Dallas is swimming in omakase, the exclusive sushi experience served at some Japanese restaurants, featuring a series of bite-size courses presented up-close-and-personal by the chef.

Nearly a dozen restaurants specializing in omakase have opened around Dallas in the past three years, and Dallas is not alone: Demand for omakase has surged across the country - the harder-to-get-in, the better.

Khoa Nguyen, a project manager for a Dallas aerospace company and sushi aficionado, has pretty much tried them all.

"The local sushi scene has exploded," he says. "DFW has seen a big influx of newcomers, many of whom are bored by the idea of a traditional steak dinner, and want to try something new."

Nguyen goes out for omakase every other month on average, documenting his visits on Instagram. Below, he shares some of his notes and favorites, listed in alphabetical order, with a link to his photos on Instagram.

Edoko Omakase (photos)
Upscale sushi restaurant and Japanese restaurant in Las Colinas from chef-owner Sara Nam has two omakase offerings: 6-course tasting menu for $120 and a nigiri-only offering at the bar for $100.

Edoko opened in 2020, one of the first local places to do omakase, at a lower price than usual. They're also the only female-owned omakase restaurant in Dallas, in a field dominated by male chefs.

I went shortly after it opened, but I didn’t sit at the sushi bar where you get the opportunity to interact with the chef. It's been a while but I recall it being good, with a good array of items, from rolls to nigiri. Two things stood out: They had this unique nigiri piece that looked like a fish egg sack - not the usual ikura or tobiko but this gelatinous gooey thing. I have a picture of it on my IG post. The second thing were these mini/baby crabs they put on some dishes as a decoration, that were also edible - a crunchy bite-size treat.

Kinzo (photos)
Frisco restaurant featuring former Nobu chef Leo Kekoa has two omakase offerings: an 18-course chef tasting that changes nightly, $185; and a mini-omakase with 5 courses, $95.

I found out about Kinzo because I saw Dallas Cowboys player Leighton Vander Esch ate there. We got the 18-course option, and the nigiri course was generous: 11 pieces plus a hand roll. My only observation was that the chef likes to squeeze lime juice onto the nigiri; in some cases it overwhelmed the flavor of the fish. My favorite courses were the appetizers and desserts. There were five appetizer bites, all very good, including an oyster on the half shell.

We also ordered extra a la carte items including a dish that's rare in DFW: It’s called Kani Miso, AKA crab tomalley. My friend and I were reminiscing about our trip to Japan and how much we liked it, and suddenly the chef said, “We have that.” I was shocked! It was delicious, just like the way I remembered it tasting when we had it in Tokyo.

Mr. Sushi (photos)
Japanese-owned Mr. Sushi in far north Dallas has been serving stellar sushi rolls since 1984. They do not have a set omakase but will do it on special request for about $155.

As one of the oldest sushi restaurants in DFW, Mr. Sushi doesn't get as much attention as new openings, but in sushi circles, it's well loved.

On my visit, we sat at the front sushi bar and Mr. Sushi himself was our chef. He asked what we like and we listed fish we prefer: tuna, eel, mackerel. We got some exotic pieces like namako (sea cucumber) and ankimo (monkfish liver), my favorite of the night. They also did a great hand roll with salmon skin, salmon, and ikura (salmon roe).

At one point, I asked, “How many pieces are we getting?" He laughed and said, “Whenever you tell me to stop.” Our final tally was 16 nigiri pieces, a hand roll, and a bowl of soup, for $155. I'm not sure if the quality compares to a place that's set up to do omakase, but at that price, it was a good value.

Nigiri from sushi restaurant NamoKhoa Nguyen

Namo (photos)
Restaurant in Dallas' West Village starring chef Kazuhito Mabuchi offers omakase on Wednesday nights with 18-20 courses for $250.

Chef-partner “Kaz” came to Namo from Sushi Ginza Onodera, a Michelin 2-star destination in Los Angeles. Rather than the traditional omakase where the menu is set by the chef, Namo does what’s called Okonomi, where you pay a la carte pricing for each dish.

