Photo: Sensato7 Best Omakase Restaurants in Barcelona
Introduction
The Barcelona Omakase List We Send to Friends
Omakase is the format where you hand the menu over completely. You sit at a wooden counter facing the chef, the chef decides what you eat and in what order, and each piece is handed to you the moment it's ready. Barcelona's omakase scene is small and it's young, which is exactly why it's worth paying attention to right now: most of these counters seat well under ten people, the chefs are working with whatever the market gave them that morning, and a couple of them already hold a Michelin star or a Repsol Sol. This is the short list we send to friends who want to eat sushi the proper way, ranked by who built the chef's-counter tradition here and who's doing it best now. Expect to pay roughly €52 at lunch on the accessible end and around €85 to €95 for a full evening progression at most counters, with the Michelin-starred end running higher.
The short answer
Key Picks at a Glance
In a hurry? These are the essential picks from our full ranking below.
- Best overallSensato
Pure omakase-only counter for six in el Putxet, the closest Barcelona gets to an intimate Tokyo-style sushi counter.
- Best credentialsSuto
The most decorated true omakase counter in the city, holding both a Michelin star and a Repsol Sol.
- Most historicKoy Shunka
The Gothic Quarter chef's counter that shaped Barcelona's high-end Japanese scene, with a Michelin star and two Repsol Soles.
- Best valueSato i Tanaka
A Repsol Sol counter with lunch omakase sets from €52, the easiest way into the format.
Before you order
A Guide to Omakase in Barcelona
What is omakase, exactly?
Omakase translates loosely as 'I'll leave it up to you.' You don't order. You sit at the counter, the chef builds the meal in real time around the best fish available that day, and the pieces come one at a time, often handed straight across the wood so you eat each one at its peak. In the sushi context it's usually nigiri-led: a run of single pieces, sometimes with a few hot or cold dishes woven in. The point isn't volume, it's timing and precision. A piece of nigiri is meant to be eaten within seconds of being made, while the rice is still warm and the fish still cool, and the counter format is the only way to get that right.
Edomae and why the fish is often cured, not raw
A lot of Barcelona's serious counters describe their sushi as Edomae, the Tokyo-style tradition that predates refrigeration. Instead of serving fish straight from the knife, Edomae chefs cure, age, marinate or lightly cook it: tuna marinated in soy, mackerel pressed with salt and vinegar, white fish aged for a few days to deepen its flavour. It's a more worked, more seasoned style than the ultra-fresh sashimi most people picture, and it's the reason an omakase progression can feel like it has range even when it's almost all fish and rice.
Sushi omakase versus a Japanese tasting menu
Not every Japanese tasting menu in Barcelona is omakase, and the difference matters when you book. A true sushi omakase is counter-led and nigiri-centric: the chef in front of you decides, and the meal is built around sushi. A kaiseki or fusion tasting menu is a fixed, chef-designed sequence of plated courses that you eat at a table, which is a different experience even when it's excellent. This list sticks to the sushi counters. Several strong Japanese fusion and tasting spots in the city sit just outside that definition.
How We Built This List
Years of Eating, Asking, and Going Back
We built this the slow way and kept it honest. Omakase is a niche category in Barcelona, so we read every dedicated omakase and best-sushi feature we could find, noted which counters the people who actually eat this way name again and again, and cross-checked the format against the city's institutional guides. A venue only made this list if it runs a genuine chef's-choice sushi counter, not a fixed fusion tasting menu and not an a la carte sushi bar with a degustation tacked on. We kept à la carte sushi restaurants, kaiseki rooms and delivery operations off the main list on purpose. No restaurant pays for placement, and Guidavera has no affiliate or sponsorship relationship with any venue here.
More on how we rank: our methodology and quality standards.
