I am a 3rd to 4th Generation Japanese American/Coloradan, so I have the last three decades in and out of this state and Japan for comparison’s sake. I can also tell you what it is like to show up to Samuels Elementary with a rice ball for lunch in the ’80s, I think in a Black Hole lunch box.
Originally posted on June 1st, ’22. Slight updates on Oct. 1st, 2022, June 29, ’23
“If you have nothing good to say, just STFU,” which is why I held back on Colorado content and the Best Sushi in Denver list.
If you are not feeling an Americanized hot Cheetoh sushi roll, I will be highlighting spots where you can try places focused on traditional Japanese nigiri (topping over rice) and temaki sushi (hand rolls).
Sorry, this is a long blog post, so if you want a quick read, scroll on through and read the summaries denoted by the red icon.
Also, the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Gould, and the LA Times food critic, had never done any negative reviews. He never played the whiny Yelper complaining about the comfort of the chairs. Instead, he focused on positively highlighting the diverse food scene in Los Angeles by promoting places like Jitlada to Roy Choi and his Kogi truck.
So, I debated if I could do the same and produce a list that positively highlights and reflects Japanese food culture in Colorado. My answer, I hope I can, and it is time to kill that inner Yelper, and this keyboard unicorn will be shooting happy rainbows and sea urchin gonads into your ocular inputs.
The TL;DR (Too Long Didn’t Read) aka summary
This is one of my lengthier and possibly girthier blog posts, so I am doing a summary of my top ten to minimize your scrolling and time (this is just the tip of it).
The links are for directions, their Google listing, or a website for businesses with multiple locations.
- Matsuhisa, Cherry Creek, the best by a DJ Khaled pant size margin.
- Sushi Sasa, Highland Park, a seasoned crew, so sit at the sushi bar.
- Temaki Den, Five Points, come here for the temaki and the spinach goma-ae.
- Tokio, Ball Park District, I wish they would fire up the yakitori grill again.
- Sushi Den/Izakaya Den, Platt Park, Colorado’s decades long stand out/leader.
- Sushi Ronin, Highland, lots of misses but worth the visit.
- Uchi, Curtis Park, mix a bunch of “Asiany stuff,” but call it Japanese.
- Sushi Co, Various locations, a friendly staff is a reflection of the owner.
- Hapa Sushi, Various locations, for the rolls and drinks brah.
- Kazu Sushi, Centennial, where the old school Japanese sushi chefs end up.
You do not have to be Japanese to own and operate a sushi restaurant (and Colorado exemplifies that).
Try taking an Italian out for pasta at Olive Garden, pizza at Pizza Hut, and coffee at Starbucks while touting that everything is just like Italy. That is how I feel when people tell me, “Colorado has a lot of Japanese restaurants.” Well, ok, but the majority of these places are not Japanese.
If you name a restaurant “Okinawa,” Okinawa is like Hawaii for us Americans in regards to the culture, and it is not like the mainland United States. Like Hawaii, Okinawa also lies 400 miles South of Japan and is not known for sushi (chanpuru, rafute, and even the taco rice are more iconic).
Just like Hawaii is not known for cheesesteaks, Okinawans also have a distinctive food culture (Ryukyu ryori). Wikipedia, as always, comes through, but here is a dedicated site on ryuku ryori.
Unlike states with a large population of Japanese to Japanese Americans with legit Japanese spots, Colorado reflects the Asian population here. So what I have come across are all the sushi AND Chinese and Thai food restaurants. Oh, and poke is Hawaiian, not Japanese, so having sumo wrestlers painted on your 16th street restaurant walls is silly AF.
Restaurants in Japan are highly specialized and focused on only one primary Item.
Unfortunately, the restaurants in Denver try to do it all from sushi, ramen, poke, and Chinese food (Jack of all trades, master of none).
In a homogenous country such as Japan, you are competing against other Japanese restaurants all doing Japanese cuisine. Many of which are multi-generational restaurants/chefs specializing in only sushi, tempura, ramen, to oyakodon.
In the world, Japan ranks 2nd for the most Michelin starred businesses.
