As landlocked as this great state is, there is great sushi to be had! As a novice at this fascinating delicacy, I was intrigued by this assignment. The more research I did, the more people I found who were delighted to share all they knew about sushi. The 'Sushi Guy' at my local Byerly's store, restaurant owners and local diners were all willing to provide their educated opinion on where to find good sushi and as a beginner, what to try first and how not to fear it. To all the good people who steered me straight on sushi, I tip my hat to you! My discoveries have led me to a new treasure in dining; sushi is a delightful treat that can be enjoyed in the Twin Cities and the availability is quite nice. Minneapolis and St. Paul offer eclectic choices for sushi; everything from elegance to expressly casual. A definite art form, sushi has won me over. Presenting my top ten choices for sushi in the Twin Cities!!
Nami puts brings good sushi to Minnesota——a place where people are inherently suspicious of the stuff. A courteous and friendly atmosphere make it an unimposing place for beginner sushi eaters to see a broad spectrum of sushi varieties at a reasonable price. With preparations of tuna, shrimp and spring rolls and salads seasoned with giner, rice vinegar and sesame oil, Nami makes a name for itself by providing traditional fare in a simply delicious manner.
Estimated cost per person: $20-40
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
ORIGAMI 30 N. 1st Street Mpls, MN 55401 612.333.8430 Hours: (Mon-Thur) 1100 AM-930 PM, (Fri) 1100 AM-1030 PM, (Sat) 500 PM-1030 PM, (Sun) 500 PM-900 PM Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, the Origami is considered one of the finest Japanese restaurants in the area. An elegant, pretty place I was immediately impressed with the atmosphere and service. In the event you are a sushi novice, this is a good place to start. Elegantly presented sushi, soft shell crab and crunchy rolls are just a sampling of the wonderful menu choices at this upscale establishment.
Estimated cost per person: $40 and over.
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
KABUKI 6534 Flying Cloud Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952.941.5115 Hours: (Tues-Thurs) 1100 AM-900 PM, (Fri) 1100 AM-900 PM, (Sat) 500 PM-930 PM Located in the western suburbs; Kabuki is a mere 20 minute drive from downtown Minneapolis. Kabuki offers a large sushi bar with Teppanyaki tables located in the back of the room. Considered a hot spot by the locals, they revel in their out-of-the-way Japanese hot spot! Kabuki offers good sushi though not as 'ornate' as some of the other places in town. The tempura is very light and tasty and Kabuki has an awesome teriyaki! A very popular place, call first if you're looking to enjoy Teppanyaki served table side. Otherwise, clamor on up to the sushi bar and enjoy!
Estimated cost per person: $20-30
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
YUMI'S SUSHI BAR 28 Water Street Excelsior, MN 55331 952.474.1720 Hours: (Mon-Thurs) 500 PM-900 PM, (Fri - Sat) 500 PM-1000 PM Serving fresh and flawless sushi, Yumi's is just a gem of a place located in beautiful downtown Excelsior. Their policy is no reservations and they've a full house by 600 PM. If you arrive in time, you can find a table that looks out over Lake Minnetonka. The Sushi Chef uses fresh Japanese herbs and his creations will delight you. With a wonderful staff, Yumi's will gladly assist you with the best sushi that is available today. I left feeling like royalty. The chef put together a fresh plate of handmade Niger sushi including bits of Snapper, Sea Sass, Tuna and Mackerel. As a sushi amateur, Yumi's delighted me and was helpful at guiding me through the intricacy of Japanese cuisine.
Estimated cost per person: $20-30
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
SAKURA RESTAURANT 350 St. Peter Street St. Paul, MN 55102 651.224.0185 Hours: (Mon-Thurs) 1130 AM-1030 PM, (Fri-Sat) 1100 AM-1100 PM, (Sun) 1200 PM-930 PM Some say that Sakura is the freshest in town. In truth, many of the Japanese restaurants in the Twin Cities do a remarkable job at making available the exotic dishes made so famous in Japanese cuisine. Sakura is no exception! They've a large menu to accommodate many tastes including teriyaki dishes, shrimp and veggies. A great sushi chef caters to the novice and puts together a great sampler platter including California rolls, tuna and snapper.
