Head-to-Head · Portland
Nimblefish vs Kann
Nimblefish for a quiet Edomae counter, Kann for live-fire Haitian energy: book the sushi bar for a date, Kann for a group.
The Verdict
Nimblefish for a quiet Edomae counter, Kann for live-fire Haitian energy: book the sushi bar for a date, Kann for a group.
These two split Portland's east side between silence and fire. Nimblefish is a twelve-seat sushi counter in Hosford-Abernethy where Cody Auger and Dwight Rosendahl have served Edomae omakase since 2017, fish flown from Japan, the room nearly wordless. A short ride away in Buckman, Gregory Gourdet's Kann cooks Haitian food entirely over live flame in a loud, joyful dining room that won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2023. One is a meditation; the other is a party. Both are among the best tables in the city, and the choice is purely about the night you want.
On the cooking Kann leads, 9.5 to 9.0, on range and originality. Gourdet built a menu nobody else in America is cooking: griyo, the twice-cooked Haitian pork, smoke-kissed whole fish, scotch-bonnet heat handled with restraint, every plate touched by wood fire. Nimblefish answers with focus rather than breadth. The omakase is pure Edomae craft, nigiri brushed with nikiri and cut to order, a quieter kind of mastery that lives or dies on the rice and the fish. Different disciplines, both serious.
The room is the clearest divide. Kann scores 9.3 because the energy is the point: open fire, a buzzing crowd, the smell of smoke as you walk in. Nimblefish, at 8.5, is hushed and intimate, a counter where you watch one chef's hands and the loudest sound is the knife. Neither is better made; they aim at opposite moods. If you want to be seen and to share, go to Kann. If you want stillness and a single chef's full attention, sit at Nimblefish.
Value tips to Kann. Its a la carte plates run roughly 18 to 42 dollars, so a table can eat well for less than the fixed 125-dollar Nimblefish omakase or push higher by sharing more, which is why Kann scores 8.8 on value to Nimblefish's 7.8. The omakase price is fair for the sourcing, but Kann simply gives you more control over the bill.
Which One for Which Occasion
| Occasion | Editorial Pick |
|---|---|
| First Date | Nimblefishthe intimate counter and slow pace make conversation easy and the setting feel personal. |
| Close a Deal | Kanna Beard Best New Restaurant name and a lively room do the impressing. |
| Birthday | Kannthe loud, celebratory dining room is built for a table that wants to party. |
| Impress Clients | KannGregory Gourdet's profile and the live-fire theatre carry the evening. |
| Team Dinner | Kannshareable plates and a big room suit a group; the sushi counter cannot seat one. |
| Solo Dining | Nimblefisha single counter seat feels hosted, with the chef working right in front of you. |
| Quiet Meal | Nimblefisha near-silent room you cannot get in Kann's smoke and noise. |
The Numbers
Our scoring puts Nimblefish at 9.0 / 8.5 / 7.8 (food / ambience / value) and Kann at 9.5 / 9.3 / 8.8. Kann wins every line, but the gap on food is narrow and the axes that matter are mood and format, not points. If you want a shared, smoky, social night, Kann is the clear pick. If you want a quiet counter and one chef's craft, Nimblefish is the better seat. The omakase belongs on a shortlist of the best Japanese restaurants worldwide.
How to Book
Both run on Resy and both are tough. Nimblefish has only twelve seats over a Tuesday-to-Saturday window, so the omakase clears fast and rewards an early grab; Kann, larger but nationally known since its Beard win, fills Wednesday-to-Sunday weekends quickly. For either, book the moment the window opens, target a weeknight, and watch Resy for cancellations through the week; the practical-info card on each review tracks the current method. Planning a Portland run? Build the trip from the Portland dining guide and reserve Kann for the night you want to impress a client.