Omakase translates roughly as “I’ll leave it up to you,” and it represents a style of dining where the chef selects and prepares each course based on what is freshest and best that day. In Sydney, the omakase format has grown steadily over the past decade, and we now have a genuinely strong collection of restaurants offering it.

But walking into your first omakase can be intimidating. The prices are high, the etiquette feels unfamiliar, and the format itself — sitting at a counter while a chef prepares food directly in front of you — is unlike most Western dining experiences. Here is what I wish someone had told me before my first one.

How the Format Works

A typical omakase meal in Sydney runs between 12 and 20 courses, though some go longer. The progression usually follows a traditional Japanese structure: lighter dishes first (sashimi, small appetisers), building through cooked items (grilled fish, tempura, steamed dishes), arriving at sushi as the centrepiece, and finishing with a simple dessert or fruit.

The chef decides everything. There is no menu to choose from. This is the whole point. You are placing your trust in the chef’s judgement about what to serve, how to prepare it, and in what order. This requires a willingness to surrender control that some diners find challenging, but it is also what makes omakase special. You eat things you would never have ordered, prepared in ways you would never have considered.

Most omakase in Sydney is served at a counter, typically seating between 6 and 12 guests. You are eating in close proximity to both the chef and other diners, which creates an intimate, focused atmosphere. Conversation is welcome but should be measured — this is not the place for loud group celebrations.

What to Do (and Not Do)

Arrive on time. Omakase restaurants operate on strict seatings because the kitchen needs to serve all guests in sync. Being late disrupts the rhythm for everyone, including the other diners.

Skip the heavy perfume or cologne. Sushi relies on subtle aromas, and strong fragrances interfere with that experience for you and everyone around you.

Eat each piece promptly. When the chef places something in front of you, it is ready. Nigiri in particular begins to change the moment it is made — the nori softens, the rice cools, the fish warms. Letting it sit while you take photos or finish a conversation means eating it past its peak.

Communicate allergies in advance. Most restaurants will ask when you book, but confirm on the day as well. A good chef can work around almost any restriction, but they need to know beforehand.

Do not drown things in soy sauce. If the chef has already seasoned a piece, trust that decision. If soy sauce is appropriate, apply it sparingly to the fish side of nigiri, never the rice.

The Price Question

Omakase in Sydney typically ranges from $150 to $400 per person for the food alone, with drinks additional. This is a significant spend, and it is worth understanding what you are paying for.

The cost reflects premium ingredients (often flown in from Tsukiji or sourced from the best Australian suppliers), the skill of the chef, the intimacy of the setting, and the labour-intensive nature of the preparation. A good omakase chef has spent years — sometimes decades — mastering their craft.

I think of omakase as comparable to a degustation at a fine dining restaurant. The per-course cost is often quite reasonable when you break it down. And unlike many fine dining experiences, omakase leaves you genuinely full.

Technology Behind the Counter

One thing that has quietly changed in Sydney’s omakase scene is how restaurants manage the operational side of things. Reservation systems, supplier ordering, and inventory management have all moved digital. I was speaking recently with a restaurant owner who mentioned working with an AI consultancy to build a system that predicts fish availability based on seasonal and weather data. It sounded ambitious, but the logic makes sense — if you can anticipate what the market will have before you arrive, you can plan your courses with greater confidence.

Where to Go in Sydney

Without ranking them definitively — because each offers something different — here are omakase experiences I have enjoyed and would return to.

The CBD has the highest concentration, with several intimate counter restaurants tucked into basements and upper floors. Surry Hills and Darlinghurst have a handful of excellent options that tend to be slightly more relaxed in atmosphere. The lower north shore, particularly around Neutral Bay, has produced some surprises in recent years.

What I look for is consistency. Any chef can have a great night, but the best omakase restaurants deliver a high standard every time because their systems — sourcing, preparation, timing — are reliable. That consistency is harder to achieve than any individual moment of brilliance, and it is what separates good from great.

Making the Most of It

My strongest recommendation for anyone trying omakase for the first time: go with an open mind and an empty stomach. Do not research the menu (there is not one). Do not have expectations about specific dishes. Simply sit down, say hello to the chef, and let the meal unfold.

The best omakase meals I have had were the ones where I was most present — not thinking about what comes next, not comparing to past experiences, just focused on the piece of food in front of me and the person who made it. That simplicity of attention is, in many ways, the whole philosophy of Japanese cuisine distilled into a single meal.