Estimated cost per person: $20-30
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
SAJI-YA 695 Grand Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 651.292.0444 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 1100 AM-1000 PM, (Sat) 1100 AM-1100 PM, (Sun) 500 PM-1000 PM At home in downtown St. Paul, Saji-Ya is great place for groups. Comfortable with accommodating a group of 10, the chef prepares a teppankaki dinner right in front of you. In addition, Saji-Ya offers terrific sushi rolls filled with everything from salmon to spicy tuna. Receiving mixed reviews, I found Saji-Ya to be really genuine. They demonstrated skilled service in addition to presenting terrific sushi. A place adorned with paper mache' dragons and Japanese art work, good service and a friendly wait staff, Saji-Ya keeps the locals returning.
Estimated cost per person: $20 - $30
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
FUJI-YA 600 Lake Street W. Mpls, MN 55408 612.871.4055 Hours: (Tues-Thurs) 1100 AM-1000 PM, (Fri-Sat) 500 PM-1030 PM, (Sun) 500 PM-900 PM I found Fuji-Ya to be perfectly Japanese. Fuji-Ya presents a serene decor of paper lanterns, bamboo wood and Japanese art. The scene is complete with Bonsai plants. Fuji-Ya offers a full range of sushi delicacies; nearly 50 choices including Red Clam, Salt Water Eel, Yellow Tail, etc. The menu also offers a full range of standard Japanese such as sukiyaki, teriyaki and tempura dishes. After dining at Fuji-Ya, you'll be reminded that sushi is meant to be entertaining as well as a delightful art form to be devoured.
Estimated cost per person: $20-30
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - open, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
SUSHI EXPRESS 929 Washington Avenue SE Mpls, MN 55414 612. 623.1050 Also located within the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Hours: (Mon-Sat) 1000 AM-900 PM It's where to go to get good sushi at the most reasonable rates in town! Owner David Hui's creative ability to offer good sushi while at the same time being economical and convenient is why I chose this restaurant. The Tokyo combo comes in at under $10 and California Rolls; 9-12 pieces are had for about $5.00. Another perk about the Sushi Express is that sushi is ½ price after 830 PM. Located in downtown Minneapolis's warehouse district, Sushi Express is fresh, convenient to get to and a great place to stop in for a quick sushi fete. With a location within the confines of the Mpls/St. Paul International Airport, great sushi really fast is available for travelers too. Not every sushi dish need be entertaining; it's okay to just love eating it!
Estimated cost per person: $10-15
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - closed, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
ICHIBAN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 1333 Nicollet Avenue Mpls, MN 55403 612.339.0540 Hours: (Mon-Thur) 430 PM-930 PM, (Fri-Sat) 430 PM-1000 PM, (Sun) 430 PM-930 PM The Ichiban is pure theater! Really, it's got to be the best tasting show in town. While serving plenty of terrific Japanese fare such as seafood and sushi, Ichiban also offers plenty of American provisions to accommodate the less venturesome. The experience has you dining within a group of ten around a large griddle as the chef chops, flips, slices and dices your combo of Filet Mignon, shrimp and scallops among others. While the Ichiban caters to the carnivore in all of us, there is plenty of Japanese to fill your pallet. My personal favorite is the sushi bar; there is a small moat that diners can select sushi from little boats that go floating by.
Estimated cost per person: $30-40
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - closed, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
KIKUGAWA AT RIVERPLACE 43 Main Street SE Mpls, MN 55414 612.378.3006 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 1130 AM-200 PM & 500 PM-1000 PM, (Sat-Sun) 1200 PM-200 PM A really beautiful establishment located in Riverplace along the Mississippi River. A ten minute drive from downtown Minneapolis, Kikugawa is elegance combined with a traditional Japanese atmosphere. Founder and owner John Omori came to America in 1954 with dreams of restaurant ownership. Kikugawa's chef Ben Todorki has worked within the confines of Japanese cuisine for more than 30 years. Together, they have perfected this form of Japanese artistry. Kikugawa's commitment to excellence shows in their service and perfect food presentation. In addition to a wide menu to choose from, Kikugawa offers nearly 30 choices of sushi. For sushi starters, opt for the chef's choice that may include Tuna, Yellow Tail, Halibut, Snapper or Salmon just to name a few.
Estimated cost per person: $30-40
Holiday schedule: New Years' Day - open, Valentines Day - open, Easter - closed, Thanksgiving Day - closed, Christmas Eve - open, Christmas Day - closed, New Years' Eve - open.
The Top List of Sushi Restaurants - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN