Affordable sushi in Umeda? Look no further!

There are so many restaurants in Umeda, near Osaka Station, that it’s really hard to choose. Everything from high-class sushi specialty restaurants to casual izakaya style bars and eateries. And every time I see a sushi restaurant, it gets my mouth excited for some delicious sushi!
I’m going to show you some of my favorite sushi spots in Umeda that are affordable and delicious!
Some of them draw a lot of customers and a handful of them are more off-the-beaten-path types.
Stop in for lunch, bring a date, or invite your friends for a drink and a bite to eat.

■Ganso Bucchigiri Sushi

The first spot on my list is in the bustling Hankyu Higashi-dori Shopping Street—Ganso Bucchigiri Sushi!

The sushi toppings at this place are huge! We’re talking 3 times the size of your normal slice of fish. If you order the eel, you can’t even see the sushi rice below, but I promise it’s under there. The flavor is huge too! Everything they serve, looks amazing and is sure to leave you absolutely satisfied.

And just look at their famous salmon roe sushi! The toppings seem to bubble over the edge of the sushi rolls and you even get a spoon to scoop them up. Let them pop in your mouth and enjoy the little bursts of flavor.

The sushi starts at a very affordable ¥80 per piece. And there is a lot on the menu besides sushi, like the sashimi plates, and the a la carte items. It’s a fairly big restaurant, so it’s a great place for families or company parties. Don’t be discouraged if you’re eating out with a big group. They can usually accommodate you.

■Sushi Uo Gashi Nippon Ichi, Grand Front Osaka location

Next up is another favorite, Uo Gashi Nippon Ichi, which serves up reasonably priced Edo-style sushi. The restaurant is elegant yet simple, a great place to bring your date or dine alone.
Most of the seating is at the sushi bar, so you can order directly from the chef and watch your food be prepared right before your eyes. Tell the chef what you like and get some recommendations for what to order. Talking with the chef is one of the best parts about dining here!

Sushi starts at ¥75 per piece and the lunch sets start at ¥700. If you visit in the evening, you can even get an affordable nigiri-zushi set for ¥1,000, which is a great deal! Everything is fresh and delivered straight to the counter. You can taste the luxury of eating the slightly warm rice topped with fresh fish. You can’t beat the taste of freshly made sushi!

Besides the sushi, there are a few other fabulous items on the evening menu, like tempura and karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken). The carefully selected sake menu is perfect for pairing with their savory sushi creations.

■Sakaba Ribery Nigiru

This eatery opened in August, 2020. It’s all about sushi, tempura, and culinary creativity. Even the facade is a lot more artsy looking than what you would expect out of a sushi shop. It’s got lots of neon and lots of color!

This is one of those places where I recommend to just go with your gut. Everything on the menu is imaginative and absolutely divine.

For example, look at this popular dish. It’s a cucumber roll, but it’s topped in fresh fish. It tastes even better than it will look on your instagram feed. Salmon roe is piled high on top of slices of fresh tuna.

Or how about these hand-rolled sushi topped with the daily specials.

And, the drink menu has plenty of star-players too! The oh-so-fruity whiskey sours are something to look at and they go down smooth. Maybe too smooth…

■Sushimaru

Lastly, in the underground strip, Hankyu SUN Hiroba Chika-dori, you’ll find this delightful restaurant that specializes in oysters and wine.
It’s a tachigui bar, which means they only have standing space at the bar. It’s a great restaurant if you want to grab a quick bite, if you’re dining alone, or if you just want a casual sushi spot where you can get oysters and wine too!

I could’ve dined in, but decided to get one of the takeout containers. It’s a good deal for 8 pieces of sushi. Everything is fresh and the toppings change daily.

You’ll never believe how much this was… Only ¥500! That’s a deal!
It’s fresh and it’s all homemade. For this price, I could get a dish every day, for lunch or dinner.

Well, those are just a few of the great sushi restaurants in the Osaka Station area. Of course, there are many more just waiting to be found, but it’s a start! Have fun eating sushi and exploring Umeda.