Oklahoma City may be about 505 miles from the closest coast, but considering the caliber of quality seafood in local restaurants, you’d never know it. After all, it was just last year that Bon Appétit named Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood one of the best new restaurants in the country. The same is true of our sushi scene, which has grown in recent years to include some exciting newcomers, authentic Japanese izakayas and old-school classics alike. Here are the best sushi spots in Oklahoma City.
Awaji Izakaya
Among the newer entries in town, Awaji Izakaya is as close to a real-deal Japanese pub as you’re going to find on this side of the Pacific. Nestled nondescriptly in the Walnut Village shopping center on the far northwest side, this immersive izakaya is the handiwork of seasoned Chef Richard Ly, a Dallas-area native with a penchant for quality. His menu, comprising mostly raw fish preparations and small plates, is a shareable spree of skewers and dumplings, along with some of the best and brightest sushi plates in the metro. Sashimi includes salmon crudo with dill and fried capers, and scallops with Asian greens and yuzu ponzo, while show-stopping maki include bluefin tuna rolls with avocado and pistachios, and artful Osaka-style pressed sushi, like spicy crab with avocado, shrimp and eel sauce.
Tokyo
Open since 1987, Tokyo is one of the most enduring sushi spots in Oklahoma City, with a timeless reputation that’s well earned. Treading in Japanese tradition, the Nichols Hills staple radiates authenticity, spotlighting the freshest fish flown in from all over the world and paired with a spot-on selection of sakes. The menu is massive, including an expansive sushi selection that features rolls, nigiri and sashimi. Baked mussels and octopus carpaccio are a couple specialties, while the myriad maki options run the gamut from traditional salmon rolls to more elaborate fare, like the Godzilla Roll with lobster katsu, smelt roe, cucumber, avocado, grilled scallops and crabstick.
Jimmy B’s Culinary + Krafted
From deviled eggs to chicken meatballs with spaghetti, there’s a lot happening at Jimmy B’s Culinary + Krafted, and the dexterous cooks in the kitchen are well-versed in all of it. The eclectic menu at this contemporary Automobile Alley spot includes a dedicated sushi section that holds its own alongside the finest Japanese restaurants. Featuring fresh, vibrant seafood, the selection includes coconut shrimp rolls, Thai tuna rolls flecked with buttery macadamia nuts, and Red Roadster Rolls, which seamlessly synchronize surf and turf with shrimp, jicama, jalapeño and tenderloin.
Sushi Neko
Ask any sushi connoisseur in Oklahoma City where they go to get their fix, and chances are Sushi Neko will come up in conversation. An anchor of the Western-Uptown corridor, located alongside the iconic Will Rogers Theatre, the always-bustling eatery is the closest you’ll likely come to feeling transported to a real-deal Japanese sushi parlor. The sushi selection is as enormous as the dining room, with both classics and originals getting plenty of menu real estate. There are California rolls and spicy tuna rolls and even spinach rolls, with sesame paste, along with featured creations like calamari rolls with fried squid, spicy sauce, and masago, and Captain Crunch with freshwater eel, cucumber, tempura flakes and eel sauce. Dining with a group? Set sail with a sushi boat loaded with a smorgasbord of maki and sashimi.
Culprits
Steak and sushi share top billing at Culprits, the contemporary American newcomer inside Bricktown’s sleek Renaissance Hotel. The lofty restaurant serves some of the best steaks in the city right now, but don’t sleep on the raw plates and rolls, either. Salmon poké nachos and oysters are perfect for sharing, before sampling some of the more elaborate offerings, like the Roy G Biv roll with tempura shrimp, crab salad, jalapeño, cream cheese, ahi tuna, yellowtail, salmon, eel and avocado.
Park Harvey Sushi
One of the best sushi surprises is hidden in plain sight downtown. Park Harvey Sushi is a casual, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nook located across the street from the downtown library, offering a comfy spot for a quick bite that doesn’t skimp on quality. True to form, classic rolls are well represented and perfectly executed, while specialty options amp up the surprise factor. Try the Caterpillar roll, with tempura sweet potato and garlic mayo, or the namesake Park Harvey, which pairs baked crawfish and scallops with a California roll. The sushi platters, which contain multiple rolls and pieces, are some of the best bang for your buck in Oklahoma City.
Yokozuna OKC
One of the best sushi restaurants in Tulsa is now one of the best sushi restaurants in Oklahoma City, too. From its local outpost in Chisholm Creek, Yokozuna serves a menu as contemporary and creative as its modern dining room. The appetizers are too novel to pass up, especially the tempura fried cauliflower tossed in gochujang, or the Sriracha chicken steam buns. But sushi is their bread and butter, as evidenced by stunning creations like the Pub Roll with seared beef tenderloin, asparagus and tempura fried sweet potato, and the Shiso Fine, with escolar, seared tuna, salmon, and shisho leaf. Then there’s the Taiga Roll, a singular medley of tempura fried crab, chipotle cream cheese. Assorted nigiri, sashimi and carpaccios round out the seafaring menu.
AKAI Sushi-Ya & Izakaya
Although not yet open, the newest Japanese entry in Oklahoma City looks to elevate the sushi scene even further. Slated to debut in the Wheeler District this year, AKAI Sushi-Ya & Izakaya is a stylish and scene-y addition from restaurateur Viet Pham, who promises a fiercely authentic sushi selection, omakases, and a sleek sushi bar where dexterous chefs prepare the finest and freshest.