The competition is so fierce that it may be the reason why Japan ranks 2nd for the most Michelin starred businesses from restaurants, hotels, to ryokans. The numbers are 293 in and around Tokyo and 300 in Osaka/Kyoto (based on the Wikipedia data). Also, these numbers do not include Bib Gourmand (if you are wondering, I found no bib gourmand or Michelin Starred restaurants in all of Colorado).
My criteria and who this list Is for
This list is for ALL THE RANDOM people I have met in Denver. They include the people who had vacationed in Japan, love the culture and want to experience the food, or like one person who had stood in line with me, she had lived in Japan. She and her husband had been in Japan during the rebuilding of Japan after World War II, and I met her when she was buying Japanese ingredients.
These people motivate me because Americanized sushi might be tasty AF, but if you are like them, looking for authentic Japanese food and the omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) like in Japan, read on.
Made in Japan is not the same as made in China because of the cultural differences. So when you visit a Japanese restaurant, you will hear “irasshaimase” when you enter and “thanked” when you leave. It is one part of the Japanese culture of omotenashi (Japanese hospitality).
All us Asians are not the same and omotenashi characterizes the Japanese culture: Michelin Guide “Omotenashi: The Reason Why Japanese Hospitality Is Different.
What I am looking for:
- Nigiri sushi: I like the style in Osaka, but edomae-style is Tokyo style sushi which is vinegared rice and the fish are often treated/aged. The style is highlighted in a documentary called “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” and if you have not seen it, do not expect anything close to the level of Sukiyabashi Jiro in Colorado. You would know that I am not exaggerating one bit if you have been to Japan.
- Pricing: my pockets can’t make it rain Benjamins or Jacksons for any Nobu, Daisuke, Carlos, Alizay, or Cristal, so I’ll warn you of the pricier spots. I have also edited this post and added some pricing, so that you can compare places on pricing (thanks Eiji).
- Sashimi to makizushi: starting off as a baseline, they have to at the very least do it as well as my obachan (grandmother) did, or at the level of my aunts or uncles trying to carry on the tradition of preparing futomaki and California rolls (that’s the Japanese-American side). BTW, I have no idea how this came about, but growing up in Denver, we used to eat maguro sashimi with lettuce which maybe was a daikon alternative?
- Kitchen menu: sushi bars in the States have to appeal to American diners, so I’ll also base things on the tempura, the teriyaki combo’s, to the kaiseki menu (yea right, no way, you will not find it here).
- Service and atmosphere: I have a design background, so I like design but the hunger from my chutoro belly covering up my 6-pack abs come first.
How I categorize sushi bars
I like Taco Bell (Americanized), but eating legit Mexican food is a great way to experience the culture of Mexico, and the same goes for Japanese food.
- Japanese: the focus is on the natural taste of the ingredient (neta), and the vinegared sushi rice accentuates the flavor/umami and texture. Quality ingredients are critical, and sauces to toppings are minimal (it is probably why Japan is one of the fittest countries and ranks #1 in high life expectancy).
- Americanized: the focus is on rolls and sauces with sauces on top of sauce. The quality of the fish and ingredients is not very critical as long as there are strong flavors such as mayo, hot sauce to eel sauce (the rice exists to absorb soy sauce).
Aside from a standup sushi bar, Colorado has a good offering of sushi bars, temaki, to fun kaiten sushi spots.
- Sushi bar (nigiri sushi): a Japanese sushi bar will be focused on just sushi although the vast majority of sushi bars in Colorado will have sushi, teriyaki, tempura, ramen, to Chinese, Thai, and Korean food.
- Temaki (hand rolls): in the US, Nozawa sushi has a chain of hosomaki/temaki restaurants in Los Angeles called KazuNori. A decade later this popular business model is spreading to Colorado.
- Kaiten sushi (revolving sushi): typically one of the most affordable ways to eat sushi, but it is also a fun way to eat it because your sushi rotates/revolves around the restaurant on a conveyor belt, train, to a waterway.
So here are the best sushi bar contenders in Denver
If you want to find a sushi restaurant in Denver that is as close to an experience in Japan, you have come to the right place. Also, if you are new to my blog, I do not do blatant puff pieces.
