RFK Cuisine · Omakase · Sydney
Best Omakase Restaurants in Sydney 2026
Chef's-choice sushi counters · Sydney · 6 rooms ranked · Updated June 2026
Compiled by the Restaurants for Kings editorial team · Published June 20, 2026 · Updated June 20, 2026
Sydney went omakase-mad in the space of a few years. The two harbour casinos now hold marquee counters — Chase Kojima's at The Star, Ryuichi Yoshii's at Crown — while a clutch of eight-seat rooms has appeared in CBD basements and on the north shore, some charging three figures and some, remarkably, far less. There is no Michelin Guide in Australia to anoint any of them, which means the city's omakase reputation has been built the hard way, on imported chefs, imported fish and word of mouth. The result is one of the better omakase cities outside Japan, with a price range wide enough to suit a blowout or a bargain. Ranked on the sushi, the room and what the evening costs, with how to get a seat at each.
1.Sokyo
Chase Kojima's six-seat counter at The Star; book it for an inventive 23-course omakase that runs from scallop ravioli to robata wagyu.
Sokyo, inside The Star in Pyrmont, is Sydney's headline omakase — a six-seat counter set apart from the larger restaurant, where executive chef Chase Kojima and head chef Sanghyeop Kim run a chef's-choice menu of up to twenty-three dishes. It is the modern, course-driven version of the form: alongside the nigiri come signatures like the scallop ravioli and robata-grilled wagyu, technically slick and a touch theatrical. Kojima's pedigree and The Star's buying power put the fish quality near the top of the city, and the intimate counter is the seat to want. It is premium-priced and books out for prime nights. Reserve a week or two ahead through the venue, take the counter rather than the dining room, and let the kitchen run the full progression. The headline pick.
Reserve a week or two ahead, counter only; the full omakase, the scallop ravioli, the robata wagyu, a sake pairing.
2.Yoshii's Omakase
Ryuichi Yoshii's ten-seat counter at Crown, four decades of sushi behind it; book it for traditional, fish-led omakase with harbour glamour.
Yoshii's Omakase, at Crown Sydney in Barangaroo, is the traditionalist's seat — a ten-seat counter helmed by master sushi chef Ryuichi Yoshii, who brings close to four decades of experience to a fish-first, Edomae-leaning menu. Where Sokyo leans inventive, Yoshii's is about orthodox technique: precise nigiri, careful curing and aging, and a calm, serious counter inside one of the city's most glamorous buildings. There is a minimum spend around 350 dollars, which marks it as a top-of-market occasion rather than a casual dinner. For diners who want the classic, restrained version of Sydney omakase with a harbour-tower address, this is the one. Book a week or two ahead, take a counter seat, and follow the chef's pace. The traditionalist's pick.
Reserve a week or two ahead, counter only; the Edomae nigiri omakase, the aged tuna, the seasonal fish, a sake flight.
3.Besuto
A hidden eight-seat CBD counter with theatrical precision; book it for toothfish and toro-and-caviar in the city's slickest independent room.
Besuto is the standout independent — an eight-seat counter tucked into the CBD where chefs Joel Best and Michiaki Miyazaki present a fifteen-course omakase with real polish. The cooking pairs Japanese technique with luxury produce: miso-marinated Glacier 51 toothfish, toro draped with N25 caviar, the kind of high-gloss courses that have made it one of the hardest independent seats to get. The room is dark, intimate and theatrical, more design-led restaurant than traditional sushi bar, and the result is a chef's-choice experience that feels distinctly its own rather than a copy of Tokyo. It is the pick for a diner who wants modern, produce-forward omakase away from the casinos. Book ahead through the venue, take the counter, and go in hungry for the full fifteen. The independent standout.
Reserve ahead through the venue, counter only; the 15-course omakase, the toothfish, the toro with N25 caviar.
4.Kuon Omakase
A Haymarket counter doing 20 courses for around $280; book it for serious sushi-and-sashimi value below the casino prices.
Kuon Omakase, on Little Hay Street in Haymarket, is the well-judged middle of the market — a counter run by Hideaki Fukada with head chef Jun Miyauchi, serving a twenty-course menu of sushi and sashimi for around 280 dollars. It delivers a genuine, full-length omakase experience — fresh, carefully sourced fish and a chef-paced progression — at a price below the casino rooms, which makes it the smart-value choice for a serious sushi night. The room is small and the focus squarely on the food rather than the scene. It is the counter to book when you want the real thing without the top-tier bill. Reserve ahead through the venue, take a counter seat, and let the kitchen run the twenty courses. The mid-market value pick.
Reserve ahead through the venue, counter only; the 20-course omakase, the seasonal nigiri, the sashimi, a sake pairing.
5.Sushi Oe
A tiny six-seat north-shore counter with a 30-plus-course degustation; book it for an obsessive, chef-led marathon at around $250.
Sushi Oe, a six-seat room in Cammeray on the lower north shore, is the obsessive's pick — chef Toshihiko Oe runs a thirty-plus-course degustation for around 250 dollars, one of the longest and most detail-driven omakase sittings in the city. With only six seats, the experience is intensely personal: the chef talks through the fish, the curing and the rice, and the marathon length lets him show range a shorter menu cannot. It is off the radar for most visitors, which is part of the charm, and it rewards diners who want craft and conversation over a glamorous room. Book ahead through the venue, clear the evening for the full count, and trust the chef on the order. The connoisseur's marathon.
