Sushizanmai Okuno In — Restaurant in Tokyo

2019 April edited No longer recommended. Sushi quality is getting worth. Sushi zanmai is a biggest sushi giant in Tokyo. Before they came to Tsukiji, sushi is regarded only for rich people, and made by well disciplined meister. Sushi zanmai has changed the sushi system to a kind of KFC or Macdonald: everyone can make with a short training.

Pros So stable. good quality everyday.

Not so expensive. Good cost performance.

Every store has unique features. Some store open 24/7, other store's interior looks like traditional Japanese house. (This store, sushi zanmai at Okunoin, looks like traditional japanese house. Japanese styled garden can be seen from Zashiki seat. Zashiki seats are limited. Reservation recommended.)

Tuna is not so expensive.

Cons All tunas are not wild caught: farmed in Atlantic sea and frozen once. It means, the taste is totally different from wild caught, never frozen one. It contains too much fat. Anyway, most foreigners cannot feel the difference. No problem.

Because of not made by maister, rice is a little bit different from that made by meister.

Sushis in combo are always smaller than that ordered...

This was one of Kimura-san's restaurants with his arms wide open to greet you. Right next to Tsukiji market, we knew we were in for a treat.

The sushi was fresh, solid, and well made. We were able to dine in a private room with a small pond right out the window. Quiet and serene, while we enjoyed the food and caught up with friends. I think it's quite rare to have such a balance in the bustling city but this joint provides such an atmosphere.

The sushi is definitely not your omakase / artisanal. But they come bloody close. The fish cannot be fresher. And already that puts you ahead of most. Keep in mind that restaurants in this block must compete with the raw street-sushi just across the street so even the slightest slip in freshness will get you out of business. The sushi was made with passion and attention to detail and were delicious.

If you are around Ginza / Tsukiji, would...

Can’t believe how inconsistent sushi zanmai branches have been over the years.

I have been to two sushi zanmai in this area including the main branch, 2 in Osaka, 2 in Sapporo… and on and on.

I’ve been to these franchise at least 15+ times, so I have my expectation.

Well, it wasn’t the case for my most recent visit.

The tuna was pretty stale. Doro was soft but lacked flavor. Akami tasted slightly better than bellies, but they just so-so in general.

The best dish was the tamago and I could’ve eaten a whole dozen instead..

I ended up paying JPY 10,000 for two of us and it wasn’t impressive at all.

I should’ve just gone to mediocre lunch omakase instead.

My wife wasn’t impressed at all either.

Sushi Zanmai with barely average tasting tuna?

There are so many better...