At a glance
The 7 Best Omakase Restaurants, Compared
Quick reference table. Click any name to jump to the full review.
| # | Restaurant | Neighbourhood | Price | Distinction | Signature dish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sensato | el Putxet i el Farró | €€€ | Repsol Recommended | Omakase largo (around 22 bites) |
| 2 | Suto | Sants | €€€€ |  Michelin | Mackerel escabeche tacos with shichimi |
| 3 | Koy Shunka | el Barri Gòtic | €€€€ | Michelin | — |
| 4 | Fukamura | el Camp d'en Grassot i Gràcia Nova | €€€ | — | Sushi omakase menu (multi-course) |
| 5 | Jara Sushi Omakase | el Putxet i el Farró | €€€€ | — | Chef-led omakase at the counter |
| 6 | Sato i Tanaka | la Dreta de l'Eixample | €€€ | 1 Repsol Sol | Lunch omakase, 9 nigiri + 3 maki |
| 7 | Os-Kuro Sushi Bar & Robata | la Dreta de l'Eixample | €€€ | Repsol Recommended | Omakase tasting menus |
The ranking
7 Best Omakase Restaurants in Barcelona
Sensato
1. Sensato — Pure omakase specialist in el Putxet
Sensato is the one we'd send a first-timer to. It's omakase-only, served at a wooden counter that seats six, with chef Ryuta Sato working each piece in front of you with a real focus on delicacy and precision. There's no à la carte to fall back on and no menu to read: you pick the long or the short version and the rest is up to the kitchen. The full Omakase largo runs around 22 bites of sushi and small dishes for €85, and there's a shorter Omakase corto at €55 if you want the format without the full commitment. Because the counter is so small and the format is the whole restaurant, this is the closest Barcelona gets to the intimate Tokyo-counter feeling. Book well ahead, there aren't many seats.
Suto
2. Suto — Michelin-starred omakase counter in Sants
Michelin
RepsolSuto holds both a Michelin star and a Repsol Sol, which makes it the most decorated true omakase counter in the city. Chef Yoshikazu Suto runs a single omakase menu that moves with the seasons: a run of hot and cold dishes followed by a sequence of nigiri built around the best fish he can get that week. The Michelin Guide singles out his mackerel escabeche served in little tacos with shichimi, and the meal famously closes with kakigori, Japanese shaved ice made to order on an impressive artisanal machine. It's precise, refined and quietly ambitious without ever feeling stiff. This is the one to book when you want omakase as an occasion rather than a quick counter sit-down.
Koy Shunka
3. Koy Shunka — The Gothic Quarter counter that built the scene
MichelinRepsolKoy Shunka is the historic anchor of Barcelona's chef's-counter Japanese cooking. Chef Hideki Matsuhisa holds a Michelin star and two Repsol Soles here, and the counter has shaped the wider scene for two decades: a number of the city's other Japanese chefs trained in this kitchen before opening their own places. It's not a menu literally branded omakase, it's a tasting sequence, but it runs at a chef's counter and it's the room that defined high-end Japanese chef's-choice dining in the city. The food sits at the tension point between Japanese technique and Catalan ingredients, with a central wood-fired kitchen lending smoke and char to pieces that might otherwise be austere. If you want to understand where the rest of this list came from, start here.
Fukamura
4. Fukamura — Tiny Edomae omakase counter in Gràcia
Fukamura was the omakase story of 2025. Chef-owner Daisuke Fukamura relaunched a beloved little tavern as a tiny Edomae omakase counter, and it's been hard to get into ever since. The format is strict: one omakase menu at €95, no à la carte, the chef choosing and preparing every course from the freshest fish of the day. Expect a multi-course run of Edomae-style nigiri, sashimi and warm preparations, with premium sake pairings if you want them. The room is small and the focus is total, the kind of counter where you watch every piece being built and handed straight to you. It's the purest expression of the modern Barcelona omakase wave. Book as far ahead as you can.
Jara Sushi Omakase
5. Jara Sushi Omakase — Ten-seat omakase counter in el Putxet
Jara puts omakase right in its name and means it. The ten-seat counter runs a chef-led omakase at €95 per guest, with the day's fish setting the order, while a separate à la carte carta runs alongside for anyone not doing the full progression. Chef Jonathan Jara works the sushi and his brother Robby runs the room, and the carta gives you a sense of the ambition: otoro, a Wagyu A5 nigiri, super salmon with fresh truffle, plus desserts like yuzu crema catalana and artisan mochi made by Takashi Ochiai. There's a serious Japanese sake list and wines spanning Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Chile. No institutional stars yet, but the counter has built a real following on execution alone.
