When I first moved to Minneapolis, I tried out a few different sushi places and was… severely disappointed.
As it turns out, finding high quality sushi in a landlocked midwestern state isn’t easy. Who knew?
Thankfully, over the years I’ve found some definite winners. While I haven’t been to every single sushi spot in the cities, at this point I’ve gotten pretty darn close!
Based on those adventures, here are my votes for the 8 best sushi restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Twin Cities Map of The Best Sushi Restaurants in Minneapolis & St. Paul
My personal favorite: Billy Sushi
Billy Sushi is a fresh fish experience like no other in the Twin Cities. On my first visit here, I was blown away by melt-in-your-mouth nigiri rolls that rivaled some of the best sushi I’ve had in places like Seattle or New York, which hold an obvious coastal city advantage. Billy makes sure to serve them at the perfect temperature (not too cold) and the fish has that soft, tender trademark that only the freshest catches can bring.
And impressively, nigiri might not even be Billy’s specialty. Their long menu of Japanese appetizers and specialty sushi rolls are all fabulous; deciding on which one to order is probably the toughest part of the of the night!
As a two time USA representative in the global sushi challenge, Billy is doing some of the best sushi in the Twin Cities. There’s a reason this place is consistently booked up months in advance!
- Address: 116 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
- Website: Billy Sushi
Best authentic sushi experience: Kado No Mise
If you’re looking for an authentic Japanese nigiri and shashimi experience, then Kado No Mise is without question the best choice in the Twin Cities.
Located near the North Loop in Minneapolis, Kado No Mise offers “elevated takes on classic Japanese cuisine.” Translation – it’s not cheap, but it is good. Really good.
Just be warned: it’s not the place for California Rolls, fried rolls, spicy mayo, or other bastardized takes on the classics. This is authentic sushi, through and through.
If you’ve recently watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Netflix and you want to experience a similar master sushi chef’s counter without even leaving the Twin Cities, then you want to book a sushi tasting at Kado No Mise. You’ll get 10+ courses of “Omakase” tasting, which means you put all trust in the chef to slice up the day’s freshest catch and serve it in the traditional nigiri presentation. (Plus some bonus Japanese appetizer and dessert plates!)
- Address: 33 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
- Website: Kado No Mise
The most underrated: Hiko Sushi
Yeah, I too find it hard to believe that my favorite sushi spot in the entire cities is this unassuming spot all the way out in Eagan. But such is life.
Hiko Sushi sits in a plain strip shopping center. In fact, it’s so under the radar that every time I make the drive, I worry it will be closed when I get there.
Yet every time I’m there, I have a similar experience. Fantastic sushi in a nearly empty restaurant, at some of the most reasonable prices in the cities.
There’s so many things to like about this place, but for me, it really boils down to four dishes:
- The Pepper Tuna Tataki – Slices of seared tuna with an awesome sort of ponzu sauce. This is basically sashimi on steroids, and one of my favorite sushi bites anywhere.
- Super White Tuna Nigiri – Melt in your mouth good. One of my favorite Nigiri rolls in the cities.
- Spicy Crab Roll – basically a crunchier, fancied up spicy tuna roll. Lily, who’s a bigger roll fan, described this as her perfect sushi.
- The Hiko Roll – the priciest option on the list but oh so worth it.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a deal, they usually run one of the best happy hours discounts in the cities.
- Address: 1466 Yankee Doodle Rd, Eagan, MN 55121
- Website: Hiko Sushi
The Legend: Origami
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For years (decades?) Origami was considered the best sushi in the Twin Cities. And although Chef “Ichi” Ichikawa has now moved operations from their longtime downtown location, their Uptown location still serves some of the highest quality sushi in Minneapolis.
- Address: 1354 Lagoon Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
- Website: Origami Restaurant
Most unique sushi: Kyatchi
Kyatchi is the only place I’ve found in Minnesota with pressed sushi on the menu.
What the heck is pressed sushi? Well traditionally, it’s called Oshizushi, and it’s sushi that’s packed into a mold and pressed into a square. What you get is a cube of melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
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Kyatchi is also home to the Yakisoba Dog – Japanese hot dog topped with noodles, mayo, and more. It might sound strange, but it’s a combination that’s won “Best Hot Dog” by local magazines several times.
For the less adventurous, fear not. Kyatchi has a whole menu of the normal sushi staples.
- Address 1: 3758 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409
- Address 2: 308 E Prince St STE 140, St Paul, MN 55101
- Website: Kyatchi
The most popular sushi: Wakame Sushi & Asian Bistro
In general, Wakame is probably the most visited and most popular sushi spot in the Twin Cities. It seems like everyone has eaten here at least once, and that’s thanks in part to this restaurants great location right next to Lake Bde Maka Ska, and all the happenings you can find there.
Thankfully, this isn’t just some marketing trap. Wakame sushi is definitely worth checking out.
- Address: 3070 Excelsior Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55416
- Website: Wakame Sushi
The best conveyor belt sushi: Sushi Train
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Now here’s a trend I can get behind – a huge selection of sushi floating by on a conveyor belt, ready to be plucked off and eaten depending on how mouthwatering it looks.
Conveyor belt sushi is super popular in Japan, but as far as I know, Sushi Train is the only place in Minneapolis or St. Paul who’s caught on.
If you’re worried about the freshness, don’t be. Each plate has an RFID tracking chip that’s not only used to automatically tally up your bill, but also lets chefs track how long each plates been circling the bar.
- Address: 1200 Nicollet Mall STE C3, Minneapolis, MN 55403
- Website: Sushi Train
Best sushi + Japanese Street Food: PinKU
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Okay, PinKU in Northeast Minneapolis might not be a traditional sushi place per say, but this spot is so delicious we had to include it. And hey, sushi is on the menu! And the rumor is, it’s so fresh that these guys don’t even own a freezer!
Outside of that solid sushi, you’ll also find some awesome street-food inspired rice plates and an ever-rotating menu of fantastic specials.
Update: We are holding back tears, but PinKu closed on December 31, 2021. Thanks for the memories!
- Address: 20 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
- Website: PinKU
