Are you on the hunt for the best sushi in Milwaukee? Milwaukee has plenty of options when it comes to awesome sushi restaurants. From downtown to the surrounding suburbs, you can find an array of really good sushi bars and Japanese restaurants that will fit every budget.
Just about every Milwaukee sushi restaurant in the city serves up staple maki, nigiri, and sashimi, and offers a range of combo plates to fill your appetite. Numerous factors set some sushi restaurants apart from the rest, such as budget-saving specials, creative rolls that combine unexpected flavors, and super quality seafood. A trendy and fun atmosphere never hurts as well.
Over the years, we have grown to love sushi and Japanese food more and more. We average eating sushi about once a week in our house, and as locals in Milwaukee, we know a thing or two about where to find the best sushi in Milwaukee. So we put together this article on where to find the best sushi in Milwaukee.
1. Hungry Sumo Sushi Bar
Hungry Sumo Sushi Bar is a newcomer to the already fantastic dining scene in Bay View. With a trendy yet comfortable environment, Hungry Sumo offers super high quality and fresh seafood, really creative spins on traditional Japanese dishes, and lots of vegetarian options. Hungry Sumo is popular enough that reservations are recommended on weekends.
Before you dig into some sushi, be sure to try some of the tasty appetizers at Hungry Sumo, like the potato egg rolls, with glass noodles, carrot, cabbage, and potato, or the Sumo Pork Buns, with steamed buns, pork belly, mixed greens, and special sauce. For your entree, Hungry Sumo has extensive donburi options or various types of fish over sushi rice.
The specialty rolls are some of the most creative in the city, like the Crispy V, with sweet potato, shiitake tempura, asparagus, caramel sauce, and green tea mayo. The Angry Sea is also excellent, with spicy scallops, avocado, cucumber, garlic mayo, and jalapeno, as is the Ursula, with tempura calamari, cilantro, chili paste, cucumber, wasabi, and jalapeno.
- Address: 2663 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Bay View
- View Menu
2. Kawa Ramen & Sushi
Kawa came onto the Milwaukee sushi scene a few years ago and had quickly become one of the most popular destinations in the city for awesome Japanese food. Now Kawa boasts two locations. One of the restaurants is located right across the street from Bayshore Town Center, a popular area mall, while the other location is located on the east side just off North Avenue and is surrounded by some great bars, like Von Trier and Paddy’s Pub.
Both locations offer top-quality sushi in Milwaukee and a variety of authentic Japanese dishes, like tasty bowls of ramen, tasty rolls, and katsu. Check out one of the Kawa locations for some fantastic Japanese cuisine.
Start your meal off at Kawa with takoyaki, deep-fried wheat balls with octopus served alongside spiced mayonnaise, or some of the really tasty gyoza dumplings. The yellowtail jalapeno is a tasty starter, with thinly sliced yellowtail sashimi topped with jalapeno, black fish roe, and yuzu sauce. Try any number of the regular entrees, like katsu, udon, or ramen.
For sushi, the specialty rolls at Kawa are delicious, like the White Swan, with yellowtail, white tuna, tempura flakes, and tobiko, or the Fantastic Melody, with tempura-fried crab meat, avocado, cream cheese, and scallions. The T-Rex Roll is also worth a try, with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, white tuna, crab, and topped with mango chutney and spicy mayo.
- Address:
- 2321 N. Murray Ave.
- 3rd Street Market Hall,
- 325 W. Silver Spring Dr.
- View Menu
Related Article: Best Restaurants in Milwaukee
3. Rice N Roll Bistro
Rice N Roll Bistro is a cozy yet trendy restaurant on Milwaukee’s east side. The limited seating isn’t a problem since the restaurant does a large delivery business. In fact, Rice N Roll Bistro is one of the most popular sushi restaurants in Milwaukee for ordering sushi online. Whether dining in or taking out, check out the superior quality sushi at Rice N Roll Bistro.
There are plenty of tasty options at Rice N Roll Bistro. Try the fried tofu with crushed peanuts and sweet and sour dipping sauce, or the stuffed avocado, with fried avocado, spicy tuna, mayo, and unagi sauce. The donburi menu, or various types of fish with different rice options, is extensive, ranging from donburi with salmon to assorted types of fish.