I also have lists for my favorite sushi spots in Los Angeles and Orange County, CA.
This is no way meant to be a comprehensive list, but a selection of worthy contenders.
- Asa Sushi, DTC Blvd, Greenwood Village / American rolls with a side of shiguderi.
Domo, Osage St, Denver / this venue beats most places in LA/SF, but it is not a sushi bar.- Foraged, Blake St, Denver / odd hours, foo foo Americanized sushi, and staffing issues.
- Go Fish Sushi, Broadway, Denver / this restaurant group always has the friendliest staff.
- Hapa Sushi, multiple locations / inconsistency issues with fusion rolls of all kind.
- Iwayama Sushi, Simms St, Littleton / bro, this place could be good, but broooooo.
- Izakaya Den, S. Pearl St. / not a Japanese izakaya and a carbon copy of Sushi Den.
- Kobe An, Milwaukee St. Denver / I have only been to their shabu shabu spot which I like.
- Makizushico, Platte Cyn, Littleton / nice co-owner, but the sushi is short on being Japanese.
- Matsuhisa, Steele St, Denver / the iconic (Nobu) Matsuhisa family loves CO (Aspen, Vail, Denver).
- Rice Bistro & Sushi, Holly St, Greenwood Village / stick with the Chinese food instead.
- Sakana Sushi & Ramen, Sheridan, Westminster / The one spot I have not been to, yet.
- Sonoda’s, Parker Rd, Aurora / A very old school spot that was sold off to a new owner.
- Sushi Co, Cherry Hills to Park Hill / have a drink and a bite for $20, a cool owner too.
- Sushi Den, Pearl St, Denver / the king of Denver and a must try spot out of them all.
- Sushi-rama, multiple locations / affordable kaiten sushi with a consistency issue.
- Sushi Ronin, Umatilla St., Denver / their izakaya was doomed to fail but a solid sushi bar.
- Sushi Katsu, Havana St., Aurora / surprisingly good AYCE even after the ownership change.
- Sushi Kazu, Arapahoe Rd, Centennial / bad sushi rice, but a lot of Japanese history here.
- Sushi Sasa, 15th St, Den / who hasn’t worked at Sushi Den, the staff here can attest to that.
- Sushi Tazu, Fillmore St, Den / used to be a great Japanese spot, but that is no longer the case.
- Tatsu Izakaya, S University, Den / decent, but more surprising is the nicely done yakitori.
- Temaki Den, Brighton Blvd, Den / newest of the bunch, but the owner/staff aren’t noobs.
- Tokio, Huron St., Denver / pinche Japonés sushi, ramen, to yakitori, aye guey.
- Uchi, Lawrence, Denver / “Japanese inspired” cuz the whole Japanese thing is like popular.
I want to go try Nozomi off of Tejon which is possibly another Chinese take on sushi based on the look of the tempura and karaage.
The 9 ethnically Japanese owned/staffed sushi bars are Kobe An, Matsuhisa, Sushi Den/Izakaya Den, Temaki Den, Sakana, Sushi Kazu, Sonoda’s, Sushi-rama, and Tokio (there are number of legit spots in Boulder).
The vast majority of Japanese restaurants in Colorado are Americanized sushi owned/operated by non-Japanese (based on my non-Japanese, Asian friends, people always assume they are Japanese).
These are the sushi spots that I can not do without, and if they did not exist in Denver, life would suck for me. The ranking is in descending order from the best in Denver to a worthy spot to eat sushi.
The first section is a quick blurb, a pic, pros and cons, and a sampling of their pricing.
1. Matsuhisa
The OG of the bunch is the Matsuhisa family of restaurants, whereas Nobu is the global icon/brand (heard in rap songs) with its partners Robert DeNiro and Meir Teper.
The first US restaurant is located in Beverly Hills, California (formerly in Peru and Alaska).
Nobu Matsuhisa is also the OG of Japanese fusion because of his Peruvian influences and Beverly Hills location, which have been around forever (since 1987).
