Best Sushi Restaurants in Kobe

Jun 26, 2024

Best Sushi Restaurants in Kobe

Kobe is a city best known for its prime Wagyu beef. However, cuisine doesn’t stop there. Diners looking for fine sushi options can find plenty of eateries to pick from across the city. Here’s a selection of great places to try.

Sushi Kissui

The go-to place for high quality sushi in Kobe, Sushi Kissui is the only sushi restaurant in the city with two Michelin stars. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, located in the Motomaya residential neighborhood, and the restaurant is small, seating 10 diners around a smart cedar wood counter. “Kissui” means “absolute” or “without impurities” and it’s an apt name for the restaurant. The owner prepares all of the sushi himself and there is a set menu consisting of assorted sashimi and sushi dishes, sea urchin, fresh shrimp and aged, nutty rice seasoned with vinegar and salt but no sugar. The Tokyo-influenced edomae nigiri is considered a speciality here, made with red vinegar rice. For drinks, there is a nice selection of sake and wine. Expect to pay around 15,000 yen per person.

Address: 3-3-6 Motomaya Nakamachi, Higashinada, Kobe 658-0016

Ebisu Sushi

Ebisu Sushi is a small global sushi chain known for selling goodies such as bento boxes. Essentially, it’s at the other end of the scale from Kissui. Prices are cheap, service is super-quick and there is a fast food feel to the atmosphere. However, the food is good and works out at great value for money. You can eat here for around 3,000 yen per person. Dishes include a range of sushi and sashimi offerings as well as the likes of octopus, tuna, crab and unagi (eel). The menu is in Japanese but has helpful accompanying pictures. You order by filling in a small clipboard form provided at the table. Perfect if you don’t want to spend too much money or wait around too long.

Address:5-3-14 Asahi dori, Chuo Ward, Kobe 651-0095

Josuke

A contender to Kissui for the finest sushi experience in Kobe, Josuke has gained a well-earned reputation among foodies for well-crafted and delicious Japanese cuisine. It’s a centrally-located one Michelin star restaurant and also recently scooped a Tabelog 2024 bronze award. The chef’s team put a lot of effort into sourcing the freshest local ingredients and painstakingly preparing the omakase menu that consists of eight appetizers and 15 pieces of sushi. These include an assortment of nigiri and rolls. The set menu comes in at around 13,000 yen.

Address: 2-1-10 Kitanocho, Chuo Ward, Kobe 650-0002

Sushi Kappo Isui

This is a washoku restaurant that serves up a range of traditional Japanese dishes including sushi. Centrally located just north of Sannomiya, it’s a crowd-pleaser with some excellent reviews. There is a set sushi/sashimi menu at around 8,000 yen with portions including tuna, sea urchin, anago and shellfish. Food is both fresh and tasty and the staff, whilst not typically English-speaking, are very friendly and attentive (an English menu is on hand for those who may require one).

Address: 4-8-12 Kanocho, Chuo Ward, Kobe 650-0001

Sushi Hamaiso

Situated on the 1st floor of Hotel Okura in Kobe’s central Chuo ward, Hamaiso is an attractive and welcoming space that has counter seating where you can watch skilled chefs preparing ingredients freshly sourced from the Seto Inland Sea. Highlights include the Premium Nigiri Platter that costs around 7,500 yen.

Address: 2-1 Hatobacho, Chuo Ward, Kobe 650-8560

Tim Reckmann from Hamm, Deutschland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons