You’re right to be dubious of any “all-you-can-eat” sushi offering, but this is no shopping mall experience (RIP, Todai): Hamono approaches AYCE its own way. The omakase journey starts under faux cherry blossom trees with crab-filled miso soup that opens a meal of a dozen odd plates of nigiri. Much of the seafood—fatty tuna, uni, amberjack—is flown in from the world-famous Toyosu fish market in Tokyo. It’s only after the more formal service that the staff brings an endless parade of dishes to the table—and won’t stop until you say “when.” —Alex Frane

Though barely three years old, this intimate omakase restaurant in Sellwood quickly established itself as not just one of our favorite sushi spots, but one of our top restaurants period. Married couple Shinji and Izumi Uehara work as a practiced team: Izumi acting as host and kitchen chef, while Shinji masterfully slices fish flown in from Tokyo markets—including mackerel, halfbeak, and golden-eye snapper—for a rapt audience at the bar. Groups are limited to two people max, but reservations are still easier to snag than at Nodoguro or Nimblefish. —AF

Since opening in 2017, chef Cody Auger’s Nimblefish has been a part of the upper echelon of Portland’s sushi scene, often cited among the city’s best. Served at the 12-seat wooden bar, the $125 Edomae-style omakase supplements the best of the Pacific with local ingredients and flavors. Menus change regularly with the seasons, so you might find cold-smoked mackerel, kelp-cured sea bream, torched red barracuda, or fresh Oregon uni. While omakase is the real draw, Nimblefish also offers à la carte dining Tuesdays through Saturdays at an adjacent counter. —AF

Elena and Ryan Roadhouse’s Japanese restaurant has lived nine lives, including a whimsical pop-up hosting Murakami-themed dinners, a $250 “supahardcore” tasting menu experience, and a pandemic-era takeout option. These days, Nodoguro has settled into a downtown location with a Roadhousian take on kaiseki, multicourse meals that reflect the seasons, whatever seafood or ingredients intrigue the team, and even more nebulous concepts and inspirations—February ’26, for instance, was “Cinematic Sensuality.” At its new location, they’ve added afternoon service inspired by high tea. Whenever you’re able to get in (reservations sell out immediately; keep an eye out for cancellations), expect local and imported fish, like king salmon sashimi gently smoked with applewood and slices of marinated albacore served in a cutesy tin can, as well as some of the coolest sake pours you’ll find in Portland. —Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Tucked between a Napa Auto Parts and a 7-Eleven at a sun-bleached strip mall off Tigard’s SW Hall Boulevard, Sushi Ki-ichi is one of the metro area’s best values for sushi. Though you can certainly dine here—polished cement floor, drop ceiling, white walls—we suggest takeout. Quality is excellent across the large menu of classic nigiri and sashimi, a range of house rolls, and hot dishes from udon to tempura. Don’t miss the spider roll, combining crisp soft-shell crab tempura and a mix of burdock, cucumber, daikon sprouts, and tobiko for a great textural contrast. Or choose from the spread of standards, like an impressively tender tako and buttery aji. —Matthew Trueherz

It’s a food cart, but Yoshi’s does not accept walk-up orders and often sells out. All good signs. Second-generation sushi chef and Bamboo Sushi alum Yoshi Ikeda’s modestly priced and stellar nigiri come laced with thoughtful and subtle touches: seared sea scallop with yuzu pepper marmalade, salmon with ginger miso, and fluffy tamago stamped with Yoshi’s name. Rolls, on the other hand, are balancing act. The Lime Green Roll pairs sesame-crusted spinach, cucumbers, roasted peppers, avocado, with ginger miso. Who says sushi can’t be your source of daily veggies? —Katherine Chew Hamilton

