Twelve seats, one chef, no menu: the Tokyo sushi counter has become the most coveted format in European fine dining, from Marbella to Düsseldorf.
From Ginza to the Costa del Sol
Ten years ago an omakase counter outside Japan meant New York’s Masa and little else. Today Nintai serves Andalusian tuna on aged rice in the centre of Marbella, Nagaya cooks kaiseki in Düsseldorf’s Japanese quarter, 893 Ryōtei hides a counter behind graffiti in Berlin and La Gaia mixes Japan and Peru by the Ibiza marina.
Why chefs love it
A counter of twelve seats needs no dining room, no large brigade and no menu printing; the chef controls the pace, the portion and the conversation. For guests it is the most intimate form of fine dining: you watch every cut, every brush of soy, and you eat each piece within thirty seconds of it being made.
What it costs
From around 150 euros in Marbella to the highest fixed price in America at Masa. Sake pairings add a third; wine pairings are increasingly good, with Champagne and Chablis the natural partners. Our omakase nigiri page has the recipe and the wines.
How to behave
Arrive on time, because the counter starts together. Eat nigiri by hand, fish side down on the tongue, and leave the soy sauce alone; the chef has seasoned the piece. Ask questions, but let the chef set the rhythm. Phones face down, perfume light, and no ordering “extra wasabi”.
The next wave
Korean tasting counters, Atomix in New York being the reference, and chef’s tables in kitchens, like the counter at Pavyllon in Monaco, are the format’s next chapters. The dining room is not dead, but the counter is where the excitement is.
Try it
Table FinderChoose the city, the occasion, your budget and a kind of cuisine.Wine Pairing FinderChoose the main ingredient, how it is cooked and how rich the dish is.Frequently asked questions
How many pieces are in an omakase?
Twelve to twenty pieces of nigiri plus small courses, depending on the counter and the price.
Is omakase only sushi?
No. Kaiseki counters serve cooked courses; Korean and French chef’s tables use the same format with different food.
Do I need to book?
Always. Counters seat twelve to twenty guests and fill weeks ahead.