Sato i Tanaka
6. Sato i Tanaka — Repsol Sol counter with the accessible lunch omakase
RepsolSato i Tanaka holds a Repsol Sol and is the easiest way into proper omakase in the city without the full evening spend. It's pure omakase, the chef decides everything, served piece by piece at the counter. Lunch is where it shines for value: a set of 9 nigiri plus 3 maki at €52, or 12 nigiri plus 3 maki at €65, each with appetiser, miso soup and dessert. The evening tasting runs €85. The fish list reads like a wishlist, turbot, toro, sea urchin, eel, red prawn, red mullet, and the sea urchin tofu and baby cuttlefish are recurring highlights. If you've never done omakase and don't want to commit to €90-plus on your first go, this is the smart place to start.
Os-Kuro Sushi Bar & Robata
7. Os-Kuro Sushi Bar & Robata — Sushi-and-robata counter with omakase menus in Eixample
Os-Kuro is the broadest operation on this list, a sushi bar and robata grill in the Dreta de l'Eixample where the omakase sits alongside a full à la carte and a robata section. That makes it the flexible pick: you can do the chef's-choice omakase at €85 or €90, or build your own meal from tuna trilogies, sashimi, nigiri, tempura and grilled robata dishes. There's a lunchtime Hiru menu on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and Thursdays are given over to ramen. It's less of a purist counter and more of a do-it-all Japanese kitchen, which is exactly why it's useful: if half your table wants omakase and the other half wants à la carte, this is the one that keeps everyone happy.
Also worth trying
Honourable Mentions
Shunka
el Barri Gòtic
The historic Gothic Quarter sushi counter behind Koy Shunka. The nigiri and sashimi off the bar are excellent, but the format leans izakaya and à la carte rather than a true chef's-choice omakase, which is why it sits just off the main list.
Yushu
Sant Gervasi - la Bonanova
A tiny, refined chef's-choice counter in Sant Gervasi working with seasonal ingredients. Genuinely omakase in spirit, but with thinner coverage than the counters above.
Barra M
la Nova Esquerra de l'Eixample
A nikkei omakase from chef Omar Malpartida in the Esquerra de l'Eixample, weaving Japanese technique through Peruvian memory across a seven-course Omakase Nikkei (€85) or five-course Hayai (€65). New enough to watch closely.
Kottoya
el Barri Gòtic
A Japanese-Mediterranean sushi spot in the Gothic Quarter with a chef-driven omakase counter and a full à la carte, from €4.80 nigiri to €15.60 toro sashimi. Strong with diners; quietly building a reputation.
Soluna
l'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample
Chef Teppei Nii, a Koy Shunka alumnus, runs contemporary Japanese tasting menus with Mediterranean touches. Chef-designed and excellent, but a fixed tasting format rather than chef's-choice at the counter, so it sits as an honourable mention.
The bigger picture
The Omakase Scene in Barcelona
Barcelona genuinely supports under a dozen true omakase counters, which is why this list is short by design rather than padded with à la carte sushi bars. The format is concentrated in a few neighbourhoods: Eixample holds several counters, with others scattered across el Putxet, Sants, the Gothic Quarter and Gràcia. Two of the venues here hold a Michelin star, three hold a Repsol Sol, and several are pure omakase-only operations where the chef's-choice counter is the entire restaurant. Most seat a dozen or so people, the smallest just six, so booking ahead is essential. Prices run from around €52 at lunch to €85 to €95 for a full evening omakase.
Practical tips
Know before you go
A short survival guide for eating omakasein Barcelona — everything we wish we’d known on our first trip.
- 1
Book well ahead, seats are scarce
Most Barcelona omakase counters seat a dozen or so people, and the smallest hold just six. The pure omakase-only spots like Sensato and Fukamura have only a handful of seats and book out fast. Reserve as far ahead as you can, especially for weekend evenings.
- 2
Lunch omakase is the value play
If you want the format without the full evening spend, go at lunch. Sato i Tanaka runs lunch omakase sets from €52, well below the €85 to €95 evening progressions elsewhere on this list.
- 3
Don't expect to order
At a true omakase you don't choose dishes. The chef decides and serves each piece in sequence. If you have allergies or strong dislikes, flag them when you book so the kitchen can plan around them rather than mid-meal.
- 4
Eat each piece straight away
Nigiri is built to be eaten within seconds of being handed over, while the rice is still warm and the fish still cool. Don't let pieces sit while you take photos. Sitting at the counter is the whole point: eat it the moment it lands.
