya - Decatur, GA - (fixed prices approximately $80 - $100 - $130). The new kid on the block, the chef here does a great job of getting in some of those esoteric fishies. You'll get stuff here that you won't find anywhere else in the city. The price differences are relative to the amount of food ... every single one of them is A TON and an awesome value. I usually go with the $100 which is the nigiri and sashimi rendition.... his tsumami is probably my favorite in town. They also do sake pairings as the chef (and his better half who handles the desserts)is a certified sake somm.

• Craft Izakaya - Atlanta, GA (inside the Krog St Market in Inman Park) - $85. The rockstar of the options. It's a little harder to get access to the omakase here simply b/c the chef/owner isn't there as much these days. He is going to try and change that but seeing as you're calling ahead to make a reservation for this ... they should be able to give you a heads up. The chef here does a lot of fun things with his omakase. While it's built in the traditions of Japanese, he'll be a lot more playful with things.

• Tomo - Atlanta, GA (Buckhead) ~ $175. Probably the best option for those who are less familiar with Japanese nuances. They are really setup to walk the clientele through things because a lot of folks who do these meals aren't as experienced with the cuisine. This is probably the best "sweep someone off their feet experience". There is a ton of tsumami and usually just 5 or 6 pieces of nigiri that come with. Easily the most expensive pound for pound of the options I identified but it's a good fit for the 'hood it's in and a good option for someone just getting used to fish/sushi who wants to venture out. For those that are more attuned to things - for the price, there are some things I'd like to see changed for me to really get behind it.

Other Sushi Experiences

• Umi - Atlanta, GA (Buckhead) ~ He does an omakase at his bar and it's not that I wouldn't put him in the list above but just that the experience there is sooo much about what else is going on. It's almost certainly going to have the most people eating there regardless of when you go ... and you know that ritzy club like place that you find in vegas casinos? You go in, get bottle service, and just fuck everything. That's umi. Recent table meal (where we brought our own wine) came out to $330 per person (with tip).

• Taka - Atlanta, GA (Buckhead) ~ Taka also offers an omakase experience but he gets such a neighborhood crowd that i honestly think he's not really setup to deliver that traditional experience. He's like a top flight neighborhood joint. No disservice meant (case in point - i'm mentioning this place in this post) but just doesn't offer anything unique given the other options.

• Kang Nam - Doraville, GA ~ Korean sushi. It isn't great by any means but you don't get a lot of Korean sushi places in the US ... so give it a whirl. It's pretty affordable but offers no real omakase ... just thought i'd throw in something a little more approachable.

That's a wrap!

I will try my best to remember to come back and update this guide if and when things change. That said, I keep a form of this list on my website. While I don't post there, I do keep this page maintained. Linkage to Sushi. If you're interested in keeping up with a more "real time" list of things ... peruse my instagram. It's almost exclusively posts of food / drink that i make, eat, buy, etc... so there is lots of non-sushi stuff going on but nonetheless it's there. Don't forget ... pictures ≠ endorsements Linkage to Instagram

rev. history 1.1 Sushi House Hayakwa -> Sushi Hayakawa.