Truly fantastic sushi. If I could afford to eat here every week, I would.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bob Lou
Fantastic setting with a wood sushi bar and well considered decor. The nigiri themselves were great. I liked that the selection featured a lot of more subtle fish and that there wasn't a focus on things like toro with caviar and there was no salmon. Each piece of nigiri was composed of a lightly packed mound of rice which was delightful. The fish was all tasty. I liked the young amberjack fish and it was fun to have some pieces that were more lean and bouncy, and then more fatty pieces that were melty. The toppings always allowed the fish to shine. For the miso soup, I want to know what tofu they are using as it was creamy rather than just kind of jelly. This kind of quality and service for 12 pieces feels like a bargain for $125. It's a great value and I respect the focus on more traditional and subtle fish.
Angela Song
Wonderful omakase experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stuart Graham
This is Japanese sushi. It is refined and minimalist. The variety of fresh not frozen fish is feasible primarily because the restaurant is small and can cater to those looking for a Japanese experience. As an example, Kohada, also known as gizzard shad, was available and elegantly refined, This is not American-style sushi. The meal experience was quite similar to eating sushi in Kyoto or Tokyo. The emphasis is on the variety, freshness and minimalist style of presentation. I will be returning every time I return to Portland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jaden xo
I didn’t get the chefs name, but I had the most amazing experience on the a la cart side of nimblefish on 7/10/2025. The fish was incredible and I could tell the chef cared a lot about what he was doing. I decided to give the wasabi a try despite having bad prior experiences with wasabi (it’s too strong for me!!) and the chef was extremely gentle and caring towards my reaction to the wasabi and made sure to leave it off of my pieces for the rest of the experience. Truly an amazing experience. I recommend this place to anyone!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gerald Pinner
Nimblefish, in the heart of Portland, Oregon, is a place where the sea speaks clearly and kindly through rice, vinegar, and immaculate knife work. I have eaten sushi in a few fine establishments, in cities that glitter and in alleyways that hum, and while this may not be the single greatest omakase of my life, it sits among the saints.
There were seven of us, and we occupied nearly the whole of the sushi bar. It felt conspiratorial, reverent. We were pilgrims and the altar was hip-high and lacquered. From the first starter to the final spoonful of sorbet, the experience unfolded with the precision of a pocket watch and the warmth of a handwritten letter.
The chef, a man who treats fish with the seriousness most reserve for funerals or first love, spoke to us not just of what we were eating but why. This fish came from Hokkaido. That one from the California coast. The trout, rainbow and shimmering, was a particular surprise, new to me, and now unforgettable. Another chef talked about his rice like a poet would talk about meter. The host, too, guided us gently through the meal with enthusiasm and knowledge, like a teacher who remembers what it's like to be young and curious.
The structure of the meal was intelligent and satisfying. Thirteen bites of sushi, each different, each deliberate. Soup that quieted the mind. Egg custard that felt like an apology from the universe for all the things that have gone wrong. The sorbet was a gentle goodbye, a kiss on the forehead.
The whiskey and sake list is the kind of thing that could cause trouble in the best possible way. We tasted a few and they were each better than the last, the way good short stories are. If you find yourself there, let yourself be led. Trust them.
It took two hours and not a second of it dragged. We laughed and whispered and stared up at our planks like children watching snow fall. The bill, at around $165 per person, felt less like a transaction and more like a tithe.
If you're interested, and you should be, book ahead. There are few seats and many seekers. Nimblefish is not just a restaurant. It is a gentle argument for precision, quality and beauty in a world that too often forgets to offer any.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chuck Lauer Vose
Honestly, it was a huge disappointment this time.
I felt so lucky to have gotten a reservation, but I didn’t know that there is a new option of sitting at the “a la carte” section, hidden carefully away from the real customers. The very first reservation screen does very clearly say “a la carte”, but I was unaware that this bold new option existed.
But heck, I’ve been coming here for years, I trust these folks, let’s give it a whirl. But i should have left; instead of a transcendental experience I had… sushi.
The fish was delicious, of course, but mundane. It was prepped within 5 minutes of us sitting down and dolled out so quickly we couldn’t have a conversation. The most enhancement the nigiri got was a brush of soy sauce and maybe a spritz of yuzu. It felt like we were at a lunch spot and they were rushing us out.
Overall I was extremely disappointed. All year I look forward to traveling to Portland specifically for nimblefish; it reminds me of the many wonderful dates I had with my wife here, and generally it’s an incredible experience. So I’m very sad to have had such an utterly mundane sushi experience.
My honest recommendation is that this be made a different restaurant in Google maps. It’s a totally different menu, totally different people, different experience; it happens to share a front door, but that’s it really.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Jenny Futrell-McCool
Absolutely incredible experience! This was the best sushi I've ever had. Every piece was prepared with care and attention to detail. It was fresh and each piece was better than the piece before. Our chef was so funny and kind. He told us all about every piece of fish and even some other cool places to check out in Portland. I would eat here weekly if I had unlimited funds, it was that good. I can't wait to go back for another special occasion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marcin Bugajski
Just moved from Chicago and had high expectations. This place hit the spot. Very fresh fish. Very masterful work. Delicious and well worth every penny.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
katie f
This was the worst part of my trip to Portland. My partner and I love sushi and try to do one omakase in every city we visit - I wish we would have skipped Nimblefish.