- 5
Confirm format and price when you book
A few counters run more than one length of omakase, or shift their menu over time. Confirm the current format and price directly with the restaurant when you reserve, particularly at hotel-based and newer counters.
Know the terms
Glossary
The vocabulary you need to order omakase in Barcelona like a local.
- Omakase
- A chef's-choice dining format meaning 'I'll leave it up to you.' The diner sits at a counter and the chef decides the menu in real time, building it around the best ingredients available that day and serving pieces one at a time.
- Edomae
- The Tokyo-style sushi tradition that predates refrigeration, in which fish is cured, aged, marinated or lightly cooked rather than served raw straight from the knife. It produces a more worked, more seasoned style of nigiri.
- Nigiri
- A single piece of sushi: a small mound of seasoned rice with a slice of fish or other topping pressed on top. Omakase progressions are usually built around a run of nigiri.
- Itamae
- The sushi chef who works the counter, literally 'in front of the board.' In an omakase, the itamae chooses, prepares and hands each piece directly to the diner across the counter.
- Kakigori
- Japanese shaved ice, a delicate dessert often made to order on a specialist machine. Suto closes its omakase with kakigori made on an artisanal machine.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
All restaurants on this list were independently verified as open and serving the dishes described as of .
What is omakase?
+
Omakase means 'I'll leave it up to you.' You sit at a sushi counter, the chef decides the menu in real time around the best fish available that day, and pieces are handed to you one at a time. In Barcelona it's usually nigiri-led, sometimes with a few hot and cold dishes woven in.
What's the best omakase in Barcelona?
+
Sensato in el Putxet is our top pick, a pure omakase-only counter seating six with chef Ryuta Sato. For institutional credentials, Suto in Sants holds both a Michelin star and a Repsol Sol, and Koy Shunka in the Gothic Quarter is the historic counter that shaped the whole scene.
How much does omakase cost in Barcelona?
+
Omakase in Barcelona runs from about €52 for a lunch set at Sato i Tanaka up to €85 to €95 for a full evening progression at counters like Sensato, Fukamura and Jara. Drinks and sake pairings are usually extra. Lunch omakase is the most affordable way to try the format.
Which omakase restaurants in Barcelona have a Michelin star?
+
Suto in Sants holds a Michelin star for its omakase counter, and Koy Shunka in the Gothic Quarter holds a Michelin star for its chef's-counter tasting sequence. Suto also holds a Repsol Sol, while Koy Shunka holds two Repsol Soles.
What is Edomae sushi?
+
Edomae is the Tokyo-style sushi tradition that predates refrigeration, where fish is cured, aged, marinated or lightly cooked rather than served straight from the knife. Barcelona counters such as Fukamura describe their omakase as Edomae.
Do I need to book omakase in Barcelona in advance?
+
Yes. Most omakase counters in Barcelona seat a dozen or so people, with the smallest holding just six, so seats are limited and fill quickly. Pure omakase-only counters like Sensato and Fukamura are especially hard to get into and should be booked well ahead.
Where can I find the cheapest omakase in Barcelona?
+
Sato i Tanaka in Eixample offers the most accessible omakase, with a lunch set of 9 nigiri plus 3 maki for €52 or 12 nigiri plus 3 maki for €65, each including appetiser, miso soup and dessert. Lunch omakase is generally cheaper than the evening progression.
What's the difference between omakase and a Japanese tasting menu?
+
A true omakase is counter-led and nigiri-centric, with the chef in front of you deciding the meal around the day's fish. A Japanese tasting menu, such as kaiseki or fusion, is a fixed chef-designed sequence of plated courses usually eaten at a table. This list covers the sushi counters only.
Is there omakase-only sushi in Barcelona?
+
Yes. Sensato in el Putxet and Fukamura in Gràcia are omakase-only, with no à la carte option, so the chef's-choice counter is the entire restaurant. Others, like Sato i Tanaka and Os-Kuro, run an omakase alongside an à la carte menu.
Explore
Map
About the author
Justin Mota
Guidavera founder
Justin Mota is the founder of Guidavera. He has lived in Spain for over 10 years and runs a native AI agency alongside building this platform. Food has always been the way Justin connects with friends, and Guidavera started as the list he kept sending to everyone visiting Barcelona. He built it for himself and his friends first, and now hopes it can transform the way people discover great food experiences everywhere.
More about Justin→