After learning our preferences, the chef suggested a Tuna and Uni Tasting, with five types of tuna sashimi, two types of uni, and nigiri. We enjoyed that they had different types of uni and unique items not widely available. He gave us ankimo (monkfish liver) which tasted almost like foie gras, then a special type of uni called Ensui, served from a special pot where it'd been immersed in salt water. They said to eat it right away because it gets “bad” in the open air.

Nikko (photos)
Southlake sushi restaurant was founded in 2022 by a former chef from Mr. Sushi, then changed hands in 2023. They do a regular omakase for $100 and a premium option at market price, approximately $250.

Nikko is an over-the-top place, heavily into presentation and splash. They bring whole fish into the dining room, hanging them on hooks for display, and they host "cutting" events where you watch the chefs break down a whole fish. The shrimp still had flames on it when it was served, and salmon slices were draped over a metal rod with flames underneath. Definitely good for instagram.

The quality of the fish was not top-notch but still good, and unlike most places that feature fish sourced from Japan only, Nikko uses seafood from around the world: lobster from Italy, flounder from Korea, sea bass from Thailand, etc, which gets you get some unique pieces you might not get at other places. My favorite dish consisted of one similar to inari sushi, where the fish was chopped, mixed with danmuji (Korean pickled radish), stuffed in a tofu pouch, and wrapped with seaweed.

It can be an excessive amount of food. The premium option was 29 courses! It was a struggle. And yet surprisingly, I still ate dessert, a slice of ube (purple yam) cake.

Note: If you want the Premium Omakase, which requires 2 weeks notice in advance, you can't do it on Resy and will need to contact the restaurant.

Pearl (photos)
Sushi restaurant near Knox Street from former Nobu chef Shine Tamaoki hosts omakase dinners once a month, but will also do omakase by request for $150.

Pearl doesn't advertise their omakase, but they'll do it on request, and will tailor it to your preferences. We told the chef we liked stronger flavored fish, which he accommodated.

The quality of the fish seemed good, but what made their omakase unique was the bigger-than-usual percentage of non-nigiri dishes. Most omakase places roll out one nigiri raw fish after another. Pearl had 11 pieces of nigiri, but 6 other dishes. And the "other" dishes were the best of the night: oysters, a cool salad with slices of fish, seared fish, soup, plus cake and ice cream. It included their signature "Japanese" fish & chips, with fish in a curry-flavored tempura batter served with burdock chips.

Sushi with fried cheese from ShoyoKhoa Nguyen

Shoyo (photos)
Intimate 12-seat restaurant on Greenville Avenue from chef Jimmy Park does two seatings per night with a 17-course omakase for $175.

Shoyo drove the concept of omakase into the mainstream in Dallas: In terms of awareness, there was Before Shoyo and After Shoyo. When it opened in 2021, it was the first to create the now-familiar frenzy to get a table, and it remains one of the most popular and highly ranked places in town.

On my visit, we got 5 appetizers, 13 nigiri pieces, and dessert. Like a lot of the sushi restaurants embracing the "modern" style, they put some playful toppings on the fish. One course had fresh jalapeno. Another was salmon nigiri, topped with a bite-sized ball of panko-coated fried cheese, which was fun, but it overpowered the fish. My friend and I still talk about that fried cheese. I am someone who tends to focus on the fish. But those toppings probably make it more approachable to a wider range of palates.

Note: Shoyo has the best ginger in DFW. Most places serve bottled preserved ginger with your sushi, but Shoyo does a house-made version that is amazing. You pay a small extra fee, but it's totally worth it.

Sushi | Bar (photos)
High-profile omakase restaurant in downtown Dallas with a speakeasy vibe serves an omakase-only menu, for $165.

Sushi Bar is one of two nearly identical concepts in Dallas, along with Sushi by Scratch, created by chef Phillip Frankland Lee. Both serve similar types and top quality of fish, with similar toppings. Both have an entrance ritual where you're expected to arrive early and are given a "complimentary" cocktail before you're seated.

Sushi Bar is one of my top three places. It's fun because it has a low-key facade, which gives it a speakeasy feeling; you'd never know you’re walking into a fancy sushi place. The dining room is subterranean, with only 12 seats, all contributing to a very personal experience with the chef.