Nobu’san not only outlasted Miyagi’s (the old Roxbury) and the long-time owners of the 100-year-old Yamashiro in Hollywood (a Chinese hotel group purchased it for $40 million in 2016), but he and his fam just happened to choose Colorado to further branch out in.
The first location was Aspen, Colorado, the second in Vail, and Cherry Creek, Denver, in 2016. In Dec 2021, I finally visited their Denver location, and they are killinnnnnnnnng it!
The SUSHI RICE is the best in Colorado, so any other effort they put in is just icing on the cake, which means they have a massive margin on the competition.
- Maguro MP
- Aji 12
- Kohada 10
- Uni (SB) 15
- Saba 12
- Anago 10
- Shirayaki 16
- Spicy tuna roll 12
- Sapporo 7
2. Sushi Sasa
I come here strictly for the sushi, and I steer clear from their fusion kitchen menu (not saying it is bad, it is just not my thing).
If you want to sit at the sushi bar, make sure that it is not filled up (it is not big),
Sushi Sasa is no noob to sushi, and Wayne Conwell, the dude/owner has a veteran staff with a wealth of experience in and out of Colorado. It’s that crew that has me hyping them and why they have been at the top of my list for several years.
I also feel that they stand out from places like Sushi Den because they are a fraction of the size. Also, compared to Japan, many top sushi bars are tiny 8-seat sushi bars, although Sasa is still 10x’s? bigger than most Japanese sushi bars. They are luckily nowhere as large of an operation as Izakaya Den and Sushi Den.
- Maguro 9
- Salmon 8
- Yellowtail 8
- Saba 8
- Amaebi 9
- Ikura 10
- Spicy tuna roll 8.50
- Asahi draft 8
3. Temaki Den
Temaki Den is a hosomaki/temaki (hand roll) restaurant, not a full sushi bar. Except they offer a couple of standout appetizers, the gome-ae (just ask for the spinach and sesame-based dish), to some nigiri sushi.
They are spot on with all the details.
Aside from torching everything, this spot is a standout on so many levels because sushi is all about the details, and they know those details. It comes through because what they do reflects their veteran roots/ties to Sushi Den (co-owned by the Kizaki bros, bro).
Also, tell me you are Japanese without saying you are Japanese, goma-ae (ask for the sesame spinach) on the menu says just that. Only Japanese restaurants and diners would know of this dish which is why you never see it at an Americanized sushi restaurant (vegan and vegetarian diners must try this dish for only $5).
- 3 roll set 5
- 4 roll set 19
- 5 roll set 24
- Edamame 3
- Spinach goma-ae 5
- Colorado sake co 6
4. Tokio
The most well-rounded of them all with not only sushi, but with yakitori too (I personally pass on the ramen, but it is a popular item).
This is my goto spot, but this is the smallest sushi bar out of all the sushi bars listed.
Miki Hashimoto’san is also old school with a couple of decades under his belt, and it shows. You can see it in his sushi, but I got to call out his nicely done yakitori, which is also Americanized, although it beats all the other restaurants who attempt to do it.
The only funky thing about this place is the venue itself which is disjointed with a small sushi bar, a small dining area below, and an upstairs space removed from the rest. Except, none of this matters when you are here for the great food.
- Maguro 7.50
- Yellowtail 8
- Salmon 7
- Saba 7
- Ikura 6
- Inari 2
- Spicy tuna roll 9
- Sapporo 6/10
5. Sushi Den/Izakaya Den
Sushi Den has its influences from Matsuhisa, but Sushi Den has been a leader in Colorado for the last several decades. That is bragging rights that have been earned on their own merits.
If you get here before they open, expect a line stretching down the length of the restaurants (Sushi Den and Izakaya Den).
I worked here for a short stint, about a year. I started in the front of the house (FOH), but I enjoyed the BOH a whole lot more. So I’m familiar with the operations, and even decades later, if you want to see the largest number of Japanese staff in a Japanese-owned and operated business, Sushi Den is that place.