For specialty rolls, consider trying the Sexy Summer, with spicy tuna, mango, salmon, and avocado, or The Packers Roll, with baked salmon, cream cheese, red tobiko, spicy mayo, tempura flakes, and unagi sauce. The extensive menu at Rice N Roll bistro ensures you can try different menu items with nearly every visit.
- Address: 1952 N. Farwell Ave.
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4. Spicy Tuna
Spicy Tuna is technically located in Milwaukee. It is by the VA Hospital/American Family Field. The restaurant is perhaps best known for its gorgeous sushi rolls.
Spicy Tna offers a menu full of tasty treats typically found on Japanese, Chinese, and Thai menus, including a great sushi menu. For an appetizer, try the rocky shrimp or fresh spring rolls. The shrimp shumai are also excellent. For specialty rolls, try the Tuna Bomb Bomb, which comes with deep-fried spicy tuna, jalapeno, cream cheese, red tobiko, and spicy mayo unagi sauce. The Milwaukee is also worth a try, which comes with tuna, super white tuna, salmon, cilantro, avocado, cucumber, masago mayo, tempura crab, green tobiko, and unagi sauce.
- 4823 West National Avenue, Milwaukee
- Menu
5. Ginza
Ginza is located in Bayside just north of downtown Milwaukee. The restaurant features tasteful decor and just enough seating to usually guarantee a seat. With a menu diverse enough to ensure the whole family is happy, Ginza has a great sushi bar in Milwaukee, but also a variety of other dishes, like tonkatsu, beef, seafood, and vegetarian ramen. The sushi is always fresh, and the sushi chefs provide a range of traditional and creative dishes. Make Ginza your go to spot for top-quality sushi.
Start your meal off at Ginza with some yakitori, or the Miso Tuna, with thin slices of seared tuna served with a miso sauce. Try any of the specialty rolls, like the Mars Roll, with crunchy spicy lobster topped with tuna and salmon, or the Shangri-La Roll, with salmon, avocado, mango, and tuna. The chirashi, or an assortment of raw fish over tasty sushi rice, is also exceptionally good at Ginza.
- Address: 333 W. Brown Deer Rd., Bayside
- View Menu
6. Kanpai and Kanpai 2
Kanpai and Kanpai 2 are a couple of the most popular Japanese restaurants in Milwaukee, and definitely, they have some of the best sushi in Milwaukee. With one location in the Historic Third Ward and the other in the heart of the east side, both locations are easy to visit and are ideal jumping off points to explore a couple of the best Milwaukee neighborhoods. Whether it’s for sushi, creative izakaya-style appetizers, or Japanese-inspired entrees, check out one of the Kanpai locations.
Kanpai is all about trying creative takes on Japanese classics. For an appetizer, try one of the tasty uni shooters, with sea urchin roe and ponzu, or the Suzuki Yuzukosho, with thinly sliced sea bass, Japanese yuzu petter, and splashed with olive oil. You can’t go wrong with the array of non-sushi entrees at Kawa, like tonkatsu, or for more traditional sushi, any of the nigiri, sashimi, combo plates, or a large number of maki rolls.
There is also a large selection of specialty rolls, like the Hot Spider, with fried soft shell crab, spicy tuna, jalapeno, avocado, unagi sauce, and tempura flakes. The Kanpai Roll is well-worthy of the restaurant’s name, with panko shrimp, cucumber, avocado, spicy crab, lobster salad, spinach and topped with french onions. Another creative roll is the Moby Dick, with assorted sashimi, cucumber, cilantro, and seared ahi tuna with a bit of aioli. Try any number of creative options at Kanpai.
- Address:408 E. Chicago St. and 2150 N. Prospect Ave.
- View Menu
7. Kyoto
Located in Greenfield, a short trip southwest of downtown Milwaukee, Kyoto is well worth a visit. This Milwaukee sushi restaurant is known for offering really quality sushi, creative specialty rolls, and providing exceptional service. If you are not from the immediate area, Kyoto is also located near Southridge Mall, making the restaurant an ideal spot for a meal before or after a shopping trip. For great service and even better sushi, make Kyoto your next destination sushi spot in Milwaukee.
There are plenty of creative and original dishes at Kyoto worth giving a try. Some of the appetizers are a must-try, like the lobster pizza, which comes with a homemade pancake, lobster salad, crab, onion, and tomato. The Sunomono is also excellent, which basically is assorted seafood in ponzu sauce.