We were seated at 8:30 and everyone at the counter was seated at different times meaning different food is being prepared and presented to each guest at different times. This is the first time I’ve seen this for a counter omakase. Because of this, the chefs were very busy and non-interactive with guests. By our 4th nigiri the chef stopped explaining to us what we were eating, this upset my boyfriend as he was genuinely interested in learning about what kind of fish were being presented. When it came to drinks our waitress was terrible. We had a glass of unfiltered sake and when asked for another, we were told they ran out. Okay, no problem. We asked what might have a similar palette and she answered with “I don’t know”. Um, ok. Then we asked if we could just get a bottle to simplify things and asked if there were any on the sweeter side. Her response, “I’m not sure”. At this point we’re pretty frustrated as this was supposed to be an experience and while not posh - at 125 a head, it’s still pretty expensive and a level of professionalism was expected.
We asked to speak with a manager and 10 minutes later he arrives and before we can even get a sentence out he cuts me off with a defense tone and tells me what I’m saying isn’t true because his staff doesn’t do that. I told him this is no way to speak to guests if you wont speak in a respectful tone, I won't be arguing with you in front of other guests/staff. I was simply hoping to voice my concerns about my experience and provide insight into what I felt like went wrong. This manager should not be in the service industry if his idea of resolution is to argue with customers and be combative. This was the first time I’ve ever gotten up from a meal and a 0/10 experience for the worst omakase we’ve done thus far.
Wonderful experience! Incredible food, great chef. Can't wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daria O
Omg Best sushi/sashimi/nigiri ever ! Felt like I was in Japan 🇯🇵
Kayla Graves
Had no clue what we were walking into, but this omakase sushi spot was awesome...definitely, would wander in all over again. The food was awesome, the staff was friendly, and the pacing was on point. It felt like an 'experience.' The fish? So fresh and flavorful I’m still thinking about it. Overall, it was an adventure I’d gladly repeat.
Bruce Huang
The best Omakase in Portland. The amazing sashimi and nigiri with extremely fresh fishes and seafood definitely surprised me!
Mark Hassin
High-end sushi with excellent quality and a personal touch. It's very expensive, but that makes sense. Everything we ate was delicious. The Taisho was friendly, professional, and explained each dish in detail. Not a place for everyday meals, but perfect for a special, intimate experience.
Truly fantastic sushi. If I could afford to eat here every week, I would.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic setting with a wood sushi bar and well considered decor. The nigiri themselves were great. I liked that the selection featured a lot of more subtle fish and that there wasn't a focus on things like toro with caviar and there was no salmon. Each piece of nigiri was composed of a lightly packed mound of rice which was delightful. The fish was all tasty. I liked the young amberjack fish and it was fun to have some pieces that were more lean and bouncy, and then more fatty pieces that were melty. The toppings always allowed the fish to shine. For the miso soup, I want to know what tofu they are using as it was creamy rather than just kind of jelly. This kind of quality and service for 12 pieces feels like a bargain for $125. It's a great value and I respect the focus on more traditional and subtle fish.
Wonderful omakase experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is Japanese sushi. It is refined and minimalist. The variety of fresh not frozen fish is feasible primarily because the restaurant is small and can cater to those looking for a Japanese experience. As an example, Kohada, also known as gizzard shad, was available and elegantly refined, This is not American-style sushi. The meal experience was quite similar to eating sushi in Kyoto or Tokyo. The emphasis is on the variety, freshness and minimalist style of presentation. I will be returning every time I return to Portland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I didn’t get the chefs name, but I had the most amazing experience on the a la cart side of nimblefish on 7/10/2025. The fish was incredible and I could tell the chef cared a lot about what he was doing. I decided to give the wasabi a try despite having bad prior experiences with wasabi (it’s too strong for me!!) and the chef was extremely gentle and caring towards my reaction to the wasabi and made sure to leave it off of my pieces for the rest of the experience. Truly an amazing experience. I recommend this place to anyone!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nimblefish, in the heart of Portland, Oregon, is a place where the sea speaks clearly and kindly through rice, vinegar, and immaculate knife work. I have eaten sushi in a few fine establishments, in cities that glitter and in alleyways that hum, and while this may not be the single greatest omakase of my life, it sits among the saints.
There were seven of us, and we occupied nearly the whole of the sushi bar. It felt conspiratorial, reverent. We were pilgrims and the altar was hip-high and lacquered. From the first starter to the final spoonful of sorbet, the experience unfolded with the precision of a pocket watch and the warmth of a handwritten letter.