Also, even with the decades of success Sushi Den has had, the owner, Toshi Kizaki, exemplifies the Japanese work ethic because he is very rarely ever not working in the restaurant. One example is that we would get excited when we heard he was not coming in, except he would come in to dine instead (WTF). You cannot say the same of so many other restaurants where the owner is never seen in the restaurant, especially back of the house.
- Maguro 9
- Yellowtail 9
- Salmon 9
- Saba 9
- Ikura 16
- Futomaki 12
- Spicy tuna roll 12
- Sapporo 7
6. Sushi Ronin
From a silly and failed attempt at an izakaya with teriyaki on a stick, the original location is far from being a hack attempt. The sushi bar and kitchen menu is a solid choice and one of the best places you will want to go for sushi to saba shioyaki (not yakitori).
The yakitori that I had at their “izakaya” was the most non-Asian, non-Japanese thing I had experienced in a while.
I ran into an ex-coworker from Sushi Den at Izakaya Ronin in the Five Points area, and I was shocked at how bad the sushi and their so-called yakitori had been. It was the one reason I stayed away from Ronin, although I also had another acquaintance from Sushi Den who was friends with a Ronin staff member, and we had all hung out together. Based on that experience, I wanted to go out of my way to give Ronin another try (the pandemic made that a bit of a challenge).
Lucky for me, I am glad I did make it back because it is why they made it on the list, even with the horrendously old and dried-out anago (saltwater eel).
- Maguro 9
- Yellowtail 9
- Salmon 9
- Aji 12
- Saba 9
- Ikura 14
- Futomaki 12
- Spicy tuna roll 9
- Sapporo 11
7. Uchi
This business uses Japanese food and culture to market their business, and their menu is “Japanese inspired.” Beyond the marketing, Chef Tyson Cole is talented AF and one of the only legit examples of Asian fusion.
I enjoyed every single thing I had on their menu, but this is an Asian-inspired restaurant.
In Colorado, Asians always get lumped in as one homogenous group, and Italians, Russians, to Spanish food would never get mixed together as fusion French food. Yet places like Uchi market their food as Japanese even though it is barely Japanese. The menu headers are omakase (“chefs choice”), agemono (fried), yasaimono (vegetable), to makimono (rolled sushi). Yet the menu is a mix of Asian cuisines from Chinese to Thai with some inspiration from Japanese cuisine, so why is this place not marketed as Asian fusion or Chinese or Thai fusion?
Regardless of their marketing, I suspect it might not be chef Tyson Cole but his marketing teams doing. So I will ignore that and say that their BOH team and chef Cole have more talent than the vast majority who attempt fusion (no “con-fusion” in his dishes on flavor, just an overly appropriated reliance on Japanese culture to market the business).
I also have more about Uchi in a previous post: “I Had Avoided Uchi in Denver, But I Did Not Mind Trying Them Out During Their Happy Hour“
- Maguro 11
- Yellowtail 11
- Salmon 9
- Saba 10
- Ikura 8
- Engawa 14
- Kinmedai 16
- Akamutsu 32
- Uni (SB) 26
- Spicy tuna roll 12
- Sapporo 7
8. Sushi Co
A temaki/hosomaki restaurant that was probably the first of it’s kind in Colorado and one of the friendliest places to grab a drink or 3-5 hand rolls for only $15 to $23.
I have never met a staff member I did not like and their service is always good (I set a high bar, but it is warranted).
A business is always a reflection of the owner or management, and Sushi Co exemplifies that because I like all their staff. Combine that service with an affordable menu, a good selection of beer, sake, to Japanese and Taiwanese whisky, and you have a winning formula (you won’t have that same experience at KazuNori, but Clement Mok does throw down with their interiors).
The only cringe-worthy aspect is the stereotypical geisha murals all over the Park Hill location, which is cheesy. Those same murals are also all over Colorado, and they perpetuate the perpetual foreigner with such cliche and stereotypical geisha clip-art (what next, ninja and sumo?). It’s a shame it is plastered everywhere, versus the art of artists like Audrey Kawasaki (I have seen her artwork all over her mom’s restaurant in LA), to Yoskay Yamamoto, Darren, and Trisha Inouye, Kelly Sux (such epic work), Lisa Kogawa, and the talented and ex-Terrace House member, Lauren Tsai. All of which are positive/good examples. Yea, a few are $$$, but the point is no samurai and geisha crap, yet all are Asian to Japanese/Japanese American artists.