For specialty rolls, give the Godzilla a try, which comes with spicy salmon, eel, crab, avocado, and tobiko, or the K1 Roll, with whitefish salad, avocado, and topped with salmon, yellowtail, tuna, and lime. The Kyoto Maki is a house favorite, with crab, shrimp, cream cheese, avocado, and red snapper.
- Address: 7453 W Layton Ave
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8. Thai-Namite
Thai-Namite use to be one of Milwaukee’s best-kept secrets, except for those who have been enjoying the restaurant’s quality sushi for years. Over the years they have become one of the best sushi restaurants in Milwaukee and have expanded to three locations now. They also serve some of the best Thai in Milwaukee too, we suggest trying their Panang curry if you aren’t up for sushi.
Start your meal with one of the tasty appetizers at Thai-Namite, like the scallop ponzu jalapeno or the crispy squid. The sushi supreme or sushi deluxe is a great value and is an unexpected menu item well-worth ordering. For a specialty roll, try the Milwaukee Roll, with shrimp tempura, cream cheese, avocado, green onion, sriracha sauce, masago mayo, tempura crumbs, unagi sauce, and wasabi mayo, or the Thai-Namite with octopus, cilantro, jalapeno, crab stick topped with shrimp and spicy honey sesame sauce.
There are plenty of non-sushi items at Thai-Namite that are also super appealing, like the volcano chicken, Pad Thai, green curry, and more. It’s truly a challenge to leave Thai-Namite not satisfied with the food.
- Locations
- 932 E Brady St
- 400 N Water St (located inside the Milwaukee Public Market)
- 8725 W North Ave
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9. Nana Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar
Located in Shorewood just north of downtown Milwaukee, Nana Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar has been slinging up some of the area’s best sushi for almost a decade. The restaurant excels at providing classic Chinese, Thai, and Japanese dishes, including really quality sushi. Whether it’s for a bento box, Chinese take-out, or pad thai, Nana is an ideal spot to please everyone. The interior is also pretty trendy, the service is always great, and the location is ideal for further exploring what Shorewood has to offer.
There are plenty of different dishes from three types of cuisine to try at Nana, but when it comes to Japanese staples, start with the Tuna Dumpling, or tuna stuffed with avocado, tempura flakes, tobiko, and topped with special sauce, or the Tako Su, which is thinly sliced octopus in ponzu sauce. The duck potstickers are original and really tasty and are served with scallion, shitake, and dipping sauce.
Nana offers expertly crafted nigiri, sashimi, and maki, but for a specialty roll, a must try is the Shorewood Roll, with crunchy salmon, fried asparagus, spicy white tuna, tobiko, and spicy mayo. The Lonely Angel is also a delight, with blackened tuna, asparagus, yellowtail, eel, and special sauce. The Oakland Roll is also fantastic, with spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado, lobster salad, and tobiko.
- Address: 4511 N. Oakland Ave.
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10. Screaming Tuna Sushi & Asian Bistro
Screaming Tuna Sushi & Asian Bistro is one of the most popular Japanese restaurants in Milwaukee. Situated right between Walker’s Point and the Historic Third Ward, Screaming Tuna offers plenty of seating with a trendy interior, great views of the river and downtown, and during summer months, plenty of outdoor seating. Its location also makes it a short drive from just about anywhere in downtown Milwaukee.
The sushi is fresh and always good, as are the diverse non-sushi options, making Screaming Tuna a great spot if not everyone in the party wants sushi for dinner. Check online for the brunch menu at Screaming Tuna since it also is fantastic and well worth a try.
There are plenty of tasty dishes at Screaming Tuna. To start your meal, try the Albacore Tiradito, or pacific albacore with salsa, lime, and cilantro. The lettuce wraps with Kalbi beef, cashew, lettuce, and rice noodles are also fantastic. For a more traditional nigiri, try the blackened octopus on sushi rice.
The specialty rolls at Screaming Tuna are very creative and always good, like the Rising Sun, with salmon, cucumber, blackberry, avocado, scallion, orange slice, and togarashi, as is the Shekher, with tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, wasabi mayo, sriracha, and avocado. For a truly excellent sushi experience, also consider the omakase platter or the chef’s choice of various sashimi, maki, and nigiri, which never disappoints at Screaming Tuna.
- Address: 106 W. Seeboth St.
- View Menu