Sushi is beautiful, yes, but have you ever described it as cute? Bluefin Tuna and Sushi, a chain first opened in Seoul in 2011, offers adorable round temari nigiri that look petite from above, but pack just as much fish as a normal nigiri by wrapping the sliced seafood around a ball of rice. The namesake fish here tastes vibrant and fatty, and the nigiri offers a compact, appealing way for the toro to shine. First timers might be intimidated by the size of the menu, but Bluefin makes it easy to order with an array of specialty sets at different price points. Each includes a mini miso soup, ceviche, tempura vegetables, and a choice of rolls and assortment of those adorable temari, for as little as $35. —KCH

Like the name suggests, this place likes to keep its flavors fresh and simple, though it’s not afraid to get a little wild at times. Grab an order of hamachi or uni nigiri, or choose from an extensive list of  poke bowls set off by gochujang K-Pop sauce or vibrant green goddess dressing. Vegetarian rolls combine ingredients rarely seen in sushi, like tomato or roasted beets, ensuring there’s something for pretty much anyone. And while many sushi restaurants favor the imitation crab, here you can find real-deal snow crab in rolls and bowls throughout the menu. —KCH

Sushi meets punk rock with a slice of Old Portland at this little Gladstone gem, open for over 30 years. The clipboard waiting list fills up quickly even on weekday nights, so arrive by 5:30pm to guarantee seating. It’s the kind of place where regulars greet the sushi chefs from across the room. A clock with pieces of nigiri replacing numbers ticks away on the wall, a giant fish-shaped kite keeps watch over the restaurant, and Yoko’s mascot, a blowfish with sumo hair and red lipstick, appears on teacups and soy sauce dishes. This is a sushi place that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Accordingly, the not-so-traditional sushi is killer, whether it’s a spicy Thai peanut roll, the pepper-crusted seared albacore nigiri, or Taka’s Tuna, a deep-fried triangle rice patty topped with avocado and tuna poke that resembles avocado toast. —KCH

Relative newcomer Kaizen shines a bright sleek light through Old Town. Brothers Nicolas and Job Martinez worked in Portland sushi restaurants for a quarter century before opening Kaizen, and it shows. A rotating special of direct-from-Tokyo nigiri and sashimi arrive weekly from the famous Tsukiji fish market to sit tenderly atop impeccably cooked rice. Vegan options are broad: The pleasantly chewy preserved Japanese gourd kampyō stars in its own roll, and there’s a tangy ume plum and shiso number as well as natto, a roll of fermented soybeans that’s ideal for the more adventurous plant-based diners. Finish off your meal the traditional way with the expertly prepared tamago nigiri. —MT

This tiny jewel of a traditional Japanese restaurant has been open since 1988. Even today, it has an old-school feel, where the sushi chefs wear ties and playfully chat with customers, and smooth jazz wafts through the air. A small sushi bar and a few tables fill the main room, while tatami rooms offer a private, peaceful place to enjoy a meal. You can’t go wrong with a chef’s selection of sushi, but make sure to snag the smoked salmon nigiri. Cooked dishes from the kitchen are also more than worth checking out, from chawanmushi to the cult favorite seasonal matsutake mushroom soup. —KCH

One of our favorite spots in all of Beaverton, Yuubi challenges American preconceptions of fish—especially the notion that all fish needs to be served fresh from the sea. In the dining room you’ll spot dry-aging display cases where salmon and amberjack hang among slabs of Bluefin tuna. The aging process deepens the flavor and texture of the fish, coaxing out extra sweetness and umami for stunning nigiri, sashimi, and hand rolls. Despite the seriousness the chefs take with the process, Yuubi remains an inviting, casual hang, where customers snack on crispy karaage and imitation crab salad and knock back sake with their aged nigiri. —AF

Originally opened as a sake bar, Zilla Sake eventually evolved into one of Portland’s top sushi restaurants under chef and owner Kate Koo. Sip on a sake that’ll open your eyes to what the beverage can be. Then try the super-tender braised octopus nigiri or the lightly sweet sea eel or go all out with omakase. The Tsunami roll is a house specialty and a favorite, a bright, zingy combo topped with yellowtail, ponzu, and green onion, and filled with naturally sweet Dungeness crab and crisp cucumber. —KCH