Reserve ahead through the venue, counter only; the 30-plus-course degustation, the chef's seasonal nigiri, the hand rolls.
6.Sashimi Shinsengumi
Crows Nest's cult bargain omakase, 18 courses for about $80; book the moment a sitting opens for the best value sushi in Sydney.
Sashimi Shinsengumi, on Clarke Street in Crows Nest, is the value legend — chef Shinji Matsui runs an eighteen-course omakase for around 80 dollars, a price that seems impossible until you sit down to it. It is widely regarded as the best-value serious sushi in Sydney, which is exactly why its sittings vanish the moment they are released. The format is brisk and generous rather than hushed and ceremonial, but the fish is well-handled and the pace cheerful, and you walk out having eaten properly for a fraction of the casino tariff. It is the entry point to Sydney omakase and the counter locals send friends to first. Watch the booking calendar, pounce when a sitting opens, and go with the standard omakase. The best-value pick.
Book the instant a sitting opens; the 18-course omakase, the day's nigiri, the chef's sashimi selection.
How Sydney does omakase
Sydney's omakase scene splits along two lines: the glamorous casino counters and the independents. The Star in Pyrmont and Crown in Barangaroo anchor the top — Sokyo and Yoshii's — with the buying power and the harbour addresses to match. Around them, a wave of independents has filled in the rest: Besuto and Kuon in the CBD and Haymarket, Sushi Oe in Cammeray, and the cult-value Sashimi Shinsengumi in Crows Nest. The model is Tokyo's — a small counter, an itamae setting the pace, an omakase (chef's-choice) progression of nigiri and sashimi — but the absence of a Michelin Guide in Australia means reputations here are earned on the plate.
A few practical notes. These are small counters, six to ten seats, so book ahead through each venue and be flexible on date and time; the value rooms release sittings that go fast. Tipping is not expected in Australia, though rounding up is common, and the dress code is smart-casual everywhere except the casino rooms, which lean a little dressier. Prices span 80 to 350 dollars, so pick by budget as much as style. For pure sushi and the rest of the city's Japanese tables, see the best seafood in Sydney and the Sydney dining guide, which maps it by neighbourhood and occasion.
Where not to look for it
Skip these for serious Sydney omakase
The shopping-centre "omakase" set platters. A growing number of mall sushi counters sell a fixed platter labelled omakase that lands all at once — that is not omakase, which is a paced, chef-led counter progression. For the real thing on a budget, book a sitting at Sashimi Shinsengumi in Crows Nest or Kuon in Haymarket.
The casino counters when you want a cheap, casual sushi night. Sokyo and Yoshii's are premium, book-ahead occasions with bills to match — the wrong call for a quick, low-key feed. When value matters more than glamour, point yourself at Sashimi Shinsengumi or Kuon instead.
Frequently asked
What is the best omakase in Sydney?
Sokyo's six-seat omakase counter at The Star, led by executive chef Chase Kojima, is the city's headline experience — up to 23 courses that run from scallop ravioli to robata-grilled wagyu. For a purer sushi focus, Yoshii's Omakase at Crown Sydney puts master chef Ryuichi Yoshii and four decades of experience at a ten-seat counter. Choose Sokyo for the inventive, course-driven version and Yoshii's for traditional, fish-led omakase at the top of the market.
How much does omakase cost in Sydney?
Sydney omakase ranges from around 80 to 350 dollars a head. Sashimi Shinsengumi in Crows Nest is the value standout at roughly 80 dollars for an 18-course sitting; Kuon runs about 280 dollars for 20 courses and Sushi Oe around 250 for a 30-plus-course degustation. At the top, Yoshii's Omakase at Crown carries a minimum spend near 350 dollars and Sokyo's counter sits in the premium bracket. Sake and wine pairings add to all of them.
Where are Sydney's best omakase counters?
Two of the marquee rooms sit inside the casinos — Sokyo at The Star in Pyrmont and Yoshii's Omakase at Crown Sydney in Barangaroo — while the most interesting independents hide in the CBD and the north. Besuto and Kuon are tucked into the city centre, Sushi Oe is a tiny six-seater in Cammeray, and Sashimi Shinsengumi is the cult value pick in Crows Nest. The scene is spread across the harbour, so pick by budget and style rather than postcode.
Does Sydney omakase have Michelin stars?
No — the Michelin Guide does not cover Australia, so no Sydney restaurant holds a star. That does not mean the cooking is lesser: Sydney's best counters import Japanese-trained chefs and fish, and rooms like Sokyo and Yoshii's compete with starred sushi internationally. We rank these on the craft, the fish and the value rather than on a guide that does not operate here. Judge them on the rice and the sourcing, which are the things that matter at a counter.
How do you book omakase in Sydney?
Mostly online and well ahead. Sokyo and Yoshii's take bookings through their venues' reservation systems and need a week or two for a prime counter seat; Kuon and Besuto book through their own sites and fill fast on weekends; Sashimi Shinsengumi's bargain sittings go quickly once released. The counters are small — six to ten seats at most — so flexibility on date and time helps. Book the counter rather than a table for the full chef-led experience.
More Omakase & Sydney
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Browse the full Sydney dining guide, compare the global picks in the best omakase restaurants worldwide, read the best omakase in Singapore, weigh the city's seafood rooms, plan a harbourside anniversary dinner at a counter for two, or open the full RFK cuisine index.
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