- 3 rolls 14.49
- 4 rolls 18.49
- 5 rolls 22.49
- Chirashi 15.99
- Miso soup 3.99
- Sake flight 13-30
- Reisling 9
- Chardonnay 12
9. Hapa Sushi
Another old school rolls/sashimi chain in Colorado with several locations throughout the state which is probably why they unfortunately suffer from inconsistency (the pandemic also does not make it any easier).
I need to do a list of how long some of these businesses have been in business because Hapa aren’t noobs.
My most recent visit versus the last several times was a night and day difference, and I let the sushi chef know that. The good thing about that, is that he did not just brush it off, which says a lot about their staff being concerned about peoples experience.
So even though this was a better experience, overall, all my previous experiences from Cherry Creek to DTC (never bothered with Boulder), has always been mediocre which I think is due to their size and scaling their operations/business.
- New style 11.25
- Salmon skin roll 8
- Orgasm roll 14.95
- Booty call roll 25
- Hamachi sashimi 14.5 – 27.5
- Spicy salmon roll 10
- Sake 4 -11
- Sapporo 5.5 – 7.5
10. Kazu Sushi
Kazu’san is originally from the Kyoto area, and he has been in Colorado for several decades now. Saito’san also works the sushi bar and was the owner of Samurai restaurant in the 80-90’s.
Like Sushi Den or any Japanese owned restaurant, expect to see the owner working.
Regardless, if you are a multi-million dollar operation like Sushi Den or a small sushi bar like Kazu (the link is to my expanded review), the owners will always be in the restaurant. Except Kazu’san does it out of necessity, and he has been doing sushi for several decades.
His decades of experience are also why he has several tricks up his sleeve, such as an umeboshi (pickled-salted plum) dipping sauce for his hamachi. He is also no stranger to using mentaiko (spicy pollock/cod roe).
Except the biggest downside is that he can not get the sushi rice right, but I do enjoy that he will have shiokara (fermented viscera, commonly squid) every once in a while.
Also, I want to give a shout-out to Yumi and Yamaguchi’san.
- Maguro 9.70
- Yellowtail 9.60
- Salmon 9.40
- Saba 8.40
- Ikura 9
- Spicy tuna HR 4.50
- Salmon skin HR 4.10
- HH menu 1.95 – 3.20
- Canadian roll 8.90
- Sapporo 7
Not everybody fits in a TOP 10 for nigiri sushi, so I added an honorable mention category with the best AYCE (All You Can Eat) to the best kaiten (revolving) sushi in Denver list.
I have only been to three AYCE sushi spots in Los Angeles in 14 years, and I would have went sooner if they were like Katsu Sushi.
Honorable Mentions by Category
- Best AYCE: Sushi Katsu (Aurora, Lakewood, and Greenwood Village).
- Best Kaiten: Sushi-rama (Five Points, Aurora, DTC, and Lone Tree).
- Must Visit at Least Once: Sushi Den and Izakaya Den (Denver).
- Best for Large Parties: Sushi Den, Izakaya Den, and
Domo(Denver). Best Venue: Domo (Denver).CLOSED as of September 29, 2022- Best Value: Sushi Katsu (Aurora, Lakewood, and Greenwood Village).
- Best Spin on Sushi:
Domo and their “wanko sushi” (Denver).
I also have the top Google ranking for the Best Sushi in Orange County and Michelin Starred sushi bars in Los Angeles.
Thanks for Reading and Pro Tip, Rice Balls Go Great with Fried Chicken
I never dared to have a rice ball packed again for school lunch, and I went with the culturally acceptable Piccolo’s pizza. It was experiences like that I went through as a kid to experiences a decade or two later of every Tyson, Dick, Bing, and Quan touting they are doing Japanese food that has me doing these types of blog posts. They are more American than Japanese, so I am happy to promote these ten standout sushi restaurants in Colorado (I hope your kid can take a rice ball for lunch).