The chef, a man who treats fish with the seriousness most reserve for funerals or first love, spoke to us not just of what we were eating but why. This fish came from Hokkaido. That one from the California coast. The trout, rainbow and shimmering, was a particular surprise, new to me, and now unforgettable. Another chef talked about his rice like a poet would talk about meter. The host, too, guided us gently through the meal with enthusiasm and knowledge, like a teacher who remembers what it's like to be young and curious.
The structure of the meal was intelligent and satisfying. Thirteen bites of sushi, each different, each deliberate. Soup that quieted the mind. Egg custard that felt like an apology from the universe for all the things that have gone wrong. The sorbet was a gentle goodbye, a kiss on the forehead.
The whiskey and sake list is the kind of thing that could cause trouble in the best possible way. We tasted a few and they were each better than the last, the way good short stories are. If you find yourself there, let yourself be led. Trust them.
It took two hours and not a second of it dragged. We laughed and whispered and stared up at our planks like children watching snow fall. The bill, at around $165 per person, felt less like a transaction and more like a tithe.
If you're interested, and you should be, book ahead. There are few seats and many seekers. Nimblefish is not just a restaurant. It is a gentle argument for precision, quality and beauty in a world that too often forgets to offer any.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Honestly, it was a huge disappointment this time.
I felt so lucky to have gotten a reservation, but I didn’t know that there is a new option of sitting at the “a la carte” section, hidden carefully away from the real customers. The very first reservation screen does very clearly say “a la carte”, but I was unaware that this bold new option existed.
But heck, I’ve been coming here for years, I trust these folks, let’s give it a whirl. But i should have left; instead of a transcendental experience I had… sushi.
The fish was delicious, of course, but mundane. It was prepped within 5 minutes of us sitting down and dolled out so quickly we couldn’t have a conversation. The most enhancement the nigiri got was a brush of soy sauce and maybe a spritz of yuzu. It felt like we were at a lunch spot and they were rushing us out.
Overall I was extremely disappointed. All year I look forward to traveling to Portland specifically for nimblefish; it reminds me of the many wonderful dates I had with my wife here, and generally it’s an incredible experience. So I’m very sad to have had such an utterly mundane sushi experience.
My honest recommendation is that this be made a different restaurant in Google maps. It’s a totally different menu, totally different people, different experience; it happens to share a front door, but that’s it really.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Absolutely incredible experience! This was the best sushi I've ever had. Every piece was prepared with care and attention to detail. It was fresh and each piece was better than the piece before. Our chef was so funny and kind. He told us all about every piece of fish and even some other cool places to check out in Portland. I would eat here weekly if I had unlimited funds, it was that good. I can't wait to go back for another special occasion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Just moved from Chicago and had high expectations. This place hit the spot. Very fresh fish. Very masterful work. Delicious and well worth every penny.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was the worst part of my trip to Portland. My partner and I love sushi and try to do one omakase in every city we visit - I wish we would have skipped Nimblefish.
We were seated at 8:30 and everyone at the counter was seated at different times meaning different food is being prepared and presented to each guest at different times. This is the first time I’ve seen this for a counter omakase. Because of this, the chefs were very busy and non-interactive with guests. By our 4th nigiri the chef stopped explaining to us what we were eating, this upset my boyfriend as he was genuinely interested in learning about what kind of fish were being presented. When it came to drinks our waitress was terrible. We had a glass of unfiltered sake and when asked for another, we were told they ran out. Okay, no problem. We asked what might have a similar palette and she answered with “I don’t know”. Um, ok. Then we asked if we could just get a bottle to simplify things and asked if there were any on the sweeter side. Her response, “I’m not sure”. At this point we’re pretty frustrated as this was supposed to be an experience and while not posh - at 125 a head, it’s still pretty expensive and a level of professionalism was expected.
We asked to speak with a manager and 10 minutes later he arrives and before we can even get a sentence out he cuts me off with a defense tone and tells me what I’m saying isn’t true because his staff doesn’t do that. I told him this is no way to speak to guests if you wont speak in a respectful tone, I won't be arguing with you in front of other guests/staff. I was simply hoping to voice my concerns about my experience and provide insight into what I felt like went wrong. This manager should not be in the service industry if his idea of resolution is to argue with customers and be combative. This was the first time I’ve ever gotten up from a meal and a 0/10 experience for the worst omakase we’ve done thus far.
Restaurantji Recommends
Wonderful experience! Incredible food, great chef. Can't wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Omg Best sushi/sashimi/nigiri ever ! Felt like I was in Japan 🇯🇵
Had no clue what we were walking into, but this omakase sushi spot was awesome...definitely, would wander in all over again. The food was awesome, the staff was friendly, and the pacing was on point. It felt like an 'experience.' The fish? So fresh and flavorful I’m still thinking about it. Overall, it was an adventure I’d gladly repeat.
The best Omakase in Portland. The amazing sashimi and nigiri with extremely fresh fishes and seafood definitely surprised me!
High-end sushi with excellent quality and a personal touch. It's very expensive, but that makes sense. Everything we ate was delicious. The Taisho was friendly, professional, and explained each dish in detail. Not a place for everyday meals, but perfect for a special, intimate experience.
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