Most people equate sushi with raw fish, but in fact sushi is a combination of seasoned rice and raw fish. Sometimes it's combined with other vegetables or cooked seafood. But regardless of how sushi is prepared it is definitely a lifestyle. The sushi bar is a great place to sit, unwind and chat with friends. Sushi is one of Japan's most delightful foods and it is also a wonderful, tasty healthy food (most pieces have a gram of fat or less!) For those whose mouths water over this delicacy, there are plenty of places in Boston to find good sushi.
SAKURABANA, 57 Broad St., Boston, Mass. 02109 (617) 542-4311 Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Mon-Thur; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.; 5-10 p.m. Sat. Busy financial district workers already know about Sakurabana, tucked into the heart of downtown Boston. Sushi-to-go is the theme here, with an online ordering service offering “fast and fresh sushi, delivered to your door.” You can also dine in the tiny restaurant, where the lunchtime crowd shows up as early as 11 a.m. For a quick and hardy meal with co-workers, start with a bowl of steaming miso soup (what else?), then dip into the sushi lunch ($11, tuna, salmon, shrimp, white fish, tekka and daily roll), or sashimi lunch ($12, tuna (salmon, mackerel, octopus, and white fish). Non-sushi eaters can choose from teriyaki and tempura box lunches and udon. For a less hectic, relaxing meal, go for a late dinner when the business suit crowd has thinned out. Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-$15
Holiday Schedule: New Year’s Day-Closed, Valentine’s Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year’s Eve-Open
TAKESHIMA RESTAURANT 308 Harvard St. Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 566-0200 Hours: Mon.-Sat 12 pm-3pm; 5 pm-10:30 pm; Sun 5 pm-10 pm In the mood for good, old-fashioned sushi? Then head to Coolidge Corner and stop in at Takeshima, where these sushi wizards here have been making sushi for 12 years. There is nothing fancy about the food here but it is serious sushi and sashimi (raw fish by itself). It is stylishly decorated with an eye towards classic Japanese tastes. All the raw offerings have a clean and pure taste. Stick with the basics here like the California roll or the nigiri with tuna and you can't go wrong.
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-$20
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
SUSHI EXPRESS 1038 Beacon St. Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 738-5658 Hours: Closed Mondays; Tues-Sun 11:45 am-10pm Sushi Express is one of those rare restaurants that lives up to its name. The food is served up fast (usually within 5 minutes after ordering) but it's also fresh and affordable, one of the best bargains in the city. Try the sweet shrimp sushi or the assorted sashimi and sushi plates. You wouldn't expect a fast-food sushi restaurant on a top-10 list but if you get a craving for raw fish that needs instant gratification, Sushi Express is your best bet in Boston. They offer a huge menu that include all the basics, like salmon and tuna rolls and some unique offerings like the Philly Roll, which is crab-stick and cream cheese. No matter what you order here, it's served up with fun and flair and pretty cheap, too.
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-15
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
GINZA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 1002 Beacon St. Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 566-9688 16 Hudson St. Boston, MA, 02111 (617) 338-2261 Hours: Mon 11:30 am-2:30pm; 5pm-2am; Tue-Fri 11:30 am-2:30pm; 5pm-2am; Sat 11:30am-4pm; 5pm-4am; Sun 5pm-2am. Ginza is known for arranging food on a plate in a painstaking fashion that makes it too pretty to eat. But after the first bite, you can't help but unwrapping this sweet gift of sushi. Ginza offers a sushi bar, with its legendary "spider," which is soft-shell crab, cucumber, avocado, flying fish roe and spicy mayo. It also boasts a saki bar serving 22 varieties of hot and cold saki. The sushi and sashimi have been called some of the best in the Boston area. It should be with three sushi chefs simultaneously preparing these exquisite dishes. The Hudson Street restaurant is the flagship location. It was the first Japanese restaurant in the Chinatown section of the city. It's open daily til 4 am and it's always busy and the sushi is fresh and tasty. You'll also be served by a Japanese waitress dressed in a kimono with Japanese music playing in the background. You'll think you have been transported right over to Japan. Other good choices are salmon tataki and the amaebi (sweet shrimp sushi).
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-$20
Holiday Schedule: Varies for the two locations. Management advises patrons to call first.