They did a good job of getting the toppings right to enhance the flavor of the fish. One amazing piece was the toro (fatty tuna belly) topped with a mound of shaved foie gras - like eating butter on butter. There was also a piece of suzuki (Japanese sea bass) with chili oil that was very tasty.

Sushi by Scratch (photos)
Limited-run pop-up in residence at The Adolphus Hotel serves an omakase-only menu, for $165.

Supposedly Joe Rogan's favorite sushi spot, Sushi By Scratch is the second of two nearly identical concepts in Dallas, along with Sushi Bar, created by chef Phillip Frankland Lee. It's tied for my top favorite place.

We were served two appetizers and 16 pieces of nigiri. The nigiri was excellent, though it didn’t include some of the stronger tasting fish I usually favor. They did the best job at toppings that complemented the nigiri, such as truffles, caviar, and bone marrow. In place of the usual pickled ginger, they give you pickled cucumber. Dessert was an ice cream cube paired with a tart alcoholic drink, where you take a bite then sip the drink. It was pretty good.

They offer an optional "caviar & truffle" selection for an extra $100, where they replace the usual toppings with caviar and truffle. We had to try that, and it was very good but I wouldn’t do it again.

A palate-cleansing course at Tatsu.Khoa Nguyen

Tatsu (photos)
Tatsuya "Tatsu" Sekiguchi relocated from New York to open this 10-seat restaurant in the Continental Gin Building in Deep Ellum. Omakase is $185.

It's been said that the true test of a sushi restaurant is the rice, and on that front alone, Tatsu is the clear frontrunner. They have the best rice of any omakase I’ve tried. If you talk to Chef Tatsu, he boasts that he uses the “Crazy Water” brand from Mineral Wells to cook his rice. Whatever else he does, I’m sure it’s a trade secret, but the rice is amazing and perfectly complements the fish, which they age to bring out the flavor, and serve at the optimum just-barely-chilled temperature.

The meal starts with 1-2 light appetizers such as a small piece of fried fish, some vegetables, then goes into the nigiri. You get 13-15 pieces. Their style is very traditional, meaning the rice and fish are key ingredients with no toppings. They also serve miso soup, and a small scoop of ice cream which gets an unexpected drizzle of vinaigrette for a unique sweet & sour flavor.

Being a more traditional omakase, they feature some “exotic” fish other places don’t serve, especially on the a la carte menu. Chef Tatsu does a unique technique with the nigiri (toro, squid, tuna) where he makes micro-slices on top to remove any chewiness, so the fish melts in your mouth. In the midst of the nigiri courses, he serves a piece of menegi sushi with rice and green onion, meant to cleanse your palate.

I have to give extra points for the fantastic service, led by Tatsu's wife Hiroko. They keep profiles of guests with notes on their preferences. For example, I am left-handed. The first time I ate at Tatsu, they noticed this and adjusted my plating. The next time, I sat down and the plating was already set for my left hand. They also keep a log of what a la carte pieces I've ordered so they can tell me what I have not tried yet if asked. Chef Tatsu is also very nice and friendly. Although English is not his native language, he will try his best to converse with you if engaged.

Tatsu is my other top favorite place. Unsurprisingly, reservations remain difficult to get. They open their books twice a month on the 1st and 15th. I usually have the app ready at 8 am when things go live to pick any open slot because they fill up FAST.

Yujo (photos)
Sushi restaurant in North Dallas from the team behind Kyodai Ramen & Sushi has three omakase options: a 13-course for $75, a more ambitious 16-course for market price, and one focused on uni for $120.

Yūjō has one of the least expensive omakase experiences in DFW with its 13-course Miyabi for $75. They also offer a non-omakase menu of regular sushi and handrolls. They're Vietnamese-owned; I took my mom there for her first omakase meal and since most of the chefs are Vietnamese, they were able to describe to her what each course was in Vietnamese.

I went with the 16-course Tokujo, which has the most pieces, hence the most pricey. The nigiri pieces were not bad at all, and they added a little Vietnamese flair on one piece by adding fish sauce. The combination turned out well, it was my favorite. The appetizers were well done, although the soup and the tamago (Japanese omelet) seemed bland. But at that price, it's easy to overlook, and they just opened a spinoff in Carrollton called Yujo Nori.