Glossary
Omakase
oh-mah-KAH-say
Japanese; literally "I leave it up to you"
A Japanese dining format where the diner cedes all menu decisions to the chef. The chef chooses, paces, and plates each course based on the day's market, the diner's seat at the counter, and the unfolding meal.
Full Definition
Omakase originated as the Japanese sushi tradition of letting the itamae — the chef behind the counter — decide what to serve based on what came in from the market that morning. The diner sits at a counter (six to twelve seats is the canonical room), eats one piece at a time, paces with the chef, and rarely speaks to anyone but the kitchen.
Outside Japan, omakase has been adopted across other cuisines — kaiseki, French, Mediterranean, and modernist tasting-menu rooms all run "omakase" formats now. The structural commitment is the same: the chef leads, the diner follows, and the menu doesn't exist in writing.
An omakase ranges from $80 (a casual neighborhood Tokyo counter) to $800+ (Sukiyabashi Jiro, Sushi Saito, Masa) per person. The format is built for solo diners and pairs of two; a four-top complicates the chef's pace and is usually politely declined.
Etiquette signals to know: eat each piece in the order it's served, don't add soy sauce unless invited, ask the chef before photographing, and tip the bar staff (not the itamae) at the end. Phones face-down; conversation hushed.