OISHII SUSHI BAR 612 Hammond St. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617) 277-7888 Hours: 11:30 am-3 pm; 5 pm-10pm; Sat 1 pm-10 pm; Sun 1 pm-9:30pm; Closed Mondays
All your sushi dreams can come true at cozy Oishii Sushi. You’ll say “oishii” (delicious) at this friendly and clean mall stop, located off busy Route 9. Oisshii is known for it’s exotic combinations, such as oyster sushi wrapped in seaweed or shiitake mushroom tempura roll. This is a clam lover’s paradise, with buttery baby Hamachi, red chewy Hokigai and cherry-stone like Mirugai. Oishi is also one of the few sushi bars that torches sushi to add a different texture and flavor. Our favorite part of the menu is “Customer’s Creations:” If you tell ‘em Barry sent you, you’ll end up with Barry’s Passion Shooter, a combo of sea urchin, quail egg, Tabasco and light soy sauce. Even the appetizers are innovative—where else can you try Oishii Tuna Chip, homemade potato chip with seasoned minced tuna, pickled radish?
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-$15
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentine’s Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
BLUE FIN 1815 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02140 (617) 497-8022 Hours: Monday through Saturday, noon-4 p.m. and 5-10:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon-10 p.m. Any self-respecting sushi lover knows about the Exchange Building in Porter Square, a little bit of Japan hidden in a Cambridge mall. This collection of Japanese supermarkets, gift shops and restaurants includes Blue Fin, known for its giant sushi set. If you’re into economy sushi eating by the bulk, it’s less than $1 per piece of nigri here—you can get 18 pieces of sea urchin sushi for $16. In a rush? Try the lunchtime “speed menu” of combo platters, leaving you plenty of time afterwards to get your Japanese groceries from Kotobukya, and pick up a Hello Kitty item from Tokai.
Holiday Schedule: New Year’s Day-Closed, Valentine’s Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year’s Eve-Open
SHINO EXPRESS SUSHI 145 Newbury St. Boston, MA 02116 (617) 262-4530 Hours: Mon-Sat Noon- 9pm; Sun 1 pm-9pm Don't let the swank Newbury Street location fool you because Shino offers fresh, fast and affordable sushi. A massage at one of the trendy day spas might run you $100, but a delicious sushi platter won't break the bank. This small below-level street cafe is one of the street's hidden gems. It draws a lot regulars who like the Newbury ambiance without the Newbury prices. They use first-rate ingredients and each order is made with skillful preparation. Stick with the basics here like the California roll, kappa maki and tekka maki and the tuna nigiri. It's worth mentioning that the dishes are not overstuffed with rice- you get a hearty portion of fish.
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $5-$10
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
FUGAKYU JAPANESE CUISINE 1280 Beacon St. Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 738-1268 Hours: Mon.-Sat 11:30 am-3pm; 5pm-2am; Sun 12pm-3pm; 5pm-2am For sushi enthusiasts interested in cool places this is the restaurant for you. Red Sox outfielder Troy O'Leary was even spotted here grabbing some takeout after a game this summer. Located in trendy Coolidge Corner, the stars of the menu here are definitely the raw offerings. The spicy tuna and seaweed salad are crowd favorites along with the sushi bar appetizer. The sushi is fresh and exotic and there is a good selection of Japanese beer to wash it all down. Fugakyu was voted Best Sushi by Boston Magazine, 2001. Good choices are the spicy tuna maki and the salmon tataki.
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $20-$30
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
BILLY TSE RESTAURANT 240 Commercial St. Boston, MA 02109 (617) 227-9990 Hours: Mon-Thur 11:30am-11:30pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am- 12am; Sun 11:30am-11:30pm Billy Tse's is one of the best Asian restaurants in the city. It's situated on the edge of the city's North End Italian neighborhood and it is a refreshing change to the many pasta and pizza restaurants located there. Pony up to the sushi bar, grab a pair of chopsticks and enjoy the sweet sushi. The sushi is always fresh and served perfectly. Recommended eats are the California roll - a sushi bar staple. Also try the amoebi shrimp, spicy mayo maki shrimp, the jumbo lobster maki and the baby hamachi, which is served sashimi style only - these are guaranteed to make your mouth water.
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-$20
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
MR. SUSHI 329 Harvard St. Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 731-1122 Hours: Daily 12pm-2:30pm; 5pm-10:30pm Mr. Sushi is the ideal place for a big group that wants to enjoy a night out for sushi. It's conveniently located across the street from the Coolidge Corner theater and the sushi is fresh and the cost is reasonable. Mr. Sushi offers some unusual sushi dishes that are a big draw for serious sushi enthusiasts. Some of the sushi selections include the Boston maki, a rice-wrapped roll of crab salad, cucumber and salmon. The mix-and-match platters of sushi (maki and nigiri) and the sashimi are the main attractions here. The hamachi (yellowtail) and saba (mackerel) are also good bets. Try the "sushi special" or the "sushi deluxe" platters, the fish is tender and fresh and the portions are satisfying. At lunch a great deal is the bento box. You get tempura, teriyaki, California roll, rice, miso and salad for $9.95.
Estimated cost per person for dinner - $10-$15
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
The Top List of Sushi Restaurants - Boston, MA